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Stevens to hold press conference
Former Michigan women's basketball player Tanisha Stevens will hold a
press conference at 10:30 a.m. today in Detroit in dismay over the
Wolverines' decision not to allow her to play for Michigan. Stevens was
injured in a bus accident, and lost sight in her left eye, while at Michigan
and has sued the University as a result. After transferring to Lynn
University in Boca Raton, Fla., she resumed her athletic career.

11

Friday
March 22, 1996

11


Txi NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
V women swim to
6th place after 1st day

MICHIGAN VS. MINNESOTA OR PROVIDENCE
- SUNDAY, 2 P.M., EAST LANSING -
- NCAA QUARTERFINALS -

By Chris Murphy
Daily Sports Writer
The Michigan women's swimming
d diving team is playing host to the
nation's top swimmers.
Indeed, the Wolverines are very
gracious hosts.
During the first day of competition
in the NCAA Women's Swimming
and..Diving Championships, Michi-
gan has extended its hospitality by
placing only two swimmers and two
relay tyams into finals competition.
You can bet the Wolverines' oppo-
nents appreciate _
the service. In
fact there are five
teams that are
happier than
Michigan right
now.,
Currently in
sixth, the Wol-
verines have tal-
lied 93 points, 65
*ints, behind
f r oi.rt - r u n n e r Gustin
Stanford.
"We did not swim as fast as we
hoped to swim," Michigan coach Jim
Richardson said. "We let some op-
portunities get away from us."
If, Michigan were missing its op-
portunjties, it was the Cardinal that
was constantly capitalizing.
Stanford asserted its dominance by
wving at least one swimmer qualify
in each of the swimming events of the
day. Without a whole lot of fanfare,
Stanford easily built up a lead that
seems .insurmountable, even at this

early stage.
"That's a huge lead in this meet,"
Richardson said. "It's going to be
difficult for anyone to catch them."
On a night that featured many indi-
vidual stars - four U.S. Olympians
competed - Stanford used a balanced
attack.
"The hallmark of the Stanford teams
is that they know how to step up in a
meet like this," Richardson said.
The Cardinal did not have a first-
place finisher all evening but used a
number of swimmers to score points.
Stanford's top performer was Jessica
Tong, who finished second in the 50-
yard freestyle with a time of 22.86.
The senior also competed on the
team's second-place 400-yard med-
ley relay team.
Even though Stanford is 45 points
ahead of the closest competitor, South-
ern Methodist, Cardinal coach Rich-
ard Quick is far from complacent.
"I'd rather be in my place than any
other place up on the board, but I've
seen a lead like this disappear in a
hurry," Quick said. "I'm glad we have
that lead, but I'm far from comfort-
able."
If anyone has a reason to be "far from
comfortable," it is probably coach
Richardson. After finishing aclose sec-
ond to Stanford in 1995, the Wolver-
ines were considered one of the front-
runners going into the weekend.
, Most of that evaporated in a hurry.
Even though two full days of compe-
tition remain, Michigan seemed to
get lost in the shuffle yesterday.
See SWIMMING, Page 12

M~fichigan wrestles to
several wins at NCAAs

By Jennifer Hodulik
and Wil McCahill
Daily Sports Writers
MINNEAPOLIS-Michigan's big
guns fired yesterday in the Twin Cit-
ies,, but only after the Wolverines'
biggest gun almost shot a big blank.
During yesterday's first day of
1atches at the NCAA wrestling cham-
pionships, Michigan's Jeff Catrabone
-anked third in the nation at 158
pounds and the Wolverines' best shot
at a national title
survived a
close call in the
first round to stay
alive in the tour-
nament.
Unseeded Jason
,rable of West
irginia came on
strong in the third
period, erasing
Catrabone's 3-0 cure
lead to tie the
match at four at the end of regulation.
But Catrabone's riding -time advan-
tage was enough to secure him a point,
and with it, the victory.
"Jeff was real nervous that first
*atch," Michigan coach Dale Bahr
said. "He got the lead and went into
his shell -- didn't want to make the
mistake of losing."
Other highlights of the Wolverines'
}first day included Minnesota native
Brandon Howe's first-round victory
-and sophomore 150-pounder Bill
Lacure's second-round win over East-
ern Michigan's Ramico Blackmon,
who had handed Lacure a tough loss

in the final dual meet of the regular
season.
Howe, a 126-pound sophomore
competing in the tournament for the
second time, pulled off an upset of
Clarion's Chris Marshall, the eighth
seed in that weight class, pinning him
just under two minutes into the match.
Senior 177-pounder Jesse Rawls Jr.
competed in the tournament for the
first time since his 1994 All-American
performance. After being sidelined
with a knee injury for last year's event,
Rawls handily won his first round
match, 6-3, against Missouri's Joe
Wier.
Sophomore heavyweight Airron
Richardson notched the fifth Wolver-
ine victory in the first round with a 2-
1 decision over Ben Lee of Oklahoma
State.
Rounding out the first stage of the
tournament for the Wolverines' was a
loss by 118-pound freshman Chris
Viola, who was rendered a loser by
No. Il seed Teague Moore of Okla-
homa State, 6-3.
The second round of the tourna-
ment started off poorly for Michigan,
as Howe's winning run was brought
to a screeching halt by Scott
Schatzman of Northwestern in an 8-0
flattening.
But Lacure began the Wolverines'
hard charge into the quarterfinals,
starting off the second-round victory
tilt with the win over Blackmon. The
eighth-seeded Eagle senior was no
match for Lacure, who gave Blackmon
a little overdue payback for the beat-
See WRESTLING, Page 13

WALKER VANDYKE/Daily
John Arnold and the rest of the Wolverines skated past Michigan State (above) and then Lake Superior State en route to the CCHA tournament
crown. Michigan has its sights set on the NCAA tournamnent and its second-round game Sunday.
icers shoot for tri t Cinc1nnat

By Danielle Rumore
Daily Sports Writer
If it were ever possible to compare the Michigan hockey team's season
to a game show, this would be the year.
Michigan moved past its first opponent, the entire CCHA, during the
regular season to win a prize, a tie for first place in the conference
standings with Lake Superior.
Then, the Wolverines raced through the second round and collected
another prize - the CCHA tournament trophy.
Now, Michigan has advanced to the third and final round, and you
better believe that the Wolverines have their sights set on the ultimate
prize - the NCAA tournament crown.
But before the Wolverines can even think about winning the last prize, they
need to move past their next opponent. Then they will be able to travel to
Cincinnati where, if they win two more games, they will collect a national
title.
Michigan, the No. 2 seed in the West bracket, received a first-round bye.
It will play its second-round game at 2 p.m. Sunday at Munn Ice Arena in East
Lansing. The Wolverines will play the winner of the matchup between third-
seed Minnesota (29-9-2) and sixth-seed Providence (21-14-3).
Let's take a quick glance at Michigan's two possible opponents:
The Golden Gophers never crawl into the holes they burrow - they
leave that up to their opponents.

Minnesota's potent offense, ranked fourth in the nation, averaging 4.95
goals a game, has forced its opponents underground all season long.
If the Gophers defeat Providence, Michigan will face them for the
second time this season. The Wolverines lost to Minnesota, 3-2, in the
College Hockey Showcase this past November.
Minnesota's leader is, without a doubt, senior Brian Bonin. Bonin is
not only one of the best centers in the country - he is simply one of the
best players in the country. The Hobey Baker finalist, who is third in the
nation in scoring, has tallied 33 goals and notched 47 assists.
Sophomore Mike Crowley and senior Dan Trebil highlight Minnesota's
defensive unit. The Gophers hold the top penalty killing unit in the
WCHA. Crowley and Trebil aren't too shabby offensively, either-they
have notched 17 goals and 45 assists and I1 goals and 33 assists,
respectively.
The Friars must have received some divine intervention this season.
After finishing last season 14-17-6 and in sixth place in Hockey East,
Providence made a turnaround to become one of the biggest surprises this
season.
The Friars' last NCAA playoff appearance was in 1991. Last season,
Providence had to watch Maine, Michigan, Boston University and Min-
nesota advance to the NCAA semifinals, which were played in its own
backyard.
See TOURNEY, Page 12

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