88 - The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - Monday, April 15, 1996
SPORTS CALENDAR
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COMMUNITY SERVICE
STUDENT-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Who: Jaime Ross Sport: Soccer
Eligibility: Sophomore Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Brighton High School: Brighton H.S.
Why: On Wednesday, April 10, Ross took part in a student-athlete
discussion panel at Bursley Dorm. She joined other student-athletes in
talking with residents about campus, athletic and academic life as a
student-athlete at Michigan. Ross has been involved in a number of
community service events including trips to Mott's Hospital and speaking
to graduates of the DARE program earlier this semester.
Background: University of Michigan Athletic Academic Achievement
Award winner ... started 18 games on defense, attempting eight shots ...
ROSS named Michigan All-State in soccer as a senior in high school ... led
Brighton High School to state finalist appearance in 1994 ... selected to
Michigan Under-18 Olympic development program ... born April 6, 1976.
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Who: Sara Griffin Sport: Softball
Eligibility: Sophomore Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Simi Valley, Calif. High School: Simi Valley H.S.
Why: In 18 innings pitched this weekend, the sophomore allowed only two
earned runs and 11 hits. She also hit a game-winning double in Saturday's
nightcap for a 7-6 victory. In Michigan's seven games this week, she was
13-26 (.500) at the plate and gave up only six earned runs in 33.2 innings C
(1.27 ERA).
Background: In 1995, she was named a first-team All-American at pitcher
Big Ten Conference player and freshman of the year ... lead the league
in batting average with .432 average ... holds Michigan season records in
hits, home runs, batting average, runs and at-bats ... 1994 California player Gr f
of the year ... enrolled in the College of LSA, majoring in communication1n
studies ... born Feb. 19, 1976.
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'M' Sports Calendar
Monday -
No events scheduled.
Tuesday -
Softball vs. Purdue, Alumni Field, 2 p.m., doubleheader.
Men's tennis vs. Notre Dame, Liberty Sports Complex, 2 p.m.
Wednesday -
Baseball vs. Central Michigan, Fisher Stadium, 3 p.m.
Softball at Western Michigan, Kalamazoo, 3 p.m., doubleheader.
Men's tennis vs. Notre Dame, Liberty Sports Complex, 2 p.m.
Thursday -
Baseball make-up game vs. Eastern Michigan, Fisher Stadium, 3 p.m.
Friday -
Women's swimming & diving at U.S. Diving Nationals, Oxford, Ohio, TBA.
Men's swimming & diving at U.S. Diving Nationals, Oxford, Ohio, TBA.
Saturday -
Men's golf at Kepler Invitational, Columbus, all day.
Men's track & field Phil Diamond Open, Ferry Field, 12 p.m.
Women's track & field Phil Diamond Open, Ferry Field, 12 p.m.
Men's tennis vs. Iowa, Liberty Sports Complex, 2 p.m.
Women's tennis at Iowa, Iowa City, 10 a.m.
Softball at Indiana, Bloomington, 2 p.m., doubleheader.
Baseball vs. Penn State, Fisher Stadium, 1 p.m., doubleheader.
Women's swimming & diving at U.S. Diving Nationals, Oxford, Ohio, TBA.
Men's swimming & diving at U.S. Diving Nationals, Oxford, Ohio, TBA.
Sunday -
Baseball vs. Penn State, Fisher Stadium, 1 p.m., doubleheader.
Men's golf at Kepler invitational, Columbus, all day.
Women's tennis at Minnesota, Minneapolis, 9 a.m.
Women's swimming & diving at U.S. Diving Nationals, Oxford, Ohio, TBA.
Men's swimming & diving at US Diving Nationals, Oxford, Ohio, TBA.
Softball at Indiana, Bloomington, 2 p.m., doubleheader.
By Nancy Berger
Daily Sports Writer
It takes a little more to make a cham-
pion.
What does it take to be the NCAA
women's gymnastics champion?
One could ask defending national
champion Utah how it won 10 NCAA
crowns.
Alabama and Georgia, who have each
emerged as NCAA champions in the
past, could also offer some words of
wisdom.
These three gymnastic powerhouses
all might offer different opinions on
how they won their NCAA titles. De-
spite the differences in opinion, all
three teams know that the road to the
NCAA championships is a difficult
one.
Each team must first qualify for one
of seven spots in its regional, based on
composite scores from the regular sea-
son.
At the five regional championships,
teams must then try to earn a place in
the group of 12 teams competing for the
NCAA championship.
Once at NCAAs, the dozen presti-
gious schools that are left are further
tested. The teams are split into two
sessions.
The first session is in the afternoon
where all the even seeds will compete.
The second session, later that evening,
features the odd-seeded teams.
The top three teams from each ses-
sion will advance to the "Super Six"
competition the following day, where
the NCAA champion will finally be
determined.
The grueling tour to NCAAs may
leave teams weary, but there are no
shortcuts.
"After this meet there is a sense of
tiredness," Michigan coach Bev Plocki
said. "This is the last push."
It is a road that Michigan has taken
each of the last three years, and each
year they have taken a step closer to
being crowned national champions.
The Wolverines finished ninth in
1993, fourth in 1994 and as runner-up
in 1995.
This year, Michigan first had to pass
through Baton Rouge, La., to reach the
end of the road in Tuscaloosa, Ala..
Michigan and Alabama motored
through the central region field which
contained six teams in the top 20.
Host Penn State was the only na-
tional qualifier out of the northeast re-
gion, with 193.650 points. This tradi-
tionally weak region only had one top-
20 team in No. 16 Kent State.
Gainesville, Fla., was the site of the
southeast regional, where Georgia came
in first with 196.950 points. Florida
will also join the Bulldogs, earning an
NCAA berth with 195.375 points.
Utah didn't have to go far to win its
12th midwest regional title in Salt Lake
City.
The Utes won their ninth straight title
by beating three other teams ranked i
the top 10. Arizona, Nebraska ar*
Brigham Young were also extended
NCAA invitations.
Rounding out the field are three teams
from the west regional, which was held
in Los Angeles. UCLA captured the
regional crown. Oregon State and
Stanford will join UCLA as well.
Stanford knocked Louisiana State out
of contention for the last spot in the
NCAA championships. Stanford r
corded a score of 194.7, while LSU ha
194.525.
"The surprise team was Stanford,"
Plocki said. "They bumped LSU by
two-tenths of a point."
LSU's absence from the NCAAs is
even tougher to swallow because its
score was nearly a point ahead of Penn
State's. In fact, three other teams had
scores ahead of Penn State's score.
But since the Nittany Lions won their
region, they receive an automatic NCA*
berth.
Kabnick competes in all-around
for first time, overcomes injuries
By Kevin Kasiborski
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan sophomore gymnast
Heather Kabnick was a second team
All-American last season in the all-
around, but until Saturday, she hadn't
competed in all
four events during
a meet this year.
This year, she
has been slowed
by a stress frac- Notebook,
ture in her foot.
More recently,
she has been
bothered by
swelling in her
ankle after spraining it multiple times.
Kabnick missed four of the past five
regular season meets before returning
to the lineup for three events at the Big
Ten meet two weeks ago.
She didn't score particularly well Sat-
urday: Her 38.250 all-around score was
afull point lowerthan hermostrecent all-
around score from last year's national
meet. But if Kabnick is able to regain the
form she showed last year, especially on
the balance beam and floor exercise,
where she has been most limited, it will
greatly improve the Wolverines' chances
for a national title.
THIRD TIME WASN'T A CHARM:
Michigan senior Wendy Marshall
entered Saturday's regional meet as
the two-time defending regional vault
champion. In 1994, she won by re-
cording her first career 10, and last
year she was perfect again. Saturday
Marshall showed that she was hu-
man, as her score of 9.9 put her in a
five-way tie for fourth with team-
mate Nikki Peters. The 1996 Big
Ten Gymnast of the Year, Marshall
has been a phenom on the vault her
entire career, recording six perfect
l0s, including two this year.
Marshall is also the recipient of the
1996 Phyllis Ocker Award. The award
is given by the Division of Kinesiol-
ogy for excellence in academics and
athletics. Marshall will be honored
during spring commencement ceremo-
nies.
CRIMSON TIDAL WAVE: Alabama's
NCAA record team score of 198.075
last weekend is a more than a full point
better than the Wolverines' season high '
of 197.000 posted against Brigham
Young. It also easily tops the Michigan
school record of 197.225 set last year.
Alabama gymnasts swept at least the
top two spots in every event. Kim Kelly
was the all-around champion, placing
first in the vault, floor exercise and beam.
On the uneven bars, Alabama took the top
five places, all with scores of9.9 orgreater.
The outstanding regional performance
earned Alabama the top seed in the na-
tional meet, which they will be hosting.
PENN STATE, BEST OF THE WORST: Be-
sides conference champion Michigan, the
only other Big Ten team to qualify for
nationals was Penn State. The Lady Lions
finished last at the Big Ten meet, but
Saturday they won the northeast regional
withascoreofl93.650. PennStatehosted
the weak northeast field, which also in-
cluded Ohio State.
Michigan State actually scored higher
than Penn State (193.850), but finished
fourth in the central region, and the
Spartans' score wasn't high enough to
qualify. Minnesota, also competing in
the central, came in sixth.
ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREEs: Seven
Wolverine gymnasts were named to the
Big Ten All-Conference team, includ-
ing four freshman. Beth Amelkovich,
Kathy Burke, Lisa Simes and Peters
were the first year Wolverines named
to the squad. They were joined by
Marshall, Kabnick and junior Andrea
McDonald.
Spring Jobs
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NOPPORN KICHANANTHA/Daily
Michigan sophomore gymnast Lauren La Branche saw action this weekend in the
central regional meet on the balance beam. She scored a 9.725, tying teammate
Kathy Burke for 16th place in the event. Although La Branche was with the
Wolverines during the regionals and nationals last season, she did not compete.
Recreational Sports needs:
Lifeguards, Entrance Monitors, Equipment Room
Staff, and MOREUi
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