14 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 5, 1995
Hockey coaches unhappy
with obstacles to expansion
By Darren Everson
Daily Hockey Writer
A sellout crowd of 12,155 saw Bos-
ton University defeat Maine for the
NCAA hockey championship in Provi-
dence, R.I., last Saturday, but several
prominent people in the sport aren't
satisfied.
Perhaps a few years ago, the
coaches of the nation's top teams
would have been ecstatic to see such
a turnout. These days, though, they
have different goals in mind for col-
lege hockey.
At the top of their list is the expan-
sion of their sport, but there may be
something standing in the way of that
idea.
"We need to find a way to
stickhandle around gender equity,"
Maine coach Shawn Walsh said.
The current state of collegiate ath-
letics favors women's sports. As
schools try to bring the percentage of
female athletic scholarships closer to
that of men, scholarships in men's
sports are being eliminated.
Although Walsh's statement
seems to contradict this movement,
the Black Bears' coach believes his
views are justified.
"I get a kick out of all the com-
plaints from men's and women's bas-
ketball (coaches) about going from
15 to 14 scholarships, or from 15 to
13," Walsh said. "How many players
really play in that sport?
"We've been cut from 20 to 18,
and I guarantee you 19 players (play
in a hockey game) probably half-
way through the first period. That's
an example of what I'm talking
about."
Michigan coach Red Berenson
said: "I would like to see more expan-
sion in hockey, and I don't think we'll
see it in the next few years mostly
because of gender equity.
"But I don't think there's a sport
that's growing as fast as hockey due
to (NHL) expansion into southern
California and Florida, and the
(growth) of in-line skating and there-
fore street hockey. I think there are a
lot of universities that should take a
serious interest in a serious hockey
program, and that may happen in the
next 10 years."
For now, Berenson's concern is
the media attention given to college
hockey. The Michigan coach took
one look at the sports section of
USA Today prior to Thursday's
semifinals and didn't like what he
saw.
"I don't see anything on college
hockey or (its) final four," Berenson
said. "I think we all have to under-
stand that college hockey is a big
deal. This is our moment; this is when
college hockey is at its best.
"All of the people here (at the
hockey final four) should be ap-
plauded, but there are a lot of people
who are missing the boat."
The lone college hockey story in
the paper that day was about Bowl-
ing Green's Brian Holzinger and
the Hobey Baker Award. The ar-
ticle discussed how past Hobey
Baker winners hadn't fared so well
in the NHL and how many scouts
and coaches don't believe the col-
lege game is a necessary step to pro
hockey.
"Just take a look at the Michigab-
Maine semifinal game two years ago,"
Berenson said, "and look at the num-
ber of players that are playing in the
NHL. The Boston Bruins are doing
pretty well with a goalie that played
for Lake Superior State last year
(Blaine Lacher) - a college hockey
goalie.
"It kind of bothers me that we're
not getting the respect at this time of
the year. Hobey Baker candidates are
just like (Heisman Trophy candi-
dates). Just because they didn't play
in the (pros) doesn't mean they're not
successful; that's why they went to
school."
"
DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily
College hockey is battling both gender equity and the lack of media coverage in its attempt to expand.
Owners denied again
Baseball cleared to start April 26
WOMEN'S TENNIS NOTEBOOK:
Wolverines place 35th
in latest national poll
0
NEW YORK (AP) - Baseball
owners got steamrolled again in
court Tuesday when a three-judge
panel denied their request to have
an injunction stayed, clearing the
way for the season to start April 26.
The panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals repeatedly ridi-
culed management lawyer Frank
Casey during a one-hour hearing,
dismissing his argument that own-
ers had the unilateral right to do
away with free agency and salary
arbitration before an impasse in bar-
gaining.
"You're fuzzing things," Chief
Judge Jon Newman told him, add-
ing later, "We're just going around
in circles."
The judges, following acerbic
and caustic questioning, let stand
the injunction issued Friday by U.S.
District Judge Sonia Sotomayor,
which forces owners to adhere to
the expired collective bargaining
agreement. The 2nd Circuit will hear
an expedited appeal during the first
half of May, but it may got before a
different panel.
"We're happy," union head
Donald Fehr said. "People are back
What this means
The owners appeal of a court
injunction issued last Friday in
response to a complaint by the
National Labor Relations Board
was denied yesterday by a panel
of U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
judges. The decision paves the
way for the beginning of the Major
League Baseball season. The '
abbreviated 144-game season is
scheduled to begin April 26.
and we want a long-term agree-
ment."
Sotomayor's injunction caused
players to end their 232-day strike,
and the judges' questioning made
clear there is little likelihood the
injunction will be overturned.
Newman, his voice rising with
incredulity, assailed Casey when the
lawyer claimed the injunction and
its "whipsaw forces" prevented col-
see BASEBALL page 15
By Alan Goldenbach
Daily Sports Writer
The latest Rolex Collegiate
Rankings were released yesterday
and the Michigan women's tennis
team is quite happy with the results.
After a two-week hiatus from the
poll, the Wolverines returned to the
nation's top 50, coming in at No. 35.
The fact that six of Michigan's
16 opponents rank in the top 25 had
a significant impact on its ranking.
No. 27 Florida State was the only
other newcomer to the top 50 that
ranked higher than Michigan.
But the rankings don't include
the Wolverines' most recent matches
- a pair of victories against No. 23
Miami and No. 28 South Florida.
"Since the matches against Mi-
ami and South Florida aren't in-
cluded in these rankings, we didn't
expect to get that high a ranking,"
Michigan co-captain Simone
Lacher said. "We'll probably be
ranked higher in the next rankings."
One thing that did hurt the Wol-
verines was that a number of their
losses to top-ranked teams were by
close margins. Michigan fell to No.
18 Indiana and No. 24 Notre Dame
by 5-4 scores. The scores of matches
aren't figured into team's rankings.
SARAH SAILS ALONG: National in-
dividual rankings were also an-
nounced yesterday and Michigan
sophomore Sarah Cyganiak came
in at No. 60. She was the lone
Wolverine to place in the top 70.
Cyganiak was the fourth-high-
est ranked Big Ten player. She
placed 14th nationally among sopho-
mores.
"I'm pretty happy with my rank-
ing," Cyganiak said. "I think my
wins against the Penn State and In-
diana girls (who are both ranked
ahead of her) helped a lot."
And Cyganiak's ranking is well
deserved. She has played all of her
singles matches as Michigan's No.
1 player. With her 6-0 record, she is
one of only two No. I players in the
Big Ten who have gone unbeaten in
league play. Illinois' Kristen Jones
is also undefeated in three singles
matches.
WOLVERINES REJUvENATED: Just
two weeks ago, the Wolverines' 7-5
record left them on the brink of
0
MOLLY STEVENS/Daily
The Women's tennis team, ranked 35th in the country, faces Big Ten foes
Northwestern and Purdue this weekend at home.
See TENNIS page 15
Wolverines not threatened by Spartan attack .
1220
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:h University 665-7777
21 and over after 9pm
By Jed Rosenthal
Daily Sports writer
The No. 28 Michigan men's ten-
nis team is back on the courts again.
And as usual, it will play on the road.
The Wolverines (5-1 Big Ten,
10-6 overall) bring their winning
ways to the Michigan State Tennis
Facility to take on the Spartans to-
day.
They have defeated Wisconsin,
Purdue and Illinois within a span of
eight days by a combined score of 18-
3, including a 7-0 romp over the Boil-
ermakers.
"Michigan State is an excellent
team," Michigan coach Brian Eisner
said. "They're a team capable of beat-
ing anybody on any given day."
However, the Spartans have
struggled of late and are coming off
an upset loss at the hands of the Illini.
The Wolverine players say they are
far from concerned with this match,
yet Eisner will not take it lightly.
He decided to take the team to
East Lansing yesterday so it could
get a workout in at Michigan State's
facility.
"They have more space at their
place," Eisner said. "There's extra room
between the courts, and that could play
with our perception. By letting every-
one get some practice in there, we'll be
better prepared."
Eisner's players don't agree with
him.
"(Practicing at Michigan State was)
a complete waste of time,"junior Peter
Pusztai said. "I can't figure it out.
They're a good team and everything,
but we wouldn't drive all the way to
Illinois to have practice. I think (Eisner)
is just a little panicky."
4 (Practicing at
Michigan state
was) a complete
waste of time ... I
think (Eisner) is
just a little
panicky.'
- Peter Pusztai
Michigan men's tennis
Eisner is also anxious about the
Spartan crowd, which is usually the
largest in the Big Ten. Pusztai, how-
ever, is not worried about the affect of
the crowd.
"It really doesn't matter," Pusztai
said. "There's no crowd watching prac-
tice. There really (was) not any reason
in going."
Mainstay John Costanzo will com-
pete at first singles. Though he sat out
his singles match against Purdue, Sat-
urday, he won both of his matches
Sunday against Illinois. Costanzo will
play the Spartans' Jayson Bedford,
whom he defeated earlier this season.
"(Bedford) is a pretty good player,"
Costanzo said. "He's ranked pretty
high, but he hasn't been playing well
lately. I'm really not that concerned
about him."
Costanzo teams up with Pusztai to
play No. 1 doubles. The duo is unde-
feated in Big Ten play, sporting a spar-
kling 6-0 record.
"John and I play well together,"
Pusztai said. "We're pretty confident
that we're going to wax everyone the
rest of the year."
The road has been the biggest nem-
esis for the Wolverines this season.
They are in the middle of a five-match
road swing. The tribulations of playing
away from home is wearing on them.
"It's not my game that is being
affected," Pusztai said. "It matters to
my studies. You just can't get any work
done when you're traveling."
Michigan is soconfidentthatEisner
fears it might haunt his squad today.
"This will be a wake-up call for
everybody," Eisner said. "I'm only
worried that we'll be over-confident. I
just want us to play consistently."
Eisner hopes the extra trip to East
Lansing will do just that.
"Coach has been doing this for 25
years, so he knows what he's doing, I
I
ATTENTION
S TUDENTS
Want to earn college credits while away
from campus this summer?
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