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michigandaily.com/sports
sportsdesk@umich.edu

WEDNESDAY
FEBRUARY 20, 2002

8


Former cers
return to Yost
for NHL break
By Nawowl Sikora
Daily Sports Writer
Sometimes, alumni support can inspire a team.
With the NHL on a break for the Winter Olympics,
former Michigan. hockey players Mike Comrie and
Steve Shields made their way back
to Ann Arbor to watch their former HOCKEY
team play. Notebook
Shields, who was Michigan's
goalie from 1990-94, did not play
with any of the current players, but he cherishes this
rare opportunity to visit Michigan during the NHL
season.
"I usually don't get a chance to come in the middle
of the season, so it's good to. come out and see the
guys," Shields said. "Some of my friends are still work-
ing here, so I also see them."
Besides the coaching staff, Shields has kept in touch
with Michigan's current goaltenders, Josh Blackburn
and Kevin O'Malley.
"I worked with those guys in my summer goalies
camp," Shields said. "I'm sure I will get to know the
freshmen next summer."
Comrie played for Michigan from 1998-2000. He
would have been a senior this season, but chose to
leave for major-juniors after his sophomore season to
pursue an NHL career.
"This was a great opportunity for me to come
back and be with some of my really close friends,"
Comrie said.
Even though the two try to stay out the way when
they visit, they both feel that the Wolverines have a
very legitimate chance of succeeding down the stretch.
"I see how close the players are and how much that
means for the team," Comrie said. "Down the stretch,
you need the team to come together and everyone to
chip in."
BLACKBURNED: Michigan's 3-1 loss to Michigan State
Saturday night was probably one of Michigan goalie
Josh Blackburn's most forgettable games of this sea-
son, if not his entire career. The senior allowed three
goals, while facing just 19 shots.
But it wasn't the number of goals he allowed that
made they evening so dreadful, it was the quality. His

Horton gets in line
for McDonald's game

By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Editor

FILE PHOTO
Former Michigan star Mike Comrie, now in his second year in the NHL, is tied for twentieth in goals for the
Edmonton Oilers with 22 and has 44 points on the season.

most glaring mistake came on a dump-in attempt in the
first period by Michigan State's Joe Goodenow that
bounced off his glove and into the net.
In the third period, with Michigan trailing by one, he
allowed another weak goal, this time to freshman Mike
Lalonde. Lalonde beat Michigan defenseman Mike
Roemensky in a one-on-one situation and fired a wrist-
shot that seemed to handcuff Blackburn.
Blackburn was playing with an injured finger on his
stick-hand last weekend against Nebraska-Omaha, but
that injury was not a factor Saturday. Blackburn said he
was at 100 percent, but he still seemed hesitant.
Michigan goalie coach Stan Mitwijiw felt that a
poor week in practice might have been the cause of
Blackburn's Saturday night woes.
"I don't think he had a great week in practice, and a
lot of times that carries into the weekend," Mitwijiw
said. "He didn't watch the puck into his body very
well, and that happens when you fall into a slump. But
some nights, no matter what you do, you're just not
going to have a good night."
Despite Blackburn's difficulties Saturday night, the
Wolverines are confident that their netminder will
make the big save when the time comes.

"He has kept us in every game this season, and he
has been there for us in every game," Michigan fresh-
man Eric Nystrom said.
DOWN AGAIN: Mike Cammalleri, who skated Monday
in his first full practice since being diagnosed with
mono Jan. 17, fell sick again yesterday.
"He didn't just feel okay today, he felt terrible,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "I'm inclined to
think he picked up a bit of a bug."
The date of Cammalleri's return is still unknown.
USCHO poll
Team Record Points
1. Denver (40) 22-2-0 600
2. New Hampshire 17-4-2 546
3. St. Cloud 20-4-1 518
4. Minnesota 17-4-4 460
5. Michigan State 17-5-3 419
6. Boston University 14-5-2 400
7. Mass.-Lowell 16-5-1 398
8. Michigan 13-7-5 289
9. Colorado College 14-8-2 246
10. Northern Michigan 15-7-2 245

It may have been the biggest news of
Daniel Horton's life, but he was the last
to know.
The headliner of Tommy Amaker's
first recruiting class was invited to the
McDonald's All-
American game BASKETBALL
yesterday.
He missed the Notebook
initial phone call,
so the selection committee informed his
coach and his father before the.6-foot-3
standout point guard. But Horton didn't
mind if everyone else heard first - this
was his dream come true.
"This is something I have always
worked for, something I've always
dreamed about," Horton said. "This
means that I will be part of history. Peo-
ple will look back and say I was part of
the 2002 McDonald's All-America
game."
The game does, in fact, have a very
rich tradition. More than 100 partici-
pants are currently playing in the NBA,
including Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant,
Shaquille O'Neal and Vince Carter.
Michigan has also featured plenty of
these high school phenoms during the
last 25 years. In fact, the Wolverines
have amassed more than any other team
in the Big Ten. Horton will be the 17th
player to trade in his golden arches for
the maize and blue. Twelve of those
Wolverines have spent time in the NBA,
including Chris Webber, Juwan Howard,
Rumeal Robinson and Robert Traylor.
Forward LaVell Blanchard is the only
former McDonald's All-American on
Michigan's current roster.
But this recent success hasn't
changed Horton's mindset - at least
not yet.
"This really hasn't affected my game
or my confidence at all," Horton said.
"It really hasn't hit me yet. I have to

concentrate on the rest of my season.
Maybe later on it will make a differ-
ence, but now I just have to stay focused
on winning the state championship."
This season, Horton has averaged
23.2 points, 4. 6 rebounds, 3.8 assists
and 2.9 steals per game, leading Cedar
Hill High School in Texas to a 30-2
overall record and a No. 10 national
ranking from USA Today.
Horton, who is ranked as one of the
top 10 overall players in high school by
several sources, will begin his run at the
state title on Friday night.
The McDonald's All-America game
will take place in New York City's
Madison Square Garden on April 4.
RoSES ARE TRADED: Former Fab Five
standout guard Jalen Rose will be play-
ing ball in the Windy City.
The Indiana Pacers traded Rose,
Travis Best, rookie Norman Richardson
and a conditional second-round draft
pick to the Chicago Bulls for Brad
Miller, Ron Mercer, Ron Artest and
Kevin Ollie, yesterday.
Rose was leading the Pacers in scor-
ing for the third straight season with
18.5 points per game.
Rose's agent, David Falk, blamed
Indiana coach Isiah Thomas for the
trade.
"I think (Rose is) disillusioned with
his former coach," Falk told The Associ-
ated Press. "About 18 months ago, Jalen
recommended Isiah as his coach. This is
the way Isiah reciprocated his loyalty.
"He could have had Jalen eating out
of his hands, but instead he injected
petty, personal issues that drove a
wedge between them. Look at his track
record, like the CBA, and that's the way
he is."
GAMETIME: Yesterday, the Michigan
Athletic Department finalized the time
of the Wolverines' last Big Ten matchup
of the season. The game between Ohio
State and Michigan will take place at 8
p.m. on Mftrch 2 in Crisler Arena.

01

Play ball! Baseball
to start out West

WOMEN'S SWIMMING ANN ARBOR
CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Michael Rosen
Daily Staff Writer
While many Michigan students
will be resting over spring break, the
Michigan baseball team be compet-
ing at a tournament in Riverside,
Calif. The first pitch will be thrown
on Friday when the Wolverines take
on Oregon State to start their season.
Michigan interim coach Chris Har-
rison is not quite sure what the com-
petition will be like, although he
understands that some of these teams
will have an advantage, as they will
have some games under their belt.
Michigan has not played any games
due to the unfriendly Midwestern
weather, a phenomenon that West
Coast teams rarely have to worry
about.
But going in "dry" does not dis-
courage Harrison. In addition to his
philosophy of worrying about his
own team, Harrison sees this trip as
an opportunity to gauge where his
squad stands among other teams
around the nation.
"We just want to play good ball,
and we want to execute and see the

KIVERSIDE, IRVINE AND SAN DIIEGO
CALIF.
Who: Oregon State, San Francisco, California-
Irvine, California-Riverside, San Diego
When: Feb. 22 -March 3
Latest: Interim coach Chris Harrison will kick off
the season with a nine-game west cost swing
over spring break.
things we need to work on," Harrison
said.
He does not foresee any problems
keeping his team focused and ener-
gized during this 10-day roadtrip.
"I don't think it's a problem
because they have been working for a
long time and they're excited to
play," Harrison said.
He is also concerned with physical
fatigue setting in over the nine-game
stretch.
"I think we are deep enough this
year where we'll be able to have
some different lineups and be able to
keep guys fresh on the trip," Harri-
son said.
Contributing to Michigan's depth
will be its improved pitching. The
Wolverines enter this season with a
quality four-man rotation. This will
allow for ample rest among the
starters over the course of the
lengthy season.
In addition to a solid rotation,
every competitive team must have a
dependable closer. Last season, sen-
ior Jeff Trzos was the one responsi-
ble for driving the nail into the
opposition's coffin in the final
inning. But this season, Trzos will
accompany juniors Tim Leveque and
Rich Hill and senior Bobby Korecky
in the starting rotation, as the coach-
ing staff wants its younger pitchers to
close out the games.
Although many logistical details
need to be worked out, the Wolver-
ines do not see 2002 as a rebuilding
season. Despite being a predominate-
See BASEBALL, Page 9

TOM FELDKAMP/Daily
Annie Weilbacher, one of four Wolverines to have already qualified for the NCAA
Championships, will begin competition with her teammates today in the Big Tens.
Canham tohost

DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
Michigan sophomore catcher Jake Fox already has plenty of experience behind the
plate. He batted .304 last season for the Wolverines.


the Bi~g
By Kyle O'Neill
Daily Sports Writer

Ten's best

The time that many have been wait-
ing for is finally here.
For Michigan's women's swimming
and diving team, the Big Ten Champi-
onships will the culmination of a year's
worth of training put into one week-
end. With only four Wolverines -
Lindsay Carlberg, Kelli Stein, Annie
Weilbacher and Amy McCullough -
guaranteed to go to the NCAA Cham-
pionships this March, there need to be
many personal-bests in this four-day
event to qualify for the NCAAs.
Where the swimmers have NCAAs
to look to as a goal, the divers are

CANHAM NATATORIUM
What: Big Ten Championships
When: 7 p.m. today, 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
tomorrow, Friday and Saturday.
Latest: Today No. 18 Michigan will compete in
the 200-yard medley relay and the 800
freestyle relay.
much more focused on how they can
help give Michigan its second Big Ten
Championship in a row and seventh in
the past nine years.
"This is our biggest event," Diving
coach Dick Kimball, who is retiring
after this season said. "NCAA Zones
are a whole different thing that we're
not concerned with right now, because
we already know who's going."
Only junior Kelly Vander Kuyl and
sophomore Tealin Kelemen will be
going to West Lafayette on March 9 for
NCAA Zones. There they will

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