The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - April 15, 1991 - Page 5 F -L N"% 0% r% a,&.... SWIMMING NOTEBOOK r 'M' tankers harvest crop of top recruits by Ken Sugiura Daily Sports Writer When Eddie Reese, coach of NCAA champion Texas, was asked what the Michigan men's swimming team needed to raise its level of competi- tiveness, he responded, "They need a couple of Brent Langs," in reference to the Wolverines' graduated four-time NCAA champ. With this year's recruiting class, it appears coach Jon Urbanchek's Wolverines are halfway there. Brazilian sprinter Gustavo Borgess head- lines a bumper recruiting crop, which will go a long way to replacing se- niors Mike Barrowman, Jarret Winter, and Scott VanAppledorn. "Hopefully, he can develop into the swimmer that Brent was, and maybe even surpass his times and achievements," grad assistant Rick Wilkening said. Borgess will join breaststroker Steven West, who has the unenviable task of following in garrowman's considerable footsteps. "Of course, he's not going to replace him, but he's going to help fill the void that's there now," Wilkening said. Royce Sharpe, the top backstroke recruit in the country, will arrive in Ann Arbor in two years. Sharpe has decided to take a year off to train for the Olympic Trials. Also, the Maize and Blue will welcome in-state walk-ons David Klavider, Chris Veber, and Thomas Blake. HAIL TO THE CHIEF: At the team banquet last week, junior Eric Bailey was voted team captain for the 1991-92 season. Bailey, who swam the backstroke legs of the 200 and 400 medley relays and won the consolation heat of the 200 butterfly at the NCAA Championships, has a very optimistic view on next season. "If it's realistic, we'd like to shoot for a national title," he said. "He's going to be tremendous as a captain," Wilkening, former Michigan captain, said. "He's shown a lot of leadership and he's a great worker." OLYMPICS I: In addition to the recruiting class, Urbanchek re- ceived some other good news last week. Tuesday, he was named an assis- tant coach to the Olympic swim team. Urbanchek will coach alongside Reese, a close friend of Urbanchek's. "Coaching at the Olympics is this sport's greatest honor," he said. "I intend on serving United States Swimming to the best of my ability." OLYMPICS II: On the subject of the Olympic Games, Borgess' ar- rival next season will increase the number of potential Michigan Olympians to six. Barrowman, juniors Eric Namesnik and Eric Wunderlich, sophomores Brian Gunn and Steve Bigelow all stand strong chances on making the Olympic squad. Barrowman, of course, is the world-record holder in the 200-meter breaststroke and having expired his eligibility for the Wolverines, will be able to more fully direct his energies towards the Olympic Trials next March. Namesnik is the American record holder in the 400-meter individual medley, while Wunderlich finished sixth at the World Swimming Championships in the 100 breaststroke. Bigelow was a member of the '88 Olympic squad, and finished 10th in the 200-meter backstroke. Gunn cur- rently ranks fifth in the world in the 200-meter butterfly. Michigan first baseman Heather Lyke slides safely into third base against Ohio last week. Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Iowa's strong pitching rarely allowed Michigan the chance to do any baserunning. SOFTBALL NOTEBOOK Raindrops keep falling on Wolverine sluggers by Ryan Herrington and David Kraft Daily Sports Writers The Michigan softball team's 1991 season has thus far been plagued by rotten weather con- ditions. In its annual early season trips to anticipated sunnier climates in February and March, all the Wolverines saw in New Mexico and California was the rain and cold they thought they were leaving behind in Ann Arbor. As usual, the squad's returns to the Midwest were marked by even lousier conditions. In the first Big Ten matchup of the season in Bloomington against Indiana, it was very cold and dreary. Last week, the contests with both Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan were 0 postponed due to more rain and cold. In fact, Wednesday, the date of the scheduled Western Michigan doubleheader, snow (yes snow!) brought about the postponement of the game. While this weekend's series against Iowa was T played as scheduled, the cold and dark prevailed once again. According to coach Carol Hutchins, the only games the team has played under nice skies were in last weekend's Michigan Wolverine Invitational in which the Wolverines took first place. Despite the apparent coincidence between good play and good weather, Hutchins offered no excuses for the squad's sub-par play under poor conditions against Iowa. "There's no sense in blaming the weather," Hutchins said. "Iowa played well under the sametconditions. It's just a matter of getting used to it, and we've had plenty of opportunity to do that." HITTING WOES: During the beginning of the season, inconsistent hitting plagued the Wolverines. Michigan had trouble getting run- ners on base and when it did, it had problems driving in runners in scoring position. Only the Wolverines' strong pitching allowed them to remain competitive. While Hutchins felt her squad had overcome the hitting problem, it reoc- curred this weekend against Iowa. Michigan had only 15 hits in its four-game series with the Hawkeyes. The squad never had more than one hit in an inning and struck out 15 times during the weekend. The difficulty with Iowa is nothing new. In their last nine games with the Hawkeyes, includ- ing this weekend's series, the Wolverines have scored a mere one run. IOWA-CALIFORNIA CONNECTION: Since the West Coast (namely California) produces such a plethora of top high school softball play- ers, there are always a significant number of re- cruits who venture to other areas of the country to play. This explains why four members of the Hawkeye squad hail from California. They include starting, winning pitchers Terri McFarland, the 1990 Big Ten Player of the Year, highly touted rookie Karen Jackson, and all- American catcher Diane Pohl., Wolverine third baseman Tina Martin from Stockton, Ca., is the lone West Coast representa- tive for Michigan. The Quality You at a Price You C i Deserve .an Afford 996-1500 1100 South University ef,1 pria rat ion I 'I% onowd HAWKEYES * Continued from page 1 down," Hutchins said. "We are bet- ter than this." Michigan only garnished three hits, two from Kari Kunnen, off Iowa first-year pitcher Karen Jackson, who posted her second vic- tory of the weekend. In the second game, Michigan was unable to capitalize on its scor- ing opportunities. In the third in- ning, Shelly Bawol led off with a double to right-center field. Mary Campana came in to pinch run for Bawol and proceeded to steal second base. Yet, the Wolverines could not bring Campana home as the next two batters hit balls right at the first baseman for easy outs; Campana got picked off of third base to end the inning. In the fifth, Julie Cooper led off by reaching first on an error and moved to third on two sacrifice bunts. The Wolverines could not get the run home, as Heams ended the inning with a fly out to left field. McFarland cruised to her second NeW Arts (sports Opinion Photo... a Join the Dailv l win for the Hawkeyes in as many days, giving up only three hits in seven innings of work. Her change up bewildered Michigan through- out, inducing three strike outs. Iowa's lone run came in the sec- ond when Amy Johnson doubled, went to third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a Hartsock ground out. "In the first three games we didn't give our best effort," Hutchins said. "I think we finally did in the last game." The four-game sweep left the Wolverines with a 2-6 conference record, and severely dampered their hopes of a Big Ten title. "We must only worry about ourselves," Hutchins said. "We can't afford to lose any more games if we expect to win (the Big Ten). It can be done, however, if we don't give up now." Michigan enters a three-day stretch of doubleheaders, travelling to Western Michigan Monday, host- ing Big Ten rival Michigan State Tuesday and Toledo Wednesday. While the Wolverines know that there is still a lot of softball to be played for the 1991 season, they are even more aware that another pro- longed lapse like this weekend's against Iowa may very well ruin its title hopes and doom a possible NCAA playoff birth. 0 -. t' J OAM i f r I RING for the NURSE Wear a handsome, personalized school ring on the hand that holds the hypo. And is that you behind the mask? Wear the emblems of your hard-earned achievement with a school ring, a distinction in fine gold. By Jostens. I