The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - September 23, 1991 - Page 5
Four to
contend
'for league
crown
by Ryan Herrington
Daily Sports Writer
Transition best describes the up-
Ocoming 1991 Big Ten volleyball
season. New players, new coaches,
and a new team are evident through-
out the conference.
For the 1990 league champions,
Wisconsin, anticipation of defend-
ing its title has been suppressed by
the death of its head coach, Steve
Lowe. Lowe, last season's Big Ten
Coach of the Year, died of complica-
tions resulting from lung cancer
,Just nine days before the Badgers
were to open their season. Margie
Fitzpatrick, Lowe's top assistant,
remains optimistic despite the
tragedy dealt to the program.
"Our goals are to challenge for
the Big Ten title and win all of our
Big Ten home games," Fitzpatrick
said. "We also want to get into the
(NCAA) tournament."
The Badgers (4-4 in 1991) return
two all-Big Ten players, seniors Liz
Tortorello and Arlisa Hagan. Fitz-
patrick feels that first-year player
Bridget Lourey will also be a factor
at outside hitter.
When discussing the teams in the
race for the Big Ten title, one must
perennially include Illinois, cur-
rently ranked 16th in the nation.
Last season marked the seventh con-
utive 20-victory campaign for the
vighting Illini, who come into 1991
as the Big Ten coaches' pre-season
No. 1 pick.
"Illinois has the best talent of
any team in the Big Ten," Ohio State
coach Jim Stone said.
Illinois (4-1) compliments its
Big Ten Freshman of the Year,
Kristin Henriksen, with the signing
of the nation's top recruiting class
for the second consecutive year.
With no seniors and just two ju-
niors, youth might be both an asset
and a hindrance for the Illini.
1990 runner-up Ohio State also
has a young team, with three first-
year players starting for Stone's
squad. The Buckeyes need consistent
play out of three-year starters Dawn
McDoogle and Leisa Wistler.
"A goal of winning the Big Ten
is realistic," Stone explains. "But
when 50 percent of your line-up are
freshman we can't assume we will
be the best team."
The rest of the Big Ten wishes
Penn State (7-0) would wait a few
more years before entering confer-
ence play. Unfortunately, the Lady
See BIG TEN, Page 6
'M' ready for Big Ten play
by Jeff Williams
Daily Sports Writer
The 1991 Michigan volleyball
team will enter the Big Ten season
next week with two more victories
than all of last year and a much
more experienced squad.
"We had 10 first-year players
last year, we really had to work on
gaining experience," coach Peggy
Bradley-Doppes said. "We had to
put two or three years of experience
into one season."
The returning players include ju-
nior Tarnisha Thompson, a set-
ter/middle blocker. Thompson pro-
vides the Wolverines with most of
their assists, and is seventh in the
Big Ten in that category with eight
per game.
Sophomores Michelle Horrigan
and Fiona Davidson have proven to
be a formidable force up front. The
pair has the highest kill efficiency
ratings in the Big Ten at .390 and
.365, respectively. Killing efficiency
records the number of successful
kills per attempts.
The Wolverines (8-2 overall) are
at the top of the Big Ten in hitting
efficiency with a .265 average, and
second in the Big Ten with 2.19 aces
per game.
"We went from a team no one
had heard of to a team that no one
can look past," Bradley-Doppes said.
The looming Big Ten season will
be the real test of how far the Wol-
verines have come. Ohio State,
Illinois, Penn State and Wisconsin
will be Michigan's biggest chal-
lenges.
"I'd love to see Michigan finish
fifth (in the conference)," Bradley-
Doppes said. "We can give every-
body a good fight. Iowa (Michigan's
I " - ~~k ifl
first Big Ten opponent) will be a
good measuring stick."
In order to compete with the up-
per echelon of the Big Ten, the
Wolverines will have to maintain
the consistent defense and aggres-
siveness they have shown through-
out the early season tournaments.
Their early success includes finish-
ing first at the Michigan Volley-
ball Classic this past weekend.
"We need everyone to hit the
ball as hard as Horrigan," Bradley-
Doppes said. "On defense, we need
to pick up every time they have the
ball. We're playing better defense
and feeling more comfortable.
"We're much improved. Right
now, I think we can do as well (as in
the tournaments) against any team
we play."
ANIHONY M. CHULL/Uaily
Michigan sophomore outside hitter Michelle Horrigan spikes one home in
Saturday's victory over Georgia State at Keen Arena. The Wolverines
hope to get more plays like this in the upcoming Big Ten season.
Bradley-Doppes enters final season
by Adam Miller
Daily Sports Writer
Just think, it's almost over.
There are less than 30 matches
left in Peggy Bradley-Doppes'
coaching career at Michigan. She va-
cates her head coaching position to
concentrate solely on her duties as
associate athletic director in charge
of woman's athletics at the end of
this season.
But think again. If you know
Bradley-Doppes, you know that this
does not mark the end of her rela-
tionship with volleyball.
"My whole life has been this
sport," the Cincinnati native said.
She wasn't speaking figuratively.
In 1989, as head coach of North
Carolina, she took the Tar Heels
from their middle-of-the-pack
status and made them the power of
the Atlantic Coast Conference. She
coached the Tar Heels to their
second consecutive ACC title and
NCAA tournament appearance, and
was named ACC Volleyball Coach
of the Year.
She took over a struggling
Michigan program in 1990 and led
the Wolverines to an upset victory
over nationally-ranked Illinois that
she's still talking about.
The Illini stormed into Keen
Arena November 3 with a 17-7
record and a No. 15 national ranking.
Michigan, by contrast, was 4-20.
Nobody gave the Maize and Blue a
chance. Except Bradley-Doppes.
"I've known (Illinois coach)
Mike (Hebert) for years," she said,
"so when we take the first game
from them, I come up to him and
say, 'Hey Mike, looks like you guys
haven't done your homework."'
The Wolverines defeated the
Illini in straight games, 15-13, 15-
13, 15-10.
"I'm so competitive," she said.
"You don't count one of my teams
out."
March 27, Bradley-Doppes was
named associate athletic director.
Feeling committed to all women's
sports, Bradley-Doppes realized
that she would have to give up "her
team."
"I'm looking at it this way, that
for years these have been my kids. I
don't have any children, so these
have been my kids. I've had a lot of
fun with it," she said. "As much as I
love this, and I can hardly think of
anybody who can be more passionate
about their sport, I just can't do it 2 Iowa 7:30 prm
justice sometimes." 2 Minnesota 2pim
She'llbe an administrator 4 H
"one of the guys," in her words - 4 ONiO STATE: . ...pm
but she'll still be tied to volley- 5 INDIANA 7:30 p
ball. 9 MICHIGAN STATE (StatePride NIght: 7-30 p m.
11 atPenn Stat 7:30pm
"I hope I never have a desk job," 18 at Wisconsin 7:30 p.m.
she said. "I'd hate being an 19 at:No>thweser: 7:30pm.
administrator who sits at a desk all 25 ILLUNOIS 730 p.m
day. I think it's just as important 26 PURDUE 7 pi.
that I'm at tennis matches, field 29 at Eastern Michigan 7:30 m
hockey games, softball games, that M =
I'm there on the road, and also that I 1:>:";::::na>::3::p
prepare our athletes for the rest of 2 at Ohlo State 7:30 p.m.
the Big Ten. So I think I'll still be 6 at Michigan State (State Pride Night) 7:30pm.
very active. As far as volleyball 9 PENN STATE 7 p.m,
goes, when you're in it as long as I 15 NORTHWESTERN 7:30 pm
am, you're in it more than being a 16 WISCONSIN 7:30p m
coach." 22 at:Purdue , 7 .p.m.
23 at Illnos. 7:30pm.
So while you can take Peggy 29 :.=MINNESOTA 7pm
Bradley-Doppes out of volleyball, 30 IOWA 7.p:m.
you can't take volleyball out of Hsn :A
Peggy Bradley-Doppes.
Bradley-Doppes
Bradley-Doppes first played com-
petitive volleyball in the fifth
grade, and continued playing
through college, where she earned
second-team all-America honors at
the College of Mount St. Joseph's.
She landed her first head coach-
ing job at Miami (Ohio) in 1979. In
her second season, Bradley-Doppes
led the Redskins to the Mid-
American Conference championship
and was named MAC Coach of the
Year.
5. 630 PVI .i ~ i i~i
ies September 23
Center COMMONS
CenterBoulevard Rm .....ii..............
Amazin' Blue
This is a co-ed a capella singing
ensemble at the U of M. They perform
music ranging in style from upbeat rock,
jazz, and blues to Michigan Favorites.
Comedy Company
This is a student-directed and written
comedy troupe. Comedy Company
performs once a term in the Lydia
Mendelssohn Theatre and has taken its
show to other Big-10 schools.
Impact Dance
This is for U of M's non-dance
majors who have extensive training in
all areas of dance. Auditions are in the
early fall, and the company performs in
the spring.
M-Flicks
This is the largest film group on
campus (formerly called Mediatrics),
presenting at least three films each
week. M-Flicks also sponsors film
festivals and sneak previews.
Soph Show
A fall musical, Soph Show restricts
its cast to first-year students and
sophomores, often giving students their
rst collegiate theatrical experience.
Laughtrack
Laughtrack features student
comedians and a professional headliner
each Wednesday night in the U-Club.
Soundstage
Soundstage provides musical
entertainment each Thursday night in
the U-Club. Established bands, both
local and student, are featured each
week.
Special Events
Special Promotions brings exciting
activities to the U of M. Past events have
included: Rolling Stone -The Photo-
graphs and a performance of Pink
Floyd's The Wall.
Starbound
A campus-wide talent competition,
Starbound provides students with the
opportunity to perform, win prizes, and
gain experience and recognition.
College Bowl
A competitive quiz-trivia contest,
College Bowl begins with an intramural
tournament whose champions travel to
contests during the winter term.
Mini-Courses
Each term, Mini-Courses offers over
30 non-credit courses ranging from
aerobic dance to sign language.
Viewpoint
Viewpoint sponsors a variety of
lectures and forums for discussion,
including Student Soapbox.
Accountants
The accountants handle all disburse-
ments, transactions with other University
units, and assist the committees with
budget management.
Advertising and Publicity
This is comprised of a staff of graphic
artists headed by the Publicity V.P. They
prepare all posters, flyers, programs,
and other forms of advertising for UAC's
committees.
Tech Crew
Homecoming
As official University coordinators of
Homecoming, UAC plans the parade,
float contest, pep rally, and many other
campus-wide activities.
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