BRIEFLY STANFORD EXPECTS TO HIRE SAMPSON.

Steve Sampson, who resigned under pressure in 1998 as coach of the U.S. men's national soccer team, is expected to be named coach at Stanford by the end of the week.

``He's the only candidate we've interviewed and he may be the only one,'' Stanford athletic director Ted Leland told the San Jose Mercury News. ``Steve has exceptional credentials and he earned his masters at Stanford.''

The 44-year-old Sampson of Agoura Hills has been in charge of restructuring the Olympic Developmental Program for the California Youth Soccer Association-South since January 2000.

BASEBALL: USC coach Mike Gillespie was named USA Baseball's Coach of the Year after guiding the national team to a 27-3-1 record last summer. The .900 winning percentage was the highest in Team USA history.

--Pepperdine sophomore Duke Sardinha, the Waves' projected starter at third base, is out indefinitely after undergoing hand surgery on Wednesday.

- Chris Cocoles

--BOXING: Shane Mosley will return to the ring March 10 to defend his WBC welterweight title against unbeaten Australian Shannan Taylor at Caesars Palace.

JURISPRUDENCE: The family of a teen-age athlete allegedly molested by his basketball coach has sued the Compton school district. The suit against the Compton Unified School District claims Russell James Otis, former coach at Dominguez High, offered the 17-year-old player use of cars, money, credit cards, clothing and enhancement of his basketball career.

HORSE RACING: Marjorie Cordero, the wife of Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. and a former jockey, trainer and agent, was killed in a hit-and-run accident while jogging. She was 41.

--Comedy Class won Wednesday's $52,000 feature by one length over Royally Chosen at Santa Anita.

Ridden by David Flores, Comedy Class covered six furlongs in 1:10 2-5 on a sloppy track and paid $11, $5.40 and $5.40

- Daily News Wire Service