Women's Basketball
vs. Ohio State
Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m.
Crisler Arena

SPORTS

Hockey
vs. Michigan State
Tomorrow, 7 p.m.
Yost Ice Arena

The Michigan Daily Thursday, January 20,1994 Page 5

Cheerleading
.earns ninth
spot at
nationals
By TOM BAUSANO
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
The Michigan cheerleaders expe-
rienced a surprising finish and some
Southern hospitality while compet-
ing at the National Cheerleading As-
sociation (NCA) Collegiate Cheer-
leader and Dance Team National
Championships, Jan. 3-5 at the Dallas
Convention Center.
The Wolverines placed ninth out
of 20 schools who qualified for the
competition. The top-10 finish is par-
cularly remarkable, considering that
Michigan has never sent a co-ed team
to the nationals.
Although many teams came to
Texas as a result of participation in
summer camps and competitions,
Michigan qualified for nationals by
submitting a videotape of its routine
for evaluation. Nearly 300 teams tried
to qualify for the championships.
This was the first year co-coaches
QIichael Johnson and Pamela St. John
have headed up the Wolverines.
Johnson, a former Michigan cheer-
leader (1982-84), has owned and op-
erated The Ad Vanc'd! Cheerleading
Company in Novi for the past 10
years. He held various coaching posi-
tions before coming to Michigan, in-
cluding a stint at Eastern Michigan.
*Our team has never
been to nationals so to
make the final cut Is
remarkable. Many of
the other teams have
been there year after
yea r.
- Pamela St. John
Cheerleading coach
Pamela St. John returns to Ann
Arbor after coaching the Wolverines
from 1978-87.
"When we started out we laid out
a five-year plan," Johnson said. "We
had an agenda to qualify for nationals
within the first two years, place high
by the third year and win a national
title by the fifth year. Placing in the
top 10 this year puts us significantly
ahead of schedule."
None of the current cheerleaders
had experience competing at a na-
tional competition; but the team was
able to rely on the leadership of its
captains - Jake Fritz, Dan
Accavatti, Tanneisha Barlow and
Claudia Perez.
"You can't discount the experi-
ence factor," St. John said. "Our team
has never been to nationals so to make
the final cut is remarkable. Many of
the other teams have been there year
after year."
The team's outstanding perfor-
mance during the preliminary rounds
earned it a sixth-place ranking and a
berth into the finals, but the lack of
*experience caught up with the Wol-
verines.

"A lot of us got first-time jit-
ters," Barlow said. "Once things
didn't hit, we fell apart. We just
couldn't go on."
Johnson is confident in his team's
ability to fulfill the ambitious plan he
has put forth. The team loses only six
of its 28 athletes in the program .
"We develop everyone equally and
* expect people to improve from year
to year," Johnson said. "We won't be
quite as awed next year."
The team was on a tight and disci-
plined schedule over the holidays.
After performing at the New Year's
Day Hall of Fame Bowl game in
Tampa, Fla., the Wolverine squad
went straight to Dallas to fine-tune its
routine.
* - "The biggest thing I got from the
competition was how serious a sport
cheerleading is for the Southern
schools," Scarsella said. "For many
of the cheerleaders, competing at na-
tionals is the culmination of hard work
starting in middle school."
And the hard work is beginning to

King, Howard downed by chicken pox
Wolverines, minus the pair, head to noisy Williams Arena to face Golden Gophers

By CHAD A. SAFRAN
DAILY BASKETBALL WRITER
As if playing Minnesota in reno-
vated but still noisy Williams Arena
were not already difficult enough,
thingsjustgotalot worsefortheMichi-
gan men's basketball team as it pre-
pares for its game against the Golden
Gophers tonight in Minneapolis (9:30
p.m., ESPN).
Juwan Howard and Jimmy King
will miss the contest after being diag-
nosed with chicken pox by team phy-
sician Dr. Robert Anderson Monday.
The duo was excluded from practic-
ing with the Wolverines Tuesday af-
ter further examination.
The juniors are currently being
quarantined until a reevaluation Sat-
urday. At that time Anderson will
decide if Howard and King will join
the team for Michigan's game against
Illinois Sunday (1 p.m., CBS).
"We knew it was going to be tough
playing at Minnesota. Now, it will be
extremely tough," Michigan coach
Steve Fisher said. "We have to hope the
remaining two juniors, Jalen (Rose)
and Ray (Jackson), really come to the
forefront and play extremely hard.
"In order for us to have a chance,
out of the eight scholarship players
we have left, each one is going to have
to play one heck of a game if were
going to give Minnesota a run."
Howard will miss his second game
of the season. He sat out Michigan's
affair with Detroit-Mercy Dec. 6. The
battle with the Gophers marks the
fifth time the 6-foot-9 center will not
start since coming to the Wolverines.
King's absence will end a starting
streak of 59 consecutive games, dat-
ing back to the March 3, 1992 contest
against Ohio State. This will be the
first game the 6-foot-5 guard has
missed in two-plus seasons.
Rose and sophomore Leon Derricks

are the only two Michigan players to
not have been previously afflicted with
the chicken pox. They were given a
preventive injection in attempt to ward
off the possible onset of the illness.
However, the medication is no guaran-
tee the pair will not eventually get the
sickness, which has an incubation pe-
riod of 10-21 days.
The absence of two ofFisher's start-
ers leaves the Wolverines in a bind,
especially when it comes to rebound-
ing and experience.
Michigan has been on the short end
of the rebounding statistics its past

and Chad Kolander as well as junior
Jayson Walton (6 feet 6, 210 pounds).
Even before discovering that two of
his players would be absent from the
game, Fisher expressed concern over
the Wolverines' ability to match up
against the Gophers.
"They had 25 offensive rebounds
against us last year," Fisher said.
"They attack aggressively.
"They've got a lot of size and a lot
of experience. They have 11 or 12
guys that can all play."
One of those Minnesota players
who can really light it up is guard, and
former Southwestern High School
teammate of Rose's, Voshon Lenard.
The junior leads the Gophers in scor-
ing. He is a physically strong player as
well at 6-feet-4, 205 pounds, and has
the ability to penetrate into the lane or
fire it from behind the'3-point arc.
Besides the fact that the Wolver-
ines have to get past the illnesses of
two star players, they must confront
one of the biggest home court advan-
tages in the nation. In October 1990,
Inside Sports magazine rated Will-
iams Arena as the third best college
basketball arena behind Duke's
Cameron Indoor Stadium and Pauley
Pavillion at UCLA.
Although the building has had $20
million poured into its renovation,
Williams still has the one nemesis
that opponents have difficulty over-
coming.
"The floor's elevated so you don't
even have a good feel for the game,"
Fisher said. "They are really good at
home."
The Gophers went 14-2 in their
home building a year ago, losing to
Michigan, 80-73, and Indiana, 86-75.
And tonight, rumor has it that the pro-
motions department is handing out
mini-megaphones to its fans.
That could make more than just
Howard and King sick.

Howard

three games. With Howard, Michigan's
chairman of the boards, not present to
control the paint, the Wolverines could
be in serious trouble, especially with
the bulk the Gophers possess.
Minnesota possesses big time
muscle up front. Jackson will be in
charge of shutting down 6-foot-8, 235-
pound forward Randy Carter, who even
if he does not score, simply takes up
space on the interior. Additionally,
Clem Haskins' club has two 6-foot-9
players in juniors Ernest Nzigamasabo

G-- r " --
Michigan guard Jimmy King harasses Indiana's Damon Bailey in Sunday's
loss to the Hoosiers. Michigan takes on Minnesota tonight.

Blue swininers look to lasso W W
No 2 Longhorns in Austin64
Byg- JRM STRACHAN

By JEREMY STRACHAN
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
The Michigan men's swimming and
diving team hopes to take the bull by
the horns when it competes against the
second-ranked Longhorns of Texas
tonight in a dual meet in Austin.
The Wolverines will then compete
in the Dallas Morning News Classic
hosted by No. 15 Southern Methodist
Friday and Saturday.
Texas is the only team standing
between the Wolverines and top-ranked
Stanford, who defeated Michigan
133.5-109.5 Saturday. The Longhorns
beat eighth-ranked Florida 131-110
Saturday to keep pace with the Cardi-
nal. In November, Texas lost to Stanford
160-83. Michigan swimming coach Jon
Urbanchek said it should be a close
meet this evening.
"I think we're pretty even with
them," Urbanchek said. "Texas and
Michigan will have it out at NCAAs.
Their relays are good, about as good as
Stanford. It's going to be a very good
meet."
Urbanchek's Wolverines will be
swimming without the services of top
backstroker Royce Sharp who cannot
travel with the team during weekday
meets due to academic probation. How-
ever, Sharp should rejoin the team for
the Classic this weekend.
"It will be difficult against Texas if
we're not going to have Sharp, espe-
cially in the backstroke and the medley
relay," Urbanchek added. "Without
Sharp we're not as well-manned. But,
we have some of their aces."

The Longhorns may have some
problems of theirown. Ironically, there
has been unconfirmed speculation that
Texas' top backstroker and school
record-holder Brad Bridgewater might
also miss the meet due to academic
probation. Bridgewater did not com-
pete this past weekend against the
Gators.
Along with Bridgewater, the Long-
horns are led primarily by freestyler
Josh Davis. Davis tops Texas with seven
dual meet wins and is the defending
national champion in the 200-yard
freestyle. Sprinter Jason Fink has six
firsts this season and has the top times
in the 50 and 100 freestyle for the
Longhorns. And in the distance events
sophomore Matt Hooper paces Texas
in the 500, 1000 and 1650 freestyles.
"Josh Davis is probably their top
swimmer," Michigan co-captain Brice
Kopas said. "He'll be really tough to
beat. I think the 200 freestyle is real
important with (Gustavo) Borges and
Davis. I think if we swim like we did
with Stanford, we'll win."
The Dallas Morning News Classic
will be a chance for Michigan to see
how it compares with last year's top
five teams. Texas will make the trip
along with the Wolverines to join
UCLA, Tennessee, Auburn and the
host Mustangs at Southern Methodist.
Teams are allowed to bring eight
swimmers to the meet and one diver -
half of the total at the NCAA meets.
Urbanchek sees the meet as sort of a
mini-championship meet because of

'1 think we're pretty
even with them. Texas
and Michigan will have
it out at NCAAs.'
-Jon Urbanchek
Michigan swim coach
the format.
"To win this meet you don't have to
have depth, just two or three super-
stars," Urbanchek said.
The meet gives Michigan its final
look at the nation's best before it pre-
pares for the Big Ten Championships
in late February.
"After this meet a lot of teams will
begin to taper," Kopas said. "This meet
will be a good indication of where we
are before everyone tapers for Big
Tens.
'The Men's Division I swimming
polls from the College Swim-
ming Coaches Association of
Ameica:.
1. Stanford

Diver Abel Sanchez hopes to help the Wolverines take it to the No. 2 Texas
Longhorns today. Michigan then travels to the Dallas News Morning Classic.

2. Texas
3. Michigan
4. California
5. Southern Cal

II. I


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