The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, December 9, 1998 - 11
READY To LEAD
BY JOSHUA I. BORKIN -
DAILY SPORTS WRITER
S hort and spunky - no, this is not a
description of Punky Brewster-rather
its the best description for freshman
point guard Alayne Ingram.
Who says freshmen can't lead? Who says
t shmen can't dominate? So far this season,
ngram has proven that she can establish her-
self as an impact player and a team leader.
Ingram is a 5-foot-7 guard who posses
speed that could leave most players in the Big
Ten on the back of their heels. She came to
Michigan with tremendous accolades, but
never really played with
the talent that now sur-
rounds her.
Ingram went to Waverly
High School in Lansing.
*her four years of high
school basketball, she
never played with a player
that averaged double fig-
ures, and never did her
high school team make it
into the latter rounds of ingram
the state tournament.
Ingram racked up awards for her own per-
sonal performance, though. She was a Detroit
ws and Detroit Free Press first-team all-
team member as a senior. Additionally,
she was named an honorable mention All-
American as a junior.
"I really never had anyone on my high
school basketball team to help me," Ingram
said. "I did most of the scoring on my team."
Ingram was the all-time leading scorer in
Waverly high school's history with 1,570
points. Ingram also owns the school record of
45 points in a game as well as a 25.2 points per
game average last season.
ut Ingram was really noticed for her
r arkable scoring ability and speed when she
played AAU basketball in the offseason. When
Ingram was 14, her team finished 14th in the
country. As a senior, her team finished seventh
in the country. In addition, Ingram was named
an AAU All-American her senior year.
Ingram does not
have any death-defy-
ing stories to share,
nor does she have any The 1998-9
stories of hardship to tion for the
embellish her story.
Rather, Ingram ball team. A
comes from an solid will try and;
family background frountcourt
that has always been This
supportive. meat.
"My parents have make a sign
always been there for Every player
me," Ingram said.
"They made it to
every one of my high Women's ba
school and AAU each freshm
games and they try to
make it to as many
Michigan games as they can."
Her father, Michael Ingram, a basketball
coach at Lansing Community College.
"My father really got me into basketball,"
Ingram said. "He has always been there for
me. He supported me after losses and was
always there to share in my happiness."
Alayne's mother, Phebeit Ingram, was the
person that helped Ingram get through every
other problem off the court.
"My mother is incredible," Ingram said.
"My dad helped me with basketball, but with
everything else my mom was always there."
But Ingram did not go to Michigan just to
be near her family.
"I came to Michigan because Coach
Guevara made such an impact on me,' Ingram
said. "There was really no other option in my
mind."
Now Ingram is a member of one of the best
recruiting classes in the Big Ten and has estab-
lished herself as one of the best players on the
Wolverines from the start. She is second in
scoring on the Wolverines with 11.7 points per
game and is averaging two assists per game,
third on the Wolverines.
But Ingram has done much more than just
r[Eros/i Series:2 of 4
D9 season is a time of transi-
Michigan women's basket-
kn experienced backcourt
guide an inexperienced
back to the NCAA tourna-
year's freshman class will
ificant impact on the team.
r on this team has an inter-
to tell. The Michigan Daily's
sketball writers will feature
nan once during the season.
act as a spark. In the preseason she was
expected to come off the bench, but she has
started in every game at the point.
"Alayne has shown a lot of maturity and tal-
ent," Guevara said. "We knew she was a great
high school player, but she has really estab-
lished herself on the team."
And establishing herself as a floor leader is
exactly what Ingram wants to accomplish.
"I feel like I want to be the floor leader,"
Ingram said. "My teammates have a lot of
confidence in me, and in a big game I would
like to take that last shot."
But beyond the high school accolades, and
her impressive play this season, Ingram takes
the most pride in being a part of the
University. Her best experience as a Wolverine
was not when she scored her first basket, nor
when she scored at will against Central
Michigan - it was the first time she stepped
out on the court and heard 'The Victors' being
played.
"There is no other feeling like hearing the
band play The Victors," Ingram said. "I felt
completely overwhelmed with pride my first
time stepping out on the court and hearing it. I
feel so proud that I am playing for Michigan."
Ricky Williams
s may be prophe-
sizing his future
during this run.
Although the
senior didn't
-yY
psie te
p i e remains the
favorite for the
Reisman Tropy
r as evidkeed by
his capturing of
4. the AP player of
the year award.
AP PHOTO
WilliamS wins Aaward
over quarterback tro
Tulane hires Scelfo from Georgia
NEW YORK (AP) - Ricky Williams
returned for his final year at Texas with modest
goals: Win games and have fun. Mission accom-
plished, and he still gets to play in the Cotton
Bowl.
On Monday, Williams won The Associated
Press' first College Player of the Year Award in
balloting by AP member newspapers, TV and
radio stations.
"Anytime you are considered the best it's
flattering," Williams said, "and to be picked the
top player in college football by the reporters
who watch the games so closely is truly an
honor."
Williams provided college football fans with
an extra special season. While running for 2,214
yards and 28 touchdowns, Williams became
major college football's career rushing leader
and carried his team to an 8-3 record and a
Cotton Bowl matchup against Mississippi State
on Jan. 1.
."If I was to tell someone before the season
that we were going to win eight games, they
would have told me I was crazy," Williams said.
"For us to come together as a team and surprise
so many people with how we played was extra
special ."
Williams received 76 of the 143 votes in the
AP balloting, outdistancing Kansas State quar-
terback Michael Bishop. Kentucky quarterback
Tim Couch was third.
On Saturday, Williams will be the over-
whelming favorite to win the Heisman Trophy,
given each year to college football's outstanding
player.
Watching Williams play turned into lots of
fun for everyone except the Longhorns' oppo-
nents. Just ask Texas A&M.
When he ripped off a 60-yard touchdown
run against the Aggies on Nov. 27, he broke
Tony Dorsett's career rushing record and carried
the Longhorns to a 26-24 upset. He finished the
game with 259 yards, giving him a career total
of 6,279 yards to Dorsett's 6,082, compiled
from 1973-76. Needing II yards to pass
Dorsett's 22-year-old mark, Williams shed a
tackler near the line of scrimmage, ran 60 yards
and then carried an Aggies' defensive back into
the end zone.
"That's a run I'll remember for the rest of my
life;" Texas coach Mack Brown said.
Williams owns 15 other NCAA records,
including most career touchdowns (75), points
(452) and all-purpose yards (7,206). He also
averaged a record 6.22 yards per carry.
Couch, who owns his share of records,
recently said Williams was the best player in the
country.
"As many times as he carries the ball, he's
just as strong in the fourth quarter as he is in the
first quarter," Couch said. "He's an amazing
player."
Records don't matter much to Williams.
Helping his team turn into a winner again under
a new coach was another reason he returned to
Austin instead of bolting to the NFL.
"I think the thing that excites me the most
about winning an award like this is the fact that
people are giving me credit for having an impact
on my team," Williams said. "That's what has
always been the most important thing to me,
helping the team win games."
As all great runners do, Williams credits his
offensive line, but he takes things a step further.
After all, the Longhorns were trying to rebound
from one of the worst seasons in their storied
history.
"I couldn't have achieved any of the honors
I am receiving without the help of my team-
mates,' he said. "They sacrificed so much and
worked so hard to help me have a great year.
This team is a real special one.
"We all worked so well together and had a
lot of fun."
UCLA quarterback Cade McNown was
fourth in the voting, followed by North Carolina
State wide receiver Torry Holt, Ohio State quar-
terback Joe Germaine, Central Florida quarter-
back Daunte Culpepper, Wisconsin running
back Ron Dayne, Louisiana Tech wide receiver
Troy Edwards and Florida State wide receiver
Peter Warrick.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)-- Chris Scelfo, a
south Louisiana native who always wanted
to coach Tulane football, saw his wish come
true on Monday.
Scelfo was chosen to run the program
that Tommy Bowden turned from perpetual
loser to the 10th-ranked team in the coun-
try. Bowden became Clemson's head coach
last week.
Scelfo, an assistant at Georgia the last
t1 e years, met with the Green Wave play-
e Monday and immediately took over
planning for the Liberty Bowl game against
Brigham Young on Dec. 31.
"My first order of business is to get our
game plan for the bowl in place and get
ready for practice," Scelfo said. "I'm glad
we have the game to work on. It'll give the
players a chance to get to know me."
Scelfo was selected over Tulane offensive
oordinator Rich Rodriguez, who was the
lce of the players and had been recom-
4 -.v
mended by Bowden.
"I can't talk," running back Toney
Converse said pointing to his eyes. "I just
found out. I can't believe it."
The players' unhappiness can be over-
come, Scelfo said. "Most of them loved the
coach before Bowden too," he said.
"Nobody likes change."
Rodriguez said he was informed Monday
by athletic director Sandra Barbour that he
did not get the job.
"This is a shock. I was so sure, I brought
in my green coat and tie this morning," he
said. "This is so discouraging. I'm disap-
pointed. I thought I'd done all I could to
prove myself. I'm worried about the kids."
Rodriguez is also one of two finalists for
the head coaching job at Middle Tennessee
State.
He said he would also contact
Southwestern Louisiana about their job
again and planned to fly to Clemson on
Tuesday. Bowden has offered him the assis-
tant head coach/offensive coordinator job
there.
"I'm young, I'm 35. I'm going to be a I-
A head coach," Rodriguez said. "It may be
a couple of days. It may be five years. But
the time will come and I'll prove they were
wrong not to take me here."
Bowden, an assistant for 19 years before
becoming Tulane's coach, stayed at the
school only two years, snapping a 15-year
non-winning streak his first year and going
11-0 this season.
Scelfo, 35, plans to stay longer than that.
Scelfo was the offensive coordinator with
Georgia coach Jim Donnan at Marshall,
then went with Donnan to Georgia.
"I am where I dreamed about as a kid,
where I want to be for the rest of my life,"
Scelfo said.
"You've heard that said before, that's the
last time you'll hear it here."
Blue to face Eastern
in Washtenaw battle
EAGLES
ontinued from Page 10
er losing almost all of the pro-
du ion from last year's NCAA
Tournament team, Barnes was left
with a group that looked likely to
Finish in the cellar of the Mid-
American Conference.
Eastern lost its season opener to
Boise State on a desperation 3-point-
er at the buzzer.
After losing two road games -
ncluding a 78-73 defeat by
C6rado State during which the
Rams forced overtime at the second-
half buzzer - the Eagles hosted
4AC foe Bowling Green on
Saturday.
In keeping with the Eagles' hard-
uck .early season, the Falcons con-
ected on a basket as the horn
ounded, winning 68-66.
But Barnes is proud of his young
eam's progression, even if it may
[ot be evident by the won/lost
e
"I've got seven or eight first-year
layers, and we played three pre-
ominantly veteran teams right to
he buzzer," Barnes said. "We're
F;I Schedule
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G. 2 e6. 2a ~~Dec. 27
at Duke HAMPTON at Fkoida
9p.m. 7:30p.m. 2p.m.
ESPN2
Dec. 30 Jan.2 Jan. S
WISCONSIN at Penn ND ANA
state
8 P.m. 7:30 p.m.
12:07 p.m.
ESPN
- - -
right there, doing the things we're
supposed to do, and we're doing
them better than most people
thought."
Eastern Michigan is led by fresh-
man Calvin Warner, a 6-foot-7, 230-
pound forward who is averaging 11.8
points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
And speaking of ghosts, Barnes
and the Eagles - as well as the rest
of the MAC - have haunted
Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe since
he took over for Fisher before last
season.
Ellerbe is 0-4 against MAC teams
in his tenure at Michigan, a streak
that includes the Eagles' 89-83 over-
time win in Crisler last season.
Ellerbe has also lost to Western
Michigan twice and to Ball State.
FALCONS
Continued from Page 10
Guevara said. "To be competitive you
need to stay injury free."
And not having the home court
advantage may be another weakness for
the Wolverines. Michigan was able to
defeat Cincinnati, 66-57, for the first
game of this road stretch, but the victo-
ry was dramatically closer than their
previous wins.
"Anytime you play on the road it is
tough," Guevara said. "But hopefully it
will help get ready for the Big Ten,
because those arenas are really tough to
play at."
And since the Big Ten season starts
in just a couple weeks, Michigan is
stressing preparations for the confer-
ence opponents.
Indiana will be the first conference
opponent the Wolverines will face and
will be the last game of the four-game
road stretch. The Wolverines will return
to Crisler.Arena on Jan. 3 to take on
Michigan State.
"Right now we are getting ready for
the conference tests," Guevara said.
"These are just the quizzes.'
''P
"CAROLS IY
CAN O1LdlGP)T"
Wednesday, December 9
7 pm
University Lutheran Chapel
1511 Washtenaw, Near Hill
9
i
Pastor Ed Kauss
663-5560}
H
~-
MARGARET MYERS/Daily
Return of the MAC! The Wolverines head to the scary confines of The Convocation
Center in Ypsilanti tonight. Although Eastern Michigan is winless In its new home,
Michigan may be the remedy for the Eagles' early season problems.
1
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