12-The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 22, 1996
'M' tankers set
to tangle with
Longhornis
By UJ Berka
Dilye Sports Writer
Atier a dual meet against Eastern Michigan two weeks ago,
the Michigan men's swimming and diving team will jump into
the 19'96-97 season with a dual meet Saturday against the top-
ranked Texas Longhorns at Canham Natatorium.
The fourth-ranked Wolverines will use this weekend's
natchup against the Longhorns as an indicator of where they
stolid among the elite of the country. With this being the last
meet of the fall semester, it will be used it as a jumpstart for
the meat of the schedule, which starts in January.
Ae're pretty much on track with where we want to be right
now Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek said. "However, we
ha ecben training for three months, so this meet will help us
see \here we are and where we need to go.
"However, this meet is simply a practice meet. No one will
repicmber the winner of this meet in March."
Though the Wolverines lost Olympic gold medalist Tom
Doan from last year's third-place team, the cupboard is not
bare. Returning stars include sophomore Tom Malchow, who
took the silver in the 200-meter butterfly in Atlanta, and senior
John Piersma, who won the consolation heat of the 400
free'tyle at the Olympics.
Michigan is shorthanded in the sprints this season, as lead-
ing sprinter Jason Lancaster injured his shoulder in the presea-
son. which forced Urbanchek to redshirt him. With the
Longhorns specializing in sprinting, the Wolverines will use
their distance swimmers to stay competitive.
"Sprinting is a real weakness for us, so our plan this season
is to cover up that hole with our distance swimmers, who
should be very strong this year," Urbanchek said.
Amiong the swimmers expected to pick up the slack this sea-
son are junior sprinter Derya Buyukuncu, a native of Turkey,
long-distance individual medley specialists Andy Potts and
Owen von Richter, along with senior middle-distance mainstay
Chris Rumley.
Tire Wolverines also boast some experienced divers, as
sophomores Brett Wilmot, Al Fleming and Nate Shepard are
coming oll scoring performances at last year's Big Ten cham-
pioniships.
Michigan is also looking for sonic production out of this
year's freshmian class. Leading the crew is Canadian Mike
McWha, regarded as one of Canada's leading distance swim-
mers. The Wolverines are also looking for contributions from
Scott Meyer and El Salvador Olympic breastroker Paco
Suriano.
The Wolverines will be facing a very balanced Texas team,
led by Neil Walker, who competed at this year's Olympic trials.
"Walker can compete in any event lie is asked to,"
Urbanchek said. "He is an all-around star."
'he Longhorns also boast hotshot freshman sprinter Brian
Jones and 200-yard freestyle specialist Chris Ackerman.
With Texas owning the advantage in the short-distance
events, and Michigan having the advantage in the longer dis-
tapees, the meet will likely come down to the relays. This plays
into the Longhorns' hands, as Texas won every relay at last
year's NCAA championships.
"(Texas) is very strong at relays," Urbanchek said. "We just
have to capitalize on the opportunities we are given. We will
try to make it as close as we can.
*
Women's cagers hope'
to make most of invite
By Pranay Reddy
Dai y Sparts \\ritcr
It's time.
No more games against Eastern-bloc globe-
trotters. Enough of the talk about the new coach.
After many intersquad scrimmages, it's time for
some real competition.
The Michigan women's basketball team will
begin its 1996-97 campaign by traveling to
Kalamazoo to participate in the Western
Michigan Invitational. The Wolverines will face
Kentucky on Friday night at 6 p.m. in the first
round of the four-team tournament.
Western Michian and Northeastern Illinois
round out the invitational and face each other
Friday night at 8 o'clock, following the
Michigan-Kentucky matchup.
Saturday's games will pit the winners of
Friday's contests against each other at 4 p.n1.
with the losers preceding at 2 p.m.
The Wildcats, unlike their male counterparts.
are nowhere near championship-contending
form. The team is coming off a 8-19 season, iii
which they were 2-9 in the Southeastern
Conference.
Northeast Illinois is the only team competing
in the Invitational coming off a w inning season.
The Golden Eagles finished 16-12.
Throw the Broncos into the mnix with their 13-
14 record from a year ago, and you have a pret-
tv mediocre field.
Regardless. after Michigan's 7-20 record
from last season, a number of teams should pose
welcome challenges to the Wolverines this year.
Friday night's game will be Sue Guevara's
fi.rst regular-season galie as Michigan coach.
I owever, the task isn't quite as daunting to fiery
coach as it once was.
"I am not quite as nervous as I was for that
exhibition game (against the Slovaks)," Guevara
said. "I am going to be into the game as much a
I was (Friday night), so I just hope the outcome
is the same."
For that to happen, the Wolverines are goinig$
to need more offensive support from mainst;V
Pollyanna Johns. The junior center was unstop-
pable against Slovakia, scoring 27 points on 9-
of-I 1 shooting.
Guevara, however, knows that the Wildcurst
will be on Johns like glue. What will be key is if
the outside players can provide enough of ai
ance to give Johns some breathing room under-Y
neath.
"Kentucky got that film (from the Slovakia
gaimle), so you can bet that our perimeter gaIm*
is going to have to be on this week," she said. "'"
would think they would double- and triple-teai
in the post, so we need to get much more offen-
sive power from our perimeter game."
And after a so-so performance against
Slovakia on Friday night, the Michigan guard
trio of Jennifer Kiefer, Ann Lemire and StaceV
Thomas will need to show more. poise, ill
Guevara's eyes.
"I expect better outside shooting from (Kiefv
and Lemire)," Guevara said. "1hey got 0 100
looks at the basket, (tle shots) just didn't go._lt's
just a matter of being consistent.
"I just want Stacey to be much more aggr&
sive on the perimeter than what she was. To oilly
take one shot and not even go to the free-thriow
line is not the Stacey Thomas I know."
Amy Johnson was the only force at guard fr'
Michigan in its exhibition game, and Guevara
expects more of the same this weekend.
"Amy Johnson was the spark plug: she was the
lift coming off the bench, (uevara said. "I 'G .
verv. very pleased to see that."
MARGARET MYERS/Daily
Catherine DiGiacinto and the Wolverines jump it up for the first time in the regular
season this weekend at the Western Michigan Invitational at Kalamazoo. Sue
Guevara will coach her first regular-season game for the Wolverines.
Blue wrestlers start season with Michigan Open
By Tracy Sandler
Daily Sports Writer
The No. 10 Michigan wrestling team --
led by All-American juniors Airron
Richardson.1 Bill Iacure and Jeff Catrabone
--- prepares for its first meet of the season
this weekend
The Wolverines will travel to East Lansirrg
for the Michigan Open, which lasts all day
Saturday and Sunday.
"This meet will give everybody a chance
to wrestle:" Michigan coach Dale Bahr said.
"It's close to home, and it's an excellent chal-
lerige for the veterans. Our three returnirng
All-Americans should be contending for
titles."
Since the Wolverines' important team-
competition meets happe' lfrom Jarnuarv to
March. Michigan is conserving its 16 comli-
petition dates by havingc each wrestler enter
unattatched.
"Tiis first tournriam1ent is i2011n to be a
stepping stone' Catrabone said. "It will be
an introduction to how good of shape wcre
iII and what everyone needs to work on. WC'll
see everyone's pros and cons. while compet-
ing with other competition, besides Michigan
guys in the room (during practice)."
According to Lacure. this tournament also
gives the Wolverines a chance to wrestle
competitively without a lot of pressure.
"TI here will be a lot of good competition
l.acure said. "This weekend will be a good
riarkcr of how we compete with average and
abovc-avcrage teens.'
Since junior All-American Brandon FHowe
is out for the season with a shionrlder injury.
M ichigan is looking to the younger members
of the team to de\elop and riake an impact
right away. The freshman that will probably
start thisseason are Damian Logan (126
pounds), Otto Olson (158/167) and Joe
DeGain (177).
"Hopefully. (our freshmen and sopho-
mores) will place in the top six this week-
end" Lacure said. "We like the younger
wrestlers to get a lot of matches in. so in the
second half of the season. they can have
some experience under their belt."
As long as everyone stays healthy, Bahr
has high cx pectations for his squad.
"low high we can be in the top 10
depends on how healthy we can keep guys."
Bahr said. "I lavini a good guy like Brandori
out can be worth quite a few points ini th
NC'AA. \We can't afford to lose anybody
else."
Catrobone, who went into the nationals
seeded in the top five in both his freshitian
and sophomore years. is one of those that
needs to stay healthy. Last year, he placed
seventh after wrestling four matches with a
broken hand.
"This year, I want nothing but the best.
Catrabone said. "If' I'm healthy at the end of
the year, I want nothing less than the nation
al championship: I'm training for a nationa
title"
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Barnett says
no to Irish
CHICAGO (AP) - Though " h
bled and flattered" that Notre D ri
would consider him to replace LouI
Holtz, Gary Barnett said no thanks y s-
terday. He is staying at Northwestern.
Barnett, who took Northwestern fromi
the depths of college football to the Rose
Bowl last season, told Notre Dame offi-
cials he no longer wanted to be consid-
ered as Lou Holtz's successor.
Holtz announced his resignation
luesday and later that day Barnett said
he had been contacted by Notre Dam*
about the job. Reports said he was tfk
leading candidate for one of college
Football's most prestigious positions:
"I am very humbled and flattered thift
Notre Dare has asked me to be consid-
ered a candidate for their head coachini
football position." Barnett said in a
statement.
"However, for very personal and pri-
vate reasons. I have informed Notr'
Dame officials that I wish not to be co
sidered as a candidate. Regardless of the
rumors. an offer was never extended to
me by Notre Dame. This is all 1 will say
about this matter."
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