Section B·Page 2
The University Daily Kansan
Softball
Wednesday, March 29, 2000
Softball player a double success
Katie Malone,
senior outfielder,
rounds the bases
in the 'Hawks'
Feb. 29 victory
against
Washburn.
Malone, who
joined the team
as a freshman
walk-on, has
since earned
playing time and
a 3.95 grade
point average.
Photo by Aaron
Lindberg
/KANSAN
Outfielder excels not only on field but also in class
By Brandon Krisztal sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Student-athlete. That term could not be more accurate when describing Kansas senior outfielder Katie Malone.
In the fall of 1996, Malone, a Dodge City native, walked on to the softball team. She earned some playing time as a freshman, and eventually earned a scholarship. But her hard work on the diamond is matched by her dedication in the classroom.
As a freshman, Malone earned a 4.0 grade point average and was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Conference First Team. For three years she was a chemical engineering major, and although her GPA slipped to 3.95, Malone was named to the Academic All-Big 12 Team her sophomore and junior years. Last year, she was named to the Academic All-District First Team.
Malone gets motion sickness and cannot study on the bus — where a college softball player spends a lot of her time — and has missed plenty of classes because of softball games. Malone said that at times, balancing both studies with athletics had been taxing.
"It was a real challenge," she said. "Chemical engineering was difficult. I would always get so wrapped up just trying to make it through. Learning to manage my time was key. For me, the way I learn, it was huge for me to be in class. It made it tough, but my teachers were always real helpful."
This year, Malone, third on the team with a .239 batting average, decided to switch majors and apply to the School of Pharmacy. A couple of weeks ago she was accepted to the program.
Tom Molinazi, assistant dean in the School of Engineering, is the liaison from the School of Engineering to the
"Any time a person majors in the field of engineering while playing a sport shows they are really committed."
Tom Molinazi
assistant dean in the School of Engineering
athletics department. He said that he hated to lose Malone from the department but had been extremely impressed by the student-athlete.
"Fantastic woman," he said. "Any time a person majors in the field of engineering while playing a sport shows they are really committed. Playing a sport can be like a second job. You have to be a master at time management, and she has probably one of the highest GPAs of any athlete in engineering that I can remember." Jayhawk softball coach Tracy Bunge's praise of Malone was equally high.
"Katie Malone has been a real joy to coach," Bunge said. "She has been somebody since day one, when she started as a walk-on, has busted her rear end to prove herself. It's a tough thing to play a sport, and she never let it be a label. She worked hard. When I came in, I didn't know who she was, and what we got was a bonus. She is a role model by her work ethic."
Malone is unsure what area of pharmacy she will make make her focus, but she is certain that she will not spend too much time around the team as a graduate assistant coach, even though she'll be on campus for four more years. She does admit that she will miss her teammates, but she is determined to have a memorable senior campaign.
"I am not good at setting goals with numbers," she said. "I am enjoying being a senior more than I thought I would. It's different when you know this is your last season. I want to have a sense of fulfillment and leave it all on the field. I don't want to have any regrets."
Sibling rivalry not an issue for softball sisters
By Mike Miller
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sports editor
Sibling rivalry? Not with these two.
Sophomores Katie and Kelly Campbell, twin sisters, roommates and teammates on the Kansas softball team, maintain that they've never had to compete against each other, thus there is no rivalry.
In fact, they're actually each other's biggest fans. They admit that sounds a little corny, but it's true.
"We've never really played the same position," Kelly said. "So it's never been a competition."
ball."
Kelly, a pitcher, 5-0 and second on the team in ERA, has been easy to support. It has been a little tougher for Katie. She came to Kansas as a catcher, but has played several positions this year because the team has two other catchers. She has earned praise from coach Tracy Bunge for her consistency. Katie said it had been tough but she had managed.
"It's hard to deal with sometimes," she said. "But it doesn't matter because softball is soft-
And the whole time, despite the difficulties adjusting, there's her sister cheering her on — though once she had to be reminded.
"I cheer for her all the time, but
I cheer for once I was just standing there while she was pitching and Shawn n o (Stan w i x) came up and was like 'You're not cheering for your sister! What kind of sister are you?" she said "Well I
Katie Campbell. Has played several positions for the 'Hawks
started cheering right away — not that I ever really stopped."
The closest they've ever come to a rivalry was the fight they got into last summer.
"She told you about that?" Katie said, laughing. "I actually threw the first punch and I think I hit her in the lip," she said, trying to hold back a laugh this time.
When asked who won the fight,
Katie asks what her sister said.
When told that Kelly claimed victory because of the superior strength in the pitching — punching — arm, she scoffed.
"Naw. I'd say it was a tie." Katie said.
That's the way it has been their whole lives.
Growing up in a baseball house — their grandfather, Charles, played baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers — they've been around sports most of their lives. As high school seniors in Anacortes, Wash., they were co-conference players of the year, while winning back-to-back championships. Both were two-time, All-Conference selections, and excelled off the field, as both were named Top 10 outstanding students and were members of the National Honor Society. But for all of their athletic gifts, neither knew exactly what it would take to play sports in college, but their father, Con, helped out.
He played football for two years at the Naval Academy, but couldn't help trying to make his daughters better softball players.
"It was always, 'Hey let's go play,' or 'Let's watch some videos.'" Katie said. "He can be a
little much, but I'm thankful for it because I had no idea what it would take to play in college."
Their parents moved to Ashbloom, III., shortly after high school, and they both attended Northwestern. They transferred after one year because the school wasn't exactly what they wanted. After a few months, they decided on Kansas after meeting Bunge and a couple of players.
"At first we weren't sure if we wanted to go to the same school," Katie said. "But it turned out that we liked the school enough, and we'd get to play softball too."
Now, as roommates and as sisters they are together often, whether it's at practice, on the road or when they and about seven other teammates participate in religious organizations including Chi Alpha or Fellowship of Christian Athletes. While on the road, they try to find a church to attend on Sundays, but time usually doesn't allow for that.
Perhaps their strongest bond has been looking out for each other — they both have diagnosed with narcolepsy, a disorder marked by sudden and uncontrollable brief attacks of deep sleep. Neither has ever suddenly fallen asleep during a game, and attacks havent plagued them extensively
since doctors diagnosed the condition three years ago.
"I might fall asleep in class, and I really shouldn't drive for more than an hour, but really, it's been OK." Katie said.
Though the narcology
can be a pain, it's not the toughest thing in their lives.
"Once the season gets over, it might be kind of tough to live together," Kelly said. "Now we're on the road so much, we're hardly ever around each other."
So could another fight break out?
Kelly Campbell: Pitches for the Jayhawks and has a 5-Drecord
"Naw. We're too close," she said. "I hate to admit it, but we are. Besides our mom would kill us."
Kansas softball looks for victories in conference play
By Rebecca Barlow sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas softball team, 17-16 overall and 0-2 in the Big 12 Conference, is not where coach Tracy Bunge thought it would be at this point in the season.
it would be at this point in the season. She remains optimistic because Big 12 play — what she considers the most vital part of the season — is just beginning.
The games are important because they determine what teams will play in the conference tournament.
"I look at the Big 12 as the primary part of the season," she said. "Everything before that is a tuneup for the Big 12. It's a way to get people sharp, get better every day and prepare for the Big 12."
"At the beginning our team wanted it so bad, we tried too hard," said catcher Leah Tabb. "Finally, we are just playing the game and enjoying it."
But the team's early part of the season was a rough one. Opening the season with 18 road games did not help, and the 13 games since its only home game Feb. 29, hasn't helped either. Tough competition also was a problem. Kansas opened its season with losses to No. 3 Fresno State and No. 9 Arizona State.
The Jayhawks took advantage of playing on their home field during a doubleheader Feb. 29. The two victories against Washburn marked a turning point for Kansas.
"That was the first game we got fired up," said catcher Katie Campbell. "Coach Bunge pointed out our puzzle goals, and we got back on track of what our goals were."
Each puzzle piece had a goal that served as both a motivational tool and a visual aid for improvement. It had played an important role in bringing the team together, team members said.
"We started to realize each of us is an important part of the team, and without one person, we are not the team we could be." Campbell said.
"Texas did not see KU softball," said catcher Heather Sims. "Thems did not happen. We could not get the bats going and put things together. We need to learn from that and move on."
The Jayhawks opened Big 12 play last weekend against Texas and suffered two losses, 2-0 and 5-0.
The Jayhawks will face Arkansas today when they play a doubleheader in Fayetteville.
REMAINING GAMES
3/29 @ Arkansas (doubleheader) 2 p.m., 4 p.m.
4/1 Texas AAM 1 p.m.
4/2 Texas AAM 1 p.m.
4/5 MIssouri 5 p.m.
4/6 Creighton (DH) 3 p.m., 5 p.m.
4/8 Texas Tech 1.10 p.m.
4/8 Texas Tech 1 p.m.
4/11 Missouri 5 p.m.
4/12 @Wichita State (DH) 2 p.m., 4 p.m.
4/15 @Baylor 7 p.m.
4/16 @Baylor 1 p.m.
4/19 SW Missouri State (DH) 2 p.m., 4 p.m.
4/29 SW Missouri State (DH) 3 p.m., 5 p.m.
4/22 Iowa State 1 p.m.
4/23 Iowa State 1 p.m.
4/26 Wichita State (DH) 3 p.m., 5 p.m.
4/29 Oklahoma 2 p.m.
4/30 Oklahoma 2 p.m.
4/30 Oklahoma 2 p.m., 8 p.m.
5/10-13 Big 12 Tournament
5/18-21 NCAA Regional
5/24-29 NCAA College World Series
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