The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - Monday, February 5, 1995 - 3
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Former Spartan coach discusses
Magi(
Jud Heathcote coached Michigan
ate's men 's basketball teamfrom 1976-
1995 and led the Spartans to three Big
Ten titles and 10 visits to the NCAA
Tournament.
Heathcote retiredfrom coachingat the
end oflast season and has moved back to
his home state of Washington.
A basketball lover, he cannot stay
away from the game and spends a good
percentage of his time in
jCnt of the television.
eathcote spoke with
KimberlyHartfortheDaily,
last week on the Spartans,
the Wolverines and other
basketball hoopla.
Daily: What isyour feel-
ing 'on Earvin "Magic"
Johnson returning to the
L.A. Lakers?
Heathcote: I am ecstatic:
that he is back playing, be-
use he truly loves the
game. I feel that he has a lot
bf good years left, andthis,
is a good thing for him. He
won't be able to play at the
same level as before, buthe
is still better than about 95:
percent of the players in the
NBA.:
.I think this gives him the
opportunity t& leave the
Wort on his own terms and
not be forced out by others'
opinions.
D: What was your re-
action to the first
matchupbetween Michi-
gan and Michigan State?
H: It was horrible! It
was the poorest that
Michigan State has
played and one of the best
mes that Michigan has
}Jayed.
I was disappointed for
tie Spartans, and, after,
watching Michigan play
against Iowa and Purdue
where they did not play
as well, I felt disap-
pointed by the caliber of
play from the Spartans
in that game.
Michigan State
You could see the potential Michigan
has during the game against MSU, but the
Spartansplayedprobably theirworst game
against them.
D: Do you have any predictions for
round two ofthe Wolverines vs. the Spar-
tans?
H: Very, very close is all Iam going to
say.
D: Do you have any comments on the
NBA play of Shawn Respert and Eric
Snow?
H: Disappointed. I am pleased that
Shawn and Eric were in the draft and
pleased that Shawn was the eighth selec-
tion, but I am very disappointed with the
amounts of playing time each has re-
ceived.
D: How would you rate Spartan bas-
ketball at this point in the season?
H: They are much improved. They are
good defensively and suspect offensively,
but, with the strong defense, they will do
well in the rest of the season.
D: How would you rate this season's
Wolverines?
H: Talented - but very young and as
I predicted. They are go-
ing to have some ups and
downs. They are definitely.
the team with the most
talent, and, with experi-
ence, they will improve.
D: Do you have a fa-
vorite forthe Big Tentitle?
H: Naturally, the Spar-
tans!
D: Who is your pick to
win the NCAA champi-
onship this year?
H: Kentucky, based on
their talent, as opposed to
UMass, who isn't quite as
deep. You need more than
six or eight guys to carry
you, and Kentucky has the
team with depth.
D: What do you think
about the changes be-
ing made in the NCAA,
giving a greater share
of the power to Divi-
sion I schools?
H: For years we ques-
tioned whether Divi-
sion III schools should
be making decisions for
schools in other divi-
sions, so this is a step in
the right direction.
D: How are you
spending your time in
Spokane, Wash.?
H: I play handball
three times a week, and
I watch a lot of basket-
ball on T.V.
I watch some local
teams as well as the
other teams around the
country. I don't do any-
thing too much, and the
days seern to just fiy
by.
Za/n works to make M'
baseballglonous again
ike most coaches at Michigan, Geoff Zahn has a plan for success and an
acute sense of the tradition that surrounds the school's athletic programs.
The rookie baseball coach also has a cold.
Surprisingly enough, however, that seems to be the only adverse effect winter
has had on Zahn. Despite the frigid temperatures, he hasn't had urges to return to
Southern California where he had coached the previous 10 years.
"Every place has its advantages and disadvantages," Zahn said. "The advantage-
of California is the weather, no question. But you have the smog, and the earth-
quakes, and the people everywhere, and the traffic jams."
There is one more thing Michigan has that California didn't - Zahn's dream
job.
Zahn became one of the best pitchers in Wolverine history in the 1960s. His
ERA of 1.19 in 1967 won him the Ray L. Fisher Most Valuable Player Award.
Zahn's combined record for 1966 and 1967 was 12-2 and in 1982 Michigan
named its award for Most Valuable Pitcher after him. After leaving Ann Arbor,
Zahn pitched for four big league teams between 1973 and 1985.
Zahn's major league success led him to a job as athletic director and assistant
baseball coach at The Master's College, an independent NAIA school in Santa
Clara Calif. He served there until 1988.
Last season, Zahn became the pitching coach at Pepperdine, and he made a
promise to head coach Pat Harrison.
"I told Pat, 'I'll be with you as long as you want me, unless one job opens up,'
Zahn said.
That one job was Michigan's, and it opened up during the summer when forme
coach Bill Freehan resigned. Zahn applied, and by the end of September he had
moved into his new office at Fisher Stadium.
"(Harrison) had known my love and respect for Michigan," Zahn said. "All theu
more so for the Athletic Department, and the way I was treated under Moby
(Benedict, former Wolverine coach), and the morals and the ethics of the prograi
that were there when Moby was coaching."
It is that strong sense of morals and ethics that Zahn plans on returning to a
program that was under NCAA sanctions when Freehan took over in 1990 and was
investigated just last season.
Zahn doesn't consider himself so much a coach, but a teacher. When you talk to
him, you could just as easily be talking to one of your professors.
He knows exactly what he wants to do, and the players he wants to do it with.
His lesson plan is already laid out.
"I'm more in line to get players that aren't No. I draft picks," Zahn said. "I wan
guys that want to be here at Michigan, for the education, take pride in the progratg
and aren't here just to get ready to sign a contract for pro ball.
"I would rather have guys that need to develop~a little bit."
His recruiting was done for him this season, though, and he's asked a lot of the:
players he was given. Back in the fall Zahn gave the players a conditioning
program to do on their own over the winter months.
Most of the players stuck to it, and Zahn says some are already benefiting.
Of course, he'll find out more today when the entire squad has its first workout.
Zahn has just under a month until the Wolverines leave, for their spring trip, and
he has a lot to do before then. He wants to implement a system similar to what's
run a Pepperdine and Oklahoma: one that is very aggressive offensively, defen-
sively and, of course, has strong pitching.
Zahn would much rather have the problem of dealing with winning than losing
however. Ask him if he would like to have a Big Ten championship within three
years and you get this response:
"No, I want to win the Big Ten championship this year, and I want to give the
kids an all-around experience."
There shouldn't be a doubt that he'll be able to do just that; just as'sooh as he
gets over'this cold..,
- Ryan White can be reached over e-mail at target@umich.edu.
MICHIGAN STATE SPORTS INFOPNIATION
Michigan women spank Penn State netters, 7-0 M
By Pranay Reddy
For the Daily
After a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Big Ten
last year, the Michigan women's tennis team was looking
to begin the 1996 campaign with a strong victory.
Fortunately for the Wolverines, they didn't have to wait
ry long.
The Wolverines dispatched Penn State with ease Satur-
day in University Park, Penn., winning their first dual
match of the season, 7-0.
Michigan assistant coach Susan Sommerville was im-
pressed with her team's performance in the victory
"For a first match we played very well," Sommerville
said. "We were very consistent all around."
Consistency is always important in collegiate tennis,
yet even more so in Michigan's case. With three new
starters on this year's squad, inexperience was a con-
M.
On Saturday, though,,youth was served, as the three
newcomers to the Wolverine starting lineup won their
singles matches easily.
Freshman Tumeka Harris, playing No. 3, performed
well in her first collegiate match, beating Penn State's
Kelly Murphy, 6-1, 6-3.
"I felt ready," Harris said. "I was excited to play."
Freshman Jennifer Boylan was not to be outdone,
though. She defeated Robin Reegan, 6-4, 6-3, in her
No. 5 singles match.
Sophomore Sibyl Smith came through for Michigan
as well, winning her No. 6 singles match, 6-2, 6-3.
"(The new players) were great," Michigan senior
Tara Graff said. "They were very nervous, but they
didn't show it. It was a definite confidence-builder for
them."
While the newcomers played with confidence, the
returning starters followed through with strong victo-
ries.
Junior Sarah Cyganiak was victorious in her No.1
singles match against Olga Novako, 6-3, 6-3. Sopho-
more Sora Moon defeated Trisha Leeman, 4-6,6-2,6-
2, in her No. 2 singles match. Graff rounded out the
singles sweep by beating Kim Bouldic, 6-3, 4-6,6-2, in
the No. 4 match.
With the new format in women's play this year, the
doubles matches were played prior to the singles
matches. The players seemed to prefer the new format,
as it gave them a chance to warm up for their singles
matches.
Michigan sent the tandem of Cyganiak and Moon to
face Penn State's No. I singles team of Novako and
Leeman. Playing an eight-game pro set, the Wolverines
won, 8-4.
In the No.2 doubles match, Michigan coach Bitsy Ritt
paired senior Angie Popek with freshman Harris. The
combination of experience and youth served the Wol-
verines well, as the two pulled out an 8-6 victory over
Reegan and Murphy. Down, 2-6, Popek and Harris
reeled of six straight wins to pull out the match victory.
The win was especially gratifying for Popek, who is
returning from a knee injury.
"It was good to get back into it," Popek said. "Hope-
fully, within a few weeks, I will be ready to play singles."
After the previous two doubles victories, the Wolver-
ines had already clinched the doubles point, but they
weren't done yet.
In the No. 3 doubles match Graff and Boylan easily
defeated the Penn State team of Bouldic and Vajani, 8-
2.
The domination in the doubles matches seemed to set
the tone the rest of the day, as the Wolverines continued
the onslaught.
"It was a great start to the season," Sommerville said.
Michigan senior Angie Popek and the Wolverines smoked the Lady Lions.
Stand Out In YOUR Next Presentation.
Illinois-Chicago catapults over Blue
Chaim Hyman
Daily Sports Writer
For the Michigan men's gymnastic
team, this season has been difficult
thus far. After a poor showing at the
Windy City Invitational, the Wolver-
ines rebounded with a successful
intrasquad meet, held because weather
conditions restricted their competi-
tion from arriving.-
But, if Michigan was hoping con-
lue the success experienced at the
intrasquad, it has failed.
The Wolverines were thoroughly
defeated Sunday at the University of
Illinois-Chicago, their first dual meet
of the young season. Overall, the
Flames scored 222.5 points to
In the floor exercise competition,
freshman Randy d'Amura placed
highest for Michigan, finishing in third
place with a score of 9.3.
The pommel horse was not any
kinder for Michigan. Although senior
captain Chris Onuska came in sec-
ond, his 9.3 score was significantly
lower than the first place 9.75.
On the still rings,junior Flavio Mar-
tins tied for third with a 9.3. The
events first and second place finish-
ers had scores of 9.65 and 9.45, re-
spectively.
Martins was also the highest fin-
isher for the Wolverines on the paral-
lel bars. Martins finished fifth with
9.05.
a three-way tie for first place on the
vault, scoring a 9.25.
As expected, senior Kris Klinger
placed high on the horizontal bar,
tying for second with junior team-
mate Jason MacDonald, with 9.45.
He was slightly edged out by Illinois-
Chicago's Shannon Welker (9.55).
In the final all-around standings,
Onuska and Martins placed three and
four, respectively.
Michigan will have its second dual
meet in Big Ten play Feb. 10 at Ohio
State.
In tomorrow's Daily.
Michigan's Peter
Pusztai went
undefeated at No.2I
singles at the
O'Charley's
Invitational in
Knoxville, Tenn. Pick
up a copy of
tomorrow's Daily for
full coverage.
Use Color: It Stands Out!,
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