Sports Briefs: Wake Forest's Aminu says he will definitely return for his sophomore season

Forward Al-Farouq Aminu of Wake Forest has announced that he will return to school for his sophomore season.

"In order to end further speculation, I am excited to announce my return to Wake Forest for my sophomore year," said Aminu in a release from the Wake Forest sports-information office. "My experience at Wake Forest has been terrific. I have grown as a student, as a person and as a basketball player. The NBA is a dream of mine, but my family and I feel like now is not the right time…."

Aminu averaged 12.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Deacons last season. He led all ACC freshmen in rebounding and was second in scoring.

Aminu was a unanimous selection to the ACC All-Freshman Team and was named a Freshman All-America by multiple publications.

"I am incredibly excited for our basketball team and very happy for Al-Farouq and his family," said Coach Dino Gaudio of Wake Forest. "He has been a pleasure to coach, a terrific teammate and a vital part of Wake Forest basketball and this University.

"His decision reflects his maturity and his understanding that he needs to develop certain areas of his game. With Al-Farouq's tireless work ethic, he will continue to be an impact player at Wake Forest and in the ACC. There is also no doubt in my mind he will be a terrific future NBA player."

Football

■ Outside linebacker James Harrison is no longer one of the NFL's biggest bargains.

Harrison -- last season's NFL defensive player of the year -- and the Pittsburgh Steelers reached terms yesterday on a $51.75-million, six-year contract that will make him the second highest-paid player in franchise history.

The contract will pay Harrison a guaranteed $20 million -- more than any other player in team history except quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who signed a $102-million, eight-year contract last year.

Harrison broke into the Steelers' starting lineup in 2007 and had 8½ sacks. Harrison had a team-record 16 sacks in 15 games last season.

■ Bruce Snyder, a former Arizona State football coach, has died after a 10-month fight against cancer. He was 69.

Snyder died yesterday, the university said on its athletic Web site. He coached the Sun Devils from 1992 to 2000. His 1996 team went 11-0 in the regular season before a dramatic 20-17 loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.

■ The Green Bay Packers traded long snapper J.J. Jansen to the Carolina Panthers yesterday for a future conditional draft pick.

Jansen won the Packers' long snapper job in training camp last season, becoming the successor to retired veteran Rob Davis.

But Jansen tore a ligament in his left knee in the Packers' final preseason game and was placed on injured reserve. The team signed Brett Goode, who went on to have a solid season.

Jason Kyle has been the Panthers' long snapper since 2001 but remains unsigned.

Basketball

■ Florida International has fired men's coach Sergio Rouco after five straight losing seasons, including a 13-20 finish last season.

Rouco had a 55-94 record, and Florida International hasn't finished with a winning record since going 16-14 in 1999-2000.

■ David Huertas, Mississippi's leading scorer and a second-team All-SEC selection, has quit school and returned to Puerto Rico, the school announced yesterday.

The Puerto Rican newspaper El Vocero said that Huertas has signed to play with a professional team, the Quebradillas Pirates of the Superior National Basketball League. Huertas, a transfer from Florida, averaged 18.1 points a game this past season.

Auto racing

■ Darlington Raceway says that GoDaddy.com will be the presenting sponsor at next month's Southern 500.

The race was re-christened the Southern 500 last year after the contract ran out with its last sponsor, the Carolina Dodge Dealers Association.

■ The Formula One championship could be thrown into disarray today when motor racing's governing body rules on the legality of a rear diffuser that has helped Brawn GP's Jenson Button win the first two races.

Ferrari, BMW Sauber, Renault and Red Bull have lodged appeals to FIA against the stewards' decision in Australia and Malaysia to allow Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams to race with the diffusers, which some say violate new aerodynamics regulations.

Miscellaneous

■ Juha Miettinen, who played high-school soccer at Reynolds and went on to an All-America career at Campbell, will be inducted into Campbell's sports Hall of Fame on Friday night.

Miettinen, who graduated from Campbell in 1991, scored 62 goals in his four-year career and still ranks among Campbell's all-time top 10 in points, goals and assists.

■ Boston College has extended the contract of Athletics Director Gene DeFilippo two years through May 2014.

DeFilippo oversaw BC's transition from the Big East to the ACC, and the university says he has strengthened academic support, facilities and fund raising.

School president William Leahy said in a statement yesterday that DeFilippo has provided "tremendous leadership and vision."