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FSU Softball Coach Graf Steps Down

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A Tribune staff, wire report

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 16, 2008

TALLAHASSEE - Florida State softball coach JoAnne Graf, the all-time NCAA leader in wins with 1,437 during her 30-year career, announced her retirement Sunday.

Graf will begin a new chapter in her life in the fall when she starts teaching in Florida State's School of Education.

"I earned my PhD anticipating that one day when my coaching career was over that I would move into teaching," Graf said. "The opportunity to join Florida State's outstanding sport administration faculty presented itself and I decided to accept the invitation to join them."

Graf ends with a 1,437-478-6 record plus AIAW slowpitch national titles in 1981 and 1982.

Highly Touted Center Will Transfer To USF

TAMPA - Former Maryland center Gus Gilchrist, rated the nation's No. 9 center as a senior in high school in 2007, will transfer to the University of South Florida, his trainer/adviser Terrelle Woody said.

The 6-foot-9 Gilchrist also considered Kentucky and West Virginia. Woody said Gilchrist chose USF because of three reasons: USF junior point guard Chris Howard, a former high school teammate of Gilchrist's, a chance to play in the Big East and playing for USF coach Stan Heath.

Gilchrist initially signed early with Virginia Tech in November 2006, but opted out of his letter-of-intent because of the April 2007 shootings. He enrolled in Maryland in January, but the Atlantic Coast Conference ruled Gilchrist would not be eligible until January 2009 and would lose a year of eligibility because he had signed with another ACC school. This decision prompted him to leave.

Woody said USF would begin the process Monday to appeal to the NCAA for a hardship waiver that would allow Gilchrist to play this season at USF. If the appeal is not successful, Gilchrist would not be able to play at USF until the 2009-10 season.

Brett McMurphy

COLLEGE WORLD SERIES: Danny Muno, Alan Ahmady and Jordan Ribera launched three-run homers to power Fresno State (43-29) past Rice (47-14) 17-5. ... Alex White kept LSU's potent offense mostly under wraps for seven-plus innings and Kyle Seager, Seth Williams and Ryan Graepel had three hits apiece to lead North Carolina (52-12) past LSU (48-18-1) 8-4.

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