Section:
B
The University Daily Kansan
The price of history
The ball used when Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in 1962 is being sold in a New York auction. Bidding starts at $25,000.
Sports
Inside: The men's golf team is second after two rounds at the Big 12 Championships in Hutchinson.
SEE PAGE 2B
TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2000
Inside: Fullback Moran Norris bench presses 505 pounds, but it's nothing compared to his volunteer work.
SEE PAGE 10B
It's the way I am — I say what's on my mind." — Shane Wedd
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Senior earns respect with vocal leadership
First baseman Shane Wedd provides leadership for this year's Jayhawks as one of three team captains. After getting just one homer and 15 hits as a freshman, he leads the team with five home runs this season. Photo by Aaron Lindbergh/KANSAN
by Amanda Kashube
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
When Shane Wedd shouts, his baseball teammates respond.
And it's not because the senior has 50 hits this season, or because the first baseman leaped to snag a hard-hit line drive off the line on Sunday against Texas Tech.
It's because the Lawrence native is one of three team captains — and he makes sure everyone knows.
"It's the way I am — I say what's on my mind," he said. "I want to make my mark on the senior class and make sure we make it all the way to Oklahoma City to play in the Big 12 tournament."
And that has earned him respect within the program and the dugout.
He's not afraid to say what needs to be said, and that's rare on a college team," coach Bobby Randall said. "Standing up and shouting takes courage. But being a son of a coach, Shane knows not to be shy."
Wedd's father Dirk, the football coach at Lawrence High School, guided his son's team to the 1995 class 6A football title.
And Dirk - who played baseball at Kansas
in 1972 — also coached his son to pick up the bat when Shane was 9 years old.
Under Randall's training, Wedd has racked up a team-high five homers and 38 RBI this season, quite an improvement from his single blast and 15 hits as a freshman. But Randall
"My dad coached me in every sport when I was younger," he said. "It was a big change coming here and being coached by someone else, but it's helped me see a new way of playing."
Wedd: Adjusted to being coached by someone other than his father.
can't take all the credit for Wedd's metamorphosis.
"It's in the way he plays — he comes out every day ready to win and produce for the team," Randall said. "Without question this is his best year, and that's important to us. We want the seniors to do well, and Shane has helped us out a lot."
While Wedd's bombs have boosted the offense, it's Wedd's defensive position that Randall is the most thankful for.
Throughout high school and his first three years as a Jayhawk, Wedd had been a fixture behind the plate, calling the shots for the pitchers. But this season, Randall moved him down the line to first base. And, as a team player, Wedd understood why.
See WEDD on page 2B
'Hawks hope day off cures recent woes
By Amanda Kaschube
sports @ kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Jayhawks took the day off yesterday to get away from the game that has been slipping out of their gloves recently.
Kansas lost a nonconference game, 3-2, to Missouri last Tuesday, when the game was tied going into the bottom of the ninth. And last weekend, the 'Hawks failed to win two conference games against the Red Raiders — must-win games for keeping Kansas' Big 12 tournament hopes alive.
So yesterday, coach Bobby Randall said it
was time to step away from the ballpark.
It was a long weekend and not winning two games really hurt us," he said. "We didn't pitch as well, and we didn't score that much. I don't think it shook our confidence, but we need to start winning again."
Tonight is the perfect opportunity for Kansas (22-23) to start scoring — the "Hawks play host to Division II-opponent Washburn (33-14) at 6 p.m. at Hoglund Ballpark. Even though the game won't count toward the crucial conference record, outfielder Jesse Gremminger said the team was fired up to play the Ichabods.
See JAYHAWKS on page 2B
Big 12 players could go early in WNBA draft
By Melinda Weaver
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
For nine Big 12 Conference seniors, the anxiety that accompanies collegiate athletics has not subsided with the end of the women's basketball season.
At 10 a.m. today, those seniors will be glued to the WNBA draft, hoping to hear their names called.
In one of the most talented senior classes in the nation, the Big 12 has nine seniors with a legitimate chance at being drafted: Kansas' Lynn Pride, Texas' Edwina Brown, Oklahoma's Phylesha Whaley, Nebraska's Nicole Kubik, Iowa State's Stacy Frese and Desiree Francis, Texas Tech's Keitha Dickerson and Aleah Johnson, and Oklahoma State's Jennifer Crow.
Of these nine, Brown and Pride are the most highly regarded by WNBA scouts and possibly could be selected in the Top 10. Both will be in New York to attend the draft.
"Edwina Brown and Lynn Pride are the best all-round players coming out of college right now," said Detroit Shock assistant coach Greg Williams. "Edwina has played more point guard and is very skilled in guard positions, but Lynn is probably the most athletically skilled collegiate athlete coming into the draft. I'd be surprised if either of them
are there by our 12th pick."
In her senior season, In pride led the Jayhawks in virtually every statistical category, but there have been questions about her consistency and ability to make the right decisions in big game situations.
However, Houston Comets assistant coach Kevin Cook has no doubts about
"Edwina Brown and Lynn Pride are the best all-round players coming out of college right now."
Greg Williams
Detroit Shock assistant coach
Pride's ability to make a name for herself in the WNBA.
"Lymn Pride is a gifted (athlete) amongst the elite and has the most potential to become a franchise player of all the women in the Big 12." Cook said. "She seems to perform a lot better when the pressure is not on her. With a couple of years to grow in the WNBA, I think she can become the ma'am for any team."
Brown also led her team in most statistical categories and answered any questions a scout might have had with her Most Valuable Player performance in the Big 12 tournament as she almost single-handedly led her team to the title game.
"Edwina Brown is one of the premier players in the country," said Minnesota Lynx assistant coach Kelley Kramer. "I'd rank her near the top of all seniors. In the Big 12 tournament, she practically put that team on her back."
Pride: Could go in the first round of the WNBA draft.
After Brown and Pride, the others fall into the talented-too-small-to-compete-asprofessionals category.
Dickerson, Francis, Whaley and Johnson all played the post position in college but are too small to play post in the WNBA. To increase their stock, they need to improve their speed and perimeter shooting.
"Players like Phylesha Whaley and Keitha Dickerson are a bit undersized and will
probably get drafted, but overall game will be a problem." Cook said. "They don't have the ability to put the ball on the floor as a guard, and when I look at a potential three guard, I think, can they guard a Sheryl Swoops or Lynette Woodard? Probably not."
Frese is another facing the size problem, but her outside
shooting ability gives her an edge against many of her competitors. Frese led the Big 12 in three-point shooting this season, shooting almost 50 percent from behind the arc.
"Stacy needs to bulk up a little, but she is one of the best three-point shooters in the country," Kramer said. "She is a great leader, but she will have to adjust to the speed of the WNBA."
. Kansas (22-23) vs. Washburn (33-14) — 6 p.m. Hoglund Ballpark
Kansas rowing earns medal despite missing top three varsity teams
By Shawn Linenberger sports@kansan.com
Konsan sportswriter
joined sightly different.
· Missing the No. 25 Jayhawks' top three varsity teams — the first and second varsity eight boats and the varsity four. They will race next weekend in Redwood City, Calif., against No. 6 Southern California, No.16 Washington State and Stanford.
The Kansas rowing team competed in the Midwest Rowing Championships Saturday near Madison, Wisc., but the lineup looked slightly different.
Four Kansas boats—the third varsity eight, second varsity four and first and second novice boats—finished high in their events. The second varsity four boat, which competed in the first varsity four division, finished 10th. It was the lowest finish of any Javawk boat.
But spectators by Lake Wingra near Madison might not have noticed the difference Saturday.
an asterisk by its seventh-place finish. The boat competed in the first varsity eight division. Other schools raced with their first varsity boats, including No. 11 Wisconsin and Kansas State. The Jayhawks finished in 6 minutes.
Don't forget the future of K an s as rowing — the freshmen boats. T h e
The third varsity boat needed
32. 5 seconds, 23 seconds behind the Badgers (6:09.2).
Jayhawks' first novice boat entered their races Saturday undefeated. Members of that group left with a bllemish on their record, but were close to maintaining perfection. The boat finished with a 6:33.76 time, a boat's nose behind Notre Dame (6:33.39) and roughly four seconds behind
event champion Wisconsin (6:29.20).
The second novice boat had the lone Kansas medal. It earned a silver medal, placing second (6:34.69) behind Wisconsin (6:27.89).
"The majority of people races were freshmen and sophomores." Galvin said. "It shows our depth. We had all those top finishes despite leaving our top 24 athletes at home."
Assistant coach Heather Galvin said that, although first novice boat rowers were disappointed, she was proud of the efforts, especially the first novice's close race against a traditionally dominant Wisconsin.
Galvin also said Saturday marked the season's end for the lower four boats.
"I thought we had a pretty successful weekend," Galvin said. "For all those boats, it was their last races. It was a pretty good way to finish out the season."
The Midwest Championships
Junior Tiffany Marquart competed in just her second regatta this season. Marquart, who raced against K-State last Saturday near Lawrence, has been recovering from Achilles' tendinitis. That was her first regatta since the K-State race last fall. Marquart rowed in the third varsity boat, but she didn't expect to race after last weekend until competing with the second varsity Saturday.
also marked another step for a rehabilitating Jayhawk rower.
Marquard said she was anxious about racing in Wisconsin.
"I would definitely say that I felt awkward in the boat," Marquart said. "I was afraid of where my fitness level was at. I was worried I let my boatmates down."
Once the race was finished, Marquart said all her worries subsided.
"I thought it was a technically well-rowed race," Marquart said. "It felt really smooth. We came together on race day."
Midwest Rowing Championships Saturday on Lake Wingra near Madison, Wisc.
ROWING RESULTS
Varsity eight grand final*
1.) Wisconsin, 6 minutes, 32.5 seconds
2.) Tuva, 6:15.05
3.) Texas, 6:16.29
4.) Notre Dame, 6:22.69
5.) Kansas State, 6:23.26
6.) Tennessee, 6:27.45
7.) Kansas, 6:32.5
| | |
| :--- | :--- |
| 1. Varsity four petite finals |
| 8. Tennessee, 7:14.23 |
| 9. Grand Valley State, 7:23.32 |
| 10. Kansas, 7:33.10 |
| 11. Texas, 8:01.55 |
| 12. St. Cloud 1 (Minn.) 8:19.52 |
| 12. Oklahoma State, 8:39.78 |
| 12. St. Cloud 2, 9:07.8 |
First novice eight grand finals
1.) Wisconsin, 6:29.2
2.) Louisville, 6:30.57
3.) Notre Dame, 6:33.39
4.) Kansas, 6:33.76
5.) Washington-St. Louis, 6:53.11
6.) Texas, 7:00.17
■ Second novice eight grand finals
1.) Wisconsin, 6:27.89
2.) Kansas, 6:34.69
3.) Louisville, 6:38.36
4.) Texas, 6:45.45
5. Notre Dame, 6:46.76
6.) Washington-St. Louis, 6:57.05
Notes
Finals are divided into three races — grand, petite and third level. They are classified by finishes in heats. The first through seven places race in the grand finals, 8-14 compete in the petites and 15-21 race in the third-level final. First novice and second novice races eliminated seventh place. Positions are given according to preliminary finishes.
Kansas' entry in the first varsity eight race is its third varsity boat. The varsity four entry is actually the Jayhawks' second varsity four boat. Oklahoma State's entry is a club boat, not varsity.