The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 3, 2000 - 10 CLIF-F ORD S BEST BET By Rhonda Gilmer Daily Sports Writer At some time in life, people realize what they are best at. Katie Clifford-Jazwinski always wanted to play basket- ball. But somehow running became a much greater aspect in her life. Running reflects many of her life changes: being a team leader, proving herself as a cross-country powerhorse, and inspiring her teammates. After three years of collegiate competition, Clifford has gained a better sense of motivation and effort through run- ning. Although early on she faced many trials and errors, she has brought herself to that higher level of running. KAMIKAzE CLIFFORD As a competitor, running has changed her whole direction in life. Freshman year. Clifford had a different outlook on run- ning. "When I first got on the team it was hard for me to adjust because I was always used to being the No. I runner," Clifford said. "Then I come to a team where people are just better than me, and it was just hard for me to learn to deal with that." Accepting that there are other great runners was her first step in her experience as a collegiate runner. Knowing that she was not the only great runner out there, Clifford put her- self into a different zone of running. "She's very focused and hardworking. She will run as hard as possible for the team," senior Lisa Ouellet said. "You can count on her to give it everything she can" This dedication is what makes running one of Clifford's special qualities. While not all athletes experience their share of bloopers, Clifford has. During a practice her freshman year, Clifford stepped over the formation line, and in a hurry to keep in sync with the other runners in her group, she tripped Oucllet, her teammate. "I just remember all the other runners were really mad at me," Clifford said. Pushing yourself is one thing, but hurting a teammate is another." From then on, she was called "Kamikaze Clifford." TEM LEADER As a senior on the team. Clifford is expected to accept her leadership role. What makes her different from other team leaders is that she quietly leads by example. Others describe her as a runner who inspires them through her determination as well as motivation. "She is the most mentally and physically tough person I've ever run with," sophomore Jane Martineau said. "She's just so hard-core about everything, and that is awesome. It really sets the tone for us as a team " This is hard to believe considering how Clifford was freshman year on the team. "She was the most absolute quiet person you could have ever imagined," Ouellet said. "She never said a word, and just did what she was told." Clifford has managed to carry that quietness through her senior year, but what's different is that she not only shows dedication, but she is also someone to look up to for younger runners on the team. The Michigan women's cross country team provides an environment where Clifford can compete on this higher HOCKEY Continued from Page 9 and eight weeks with groins or it can be for a short time. They've been nursing them for the last week and we'll see if we can get them ready for the week- end." Scarpace's injury was more of a stinger and Berenson said, "he should be okay." Jillson's situation is the most prob- lematic and also the most serious. The cause of the illness for the All-American continues to elude team physicians. "He's been battling some kind of fll or virus that's not bad one day - but today he couldn't breathe," Berenson said. Jillson has undergone two blood tests, but neither revealed any problems. The junior defenseman played in Saturday's exhibition against Wilfrid Laurier, recording an assist. Facing the possible loss of at least three players going into the IceBreaker tournament, the coaching staff is now faced with the task of restructuring line combinations after each line played impressively against Wilfrid- Laurier. "It takes away a little bit from your practice - when everyone is not there it's not the same," Berenson said. "But we can't worry about that, this is part of college hockey." Kosick and Jillson are both the Wolverines' top returning scorers from last season Michigan hosts Colgate on Friday night at 8:35 p.m. while North Dakota and New Hampshire square off at 5:05 p.m. The winners of both games advance to the Saturday night champi- onship game. North Dakota is ranked number one in the USCHO poll, released yesterday. Michigan is number two. New Hampshire is ranked ninth and Colgate 16th. Courtesy Katie Clifford Katie Clifford (right) poses for the camera with her bridesmaid Lisa Ouellet after a meet last season. level. The dynamics of the team are best described as a group of workhorses. Clifford has already proven herself as a workhorse so far this season, winning the Miami Invitational and Spiked Shoe Invitational. Her efforts carried the Wolverines to first-place titles at both meets. TviYN(L THEKNOT For many years Clifford has been immersed in a running atmosphere. Clifford's older brother Steve was a runner and since her freshman year of high school, Clifford has pushed herself to be the best on her track and field team. Cross country is her new field of expertise. This past summer, another cross country family member became a part of her family. Clifford became Clifford- Jazwinski, through marriage to Bob .Jazwinski. Her husband has been a part of her life for years. He is not only her hus- band but former high school cross country coach as well. Due in part to his effort, Clifford is a cross country runner today. "lie was pretty much my main mentor in high school -- he got me to love running," Clifford said. In addition, to this change one of Clifford's beloved team- mates served as her maid of honor. Ouellet, the unlucky one who was tripped by Clifford freshman year, served as her bridesmaid. "Being in that wedding was one of the best experiences ever," Ouellet said. "They complement each other well." In a way, Clifford is a runner for life. This past summer Clifford and her husband spent the summer training together. "Mv husband and I went out to Colorado for two weeks, and I got some good training out there," Clifford said. Clifford's future goals include competing in the Big Ten Championships in hopes of not only being the best runner on the team, but also to prove herself as one of the better run- ners in the nation. It's up to her to take on that next step, and continue on that higher level. So far running has been the start of Clifford's many life changes. Chasing her dream to become a runner was the hard part now it's time to show people what she's best at. USCHO PRESEASON POLL USA TODAY/AHM PRESEASON POLL UCLA tailback Foster out with broken hand LOS ANGELES (AP) - DeShaun Foster, UCLA's leading rusher, will be sidelined 2-6 weeks because of a broken hand. Foster was injured in the second quarter of the 16th-ranked Bruins' 38-31 victory over Arizona State on Saturday night. He gained 30 yards on nine carries before the injury. Foster was examined at UCLA Medical Center on yesterday. Doctors determined he did not need surgery. Foster's right hand is in a cast. Foster,.a 6-foot-1, 217-pound junior, has rushed for 501 yards on 123 carries and scored six touch- downs in five games. Sosa wants to remain a Cub for seven more years CHICAGO (AP) - Sammy Sosa says he wants to hit home runs at Wrigley Field for a long, long time. Seven more seasons to be precise. Sosa said he's asking Chicago Cubs president and general manager Andy MacPhail for a six-year contract exten- sion. He won't talk about the money, but it has been widely reported that he's expected to demand at least S16 million per season. That would push the value of a six- year extension near $100 million. "I'm looking for six years, no doubt about that," Sosa told the Chicago Tribune. "With the one more year that I have, that's seven years and I know my body can do it. After that I'm going to go home." Sosa won this year's major league home run title with 50. He's under con- tract through next season at a salary of $12 million. A seven-year deal would be unusual for the Cubs. MacPhail prefers shorter- term contracts, in the three-year to four-year range. Belle compares himself to Jackie Robinson Team 1. North Dakota (24) 2. Michigan (7) 3. Wisconsin (6) 4. Boston College (3) 5. Michigan State 6. St. Lawrence 765 715 685 674 617 592 pDVS 2 9 1 6 8 5 4 3 7 Team 1. North Dakota (12) 2. Michigan (4) 3. Wisconsin (2) 4. Michigan State 5. Boston College 6. New Hampshire 7. Boston University 8. St. Lawrence 9. Maine 10. St. Cloud 262 240 214 195 193 174 159 148 110 85 pvS 1 7 5 10 2 11 6 4 3 12 7. Boston University 582 8. Maine 521 9. New Hampshire 483 10. Cornell 380 First-place votes in parentheses www.uscollegehockey.com * All teams have yet to play this season. Eighth at Lady Northern is improvement for M' By Swapnil Patel For the Daily The Michigan women's golf team continued its impressive performance this past weekend, firing a season-low 300 in the final round of the Lady Northern Intercollegiate. The Wolverines finished eighth in a field of 16. Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn., hosted Michigan, Ohio State, Minnesota and Purdue as well as other Big Ten teams. The Wolverines shot a combined 923 for the three-day, 54-hole tournament. Although their eighth-place finish seems mediocre, the golfers improved their play each round. "Overall, we played solid. I was actu- ally happy with the improvement we showed," coach Kathy Teichert said. After shooting a 315 in the first round, the ladies dropped seven strokes to fire a 308 in the second round. Michigan showed further improvement in the final round, dropping eight more strokes to chalk up a 300. I I Barclays Capital "We had a very good weekend. I know that we can shave off four, five, six strokes easily and it is a matter of just doing it consistently," Teichert added. Juniors Bess Bowers, Cortney Reno and LeAnna Wicks, along with fresh- man Sarah Kruer paced Michigan. Bowers finished tied for 10th after she shot a season-best 74 to close out the competition. Reno tied for 19th. "Bess and Cortney finished in the top 20 so it was a great tournament for both of them," Teichert said. Wicks finished tied for 24th thanks to a season-best 73 in the last round. Kruer, who ended tied for 41st, amassed a career-best second-round total of 75, bettering her 82 fired in the third round of the Wolverine Invitational two weeks ago. "Our depth is at an all-time high and that is great for our team," Teichert said. Thus fai, the golfers have had a begin- ning to their season. Michigan has fin- ished second in a field of 12 teams, in the Wolverine Invitational, and fifth among 15 in Mary Fossum Invitational. Interestingly, the Wolverines totaled a lower score in this past weekend's tour- nament than in prior events. Despite their eighth-place, played well. "The level of play in the Big Ten has significantly improved so you really have to be at the top of your game each week,"Teichert said. Ohio State's Mollie Fankhauser won medalist honors with a 2-over par 218 with rounds of 73, 72 and 73. Fankhauser's individual prowess helped the Buckeyes win the invitational team title with a combined score of 896. Purdue and Minnesota rounded out the top three with scores of 905 and 908, respectively. FALCON HEIGHTS FLYING HIGH: Les Bolstad Golf Course will host the Big Ten championships on April 27-29, 2001. The Wolverines will next visit Franklin, Ind., for the Women's Collegiate Shootout Oct. 9-10. BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore Orioles outfielder Albert Belle says he knows how Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron must have felt. In an opinion/editorial page piece published Sunday in The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles slugger compared himself to other notable black players who faced prejudice in their careers. "I have never received prestigious accolades, been acclaimed as a hard worker, winner, or team player and have received unwarranted treatment that only Jackie Robinson, Curt Flood and Hank Aaron could have experienced," he wrote. "Yeah, although it's nice to consider football, I made a decision to play base- ball many years ago and each day I am blessed for the better," he said. 0 Food For Thought The Protest Movement Truong Nhu Tang's autobiography "A Viet Cong Memoir - an inside account of the Vietnam War and its aftermath," details the importance the anti- war movement played in their final victory. Gary Lillie & Associates, Realtors www.garylillie.com Showalter, McKeon and Lamont fired PHOENIX (AP) - Buck Showalter was fired yesterday as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks after a disap- pointing season that saw the team go from division champions to third place. Showalter, the only manager in the team's history, was hired in November 1995, two years before the Diamondbacks started play and one month after he led the New York Yankees to their first playoff berth in 14 years. "We think that it's time to move in another direction. Kind of time to work on what we need to do to move on, owner Jerry Colangelo said."The deci- sion to hire Buck was the right decision five years ago. Five years is an eternity in pro sports for a coach, for a general manager, for a manager," he said. "Buck had five years with us and I owe him a great debt of gratitude." Showalter was the third manager to be fired yesterday. Cincinnati's Jack McKeon and Pittsburgh's Gene Lamont lost their jobs earlier in the day. IOwens apologizes for 'mistakes made at Dallas H ., ,. . : - ,. . , , . . h .. ,. m e '