The Michigan Daily/New Student Edition - Thursday, September 7, 1989 - Page 5 SPORTS ON HE RISE *Five 'M' teams gain attention as events grow more popular In the office of Michigan wrest- ling coach Dale Bahr is a poster with three caricatures. The inscription tells a tale of Michigan's 1988-89 season. It says: "the three brothers: Shoulda, coulda, and Woulda Been." Normally, a record-setting 20-2 season wouldn't suggest unfulfilled promise, but the 1988-89 Wolverine wrestling team is an exception. Michigan entered the season with four All-Americans - 134-pounder John Fisher, 142-pounder Larry Gotcher, 158-pounder Joe Pantaleo, and 167-pounder Mike Amine - and the most returning NCAA champ- ionship points in the country. "Since 1973 we've been shooting for the Big Ten title and this year we have an excellent chance to do it," Bahr said at the beginning of the season. Added Gotcher: "You know we have an excellent chance to win the national title and you know that doesn't happen every year." Indeed it doesn't, and it didn't happen last year either. The Wol- verines had to settle for a fifth place finish in the NCAA. Not bad, but not what Michigan was looking for. Neither was a third place finish in the Big Ten championship meet behind Iowa, which won its 16th straight, and Minnesota. There were many successes for Michigan in the 1988-89 season. The squad's 20 dual meet victories surpasses the 1984-85's team record of 17. Michigan also became the first Big Ten team to defeat a Dan Gable-coached Iowa squad as Michigan won 23-17. The victory snapped a 99 match Hawkeye string. At the nationals, Michigan distin- guished itself again. Pantaleo took second for the second year in a row, and Gotcher took fourth, the results for Fisher and Mike Amine were disheartening. Fisher, a four-time All-American, wanted to close his brilliant career out with a national title. Instead, he took fourth. Mike Amine, who was national runner-up in 1988, did not place in the top eight to qualify for All-American status. "I think Coach Bahr is disap- pointed, but he's more disappointed that we (as individuals) didn't meet our goals," Amine said. -Steven A. Cohen Gotcher is driven on and off the mat By Steven A. Cohen Daily Sports Writer As the Michigan wrestling team prepared to face Iowa last season, many wrestlers were confident that the Wolverines would defeat the Hawkeyes and snap their 99 match conference winning streak. But while many wrestlers accorded the Hawkeyes the expected deterrence that a team which has won 15 consecutive conference titles and 9 of the last 11 national titles usually receives, one was particularly forthright. "I don't think it will be close," 142-pounder Larry Gotcher said. Gotcher's six-point disqualification of Hawk- eye Eric Pierson helped Michigan defeat Iowa, 23-17. His prediction wasn't an isolated bout of confidence, but merely the verbal expression of an intensely competitive mindset. Gotcher is one of those people who gives his all to anything he does. A junior national champ- ion in high school, Gotcher was also excellent student. After going to the University of Mont- ana for a year, Gotcher transferred to Michigan after Montana dropped its program. Since that time, Gotcher has maintained a 3.4 average in the business school and has been named All- American twice. In 1989, Larry was the Big Ten champion. "He's business oriented," grad assistant Will Waters said of Gotcher. "He comes to practice in a suit and tie but when he's on the mat, he gets all bruised up. We call him 'Psycho'." Though his strong comments may sometimes seem irrational, the only thing deranged about Gotcher may be his work habits. Gotcher is a picture of discipline. To maintain his wrestling weight of 142 pounds, he must consistently follow a structured diet. This allows Gotcher to weigh in at less then 4% body fat And while he likes to study hard, he won't detract from his social life. After celebrating Michigan's historic victory over Iowa with his teammates into the wee hours in the morning, Gotcher alone was awake on the bus ride home, pouring over an accounting textbook. "Gotcher is a money man," Michigan coach Dale Bahr said. "When the chips are down it al- ways seems that Larry is picking up the money." His attitude, perhaps more than talent, has contributed to his success. Gotcher's creed is: always be wary of an opponent, but never too respectful, never sell yourself short, and do "whatever it takes." After Ohio State wrestler Kenny Ramsey upset Gotcher at last year's Big Ten Champion- ships, Gotcher said "he'll never beat me again be- cause I won't let him." Gotcher defeated him handily the next time they met. Before Michigan faced Indiana in 1989, someone warned Gotcher about his Hoosier counterpart, Adam Caldwell : "You know Larry, you better watch out, this kid Caldwell is 12-1." Without much thought, Gotcher cooly responded: "Guess how he got that one loss?" And guess who feels he'll finish up his career with a national championship in 1990. U Wolverine wrestler Larry Gotcher, one of the top returning 142-pound wrestlers in the country, carries his intensity with him into all arenas, whether he is competing on the mat or in the classroom. By Adam Benson Daily Sports Editor Michigan women's basketball coach Bud VanDeWege couldn't find quite the right mix for his team at the beginning of the season, which probably was a big reason why the Wolverines got of to an 0-8 start in the Big Ten. But fortunes changed when VanDeWege moved center Joan Rieger to power forward and inserted center Val Hall into the starting lineup. This move allowed small forward Tanya Powell to leave the middle, and make tter use of her outstanding perimeter game. The improvement was clear, and Michigan put together a solid 5-5 finish. "We encountered somethings in our program that we had not anti- cipated," said VanDeWege. "I think what happened down the stretch, showed that we had recovered. If the season had gone on two or three weeks, that improvement would have continued." The coach will be looking for continued improvement from Powell, who the team's Outstanding Defensive Player and the Most Valuable Player last season, averaging 11.7 points per game and 8.1 rebounds. In the backcourt, Tempie Brown and Carol Szczechowski will return as *the starters. Although both players lost their starting jobs for periods last season, both guards have the ability to take over a game. Brown, a pre- season All-Big Ten selection last season, lead the team in scoring, averaging 13 points per game, and steals with 47. While Brown is smooth, Szczechowski is scrappy. After playing forward her first year at Michigan, Szczechowski made a nice transition to the point guard position, as her team-leading 120 assists would indicate. Besides returning eight of their top nine players from last season, the team also has a solid group of incoming first-year players. The most notalbe new arrival, Center Patricia Andrews, finished third in the Illinois Hall rebounds back from hoops burnout By Adam Benson Daily Sports Editor Not long ago, Val Hall began a career as a model. She enjoyed this new life, and it was a welcome change from her past, which was largely composed of studying engineering and playing basketball at Michigan. Hall, tired of basketball, also suffered a frustrating knee injury in 1986 that made the game all the more difficult to play. In 1987, burned out, she left the game thinking that her basketballdays were over. "In that year, I really grew up a lot," Hall said. "For a while, I didn't think I'd be able to comeback. After being away from it my view of bas- ketball changed, I began to really want it. But I had to want to comeback on my own, and not just wanting it because others around me wanted me. to do it." Few felt the Hall's 1988 return would be able to have an impact on the Michigan program, but coach Bud VanDeWege hoped that this one-time highly recruited high school star would could provide some needed help at the center position. What VanDeWege got was a physical, aggressive center who used her 6'3" frame to become a defensive presence for the Wolverines. Although she did not enter the lineup until mid-season, Hall became a vital compo- nent in the Michigan plan. No where was her importance more evident than in Michigan's first Big Ten win against Illinois. Hall scored 13 points, and neutralized Illinois' inside game with her tough play. "You don't try to be dirty, but you go to establish your position," Hall said after the Illinois win. "I got pushed out once and then I said 'no way'. This is my spot, and my spot on my court." Hall and VanDeWege hope that she can continue her strong play next: season. "The number one thing Valerie has to be concerned about this year is, staying as hungry," VanDeWege said. "The attitude that took her. from being out of the program to being a big part of it was her hunger. I don't want her to say now 'I'm back' and to become relaxed and satisfied. "She can be the center that people are worried about playing against." U . 4. Miss Basketball balloting, and led her The Michigan women's swim- ming team set 12 school records and five hig Ten records this year. The squad also set a record for con- secutive dual meet victories. But the primary goal of the team was to perform well in their post-season tournaments. This was taken care of when the Wolverines won the Big Ten *Championship and placed sixth at the the NCAA tournament. "I'm very pleased with our season," said Wolverine coach Jim Richardson. "We were able to finish in the top ten and no other northern school has been in the top ten once. We've done it three years in a row." Early in the season, however, The Michigan men's swimming eam completed its best season since 1966 last year, successfully defending its Big Ten crown for the third straight time and placing third at the NCAA's. In addition, head coach Jon Urban- chek extended his dual-meet winning streak to 45 before losing to Indiana in February. The Wolverines (10-1 overall in 1988-89, 5-1 in the Big Ten) began team to the state final. m S- ----..-----$-- ________ JOSE JUAREZ/Daily Michigan center Val Hall has had to overcome adversity, but since her return she has won a spot in the lineup and the respect of her team. Michigan did not resemble a top national team. The Wolverines fin- ished third in the Michigan Invit- ational in December and sixth in January's Longhorn Invitational. "Our team didn't come together until Big Tens, but at Big Tens we did an amazing job of coming together," said Ann Colloton, who became Michigan's first ever na- tional champion last season, win- ning the 200 breaststroke. "We've talked about the problems early in the season and how to have a better start." But Michigan's training schedule, which aimed at having the team peak later in the season, resulted in a 7-0 regular season record (5-0 Big Ten). The team also broke the school's record for consecutive dual meet victories with 30. With most of the Wolverines' top swimmers returning, this year's squad has the potential to exceed last season's feats. Michigan will be led by experienced seniors Colloton, Gwen DeMaat and Stefanie Liebner. "Our goal is to be in the top four at NCAAs and after this year we know what to do," Colloton said. "Just looking back at last year, we know the things that we need to change and we want to do better." Colloton returns to defend her. national championship, while All- Americans DeMaat and Liebner give the team championship caliber talent in the backstroke, freestyle and in- dividual medley events. Michigan should also be bolstered by the return of sophomores Jennifer Love, Jennifer Jackson and Michelle Swix. U -Eric Lemont After oeginning me year under a cloud of injuries, the Michigan men's tennis team bounced back, but not far enough, finishing second in the Big Ten to rival Minnesota. Three Michigan players earned All-Big Ten recognition: Malivai Washington, David Kass, and Dan Goldberg. In addition, Washington was named Big Ten Player-of-the- Year, Goldberg was awarded Sports- man-of-the-Year, and Coach Brian Eisner earned Coach-of-the-Year honors. At press time the team was still hoping to receive an at large birth in the national championships. Three of Michigan's (15-10 over- all, 11-1 in the Big Ten) top singles players missed action due to injuries this season. Washington, the top- ranked player in the country, has had problems with both his back and ankle. Third singles player David Kass had to sit out two matches with an aggravated shoulder and I After cutting the ribbon on their brand new, state-of-the-art facility, the Donald B. Canham Natatorium, Michigan quickly rose to 5-0, dominating inferior midwestern teams along the way. Their first real dual meets and continued to stress only one thing - winning the na- tional crown. "Instead of concen- trating on winning dual meets," he said, "the most important thing is to concentrate on NCAA's." A ftC . .;.... .,., T-.- 4 is just a road to NCAA's," Urban- chek said, "that's our goal." By the time the dust had settled on the regular season, 15 Wolverines had made NCAA cuts and were off to Indianapolis. Michigan started off strong and held on to third place, just edging out UCLA, 315-313.5. Junior Brent Lang was crowned the 50-yard freestyle champ and sophomore Mike Barrowman took home the 200- Washington before a match against Indiana, "we're going to need them." With restored health, the pieces began falling into place. Michigan defeated Indiana, 5-4, and Ohio State, 9-0, on the same weekend before travelling to Michigan State, where they defeated the Spartans. "This was-