A settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by former college athletes who alleged the NCAA failed to cover the full cost of their education formally has been approved by a Los Angeles federal judge.

Under the settlement, approved Aug. 5 according to court documents obtained yesterday, the NCAA will create a $10 million fund over the next three years to reimburse former student athletes for educational costs they previously incurred. The NCAA also will make an additional $218 million available to current Division I schools to pay for benefits given to college athletes enrolled between the 2007 and 2013 academic years.

NCAA Division I schools also may provide basic accident insurance coverage for injuries that students sustained while participating in college athletics. But under the settlement, the schools are not required to do so.

Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic, who has been mulling retirement, said he hopes to have a decision later this month.

Sakic, who missed 38 games after hernia surgery last season, said he has been speaking with general manager Francois Giguere and coach Tony Granato, who replaced Joel Quenneville after the playoffs.

Colorado's training camp starts Sept. 20.

Keystone Oaks High School graduate Dan Muto signed a contract with the Luganno Tigers of the Swiss Men's Basketball League. Muto will join the Tigers "A" team next week. While at Keystone Oaks, Muto scored 1,254 career points while averaging more than 24 points per game in his senior season.

• The Charlotte Bobcats traded second-round pick Kyle Weaver to Oklahoma City for a second-round choice in 2009.

• The Detroit Pistons re-signed forward Walter Herrmann. The 6-foot-9, 229-pound Herrmann was acquired by the Pistons in 2007 along with Primoz Brezec in a trade that sent Nazr Mohammed to the Charlotte Bobcats.

• The New Orleans Hornets re-signed free-agent forward Ryan Bowen. It will be the second season in New Orleans for the 6-foot-9 Bowen, an eight-year veteran who spent his first five seasons in Denver before going to Houston for two years.

A second defendant pleaded guilty in the beating death of former Villanova star Howard Porter, taking a plea agreement that calls for him to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Rashad Raleigh, 29, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and will be sentenced Sept. 8 for the May 2007 murder. In exchange, Ramsey County won't prosecute him for last year's triple murder of a St. Paul, Minn., woman, her boyfriend and daughter, though federal prosecutors could still charge him in that case, lawyers said.

Fredquinzo King also is charged with first-degree murder in Porter's death. Another defendant, Tonya E. Johnson, admitted earlier to luring Porter to her St. Paul home, and pleaded guilty to several counts.

Women's Professional Soccer, a league planning to debut next year, has added Atlanta to its expansion list for 2010. The league, based in San Francisco, is set to open in April with seven teams -- Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis and Washington. The league said Atlanta would be the ninth team after previously announcing Philadelphia as a 2010 addition.

Chuck Scally Jr. of Moon and Dan Walters, a mini-tour pro from Lancaster, share the lead after 3-under 68s in the first round of the 92nd Robert L. Fryer Memorial Open Championship in Spring House, Pa. They have a one-shot lead on four players, including David DeNunzio of Jeannette.

Zane Schreiber hit two home runs, including a grand slam, to lead Hagerstown Federal of Maryland to an 8-3 win against Devon Strafford of Pennsylvania in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Little League World Series final in Bristol, Conn.

Fourth-seeded Tommy Haas defeated qualifier Rik De Voest, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, to advance to the second round of the Legg Mason in Washington.