NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Prairie View A&M’s athletic program was suspended indefinitely today from the Southwestern Athletic Conference because the school violated an earlier two-game suspension of its marching band.
The suspension also was handed down because the school’s president allegedly promised in a letter never to allow the school to play fellow SWAC member Southern University again.
The suspension comes nine days after Prairie View’s football team ended its record 80-game losing streak.
“The suspension means that none of the teams from the SWAC will be permitted to play Prairie View A&M again in any sport until, and whenever, the suspension is lifted,” SWAC said in a news release.
The flap that led to the suspension dates back to Sept. 19, when the bands for Southern and Prairie View became embroiled in a brawl on the field.
SWAC ordered a two-game suspension of both bands. Southern’s band honored the suspension, sitting out the next two football games. Prairie View’s band, however, played Oct. 3 in Dallas during a game with Grambling State.

Gophers on the tube
Saturday’s Minnesota-Penn State game at the Metrodome will be televised on ABC-Channel 5, beginning at 2:30. ESPN announced Monday that it will carry the Gophers-Ohio State game on Oct. 17.

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — The hockey career of Manon Rheaume is on hold. The 26-year-old goaltender for the Canadian national women’s team is pregnant.
Rheaume, who married in-line hockey player and former minor leaguer Gerry St. Cyr during the summer, will miss the entire 1998-99 season.
The Quebec native appeared in an exhibition game for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992, and was a member of Canada’s silver-medal-winning team at the Nagano Olympics last winter.