6B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 2005
TRACK AND FIELD
Border Showdown sends alumni running
By PATRUCK SHEHAN
pshehan@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The Kansas track and field team will continue the Border Showdown this weekend as it travels to Columbia, Mo., for the Tom Botts Invitational.
Kansas, Iowa State Southwest Missouri State and Iowa will participate at the Missouri-hosted event.
The projected highlight of this weekend's meet will be the 800-meter run. Former Jayhawk Charlie Gruber will race former Tiger Derrick
Mlms
Peterson.
Both competed in the Olympic trials last year.
While Gruber went to the Olympic games in the 1500-meter run, Peterson placed third in
the Olympic trials. The border rivalry will continue as the stars race along current Jayhawk Jeremy Mims and Tigers Marcus Mayes and Jimmie Jones. Mayes ranks sixth in the
Big 12 Conference in the 800, and Jones ranks 16th. Mims has yet to run the 800 during the outdoor season.
As much as the Border Showdown matters to both universities, Mims said he was focused on the bigger picture of relays.
"There's going to be good competition. It's going to prepare us for the end of the season, the conference meet and nationals," he said. "The relays are just a bonus. You get to do these meets. You have to be there, but they're fun too. It's like a treat and a meet. You
"I's like a treat and a meet. You
want to beat everyone every time you're out there, but you have fun doing it.
Jeremy Mims
Senior runner
want to beat everyone every time you're out there, but you have fun doing it."
Although the rivalry underlies the meet for both teams, coach Stanley Redwine said the meet would have a different purpose.
After five finishes in the top 10 at the Texas Relays, the Jayhawks will try to home their skills against Big 12 foes.
"This week we're looking for athletes to do well in individual events," Redwine said. "Last week with the Texas Relays and the meet in Emporia, they were relay oriented."
The Tom Botts Invitational comes a week before the Kansas Relays, but stands out
because it doesn't focus on relays.
"It's a great opportunity to compete well this weekend as we go into our relays next weekend, and there will be great competition," Redwine said. "Hopefully at the end of the year this meet will help us."
Earlier this year at the Indoor Championships, Kansas fell two places behind Missouri on the men's side, ranking eighth. On the women's side, the Jayhawks fell right behind the Tigers, ranking seventh.
Edited by Lori Bettes
PROFILE
Golfer stays positive, improves game
BY TIM HALL
hall@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
You haven't seen Jason Sigler's name in a stat line for many Kansas men's golf tournaments this season, but you can find him at practice every day. The Leavenworth junior has played in one golf tournament this season, but he is putting in just as much work as his teammates to improve his game.
As a freshman in 2002, Sigler played in six tournaments. During the 2002-03 season he held a stroke average of 75.6. He played his best tournament of his career at the 2002 Missouri Bluffs Classic, shooting a three-round total of 220. He recorded the highest finish of his career, a tie for 23rd place, at the 2002 Kansas
Invitational. Sigler also qualified for the prestigious 2002 Kansas State Amateur championship.
Sigler's career as a Kansas golfer looked promising after his freshman year, when he gained tournament experience six times. But ever since the 2002-03 season, Sigler has played in only two tournaments. During his sophomore year, he suffered a golfing slump.
"I was struggling just to keep the ball on the course, and I got really frustrated at times with my game," Sigler said. "You start putting pressure on yourself, and you think you're getting better, and you really get worse."
Sigler played in one golf tournament his sophomore season, the Kansas Invitational. He struggled, shooting a three-round score of
242 and tying for 85rd. Even when Sigler was facing his sophomore slump, he kept an optimistic attitude and continued practicing. Now, at the end of his junior year, his game is getting closer to where it was two years ago.
In the fall of 2004, Sigler played in the Kansas Invitational for the third- straight year and finished with a three-round total of 225, tying for 31st. Although Sigler didn't play in any of the team's spring tournaments, he suffered a number of near misses in the qualifying rounds. Still, Sigler said his spirits were high.
"I think I'm close, and I feel really good about where I'm going." Sigler said. "I got a lot of confidence back playing in the Kansas Invitational, and that really helped me."
Besides displaying a good
work ethic, Sigler has one of the best personalities around, said sophomore Tyler Docking.
"He's just awesome to hang out with off of the golf course, and he respects everybody," Docking said. "He works harder than anyone out here."
With one year left after this season, Sigler will spend every minute of his free time on the golf course, improving his game so he can finish strong in his senior year, he said.
"You look at some of the guys on our team like Kevin Ward who didn't play a lot in his early years, and now he's one of the best players in the country," Sigler said. "Luke Trammell is another guy who has gotten a chance to play lately, and he's been great. It gives me inspiration to play better."
Edited by Azita Tafreshi
Nicoletta Niosi/KANSAN
Jason Sigler,
junior,
practices his
wedge shot
yesterday at
Alvamar Golf
Club. The
men's golf
team will travel
to Trinity,
Texas, on April
29 for the Big
12 Conference
Championship.
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