Kournikova and Rubin to compete at Charlotte event CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT InsideOut Sports & Entertainment recently announced that Anna Kournikova and Chanda Rubin will compete in special mixed doubles exhibition matches at The Championships at The Palisades, the fifth of eight events on the Outback Champions Series tennis cir cuit to be played Sept. 24-28 in Charlotte. Kournikova and Rubin, both former top 10 players on the WTA Tour, will compete in mixed doubles exhibitions during both the day and night sessions on. Sept. 27 with two players chosen from the field of eight men's players compet ing in the tournament field. Confirmed players for the event include former world No. 1 and 2006 tournament champion Jim Courier, two time Charlotte finalist Todd Martin, 2003 Wimbledon finalist Mark Philippoussis and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Wayne Ferreira. The final four players in the field, as well as the schedule of play in the round-robin event, will be announced in the near future. Tickets for the event are available now and can be pur chased by calling 877-332 TIXX. Ticket prices start at $12. Full ticket information can be found at www.championsseriestennis.c om. "We are excited to add Anna and Chanda to the roster of players in Charlotte as we continue to expand the enter tainment options on the Outback Champions Series," said Jon Venison, co-founding partner of InsideOut Sports & Entertainment and the Outback Champions Series. "One of the most frequent comments we hear from our fans is the desire to see their favorite female players play at our events. We are delighted to be InsideOut Sports & Entertainment photo Anna Kournikova will team with Chanda Rubin in doubles action in September. able to provide this for our fans wi,th the addition of these mixed doubles matches in Charlotte featuring Anna, Chanda and some of our uutoacK i^nampions Series players." Kournikova, from Russia, was ranked as high as No. 8 in the world in singles in 2000 and ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles in 1999. She won 16 career WTA Tour doubles titles. including two Australian doubles titles with Martina Hingis in 1999 and 2002. Known as one of the most popular tennis players in tHe world, Kournikova reached the singles semifinals at Wimbledon in 1997. Rubin, from Lafayette, La., was ranked as high as No. 6 in the world in singles and won seven career WTA Tour singles titles and 10 career doubles titles, including the 1996 Australian Open with Arantxa Sanchez Vicario. Her best singles showing at a major tourna ment was also at the 1996 Australian Open, where she reached the semifi nals, losing to even tual champion Monica Seles. The Outback Rubin Champions Series features eight events on its 2008 sched ule, with its next event being the International Tennis Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, R.I., August 13-17. More information can be obtained by visiting www.ChampionsSeriesTennis. com. Pholo by Charles Watluns N.C. A&T running back Michael Ferguson is 906 yards away from becoming the Aggies all time leading rusher. Four Aggies make preseason All-Conference CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT There are signs that the North Carolina A&T football talent that started out as inexpe rienced freshmen and sopho mores are rounding into the kind of players that can resurrect the program. Four Aggies were placed on the second-team preseason all MEAC team that was announced at the recent MEAC press luncheon. Senior Michael Ferguson (5 11, 195, Durham, N.C.) was the only offensive player to earn a spot, while three defensive play ers - junior linebacker Andre Thornton, senior safety Brandon Colbert and senior defensive end Tyre Glasper - earned recognition. Ferguson will enter the sea son needing just 906 yards to become the Aggies all-time leading rusher. Last season, he had the fourth best rushing sea son in Aggies history after com piling 1,169 yards and four touchdowns. Ferguson also had ?six games in which he rushed for 100 yards or more. Thornoton (6-3, 230, Charlotte, N.C.) led the Aggies in tackles for the second straight season. Last season, he recorded 83 tackles and 8 Vi tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He had four games in 2007 in which he had double-figure tackles. Colbert (6-2, 185, Fayetteville, N.C;) had a career season for the Aggies. He was second to Thornton in tackles with 63 and he made eight of those tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Colbert also inter cepted two passes and earned a reputation for being a hard hit ter. Glasper (6-3, 270, Detroit, Mich.) led the team in quarter back hurries last season. He also made 5 Vi half stops behind the line of scrimmage, blocked two kicks and had one sSck. Glasper was second on the team among defensive linemen in tackles with 33. "The thing I talked about when I got here was establishing a class." said Fobbs. "We want ed to establish classes and not bring in truck loads of transfers every year. We' ye taken our share of hard knocks, but this year we have 18 or 19 seniors. Next year we'll have even more than that. So we're excited about the foundation we're building here." Summer Sales Event 2008 CLK 2008 E350 Sport 2008 M350 4MATTC in if t ? a i ? i i t ft i f ft i i ? i i i ? it Mi J.D. Powers Premium Sporty Car Recipient, Highest Initial Quality Navigation, Heated Seats, Sirius Radio, Ipod Integration, Rear Sunshades, Hands Free Communication System, Stk#2449X $47.900 + tax, tags, doc fee Navigation, Sirius Radio, Heated Seats, Trailer Hitch, Stk#2483 + tax, tags, $389 doc feel $42.900 MERCEDES-BENZ CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED RATES AS LOW AS 1.9% Extending Warranty to 100,000 miles 05 ML350 4i4. CDl P Snrf. 1 -Oamer. 28K. Uke New. Siver. Ash Leafier *24,988 05 ML350 4dr, 4x4, Auto, P Snrf, Alum. 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Aula P Snrf, VC, M, WWe, Uhr, Hid Seats, NAV *42,900 C, CL, CLK, CLS-Class 07 C230 Sport 4dr, PW, POL, PS, P8, CO, P Snrf, 1 -Owner, Black, Heated Seats *27,988 06 CLS500 4dr, Auto, R Snrf, A/C, 20K, Indian Gray, Lthr, Launch Ed., Htd I Cooled Seats, NAV *49,900 06 CLS55 AMG R Snrf, Alloys, 20K, Black, Heated Leather, NAV, Keyless Go *59,900 ML-Class 05 ML500 4MATIC Local Trader, Leather, Sunrool, Full Power *21 ,988 R-Class 06 R350 4MATIC CO, Power Sunroof, Alloys. 8K, Alpine Rain, Htd lthr, Sirius Radio, 1 -Owner *32,900 S, SL, SLK-Class 01 SL500 Convertible Auto, A/C, Cruise, Alum Whls, 60K, Silver, Leather, Sport Pkg, Both Tops *1 9,900 99 MB SL500 Convertible PW, POL Cruise, Htd Sts, Hardtop & Softtop, Xenon. Smoke Silver, 49K. Vary wry nice... *21 ,988 07 SLK350 Convertible 2dr, Auto, COt A/C, Cruise, Alum Wheels. 5K, Red. 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