Daily sports editor Josh Kleinbaum
takes a crack at poetry, doing his best
imitation of Ernest Lawrence Thayer's Monday
famed "Casey at the Bat." Page 14. August 3,19971
Gymnasts
ring up
~academic
accolades
By Stephanie Offen
Daily Sports Writer
This year, the Michigan men's gymnastics
team had its eyes set on a much larger picture
thenjust the pommel horse, rings and floor exer-
cises. The Wolverines strived for and achieved
academic excellence as well.
Along with placing sixth in the Big Ten and
fifth at the NCAA East Regional, the
Wolverines finished seventh in the National
Academic Top 20 gymnastics team listing,
maintaining a team grade point average of 3.130
duing the 1998 season,
Mike Burns, the assistant men's gymnastics
coach, understands the difficulty of maintaining
high grades while participating in a sport. The
team has set up a student-athlete program that
helps the gymnasts with their schoolwork. The
gymnasts also can go to a study table four nights
a week and tutoring if they wish.
"They always provide us with a time and
place to study," sophomore _gymnast Ethan
Johnson said.
Burns credits the team's academic success to
these programs.
"We stress the point that the first semester is
important," Burns said. "If you don't do well
you can get into a hole. You need to get on the
fast track or you will get lost in the shuffle.
"The students can participate in gymnastics
while they are here, but they need good grades
for their careers."
In addition to the team honor, two individuals
also received academic recognition. Johnson, an
economics major, and freshman Kevin
Roulston, an engineering student, were honored
as 1998 all-America scholar-athletes by the
College Gymnastics Association. It was
Johnson's second year receiving the award.
Johnson and Roulston were among 49 stu-
dent-athletes in the country who maintained at
least a 3.5 grade point average and a 8.5 NCAA
-I
Michigan goes
One-on-One
with country
By Rick Freeman
Daily Sports Editor
While speaking at an alumni club function in Chicago
earlier this summer, athletic director Tom Goss, still every
inch the businessman, conducted a little impromptu
focus-group research.
He asked the assembled alums to raise their hand
they'd like to hear Michigan football games on the radio.
"All the hands went up," Goss said at a press conference
Thursday, smiling like a man who's just won $600,000.
Thursday, Goss announced a deal with One-on-One
Sports to broadcast football games on about 180 radio sta-
tions across the country. The deal is just another step
towards creating the "virtual athletic department" that
Goss envisions.
Goss said he expects the department to gain about
$600,000 from the deal, and he said that money will g
towards all sports and possibly some new women's sport
Lacrosse, water polo and ice hockey
were the three that Goss mentioned.
"This opportunity doesn't just help
football, this opportunity helps other
sports," Goss said.
Currently, the department is study-
ing the feasibility of adding women's
ice hockey as a varsity sport. But gen-
der equity should not be an issue.
Goss has said before that Michigan
stands in compliance with gender
equity regulations. Goss
The deal makes Michigan the sec-
ond football program in the nation to have its own com-
mercial national network.
Notre Dame games, which are also shown nationally on
NBC, are broadcast nationally on close to 300 stations
across the country. Army has by far the largest football
network, as Armed Forces Radio broadcasts the Cadets'
games around the world.
One-on-One Sports executive vice-president Chuck
Duncan said that other schools had approached One-o
One Sports about similar deals but were "more regional
their approach."
"The Big Ten, being in the heartland, crossed all
boundaries," Duncan said. He also cited the 1997 nation-
al championship won by the Wolverines as well as the
See RADIO, Page 14
I
Jose "Lalo" Haro helped his team excel outside the gym, too. The Wolverines came in seventh in
the National Academic Top 20 listing. Two gymnasts were recognized individually, as well.
scoring average - an average of one away and Burns also said it "comes down to the stu-
two home scores - during the season. dents we recruit." He recognizes the difficulty of
Both were selected as Michigan Athletic the University and the personal strength and
Academic Achievement honorees. as well. drive any student-athlete needs to be successful
Johnson also earned academic all-Big Ten hon- here.
ors, while Roulston was selected as the Big Ten "Any athlete wants to have character along
Freshman of the Year. with a strong work ethic" Johnson said.
Johnson said the goals the Wolverines set Bums said the men's gymnastics team pro-
helped them receive these honors. duces strong scholar athletes every year. It has
"One of the goals for this year was a 3.0 grade set even higher goals for the years to come.
point average," said Johnson. "We push our- "We want to do even better next year," said
selves not only in the gym but to reach that goal Johnson. "In our sport, every time you reach a
as well." peak you can just continue to try to do better."
i
New Draft Beers
* Boddington's Bitter
- Anderson Valley
Boont Amber
" Sleeping Bear
Brown Ale
* KIing's Pale Ale
ANN ARB R
338 S. State* 996-9191
http:Ilwww.Astsleys.com
---A
Dascofa Bartbers
Heat Summer
Cut
615 E. Liberty, cuff State St.
Volleyball
ranked 7tfr
By Josh Kleinbaum
Daily Sports Editor
Ten Big Ten coaches picked the
Michigan volleyball team, coming off
its most successful season in program
history to finish seventh in the confer-
ence in the 1998 season.
After finishing third in the confe -
ence a year ago and making its fire
ever NCAA Tournament appearance,
the low ranking is likely because
Michigan lost its two best players to
graduation. Setter Linnea Mendoza,
See POLL, Page 15
I
=-x.° . .. re g I ' t u'' d,. - " '.
I