2C THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
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THURSDAY. DECEMBER 8. 2005
SWIMMING
Jayhawks make successful strokes
Team to maintain speeds through rigorous training
BY KELLY REYNOLDS
kreynolds@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The Kansas swimming and diving team has achieved much more success this season than it had at this point last season.
The team is 1-0 in the Big 12 Conference and has only two dual meet losses out of seven dual meets this season, the first served to them by the nationally ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first dual meet of the season.
The Jayhawks also competed in the Big 12 Relays in October and in the Minnesota Invite just three weeks ago, at which they earned one automatic NCAA qualification as well as numerous lifetime best swims.
Leading the way for the Jayhawks is freshman Ashley Leidigh, who, in the first
three months of her freshman campaign, was named National Collegiate Swimmer of the Week by collegeswimming. com and achieved five top-100 Division I swimming times, including the fastest time in the nation for the 100-yard butterfly.
To top off the first half of the semester, Leidigh captured Big 12 Swimmer of the Month in November and is the only Jayhawk to automatically qualify for the NCAA Championship meet so far this season.
The Jayhawks are miles ahead of where they were at this point in the season last year, coach Clark Campbell said before the Minnesota Invite last month.
Last season, the team went 1-4 in Big 12 swimming and had lost four dual meets by the time winter break rolled around.
This season, their times
are significantly faster fast enough to earn them a place in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Division I Top 25 Poll at the beginning of November.
This was the first time the Jayhawks had been included in the poll since 1997.
As most students prepare to have a month of vacation time, the Jayhawks will spend winter break enduring the hardest training phase of the season.
During this phase, they will focus on conditioning in order to maintain the speed that they have achieved this semester. The Jayhawks will practice nearly every day over break, senior Lindsey Urbatchka said.
From Jan. 2 to Jan.10 the Jayhawks will be in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for their annual team training trip.
The yards per practice over winter break will increase from the current 10,000- yard range to approximately 14,000 yards by the end of the training trip.
The team is 1-0 in the Big 12 Conference and has only two dual meet losses out of seven dual meets this season,the first served to them by the nationally ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first dual meet of the season.
"There's no class and the NCAA can't regulate hours over break," Urbatchka said. "We will increase the training load and swim long course one to two times per day on top of lifting."
Amidst the intense training, the Jayhawks will keep goals for the second half of the season in mind.
"Texas and Texas A&M usually run away at Big 12s," Urbatchka said.
"So our goal is third place,
as well as closing the gap between both Texas teams."
Last season at Big 12s, the Jayhawks placed fourth behind both Texas teams and Nebraska, but by only seven points.
Following the Big 12 Championship meet last season, Campbell compared the seven-point difference between Kansas and third place Nebraska to "a buzzer-beater in basketball."
This year, the Jayhawks hope to tell a different story at Big 12s in February.
Urbatchka has hopes of going undefeated in dual meet action next semester, a goal that she believes the Jayhawks can achieve.
Urbatchka also thinks that a handful of Jayhawks will join Leidigh at the NCAA Championship meet in March, which would be an increase from the two Jayhawks—graduate Amy Gruber and current junior Jenny Short—who represented Kansas at the 2005 NCAA meet.
Edited by Erin Wisdom
VOLLEYBALL
Season has memorable moments
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
The 2005 Kansas volleyball season was a tumultuous one.
It was a year that started with promise quickly turned south after a slew of injuries. When the Jayhawks lost junior outside hitter Jana Correa on Oct. 5 against Kansas State, the season dramatically turned. An eight-match losing streak began that night and negated a 12-3 start.
The Jayhawks saw a mini-resurgence after an upset victory at Kansas State on Nov. 5. The victory sparked a three-match winning streak that put the Jayhawks back into the NCAA tournament hunt.
Kansan file photo
Andi Rozum, senior setter, wipes a tear away from her eye as she stands by fellow seniors, Paula Caten, outside hitter, left, and Josi Lima, middle blocker, right, during the national anthem before their last game against Missouri at the Horesei Family Athletic Center Wednesday, which was senior night. The volleyball lost in the first round of the NCAA 2005 volleyball tournament to UCLA last week.
Senior setter Andi Rozum's injury against Missouri on Nov. 2 again impeded the Jayhawks' chance at success. After backing into the tournament with a 15-14 record, including three losses to finish the season, Kansas lost 3-1 to UCLA in the first round of the tournament in Los Angeles.
During the season, seniors Paula Caten and Josi Lima took home honors. Caten was named to the ESPN the Magazine/COSIDA Academic first team for district seven, which includes the Midwest region.
Lima was named national and Big 12 Player of the week for the week of Sept. 12-18. She also garnered firstteam All-Big 12 honors for the fourth straight season.
"I was really proud of our group this year," Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard said. "We had some tough breaks, but they went out and played hard."
Lima said she was proud of the way the team played, as well.
"We had nothing to lose and we played really hard," she said.
Here is a look at some additional key matches and moments from the season.
Aug. 26: Kansas 3, Alabama 0
The Jayhawks swept the Crimson Tide in the season opener behind 16 skins by Lima and 15 by Correa. It was the eighth straight season-opening victory for Kansas.
Freshman middle blocker Savannah
Noyes tallied nine kills in her first collegiate match, giving the fans at the Horeisi Family Athletics Center a glimpse at the future of the program. "I've never been in front of a crowd like that," Noves said.
Sept. 2: BYU3, Kansas 1
The Jayhawks suffered their first loss of the season in Provo, Utah, falling to the Cougars in four games. Despite the defeat, three Jayhawks finished in double-digits in kills.
In addition to her 11 kills, sophomore opposite hitter Emily Brown recorded 5.5 blocks.
"BYU is a nice team and they did a good job of pressuring us with their serve and taking us out of our system," Bechard said.
Sept. 14: Kansas 3, No. 15 Texas A&M 0
The Jayhawks dominated the ranked Aggies in Lawrence in the Big 12 opener for both teams. With the victory, the Jayhawks ran their record to 9-1 on the season.
During game two, Kansas assistant coach Jill Jones Stucky gave birth to a baby girl — Madeline — at Lawrence Memorial hospital.
After going winless in October and losing to the Wildcats earlier in the season, the Jayhawks upset the 24th-ranked team on the road. It was their first victory against the Wildcats in their last 22 attempts.
Nov. 5: Kansas 3, Kansas State 1
"We had a defensive game plan that I thought was extremely efficient, and we can
ried it out," Bechard said. "And offensively, we made plays when we needed to."
Nov. 27: Kansas receives a bid to the NCAA tournament
The Jayhawks received a surprise when they were awarded a bid into the NCAA tournament. Even though their record was better than only one other team in the tournament, they headed to Los Angeles to take on UCLA in the first round of the Omaha regional. The Jayhawks gladly accepted the award after playing such a tough schedule." I guess it shows you that if you beat your head against the wall all year in a tough conference it pays off," Beard said.
— Edited by Anne Burgard
ATHLETICS CALENDAR
SATURDAY
SATURDAY
* Men's basketball vs. California, 11
a.m., Kemper Arena, Kansas City,
Mo.
SUNDAY
♦ Women's basketball vs. Wisconsin, 1 p.m., Allen Fieldhouse
SUNDAY
Astros let Rocket set off on own
BY STEPHEN HAWKINS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DALLAS — Roger Clemens came out of retirement two years ago and helped his hometown Houston Astros reach their first World Series. Now that he's pondering his future again, they won't wait for his decision.
With Clemens uncertain whether he will pitch again or retire, the Astros declined to offer salary arbitration on Wednesday. The move means the seven-time Cy Young Award winner can't re-sign with then National League champions before May 1.
"We've had two great years, and they were special years," general manager Tim Purpura said. "The fact of the matter is Roger's 43 years old ... we're not talking about somebody in the middle of a great career. We're talking about somebody who's at the end of a great career."
The Astros didn't want to risk going to salary arbitration while they awaited his decision whether to play. Clemens still intends to pitch for the United States in March during the inaugural World Baseball Classic.
Clemens made $18 million this season, when he led the major leagues with a 1.87 ERA and went 13-8. He finished third in the NL Cy Young Award voting behind 20-game winners Chris Carpenter and Dontrelle Willis.
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Still, Purpura call it "one of the more gut-wrenching, difficult decision" the Astros have had to make.
"We expected this because we talked a great deal about this," said Clemens' agent, Randy Hendricks. "It's no surprise."
Clemens had an injured leg and back late in the season and was forced out of his start in Game 1 of the World Series against the Chicago White Sox after only two innings.
"The health is not an issue. It's the willingness of Roger to play, and we just don't know that," Purpura said. "To tie up resources for that long of a period of time would really hurt our ability to move forward."
Houston's decision could lead to other teams trying to lure Clemens, such as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, two of his former clubs.
"If anybody calls, we'll listen." Hendricks said.
He doesn't expect Clemens to make a call about pitching next season for at least a month.
It part it w
Clearview Baptist Church
Sunday School Sunday Morning Sunday Evening Wednesday Evening
Service
Time
9:45 am
10:30 am
6:00 pm
7:00 pm
Louis R. Turk, Pastor
35800 West 102nd Street De Soto, KS 66018 913-583-1144 (church) 913-375-1670 (pastor) www.ClearviewBaptist.us
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