CIAA commissioner Leon Kerry told The Associated Press on Sunday that the league has reached an agreement with the city on a three-year extension through 2011.

"We're going to announce it this week," Kerry said. "We want our fans to book their rooms and be ready."

Kerry revealed the news in an interview on the eve of the start of the Division II tournament involving 10 historically black colleges and universities.

While 18 games will be played over six days, culminating in the women's and men's finals on Saturday night, the CIAA tournament is perhaps known more for its parties, fashion shows, band competitions and celebrity sightings.

The event brought more than 26,000 out-of-town visitors to Charlotte last year that included Sean "Diddy" Combs, Vivica Fox, LL Cool J and Magic Johnson.

"Last year's event brought $28 million in economic impact. Who knows what this year will bring, probably more," said Molly Hedrick, a spokeswoman for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. "It's a win-win situation."

Kerry said attendance for the tournament and all the auxiliary events jumped to 165,000 last year, an increase of almost 100,000 since the tournament was moved to Charlotte in 2006 after a six-year stay in Raleigh.

"Whenever you do something different you're scared. But sometimes it's good to be scared," Kerry said. "I knew we were going to work hard and so everything we could do to make it successful. Was I comfortable in Raleigh? Yeah, but sometimes comfort isn't good."

Kerry said Charlotte benefits from its downtown arena, which is within walking distance to the convention center, where a fan festival will be held this week, and to numerous hotels and restaurants.

Kerry also likes Charlotte's location, which is closer to South Carolina and Georgia. Kerry has eyed that region in his hopes for expansion into the Atlanta market. The conference has faced upheaval in the last several years as Winston-Salem State and N.C. Central have moved to Division I.

The CIAA is adding Pennsylvania's Lincoln University, which is moving up from Division III, in time for the 2009-10 school year.

"There could be some others by then, too," Kerry said. "I want to control the sports on the Eastern seaboard. I'd like to have schools from Pennsylvania to Atlanta. I want to be in every TV market."

Kerry said there were some stumbling blocks in negotiations with Charlotte officials to extend the existing three-year agreement, which expires after this year's tournament and included $1 million in financial guarantees from the city.

SCHOOL WILL STILL NAME COURT AFTER SAMPSON: Montana Tech has no plans to change the name of its new basketball court, despite recent allegations against its namesake, former Indiana men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson, athletic director Joe McClafferty said.

A recent NCAA investigation found Sampson committed five major rules violations, leading to his resignation Friday.

Sampson, who started his college coaching career at Tech, donated $50,000 toward the cost of renovating the school's physical education building. His signature was embossed on the gym floor.

McClafferty said Sunday he couldn't speculate on the allegations against Sampson but noted that Montana Tech still supports him.

"We're not a big school, but we're extremely loyal, and we're not going to get caught up in that whole game," McClafferty said. "Our court will stay Kelvin Sampson Court. We still love the guy, and if he wants to come back and coach here, we'd sure take him."

Sampson guided the Orediggers from 1981-85.

(The Associated Press)

SUNDAY'S RESULTS

BASEBALL

N.C. STATE 14, APPALACHIAN STATE 4: Drew Martin had a career-high four hits and drove in three runs in leading host N.C. State to a come-from-behind victory over Appalachian State.

The Wolfpack broke open a tight ballgame with a five-run fifth inning to take a 9-3 lead. Tommy Foschi led the charge with a two-run double to left field, while Synan, Martin and Domonique Rodgers each added RBI singles as the Pack batted around for the second straight inning.

UNC 8, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 7: Sophomore right fielder Tim Fedroff lifted No. 2 North Carolina to a comeback win over Florida Atlantic with a go-ahead, two-run home run in the top of the ninth at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla.

The Tar Heels (3-0) trailed by three runs heading into the final frame but rallied to sweep the season-opening series from the Owls (0-3).

DUKE 10-17, IONA 1-5: Nate Freiman hammered two home runs and drove in a combined nine runs to lead Duke to a pair of wins over Iona as the host Blue Devils clinched a four-game sweep over the Gaels.

Freiman went 5-for-9 over the two-game spread and scored four runs for Duke.

(From College News Releases)