FOOTBALL: The points system for basketball tickets will also be used for next season's football tickets. PAGE 2B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2005
www.kansan.com
Gymnast flips goals; Wants college degree
SPORTS COMMENTARY
JOE BANT
jbant@kansan.com
It took Leah Norton the better part of six years to realize that gymnastics could be a part of her life without being her life.
Six years of 24-hour practice weeks, five national titles, a disastrous move to Texas that cost her the opportunity to have a normal senior year in high school, and an injury that literally broke every bone in her hand. Six years that has brought her to where she is today.
Six years of dreams — a college scholarship, Olympic aspirations — traded for new ones — a career in broadcast journalism with maybe some gymnastics on the side.
For Norton, Salina freshman, the journey has taken her from gym queen to college student, and though the transition has been tough at times, Norton said it was one she needed to make because the sport had stopped being fun.
But she's not far from her past. Sure,
she doesn't crank out thousands of pushups and sit-ups every week like she used to, but she teaches gymnastics for 12 to 15 hours a week, and she's the vice president of the Kansas club team where she still competes occasionally. The gym is still a part of her life and always will be, it just doesn't consume her anymore, and she thinks that is a good thing.
Norton and those around her knew she was good from the very beginning. At 5, in her preschool program, she was doing things 5 year olds shouldn't be doing — round offs, back handsprings and the like — but lessons were an expensive proposition, so she took a seven-year hiatus spent tramp-jumping and doing cartwheels in her front yard.
Finally, at 12, her parents heard her pleas and enrolled her in lessons at Salina's recreation department. She remembers vividly the first time walking up to the three-story brick Memorial Hall where her lessons were held and bonding almost instantly with her new coach and teammates.
"I was the oldest and the wildest," she said. "I was fearless."
Thus began her involvement in the sport that would dominate her adolescence, and though her school grades
ence; and though her school grades suffered, as did her social life outside
SEE GYMNAST ON PAGE 3B
Kansan file photo
Senior guard
Mike Lee nudges
past Nebraska
freshman guard
Joe McCray in
front of Nebraska
senior guard
Corey Simms during
the Jan. 19
game. McCray led
all scorers with 19
points and got into
a scuffle with Lee
resulting in a technical foul for each player. The
Jayhawks travel tomorrow to Lincoln, Neb., for a rematch against the Cornhuskers.
Jayhawks pumped for rival match-up
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTWRITER
When coach Bill Self talks about the low point of last season, two back-to-back road losses come to mind.
that road series. The team came home 15-6.
"There were some low points last year," Self said. "Looking up and being down 27-9 in Stillwater, that was a low point. But still, over a course of games ... losing at Stillwater and Nebraska, I
back road to Kansas lost games against Oklahoma State, 80-60, and Nebraska, 74-55, last February. Kansas was 15-4 going into
...losting at Samara would say that was the low point."
The Jayhawks travel tomorrow to Nebraska where the team will try to
erase the memory of the loss in Lincoln last year.
The Cornhuskers haven't exactly been perennial contenders in the conference race — they are 3-4 this year. But, after a near-loss to the Cornhuskers three weeks ago, the Jayhawks know the team can cause problems for them.
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 3P
Season begins in Hawaii
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIVER
The University of Kansas baseball team says goodbye to Lawrence and aloha to Hawaii as it opens the season against the University of Hawai-Hilo this weekend.
Kansas begins the season with game one of a six-game set today in Hilo, Hawaii.
Junior right-hander Kodiak Quick will be on the mound, making his lavhawk debut against Hilo's senior
John Matson. Matson is 0-1 on the season.
with a 5.86 ERA.
Quick, a Belton, Mo., junior, was 1-0 with a 3.62 ERA last season. He pitched at Stanford University before transferring to Kansas.
"I'm really excited to have a starting role and to be an impact player for this team," Quick said. "I'm very happy to be here.
Hawaii-Hilo is coming off a less-than-stellar 2004 season. The team went 9-43, which was one of the worst records in Division I. Despite that, they have the respect of junior outfielder
Matt Batv.
"Hawaii-Hilo plays teams tough," Baty said. "They have one of the most difficult schedules in the country."
Kansas opened last season with a 5-2 series win against Hawai-i Hilo en route to a 31-31-1 season and a ninth-place finish in the Big 12. In the series, Kansas outscored Hawai-i Hilo 63-39.
Coach Ritch Price is optimistic that the Jayhawk pitchers will improve on last year's effort in Hawaii, in part, because of the quality starters.
SEE HAWAII ON PAGE 3B
UPCOMING BASEBALL GAMES
The Kansas baseball team will begin its spring season today in Hilo Hawaii, against the University of Hawai'i-Hilo and will play Stanford Thursday. The Jayhawks will play their first nine games on the road before their home opener against South Dakota State Feb. 16.
The team's schedule for the upcoming road trip:
TIME (CENTRAL) DATE OPPONENT
11 p.m. Today Hawaii-Hilo
6 p.m. Tomorrow Hawaii-Hilo
5 p.m. Sunday Hawaii-Hilo
11 p.m. Monday Hawaii-Hilo
11 p.m. Tuesday Hawaii-Hilo
11 p.m. Wednesday Hawaii-Hilo
8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11 Stanford
3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 Stanford
1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13 Stanford
Source: University of Kansas Athletics Department
Jump Ball
Mallorie Hinemeyer, Overland Park junior, and Jill Pfumm, Shawnee junior, attempt to catch the football during a game of 500 yesterday near the scholarship halls. The game involved a group of players competing to catch the ball and be the first to reach 500 points.
NicoIntta Niosi/KANSAN
Seniors prepare for farewell
BY KELLY REYNOLDS
kreynolds@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The emotions will be flowing tomorrow at the Robinson Center Natatorium.
All six seniors will be honored before the start of the match-up with Iowa State at 2 p.m.
Aside from being teammates for four years, the six seniors have been through a lot together, including a coaching change three years ago.
Coach Clark Campbell credits part of the seniors' success to their willingness to accept him as their new coach.
"You know, they bought into a new coach three years ago, and I'm really humbled," Campbell said. "They're a fun, dynamic group. I hate seeing them go. I wish I could have four more years with them."
"This weekend is going to be hard and emotional," Gnatzig said.
junior Gina Gnatzig shares the same feelings about the leaders.
Senior captain Becca Zarazan is expecting a familiar feeling when she takes to the water tomorrow.
"The last home meet of the season makes me feel the same way as I felt my first meet in college," Zarazan said. "I'm nervous, excited and most of all proud to be a part of something so special."
be a part of Emotions aside, the team must also focus on swimming well against Iowa State. The team remains 0-4 in the Big 12 conference. This is Kansas' last chance to record a conference win.
--years ago, and I'm really humbled."
You know, they bought into a new coach three
Clark Campbell Swimming and diving coach
before competing at the Big 12 Championships in College Station, Texas, beginning March 23.
Texas, beginning The Jayhawks traveled to Ames, Iowa, to challenge the Cyclones last January. Kansas not only won the meet 140-103, but also ended a four-meet winning streak for Iowa State.
Both Iowa State and Kansas have struggled in the Big 12, with both teams losing to Nebraska and Missouri.
Assistant coach Jen Fox, a former swimmer at Kansas who graduated in 2001, said that the meet against Iowa State was a good opportunity for the Jayhawks to polish some flaws before heading to the conference championships.
"For this meet, we're looking forward to getting some good racing in and cleaning some things up before conference." Fox said.
Gnatzig said the Jayhawks couldn't take the Cyclones lightly.
The anxiety of the final home meet and the farewell to the seniors has the
"We bring out the best in people, and they have very strong distance swimmers." Gnatzig said.
SWIMMING SENIORS
Name:
Hometown
Events
Holyoke, Colo. Freestyle
Name,
Bigelow, Ark. Butterfly, Freestyle
Miranda Isobet Hutchinson Breaststroke
Wichita Backstroke
Jackie Krueger Sussex, Wis. Freestyle
Becca Zorazan
BETT LAURIE
Southlake, Texas Butterfly, Freestyle
Source: University of Kansas Athletic Department
team pumped up for tomorrow's meet in Robinson.
"We want to go out with a bang," Zarazan said. "We don't like to lose in our house."
Campbell said he hoped people would go to the last home meet, which is free to attend.
"We want to fill the stands," Campbell said. "For our seniors, who have done so much for our program, it would be awesome to see as many Jayhawk fans as possible on Saturday
"Our team really feeds off the energy generated by a full house."
— Edited by Kendall Dix
VU