Iti~e iAiga oit~iy - iI ursaay, SeptemOsr 4, i Vio ug- , 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. 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