Tuesday, May 4, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Big 12 Conference Champions
KU golf scores more than titles
Golf coach receives conference honor
By Brad Hallier sports@kansan.com Kansan writerwriter
Things just keep getting better for the Kansas men's golf team.
One week ago today, the Jayhawks became the first team north of the Oklahoma border to win a conference championship since Missouri's win in 1984. That win marked the first conference title for Kansas since 1950.
"This is a tremendous accomplishment for us in this league, given the strength of the southern schools." said Richard Konzem, associate athletics director. "We don't have the best weather in Kansas, and we have a program that challenges Oklahoma State and Texas and to win over teams like that with so much tradition in
golf is really impressive."
Indeed, the Big 12 Conference has been one of the elite conferences. At one time, seven teams were ranked in the top 50. Kansas entered the Big 12 Championships ranked 30th, but there were four teams ranked ahead of the Jayhawks, including fifth-ranked Oklahoma State.
Konzez, who oversees golf at the University, compared the Jayhawks victory in Hutchinson to Texas' men's basketball winning the Big 12 basketball crown.
"Beating Oklahoma State and other southern schools is like winning a conference basketball title over KU." he said.
After Kansas clinched the title, the good news continued.
Last week, junior Brad Davis and redshirt freshman Casey Harbour were named to the Academic All-Big 12 team.
Then to top off the week, senior
Chris Thompson and junior Ryan Vermeer were named to the Big 12 All-Conference team, and Kansas coach Ross Randall was named Big 12 Coach of the Year.
"I make a few decisions, but they are the ones who put the ball in the hole," Randall said.
Since Randall took over as men's golf coach in 1980, the Jayhawks have finished second at the conference tournament four times, and twice Randall was named Big 8 Coach of the Year.
Thompson, a 1998 All-American, has had an up-and-down year, but Randall said that he expected more good things from the Big 12 individual runner-up when regional play begins on May 20.
"He has not had a steady year, but he finishes well in the important events," Randall said. "I'm really happy for Ryan and Chris. They are both among the top golfers in the country."
— Edited by Tara Hinkhouse
"I make a few decisions,but they are the ones who put the ball in the hole."
Ross Randall men's golf coach
Commentary
Alcohol in stadium skyboxes is unfair to regular crowd
Continued from page 1B
People who will sit in the skyboxes being built at Memorial Stadium will be allowed to drink alcohol, while regular fans still will be denied the privilege.
The reason: money. Skybox people are more important to the Athletics Department than anyone else because they have deeper pockets.
But it is hypocritical of the chancellor to demand that the campus be dry, while at the same time allowing those with money to drink up.
He should step in and tell Bob Frederick, athletics director, that alcohol in the skyboxes is unacceptable.
If he doesn't, then no one should take the chanceller seriously when he tells people that curbing alcohol consumption on campus is a priority of his.
- The Athletics Department must put a proposed track facility on the fast track. What once was one of the most successful track programs in the country is not even a powerhouse in its own conference.
One reason is that the track and field athletes don't have an adequate facility. And the Athletics Department is to blame.
The Memorial Stadium track has been warped for
years and, in the meantime, the department has dragged its feet on rectifying the problem.
It has been decided that a track stadium will be constructed, but the department has moved extremely slow with the plans.
Meanwhile, the Kansas Relays, once a premier track event, have been canceled two years consecutively, and the track program has faltered
Without an adequate facility, it is impossible to recruit and difficult to compete.
The Athletics Department should be embarrassed for not being closer to breaking crowd on a track stadium. Rome was built faster than this.
Can the Jayhawk fly? And if it can't, why not? I mean, if you are going to invent a bird and use it as a mascot, wouldn't common sense dictate that the bird should be able to fly. If it can't fly, then the Jayhawk is simply a colorful penguin.
As for why the baseball team is suffering, two reasons; coaches and players.
The team continues to make the same mistakes again and again, which means that players and coaches are not doing their jobs. Plain and simple.
Duncan is an Topeka senior in journalism and English.
Confidence drives'Hawks into postseason
Continued from page 1B
McPhail agreed.
"We have gotten a lot better. Our only problem is we've been inconsistent with our intensity. I think we've gained some confidence, and we're having fun." McPhail said.
Winning today would set a positive tone for the team heading into the postseason, and Bunge said her team would be ready to meet the challenge.
"This team has enough confidence in themselves. They believe in themselves, and they believe they can beat anyone in the conference if they play the way they're capable of playing." Bunge said. "I believe we can win it, too."
— Edited by Darrin Peschka
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