Page 30-Thursday, September 7, 1978-The Michigan Daily
Women make National
splash;
finish in top ten
By PAUL CAMPBELL
While other women's sports at Michigan are just learning
to walk, thereis one squad on campus which started run-
ning three years ago and hasn't stopped accelerating since.
It's not a track team, though. Their running is done
parallel to the ground, not perpendicular. They wear skin
tight nylon suits and really can't do their thing without a
major piece of equipment which is 25 yards long and full of
lukewarm water.
Yes, Virginia, there is a women's swimming team. More
than that, there's a premium quality women's swim team.
Since he took over in 1975, all coach Stu Isaac's teams have
done is:s
" Win three straight Big Ten championships, each year by
a bigger margin
" Compile an amazing 21-1 dual meet record. They "only"
beat Rutgers last year 75-56, but a more typical score was
the 104-27 win over Eastern power Princeton.
* Finish higher each year on the national collegiate meet,
including their first top ten finish last season, when they'
finished ninth
" Totally rewrite the varsity record book
"Our present domination in the conference is pretty
clear," said Isaac, who personally dominated the Big Ten
in breaststroke while competing for Michigan in the early
70's.
The coach isn't beating his own drum either. He's just
looking for ways to keep improving, hoping to become even
more of a force in national competition usually dominated
by established programs at warm weather schools.
"We have to improve tremendously each year just to hold
our place nationally," Isaac pointed out. "We could go up
next year, but we could also drop."
For the first time, Isaac has tried to recruit high school
women ranked in the top 25 in the world. These are the
swimmers that can take a program to the pinnacle. But the
coach can't offer scholarships and intangibles equal to the
Florida and California schools. So far he rates the
recruiting year "just average."
Whoever Isaac finally sells Michigan to will be joining a
strong bunch of returnees that set 17 school records in 1977-
78. Sophomores Mary Rish (four records; two in Breast-
stroke), Linda Kendall (fly), Lisa Matheson (fly, distance
freestyle), and Jody Ford (individual medley) each set at
least two individual marks. Katy McCully, Joyce Johnson,
Sharon Flaherty, and Kim Olson also found niches in the
record book.
The only loss to the team is the departure of Chris
Seufert, another of the frequent stars produced by diving
coach Dick Kimball (a list that includes Olympic champs
Micki King and Phil Boggs). Seufert won a national title as
a junior, then came back last season to finish third and
fourth in the one-meter and three-me
ter competition.
Daily Photo by JOHN KNOX
Michigan centerman Kip Maurer flips in one of his team-leading 25 goals last season in a game against the Huskies of
Michigan Tech. Maurer's effort here was one of the few bright spots of the otherwise disappointing season, which saw the
Wolverines lose five times in five match-ups with Michigan Tech.
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ANN ARBOR
by GEOFF LARCOM
Call it what you want to, a year that
built up character, an "educational"
experience, whatever, Michigan's
wrestling team is just glad it's all over.
For the 1977-78 wrestling season ser-
ved up a smorgasbord of injuries and
misfortunes for the Wolverines, who
still managed to finish fifth in the Big
Ten and tenth in the NCAA tournament.
"We had a young group of wrestlers
last year, and it's possible they just
tried to go too hard too soon in an effort
to succeed," explained assistant coach
Cal Jenkins. "Injuries are hard to ex-
plain, all you can do is guard against
them."
Jenkins need offer no excuses for the
year marked with weather induced
cancellations, bukn knees, elbows and
finally, a communicable skin disease,
because the Wolverines actually
emerged more successful than was
expected.
The Wolverines' NCAA placing
betrayed their pre-season writeup in a
national collegiate wrestling magazine,
which failed to even include Michigan
in its top twenty at the start of the year.
In addition, the Blue grapplers
boasted two All-Americans - NCAA
champ at 150 lbs., Mark Churella and
sixth placer (177) Steve Fraser.
Olympic hopeful Churella will be
back this year as a senior and captain
of the team in search of his third
straight Big Ten and NCAA titles. For
Fraser, the seasoi will hopefully be a
continuation of the development which
has seen him rise to third in the con-
ference as a sophomore last year.
"We knew all along that Fraser was
an excellent college wrestler," said
Jenkins. "Once we convinced him last
year how good he actually was, he
became a national contender."
In Churella, the Wolverines have
possibly the premier competitor in
college wrestling. His style is strong,
quick and extremely aggressive, using
flurries of moves in an effort to register
an early fall.
Yet the most formidable ingredient in
the Churella success formula is his
mental attitude. "Mark gets un-'
believably high for important mat-
ches," said Jenkins. "Last year, during
the Big Ten and NCAAs I don't think
even Lee Kemp (Wisconsin's three-
time national titlist at 158) could have
beaten him."
Despite the psyching, Churella knows
how to relax before a match, having
learned so from the Russians during
summer competition. While the
Americans' pre-match routine con-
sisted of jumping jacks, sprints, etc.,,
the Russian wrestler would simply sit
and wait in his sweats, not wishing to
lose any vital energy prior to the bout.
However, the shrill of the referee's
whistle would signal an abrupt break in
the Soviet's apparent serenity.
This year's Blue squad features ten
freshman recruits, while losing only
aUt OVC.,t
FINE CLOTHING AND FURNISHINGS
SINCE 1921
Forecast bright for
both gymnastic feams
by DIANE SILVER
"Super fine in '79" describes the outlook of the men's and women's gymnastics
teams in the upcoming season. Freshmen recruits, and new women's coach Winnie
Witten, will give a fresh look to the teams already filled with solid performers.
Included among recruits for the men's team are all-arounders Alvin Berger
from New York and Steve Nishiyama of Ann Arbor. Mike Vossen of British Colum-
bia is another poslsible all-arounder, but as of mid-June his recruitment had not
been finalized.
"We're working hard at getting four solid all-arounders," said Michigan coach
Newt Loken, returning for his 32nd year as coach for the men's team. Nigel Roth-
well, Marshall Garfield, Chris Van Meierlo and Bruce Shuchard will be back to
round out and strengthen the all-around team.
"The team is covered pretty well with specialists," according to Loken. NCAA
parallel bar champion John Corritore will be returning along with high bar
specialist Bob Creek, ring specialists Darell Yee and Gordon Highman, floor exer-
cise specialist Jim Varilek and pommel horse specialists Brian Carey and Hal
Dardick.
Incoming freshmen specialists are Tommy Bordo, Richard Davis, Mike
Pfrender and Peter Green, all of Ann Arbor.
Loken has high hopes for his gymnasts who will be returning much wiser and
stronger after a summer full of training. "We're looking for a climax in the season
See GYMNASTIC, Page 34
two seniors, Todd Schneider (118) an
Karl Briggs (142) were lost t
graduation.
While the new faces are of "abov
average quality" according to Jenkins
they nonetheless face a difficult tran
sition in going from high school t
collegiate wrestling.
"It's devastating at first, and we tel
each kid exactly that," said Jenkins
"Even two-time state champs (of whic
Michigan has three this year) ge
knocked around bad at first. It take
about a month, then the kid decides it'
his turn to do the throwing. At that poin
he's a college wrestler."
The lineup appears set at 158, 167, and
177, with Churella, Junior Bill Konov
sky and Fraser. Freshman Nemi
Nadhir, a Michigan Class A champ a
Catholic Central, should move in at 150
while newcomer Eric Klasson, 6-61
and 244 lbs. from Iowa, will start a
heavyweight. Steve Bennet, normally,
190-pounder but fourth in the confere,
ce at heavyweight last year, will mov
back to his accustomed spot.
Jenkins and head coach Billy Johan-
nesen are especilly looking forresults,
from Mark Pearson (national prep
school champ) at 134, and John Beljan
from Ohio at 142.
Competition for the remaininE
weights is strong, with the blue chip-
pers pushing Wolverine returnees for
the starting spots.
Bill Johannesen, head wrest
ling coach for Michigan the las
four seasons, announced his re-
tirement from coaching earlier
this season. Johannesen coin
piled a 42-22 record with the
Wolverines and his teams al
ways finished in the top 12 r
the country. No successor hh
been named as of yet for
hannesen who will enter tai
world of private business.
Cub Scouts
don't do coke
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When You Arrive on Campus
This Fall-
Choose Your Fall and Winter
Clothing Needs from One of
Ann Arbor's Oldest and
Finest Stores.
rer-7
ers, ,.T
FolOW the
Join Tom Hemingway and}
Tom Slade for Michigan
football this fall.N
You'll hear precise,
professional coverage
of every game - with no}
commercial interruptions:
For the best in sports,
tune to the University'of:
Michigan public radio "'
station.
r
wnen you were in secona graae you
mom made you join the Cub Scouts
right? Hated every minute of it, excep
for cookies time, huh? And Brownie
weren't any better. Well, we're here t
pitch you again on joining r
organization.
Oh, The Daily Sports Staff is quitek
bit like those cliqueish clubs oi
yesteryear. Both groups say you have
to work, when it's really more play
just to orient you to the Puritan'wor
ethic. Each has its little rewards, the
scouts have merit badges, we have by
lines.
But the differences are greater that
the similarities. We drink coke instea
of milk, from our special 10 Cok
machine. (And we don't ask the de
mother's permission, either.).
We meet every evening, Monday
through Saturday to put out the best
sports page in the world. But most of u
only work one night a week.
We send reportersto exciting, far
away places like Bloomington, Colum
bus, East Lansing and Crisler Arena.
They get to talk to coaches, jocks and
other notable, and sometimes in-
teresting folks.
We write stories, columns, cutlines
(those little sentences which you see
[[LV . .... . ...... . - I .* I ..7,. _ .
We Welcome You as We
Have in the Past Welcomed
Your Fathers and Grandfath
to Our Store on State Street
at the Arcade.
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