Thursday, December 2, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Improved sophomore center sees playing time
By Melinda Weaver sports @kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
Though she spent most of her freshman season on the bench, Kristin Geoffroy already has contributed key minutes this season and greatly improved her game.
Last season, Geoffroy, 6-foot-7-inch sophomore center, played in 17 games, averaging 6.2 minutes per game. She scored a career-high six points against Butler and had a career-high four rebounds against Kansas State and Oklahoma.
9. rebounds, 5, and field goals made.
She averaged 5.7 points and 2.3
rebounds per game.
In only three games this season, she already has broken or tied nine of her freshman records. Among those records are career-high points,
"She is one of the most improved players this season," Coach Marian Washington said. "She has been able to get quality minutes and give us quality minutes. She has great hands and is d
Geoffroy: Spent summer improving her game
and is developing confidence in her ability to score."
After her freshman season, Geoffroy spent the summer in Lawrence improving her game and working out with most of her teammates. They consistently did workouts that included running, weight training and pickup games.
However, the biggest improvement has been Geoffroy's attitude.
"Everyone on the team thinks I have done a complete 180 as far as my attitude is concerned," Geoffroy said. "I have become more confident and have a different understanding of the way my teammates react to me and I react to them."
Washington said the key to Geoffroy's attitude adjustment simply was having an additional year to adjust to the changes of collegiate
basketball.
"A year can make a big difference," Washington said. "Most freshmen have a rude awakening because the intensity level, the expectations and the work ethic is so different. There is so much thrown at them that it is not usual to find a freshman who can come in and play for you right away. By the second year, you are saying the same things, but they are able to hear you better."
There is one thing Washington said that she would like Geoffroy to continue working on.
"She needs to continue to work on her defense, especially her lateral defense," Washington said. "She is a very big girl, and she will really have to focus so we can continue to use
her against smaller players. If she continues to improve, she will be a great player by this time next year."
Despite her improvements, Geoffroy competes for minutes at the center position with junior forward Jaclyn Johnson, senior center Heather Fletcher and sophomore center Nikki White, but said she did not mind as long as she was helping the team reach its goal.
"I'll just take what I can get and go from there," Geoffroy said. "I just try to give all that I can give. We expect to go all the way to the Final Four, and I think we can really achieve that if we pull together and make a 100 percent effort."
- Edited by Kelly Clasen
Applewhite, Simoneau take home Big 12 hardware
The Associated Press
Kansas State senior linebacker Mark Simoneau tackles Kansas running back Mitch Bowles. Simoneau was named Big 12 Conference defensive player of the year by The Associated Press. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
AUSTIN — Major Applewhite wasn't supposed to have such a good season.
Out from under Ricky Williams' shadow, many expected the lanky Texas sophomore to be exposed as an average quarterback. Some figured that by midseason freshman sensation Chris Simms would make Applewhite a forbidden man.
Instead, Applewhite became No. 12 Texas' first 3,000-yard passer and led the Longhorns (9-3) to the Big 12 South Division title, earning a spot in the league's championship game Saturday against Nebraska.
Applewhite was named the Big 12 offensive player of the year by The Associated Press yesterday. Top defensive honors went to Kansas State senior linebacker Mark Simoneau.
Oklahoma quarterback Josh Heupel and Kansas safety Carl Nesmith were named the offensive and defensive newcomers of the year.
Despite being the Big 12 newcomer of the year last season, Applewhite had to prove he could handle defenses geared to stop him instead of Williams. He did so pretty convincingly, completing 60.2 percent of his passes for 3,185 yards and a school-record 21 touchdowns.
"The only thing I wanted was respect," Applewhite said. "Last year, I played OK. This year, I had to deal with the fact that Ricky was gone, we lost seven starters and had the incoming high school player of the year.
back and played well."
"All that talk and I came
Applewhite quickly proved himself as the undisputed leader of the Longhorns' offense in more ways than statistics.
"There's 'not much that unnerves him,' said Texas coach Mack Brown. "He has handled all the Chris Simms questions honestly, he's handled them fairly. He's convinced me that winning is more important than how he plays."
Applewhite also earned the respect of his competition.
downs in a little more than three quarters to beat the Red Raiders 58-7. "He's the catalyst of that football team."
"He's done nothing but win," said retiring Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, who watched Applewhite pass for 241 yards and three touch-
Applewhite's best effort came in the second half of the Longhorns' 24-20 win over Nebraska.
After going 9-of-21 for 47 yards in the first half, Applewhite was 8-of-9 for 166
yards and two touchdowns in the final two quarters as Texas rallied from a 13-3 deficit.
"You know how some people are born to be something?" said Texas wide receiver Kwame Cavil. "Major was born to be a quarterback."
date returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown as the Wildcats beat Texas 35-17. It was one of six Applewhite turnovers forced by the Kansas State defense.
Simoneau played a big role in Applewhite's worst game.
Simonea finished the season with a team-high 91 tackles, which was actually his lowest output as a four-year starter. He also had a career-high 6.5 sacks.
The Wildcats (10-1) finished a game behind Nebraska in the Big 12 North Division.
The Butkus Award candi-
"You listen to all the preseason stuff, people thought we'd have a down year." Simoneau said. "Heck, our whole team was supposed to have a down year, but we wound up 10-1. If 10-1 is what you do in a down year, that's great. And I was glad I was part of it."
Simoneau said he welcomed the role of team leader.
"In the past, I stepped back from the leadership role because I was an underclassman. But being a senior I tried to be more vocal as well as lead by example," he said.
Heupel, a junior college transfer, rewrote Oklahoma's record book and led the Big 12 with 3,460 yards passing and 30 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. He was a big reason why the Sooners (7-4) qualified for their first bowl since 1994. His honor was a unanimous choice among sportswriters who regularly cover the league.
Nesmih signed with Kansas out of junior college as a wide receiver, but switched to defense in spring practice. He wound up second on the team with 89 tackles, 53 unassisted. He also had three interceptions and averaged 23 yards on kickoff returns for the Jayhawks (5-7).
Poll places men golfers 16th,senior ranked 13th
By Jason Walker
sports at kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
The Kansas men's golf team finished its秋 season ranked 16th in the nation, according to the latest MasterCard Collegiate Golf Rankings, with individual honors for senior Ryan Vermeer.
The Jayhawks received 100 votes in the poll. The team won two tournaments this fall, the Firethorn Club Invitational and the Purina/Missouri Classic.
The same poll ranked Kansas golfer Ryan Vermeer the 13th-best individual golfer in the nation. Vermeer received the honor after earning medalist honors at three
tournaments this fall. He also tied for fifth place at the Savane All-American Golf Classic with a three-round score of 210, only two
strokes behind first place.
Vermeer said he was proud of his ranking after a successful season.
"Anytime you're in the top 15, that's a big honor," he said. "I definitely think I deserve it."
Vermeer finished the fall season with a scoring average of 70.3 per round. He finished in the top 10 four times and carded a team-low score of 202.
Last spring, Vermeer finished in a tie for 27th place in the nation and earned All-American honors. The team achieved Coach Ross Randall's first team conference championship and a 22nd-place finish at the NCAA championships.
Randall said that he felt good about the rankings and the recognition they gave the program.
"It's not often that I agree with the polls, but they are pretty accurate this time," he said. "It's nice because people around the country are starting to realize that Kansas has a good golf tea."n.
Vermeer said he thought the tear in ranking was nice overall, but said he hoped the team could move into the top 10 this spring.
Randall said he was looking for ward to the spring season and was hoping to do even better than the team did last year.
"I don't think we've played our best golf yet," he said. "I think we have a really good team, and we have more depth. If the guys get it together, we will have a nice spring."
The College Golf Foundation administers the rankings after a panel of men's and women's collegiate golf coaches votes.
— Edited by Clare McClellan
KANSAS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 1999 KU Credit Union Jayhawk Classic December 3 & 4.1999
December 3: UC Santa Barbara vs. BYU KANSAS vs. Loyola Marymount
December 4: KANSAS vs. UCSB/BYU LMU vs. UCSB/BYU
5 p.m.
7 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
Students FREE with KU ID! Help us Pack Allen Fieldhouse!