Former Terp Wysocki suing NCAA, ACC

Charlie Wysocki, who left Maryland as its leading career rusher in 1981, is part of a class-action suit of 43 former college football players against the NCAA and a variety of conferences and schools for failing to protect the athletes from lifethreatening emotional and neurological harm caused by repeated concussions. In the lawsuit, filed this week in Indianapolis, Wysocki claims that the head injuries he suffered while playing for the Terps led to a long-term battle with depression and bipolar disorder. Wysocki lists the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference as the defendants. “Certainly consequences of repeated head injuries can create conditions like depression and bipolar disorder and emotional issues like that,” said Chris Dore, a Chicago attorney whose firm is representing Wysocki and the other former athletes who are part of the suit. “One of the conditions he’s suffering from is depression.” Dore said Thursday that the University of Maryland was not named in the suit because as a member of the University of Maryland System, it is given state tort immunity. The handful of schools that were named in the suit were private universities, Dore said. MEN’S COLLEGE SOCCER: Freshman Shane Kastl became the first Patriot League player to score against preseason favorite American (5-4-3, 2-1) on Wednesday, converting in the 32nd minute to earn a 1-0 victory for visiting Loyola Maryland (5-5, 3-0). The win vaulted the Greyhounds into sole possession of first place. ... Navy (2-6-2, 0-3) suffered its second straight overtime league loss, falling, 2-1, at Lehigh (4-6-1, 1-2). The Mountain Hawks’ Oscar Greene scored in the 96th minute after a failed clear. NFL: The Cleveland Browns released wide receiver Darius Jennings (Gilman) from the practice squad. HONORS: Former Navy men’s lacrosse coach Willis Bilderback headlines the 2016 induction class for the Anne Arundel County Sports Hall of Fame. Bilderback, who led Navy to nine national championships during what became known in college lacrosse circles as the Decade of Dominance, will be honored posthumously. Former Old Mill baseball coach Mel Montgomery will also be enshrined during the banquet, Oct. 12 at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie. Completing the class are Corey Wallace, a standout basketball player at Meade and Clemson, and Betsy Elder, a soccer and lacrosse star at Severna Park and Maryland. For tickets, contact president Chris Smith at 240-508-3568. NHL: The Washington Capitals and the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League have extended their affiliation agreement through the 2019-20 season. The Bears are entering their 12th season as Washington’s AHL affiliate under the current agreement. The Capitals and Bears are the eighth-longest current NHL-AHL affiliation. The teams also were affiliated from 1977 to 1984. Hershey had the AHL’s top attendance in 2015-16 for the10th consecutive season, drawing 9,790 per game. LAUREL PARK: After inclement weather forced all races to be run over the main track last weekend, racing returns to the turf course with10 grass events set for today and Saturday. Today’s ninerace program has three races on the Kelso Turf Course and two on the Fort Marcy Turf Course. Of Saturday’s10 races, three will be contested over the Fort Marcy layout and two on the Kelso. —