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DAVIS TAKES OVER FOR CANNING
Recruits highlight 'M' spikers
By DEBBIE deFRANCES
When the volleyball team takes the court this fall, five
Wolverine recruits will not be the only new faces at the
team's home court, the Central Campus Recreation
Building.
Joyce Davis, Michigan's head coach, is another new
name on the Michigan roster. Davis was hired last
January after two-year coach Barb Canning quit.
DAVIS, who comes to Michigan from a two-year stint
as assistant coach at Baylor University, is originally from
Michigan and "excited to be returning" to her home state.
"Our goal this year will be to finish in the top five in the
conference," said the Kalamazoo native. "I would like to
improve our physical and technical skills most of all."
Davis' improvement strategy will include five returning
players, two walk-ons, and five freshmen recruits. Senior
Jayne Hickman is the oldest member of the squad and
will add a great deal of experience and good execution of
skills to the lineup.
Lisa Vahi, a junior from Canada, is last year's captain
and at 5-7, is one of the shortest Wolverines. "Lisa is very
strong and knows what we'll need to get points," said
Davis. "She will be setting for us and her specialty will be
reading the other team's offense."
JUNIOR Heather Olsen and sophomore Toni Holl will
add some variety to the team's offensive patterns. Holl, a
lefthander, will be combined with Olsen for a powerful
front line.
6-2 sophomore Marie Ann Davidson adds much needed
height and strong blocking skills.
"In recruiting this year, we definitely concentrated on
getting some bigger players," said Davis. "We're one of
the smallest teams in the conference, so we really needed
that height, especially at the net."
MICHIGAN'S top recruit, Debbie Bailey, comes to Ann
Arbor at 6-2 and a third team All-States from Tecumseh.
"Debbie will be a middle hitter and start for us right off
the bat," Davis said. "Even though she hasn't had much
experience there, she will have her education very
quickly."
Karen Marshall, out of Birmingham, is first team All-
State selection, and at 5-10 should add some depth to the
team. According to Davis, Marshall penetrates to the net
wall and is a good blocker.
The Wolverines finished eighth in the Big Ten last year
with an overall record of 18-18. Davis said her new squad
will have much more height but will have to refine
technical skills.
"In order to win, we'll need to work on our serving
game," said Davis. "If you can't serve, you can't win
points and you can't win."
Olsen
... adds variety
HEALTHY HARRIERS RUNNING WELL
Brewster remai
"r
ins top
By MARK BOROWSKY
With star senior Chris Brewster
coming back for a fifth season, an ex-
perienced group returning, and an
excellent recruiting class, men's
cross country head coach Ron
Warhurst should have an outstanding
squad in '86.
Similar thoughts existed before the
start of the 1985 season. Then the in-
juries hit.
"I KNEW it was going to be a rough
season," said Warhurst, who saw his
team decimated from back injuries to
mono. "We were beat up real bad."
Although Brewster managed to
overcome an early season injury to
take third in the conference and
qualify for the NCAA championships,
the team took a sixth in the Big Ten.
Marty Newingham, Tim Frayler, and
John Sheer all missed the greater
part of the season with injuries. In
addition, Dennis Keane passed up his
final year of eligibility to go to
medical school.
But if the harriers avoid trips to the
doctor this fall, look for the team to
rebound strong. Warhurst isn't
making any predictions, but he sees
his team as tough in a "tough" con-
ference.
"WISCONSIN will be loaded, and
Illinois will be extremely tough," he
said. "(But) I'd be disappointed and
the kids will be disappointed if we
don't challenge."
They won't challenge if Brewster
does not stay healthy. Injuries had
been his main adversary over the last
four years. Although fielding a deep
squad, as Brewster goes, so goes the
team. The London, Ontario native has
been the team leader the past two
seasons and will be so once again, this
year as captain.
Looking to take some of the
'tunner
pressure off Brewster is senior Joe
Schmidt, who Warhurst says "com-
pliments Brewster well," and adds
experiece. Newingham returns for his
sophomore season, as does Bobby
Vandenberg.
WHAT MAKES Warhurst's team
especially strong is an excellent
freshman class, one that makes the
team "the best we've had in four
years," according to Warhurst.
Opponents in high school, Seattle
Wash. residents Brad Barquist and
Craig Norman led the freshmen class.
The two attended rival high schools in
Seattle, but will both be Wolverines in
the fall. Barquist ran a 4:09 mile in
high school, while Norman was right
behind, at 4:12. Both are expected to
contribute in the fall, but Warhurst
doesn't want too much pressure on his
freshmen.
"The less pressure they have as
freshmen, the better they'll be as
seniors," Warhurst said.
ROUNDING out the freshman class
are Jeff Bardnett, the Michigan State
mile and half mile champ in class C,
Rob Renck, and Bryan Raspash.
Bardnett led his high school to the
state championship in track, scored,
or was part of, 40 out of the 44 points
his team collected. The versatile
frosh was also a All-State basketball
player.
With such an outstanding class,
Warhurst not only sees a good '86
season, but one for several years to
come.
"We'll be really solid," he said. "We
have experience with guys like
Brewster and we'll be solid for
several years as well.
Daily Photo by DAN HABIB.
Sophomore Marie Ann Davidson spikes the ball during a recent practice
session in the CCRB. The 6-2 standout will supply much-needed height on
this year's team.
L
Philling it Up
By Phil Nussel
Joining Dailysports**crew.
0 0
0 . a
worthwhile effort
O N THE Michigan football team, the saying is: "Those who stay
will be champions.
Well, here at the Michigan Daily sports desk, our philosophy is: "Those
who stay will cover the champions." Indeed, there are some great teams
here at Michigan and working at the Daily gives an aspiring sportswriter
a chance to work directly with these teams.
In addition, the student gets the opportunity to gain first-hand jour-
nalism experience - an asset to anybody who wants to pursue a liberal
arts-oriented 'career. There will be ample opportunities to master
writing, layout, design, and headline/cutline-writing skills.
Then, as one gains experience here, the opportunities increase. Senior
sports editors, along with other staffers, cover Michigan football and
basketball. In the process, they travel to all away games, including bowl
games and the NCAA tournaments (if the Wolverines qualify).
There are also numerous occasions for Daily sportwriters to show off
creativity. Feature writing and columns are available for everyone here.
Later on, staffers learn how to make editorial decisions.
Finally, the Daily sports department offers a person a chance to have
fun while learning. So if working here interests you at all, come over here
to 420 Maynard and sign up. A staff meeting will be scheduled within the
next few days.
Of course, that is our usual selling/marketing line. But take it from me,
the Daily sports department can be a great experience. Of course
there's no way I can say I've enjoyed every minute here, but later on, I'm
sure I will appreciate my work here.
You really learn a lot about reporting and journalism. However, you
also learn so much about responsibility. Certainly, this place offers much
more than sitting in front of the TV in the dorm.
Now is a good time to join. There are ample opportunities for a new
staffer to move up fast-right now. So give it a try. At least come in and
find out what we're all about.
-Sports Intormotion photo
Fifth-year senior Chris Brewster leads a host of returners and talented
recruits on this year's men's cross country squad.
Depth highlights harriers
By MARK BOROWSKY
An occupational hazard of coaching
is the need to assume different roles:
recruiter, tactician, psycologist.
"Miracle worker" isn't a role most
acoaches relish, yet that's the job
facing women's cross country coach
Sue Parks if the team is to challenge
for the Big Ten title this fall.
Hammeran
Close take
M honors
From Staff Reports
Mike Hammerstein, Michigan's
MVP in football, and Casey Close,
the Big Ten's Player of the Year in.
baseball, were honored as they left
the school last spring by receiving
the Athlete of the Year and the big
Ten Medal of Honor awards
rHamerstein was a consensus
All-American defensive tackle,
making a team-leading 23 tackels
for a loss. He led the defensive line
with 77 tackles. He was a third-
round draft pick for the Cincinnati
Bengals. Close led the baseball
team in every hitting category and
set three single-season records in
'86. He is also the all-time
Michigan home run leader.
NO, THIS isn't a story about a per-
petual last place team, nor is it about
squad decimated by graduation.
Parks's squad placed third in the Big
Ten the past two seasons, and third in
districts last year. It returns the
nucleus of the team and adds a solid
group of recruits.
Why, then, is there need of heavenly
intervention for Michigan to win the
conference.?
Spell it "Wisconsin," with an em-
phasis on the "w," as in "win." The
Badgers have snapped up every Big
Ten title since 1983 and are the
defending NCAA champions.
They don't appear to be slowing down.
"I DON'T see anyone challenging
Wisconsin," Parks said, echoing the
sentiments of her Big Ten peers for
the past 4 years. "Hopefully we'll be
up there in the upper half."
Finishing in the top half of the
nation's toughest conference is no
small feat, either. Entering her fourth
year as coach, Parks lifted the team
from ninth place in 1983 to third in 1984
and '85. Nonetheless, Parks' task is
similar to running through a brick
wall.
Although the Wolverines may slam
hard trying to stay with Wisconsin,
the squad will still be strong. Despite
losing perennial All-American Sue
Schroder to graduation, Michigan
brings back most of its top runners.
Senior Melissa Thompson heads a
group that managed to stay com-
petitive last season while battling an
injury plague.
THE INJURIES forced Parks to
utilize talent she had not expected to
use, namely freshmen Ava Vdvadia.
and Tracy Babcock. Along with senior
Kelli Bert (coming off an outstanding
track season) and sophomore Sheri
Sly, the five form the greater of part
of the team that missed going to the
NCAA championships by one place.
Leading the four recruits will be
freshman Mindy Rowen, who ran
10:32 for the two-mile in high school.
"(She'll) definitely be making a con-
tribution," said Parks.
Jennifer McPeck, whose London,
Ontario home is the same as men's
cross country star Chris Brewster,
has run 10:36 in the two-mile and 5:56
in the mile. Debby Palmer transfered
from Oakland Community College
where she was second nationally in
junior college.
PERHAPS most interesting of the
recruits is freshman Jenny Sarri. She
hails from... yes, Madison, home of
the Wisconsin Badgers. Second in the
state her senior year of high school, Sarri
chose Michigan over Wisconsin for
the academics - and the greater
chance of making the team here.
There is no doubt in Parks's mind
that her squad will be competitive in
'86, but just how competitive is
anyone's guess. Parks sees the Big
Ten as wide open, after Wisconsin.
"After Wisconsin, it's a dogfight. If
we got third again, I'd be pleased,"
she said, noting that Iowa, North-
western, Purdue, and Illinois all will
be fielding tough teams.
Even with the Badger's Big Ten
domination the past four years, Parks
keeps plugging away. It's really all
she can can do, and, as she reasons,
all dynasties end someday.
Someday.
"Their luck is going to run out," she
said. "But I don't see it happening this
year."
The most excitin g
few hours
youfl spend afiweek.
Run. Climb. Rappel. Navigate. Lead.
b tnmmn , mmmm COUPON mmmmmmmmmmmmm