Pack gets top safety

The future of N.C. State's struggling defensive backfield became a bit brighter with the commitment of safety David Amerson of Greensboro Dudley.

Amerson, 6 feet 2 and 180 pounds, chose N.C. State over Notre Dame, according to Dudley coach Steven Davis. Amerson intercepted nine passes last season as a junior; Davis did not have updated 2009 statistics.

Amerson is rated the No. 56 safety in the nation by Scout.com.

Davis said Amerson will play free safety in college.

"He's a very intelligent player," Davis said. "He's got the athletic ability to go with it, but he does a good job of anticipating the play before it happens."

More football

Memphis fires coach: Memphis fired coach Tommy West on Monday, saying the school wants to go in a different direction after the season.

Athletic director R.C. Johnson said at a news conference that he met with West on Monday morning and told the coach of the decision. He also asked West to stay through the end of the season.

When the coach had his turn at the microphone, he said the university needs to put more money in the football program or shut it down. West didn't hesitate to share his feelings about the program's outdated facilities. He said there was only one answer if fans didn't demand improvements or for the university to make necessary changes.

West's firing comes after the Tigers started the season 2-7.

Prince cleared to play: UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince has been cleared to practice and is expected to play Saturday after showing no complications from a concussion.

The freshman was hurt on a helmet-to-helmet hit from Washington's Donald Butler while Prince scrambled downfield in the Bruins' 24-23 win over the Huskies last weekend. Prince sat out the second half and said he didn't remember the hit after the game.

Coach Rick Neuheisel said Prince showed "zero complications" from his head injury Monday. He expects Prince to start when UCLA visits Washington State this weekend.

Manuel to start for FSU: Heralded Florida State recruit EJ Manuel will get his first start Saturday at Wake Forest.

The redshirt freshman from Virginia Beach, Va., replaces junior quarterback Christian Ponder, who suffered a season-ending dislocated shoulder in Saturday's loss to Clemson.

Ponder had thrown for 2,717 yards and 14 touchdowns this season. Emanuel has been in on only a handful of plays this seasons and had one completion good for four yards.

Women's soccer

Heels, Deacons to host NCAA Tournament games: North Carolina and Wake Forest will host first- and second-round NCAA Tournament games this weekend.

Duke also is in the 64-team NCAA field but will play at South Carolina.

ACC champion and defending NCAA champion North Carolina (17-3-1) will face High Point (7-14-2) in the first round Friday at 5 p.m..

The other two teams in the four-team field at Chapel Hill are UNC Wilmington (13-7-1) and Georgia (14-5-1).

Wake Forest (13-5-2) will meet Kennesaw State (11-6-0) on Friday at 5:30 p.m. Loyola, Md., and West Virginia also are playing in the Winston-Salem foursome.

Duke (8-8-4) will face Rutgers (13-3-4) at Columbia, S.C., on Friday at 4:30 p.m. Host South Carolina and Davidson round out the field.

Second-round matches are set for Sunday.

All eight ACC women's teams made the 64-team field for the third straight season.

From college news releases

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