New USF coach Rex Walters signed his third perimeter recruit with the addition of Chris O'Brien, a 6-foot-4 guard from Northwood High School in Irvine.

O'Brien averaged 19.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and six assists per game as a senior, earning All-Orange County and league MVP honors. His signing comes on the heels of the Dons' landing Skyline star Kwame Brown earlier this week.

Mayo update: Former USC star O.J. Mayo has denied allegations that he received cash and gifts from events promoter Rodney Guillory and said he was confident an investigation will determine he did not violate NCAA rules.

"I know for a fact that I haven't accepted anything," Mayo said. "My family hasn't accepted anything, so I'm just waiting for the NCAA to do what they have to do to prove that I haven't done anything wrong."

Indiana: Indiana University has reached a settlement with former interim coach Dan Dakich, paying him the $185,000 he was scheduled to earn next school year.

Dakich replaced Kelvin Sampson after the NCAA accused Sampson of five major rules violations in February. The university gave Sampson a $750,000 buyout.

Grambling State: Rick Duckett, an assistant coach at South Carolina for the last six seasons, was hired Thursday as the men's head coach at Grambling State University.

MEN'S GOLF

NCAA West Regional: St. Mary's carried a 6-over 294 to finish the first round in sixth place at the NCAA West Regional at the Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton Wash. Gaels

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Chadd Cocco and Michael McRae are tied for eighth individually, shooting par 72s.

Oregon leads team play at 1-over 289, led by individual leader Joey Benedetti's 3-under 69.

Stanford is ninth in team standings at 8-over 296. Rob Grube's tied for third at 1-under 71. Cal is tied for 21st place. Evan Derian and George Gandranata each shot 3-over 75s.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

UCSB: Cal associate head coach Lindsay Gottlieb was hired as the new women's basketball coach at UC Santa Barbara. She replaces Mark French, who retired after 21 seasons with the Gauchos.

This is the first head coaching job for Gottlieb.

In other Cal news, the Journal News reported Thursday that Angelei Aguirre, a guard from White Plains, N.Y., and the daughter of former NBA player Mark Aguirre, has committed to Cal. A senior, Aguirre averaged 20.9 points during the regular season in 2007-08.

SOFTBALL

Stanford: Stanford's Missy Penna will be in the circle today when the Cardinal opens the NCAA Tournament regional play against Lehigh today at 11:30 a.m. at the UMass Softball Complex in Amherst. Also, Stanford sophomore catcher Rosey Neill was named the Pac-10's Co-Defensive Player of the Year, and joined Penna and outfielder Alissa Haber on the 14-player first team.

WOMEN'S TENNIS

Cal: No. 8 Cal defeated No. 9 Duke 4-3 in the Round of 16 at the NCAA Tournament in Tulsa, Okla. The Golden Bears will face top-seeded No. 1 Northwestern on Saturday. Susie Babos sealed the match for the Bears with her victory in a second set tiebreaker.

Stanford: Fourth-rated Stanford battled wet weather in crushing Clemson 4-0 in their NCAA quarterfinal in Tulsa, Okla. Stanford meets No. 5 Baylor on Saturday. The No. 3 doubles team of Celia Durkin and Carolyn McVeigh led Stanford with an opening victory.

FOOTBALL

Penn State: Coach Joe Paterno spent several hours at a hospital being treated for dehydration before returning home late Thursday.

The 81-year-old coach had been working at home late in the morning when he began feeling nauseated and was taken by ambulance to Mount Nittany Medical Center, team spokesman Guido D'Elia said. Paterno had tests at the hospital but was not admitted.

Paterno was released and back home Thursday evening.