The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 10, 1995 - 13
Berenson fields fans' questions at League
By iennifwr Ivanelli
ForThe Daily
Red Berenson is one of the top
coaches in college hockey, and as a
result, people have a lot to ask him.
Fans had the chance to pose their
questions to Berenson Wednesday
when he spoke at noon at the Michi-
gan League as part of the "From the
Coaches Mouth" series.
Berenson answered questions on
subjects ranging from his playing days
to the fortunes of his first-place Wol-
veines.
During his lecture, Berenson
spoke about his playing days at
Michigan and how he decided to
delay playing professionally in or-
der to graduate. Because of this ex-
perience, Berenson believes that his
players should be students as well
as athletes.
"I don't like to talk about the pros.
Right now we are all concerned about
Michigan," Berenson said. "I can't
control what goes on after this. (The
team) has a good mentality; they aren't
just on a mission to play in the pros."
Berenson also talked about hockey
in comparison to other sports in the
athletic program. He pointed out that
hockey is one of the three revenue
sports at Michigan, along with basket-
ball and football, and that he has the
fans to thank for that fact.
"Idon't think there's a betterenvi-
ronment than Yost (Ice Arena), espe-
cially against Michigan State,"
Berenson said. "We're on track to
draw 100,000(fans)."
Michigan's corps of budding, tal-
ented athletes has a lot to do with the
fans' dedication to the team.
"We have such
a young team this
year, but there are
sophomores like
Brendan Morrison
who are playing
with the maturity of
juniors and se-
niors," Berenson
said.
Berenson be-
Berenson lieves this maturity
will be essential for
the team to succeed in the NCAA
Tournament. Furthermore, he said that
his team's character is another crucial
component of the Wolverines'
Michigan vs. Michigan State
Olympia Arenas, Inc. is conducting a contest in conjunction with the Daily
with prizes forthe Michigan-Michigan State game Feb.18 at Joe Louis Arena.
The Grand Prize: A night for two at the Westin Hotel in downtown Detroit
including two game tickets. Four First Prizes: Four game tickets each. Six
Second Prizes: Two game tickets each. To enter, drop off your answers at
the Daily sports desk in the Student Publications Building at 420 S. Maynard.
The contest is cumulative - the contestants with the most
correct answers over the next two weeks will have the greater
chance to win.
Gymnasts host unfamiliar rival
Downtrodden Ohio State visits Cliff Keen Arena
y Michael Joshua
Daily Sports Writer
Who are the Buckeyes?
Though most know them as the
arch-rivals from Ohio State, the No.4
Michigan women's gymnastics team
does not seem to know a thing about
its counterparts from Columbus.
The Wolverines (4-0 Big Ten, 9-0
overall) host the Buckeyes Sunday
hoping to find out something about
their Big Ten opponent.
* Michigan, coming off a victory at
the State of Michigan Classic, is
poised and ready for the dual meet.
"Everybody seems confident and
relaxed and hoping for a successful
night," freshman Heather Kabnick said.
Ohio State (1)- Big Ten, 3-4 over-
BAS KETBALL
ContInued from page 1:
gaihashaditsproblemsthisyearmatch-
ing up against bigger and more physical
team, like Purdue and Penn State,
"Their post players really got us
last time," forward Catherine
DiGiacinto said. "If we want to have
a chance (to win), we can't let that
happen again."
In January, Penn State picked apart
the Wolverines' 2-3 zone with physical
play and crisp passing from its taller
forwards. The Lion forwards outscored
Michigan's frontcourt, 44-23.
They think they
ean beat us, but
we won't let them
take us for
granted.
- Catherine DiGiacinto
Michigan basketball player
And although the Wolverines say
they will not remain passive, they
know that Penn State will be looking
to take their anger out on somebody
* after a devastating loss last weekend.
"They'll be pretty mad (after losing
to Purdue)," DiGiacinto said. "They
think they can beat us, but we won't let
them take usforgranted. We've worked
hard this week and we feel good after
beating Illinois."
all) is coming off a narrow loss at the
hands of Denver, 184-183.475, last
Friday.
Ohio State coach Larry Cox, in his
16th year with the Buckeyes, finds his
team in a rebuilding process. Ohio
State has had a string of bad luck
which depleted the talent of the team.
The Buckeyes lost three gymnasts
to bad grades, two to injuries and one
to retirement.
"This was our year to get back in
the top 10 nationally," Cox said. "But
we'll have to wait until next year."
The Wolverines, on the other hand,
find themselves with almost their en-
tire team healthy and injury-free.
Freshman Lauren LaBranche, who is
recovering from an illness, is the only
exception.
Ohio State does not pose much of a
threat to stop Michigan from capturing
its 25th straight conference victory.
"I haven't heard much about them,
they're not ranked, so they shouldn't
be too much competition," senior Li
Li Leung said.
The Wolverines hope to turn it up
a notch Sunday to be at their peak by
the Big Tens and the NCAAs.
"We're going to put back a little
more difficulty into the routines and
get Beth Wymer back into the all-
around competition," Michigan coach
Bev Plocki said.
"I wish we were coming up to chal-
lenge Michigan," Cox said. "But we'll
challenge them in only a few events."
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daft,
Minnesota to compete in its first away meet of the season.
The Michigan men's gymnastics team travels to
Men tumblers face hot Minnesota
By Julie Keating
Daily Sports Writer
If you think it is cold in Ann
Arbor, start counting your bless-
ings. The No. 7 men's gymnastics
team is off to Minnesota to brave
the negative temperatures and the
mighty Golden Gophers in its first
meet away from Cliff Keen Arena.
"Because of the atmosphere, ev-
ery team that comes to Ann Arbor
usually scores really well at Keen
Arena," Michigan coach Bob
Darden said. "We are almost look-
ing forward to getting away from
Ann Arbor, just to see how we can
compete and what kind of score we
can achieve."
Minnesotaenters the weekend fresh
off a victory over Illinois-Chicago.
"So far, last weekend was the
best score (Minnesota) has posted
all season, so it will be interesting to
compete against them later in the
season than usual," Darden said.
Michigan's best score of 226 is
two points better than anything the
Gophers have managed all season.
The Wolverines are coming off
last weekend's one-point loss to con-
ference leader Illinois. In the meet,
"In the Big Ten,
most coaches are
only concerned
with the
conference
championships."f
- Bob Darden
Men's gymnastics coach
Darden was pleased with the return
of senior Bob Young to the lineup.
"Bob is doing extremely well for
us," Darden said. "He was not slated
to work the all-around last week,
but came out strong and competed
for us anyway. That is the kind of
work and dedication that it will take
to get us through Big Tens this year."
Fellow senior Raul Molina has
provided strong leadership for the
Wolverines throughout the season.
"Raul is a strength and an asset
to the team and definitely a power to
be reckoned with in the Big Ten,"
Darden said.
Even though the season is far
from over, coaches will be using
this weekend's scores to gauge how
the Big Ten Championships might
turn out.
After the weekend, each of the
conference's seven teams will have
met each other at least once in prepa-
ration for the tournament.
"In the Big Ten, most coaches
are only concerned with the confer-
ence championships, but with
schools like Iowa and Illinois com-
peting this weekend, it will almost
be a preview for March 25," Darden
said.
"For the long road that is whai..
we are shooting for as well, but foE
the short road, Minnesota is out
main focus."
TONYA BROAD/Daily
Molly Murray and the Wolverines host No. 13 Penn State this weekend.
JOIN THE MOST PROMISING PROFESSION OF THE21ST ENTURY!
0..posis VYt BECOME A TEACHER!
1 !Applications are available at the School of Education,
office of Student Services, Room 1033.
s Call 764-7563 for more information.
Deadline: March 1, 1995
The Japan Student Association Presents:
The 1995 Japan Cultural
Festival
..r 4
m
m