12 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, May 27, 2003 Maloney a success in year one GENNARO Fia ON BASEBALL Before Rich Maloney's arrival as head coach this season, the Michigan baseball team held a shoddy 69-92-1 mark in the new millennium. During this three-year period, the Wolverines chalked up a 34- 49 conference record en route to eighth, sixth and eighth place finishes in Big Ten play. Basically, a once proud pro- gram that tore through the '80s with a tecord of 465-146-1 (142-37 Big Ten) - while winning eight conference championships - had fallen to relative obscurity in the Big Ten. Maloney made it clear early in his inaugural season that each game's out- come did not matter to him, he just wanted his team to "get after it." And "get after it" they did. Michigan finished 30-27 overall - its best record since 1999 - and earned a third place finish in conference stand- ingswith a 16-14.Big Ten mark. Throughout the season, Maloney credited Michigan's success to the team's "never say die" attitude. "We're not going to back down to whoever we play," Maloney said earlier this season. "We're going to expect to .be the best." This cavalier mindset was evident in the Wolverines' 12 come-from-behind victories this year. Michigan's feisty approach was also apparent when it defeated Midwest powerhouse Notre Dame and took a home series from Ohio State (the Buckeyes' first home- series loss since 1997) in one week. At the plate, Michigan rode its senior leadership throughout the season. The trio of Brock Koman (.368, 55 RBIs), Gino Lollio (.329, 58 runs), and Mike Sokol (.340, 38 runs) paced the Michi- gan offense on a daily basis. - Senior Tim Leveque was paramount -- AP PHOTO First-year Michigan coach Rich Maloney has taken the Wolverines from the bottom of the Big Ten to third place - a five-spot leap from last year. on the mound, giving Maloney a steady reliever with a 3.68 ERA. Although these seniors were vital to Michigan's success this year and will be missed in 2004, Maloney did a stellar job developing a lot of the young talent, namely pitching. Of Michigan's 11 hurlers who made appearances this year, all but one (Leveque) will be avail- able for service next season. This young staff was beat up a bit this year, but with players like Drew Taylor (9-1, 3.97 ERA) and Phil Tognetti (6-5, 3.76 ERA) returning, the Wolverines should be solid on the mound in 2004. Michigan also returns many position players next year. Jake Fox had a mon- ster junior season, hitting .357 and lead- ing the team in homeruns (15) and RBIs (67). Besides Fox, the Wolverines will boast five other players in 2004 with at least 20 starts under their belts. All in all, under the tutelage of Mal- oney, the program is headed in the right direction. In seven years at Ball State (1996-2002), Maloney transformed the Cardinals from a cellar-dweller to a two- time Mid-American Conference champi- on. So far, it looks like he's going the same route with Michigan. In his first season with the Wolverines, Maloney achieved one of the team's main goals (30 wins), improved Michigan's final conference standing five spots from a year ago and - through this rampant success - thwarted any idea of 2003 being a typical "rebuilding year" (the new-era term for a losing season). Led by Maloney, Michigan finished just behind the conference's two perenni- al contenders - Ohio State and Min- nesota - who both will compete in the 2003 NCAA tournament. Will it leapfrog the Buckeyes or Golden Gophers next season? Possibly. Will it make the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999? There's a chance. But, under Maloney's reign, at least one thing is guaranteed in 2004 - the Wolverines will most certainly "get after it." BASEBALL Continued from Page 11 shots that were line drives right at somebody." The Wolverines never got back to the form seen in Wednesday's 7-2 win over Indiana, in which Michigan's 3-4-5 hit- ters had five RBIs. Michigan mustered just one rally against the Buckeyes in the eighth, with sophomore right fielder Matt Butler's homerun. Fox later came up with the bases loaded, but hit into a double play. Sokol then grounded out. "We had the right hitters up, we just didn't get it done," Maloney said. "The seniors may have put too much (pres- sure) on themselves to try to get it done because they knew it was their moment." ACC Continued from Page 11 college football? The Big East and ACC, two weak football conferences, have been taking up two automatic BCS bids. They've made it tough for schools in the Big Ten, Pac-10, Big 12 and SEC, who have great seasons but aren't conference champs, to finda way into the BCS mix. Take last season as an example. There is no reason that an 8-4 Florida State team deserved to play 12-1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Usually, each year, there is one team from the ACC or Big East that does not belong in the BCS. But that wouldn't be the case any- more. There would likely be three at-large bids to the BCS instead of two, which certainly is good for the Big Ten, as the Michigan-Ohio State loser is always a lucrative at-large choice. The ACC becomes a very solid football competitor with the addition of Miami. The 'Canes and 'Noles will always be among the most tal- ented teams in the country, and now with the emergence of new coaches Chuck Amato at North Carolina State and Ralph Friedgen at Mary- land, the ACC has some up-and-com- ing programs waiting to strike on the national scene. The ACC expansion simply helps the big boys get fatter. The Big East will become a conference that will have to choose an identity: Even weaker football conference or a con- ference that is built on basketball- only schools like Georgetown, Villanova and Seton Hall. Keep in mind that is what the Big East was before it changed its direction by adding Miami in the early '90s. The football schools left in the Big East - Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and West Virginia - will likely scramble for new partnerships as soon as annexation is made official sometime in June. The losers here are clearly these three schools. Frank Beamer has built Virginia Tech into one of the top 15 football programs in the nation year in and year out, but for some reason that just wasn't enough to be included in the ACC's invite list. Regardless, the Hokies, Panthers and Mountaineers will have some suitors to be sure. Conference USA is licking its chops, hoping that adding one or a few of these schools will make ita candidate for an automatic BCS bid. Some believe the Big East will raid C-USA to get its automatic bid back and keep a somewhat respectable football reputation. But honestly, a Conference USA-Big East combo doesn't come anywhere close to deserving an automatic BCS bid. The Big Ten could possibly add one of the three castaways, most likely Pittsburgh, which holds the academic credentials for admission to the Big Ten. The Pac-10, Big 12 and SEC are in no position to add teams, and the Mountain West - always clamoring for a BCS bid and national respect - is also not likely to take action. It has been rumored that the Big Ten is interested in expanding, just like in 1999 when it offered its 12th spot to Notre Dame. But Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi says the conference is not interested in adding a team. Pittsburgh, a school flourishing in football and basketball recently, will likely make a push to join the Big Ten. It's interesting that the Big Ten isn't feeling the pressure of this peri- od of Manifest Destiny in college football. Why not add the Panthers, give Penn State a natural rival and become the country's fourth super- power? It's probably because the Big Ten isn't in a desperate mood right now. It has the finest team in t land, Ohio State, and a confered championship game would take away from the Ohio State-Michigan game at the end of the season. The Big Ten's football revival last season was impressive. But if it falls back to where it was the previous two seasons, and the three "superconfer- ences" continue to increase their pres- tige, how long can the Big Ten sit back and watch? Time will only tell. J Brady McCollough can be reached at bradymcc@umich.edu. BIG TEN Continued from Page 11 member Missouri. The Irish compete in the Big East in every sport except foot- ball (in which they are independent). In 1999, Notre Dame rejected an offer to join the Big Ten, but many believe that the Midwest powerhouse may reconsider if the Big East trio bolts to the ACC. Although Syracuse has already received an invite from the ACC, the Orangemen have always been considered a possibili- ty in the Big Ten. Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Missouri garner attention because of their respective sports-hungry markets. Decisions from Miami, Syracuse and Boston College are expected in June. Though many feel this wilt spur the Big Ten into action, Maturi believes the con- ference won't seek addition. "To be very honest with you, we in the Big Ten have not talked about expansion in the nine months I've been here," Maturi said. "I feel pretty confi- dent with the formal discussions that I've been involved in." "We're not looking to expand." i 1 4 UM Men's Boxing Club Meets at the UM Sports Coliseum Tues 4:30 -6:30 p.m. Wed & Thurs 7:00-9:00 p.m. Good Basic Coaching. Safe Sparring. Beginners Welcome! Details, info., call 930-3246 or drop in www-personal.umich.edu/-psauter/boxing/ Check us out, it's a blast!