14A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 7, 2002
Big Ten champs have
just one NCAA rep
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
By Courtney Lewis races more and started performing well
Daily Sports Writer again.
Jazwinski's recovery appeared to be
Michigan fifth-year senior Katie complete two weeks ago in State Col-
Jazwinski was the only Wolverine who lege when she led Michigan to the Big
competed at last year's NCAA Indoor Ten Championship. Jazwinski's win in
Track and Field Championships, finish- the mile -her first race of the year at
ing seventh and 15th, respectively, in that distance - and her second-place
the 5,000 and 3,000-meter runs. But finishes in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters
after battling injury for much of this landed her the Athlete of the Meet
season, Jazwinski figured she had little award.
chance of returning to She followed that with a
nationals this season and i 0 0 personal-best 4:44.40 mile.
decided to focus on the FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. at the "last-chance" Alex
Big Ten Championship. Wilson Invitational last
So she's thrilled just to Who: Michigan at NCAA weekend, and on Monday
have qualified for the Wn: 1 pCm.iond 3psm learned that her time was
NCAA Championships tomorrow and Saturday good enough for the
this weekend in Fayet- Latest: Katie Jazwinski - NCAA meet.
teville, Ark., where she the Big Ten Championship Jazwinski competed in
will run the mile. Athlete of the Meet -will the mile in high school
"Making it to Nationals compete in the mile as and said it's one of her
is just a bonus because at Michigan's representative, favorite events.
the beginning of the sea- "I definitely love the
son I didn't think I would make it," mile, and I'm happy that I'm going to
Jazwinski said. Nationals in the mile," she said. "It's
An Achilles' heel injury she suffered fun to run because it combines speed,
at the end of the cross country season strength and endurance."
kept Jazwinski out of the first three Because the mile is usually a faster
meets of the indoor season. She race than the 3,000 or 5,000 meters,
resumed training about five weeks ago, Jazwinski has to make a few minor
and put considerable pressure on her- adjustments.
self to quickly return to form. "It goes by pretty quick, so you can
"My coaches and everyone told me never let your guard down," Jazwinski
not even to worry about Nationals, just said. "You have to be ready for every-
think about Big Tens," Jazwinski said. thing and be ready to make changes."
After that, she relaxed, enjoyed her Right now, Jazwinski isn't aiming
Brannen's tactics may
propel him to a title
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD FAYETTEVILLE, ARK.
CHAMPIONSHIPS
By Steve Jackson
Daily Sports Editor
Months of training ended in dis-
appointment and tragedy for the
Wolverines last weekend, when the
Big Ten Men's Indoor Track and
Field Championships were can-
celled after Penn State pole vaulter
Kevin Dare fell and died during
competition.
After the meet, several
members of the team
expressed mixed feelings FAYETTEX
about going home early.
But in the last few days, What: Michig
the perspective has shift- indoor Cham
ed toward support for the toerrow an
cancellation. Latest: Freshi
"A young man lost his Nathan Branr
life," Michigan coach Michigan's ik
Ron Warhurst said. "And tive, hoping b
the kids understand that American hoi
some things are just
more important than collegiate ath-
letics. After (Dare's) memorial serv-
ice, I don't think they could have
competed at the same level."
But the Wolverines still have one
person competing the final race of
the indoor season.
Nathan Brennan, who was named
the Big Ten Freshman of the Year
yesterday, will compete in the mile
this weekend at the NCAA Champi-
onships in Fayetteville, Ark.
Brannen qualified for the 800- and
3,000-meter events as well, but he
will concentrate on his strongest
event at nationals.
"The mile is an easier run for
him," Warhurst said. "When you
VIL
ian
npici
ien
one
toe
)nor,
look at his split times, he may be the
fastest miler in the field."
Brannen's time of 4:01.4 is the
14th best in the country this year; he
is ranked No. 9 in the 800-meters.
But Warhurst doesn't put too
much stock in those rankings, and
he remains confident that Brannen
will be an All-American in his first
year.
"Early in the season, people go out
with rabbits-- (fast
" pace-setters that speed
LLE, ARK. up the race in the begin-
ning and then step off the
at NCAA track) - and they just
inships run as fast as they possi-
bly can out of the gate
ia3pturday
an miler and just finish," Warhurst
i will be said. "You won't see a
representa- 3:56 this weekend. It is
earn All- going to be a tactical
s. race, and that will bene-
fit Nathan."
Brannen has received a great deal
of attention since he and Alan Webb
became the first pair of recruits with
sub-four minute miletimes to attend
the same school.
Webb, who is redshirting the
indoor season because of an Achilles
heel problem, is the American record
holder in the mile. Brannen, who
hails from Ontario, Canada, was the
No. 1-ranked junior in the world last
year in the 800-meters.
"They could be the eire apparents,
they could be the best milers in
America and Canada in a few
years," Warhurst said. "That is their
dream, and that is my aspirations for
them."
BRENDAN O'DONNELL/Daily
Michigan's Katie Jazwinski - seen running for the cross country team - will run in
the mile In preliminary rounds of the NCAA Track and Field Indoor Championships.
for a particular placing - she's just
concentrating on running well enough
in tomorrow's prelims to make it into
the final on Saturday - but she
expects the competition to be fairly
balanced.
"At Nationals, everyone is pretty
much equal and it's just whoever wants
it the most," she said, adding that her
experience of competing at NCAAs last
year should help her feel less nervous.
While Jazwinski is excited to be
competing this weekend, she wishes
teammate April Phillips could join her.
Phillips set provisional marks in both
the shot put and the weight throw at Big
Tens, but she missed qualifying for the
NCAA Championships by one spot.
Jazwinksi prefers competing in team
events, which is why this weekend
won't be her biggest - even if she runs
well.
"My highlight of the year no mat-
ter what is the Big Ten Champi-
onships," she said. Sharing the
victory with the entire team "was the
most awesome experience I've had in
my five years here."
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Concentration & Advising
t
vj
where
when:
i a
e: Michigan Union Ballroom
Thursday, March 7
11:ooam--3:oopm
see website for Concentration Fair Week programs and events:
http://www.lsa.umich.edu/saa/concfair
Freshman singles player Matt Lockin and the rest of the Wolverines will embark on
a Big Ten roadtrip this weekend. Michigan is still seeking its first conference win.
Blue needs growth
from lower singles
By Brian Steere
Daily Sports Writer
Spring break was
at the beach for the
certainly no day
Michigan men's
tennis team.
After an impressive nonconfer-
ence start, the Wolverines dropped
their first two Big Ten matches at
home against No. 5 Illinois and
Northwestern. Now, sitting at the
bottom of the conference, Michigan
(0-2 Big Ten, 6-3 overall) will hit
the road this weekend to face Min-
nesota (0-1, 4-3) and Wisconsin (1-
1, 6-3).
A frustrating theme percolated
throughout the Wolverines' past two
losses.
"We had some opportunities, and
for whatever reason, we got a little
nervous and had some lapses,"
coach Mark Mees said. "Against
good teams, you just can't do that."
Great tennis players distinguish
themselves from the rest of the pack
by their ability to excel when it mat-
ters most. Mees knows such a knack
MINNEAPOLIS & MADIsON
Who: Michigan (0-2 Big Ten, 6-3 overall) vs.
Minnesota (0-1, 4-3) and Wisconsin (1-1, 6-3)
When: 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, 1:00 p.m. Sunday
Latest: Michigan is looking for its first Big Ten
win of the season and trying to end a three-
match losing streak
trip. Cox was sidelined for the
Northwestern match due to a viral
infection, and he has not picked up
a racquet in two weeks.
That means Mees will have to tin-
ker with the singles lineup and bring
in some new players at the bottom, a
place where the Wolverines have not
been very effective this season.
"We have to play a little better
down at the bottom of our lineup,"
Mees said. "We've got some guys
that are capable of doing that, but
they need to start executing in
matches, not just in practice. We've
been playing a lot of matches this
week so we'll see who comes
through."
One player who does not need to