Sharks Reward Wilson With a Two-Year Contract

Coach Ron Wilson was given a multiyear contract Monday by the San Jose Sharks, a reward for leading the NHL club to the best season in franchise history.

The Sharks also re-signed assistants Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler. Wilson and his staff received two-year contracts with an option for a third season. San Jose had a 43-21-12-6 record last season, earning 104 points and the Pacific Division title before advancing to the Western Conference finals for the first time with playoff victories over St. Louis and Colorado.

Though his first full season in San Jose was a success, Wilson knows he still has plenty of work to do on a young club that could be even younger next season after the off-season departures of a few veterans.

“We’re still a young and developing team with lots of room to grow,” Wilson said. “But to see the light go on for so many guys, that’s really what coaching is all about, when you see [that] kind of illumination from your team.”

*

Center Marc Savard agreed to a deal to stay with the Atlanta Thrashers.

Savard, 27, was limited by injuries to 45 games last season but still ranked fourth on the team with 52 points (19 goals, 33 assists).

*

The Mighty Ducks signed defenseman Kurtis Foster to a one-year contract. Foster, 6 feet 5 and 235 pounds, appeared in three games with Atlanta last season, registering one assist. He was selected by Calgary in the second round (40th overall) of the 2000 NHL entry draft.

Tennis

Andre Agassi won his opening match at the $2.5-million Tennis Masters Cincinnati when Mardy Fish quit during the third set because of a sore back.

Agassi lost the first set, 6-4, then pulled out a second-set tiebreaker, 7-3, when Fish double-faulted. He led, 4-1, in the third set when Fish retired.

Tommy Haas continued his comeback from shoulder surgery by upsetting eighth-seeded Rainer Schuettler, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4, in the first round. The rest of the top players advanced.

Mary Pierce beat Marlene Weingartner, 6-1, 6-1, in the first round of the Rogers Cup at Montreal. Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova advanced when France’s Emilie Loit retired with a wrist injury.

Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia got past seventh-seeded Flavia Pennetta of Italy, 5-7, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (8), in the Nordic Light Open at Stockholm.

Jurisprudence

A former coach of tennis players Mark Philippoussis and Monica Seles was found guilty of sexually abusing a female student 20 years ago at a school in Melbourne, Australia.

A Victorian County Court jury found Gavin Maxwell Hopper, 48, guilty of three counts of indecent assault and six of gross indecency.

Hopper coached Seles in 1998, Philippoussis from 1999 to early 2000 and Haas later in 2000. He now runs a tennis academy on Australia’s Gold Coast with former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash.

Linebacker Matt Sinclair, Illinois’ leading tackler, and tackle Ryan Matha, another returning starter, were charged with aggravated battery stemming from a weekend bar fight, prosecutors at Champaign, Ill., said.

Illini Coach Ron Turner declined to comment on the arrests or whether he was planning any disciplinary action.

Miami cornerback Antrel Rolle won’t be tried for allegedly striking a police officer, and was reinstated to the team. Coach Larry Coker had indefinitely suspended Rolle after his arrest.

Pro Basketball

Washington Wizard forward Kwame Brown broke a bone in his right foot during a pickup game last week and will have surgery today.

The Orlando Magic signed free-agent forward Stacey Augmon.

Baseball

A two-run triple by Drew Stubbs in the fifth inning was the difference as Team USA defeated Japan, 4-2, in the gold medal game of the World University Baseball Championships on Sunday night at Tainan, Taiwan.