Umfe td twi Oati NCAA Top 25 (20) W. VIRGINIA 72 (4) UTAH 65, Colorado State 51 (5) ARIZONA 127, Arizona State 99 (7) STANFORD 99, Southern Cal 62 (9) UCLA 74, CALIFORNIA 73 Notre name 7A (23) R.I. 85 Tulane 61 PRO BASKETBALL DETROIT 95. Charlotte 94 (OT) BOSTON 97, Vancouver 93 L.A. Clioners 119. NEW JERSEY 116 PHILADELPHIA 106, Chicago 96 SEATTLE 103, Miami 85 PRO HOCKEY WASHINGTON 3. Chicago 2 BUFFALO 6. Vancouver 2 COLORADO 2. San Jose 2 (HOME TEAM IN CAPS) Women's icers, men's soccer may go varsity By Rick Freeman Daily Sports Writer n a time where the trend at many public universities and even at some private ones is toward cutting varsity sports, Michigan may be doing just the opposite - while remaining in epmpliance with Title IX. In its monthly meeting last night, the Board in Control of d Itercollegiate Athletics recommended that Michigan add women's ice hockey and men's soccer as varsity sports. Athletic Director Tom Goss commissioned the planning committee of the board - the same committee that recom- aicnded the additions, to do a "business plan" to ensure that the department and the University can support the two new te.ms. He would not comment on the timetable for the sports' imp)ementation until after the plan is completed, but planning cpQmmittee chair Phil Hanlon surmised that the process would probably take a year from the date the final decision was made. "If we're going to add a sport we're going to do it with qual- ity," Goss said. Phil Hanlon, who chairs the Planning committee, said four main factors along with several less-important ones were con- slered when the three women's sports were studied. Among tlhejfour main considerations, enthusiasm for the sport and availability of competition in the region were considered cru- cial ,as were availability of facilities and the size of the team. 'The cost of maintaining a team was not an important factor in the committee's recommendation, but it will take on more importance as the committee forms its business plan. Goss stressed the importance of ensuring that the athletic department can support these two programs well into the future. "We've hit our gender equity goals," Goss said. "So we're in position to do the things that are right for sports, not all the other Big Ten schools have done that today." In January 1997, Michigan State cut its men's lacrosse and fencing programs to achieve gender equity. Goss said he com- missioned the business plan to prevent Michigan from having to make similar cuts, albeit for different reasons. The commit- tee considered adding just one men's sport but chose ice hock- eyver lacrosse and water polo, even though those two sports ", been club sports at Michigan longer than ice hockey has. Meghan Green, captain of the ice hockey team said that she was "thrilled" that the club had such an opportunity in only it's third year of existence. The sophomore and club president said she had been in contact with the athletic department frequently, bUt had more doubt than optimism until meeting with Peggy irdley-Doppes, senior associate athletic director. Preen said that at first it seemed as though varsity status was a long way off for her. team but "after talking with (Bradley- Doppes) it seemed like it could be attained," Green said. Brian Lishawa, vice-president of the men's soccer club was as thrilled as Green but he restrained his ebullience, pointing out t!hat men's soccer has been bucking for varsity status for about 10 years now, mostly unsuccessfully. This is only a first ste, he said. "-'m excited about the possibility," ofa varsity team, Lishawa said. Friday January 16, 1998 19 IVUttC L1gIIIC J A4, -" "" u ,yr u,.a .a... vv, n..v : - .. Ohio State to roll out unwelcome mat for M' hoops* By Mark Snyder Daily Sports Writer Last season's games bordered on fright. The more Michigan sought to dominate Ohio State, the more diffi- cult it became. In the first meeting, held in the friendly confines of Crisler Arena, Michigan played its typical get-out-to- a-big-lead-and-blow-it type of game ,while the Buckeyes calmly watched, inching ever closer to a victory behind Damon Stringer's 12 free throws. They won that day and barely lost to the Wolverines in Columbus on the final day of the regular season. The victory in Ann Arbor - Ohio State's only road victory - still lingers in the mind of at least one Wolverine. "We fought through that last year," Michigan co-captain Travis Conlan said. "Everyone's back besides Mo (Taylor) who had that stretch. You've got to learn from history. We lost some games we shouldn't have lost, but this time around we're going to step up and play."chigai Just one year later, Ohio St. things are different. Where: StJo Both teams have new When: Tomor coaches - with Brian 2:30 p.m. Ellerbe taking over as : .Channel Michigan's head man and Jim O'Brien tak- ing the reins at Ohio State - and some of the principal players in last year's drama also have departed. While Taylor's seven-point perfor- mance from the Crisler game will hardly be missed, the absence of Stringer, as well as five other members of last season's team, strikes a major blow to the Buckeyes. The sharpshooter exploded for more than 20 points in each game, but a lower back injury has Stringer wearing a different kind of red shirt this season. His decisionto sit out the rest of this season left the Buckeyes without a legitimate scoring threat. In Stringer's stead, freshman Michael Redd has emerged as the injured offense's crutch. Resting among the Big Ten leaders at 22 points per game, Redd's deadly shooting -- especially from 3-point range - has proved critical to the Buckeyes. Ohio State enters the game without a Big Ten victory and is coming off thrashings by Iowa on Wednesday, and Indiana last week. While Redd led all scorers against Indiana with 28 points, his teammates didn't give him enough support - hardly unusual for these Buckeyes. So that makes Michigan's foc4 clear: Clamp down on the offensive focus to force another option to beat them. The situation is hardly new for Michigan. "We need to make sure we do a good job on Redd," Ellerbe said. "We need to go out with the intent of shut- ting him down. We've shown we can do that with (Penn State's) Pete (Lisicky), (UNLV guard) Tyrone Nesby and (Michigan State's) Mate (Cleaves)." During his brief tenure, O'Brien has done his best to restore the storied tra- dition of Ohio State basketball, but this season There's is a constant struggle. little question about O'Brien's credentials. though, and the Ohio State administrators have demonstrated their faith in the former Boston Colle in v. ;ate Ih .< rpI a "ti rov 7 "W is'" co ach . During the past I I sea- sons, O'Brien built a stag- nant Boston College pro- gram into a perennial Big East contender, but to rebuild a team that returned only four players, 4he task was daunting. Redd has served as a bit of damage control, but clearly not enough. Beyond Redd, the Buckeyes N thin. In :tark contrast to Michigai' powerful front line, Ohio State offers 6-foot-8, 260-pound John Lnumpkin as its sole- big body. Lumpkin, who moonlights as a tight end on the foot- ball team, just joined the squad follow- ing the Sugar Bowl. A new coach and offense have hardly aided the transi- tion for the burly center. "Our game plan is obviously to go inside -first and outside secon Conlan said. "That zone opens up a lit of jump shots, which means pickin's for Robbie (Reid), Lou (Bullock) and myself" Reid and Bullock, whose jump shots See BUCKEYES, Page 11 SARA STILLMAN/ Daily Maceo Baston and the Wolverines invade St. John Arena tomorrow afternoon against the Buckeyes. ou . \ - SBINCHI$445' " For More Information Contact: R :>r S IBIANCHI-ROSSI TOURS at 800-875-4525 Web site: www.bianchi-rossi com Go Lowo in Ajau ot &I~hiu __ _ - Look for coverage of this week" end's game in SPORTSMonday. m At halfway mark, 'M' icers claw way to top Herr suspended; VanRyn injured; Peach to return against the Nanooks l By Pranay Reddy Daily Sports Writer Roughly halfway through its confer- ence slate, the Michigan hockey team has surprised a number of highly regarded ed position of having to protect a CCHA lead as it faces Alaska-Fairbanks (6-14-1, 7-15-2) at Yost 1ce Arena tomorrow night at 7. Even with the Nanooks sitting at ninth place in the CCHA, the Wolverines are well aware of the danger in overlooking Fairbanks. Michigan vs. Alaska- Fairbanks Where: Yost Ice Arena When: Tomorrow, 7 P~m which that, this team has that there is no xpect- because any team "We are a one- game-at-a-time team," Berenson said. "Every game has been a nail- biter, for the most part - we've not had any easy games. "Because of improved and realized chance of a let-up, we play is as good as we are." While the latter statement may come off as typical rhetoric from the coach of a league-leading team, Michigan defense- man Sean Peach offered a more realistic view of tomorrow's matchup. "We're not going to take this team lightly," Peach said. "They're a good team, and they knocked offf State. "They lead the. league in penalty minutes right Peach now, so we're going to have to stick to our game and let them play theirs and, hopefully, they'll make some stupid penalties" With Fairbanks's bruising brand of hockey on display this weekend, Michigan now appreciates the trial run it received a week earlier from Western Michigan, whose hard-nosed style of play will be strikingly similar tomorrow. "I expect the same kind of hockey,' Berenson said. "It will be hard-fought hockey, and we need to be prepared for that. Special teams, obviously, will be a factor in that game" With special teams highlighted this weekend, Michigan can take heart in its 2-for-8 performance against the Broncos. The Wolverines' success contributed to their third-best power play in the CCHA. The power play buoyed Michigan, as it earned a difficult two points last Saturday. In addition to having to go to overtime, Michigan lost the services of both fresh- man defenseman Mike VanRyn an senior forward Matt Herr for the week9 - both players coming up short on bi hits. In VanRyn's case, it wasn't a hit h took from a Bronco, rather from unlocked door to the penalty box, whic struck him in the groin. "He's still really sore, but I don't thin there is any injury outside of a bruise, Berenson said. "The penalty box doo was not locked properly ... it's pretty ba when the rink starts falling apart on y Herr, on the other hand, was respo ble for a checking from behind penalt just 4:07 into the game. The penalty cam with a mandatory one-game suspension. But with two out, Michigan will ge one back as Peach returns to the lineu after recovering from a concussion. "You don't realize how hard it is not t play," Peach said. "I'm starting to feel little better." With only one game this week Michigan has had to shuffle its prac schedule around a bit this past week moving practices back one day to accom modate for the scheduling quirk. While an it may seem like an insignif icant change, don't tell that to th . _I The world will always need podiatric physicians with minds that excel_ and hands that heal.