The Michigan Daily I michigandaily.com I April 20, 2009
M' NOTE: FOOTBALL
Wolverines
no longer
0w
interested
in Paulus
The Michigan football team is no longer pursuing
former Duke point guard Greg Paulus, according to a
Scout.com report on Saturday.
On the Dan Patrick radio show on Thursday, Pau-
lus said he had an opportunity to compete at the
quarterback position at Michigan. He was at the
Wolverines' final spring practice Tuesday to meet
with Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez and talk about
potentially joining the team.
Paulus said that he has trained with the Green Bay
Packers as well as talked to several college teams.
An ESPN.com article from Wednesday reported
that Paulus had been offered by Duke football coach
David Cutcliffe the opportunity to try out for wide
receiver for the Blue Devils.
"He's a quarterback at heart, but there was no way 0
he was going to be able to compete and play quarter-
back for us," Cutcliffe said to ESPN.
Immediately after a FOXsports.com report broke
the story ofPaulus's visit to Ann Arbor, rumors began
to swirl about the point guard playing for Michigan
next season. Under NCAA rules, he could apply for
a waiver and, because he technically has one more
year of blanket eligibility, Paulus could come back to
college sports for one year should he choose to use it', I1
in a sport other than basketball.
Paulus was a highly touted dual-threat quarter-
back in high school, passing for 11,763 yards and 152
touchdowns.
Early-enrollee Tate Forcier, incoming freshman By COLT ROSENSWEIG through. They were expected
Denard Robinson and redshirt junior Nick Sheridan, Daily Sports Writer to win. No one expected us to
who is currently sidelined with a slight fracture in get second."
his right leg, will compete for the starting spot at MINNEAPOLIS - When Kelley had earned a 15.30
quarterback this fall. the final scores came up in floor score in Michigan's final
Friday night's men's gymnas- routine of the night, mov-
tics NCAA Championships, ing Michigan past both No. 2
the fourth-ranked Wolverines Oklahoma and No. 5 Califor-
U P, STreacted as if they had won. na. With that, the Wolverines
I think (my must memo- ploded in raucous celebra-
watched the ESPN broadcast For much of the season, No.
of me jumping up and down 1 Stanford was favored to win
t w o ag n s t like a sixth-grade schoolgirl the national title. But no one
screaming at the top of my expected Michigan to be the
couRTESvOFJACKDiSCHER w e had each other's voice when we got second," runner-up..Michigan finished
- (Top) Senior Ioe Catrambone performs a sophomore Thomas Kelley just behind the Cardinal's
straddle-L on the still rings; he later placed backs and We did it said. "We could possibly be 362.80 score with a 361.50.
iv a Mfifth in tb high-bar finals. (Middle)Senior happier than the first-place Defending national cham-
S ott Bregman competed in his first for the love of each Stanford team right now, just pion Oklahoma was just three
NCAAs since his freshman year. Boi am because of all we've been See NCAAS, Page 2B
By TIM ROHAN Sophomore ChrisCameron earned All-
Daily Sports Writer American honors on the floor exercise and other."
pommel horse afer helping lead Michigan
EAST LANSING - The Wolverines couldn't have to a second -place team finish. -Senior Ralph Rosso
set a better script for a memorable weekend series y
and the chance to halt their recent losing skid. osso p ovid es s{
Its opponent was Michigan State, a team nine o
games below .500. The Wolverines were set to retire h i
former pitcher Jim Abbott's No. 31 jersey before hits on biggest stage
Saturday's game. And to top it off, a win by senior
pitcher Chris Fetter on Friday would push him past By COLT ROSENSWEIG lineup so he could compete for
Abbott for fourth on the Michigan all-time career Daily Sports Writer the all-around crown a couple
wins list. weeks after finishing second
But Michigan (5-7 Big Ten, 21-16 overall) lost 8-7 MINNEAPOLIS - On the at the Big Ten Championships.
Friday in extra innings at East Lansing and 3-1 at morning of the men's gym- NCAA rules don't allow gym-
home on Saturday. It avoided a sweep by taking yes- nastics NCAA Championship nasts to exhibition events in
terday's away game, 9-2. team finals, the all-around competition, so
"You know they're trying so hard, so you just got to senior Ralph NOTEBOOK Cameron's score would have
play through it," Michigan coach Rich Maloney said. Rosso wasn't to count towards Michigan's
"You hope that before it's too late from a playoff stand- in the vault lineup., team point total.
point that somehow you find a way.... (The games are) But by the time Michigan's But it wasn't such a straight-
all big now. We've got a tough road to go. But never- vault rotation finished, he had forward decision. Rosso's vault
theless, the game of baseball, things can change." posted one of the teams best is worth over a point more
scores. than Cameron's. And though
See SPARTANS, Page 3B The Michigan coaching Rosso's handspring double
staff originally put sophomore front, one of the hardest vaults
Chris Cameron in the vault See ROSSO, Page 2B
p - I ,~dUO 10 ~ 1

iviicrngars most obscure national cnampion
Tiffany Ofili may be the most p.m., she reminded him, and he should be getting
prolific athlete in Michigan "I'm just waiting on Tiffany," he told his wife,
referring to senior Tiffany Ofili, Michigan's All-
sports history - and you've Everythihurd erf-past the hour after attending
SI probably never heard of her an event for the College of Pharmacy. Henry didn't
"I would wait until 8 p.m. to work with her if I had
t was the Friday before Easter and the Michi- to," Henry said.
gan women's track and field team had just Such concessions can be made for Ofili, who will
finished a grueling three-hour workout at quietly leave the women's track program as the most
the Indoor Track Building. prolific runner in its history and unarguably lay
The squad, feeling sore and By CHRIS claim to one of the most decorated careers - in any
looking forward to embracing ByRRIS sport, male or female - ever at Michigan.
the holiday weekend, filed out. HERRING
But coach James Henry didn't HUNTING FOR A CHALLENGE
leave. Instead, he waited for Daily Sports +h The main reason Henry has no problem with Ofili's
his next appointment. Editor lateness is that she tends to have a hectic schedule as
He killed time by stamping a a pharmacy student. The other reason he's OK with
SAID ALSALAH/Daily stack of letters that needed to be mailed and then CHRIS DZMOMAK/Daily her coming later has to do with her performance on
SeniorChris Fetter missed the chance to pass Jim Abbott on took a call from his wife, who wanted to know Senior Tiffany Ofili is a four-time national champion in the the track.
Michigan's all-time wins list with the Wolverines' loss Friday- when he'd be home for dinner. It was already 5:15 hurdles, her specialty event. See OFILI, Page 4B
CWPA CHAMPS . Y INDIVIDUAL FEATS
The Michigan water polo team toppled Sophomore Kylee Botterman took ninth on
archrival Indiana to earn its eighth straight floor in the NCAA individual championships,
CWPA championship. >>Page 3B good for All-American honors. >>Page 3B