The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 17, 2002 - 9A

Big Ten
*title i n
reach for
 By Brian Steere
Daily Sports Writer
The lasting memory from the 2001
Michigan field hockey season is that
the Wolverines captured the pro-
gram's first national championship.
But what most people forget is that
Michigan also surrendered its
beloved Big Ten crown, which it had
held for the previous two years to
rivals Michigan State and Ohio
State.
Being third best in the conference'
was something that didn't sit well
with the Wolverines.
"It was really disappointing," sen-
ior Jessica Rose said. "Michigan
State, Ohio State, Penn State - those
are our rivals. We want to beat those
teams year in year out, and not to
achieve that last year was really dis-
appointing."
Last season's Big Ten frustration
immediately turned into motivation
for this year.
"We definitely put that in our
pocket for this year," Rose said. "I
remember sitting at the Big Ten ban-
quet when they announced the co-
champions - Michigan State and
Ohio State, thinking that should be
us. I won't ever forget hearing their
names announced instead of ours."
With victories this weekend at
Indiana (1-2 Big Ten, 3-9 overall)
and at home against Northwestern
(0-3, 4-9), No. 2 Michigan (3-0, 12-
1) can clinch at least a share of the
regular-season Big Ten Champi-
onship.
On the surface, a weekend sweep
ought to be a walk in the park for the
red-hot Wolverines. Michigan is rid-
ing an 11-game win streak and sit-
ting atop the conference standings,
while Indiana and Northwestern are
resting at the bottom of the Big Ten.
But Michigan coach Marcia
Pankratz knows her team can't
underestimate the Hoosiers or the
Wildcats.
"We're not going to overlook
them," Pankratz said. "Indiana's
improved every single year under
(coach) Amy Robertson. She's a very
strong coach, and they've got some
very nice athletes there right now.
We're down on their home field, and
they'd like nothing better than to
beat us."
Despite its abysmal conference
record, Northwestern has seriously
tested No. 6 Penn State and No. 11
Iowa, losing by just one goal in each
contests.
"We've always had some really
tough, close matches against North-
western," Pankratz said. "They're
very scrappy; they're very athletic.
We'll have our work cut out for us."
Still, Indiana and Northwestern
have given up the most goals in the
Big Ten, and they will be facing
arguably the strongest offense in the
country. Michigan is averaging just
over 20 shots per game and outscor-
ing its opponents by a staggering 45-
10 margin.
"Molly Powers, Adrienne Hor-
tillosa, April Fronzoni are just amaz-
ing goal scorers," Rose said. "I think

the midfield's really stepping up, get-
ting them the ball when they need it,
and giving them the opportunity to
score those goals."
Sunday's game against Northwest-
ern will mark the final regular sea-
son home games for Powers, Rose,
and Krista Meckley. These seniors
have been an integral part of Michi-
gan's field hockey program for the
past four years.
"They've been nothing but won-
derful student athletes," Pankratz
said. "All three of them have had
tremendous careers and have really
contributed so much to the success of
our program that they will be sorely
OCKER FIELD
Who: Michigan (3-0 Big Ten, 12-1 overall) at
Indiana (1-2, 3-9), vs. Northwestern (0-3, 4-9)
When: 6 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. Sunday
Latest: Sunday is Senior Day, and Michigan's
three seniors will be honored. The Wolverines
can also clench a share of the Big Ten regular
season title if they sweeo the weekend.
SMITH
Continued from Page 5A
"It's an enormous undertaking,
but we'll seg how good we are," Gib-
son told The Detroit News. "We'll
make big strides. Immediate
imrvmn wn' ho, hard- hut thatFi

LionS' arngton among Top 5
F.'' - hunks' on Cosmopolitan'sls

ALLEN PARK (AP) - Detroit Lions rookie quarter-
back Joey Harrington has impressed his teammates
with his talent, his poise and his confidence.
Now he is wowing them with his sensitivity and charm.
Harrington was named one of America's "Top 50
Hunks" by Cosmopolitan magazine, an honor that did-
n't escape the notice of his teammates.
"This is a side of Joey that we hadn't seen before,"
said fellow quarterback Ty Detmer with a grin. "He's
obviously in touch with his feminine side, which is
good to know."
Harrington's tear2nmates knew the issue was coming,
because they had seen highlights from the photo shoot
on ESPN, but his quotes came as a surprise.
"I love touching a woman's face, and putting my
face against hers," he was quoted as saying. "Soft
cheeks are so attractive."
That, along with Harrington's views on perfume and
women who worry about their makeup, had his team-
mates shaking their heads.
"This is pretty deep stuff" said starting center
Dominic Raiola. "He's definitely going to hear about
this. Especially since it is Cosmopolitan. That's a pret-
ty girlie magazine."
Lions coach Marty Mornhinweg has developed a lot
of young quarterbacks, but having one appear in a
leading women's magazine was new for him.
"I've seen a lot of things from players, but this
looked a little juicy," he said. "It will be put up during
a team meeting quite soon, I'm sure."

Harrington good-naturedly tried to defend himself
by claiming to have taken part to help the NFL.
"What people don't realize is that this can help the
league," he said. "I was reaching out to a demographic
that doesn't normally spend a lot of time watching
football. Our Web site gets about 750,000 hits a week,
and we are up to 800,000 already. Maybe some of that
is people who read this story."
It might not be the demographic that he's looking to
for a wife, though.
"This was a chance to do something I normally
wouldn't do, but I don't think this is going to get me
dates," he said.
"The people who respond to this aren't exactly the
type ofpeople I'm looking forward to going out to din-
ner and settling down with."
For the story, Harrington represented the state of
Oregon, where he played during college. He was one
of the few winners who didn't have his shirt off for his
picture, which disappointed his backup.
"If I'm doing it, I'm ripping all of my clothes off"
Mike McMahon said. "If you are going to be a girls'
magazine and have all these people looking at you,
you might as well go for it."
Harrington's teammates know that they and Harring-
ton's mom won't be the only ones that notice the article.
"I'm sure the Bears already have this on their bul-
letin board," McMahon said, referring to this week-
end's opponents. "He's going to hear about it on
Sunday."

AP P HOTO
Not only has Lions' qaurterback Joey Harrington the third overall pick in the NFL draft
last season, but he also made Cosmo's top 50.

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