Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Matt Jordan plays all the positions for the Kansas football team this spring.
SEE PAGE 3B
Tennis
The Kansas tennis teams face tough conference foes this weekend.
KANSAS TENNIS
Friday
April 16, 1999
Section:
B
Page 1
SEE PAGE 4B
Pro Hockey
The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, says it will take a miracle to convince him not to retire.
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
SEE PAGE 5B
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Kansas Basketball
Former Kansas basketball assistant Matt Doherty sheds tears in his last appearance as a Jayhawk last night at the Kansas Basketball Banquet. Doherty has been with the Jayhawks for the past seven years and will be the coach for Notre Dame next season, "Notre Dame will be on my chest, but Kansas will always be in my heart," Doherty said. Photo by Christina Neff/KANSAN
Schedule released
The Kansas men's basketball team has no plans to take it easy during the 1999- 2000 non-conference season.
The Jayhawks' schedule includes games with 1999 First Four team Ohio State, road games with Iowa and Illinois and a trip to the Great Alaska Shore.
The Jayhawks schedule will be finalized this summer when the Big 12 Conference office announces the league schedule.
"Our non-conference schedule will be extremely challenging," Kansas coach Roy Williams said. "But it's the type of schedule our players enjoy, and it's certainly the type of schedule our fans like."
Kansan staff reports
1999-2000 Kansas Non-Conference Schedule
Nov. 19 v. Fairfield in Lawrence
Nov. 28-29 at the Great Alaska
Shootout in Anchorage, Ala.
Dec. 5 v. Middle Tennessee State in Murtrebsoro, Tenn.
Dec. 11 v. Pittsburgh State in Lawrence
Dec. 16 v. Ohio State in Lawrence
Dec. 18 v. Illinois in Chicago, Ill.
(United Center)
- Dec. 22 v. Princeton in Lawrence
- July 5 v. Southampton in Spring
Robertson wins MVP at postseason banquet
Jan. 4, v. Pennsylvania in Lawrence
Feb. 3, v. Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa
Dec. 30 v. Saint Louis N.
Shootout) in Kansas City, Mo.
(Kemper Arena)
By Kevin C. Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
Senior guard Ryan Robertson, who never missed a practice or game during his four years at Kansas, received the Dr. Forrest C. Phog Allen Most Valuable Player Award at the team's postseason banquet last night.
The annual postseason banquet, held in Allen Fieldhouse, attracted close to
Robertson, who is one of the Jayhawks' all-time career statistical leaders in steals, assists, three-point fields and games played, averaged 12.8 points, four rebounds and 3.2 assists per game as a senior.
"This is such a great honor," Robertson said to Jayhawk faithful. "In my four years here, Jacque Vaughn, Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce have all won the award. I think Coach Williams will agree with me that those were some pretty good players."
1,000 fans, and celebrated the careers of this century's last class of Kansas men's basketball players. Former Kansas assistant coach Matt Doherty, who recently became the head coach at Notre Dame, was back in Lawrence for the festivities.
In addition to the MVP Award, Robertson won the Dutch Lonburg Free-Throw Percentage Award after shooting 87.1 percent from the line last season, the fifth highest single-sec
son percentage in Kansas history
Robertson, who was named 1999 first team Academic All-American, and fellow senior T.J. Pugh shared the Ken Koen-
Robertson; Received the teams' highest honor yesterday.
mgs Academic Award, Robertson, who has a 3.6 cumulative grade point average and Pugh, who has a 3.7, also shared the James Naismith Captains Award.
Other award winners from last night included junior Nick Bradford, who earned the Dick Harp Field Goal Percentage Award after shooting 51.3 percent from the floor during the 1988-99 season. Bradford also shared the Clyde Lovelette Most Improved Award with sophomore Eric Chenowith.
THE 6-foot-6 Bradford more than doubled his scoring and rebounding averages from the previous season, and Chenwihua developed into one of the nation's most dominant centers on his way to earning honorable mention All-America. The 7-foot center also garnered the Bill Bridges Rebounding Award after grabbing 301 rebounds last season for an average of 9.1 rebounds per game.
During conference play, Chenowith
upped his average to 10.4 rebounds per game and finished third overall in the Big 12 Conference.
Pugh, who Williams has called the toughest player he's ever coached, received the Ted Owens Defensive Player Award despite spending most of his senior season battling injuries. Freshman point guard Jeff Boschee, who dished out nearly four assists per game, captured the Cedric Hunter/Jacque Vaughn Assists Award after collecting a team-high 121 assists.
Robertson, Pugh, Jelani Janisse and Chris Martin received the Senior Awards.
Award us.
In a night filled with reflection, Kansas coach Roy Williams also used the occasion to challenge next year's team.
"A lot of attention has been given to the recruiting class, but these guys sitting in front of you are going to be the backbone of next year's team," Williams said as he pointed to the underclassman. "These guys are going to keep Kansas basketball where it needs to be."
Baseball ready to snap streak after week off
By Matt Tait
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The middle of the Big 12 baseball season usually doesn't include a week off. For the Jayhawks, however, that's what they got.
Thanks to this raindouts versus Wichita State this week, the 'Hawks are healthy, rested and prepared for their series with Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma State.
"I'm anxious to play some baseball," coach Bobby Randall said. "We've had two good practices, and I liked the way we've worked this week. We've swung the bats well and we're ready."
The Cowboys come in owning a 26-10 overall record and an 8-7 B12 mark, but find themselves in an unfamiliar sixth place in the conference.
place in the conference.
"The they've always been known for their offense, but this year what I've heard is that their pitching is strong." Randall said.
Randall has heard correct. Starter Matt Smith is 7-1 with a 2.14 ERA, while reliever Ryan Herrmann owns an incredible 0.98 ERA. Smith is scheduled to throw game one for the Cowboys.
one for the victory. On the hill for the Jayhawks in game one,
Rusty Philbrick will look to stop Kansas' nine-game losing streak.
nine-game losing streak." "Last year down there was a home-run fest," Philbrick said. "I think it'll be different here."
Snapping the losing streak is of utmost importance for the 'Hawks if they plan to play in the Big 12 Tournament. The Jayhawks are in 10th place, but stand only one game back in the winning column of the eighth and final spot.
"After the Missouri series everyone was real down because they thought there was no hope for us to make it to the tournament," Philbrick said. "But after looking at it, we're still in it and we all think that 10 wins will get us in. We've got nine conference games left and need to get six."
Randall agreed, but said that the team may need to get eight. He also said that baseball couldn't be predicted and that the focus still was to get better everyday and play good baseball.
Tonight's game will begin at 7.
— Edited by Matt Merkel-Hess
Trying weekend awaits 'Hawks
Dan Dercher, Justin Glasgow anticipating call from NFL
By Mike Harrity Kansan sportswriter
The drill has been the same for the past few days in the Lawrence apartment shared by former Jayhawk football players Dan Dercher and Justin Glasgow.
Walk in the door. Head straight for the answering machine. Push play. Listen to the voices of the potential emplovers who nearly fill the tape.
Wednesday, there were messages from a New York Jets coach and a Philadelphia Eagles scout for Derker. Yesterday, there was one from a Miami Dolphins coach for Glasgow.
Dercher and Glasgow, offensive linemen, will endure the torture of waiting tomorrow and Sunday while seven rounds of the NFL draft unfold.
Dercher's chances of getting drafted are higher. He was the lone Jayhawk invited in February to the NFL scout combine, which welcomes only the nation's top players. Glasgow did well in a workout for scouts on campus in March and hopes, if not drafted, to get on a roster as a free agent once the draft is completed.
So goes the life of former college football players on the verge of realizing dreams of playing in the NFL.
Dercher
them. "I'll probably have sweaty palms all day long watching the TV," said Dercher of the draft, which ESPN will air Saturday and ESPN2 will show Sunday. "Till just be sitting and watching, hoping to see my name go across across the screen."
Both just want the weekend to come and go as quickly as their minds are racing this last day before finding out where the next step of their football career will take them.
He could could find himself in Kansas City, practicing with the Chiefs. Or, maybe he'll be sweating under the Florida sun with his Dolphins teammates.
The truth is, Glasgow doesn't care where he ends up — as long as he ends up in the NFL.
"It's like this nervousness and excitement all at once."
Glasgow said. "I don't really have a preference where I go. I'm just hoping for anything."
After starting the last 33 games of his Kansas career, Glasgow spent last Christmas in Montgomery, Ala., playing in the Blue-Gray College All-Star Game. Hundreds of NFL personnel people lined the field during the week of practices leading up to the game.
Playing under the microscope manned by the holders of his football future didn't faze Glasgow. The culminating event of a solid week's worth of practices came during the game. Glasgow easily handled the task of blocking Louisiana State defensive lineman Anthony McFarland, who is projected as a first-round pick by ESPN draft gruel Mel Kiper, Jr.
Dan Dercher is reading a print-out from an issue of *Pro Football Weekly* that details his positives and negatives as an NFL hopeful. Among the negatives listed are that he lacks the body mass, thick thighs and large butt that coaches want in an offensive tackle.
Glasgow hopes to play against McFarland again — in the NFL.
"I was so happy to do well in front maybe I turned a few head," said Glasgow, who is ranked as the 30th best offensive guard available by Pro Football Weekly. "I hope somebody noticed."
"I was so happy to do well in front of all the scouts, and
Glasgow
Dercher laughs.
"My butt taint big enough? Man, those guys say anything and know nothing," Dercher said. "I've seen things on the Internet that have me projected to get drafted in the third round and I've seen ratings where I'm not in the top 25-ranked tackles. I don't worry about it, though. I'll just wait and see this weekend."
Most of the messages on the answering machine during the last few weeks have been for Dercher. The New York Jets have already asked what airport he'd fly out of to come to next weekend's post-draft mini-camp workout. The Chicago Bears have told him that they plan to draft him, probably on Sunday, when rounds four through seven are completed.
seven are completed. At the NFL combine in Indianapolis, players are judged on everything from how high they jump to how they look in their boxers.
See PLAYERS on page 3B
Team supports former player battling cancer
Bv Melinda Weaver
By Melinda Weaver sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
On Aug. 7, a physician diagnosed a rare bone tumor on Lumpkin's left tibia, the shin bone, at his knee. Since the tumor had formed on the bone, it was not too dangerous, but it started to spread into his lungs.
For former Kansas tennis player Andrew Lumpkin, Littleton, Colo., junior, physical therapy is the fun part.
A recent CAT scan in his chest showed no sign of trouble.
1
Lumpkin completed three cycles of chemotherapy in Littleton before undergoing surgery on Nov. 14. After the surgery, he completed three more cycles of chemotherapy which finished one month ago.
"I'm feeling great," Lumpkin said. "I have a lot of energy, and I'm much more active."
Now, he is doing physical therapy to try to rebuild his strength.
"This part is fun," Lumpkin said. "The worst part is over."
Lumpkin said that through everything he had endured, his faith had helped him stay strong.
In her faith had helped him stay strong.
"I'm a Christian, and ever since I was diagnosed, I had a calmness that it was in the right hands and whatever happened was meant to be," Lumpkin said.
He said he also drew strength from his friends and family. He keeps in touch with his teammates, and said they were very supportive.
Coach Mark Riley said he was amazed at Lumpkin's strength.
"My family and friends were phenomenal," Lumpkin said. "Everyone did far better than I can imagine doing in their situation."
kill's strength.
"He has a toughness like I have never seen," Riley said. "He told me it was just something he had to deal with, and he got through it."
Andrew Lumpkin, Tittleton, Colo., junior, returns a fore- hand hit across the net. Lumpkin was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in August and has undergone six chemotherapy sessions and a surgery while on the road to recovery. Though Lumpkin completed chemotherapy sessions a month ago and said he felt good, he will be unable to return to the tennis team. Contributed photo.
Lumpkin took a year off from school but plans to attend the University of Kansas next fall. He will not return to the tennis team. His orthopedic surgeon said he would not recommend tennis or any activity that would cause high impact to Lumpkin's knee.
Riley said that Lumpkin's presence on the team was missed.
"The thing we miss most is his humor." Riley said.
"He makes things more relaxed. It's different any time you're used to having someone around and they can't be there anymore."
- Edited by Kelli Raybern