What are the eight Michigan
teams that have won national
championships?
(Answer, page 6)
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AP Top 25
Q&
The R.H. Factor
The new 'M'-athletic department
Big Ten football
NFL roundup
2
2
3
3.
4-5
8
9
'M' volleyball beats
Iowa State, falls to
Colorado at Challenge
By SCOTT BURTON
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
In the first few weeks of this season,
the Michigan volleyball team sought a
groundbreaking match. The Wolver-
ines were searching for a consistent
rotation to emerge and an opportunity
to start playing at a higher level that
would set the pace for the season.
Instead of finding it in a match,
though, Michigan may have found it in
a tournament - last weekend's Colo-
rado Conference Challenge. Although
the Wolverines (4-4 overall) split their
two matches with Big Eight foes Iowa
State (2-6), and No. 9 Colorado (7-1),
Michigan may have turned the corner
and discovered its starting six.
"This weekend definitely puts us in
a positive direction," Michigan coach
Greg Giovanazzi said. "It lets us know
that the work we're putting in is paying
off. And I think we're seeing six or
seven people who're starting to emerge."
The Wolverines' contest with Colo-
rado was most demonstrative of their
"positive direction." Matched against a
quick and complex offensive system,
Michigan nevertheless held its ground
in a 15-11, 15-17, 15-13, 15-9 loss.
"Even though we lost, there were
some really good things that happened
in the match," said Giovanazzi. "The
team played very steady, we settled into
a lineup - we used the same lineup all
four games - and we were actually in
a position to win the match."
The play of senior Joanna Collias
and junior Aimee Smith, both outside
hitters named to the all-tournament team,
helped the Wolverines stay competi-
tive. Collias nailed a team-leading 18
kills, while adding 18 digs and two
timely service-aces. Smith added six-
teen kills.
"Aimee Smith and Joanna Collias
are the ones that had the best weekend,"
Giovanazzi said. "They have to hit a
majority of our sets and they are the
ones who carried a large load for us."
Senior middle blocker Fiona
Davidson, who totaled 14 kills and 7
block-assists, combined with rookie
Shannon Brownlee to give Michigan a
solidnet-game to counteract Colorado's
attack.
But along with Davidson's tangible
achievements, her biggest contributions
came on a different level.
"Fiona has really emerged as our
leader and Ithink that's something we've
been lacking in the past," Giovanazzi
said.
Also establishing herself in the tour-
nament as acornerblock to the team was
first-year setter Erin McGovern. After
using a three-setter rotation in Friday's
match, Giovanazzi played McGovern
for nearly the whole contest and was
rewarded with a 50-assist, 11-dig per-
formance from the newcomer.
"Erin did a good job for us this
weekend, which is encouraging in the
long-run for our season," Giovanazzi
said.
The Friday night match with Iowa
State also provided positive signs for
the Wolverines. Michigan won the five-
McGovern
set match, 15-12, 11-15, 15-5, 9-15,
15-10, while still in the process of
shuffling the lineup, and snapped a
two-game losing streak.
"On Friday night, we were still try-
ing to decide which setter to use, so we
used all three setters (McGovern, Erica
Badran-Grycan and Julie Scherer),"
said Giovanazzi.
'We played very inconsistent, but it
was a good game for the team to win.
Winning those five-set matches is go-
ing to be important for the rest of the
season."
Smith, Collias and Davidson led
the way again in the win. Smith headed
Michigan's offensive effort with 24
kills. Collias and Davidson added 10
kills each, and Collias notched 17 digs.
EVAN PETRIE/Daily
Aimee Smith blocks a ball at the Michigan Challenge earlier this month. The Wolverines split their two weekend matches in
Colorado, beating Iowa State and losing to Colorado.
Women hamers rol
field at Miami invite
By TOM BAUSANO
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
The Michigan women's cross coun-
try team hopes that its early-season
dominance will translate into another
Big Ten championship and a top-five
finish at the NCAA Championshships.
For the second week in a row, the
Wolverines steamrolled past their com-
petition to capture first place. Michigan
dominated the Miami University Invi-
tational by scoring only 30 points.
Purdue was a distant second with 67
points followed by Tennessee (76),
Miami (99), West Virginia (114), and
Indiana (120).
What makes this victory all the more
remarkable is the fact that women's
head coach Mike McGuire elected not
to run three of his top five runners.
Courtney Babcock, Jessica Kluge, and
Karen Harvey all took the weekend off
in order to prepare for next Saturday's
meet in Montana.
"I'm happy that we did well as a
team again," senior Molly McClimon
said. "We switched our combination
and still had a really good meet, so it
shows how good our team is."
The lineup change was an attempt
by McGuire to force some of his less
experienced runners to step up their
performance. McGuire also used this
weekend as an indicator of which ath-
letes he will take to Big Tens, districts,
and nationals when the squad must be
cut to seven runners.
'We had to get them ready to race,"
McGuire said. "We want to give them a
chance to test themselves, and get in the
right mindset. I have some tough deci-
See HARRIERS, Page 7
Right
By BRETT FORREST
DAILY SPORTS EDITOR
Doubtless M. Joseph Roberson,
Doctor of Philosophy and Master of
Arts, can read fairly well.
It is a proven fact that most peoplem
holding both a doctorate in philoso-
phy and a masters degree in arts can do
just that.
It is safe to assume that Roberson
can not only read rapidly but also
scores high on reading comprehen-
sion. Moreover, he can probably ap-
preciate outside references and nu-
ances in the works he reads - a sure
sign of a quality reader.
Furthermore, Roberson may even
enjoy reading. That might help him in
his new metier.3
"I can read," he says. "It's my
philosophy of hiring - give me
highly-motivated people who've got
people skills and know how to read.
They can do most jobs."
The point has been made that he
can read - and read effectively, too.
As for his people skills, Roberson
seems polished there as well. Not to
say he fits into a Tom Wolfe-ian mold
of the social x-ray.
But when he is addressed as "Dr.
Roberson," Roberson cringes and im-
plores the usage of, "Joe,Joe!" Andhe
can talk your ear off to boot.
September 3, University President
James J. Duderstadt announced Rob-
erson was his choice to succeed cur-
rent Athletic Director Jack
Weidenbach. Duderstadt' srecommen-
dation mustbe approved by the Board
of Regents atitsmeeting thisFriday.If
Roberson is indeed the man, he will
take over the AD reins July 1, 1994,
with Weidenbach staying on full-time
until then.
Roberson, 58, is the quintessential
Michigan man. He holds three de-
grees from the University and has
worked for the school for 28 years. He
was Vice Chancellor and Interim
man
Chosen by Duderstadt,
Joe Robe rson is ready to
head M' athletics
for th
e job
First things first. Roberson stated at
the Sept. 3 press conference that he
wanted Michigan to be a leader in gen-
derequity.UnderWeidenbach, the men's
gymnastics program was dropped from
varsity status and the women's soccer
club was elevated to that plateau. These
changes will take effect beginning with
the 1994-95 season. The Big Ten man-
dated that all member schools have a
60/40 ratio of male athletes to female
athletes by the year 1997. Last summer,
Michigan held a 66/34 ratio.
"I can't tell you specifically how we
are going to handle the gender equity
issue except that it is very clearly one of
things I am interested in," Roberson
stated. "I was an athlete myself. I got
some marvelous experience and values
out of it. I see no reason at all why
women can't have the same things, and
we're going to provide those opportuni-
ties.... I hope at the end of my tenure
we're at pure gender equity."
While he says he has a clear idea of
what he wants to accomplish in the
realm of equity, Roberson admits he is
not an expert on all the angles of the
issue. Perhaps his reading affinity will
aid him in his task.
"I certainly am familiar with (gen-
der equity), probably, as much as most
people outside of actual athletic admin-
istration," he said. "I will soon have as
much grasp of it as (administrators) do
because it's one of the things I will learn
about very quickly. No, I don't think I
know all about it yet. If I did, I'd write
a book and wouldn't have to be athletic
director and would retire."
Rumors about which men's pro-
grams must be cut or scaled down
abound within the walls of the athletic
department. The fourth-ranked men's
cross-country squad may be running its
final .race shortly. The football team
might have to limit the number of walk-
ons and scholarship players on its ros-
ter.
Even the once-proud baseball team
has been nlaced on the endangered spe-
he's a good person. I think he's a man
of integrity and those are all attributes
that I think are important for an athletic
director to have."
women's sports is paramount in the
NCAA. The Big Ten Conference re-
cently welcomed an 11th school to its
fold and contemplates adding a twelfth.
B"ll I'M
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