12 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 11, 1994
Men's track hosts tough competition.
Wolverines look to beat EMU at Central Collegiate Championships
By TOM SEELEY
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
There's no I' in team.
This saying is familiar to most
team-sport participants. It emphasizes
the idea of a group of players ignoring
individual performances to come to-
gether and play as one coherent unit.
While this team concept is not
usually associated with a sport like
track, it will be tomorrow at the Track
and Tennis Building, where Michi-
gan hosts the Central Collegiate
Championships.
In this meet, the members of the
men's indoor track team will be put-
ting aside their focus on individual
performance and placing their efforts
toward trying to help lead the Wol-
verines to a victory.
This meet will be the first time in
three weeks that the focus will not be
on the 'I.' Team scores were not kept
at the last two meets, which were
primarily opportunities for teams to
qualify individual runners for the
NCAA Championships.
Tomorrow, the coaches will be
placing several individuals in more
than one event, or "doubling" as it is
often referred to, in an attempt to
better the team's chances of a title.
The last two weeks have seen very
little doubling as runners placed all of
their emphasis on getting an NCAA-
qualifying time in one event.
While running in more than one
event can pose some problems, Michi-
gan assistant coach Ron Warhurst sees
it as a necessity in championship meets.
"(Doubling) is sometimes good to
do and not good to do," Warhurst
said. "But when you're going for a
championship and you want to get the
points, you have to use your people in
the best possible way you can."
One runner expected to be dou-
bling is Scott MacDonald. Last week
at the Meyo Mile in South Bend the
sophomore qualified for the NCAA
meet with a time of 3:59.40. Two
weeks ago, he ran the third leg of the
world-record setting performance in
the distance medley relay.
MacDonald said he expects to run
both the mile and the 3000 meters. He
echoed the sentiment about what little
importance individual times are to-
morrow.
"The coaches think we can do pretty
well, so they're loading up most of the
events," MacDonald said. "We're not
worried about anything time-wise.
We're just going for points."
Two runners who will also be look-
ing to bolster the Wolverines' point
totals tomorrow are freshmen Kevin
Sullivan and Neil Gardner. Both have
had outstanding opening seasons -
Sullivan in the mile and 800 meters
and Gardner in the hurdles and the
long jump. The Michigan coaches see
strong performances from them as
crucial to the team's success.
The Wolverines' chief competi-
tion will most likely come from East-
ern Michigan. The two have met sev-
eral times so far this year and Warhurst
said that tomorrow's meet could be a
toss-up between the two schools.
The squad is hoping for a strong
performance in front of its home fans
and Warhurst thinks that the crowd
can motivate Michigan down the
stretch.
"It's our hometown crowd, and
with the people cheering for our guys,
it makes a lot of difference," Warhurst
said. "It gives us just a little bit more
(incentives) to do it."
Blue hopes to build on past success
By DOUG STEVENS
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
All season long, the Michigan
women's track and field team has shown
improvement. Weekbyweek,therunners
have set new personal bests and have
defeated lower-tier opponents handily.
Tomorrow, the team will see just
how far it has come as when it squares
off against some of the best in the Big
Ten in a meet at Michigan State.
The field for the competition will
include MSU, Penn State, Notre Dame
and Ohio State.
"As a whole, our team has really
come together," assistant coach Patty
Davis said. "The team has taken a
step up from last year's."
One runner who has really pto-
gressed throughout the season has
been Tearza Johnson. At Eastern
Michigan, Johnson broke a school
record by running a 24.44 in the 200-
meter. Although this time provision-
ally qualified her for the NCAA Cham-
pionships, she will need to run a 23.88
to automatically qualify for the
NCAAs. She will be running the 200,
the 400 and a relay tomorrow.
"Tearza has intensity and quality
in her workouts," Davis said. "She
responds to top-notch competition and
is a real competitor."
Another sprinter who will be com-
peting this weekend will be Richelle
Webb. She has consistently placed in
the top three all season and will run in
the 55, 200 and a relay tomorrow. 0
The Wolverines' distance corps
has been led by All-Americans
Courtney Babcock and Molly
McClimon all season.
This weekend, the duo will con-
tinue their senior campaign with
Babcock running the 5000 and
McClimon running the mile and 3000.
"Regardless of what (Babcock and
McClimon) run, they go on the track0
with one thing in mind-to run the best
time they have ever run," Davis said.
Michigan's high jumpers didn't
compete last week at Notre Dame
because of a bad surface. However,
both Monika Black and Lynda Stuck
are anxiously anticipating tomorrow's
meet.
"They have been working really
hard," Davis said. "Hopefully, they
will jump over 5-foot-10 (the NCAAO
provisional qualifying height)."
JOE WESTRATE/Daity
Sophomore Lanre Olabisi will join his teammates this weekend as the
Michigan travels to Minnesota to wrestle the No. 1-ranked Gophers.
hjury-plagued wrestlers
take on No.1 Minnesota
By HEATHER WINDT
FOR THE DAILY
The Michigan wrestling team will
encounter the biggest challenge of its
season today when it travels to Min-
nesota where it will take on the No. 1
ranked Golden Gophers.
Minnesota (6-0 Big Ten, 16-1
overall) has already defeated Iowa
(the conference champion the past 20
seasons), formerly top-ranked Okla-
homa State and No. 6 Nebraska. Six
Gopher wrestlers are ranked in the
top 12 of their respective weight
classes.
The No. 22 Wolverines (2-3, 6-6)
will have some difficulty in their at-
tempt to knock off Minnesota. Michi-
gan has experienced bad luck with a
rash of injuries this season.
Jehad Hamden (190 pounds) is
doubtful to return this season from
torn knee ligaments, the same injury
he suffered last year. However, Jesse
Rawls (177) and Steve King (heavy-
weight) will probably return from in-
juries this weekend.
"I've never had a year like this
where so many people went down, "
Michigan coach Dale Bahr said. "It's
frustrating."
Even with the Wolverines' inju-
ries, Golden Gopher coach J Robinson
expects a good meet.
"Michigan always comes here and
wrestles hard," Robinson said. "(Sean)
Bormet, King and (Brian) Harper are
all tough guys."
That trio is scheduled to face some
stiff competition this weekend, with
the big matchup pitting Harper against
Willy Short, the No. 1 wrestlerat 150.
Netters hope to curb
appetite against rivals
Bormet
The Minnesota All-American has a
season record of 28-0 and was the Big
Ten Wrestler of the Month for De-
cember.
"It's definitely going to be a tough
match," said Harper, who has been
wrestling Short since high school.
"He always seems to beat me by a
couple points. I'm looking forward to
it, though."
Other strong wrestlers in the Min-
nesota lineup are 126-pounder Tim
Harris and heavyweight Billy Pierce.
Both are ranked third in their respec-
tive weight class.
"To beat a team like Minnesota,
it's going to have to be a team effort,"
King said. "We need some upsets and
are going"to have to win a lot of close
matches."
"We are in a bad situation right
now," Harper said. "We are trying to
be optimistic, but it will a tough
match."
By RYAN CUSKADEN
FOR THE DAILY
The Michigan women's tennis
team has slowly withered into a starv-
ing Wolverine. It is hungry for com-
petition. It is hungry for victories.
And it is hungry for the tasty morsels
of Big Ten opponents.
Tomorrow and Sunday's, against
Indiana and Ohio State, respectively,
Michigan will face its first competi-
tion since the State of Michigan Clas-
sic on Jan. 21-23. Michigan feasted at
this tournament, walking away with
the Flight 'A' Singles and Doubles
titles as well as the Flight 'B' Singles
title.
Freshman Bojana Jankovic won
the Amy Yeast Most Valuable Player
Award for capturing the Flight 'A'
Singles and teaming with sophomore
Angie Popek to take the Doubles.
The Wolverines are hopeful that
Jankovic will be able to finish off her
servings ofHoosiers and Buckeyes with
the same intensity she had on Jan. 23.
"(Winning the Classic) doesn'tmat-
ter," Jankovic said. "It's a different
match and we're facing different teams."
The three tournament wins, as well
as the knowledge that the team has
been practicing hard for three straight
weeks should provide the Wolverines
with a confidence this weekend.
Michigan will go into its first meets
againstIndiana(0-0Big Ten, 1-Oover-
all) and Ohio State (0-2, 1-3) at Lib-
erty Sports Complex.
The Hoosiers have consistently been
a force in the Big Ten, so Saturday's
meet could prove to be arduous.
While Indiana has yet to face a Big
Ten rival, Ohio State has and it did hot
fare well.Ohio State lost last weekend
to both Wisconsin and Northwestern,
and suffered a non-conference defeat
at the hands of Marquette.
Two victories this weekend woul
temporarily appease the Wolverines'
voracious appetites.
ELIZABETH LIPPM
Jaimie Fielding and the Michigan tennis squad are hungry for a victory.
Penn State duel
By AARON BURNS
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
In what could be a pivotal point in
its season, the fourth-ranked Michi-
gan men's gymnastics team hosts No.
3 Penn State tomorrow night at Cliff
Keen Arena.
The Wolverines are coming off a
disappointing loss to Illinois two
weeks ago. With the Big Ten Cham-j
pionships and Eastern Regionals ap-I
p
th
m
cc
en
a
n
p
will be tough challenge for men gymnasts
roaching fast, there is no time like ning of the season everyone still had boasts an array of impressive talent..
he present to turn things around. those butterflies to get out." The horizontal bars is a particular
"It's definitely a big match," sopho- The competitive fire Michigan will area of concern for Darden because
pore Jason Taft said. "If we get our bring to tomorrow's meet is a direct his go-to-guy on that event -junior
onfidence up and beat them this week- result of the intense competition be- Rich Dopp -- has missed some prac-
nd, they'll respectus moreatBigTens." tween teammates at recent practices. tice time this week with the flu and is
Michigan's previous poor showing And now, coach Bob Darden will have questionable for the meet.
gainstPenn Stateisimmaterial to Taft. to pare the lineup from 12down to nine. With his deep roster, though,
"We're a totally different team Paradoxically, this intrasquad Darden is not panicking.
ow," Taft said. "We're really competition has made the Wolver- "We don't mind late adjustments,"
syched to face them. At the begin- ines a much stronger and more uni- he said. "We tell (our gymnasts,)
fled team, according to Taft. 'Nothing's carved in stone."'
"It helps our 12-man team be- It may look like Michigan is on
cause everyone's working harder and track to qualify for Regionals, but as
pushing each other," he said. far as Taft is concerned, the old one-
Michigan will have todothebestitcan game-at-a-time philosophy is the best
to keep things close against PSU which way to go.
j:
j
":-i:
l;
ii r.
ANTTEE
ADVIRI
-'aRn
Due to Spring Break, there
the following
Publcation Date
Monday, Feb. 28
Tuesday, March 1
Wednesday, March 2
will be early deadlines for
publications:
Deadline
Thursday, Feb. 17
Thursday, Feb. 17
Thursday, Feb. 17
ri
f
fj
f
Ive
f
Jfi:
!fff~f:
{fi
I
qkTHAIR &
NAIL i
weave SALON braid
relaxers haircuts
spiral perms full nail service
wave nouveau custom hairstyling
312 Thompson St. (near corner of Liberty) 995-5733
___________A in.8 L
I ......u~Pr
------------
C inahinesgauie n
Celebrate with that special someone
" N
Step upas an
Air Force nurse.
Air Force technologies are high-
lighting opportunities you may have
never considered. As a nursing profes-
sional, you'll step ahead - and move up
quickly. You'll discover an environment
I
I
I