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SPORTS


Page 10

Friday, March 18, 1983

The Michigan Daily

The end of an era:

By PAUL RESNICK
There comes a time in every person's
life to make a change. After 36 years as
Michigan's head men's gymnastics
coach, Dr.. Newton (Newt) Loken has
decided the time is now, and will retire
at the end of the season.
During his years at Michigan, besides
teaching in the Department of Physical
Education and coaching, Loken has
been in charge of the football
cheerleading squad and was a familiar
figure as a cheerleader during

Homecoming games and as emcee at
pep rallies.
"THE DECISION to retire was both
difficult and emotional," said Loken.
"My association with the students,
gymnasts, cheerleaders, and staff
members is something I have
cherished, but after more than 40 years
in my profession and 38 at Michigan, I
feel it's time to retire. .
"Having been on a very confining
schedule I am looking forward to doing
some personal things. My wife, Dotty,

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and I hope to do some traveling, seeing
more of our children and their
families."
Loken leaves behind a glittering
record in intercollegiate gymnastics
competition. Under him, Michigan has
a .776 winning percentage (250-72-1) in
dual meets.
TWICE VOTED National Coach of
the Year; his teams have won two
NCAA titles and 12 Big Ten titles. His
gymnasts have won 21 individual NCAA
titles and 71 Big Ten titles.
"Newt not only achieved a consistent
across-the-board excellence in
coaching and teaching that few others
have attained," said athletic director
Don Canham, "but also offered a rare
enthusiasm for the entire department
and our athletes."
"He's quite a person, besides a
coach," said Ohio State gymnastics
coach Mike Wilson. "He's always a
delight to be around and compete
against. Great showman, great coach,,
great gentleman.
" I HOPE he keeps his finger in the
sport. It's equivalent to losing Bear

Gymnastics coach Newt Loken to
retire after 36 years of service
Bryant in football, having Newt Loken "HE'S DONE everything," echoed "NOT JUST A great coach," said
retire in gymnastics." Merrick Horn, who will compete one freshman Rich Landman, "He almost
Loken was an innovator, publishing one more year for the Wolverines. "There's adopted you when you came -on the
of the first textbooks on gymnastics, nowhere else for him to go in gym- team."
which is now in its third edition. nastics." "It went beyond coaching," said
"There's no way that gymnastics will Loken's decision to retire was not a assistant coach Bob Darden, who h
ever be able to give back to Newt Loken sudden one. "It has been on my mind worked with Loken for 11 years, f
what he's given to gymnastics," said the past year or so," he said, "but I years as a gymnast and seven as a
senior gymnast Dino Manus. didn't want to disturb the continuity of coach. "He's played a lot of roles for
our season by announcing until after me; coach, teacher, mentor and
s *the Big Tens (held last week)." friend."
The decision did come as a surprise to Darden is the likely successor to
the gymnastic and cheerleading Loken, but applications are expected
squads. from around the country and the fini[
LOKEN CHOSE the regular team decision will not be made for at least"a'
meeting Wednesday night to inform his month.
gymnasts. "Everybody's jaw drop-
ped," said Mike McKee. "It was quiet MOST OF the gymnasts, although sad-
N'and no one could believe it." dened by his departure, were happy foil
Loken told Bob Seymour, a co-captain the personal freedom Loken will have:
of the cheerleading squad, to read the after retiring, and they say things will,
bulletin board where he had posted continue normally. Practice went on 4s:
notice of his retirement. "I was pretty usual yesterday, as the Wolverinie
floored," said Seymour. geared up for one last meet.
Over the years, Loken has been more "We're going to keep on going," sal#
than a coach for Michigan gymnasts. Mike McKee. "That's what he wanted
Loken "They became part of my personal us to do, keep on going, so that's what
... announces retirement family," said Loken. we'll do."


Spartan
icers
begin
NCAA
tourney

By MIKE MCGRAW
When Bowling Green's Brian Hills, the Most Valuable
player in the CCHA, missed on a penalty shot in overtime of
last week's league championship game, he also missed an
opportunity to play for the national championship in college
hockey.
Had Hills scored on his attempt against Michigan State
goalie Ron Scott, the Falcons, fourth-ranked in the country
and regular season conference champion, would have earned
the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
BUT INSTEAD Bowling Green did not receive a bid and
therefore Michigan State will be the only CCHA team seeing
actin tonight as the eight-team NCAA college hockey tour-
nament gets underway.
Four teams were selected for the tournament from both the
east and west regions. First-round play opens with a two-
game total-goals-scored series tonight and tomorrow at the
home ice of each of the top two seeds in each region. MSU, the
number-four seed in the west, travels to Boston to tangle with
the top eastern team, Harvard.
BOTH SCHOOLS are experienced in tournament hockey as

they each lost in the first-round last year, Harvard to Wiscor
sin and the Spartans to New Hampshire.
The fifth-ranked Crimson, who sport a record of 21.8-1,
have won eight of their last nine games and own an 11-1-1
home record at the Bright Hockey Center. Harvard is led by
the Pusco brothers, Scott and Mark, both All-East first-team
picks.
Scott, a sophomore center, led the team in scoring with 30
goals and 19 asists while senior defenseman Mark checks in
with 12 goals and 29 assists. The Crimson goalie, Grant Blair,
led the nation with a 2.51 goals-against-average.
"WHEN A team's ranked number one in the East, it tells
me they're a very good hockey team," said Michigan Stat4
coach Ron Mason.. "In playing this series on the road, we go
in as the underdog. But because we went through this
situation last year, we'll have a better handle on things.
We're carrying the banner for the CCHA and we'll give it our
best shot."
The other games tonight feature St. Lawrence at WCHA
champion Wisconsin, New Hampshire at Minnesota, and
Minnesota-Duluth at Providence.

'M' thinclads migrate
south for weekend meet

By JOE EWING
Keeping a low profile as they slipped
out of town earlier this week,
Michigan's men's track and field team
headed south for a working vacation, to
compete in the Domino's Pizza Relays
in Tallahassee today and tomorrow.
The Michigan men are hoping the trip
will ease their transition from the in-
door to the outdoor season. While in-
doors this winter, the Wolverines were
runners-up behind Indiana for the Big
Ten title and placed 15th in the NCAA
finals.
SETTING THE pace for the
Wolverines will be distance specialists
Brian Diemer and Gerard Donakowski,
who were third and fourth in the two-
mile run at last weekend's NCAA finals
in Pontiac. Donakowski is also the Big
Ten three-mile champ while Diemer
was second and third in the one and two-
mile events, respectively.
Rounding out the distance field will
be Don Passenger, and freshmen Chris
Brewster and Paul Mistor. Brewster,

who is coming back from an injury that
sidelined him for the entire indoor
season, was member of the Canadian
National Junior team and won the
Springbank Roadrace earlier this year
in Ontario.
The Wolverines are also strong in th
middle-distance events with NCAA 600-
yard run qualifier Todd Sterverson and
Jason Bryant, who was third in the Big
Ten 1000-yard run. Michigan also fjelds
Bob Boynton, Ron Simpson, Rob
Grainger and Geirge Yanides in -the
middle-distances. 4
IN THE field events, Michigan boasts
one of the conference's best long jum-
pers in Derek Harper (25' 3"), as wel
as one of the Big Ten's top high jumA
in Dave Lugin (7' 1 34"). The
Wolverines also have the shot-
put/discus pair of Johnny Nielsen and
Scott Eriksson, triple jumper Tony Kr-
pan (49' 2"), and, pole vaulter Dave
Woolley (16' 0").
The Wolverine's only trouble spot will
be in the sprints and dashes, where they
are lacking in depth and experience.
Harper, who ran a 6.47 60-yard dash ir-
doors, is Michigan's big hope in the 1
meters, while the 200 meters is still i
settled. In the hurdles, Michigan sports
Harper, who ran the 60-yard highs in
7.40 during the indoor season. r

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