Softball's Ecks released from hospital

USF softball pitcher Cristi Ecks, who collapsed during a team practice Tuesday afternoon, was released from University Community Hospital over the weekend, USF announced in a news release.

There has been no update on Ecks' medical status or what might have caused her to collapse. It's unknown when or if she'll be able to return to softball -- her teammates won three of four games over the weekend in doubleheaders at Rutgers and Villanova. You can read more about Ecks in this story from Wednesday's Times.

-- Meant to post this last night, but was busy with the women's Final Four. Sophomore cornerback Dylan Douglas, who had three tackles on special teams as a freshman, has left the football team and will transfer to a smaller school where he's in better position to earn playing time.

Douglas, who entered spring drills listed as a top backup at cornerback, is the eighth defensive scholarship player to opt to transfer since December, which has hurt the Bulls' depth on that side of the ball. Like Douglas, the other seven -- defensive linemen Josh Smiley, Brandon Peguese, Kyle Dampier, Corian Garrison and linebackers Donte Spires and Marvin Peoples -- weren't expected to play significant roles in 2008.

USF has shifted two offensive players to defense this spring to help offset the losses, with guard Sampson Genus impressing coaches enough to become a second-team nose tackle and running back Tyson Butler showing promise in his first work at cornerback.

Comments

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Any word on Delbert transfering?

[jarred]

To where, culinary school?

[ucf rocks]

UCF would take Delbert. He is a great punter. Might be one of the best players on the Cows.

[Brendan]

Glad to hear that Cristi has been released. Hopefully she can rejoin the team before the end of the season or possibly the post season!

[Jim]

So do you think Leavitt will give some of these scholly's to the walk ons that deserve them??

[CJ Harmon]

ucf actually makes a point.
alvarado is a great punter and it is stupid to hope for him to transfer.

[100% RNR]

With the loss of the Seniors from last year and so many players leaving there is an obvious problem going on in Tampa so we will see where all the USF faithful are next year when you all are getting your head bashed in

[UCF SUCKS!]

So what is UCF's mascot again? Golden Knights or Knights? Make up your minds.

[Chris]

RNR - We don't want anyone here who doesn't want to be here.

By the way, who is it that you think is going to bash us next year? Let's get your specific premonition here...I'm interested to see where you misguided allegiance lies.

[xr4ti_007]

The natural rate of attrition for players is about 5 to 8 a year. Players leave for many reasons: not playing, homesick, grades, injuries, and so on. If you sign 25 scholarship players a season and you can only have 85 scholarship players at any one time, you need the natural rate of attrition to be compliant. I can’t say I am heartbroken about anybody that left this off-season. Douglas is the only one I saw play, the rest were strictly bench material. The influx of talent this fall will more than make up for those who left. I wish them no ill will, and the best of luck in the future. After all, what is the student non-athlete’s attrition ratio after the freshman year? For every six freshman that enroll, five return for their sophomore year or something close. Nobody cares if a Russian Lit major with tons of potential transfers to Georgia Southern…unless he runs a 4.4 forty! It is only common sense, but I wouldn’t expect a UCF fan to understand the concept. A great number of them suffer from Yellow Knight Myopia, and the rest of them left RJS before the end of the third quarter.

[Tad]

Anybody seen cee?

[Ken]

Wow, folks, we had a athlete come very close to dying, another one. I'm very, very glad that it appears she's going to be all right.

[Dave W]

The problem will all of those losses will come with the inevitable injuries. DT and CB have both lost guys that I thought had some decent potential. Not coincidentally, both spots lost starters and have significant PT available. Losing these guys could eventually hurt.

I'm extremely relieved that Cristi is doing better. What a scary thing for someone my age to go through.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Is Delbert still kicking field goals??

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Do you realize how far away are basketball program is from competing for a spot in the final four.??

Maybe Dominque Jones -- MAYBE -- but other then that we haven't had a player at USF that would have played a single minute for either of those two teams.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

our

[G.A.]

Ari, glad to see you posting about something other than Alvarado, but honestly, Gransberry doesn't get a few minutes off the bench?

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Greg..

Maybe for Memphis.
No chance he plays for Kansas.

They got that freshmen mac d all american 7 footer. They got Kahn. They got Artur. They got Brendan Rush. They got Jackson.

I just can't see it.

Unreal how much size they had.

[R2D2]

Not maybe for Memphis, definitely. Did you see the 300lbs fat guy they play who got burnt on every play?

As for Kansas, not a minute a game for KG.

[Dave W]

KG would have had significant minutes at Memphis, mainly due to Calipari's CRM-like ability to not recruit enough big men. At Kansas, I'll take KG over Shaka Kahn (c'mon, why didn't the announcers make more of that joke?) and the other bigs except maybe Arthur. As far as strength and rebounding ability go, there are not many guys in the country that match KG. Throw in his intensity, and you have a guy who would have been all-any conference this year. All-Big East is pretty darn impressive, and I'm surprised that you guys are disparaging him in that manner. Kansas certainly has more overall talent than any other team in the country, but Self would put him out there for that toughness.

What are the dates on the spring basketball season? As a corollary, who will we be seeing the next few weekends?

[Cee, Jr.]

Jim Leavitt is at fault for the level of talent on the basketball team. He should be going on recruiting visits with Stan Heath. He needs to earn that paycheck by bringing the basketball program back up to par.

Leavitt also is at fault for the traffic on Bruce B. Downs.

[Herman Momart]

I don't know Dave. I know KG is our most valuable player but I feel a lot of his numbers are due to "somebody has to score and get the rebounds". He was our only real talent in the front court. There is a reason a kid goes to Kansas and a reason a kid goes to USF, while KH overachieved here, I'm not sure he would even have a shot there.

I dont think KG would ever be on Self's radar. Im not sure KG has near the athletic ability or the ability to make himself big like Kahn. In fact I watch www.nbadraft.net pretty religiously and Kahn took Gransberrys spot in the bottom of the 2nd round. They are usually right on the money.

to me, KG is a poor mans Tyler Hansborough. All intensity and will but not much talent. Thats why both of them will not be a force in the NBA if they even make it. Would he play on Kansas? who knows, but I dont think so.

[Herman Momart]

FWI, I think he would play on all 3 of the other Final 4 teams. That Kansas frontcourt was just absurd and way more athletic than KG. He might give guys rest but dont think wwould be an important piece of the team.

[paul wall]

Spires had potential to do big things...

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Kahn is 7 feet and runs the floor well.
The other kid Aldridge is a 7 footer and a Mac D All American
Then you got Arthur...Rush... and Jackson.

Stacked

[Herman Momart]

WE MUST GET A GOOD SG..... Jones is overrated.

[Herman Momart]

Its nice to be admired and have people post under my name.

D. Jones is underrated if anything.

[Dave W]

Ari, Rush is 6'6" and a 3.

KG may be the poor man's Hansborough, but with what Big Baby Davis, Paul Millsap, and Carl Landry are doing in the NBA, there is clearly a spot for a strong man who takes personal offense if someone else gets his rebound. KG has the intelligence to fit into any system as well. Kahn is tall. Big whoop. I saw nothing from him to indicate that he has the psychological edge needed in the NBA for non-freakish athletes.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

You didn't see anything from Kahn??

Guy was a big reason they got past Davidson....and he seems to have the backdoor screen for a dunk down pat.

Guy is solid. We don't have anybody on our team that goes 6-10 and plays the way he does.

[Ken]

Any update on Ecks? Has she returned to school? Has she--will she--return to SB?