Track and Field

Gamecocks sixth in women's indoor poll

The South Carolina women's track and field team is ranked sixth in the United States Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association indoor preseason poll.

Louisiana State University, the national runner-up in 2007, is No. 1 followed by defending national champion Arizona State, Tennessee, Michigan and Stanford.

The Gamecocks, who have finished in the top 10 at the NCAA Indoor Championships each of the past eight seasons, return two indoor All-Americans in sophomores Krystal Cantey and Brandi Cross . Both were members of the 4x400-meter relay team that won the national championship with a time of 3:29.57.

South Carolina's indoor season begins Jan. 11 against Denison at Walt Disney World.

Football

Fisher says he will remain with 'Noles

Florida State assistant coach Jimbo Fisher said Sunday night that he will be staying at the school, ending rumors that he might become the next head coach at West Virginia.

"I know media reports are circulating regarding the possibility of West Virginia's head coaching position. I am a native of West Virginia and I love the state, but I want to make clear that I am staying at Florida State," Fisher said in a statement released through the university.

The 42-year-old offensive coordinator said he would follow Bobby Bowden as head coach at Florida State during a news conference Dec. 10, when Bowden's contract was extended for one year.

- Gary Pinkel helped lead long-suffering Missouri into college football's elite this year. Now he has the contract to match that lofty perch.

Missouri athletic director Mike Alden announced that Pinkel will receive a $550,000 annual raise, boosting his guaranteed compensation to $1.85 million a year.

Pinkel also gets a one-year extension through 2012.

The announcement comes as No. 7 Missouri (11-2) prepares to face No. 25 Arkansas (8-4) in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1 in Dallas.

Pinkel, 55, is in his seventh season at Missouri, which won the most regular season games in school history and was briefly ranked No. 1 in both the AP and BCS standings before losing the Big 12 Conference title game to Oklahoma in early December.

Baseball

Phillies, Taguchi reach 1-year deal

Outfielder So Taguchi , who hit .290 for St. Louis last season, signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.

The 38-year-old led all National League pinch hitters with a .406 (13-32) batting average.

Taguchi played all three outfield positions for St. Louis in 2007, starting 41 times in center field, 21 times in left field and twice in right.

As a member of the World Series champion Cardinals in 2006, Taguchi hit .400 (6-15) with two home runs and four RBI in the playoffs.

Ski Jumping

Morgenstern falters in his bid for record

In Engelberg, Switzerland, Thomas Morgenstern failed to win a record seventh consecutive event in World Cup ski jumping, instead finishing third.

The Olympic champion was beaten by Andreas Kuettel , of Switzerland, who won with jumps of 125.5 and 136 meters on the large hill for 252.7 points.

Austria's Gregor Schlierenzauer was second with 248.9 points after jumps of 124.5 and 136.

Morgenstern had jumps of 124.5 and 135 meters for 246.6 points, ending his bid to break the record for most consecutive victories.

Morgenstern had already become the first skier to post five consecutive victories to start a season -- and he extended his streak to six in Engelberg on Saturday. That tied him with Finland's Matti Hautamaki and Janne Ahonen for the most wins in a row at any time of the season.

Morgenstern leads the overall World Cup standings with 660 points. Schlierenzauer is second with 429 points.