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. 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