The Michigan Daily - Sports Monday - April 22, 1991- Page 7
INELIGIBLE
Continued from page 1
In addition, Parks, whom Henry
fired at the conclusion of the 1987
season for reasons unrelated to this
incident, faulted no one person.
0 "I don't want to sound like I'm
blaming someone," Parks said. "I
don't really remember what hap-
pened."
After allegedly consulting with
former Associate Athletic Director
in charge of women's athletics
Phyllis Ocker soon after after the
injury, Henry determined that
Rowand-Schmidt would be eligible
r a medical hardship waiver.
"I had my immediate superior,
who at the time was Phyllis Ocker,
check with the Big Ten right after
Mindy was injured, and my under-
standing at the time was that she
could compete unattached," Henry
said.
Ocker denied this. "I did not not
talk to the Big Ten," she said.
"There is no need to talk to the Big
Wen. Running unaffiliated is against
the rules."
Because the Big Ten is the only
conference that treats indoor and
outdoor track as one season, there is
a major difference between redshirt
and a medical hardship status: to
redshirt in a particular season, an
athlete can not compete in more
than 20 percent of all meets.
owand-Schmidt's competition in
e whole indoor season rendered
her ineligible to redshirt.
However, as a redshirt, an athlete
can compete unattached with the
team and maintain eligibility. In the
Big Ten, an athlete cannot compete
as a medical hardship either attached
or unattached. Henry could not re-
call whether he differentiated be-
tween medical hardship and red-
shirt.
Henry claimed the rule's com-
plexity caused this miscommunica-
tion.
"If you read the rule to 100
coaches, each would interpret it dif-
ferently," Henry said. "The major-
ity would make the same decision
we made. In fact, if I had it to do
over again, I would do the same
thing."
Ocker and fellow Big Ten
coaches dispute Henry's argument.
"Ambiguity in the rules is not
an answer," Ocker said. "Coaches
are supposed to know the rules. The
rule is stated very clearly in the
handbook."
Wisconsin track coach Peter
Tegen agreed with Ocker. "I don't
think the rule is ambiguous," he
said.
Indiana coach Sam Bell con-
curred. "I know what the rule is,
and if we had a kid of Mindy's abil-
ity, we would make sure of the rule
so as not to trap her in that situa-
tion."
But Henry maintains he acted
correctly.
"Checking the rulebook now
shows that we did the right thing,"
Henry said. "Our interpretation is
different than the Big Ten's."
Conference legislation regarding
medical hardship is more stringent
than the NCAA's, according to Big
Ten Assistant Commissioner Carol
Iwaoka.
"The Big Ten has interpreted
'second half' as meaning, 'a student-
athlete is not eligible to seek a
waiver if that student-athlete com-
petes after the first half of the sea-
son,"' Iwaoka said. "Competing
unattached, in the conference's mind,
means that the injury is not serious
enough for a waiver."
In Iwaoka's March 2 letter to
the athletic department, obtained by
the Daily, the Big Ten stated: "Ms.
Rowand-Schmidt's unattached com-
petition in two track meets during
the 1986-87 outdoor track season
does not meet the provision of an in-
capacitating injury that prevented
competition in the second half of
the season."~
Both Rowand-Schmidt and
Henry believe the Big Ten did not
give Rowand-Schmidt a fair hearing.
"I am really angry with the Big
Ten; they treated me like a name on a
list," Rowand-Schmidt said. "They
didn't even listen to our argument."
She also feels the athletic de-
partment failed to do everything in
its power to protect her.
"I still firmly believe that if I
were a football or basketball
player, this would have been checked
more thoroughly four years ago,"
Rowand-Schmidt said. "That is
what I am more angry about, because
I know damn well that that's what
would have happened.
"The athletic department wants
to keep this hush," she added. "But
if I were a five-time all-American
football player, this would have
been splattered all over the papers. I
think they are lucking out because
they can push me under a carpet.
"If this were the business world,
someone would have lost a job," she
said. "I hate to be vindictive, but I
think James should have lost his job
over this."
Henry refused to comment on
Rowand-Schmidt's assessment.
What upsets Rowand-Schmidt
most was the situation's sudden-
ness. Since her first year at
Michigan, she has been planning for
this final collegiate season.
Rowand-Schmidt was hoping to de-
fend her Big Ten title, while also
aiming for her first NCAA
Championship.
"We were devastated," Henry
said. "She is one of Michigan's all-
time greats. She's an excellent per-
son, an excellent student, and an ex-
cellent athlete. It's sort of like a
death in the family."
Bell, a rival coach, echoed
Henry's sentiments.
"I am really sorry about this,"
he said. "She is such a good gal and
she has given so much to this sport."~
BASEBALL
Continued from page 1
looked good for the Wolverines (7-
7 in the Big Ten, 22-17-1 overall).
The round-tripper was Matheny's
team-leading seventh on the season
and his fourth in as many games.
Despite the biting cold weather,
Michigan continued to fill the
bases, totalling four hits through
the fourth inning. But things began
to unravel in the top of the fifth,
when rightfielder Todd Winston
committed an error that put men on
first and third. Following Win-
ston's error, Boilermaker Craig
Robertshaw cranked a hard shot up
the middle to score one run.
Purdue (7-9, 25-13) followed up
with two more runs in the fifth.
Finally, Matheny, with the bases
loaded, picked off the runner on
first to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth,
Michigan's offensive woes came
into play. Early in the inning Purdue
pitcher James Henderson struggled
with his accuracy, walking two bat-
ters. Then Henderson gave up a sin-
gle to Michigan outfielder Steve
Buerkel to load the bases.
Buerkel's hit would signal the
end of Michigan's output. The next
two batters flied out as the
Wolverines failed to score, strand-
ing three and still trailing, 3-2.
The Boilermakers scored another
run in the seventh inning, and
Henderson came on strong from the
mound, prohibiting a Wolverines
comeback.
The second game began just like
the first. After Andy Fairman sin-
gled, the first baseman scampered to
second on a wild pitch and took
third on a single by Nate Holdren.
Then Matheny came to bat. The ju-
nior came close to another home run,
sending the ball deep for a two-run
triple. Matheny scored easily on a
Dave Everly double, and the
Wolverines left the second inning
up, 3-0.
Russell Brock (5-5) went the
distance for Michigan, complement-
ing staff ace Jason Pfaff who
pitched the entire first game. Unlike
Pfaff (6-2) who took the loss in the
first game, Brock got the win to
push his record to .500.
This weekend marked the second
time that the combination has
thrown back-to-back complete
games, and the sixth consecutive
outing in which Michigan starters
have hurled complete Big Ten
games.
The two games of this four-game
series that were rained out have been
rescheduled for today at 1:00 p.m. at
Fisher Stadium.
REGISTRAR'S BULLETIN BOARD
THIS IS IT!
THE END OF THE TERM
WINTER TERM GRADES:
WATCH FOR THE MAIL:
*We will mail the report of your WINTER TERM
GRADES to you at your permanent address (on
file May 3) on May 10, 1991.
Besides your Winter Term Grades, during the
Summer (late July/early August) we will be
sending you a confirmation schedule of your
Fall Term Elections. Be sure to process an
Address Change Form if you have changed your
permanent address.
If you have not yet registered for Fall Term, you
may still do so. As a matter of fact, we're open
all Summer for registration and drop/add.
IT'S NOT TOO LATE:
HAVE A FRUITFUL SUMMER. SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER.
IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE AWAY,
GIVE US A CALL. WE'LL BE HERE.
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