The Michigan Daily - Thursday, November 16, 2000 - 15A Women's basketball to sign three recruits The Michigan women's basketball team signed three players for the 2001 season. The Wolverines signed Tabitha Pool, a 6-1 small forward, BreAnne McPhilamy, a 6-2 power forward, and Katrina Mason a 6-2 center. Pool, from Ann Arbor Huron High School, is regarded as one of the top high school players in the country. She was ranked as the preseason No. I player in Michigan by the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. Pool is Huron's all-time leading scorer and average 21.6 points per game this season. Shewas also named to the AAU all- american team. Mason averages 24 points, 20 rebounds and eight blocks per game for Murray-Wright high school in Detroit. Additionally, Mason shoots 73 percent from the free-throw line. McPhilamy, from Portage Northern high school, is the school's second leading scorer and rebounder. As a junior she was named to the 1999 all- state team and is a 2000 Ms. Basketball candidate. - Staff and wire i Iepois Elite milers commit to men's track team Alan Webb and Nathan Brannen, two of the top milers in North 4rmerica, have signed National Letters pf Intent for the men's track and field team for the 2001-2002 season. Webb, a senior at South Lakes High School in Reston, Vir.. is one of the nation's elite prep milers. Webb has run 4:0.3.33, the third-fastest time in the nation last season. Finishing fourth in the Canadian Olympic Trials in the 1500 mdters, Brannen will supplement the Wolverines with his 3:45.09 1500- meter personal best, comparable to a 4:02 mile. The senior from Preston High School in Cambridge, Ont. has also run 8:25.42 for the 3000 meters and 1:50.35 for the 800 meters. - Staff and wire reports Griese out of play for three weeks bENVER (AP) - Brian Griese, who led the Denver Broncos to victory Monday night despite a separated throwing shoulder, is expected to miss at east three games. The Broncos said Tuesday they wouldn't know more about Griese's sta- tus for several days, but a team official confinned reports that the quarterback would be out a minimum of three weeks. Griese was hurt when he was tackled by Oakland linebacker Elijah Alexander during the first quarter of Denver's 27- 24 win. Griese was taken to the locker room for pain medication, then returned o the field. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen said Griese could be out a "significant period of time," adding, "It looks bad." Gambi edges out Thomas for MVP title NEW YORK (AP) -- Jason Giambi narrowly won the American League Most Valuable Player Award yesterday for carrying the Oakland Athletics to the layoffs. Giambi got 14 of the 28 first-place votes to finish with 317 points in ballot- ing by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "This is a boy's dream come true," Giambi said. "This has been noth- ing but a fairy tale for me this year with my brother (Jeremy) here and the A's winning the division." Two-time winner Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox finished second with 285 points and 10 first-place votes. NCAA basketball Yesterday's results Preseason NIT Temple 61, New Mexico 49 Texas 57, California 54 Tomorrow's games PRESEASON NIT *illanova at Duke South Alabama at Indiana NHL. Yesterday's results Florida 4, CAROLINA 1 Philadelphia 2, TORONTo 1 OT DETROIT 4, San Jose 1 ATLANTA 1, Nashville 0 NY Rangers at MINNESOTA, inc. Dallas at BUFFALO, inc. Colorado at ANAHEIM, inc. 'Today's games New Jersey at Boston Chicago at Calgary Carolina at Ottawa NY Islanders at Los Angeles Pittsburgh at St. Louis Colorado at Phoenix Columbus at Nashville Torrid spikers prepare for No. 8 Minnesota By Eric Powell Daily Sports Writer Rankings are not of a concern for the Michigan volleyball team any- more. Riding a four-game win streak, including consecutive victories over ranked conference foes No. 25 Michigan State and No. 13 Ohio State, the Wolverines hope to keep the momentum going into their final four matches of the regular season. "After the mid-season losing streak, we knew that lineup changes had to be made," Michigan coach Mark Rosen said. "We made them, and now we are clicking, playing with enthusiasm, and competing well. Now we have momentum again." But a 6-1 powerhouse awaits the rolling Wolverines on the other side of the net tomorrow in Minneapolis. Minnesota's senior Nicole Branaugh has dominated Big Ten opponents this season with pure athleticism and strength. Branaugh leads the Big Ten with 5.57 kills per match, including an average of eight kills a game last week, earning her co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors. "Nicole is definitely the force on that team," Rosen said. "She is tear- ing teams apart single handedly." As for containing Branaugh, Rosen will match up sophomore Nicole Poquette against her at the net. Rosen also intends to focus on strategic serving this week to keep the ball away from Branaugh and earn the Wolverines some quick points. "Being consistent is the bottom line," Rosen said. "We need to limit our errors, stop Branaugh at the net, and just keep improving throughout the match." The Wolverines will look fof big performances from senior leader Sarah Behnke and junior Katrina Lehman, who have hot hands as of late. Both performed well during the two latest home victories over the Spartans and the Buckeyes. Rosen said he hopes to get a spark from freshman middle-blocker Erin Moore as well, "Our senior leaders are definitely providing us with intensity and direc- tion," Rosen said. The remaining four matches are pivotal for Michigan's NCAA tourna- ment hopes. Although the Wolverines close with No. 4 Wisconsin at home, the final two road matches provide. tough competition for the Wolverines. "Even though Minnesota is ranked No. 8 and has a great team, our final road match at Iowa will decide our postseason fate," Rosen said. "We need to pull out two in a row if we want to make it to the tourna- ment." RECRUITSu Continued from Page 12A out the class are three defensmet who will attempt to fill the void of senior assistant captain Dave Huntzicker and Bob Gassoff. This includes two offensive-defens- men in Reilly Olson (Grand Praire, Alberta) and Eric Werner (Grosse Pointe Woods), who Powers says is 5- foot-8 but "plays like he's 6-foot-2" and is similar to former Wolverine and NHL defenseman Blake Sloan. Coaches say that they're expecting a few more recruits and because of the graduating seniors and that they'%e been lacking depth the last few \c}ars due to unexpected departures of Mike Van Ryn, Mike Comrie, Scott Crawford and Troy Kahler, the new additions will have a great chance to play next year.