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Sports desk: 647-3336
SECTION B
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*Basketball ticket pnces raisedagain
Crisler won't move students closer, but will charge them $4 more for three fewer games
HOCKEY TICKET INFO
By Mark Francescutti
Daily Sports Editor
College students have already paid for
books, clothes and that trip to Meijer that
begins with a search for toilet paper and ends
with $140 worth of stuff.
But now, two more expenses are on the
horizon - basketball and hockey tickets.
Hockey tickets go on sale at the Michigan
Ticket Office for $195 today through Wednes-
day only. Students who wish to purchase bas-
ketball tickets may do so by filling out an
application at the ticket office or online at
www.mgoblue.com.
The cost - $104 - - is four dollars more
than last season.
While hockey adds five more games,
including the Ice Breaker Tournament and
Michigan State, the surprise rate hike this year
comes from the basketball package, which
offers three fewer games.
After struggling to a 15-14 overall record
(6-10 Big Ten), and losing four players includ-
ing star freshmen Jamal Crawford (entered
the NBA draft) and Kevin Gaines (dismissed
from team), Michigan Athletic Director Bill
Martin still motioned to raise basketball ticket
prices across the board.
In a letter to season ticket holders, Martin
described the move as necessary based on the
$3 million dollar budget deficit of last year,
and the addition of two new varsity sports
(women's water polo and men's soccer).
"With the increasing scholarship costs,
expenses have escalated due to the addition of
new sports, infrastructure maintenance and
inflation,' Martin said.
The climb in basketball prices is the first in
eight years, but comes at a time when the
Wolverines are suffering from off-the court
frustrations added with a non-conference
schedule that is particularly devoid of a "big
game." Wake Forest, which won the NIT, but
did not make the NCAA tournament, is the
lone bright spot on the non-conference home
slate.
Martin justifies the hike by calling upon the
cost of tickets from around the Big Ten, where
Michigan ranks ninth in ticket prices.
The Wolverines, however, also rank ninth
in Big Ten attendance, and student ticket sales
are a strong factor in the low numbers. Michi-
gan barely crept over 1,000 student tickets
sold in 1999, after dropping to a low of 712 in
1998. Michigan averaged almost 4,000 sold
throughout the first six years in the 1990s.
One of the prime concerns with student
seating is where it is located in Crisler Arena.
Instead of on the floor like most top programs
- including the eight Big Ten schools ahead
of Michigan in attendance - students at
Crisler sit in only one section behind the scor-
ers table. The rest of the students sit further
back, all the way to the upper bowl of the
arena.
Thoughts of moving the students down to
the floor, a move heavily encouraged by coach
Brian Ellerbe, haven't produced any action as
of yet. The stalls are likely due to the change
in Athletic Director from Tom Goss to
See TICKETS, Page 3B
iNON NG /Daily
Michigan student hockey tickets are on sale only
today through Wednesday at a price of $195.
The package covers 23 games, including
Michigan State, Notre Dame and the Ice Breaker
Tournament. Frozen Four regulars New Hampshire
and North Dakota will be at the Ice Breaker, which
Yost Ice Arena hosts. Men's basketball student
applications ($104 for 11 games) are due Sept. 24.
More ticket info: Page 3B.
For two clubs,
an innovative
*new status
AD Martin hopes rowing, lacrosse
will now garner more attention
By Jon Schwartz
Daily Sports Writer
Last year, money was so tight for the men's rowing club
that it could not even afford its own boats for the national
championships.
But this past Friday, the athletic department announced a
major change in the makeup of two club sports, a change that
should keep such things from happening again.
Effective immediately, Athletic Director Bill Martin has
implemented a new tier for sports competition, the "club-var-
sity" level.
The new classification falls between the two original tiers
of club and varsity sports and is intended to elevate several
*sports that officials said deserve extra recognition.
Starting this year, the men's rowing and lacrosse teams are
the inaugural club-varsity teams, their selection based on the
rwo teams' success on the national level.
Greg Hartsuff, coach of the men's rowing team, had been
among those lobbying for the change for several years.
:"One of our goals for the change of status has been
achieved with Bill Martin's blessing," he said.
To the casual observer, there will be few noticeable differ-
ences between this season's team and those of past years.
Despite the new title, the competition will be the same and
'the competitions should play out the same for the most part.
SeeCLUB-VARSITY, Page 3B
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DAVID KVAZ/Daily
"The A-Train" Anthony Thomas (32) led the Wolverines to a crushing victory over Rice Saturday in Michigan Stadium.
ILocomotion
ELLIE WHITE/Daily
*Senior Joanna Fielder and her Michigan teammates celebrat-
ed three wins on the way to an All Sport Challenge victory.
Sp-dikeirs can dig
All Sport trophy
By David Horn
)aily Sports Writer
Cupcake diet
over for 'M'
after 38-7 win
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Sports Editor
It looked like a highlight reel for the Wolverines.
Diving catches, recording-setting scores, hard
hits and quick cuts around the defense - Saturday's
38-7 victory over Rice had everything except for
anticipation.
For the second straight week, the Wolverines
faced a team that they were supposed to beat. The
only question was by how much. And Michigan
answered that question early on.
The game was decided in three plays and two
minutes.
109,778 fans must have shaken Rice quarterback
Corey Evans, because the first time he touched the
ball, he fumbled.
And that play defined the difference between the
two teams in the first quarter. While the Owls
couldn't hold onto the ball, every time Michigan
had possession it scored, setting a team record for
points scored in a quarter.
The Wolverines recovered the initial fumble
on Rice's 18-yard line and two plays later they
had taken the lead.
The second of two nine-yard rushes by run-
ning back Anthony Thomas put Michigan in the
endzone and on top 7-0.
And it only took the Wolverines another two min-
utes and three plays for their second score of the
afternoon. To prove the dominance of all aspects of
its offense, Michigan showed off its talented receiv-
ing core to take the 14-0 lead.
Marquise Walker, who finished the game with
two touchdowns on four receptions, converted on an
overthrown pass by quarterback John Navarre for
the second score and a two-touchdown lead.
"We just tell (Navarre) to throw the ball in the
area," Walker said. "Most times its accurate."
But when it wasn't. the highlight reel kent rolling.
DAVID KATZ/Daily
Senior safety DeWayne Patmon (15) halts Corey Evans on fourth down and one in the second quarter on Saturday.
Thomas runrnizg like M' needs kim n o
,,.: . .
The Michigan volleyball team exorcised the demons of
seven-straight near misses at their own tournament on Satur-
day, by handily winning the All Sport Challenge after a 3-0
victory over South Carolina (15-11, 15-10, 15-12) at Cliff
Keen Arena.
The team's other two matches were also victories - 3-0
against Northern Illinois and New Mexico.
"Tonight was a good test for us," Michigan coach Mark
Iosen said. "South Carolina really stepped up their game
from last night and played a lot better."
The match against South Carolina was the closest of the
weekend for the host Wolverines. The Gamecocks were not
allowed a lead in either of the first two games but managed to
stay within striking distance throughout.
In the third game, the 25th ranked Wolverines - who
looked significantly sharper than their unranked opponent in
the nreviois two - seemed at first to have left their intensity
E ach carry for
Thomas, each
touched the ball,
forward with
a head of
steam that
resembled,
well, a Train.'
Michigan
Stadium a
Anthony
time he
he blasted
There was no soft running in his
game. No excessive juking, no
tripping over feet - others', or his
own - as he charged through the
line.
It was pure locomotive, pure
Train. And it was thrilling to
watch.
Maybe this is the real Thomas
after all. He had to take on some
unfair tasks last season, serving as
Michigan's only legitimate tail-
back.
Responsibility for the running
game was solely Thomas', a bur-
den he was never really given full
tailbacks, each one of them trusted
with the ball. Thomas has actually
had the opportunity to unsnap his
helmet and watch from the side-
lines for a few plays.
Physically, it's led to a rejuve-
nated Thomas, one who can now
afford to treat every carry as his
last, since he has reinforcements
available.
"He was attacking them more,"
fellow ball carrier Chris Perry
said, impressed with his mentor's
performance on Saturday.
And every time Thomas
attacked, he bowled over whatever
crowds have
seen a few
different
CHRIS
Dt ipRnR'
AnthonyLS A..l
Thomases Dupe s
over the
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