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. 1 COME SEE SATRN.M O N C A M P U S Proudly Presented in Association With The University of Michigan Student Organization Development Center Visit the Saturn On Campus Vehicle Exhibit April 23-24 " 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. See how the first new American car company in 40 years is using innovative ideas to build a well-designed, exceptionally engineered and reliable car.