NW briefs: Cougars cornerback Brackenridge ruled ineligible

Tyron Brackenridge, a senior cornerback expected to challenge for a starting football position at Washington State in the fall, has been ruled academically ineligible.

The loss of Brackenridge is a significant blow to the depth at a position where the Cougars don't have a wealth of veterans. Prospective starters are Omowale Dada and Alex Teems. The only other player who has experience at corner is junior Don Turner.

Recruiting coordinator Robin Pflugrad said Brackenridge, a junior-college transfer last year from Chaffey College, is in summer school and can practice, but will redshirt and hopes to play in 2006.

Unless a freshman can crack the two-deep roster, it's likely the Cougars would test a safety at cornerback. One candidate is Husain Abdullah, but safety is not a deep position for WSU, either.

The Cougars apparently won't get immediate help from cornerback James Bradley of Garland, Texas. Bradley and defensive tackle Joseph Townsend of San Jose have not passed freshman-entrance requirements.

Notes

• High-school girls from Seattle, Redmond and Everett have been selected by USRowing to represent the United States at the Junior World Rowing Championships Aug. 3-6 in Brandenburg, Germany. They are among 15 selected to the U.S. women's team.

Garfield's Annie Gayman (Green Lake Crew), Snohomish's Erin Knox (Everett Rowing Association) and Eastlake's Kari Stenbakken (Sammamish Rowing) return from the 2004 U.S. team. Joining them are Sammamish High's Jennifer Cromwell (Sammamish Rowing), Marysville-Pilchuck's Sara Gribler and Lake Stevens' Adrienne Mecham (both Everett Rowing).

Roosevelt's Alee Perkins and Holy Names' Lindsay Meyer and Kamiak's Ashley Kroll will row for the U.S. junior team at the CanAmMex Regatta tomorrow through Saturday in Oak Ridge, Tenn.

• Michael Boxley of Mountlake Terrace has verbally accepted a basketball scholarship to Seattle University for the 2006-07 academic year. Boxley will be a "gray shirt" and sit out next season while attending a community college. He would join former Terrace teammates Ryan Webb and Leigh Swanson at Seattle U.