College coaches will have to recruit the old-fashioned way next year.

The NCAA's board of directors approved a ban by a 13-3 vote yesterday to eliminate all text messages from coaches to recruits beginning in August, then left open the possibility of revisiting that legislation as early as 2008.

"One of the abuses that was described to us were text messages from a coach to a player saying 'Call me,'" Division I vice president David Berst said on a conference call.

As a result, coaches will no longer be allowed to send text messages to recruits.

High school athletes face far fewer restrictions. A recruit, for instance, could still message a college coach although the coach could not respond under the new rule.

The move comes a week after the NCAA's management council recommended passage of the ban, which also eliminates communications through other electronic means such as video phones, video conferencing and message boards on social networking web sites.

E-mails and faxes would still be permissible and subject to current NCAA guidelines.

College basketball

West Virginia announced a formal buyout agreement with former men's coach John Beilein. According to the document, Beilein will pay the West Virginia University Foundation $1.5 million over the next five years, beginning in April 2008.

Forward Courtney Molinaro received a release from Penn State's women's team.

Marquette guard Dominic James declared for the NBA draft, but will not hire an agent so he has the option to return to school.

Center Hasheem Thabeet, a 7-foot-3 native of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, will return to Connecticut for his sophomore season instead of declaring for the NBA draft.

Mississippi women's coach Carol Ross announced her retirement and will be replaced by assistant Renee Ladner.

Tennis

Rafael Nadal extended his winning streak on clay to 69 matches, defeating Thomas Johansson, 6-1, 6-4, to advance to the quarterfinals of the Open Seat Godo in Barcelona, Spain.

Auto racing

Driving an open-wheel car for only the second time, Venezuelan Milka Duno, 34, earned her IndyCar series rookie license -- three days before she will make her series debut at Kansas Speedway. Duno, who is moving to Indy cars from sports car racing, becomes the third woman in the IndyCar series behind Sarah Fisher and Danica Patrick. All three are in the field for the Kansas Lottery Indy 300 Sunday, marking the first time three women are expected to compete in one race in a top-level circuit.

Pro basketball

Lisa Leslie, a three-time WNBA MVP, has signed a multiyear contract with the Los Angeles Sparks. Terms were not announced.

College football

Washington & Jefferson hired Casey Goff as defensive line coach. Goff recently coached at Rhodes College in Tennessee.

Golf

Dave Richards of Washington & Jefferson shot a two-day total of 4-over 146 to win the Presidents' Athletic Conference individual title at Oak Tree Country Club in West Middlesex, Pa. W&J (596) easily won the team championship. Grove City was second at 634.

Yachting

America's Cup hopeful BMW Oracle Racing opened up a three-point lead at the top of the Louis Vuitton Cup standings by beating Mascalzone Latino of Italy in the ninth flight in Valencia, Spain. The undefeated Americans took the lead for good from the first windmarker after the Italians were handed a penalty for failing to keep clear of the USA-98 boat as it tacked.

Boxing

Texas state officials issued a license to former heavyweight champion Tommy Morrison, clearing the way for him to fight in Houston tonight. Morrison, 38, a former WBO champion, is scheduled to face Dale Ortiz in a four-round bout at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Houston. It will be Morrison's second fight since launching his comeback earlier this year after an 11-year retirement following the discovery that he was HIV positive.