A University of Arizona offensive lineman pleaded no contest to har-assment charges in an Oregon court Friday stemming from allegations he punched Oregon State University mascot "Benny the Beaver" over a year ago.

Frank Middleton Jr. was later sentenced to two years probation, 100 hours of community service and a $500 compensatory fine, said Janice Holcomb, a Benton County, Ore., deputy district attorney.

"He acted very responsibly to come up here and take care of this," she said of the hearing, which took place just a day before the Wildcats' 49-31 loss to the Oregon Ducks on Saturday.

Middleton was charged in March with both misdemeanor assault and harassment, but the assault charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement.

He also wrote a letter of apology to the female OSU student who was playing the Beaver at the time, Holcomb said.

Oregon police initially sought Middleton after a Nov. 4, 1995 incident in which he hit the OSU mascot during a touchdown celebration in Corvallis, Ore.

Middleton could have been arrested had he played Saturday's game without resolving the charges, as a fourth degree misdemeanor assault warrant issued Feb. 9 would have still been in effect.

Middleton could not be reached for comment.

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