The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 13, 1996 -11
,Michigan
looks to
repeat on
,te Ilinks
Wolverines fly out to
Falcon Invitational
Y T.J. Berka
For the Daily
Two years ago, the Michigan men's
golf team used a season-opening third-
lace finish at the Falcon-Cross Creek
nvitational as a springboard to its first
ever central regional tournament berth.
The Wolverines travel to Eisenhower
Course on the base of the Air Force
Academy once again this weekend to
try to recapture the glory of the 1994-
95 season.
For the second season in a row,
Michigan returns nine out of 10 top
tournament players. However,
,lichigan looks
to a new-found This
cohesiveness to
improve from wee
last season's Who: Michigan
fourth-place tie hm's glfi team
in the Big Ten What: Thes Falconrr
tournament. Invitational
"We have When: Today,
nine capable tomorrow and
players that can Sunday, a day
tep up at any e Corado
i m e any n o
Michigan coach Jim Carras said. "If
these guys play the way they are capa-
ble of, anything less than a top-three
finish in the Big Ten will be very dis-
appointing."
Before the Wolverines think about
the Big Ten tournament, business lies
ahead in Colorado Springs, Colo.,
where Michigan will battle with 23
ther teams to capture the tournament.
Experience will be a big factor for
Michigan in Colorado, as all five qual-
ifiers, Isaac Hinkle, David Jasper, Kyle
Dobbs, Michael Harris and Brent
Idalski have previous tournament expe-
rience from last season. Hinkle led the
team last week at the qualifying tourna-
ment with a three-round total of 252.
A mild surprise for the Wolverines is
the absence of Keith Hinton, who made
the U.S. Amateur in August and is
rguably the most talented Michigan
golfer.
"Keith had a few tough rounds last
week which kept him out of the tourna-
ment this week," Carras said. "These
things happen to all golfers though.
(Hinton) had a great summer and will
be a big factor this season."
Even without Hinton, the Wolverines
are extremely confident of their
hances this weekend. Although
efending champion Rice and runner-
up California are returning, expecta-
tions are high.
"We're not going out just to have fun,
we are going out to win," Carras said.
Along with Rice and California,
other teams bent on competing for the
title include host Air Force, central
regional qualifiers Iowa State and
Nebraska, and Big Ten foes Illinois and
Purdue.
Despite the quality of the competi-
40n, Carras feels that the Wolverines,
with one of their most talented squads
ever, have the potential to do some
damage to the Eisenhower Course.
"We should have five capable
youngsters out on the course at all
times," Carras said. "Top to bottom,
this is one of the strongest teams I have
ever coached, with the possible excep-
tion of the 1994-95 team."
A repeat of that team's performance
in Colorado would be an impressive
feat for Michigan. Two years ago, the
Wolverines finished third, with current
undergraduate assistant coach Chris
Brockway winning the individual title.
After a collegiate amateur tourna-
ment yesterday, where one player from
each school plays against local golfers
from the Colorado Springs area, the
tournament kicks into full force at 10
.m. today with the beginning of the
irst round. The tournament runs
through Sunday afternoon, with start-
ing times on Saturday and Sunday also
at 10 a.m.
'M' takes Jayhawk jaunt
Women confident in face of top-notch competition
By Mark Snyder
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan freshman Julie Froud has
yet to run in a collegiate cross-country
meet, but she is sure of who has a chance
to beat the Wolverines at the Jayhawk
Invitational on Saturday.
"Nobody" she said.
Her confidence is well-founded.
Despite having a roster with 12 fresh-
men, the Michigan women's cross-coun-
try team is off to a fast start.
The Wolverines trounced the Spartans
in East Lansing last Saturday, 19-42.
Michigan finished in five of the top six
places while Michigan State was left in
the Wolverines' dust. Such domination is
not regular in cross-country meets, but
with Michigan, it may become a habit.
All five of the runners were either
freshmen or sophomores, which may
mean exciting things for the Wolverines
this weekend.
Both first-place finisher Allison Noe
and third-place finisher Elizabeth
Kampfe are new additions to the
Michigan squad.
By following the lead of sophomore
Katie McGregor, last season's Big Ten
Freshman of the Year, Kampfe has an
experienced runner to copy.
McGregor finished fourth in the meet,
reinforcing Michigan's depth.
That depth may be the team's greatest
asset. The three seniors, Molly Lori,
Jennifer Barber and Tanya Manson, did
not run against the Spartans and will
make their debut Saturday.
Barber and
Tomorrow Lori might have
Who: Michigan the experience
cross-country to help lead the
teams Wolverines to a
What: The league champi-
Jayhawk onship, because
invitational they've been in
When: 10 a.m., the freshmen's
women, 10:30 position. In
a.m., men 1992, as fresh-
Where: Lawrence, men, they were
Kan.
a part of the
squad which won the Big Ten title.
Presently, the team's expectations are
pretty high. Froud, who did not attend
the Wolverines' first meet against
Michigan State, believes this weekend is
Michigan's chance to shine.
"I think we're going to get in the top
three," she said.
While the top three may be a lofty
goaf, this team showed last weekend it
has the talent to reach that standard.
The mix of youth and experience does
have its advantages - it makes practic-
ing much easier for the Wolverines.
"There is such a variety of people to
train with," Froud said. "Everyone is so
helpful with tips, ideas and any sugges-
tions they can offer."
Michigan's overall youth makes the
team concept slow in developing, how-
ever. Most teams run in a group to pace
themselves off of each other, and that
technique takes practice.
"(The team) tries to get a fast start out,
and then they break into a faster group
and a medium group (according to abili-
ty)," Froud said.
The winning philosophy begins with
the coach.
"(Coach McGuire) not only helps us
with the physical preparation for the
meets,' Froud said. "He helps us with
the mental (aspect) as well."
McGuire's attitude is ingrained in the
minds of his runners. Froud's confidence
reflects that point.
"I think we have a really strong team.
she said. "Once we all pull together,
we'll do quite well."
Men favored with absence of No. 1 Razorbacks
MARKfR IEDMAN/Daily
The X men
Michigan's Eric Frickel gets crossed up with a Madonna defender yesterday
at Mitchell Field. The Wolverines won, 2-1, but they won't be featured in
many newspapers today or interviewed about the game. Men's soccer still
isn't a varsity sport at Michigan, and players like Frickel, who was recruited
by several schools to play soccer as a stand-out player in high school, simply
compete for the fun of it.
Wolverit'nes host
Wolvenne Invitational
Women to play 54 holes at Michigan course
By Jacob Wheeler
For the Daily
The Michigan men's cross-country
team will travel to Kansas tomorrow for
what is expected to be an easy victory.
Without the presence of top-ranked
Arkansas, which was originally sched-
uled to participate, the Wolverines are
the odds-on favorite.
No other Big Ten teams will be run-
ning, but that doesn't downplay the
importance of the Jayhawk Invitational.
"We've just got to go out there and
make a statement," Michigan coach
Ron Warhurst said.
The Wolverines would like to show
conference nemesis Wisconsin what
kind of competition it will have to face
for the Big Ten championship on Nov. 2.
Only getting one chance at their main
c6mpetition may be an advantage, since
there will not be an intimidation factor
from a previous meet. The Badgers lost
their top two runners from last year, but
Michigan's loss of Kevin Sullivan may
have neutralized any advantage that
would have given the Wolverines.
Wisconsin has won the last two Big
Ten championships and 11 out of the
last 14. Michigan last won the confer-
ence in 1993.
The Wolverines have two weeks off
after tomorrow, so they would like to
rest on a positive note. But unlike the
Michigan football situation, a bye week
is not always a bad thing.
"This early in the season, we're not in
tip-top shape, so we can always use an
extra week of practice," Michigan
senior David Barnett said. "When you
feel real tired after practice this time of
year, it's reassuring knowing you won't
have to go into a meet feeling tired the
next day."
Along with Kansas and Michigan,
the Jayhawk Invitational will feature the
U.S. Naval Academy, Kansas State and
Southern Illinois.
"Hopefully, our top guys, (sopho-
more John) Mortimer and (senior co-
captain Scott) MacDonald, can win the
top two spots tomorrow," Warhurst said.
Mortimer was the best freshman in
the nation last year, finishing 37th over-
all at nationals. He won -the Michigan
Invitational last Saturday.
Michigan should find the flat Kansas
terrain comforting after running on a
hilly course in wet, muddy conditions
last week.
"But you never know, it could be a
monsoon out there too," Warhurst said
"Cross-country is like that sometimes:"
Barnett agreed: "It's hard to get into a
solid rhythm when you run the
Michigan Invitational because it's so
hilly, but every runner faces the same
conditions. No matter the situation, the
best people usually come out on top"
With that in mind, the Wolverines are
expected to come out victorious tomor-
row.
Running for Michigan in Kansas will
be Mortimer, MacDonald, Barnett,
Steve Lawrence, Ryan Swan, Ryan
Burt, Jeff Beuche, Nic Watson, Todd
Snyder, Jeff Rogers, Chris Bunt and
Mike Mahler.
After tomorrow, the Wolverines'
schedule resumes Oct. 4 at the Notre
Dame Invitational.
Sullivan stays behind this weekend to
begin his rehabilitation. The All-
American - who was operated on
Wednesday morning - should begin
jogging in six weeks and running at full
tilt by December.
By Jason Katz
For the Daily
The Michigan women's golf team
tees off this weekend in Ann Arbor,
where they will host the Wolverine
Invitational.
The tournament begins Saturday
and concludes Sunday with a total of
54 holes played.
The Wolverines are optimistic, as
they take on the
improve upon
last year's suc-
cess in the Big
Ten.
K a t h y
Teichert begins
her fourth sea-
son as coach
and is the
reigning Co-
Coach of the
Year in the Big
Ten. She
earned the
challenge of trying to
This
weekend
Who: Michigan
women's golf and
invitees.
When: Tomorrow
and Sunday, all
day
Where: Michigan
Golf Course, Ann
A rbor
will rest primarily with Westfall and
sophomore sensation Sharon Park.
"Park and Westfall had our low
averages among returning players, and
lead by example," Teichert said.
Park has the lowest returning
strokes per round average, at 80.50,
followed by Westfall, at 82.25.
Other key returnees include seniors
Molly Vandenbark and Ashley
Williams, junior Nicole Green and
sophomore Sarah Lindholm - who,
along with Westfall and Park, make up
the squad's "Big Six," and will see
most of the action in the fairways and
on the greens this season.
"Molly Vandenbark and Nicole
Green really worked hard and
improved over the summer, and I'm
excited to see them play," said
Teichert, who also added that senior
Jodi Smith and junior Laura Hess
might see some action.
Teichert has a positive outlook on
the season as a whole.
"I would like to finish in the top five
at the Big Ten championships," she
said. "I would also like to see us vie
for tournament wins each week."
While she is optimistic, Teichert is
keeping things in perspective and
understands what is most important.
"Probably most importantly, I would
like to see everyone improve their
stroke averages, which would help us
solidify our place in the middle to
upper Big Ten, and even give us a shot
at winning the conference champi-
onship," Teichert said.
"I expect each and every one of our
athletes will give 110 percent. We have
some very respected kids, and I would
like to see a couple of them make the
All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten
teams."
Bv& BARR
gU
1? -A
BRAND NEW LOCATION
rand
Opening
honor by guiding her squad to its first-
ever upper-division finish (fifth) in the
conference a year ago.
The Wolverines captured three tour-
nament victories to help their cause
last year.
This year's team will have to cope
with the loss of last year's captain and
All-Big Ten selection, Shannon
McDonald, as well as the loss of a cou-
ple of transfers, including last year's
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Katy Loy.
"I w'as very happy with last season,
as it was one of our best seasons ever,"
Teichert said. "(But) last year was last
year."
Senior Wendy Westfall, a member
of the Academic All-Big Ten team last
year, takes over as captain.
Teichert said the leadership roles
of the,
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