6B - The Michigan Daly - SportsMonday - January 29, 2001 Women stride to first road win By Rhonda Gilmer Daily Sports Writer 0 AD Study table tutor Chris Brown helps sophomore track team member April Phillips with her Math 216 and physics homework. What they said "It's not that they want to go in there and spank them because they didn't get good grades." Ron Warhurst Michigan men's track coach "in a lot of cases, they all think they're going to be hockey players, and some of them will be. But, even if you are, there's life after hockey. And that's what this is all about." -Red Berenson Michigan hockey coach "Staying eligible is not ,ode enough for us. I can't control their social life, but I can control how much time they spend in the pool." - Jim Richardson '- ,Michioan womens swinmmzm, coach "We try to do our best to make sure our student athletes tighten up." --\Warde Mmnue Associate Director of Athletics "The Committee does a phenomenal job at keeping these athletes on track - they're not just taking basket weaving, they're taking organic chem and physics." -hBey ocki Mchigan women's gyInnastics coach STAN DARDS Continued from Page1B While the NCAA endorses Michigan's 2.0 standard for it's athletes, the Big Ten has standards substantially lower than Michigan's for all athletes in the conference. ' According to Big Ten Rule 14.4.3.3 under the Rules of Eligibility, conference athletes must present a 1.65 GPA during their freshman year, a 1.80 for their second year, 1.90 for the third year, and a 2.00 for their fourth and fifth years. The gray area between the Big Ten's academic standards and Michigan's academic standards is problematic in determining an athlete's eligibility. One may have a GPA that satisfies the Big Ten's requirement - but not Michigan's. WHAT TO DO? That's where the Academic Performance Committee comes into play. Established by the University to oversee any student that dips below Michigan's 2.0 GPA stan- dard, the committee is made up of faculty members of the University. In October 1977, the committee expanded its authority in determining the eligibility of student-athletes. Student-athletes that fall in the gray area of academic standing may appeal to the committee to restore their eligibility. Upon hearing an athlete's explanation, the committee may: Declare the student ineligi- bl e b Declare the student eligible, but direct the coach not to permit the student to compete and/or practice for a specified period Waive the Michigan rule and declare the student eligible with or without conditions involving grade point improvement, coun- seling and reporting Bonnie Metzger, chairwoman of the committee, said that it can make suggestions about time management, help in relationships to some particular learning prob- lem, or even mandate that a coach reduce his or her athlete's practice time. "We really are there as faculty members to advise the athletic department and the academic department, and to provide facul- ty advice," Metzger said. A POPULAR TOOL... For all of the sports competing during the winter semester of 2001, at least nine student-ath- letes appealed to the committee at the beginning of the semester, including three athletes from the men's track team, four from the men's basketball team and two from wrestling. All of the student athletes were determined eligible to compete. Unconfirmed reports state that members of the men's swimming team also utilized the committee for this semester. Men's swim- ming coach Jon Urbanchek was unavailable for comment. Does this indicate that all stu- dent athletes who appeal will be Making the grades Although the NCAA does not have set academic standards of its own, it upholds any given GPA requirements given by a school or division. Michigan's academic standard: 2.0 for all student athletes Big Ten academic standards: 1.65 for freshmen 1.8 for sophomores 1.9 for juniors 2.0 for seniors and fifth-year student athletes ... OR A SCAPEGOAT? According to Associate Director of Athletics Warde Manuel, not every student athlete who utilizes the committee will regain eligibility. "It's not always a foregone con- clusion - if that is the case, there wouldn't be a need for that board," Manuel said. Manuel stressed that the com- mittee takes each individual case brought to the board into careful consideration. "Each student athlete brings to bear different circumstances to lend why they are in the situation they are in - it is not a cookie- cutter type situation," Manual said. Baseball coach Geoff Zahn con- firmed Manuel's statement. Throughout his six years at Michigan, Zahn has had two ath- letes appeal to the committee. One was turned down, while the other was approved to continue compet- ing. But there is not a limit on the number of times a student athlete can utilize this board. If a student athlete dips into the gray area of academic standing more than once, he or she may appeal to the committee several times. "We wouldn't be happy about it," Metzger said about student athletes utilizing the board more than once. "We don't expect to see them back, and in most cases we don't. But we have had students come multiple times." A POPULAR REACTION Women's basketball coach Sue Guevera's opinion of the commit- tee speaks for the majority of the coaches at Michigan. "It's a real tough job, but I think they do what's best, for the stu- determined eligible? Gray space debate A student athlete lies in the gray space when he or she falls below Michigan's eligibility standard but still upholds the Big Ten's minimum GPA. Upon' hearing an appeal to still be allowed to compete, the Academic Performance Committee may: Declare the student ineligible. Declare the student eligible, but direct the coach not to per- mit the student to compete and/or practice for a specified period. Waive the Michigan rule and declare the student eligible with or without conditions involving GPA improvement, counseling and reporting. dents, and I think they do what's best for the University. I say thank goodness for the committee." As Michigan is traditionally known for its excellence in acade- mics, the committee may be seen as another asset in academics to student-athletes. According to hockey coach Red Berenson, the committee is "a way that Michigan has'shown that they're concerned about kids who are on the borderline, and they try to give them some individual attention." In a populous school like Michigan, individual attention may be hard to come by, in both academics and athletics. The tom- mittee provides its athletes with that individual attention and helps them get their academics back to par. Softball coach Carol Hutchins summed up the committee's role for the athletes at Michigan. "They're here to help, but if you don't help yourself, they're not going to let you do the one thing you want to do - and that's play." Traveling to Mount Pleasant, the Michigan women's track team earned its first victory away from Ann Arbor Saturday. Facing teams such as Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and the University of Detroit, the Wolverines won the Michigan Intercollegiate with 168.5 points. "It was a pleasant victory for us," Michigan coach James Henry said. "Central Michigan was a strong, balanced team - one of the best teams out there." The Wolverines demonstrated their de e and proved they were serious contenders in the 1,600-meter relay. Choosing not to run all of its best runners, Michigan sent out two inexperienced runners for the event - fresh- men Mora Arnold and Vera Simms filled in for senior Regine Carruthers and sophomore Carly Knazze. The substitutions didn't affect the results, as the Wolverines won the relay with a ti of 3:49.53. Although they sat out the relay, Carruthers and Knazze ran earlier during the 400-meter dash. Carruthers won the event in an event- record time of 56.25. Knazze finished see- ond with a time of 56:47. Currently, Carruthers and Knazze are the top-two quar- ter-milers on the team. "This was our biggest performance of tle day," Henry said. "Having them finish first and second in the event highlighted how well we've improved over these past few weeks Holding Carruthers and Knazze back fr the relay gave the Wolverines a chance to build strength and confidence in other run- ners. Since they compete on a weekly basis, the Wolverines like to utilize many runners by having them run various events. This gives Michigan an advantage over other teams which may not have enough depth to carry them through a long, gruel season. "The expected performance from our team was unpredictable," Henry said. "We knew we would compete. well, but we did not expect to win." Junior Tasha Phillips had another personal- best in the 60-meter low hurdles. Finishing first and running a time of 8.87 or better were two of her goals from last week. "My goal is to win one or more of my events next week during the Michigan Intercollegiate," Phillips said after the Simmons Invitational on Jan. 20. "1 a think that we have a good chance of winning the meet." Michigan also got some surprising wins in the distance events at the Intercollegiate. Running in the event for the first time in her career, senior Katy Radkewich was a sur- prise winner in the 5,000 meters. Given her time of 17:32.96, Radkewich might be an occasional substitute in this event for t Wolverines. "We're very happy with her performance, and hopefully she will continue on," Henry said. Finishing third for the Wolverines was freshman Katie Easton, who crossed the line in a time of 17:49.29. Senior Katie Jazwinski again led the Wolverines in the 3,000 meters, winning the event with a time of 9:54.52. Sophomore Jane Martineau came in third and freshman Lindsey Gallo finished fourth. Michigan also managed to pull off a win the field events, as sophomore Teyonna Simpson won the triple jump with a leap of 38-1l. e 1 Baltimore 34, New York 7 e6 Sup erbowi XYXV RAVENS Continued from Page 1B terback. He is after completing 12 of 25 passes for 153 yards, in his return to Tampa Bay, where he was released by the Buccaneers after last season. "I didn't throw the ball very well," Dilfer said. "But we talked about making big plays and we made them when we needed them. We aren't pretty, like St. Louis, but we got the job done. This is a team that puts wins ahead of stats." This was punt-o-rama for most of the game, the 11 th straight victory for Baltimore. Brad Maynard of the Giants and Kyle Richardson each ended up breaking the record of nine punts - Maynard had 11, Richardson 10. By contrast, the Giants had just one punt in their 41-0 win over Minnesota in the NFC title game. It was still 10-0 late in the third when the game exploded. Starks started it by stepping in front of Amani Toomer on a first down, grabbing the ball and racing 49 yards untouched to the end zone to give Baltimore a 17-point lead. Dixon, who returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in New York's playoff victory against Philadelphia, returned the GAME PROGRESSION FIRST QUARTER: After a 3-yard run by tailback Jamal Lewis, Baltimore's.Trent Differ threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Stokley over Giants cornerback Jason Seahorn at 8:10 into the game. Baltimore 7, New York O SECOND QUARTER: New York linebacker Jessie Armstead intercepted Dilfer's pass that was intended for Lewis and ran the ball into the endzone. The touchdown was then called back as Giants Keith Hamilton was flagged for holding. Dilfer missed a key-play opportunity with an incomplete pass to wideout Quadry Ismail. Nevertheless, Matt Stover secured Baltimore's lead by kicking a 47-yard field goal with 1:41 left in the first half. AP PHOTO Baltimore's Ray Lewis takes home the game's MVP award. Defending all valuables All the coaches have said it. Last night, linebacker Ray Lewis proved it - "defense wins games." Before being named the Superbowl XXXV most valuable play- er, Lewis led Baltimore's defense to a 34-7 win over Baltimore 10, New York O THIRD QUARTER: 0 Kerry Collins' fourth interception of the game resulted in a 49-yard touchdown by Duane Starks 11:11 into the quarter. Baltimore 17, New York O Immediately following Starks' endzone celebration, ;I I AP PHOTO