ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Four-time Iditarod champion and cancer survivor Lance Mackey has dropped out of next years nearly 1,000-mile race for health reasons, organizers said Monday.Mackey said in an email to the Iditarod Trail Committee that his withdrawal from the 2017 race across Alaska came with hopes to take better care of his health so he can be ready to compete again in 2018, marshal Mark Nordman told The Associated Press.The email was sent Sept. 21, but the employee who handles that correspondence was out, and Mackey was officially withdrawn Monday, the same day the committee announced the withdrawal, Nordman said.Mackey has continued to struggle with hand circulation problems that were partly blamed for him scratching from this years race.Hell be missed for sure, Nordman said of Mackeys decision to sit out the next race.Mackey could not immediately be reached for comment.Mackey was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2001 and underwent extensive surgery as well as radiation treatment.After returning to the sport, he went on to become the only musher ever to win both the Iditarod and the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race in the same year. Its a feat he has accomplished twice.With Mackey opting out, just four current and former champions are signed up for next years Iditarod.Part of Mackeys huge appeal along the trail likely has as much to do with his outsized personality as his past wins.Nordman noted the musher is a crowd favorite at village checkpoints along the trail and has also amassed a huge fan base.Hes got that upbeat attitude, Nordman said. But he realizes in order to take care of his dogs, hes got to have his health.---Follow Rachel DOro at https://twitter.com/rdoro---This story has been corrected to say Mackey scratched from the Iditarod this year, not last year http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Jets-Muhammad-Wilkerson-Jersey/ . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Jets-Kony-Ealy-Jersey/ . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Hats/ . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Jets-Mike-Pennel-Jersey/ . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Jets-Matt-Forte-Jersey/ . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. (STATS) -- How teams in the STATS FCS Top 25 fared this week:No. 1 North Dakota State (1-0), IdleNo. 2 Sam Houston State (1-0), beat Oklahoma Panhandle State (0-1), 59-21No. 3 Jacksonville State (1-0), beat North Alabama (0-1), 31-12No. 4 Richmond (1-0), beat Virginia (0-1), 37-20No. 5 Northern Iowa (1-0), beat Iowa State (0-1), 25-20No. 6 Chattanooga (1-0), beat Shorter (0-1), 66-0No. 7 Charleston Southern (1-1), beat Kentucky State (0-1), 57-7No. 8 South Dakota State (0-1), lost to TCU (1-0), 59-41No. 9 William & Mary (0-1), lost to North Carolina State (1-0), 48-14No. 10 Illinois State (1-0), beat Valparaiso (0-1), 50-13No. 11 McNeese (1-0), beat Tarleton State (0-1), 33-3No. 12 James Madison (1-0), beat Morehead State (0-1), 80-7No. 13 Montana (1-0), beat Saint Francis (0-1), 41-31No. 14 Eastern Washington (1-0), beat Washington Statee (0-1), 45-42No.dddddddddddd. 15 The Citadel (1-0, 1-0 Southern), beat Mercer (0-1, 0-1), 24-23No. 16 Coastal Carolina (1-0), beat Lamar (0-1), 38-14No. 17 Portland State (1-0), beat Central Washington (0-1), 43-26No. 18 Northern Arizona (0-1), lost to Arizona State (1-0), 44-13No. 19 North Dakota (0-1), lost to Stony Brook (1-0), 13-9No. 20 Western Illinois (1-0), beat Eastern Illinois (0-1), 38-21No. 21 Colgate (0-1), lost to Syracuse (1-0), 33-7No. 22 New Hampshire (0-1), lost to San Diego State (1-0), 31-0No. 23 Villanova (0-1), lost to Pittsburgh (1-0), 28-7No. 24 Towson (0-1), lost to South Florida (0-1), 56-10No. 25 North Carolina A&T (1-0), beat St. Augustines (0-1), 62-0FCS coverage: www.fcs.football Cheap Jerseys Store Cheap NFL T-shirts Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys White Cheap NFL Jerseys Camo Wholesale Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Outlet Cheap Jerseys Wholesale China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Hoodies Camo China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Camo NFL Jerseys China ' ' '