Ben Roethlisberger's return to the Pittsburgh Steelers apparently won't occur this week.

The two-time Super Bowl quarterback is not expected to join his teammates for voluntary offseason workouts that begin today, team spokesman Dave Lockett said last night.

Roethlisberger has been accused of assault by a 20-year-old Georgia college student, but he has not been charged in the case. An investigation is ongoing, and it is possible the Steelers advised Roethlisberger not to show up to avoid creating a distraction.

Roethlisberger also is being sued in Nevada by a woman who is accusing him of assaulting her in a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2008. He has strongly denied the accusation and has filed a counter suit in the case.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said last week at the NFL meetings in Orlando that players who took 1,000 or more snaps last season were due to report today, including Roethlisberger. However, some additional Steelers veteran players in addition to Roethlisberger also aren't expected to show up this week, but Lockett did not identify them.

The conditioning work involves no on-field practicing, but instead emphasizes weight lifting and getting into football shape.

AUTO RACING

SPRINT CUP WILL RUN THIS MORNING

NASCAR's bad weather luck at Martinsville Speedway reared its head again yesterday as rain forced the postponed of the Sprint Cup race until today at 6 a.m. (Hawai'i time).

It is the second year in a row that rain pushed an event into the work week at the track in southwest Virginia. Last spring, the truck series event had to be run on Monday.

Rain also has washed out Sprint Cup qualifying for the past three spring races, putting points leader Kevin Harvick on the pole for the race. Harvick will be seeking a weekend sweep after dominating the truck race that was run in sunshine and ideal conditions Saturday.

BUTTON WINS F1 RACE IN AUSTRALIA

McLaren's Jenson Button survived a first-corner collision and successfully gambled on a bold tire strategy to win a thrilling Formula One Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne yesterday.

Button was the first driver to change from intermediate tires to slicks on a drying track, and drove the final 52 laps on a wearing set of soft tires to claim back-to-back race wins in Melbourne.

The 2009 world champion tangled with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso at the first corner, and inherited the lead just before half distance when pole sitter and race leader Sebastian Vettel ended up in a gravel trap after the brakes on his Red Bull failed.

Renault's Robert Kubica was 12 seconds behind in second place.

ELSEWHERE

College basketball: Iowa has convinced Fran McCaffery to leave Siena to become the Hawkeyes' new coach.

McCaffery went 112-51 in five seasons at Siena, leading the Saints to three consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.

McCaffery replaces Todd Lickliter, who was fired after Iowa went 10-22 this year.

• Kevin Willard is leaving Iona to become Seton Hall's new coach.

A person familiar with the hiring said the 34-year-old Willard has agreed to replace Bobby Gonzalez, who was fired March 17.

Willard led Iona to a 21-10 record this season, earning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference coach of the year award.

Tennis: Rafael Nadal advanced to the fourth round at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla., by rallying past wild card David Nalbandian, 6-7 (8), 6-2, 6-2, yesterday.

Nadal, seeded fourth, remained on course for a showdown in the final against No. 1 Roger Federer. The rivals have met once in the past year, but their paths became easier when No. 2 Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray lost their opening matches.

In women's play, Grand Slam champions Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters advanced.

Women's soccer: Amy Rodriguez and Shannon Boxx scored first-half goals as the United States stayed unbeaten against Mexico with a 3-0 win yesterday at San Diego.

Kristine Lilly, 38, became the first player to appear in a match for Team USA in four different decades when she entered in the 32nd minute.

The Americans improved to 23-0-1 against Mexico, the only blemish a 1-1 tie in 2007.

Lauren Cheney scored in the second half for the U.S.

More auto racing: IndyCar's Honda Grand Prix has been postponed until 4 a.m. (Hawai'i time) today because of heavy showers in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Rain began falling at the 1.8-mile street circuit just before 1 p.m. yesterday, and a band of strong storms arrived about 90 minutes later. Thunder and lightning followed.

Swimming: Matt Cooper and Drew Livingston provided Texas enough points in the platform diving competition for the Longhorns to win the team title at the NCAA men's swimming and diving championships yesterday at Columbus, Ohio.

Cooper finished third and Livingston seventh for a total of 28 points, giving Texas 500 to 469 1/2 for California.