2B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - April 16, 2001

tMd
SATHLETE OF THE WEEK
' Who: Ike Okenwa Sport: Men's track.
Hometown: San Diego Year: Junior,
Why: In the Wolverines' win over Central Michigan and Michigan State,
; Okenwa took both the 100- and 200-meter dashes. He also ran the second
leg of the first-place 400-meter relay team.
Histoiy Okenwa holds the best time for Michigan this outdoor season in the
100- and 200-meter dashes. He is also tops for the Wolverines for this past
indoor season in the 60meter and 200-meter runs.
Okenwa
Thursday, April 19
?,W gymnastics at NCAA Championships Team Preliminaries (Athens, Ga.) 1 p.m.
,Friday, April 20
Softball at Penn State (DH), 2 p.m.
W gymnastics at NCAA Championships Team Finals (Athens, Ga.) 7 p.m.
M track at Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)
W track at Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)
Saturday, April 21
W tennis at Indiana, 11 a.m.
M, tennis vs.-ndiana, noon
Softball at Ohio State, 2 p.m.
W gymnastics at NCAA Championships Individual Finals (Athens, Ga.) 7 p.m.
M track at Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)
W track at Mt. SAC Relays (Walnut, Calif.)
Sunday, April 22
Baseball vs. Sienna Heights (DH), 1 p.m.
Softball at Ohio State, 1 p.m.
.DAILY C0REBOARD

GHq-

THE HUMANITY ...


THE FORUM
Your chance to speak out on
issues in Michigan sports .
Who will go first in the NFL draft next
weekend?
What did you think of Tommy Amaker's
"team meeting"?
0 Who will be the next player to leave col-
lege for the NBA draft?
Daily Sports wants feedback! Visit
michigandaily.com/forum for your chance to
be heard. RACHEL FEIERMAN Oan
CLUB SPGR SWEEKLY
C uEdited Bi Seth Klepner nd NK e d S korw
Equestnan club sends
rider to nationa mee


By Naweed Sikora
Daily Sports Writer

MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily
Autograph seekers swarm Michigan players following Saturday's spring game.
IM NOTES


NBA STANDINGS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
W L Pct GB
Philadelphia 54 25 .684 -
Miami 48 31 .608 6
New York 47 32 .595 7
rlando 42 37 .532 2
Boston 35 45 .438 19.5
New Jersey 26 54 .325 28.5
Washington 19 60 .241 35
Central Division
W L Pct GB
Milwaukee 51 29 .638 -
Tronto 45 35 .563 6
Charlotte 43 36 .544 7.5
I'Indiana 39 40 .494 11.5
Detroit 32 47 .405 18.5
leveland 28 51 .354 22.5
Atlanta 24 56 .300 27
chicago 13 66 .165 37.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Midwest Division
W L Pct GB
San Antonio 57 23 .713 -
Utah 52 27 .658 4.5
Dallas 50 29 .633 6.5
innesota 46 33 .582 10.5
Houston 44 37 .543 13.5
a.Denver 39 41 .488 18
Vancouver 22 58 .275 35
Pacifiq Division
Pi W L Pct GB
Sacramento 54 25 .684 -
LA Lakers 54 26 .675 .5
Portland 50 30 .625 4.5
Phoenix 49 30 .620 5
Seattle 43 37 .538 11.5
LA Clippers 30 50 .375 24.5
Golden State 17 63 .213 37.5

NHL PLAYOFFS
EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 1 New Jersey vs. No. 8 Carolina (NJ leads 2-01
Ntw JEHSY 5. Carolina 1
NIw JEREYi 2. Carolina 0
No. 2 Ottawa vs. No. 7 Toronto (Tor leads 2-0)
Toronto 1. OITAWA 0
Toronto 3. Oi"AWA 0
No. 3Washington vs. No.6 Pittsburgh (seriestied 1-1)
WASHiNC~io\ 1. Pittsburgh 0
Pittsburgh 2. WASINGoON 1
No. 4 Philadelphia vs. No. 5 Buffalo (Bur leads 2-0)
Buffalo 2.-PHitAEiPHIA 1
Buffalo 4. PHiLADELPHIA 3 (OT)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 Colorado vs. No. 8 Vancouver (Col leads 2-0)
cOORADO 5. Vancouver 4
cOLOHADO 2. Vancouver 1
No. 2 Detroit vs. No. 7 Los Angeles (Det leads 2-0)
Dr rioii 5. Los Angeles 3
Di Ocii 4 Los Angeles 0
Detroit at Los AaouS. 11:30 pin.
No. 3 Dallas vs. No. 6 Edmonton (series tied 1-1)
DALiLA;. =, Edmonton 1 (OT)
EDMONTON 4. Dallas 3
Dallas at Edmonton. 8 p.m.
No. 4 St. Louis vs. No. 5 San Jose (series tied 1-1)
Si. Lois 3. San Jose 1
San Jose 1. St. Louis 0

'M' rolls to victory in
Michigan Triangular
By Adam Kaplan
For the Daily
The Michigan women's track
and field team dominated all facets
of the Michigan Triangular - its
first home outdoor meet of the sea-
son -- last Saturday. The Wolver-
ines finished in first place in all 18
events and totalled 190.5 points.
Central Michigan followed in sec-
ond with 95.5 and Michigan State
scored the low with 71 points.
Overall, the Michigan throwers'
impressive performances highlight-
ed the Wolverine's victory. Sopho-
more April Phillips broke her own
Michigan hammer-throw record for
the third week in a row with a throw
of 186-3 meters. 11er performance
provisionally qualifies her for the
NCAA Outdoor Championships.
"My performance surprised me,
giving me future confidence,"
Phillips said. "It gave me incentive
to practice harder."
For Phillips, participating in the
hammer-throw early in the morning
was a bit challenging. But she was
unfazed by such circumstances.
In addition, freshman Melissa
Bickett tossed a personal-best mark
of 164-4 in the discus. To round off
the field, freshman Janelle Jaha won
her first javelin competition, with a
personal-best toss of 135-0.
Michigan also dominated the
sprints. Freshman Adrena Williams
and senior Candice Mullings took
the top two spots with times of
12.14 and 12.20, respectively.
In the 800-meter run, senior Lisa
Ouellet and sophomore Rachel

Sturtze continued the Michigan
onslaught with first- and second-
place finishes, respectively.
The success continued in virtually
every other event. Sophomore
Nicole DeNamur won the high
jump, clearing a height of 5-6 that
was almost five inches higher than
anyone else in the competition.
Clearly, the Wolverines are on a
roll. Based on Saturday's perfor-
mance, Michigan proved that it is
well-balanced in both track and field
events.
Thompson, Beitel win
Big Ten Medal of Honor
Michigan seniors Chris Thompson
and Kacy Beitel are Michigan's recipi-
ents of the Big Ten Conference Medal
oft lonor.
One male and one fe.male winner are
annually chosen from each school.
based on their accomplishments in
scholarship and athletics.
Thompson, a nine-time All-America
swimmer, led the Wolverines to a 10th
place finish at the NCAA Champi-
onships this season. A bronze medallist
in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 2000
Summer Olympics; Thompson will
graduate with a degree in Classical Civi-
lizations. The two-time Academic All-
Big Ten selection also makes frequent
visits to Mott Children's hospital.
Beitel, a co-captain of the Michigan
women's soccer team, was recently
drafted by the Washington Freedom of
the newly founded Women's United
Soccer Association.
Michigan's all-time leading scorer
with 44 goals and 26 assists. Beitel will
graduate with a degree in industrial
operations engineering
- Staff'rl)ortS

For the first time in its eight-year
existence, a member of the Michigan
women's equestrian team has quali-
fied for the national show. Team co-
president Nikkie Meyer will pack up
her bags and ride down to Atlanta in
a few weeks where she will compete
against some of the most talented
college riders in the nation.
For coach Jennifer Blades, it is a
very happy time.
"Everyone is very excited that we
have a player going to nationals,"
Blades said. "It is a great accom-
plishment - we have never sent any-
one before."
For Meyer and the rest of the
Wolverines, competing on the eques-
trian team at Michigan has not been a
walk in the park.
This season, the.Wolverines com-
peted in four regional shows with
nine other teams from Michigan and
Ohio. Although it isn't the top team
in the region, Michigan has consis-
iently been able to finish in the top
two or three.
Blades feels the most difficult
thing her riders have to deal with is
changing horses, competition by
competition. Because horses are dif-
ficult to own and maintain, c,-,mpeti-
tors are required to draw horses prior
to the start of each show.
Adjusting to a different horse each
time makes it difficult to develop a
rhythm.
"it definitely takes more skill to
get on it and figure it out as you go
along. A lot of it depends on the level
and the horses," Blades said. "There
is no way you know if you are going
to draw a good horse or a bad horse.
One thing they do allow us to do is
see the horses an hour-and-a-half
before the show so you can get some
idea of what they are like."

0
Blades, the owner of the local sta-
ble where Michigan practices, was
asked to coach the team two seasons
ago. This season, the Wolverines
used Blades' horses to host their first
show in the history of the program.
Because the team does not have
varsity status, there have been many
obstacles along the way that hav
made it difficult for Michigan to i
competitive.
But the equestrian team's club sta-
tus does not take away from its seri-
ous attitude about riding.
"It is very difficult for us (without
varsity status)," Blades said. "Other
teams can take lessons everyday,
work out at the gym, run the track,
and lift weights just like any other
varsity sport."
Attending practice has been ano@
er major difficulty for the riders.
With the barn about 20 minutes away
from campus. Michigan has been
unable to establish an official prac-
tice schedule.
"We have more of a roundabout
schedule here, where as it is more of
a priority at varsity schools," Blades
said.
Although the continuous chang4
of horses does make things difficuTt
for the riders, Blades feels that ran-
domly drawing horses can also even
the playing field for all competitors.
"You still have the chance of
drawing a bad horse or one that does-
n't fit you well," Blades said. "Most
people have one or two types of hors-
es that they ride better. There are dif-
ferent levels of riders and they match
the appropriate horse to the persa
So everyone rides a horse that shou
be fairly appropriate to them eveh if
it doesn't match them perfect'."I
As Meyer prepares for the national
competition, her coach and team-
mates are hoping that her .uccess
will help drum up support for the
equestrian program.

MLB STANDINGS

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Eastern Division
Toronto
New York Yankees
" Soston
Baltimore
Tampa Bay
Central Division
Minnesota
Cleveland
Detroit
Chicago white sox
Kansas City

9
8
8
5
4
W1
9
5
4
4
3

L
4
4
4
7
8
L
2
6
7
7
9

Pct GB
.692 -
.667 .5
.667 .5
.417 3.5
.333 4.5
Pct GB
.81.8 -
.455 4
.364 5
.364 5
.250 6.5

NAiotNAL LEAGUE
Eastern Division
Philadelphia
Montreal
Atlanta
Florida
New York Mets
Central Division
Houston
Chicago Cubs
Cincinnati
St. Louis
Milwaukee
Pittsburgh
Western Division

W
7
7
6
4
4
W
7
6
6
4
7
6
6
4

L
4
5
7
7
8
L
4
4
6
6
7
8
5
6
6
6
8

Pct GB
.636 -
.563 .5
.462 2
.364 3
.333 3.5
Pct GB
.667 -
.667 -
.538 1.5
.500 2
.462 2.5
.333 4
.583 -
.538 .5
.500 1
.500 2.
.333 3

Western Division
Seattle 9 3 .750 -
Tex.'s 6 6 .500 3
Aflaheim 6 6 .500 3
Oakand 2 9 .182 6.5
fodqiy's games:
kJw. York Yankees at Bosiorn. 11:05 a.m.
T.~nipa Bay at BA~twoHII, 7:05 p.m.
N nsas City at MINEsoTA. 8:05 p.m.
OsJtand at ANAHEIM, 10:05 p.m.
TUx~s at SLA: ntE. 10:05 p.m.

6W9NOTES

San Francisco
Los Angeles
Colorado
San Diego
Arizona

Today's games:
Houston at Pimisii.c. 7:05 p.m.
Montreal at NY MisC 7:10 p.m.
Florida at ATL ANTA. 7:35 p.m.
Philadelphia at CHICAGOCuctis. 8:05 p.m.
Arizona at Si. Louis. 8:10 p.m.

TfrI~r WA,...~N YORFAITAK
YOUVWHT >''E8NDONVO
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DRUN VIWTY.MCKX2/K:

Michigan rumored to
pursue recruit Charles
Michigan coach Tommy Amaker
has one scholarship available and it has
been rumored that it will be awarded to
center Chris Charles. But this might
not be the case.
Cameroon-native Simplice Njoya,
were in town this weekend on a

,.

Responsible, work-study student wanted for general
lab duties, including care of mice, in medical school

basic science research lab. Go
ular biology research technique
Contact Sarah at stupica@umich.edu

od
as.

exposure to molec-
$8/hr for 20 hours.

recruiting trip. Njoya once considered
Michigan before signing a letter of
intent with UNLV.
Njoya's guardian never signed the
letter and when interim-Runnin' Rebel-
coach Max Good wasn't offered a con-
tract to return, Njoya re-opened his
recruitment. Njoya, like Charles. is
considered by most to be a Top-0
recruit and a Top-10 center.
Amaker said last week that he was-
n't sure if he'd utilize the remaining
scholarship this upcoming season, or
save it for the following year.
But with the graduation of center
Josh Asselin and the imminent loss of
senior Chris Young after this upcom-
ing season, there is a definite need
down low for the Wolverines.
Charles or Njoya could join sopho
more center Josh Moore down on the
low block.
-Stafreports
SCOREKEEPERS
Sf0or4r: & Pa6
SSSO
575tCALL B
DRINKS
L M
BACARDI
FRIDAY.
25 Taps! Full Menu!

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