Sports Shorts Sports Shorts (July 27, 2005)

COURT HIGHLIGHTS . . . Former Stanford women's tennis star and two-time NCAA singles champion Laura Granville won her first career professional title of any kind on Sunday, teaming with Abigail Spears to capture the doubles title at the Western & Southern Financial Group Women's Open in Cincinnati with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory over top-seeded Kveta Peschke and Maria Emilia Salerni. Granville, 48-1 in her career at Stanford, had reached the finals at Memphis with Spears last year. Spears won her third career doubles title. Her first came with Stanford product Teryn Ashley in 2003. Patty Schnyder, who is playing at Stanford this week, took home the singles title in Cincinnati.

RECENT SIGNINGS . . . Stanford grad Mark Madsen has found a home in Minnesota. The 6-foot-9 forward agreed to terms on a five-year contract with the Timberwolves. Madsen averaged 2.1 points and 3.1 rebounds in 41 games before a right wrist injury ended his season in March. After helping the Los Angeles Lakers win two NBA championships in three year, Madsen joined the Timberwolves two years ago. He also has his own website at www.madsen35.com . . . Palo Alto High grad Drew Hodgdon signed a three-year deal, reportedly worth just over $1 million, with the Houston Texans on Friday. The Texans selected Hodgdon in the fifth round of April's draft after a senior season at Arizona State in which he earned honorable-mention All-Pac-10 honors as a center and also won the Sun Devil Iron Man Award. "His best attributes are his quickness, consistency, and technique," said Rob Rang of NFLDraftScout.com. "He lacks great strength at the point of attack and is more of a wall-off blocker than a dominator. I like Hodgdon's tenacity and work ethic and could seem him enjoying a long career in the league." Hodgdon (6-3, 310) was timed at 5.31 in the 40 at the NFL Combine.

COACHING CORNER . . . Palo Alto High is looking for a varsity girls' basketball coach for the 2005-06 season and a varsity baseball coach for the 2006 season. Hoops coach Amy Stock is stepping down after four seasons, the first three which ended in league championships. Her 2003 squad finished 23-7 and reached the CCS semifinals for the first time in school history. Those interested should contact Athletic Director Earl Hansen at 329-3886 or send resumes to ehansen@pausd.org . . . Menlo School is looking for a girls' varsity basketball assistant coach and girls' frosh-soph basketball coaches. Call 330-2001 (ext. 2282) or e-mail bmckinney@menloschool.org. . . Menlo-Atherton is looking for coaches for the 2005-06 school year: wrestling, track and field assistant (shot and discus), JV boys' and JV girls' water polo, girls' varsity and JV lacrosse, and frosh-soph softball. Those interested should contact M-A Athletic Director Pam Wimberly at 322-5311 (ext. 5706) or e-mail resumes to pwimberl@seq.org.

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