Page 12 University Daily Kansan, March 26, 198*
Sports
BOB GREENSPAN/Kansan staff
An obviously displeased Head Coach Ted Owens signals for a time-out during the KU-Wichita State game. The Owens was offered a new three-year contract yesterday to replace the one year left on his current part.
After Kansas' basketball team ended last season with a 15-14 record, many KU fans and alumni called for the firing of coach Ted Owens. He eventually was given a vote of confidence, but not after much speculation that Owens would either be fired or would take a job at Oklahoma.
24-8 season earns Owens 3-year pact
After the Jayhawk's 24-8 record this season and the team's subsequent trip to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional, there won't be any sexual con.
KU Athletic Director Bob Marcum announced yesterday that Owens had been offered a new three-year contract. The contract will replace him as Owens's current contract and includes a pay raise.
"We at the University of Kansas are very proud of the job turned in by Coach Ted Owens and the team and feel he's说的 of a new contract," Marcum said. "There was one year when the Owens current contract, and it was decided to issue a new contract totaling three years."
The 51-year-old Owens completed his 17th year as coach of the Jayhawks, a career in which he has won 322 games and lost 152, a 68.1 winning percentage. Owens has taken two teams to the NCAA Championship and 1974. He also have been involved in postseason play nine times, seven of those in the NCAA.
ACTING CHANELLOR Del Shankel said he also was pleased that the athletic department had offered Owens a new contract, and he stressed Owens' off-the-court achievements.
"I am very pleased with the decision to offer Coach Owens a new contract," he said. "He and his teams have represented the University in an important manner, both on and off the basketball court."
"In addition to being a fine coach, he is a great example and leader for our players, as well as a mentor."
fine careers in sports, business, medicine and other professions. I hope that Ted and the University will continue to be associated for many years."
Owens said he would strive to continue the tradition established by F.C. "Phog" Allen, the only coach in KU history, to have won more games than his team has won the fifth person to have coached the Jayhawks.
"BASKETBALL has been a great source of pride at the University of Kansas for many years," Owens said in a prepared statement issued by the Sports Information Department. "I'm pleased that our teams during my time at the University have contributed to that great tradition. I am dedicated to continuing this excellence in basketball."
Owens was out of town recruiting and was unavailable for further comment.
Fambrough plans alum game, first practice
By TRACEE HAMILTON
Associate Sports Editor
Spring football practice begins Monday, and
Head Coach Darnam intends to take
them.
The echo of bouncing basketball has barely subsided in Allen Field House, and it's time for footballs to cut the spring air at Memorial Stadium.
"WE ONLY HAVE 20 sessions according to NCAA regulations," he said yesterday. "That's not much time. We have to make every day count."
Fambrough said, however, that he did not intend to suit up for the contest
"It's not definite yet, but it's in the wind." Fambrough said. "We've got at least 35 commitments, including the seniors from last year's team that are still in school."
But the last day of practice, though not the most important, should be the most fun. Fambridge said his staff was planning an alumni memoirimage for May 2, the final Saturday practice.
"If I got out there, all 11 of them would come at me.
"he said, laughing.
But Bamfroub was very serious when he met of his team's progress and its plan for the spring.
"WELL START off with full pads," he said.
"We plan on a controlled scrimmage on the first Storm."
"Spring practice is really when a player makes the team. At the end of it we should know the first two teams. Every position is wide open. We need to learn how to achieve and show coaches what they can do."
Fambrough said he expected about 90 players to participate in the spring sessions.
"We don't have a large number of players," he said. "I hope this within another year we'll have a few of them."
"WE JUST CAN'T afford the luxury of three outstanding players in one position. By the end of practices I expect to be two deep in some, and maybe even three."
Fambridge often uses the Nebraska football program as an example of what he would like to teach at his college. He says,
almost always a Top 20 team, finished second in the conference to Oklahoma last season.
"I'm really jealous of what they've got," Fambrough said of the Haskers. "We're working hard on our walk-on program. With a 30-second ride, we're a must to have a strong walk-on program.
"That's why I'm saving more scholarship than usual for our walk-ons—to encourage them. We'll probably have four scholarships left by next fall."
Fambrough doloed out one of his remaining scholarships yesterday, when he signed Paul Swenson, a 6-3, 228-pound offensive lineman from Osawatomie.
Myrtle touches all bases for softball team
Swenson, who carried a 3.75 grade point
and was a varsity athlete, attended a
Farmhouse on his first excursion Monday night.
"We've had him in football camp a couple years," Fambrouch said. "I'm excited about him because he turned down two appointments to the Air Force and Naval Academy to come here.
"HE'S THE TYPE we like to recruit. We're a fine student, an engineering student. We're getting better."
Sports Writer
By BRENDA DURR
Shawn Myrtle can play all the infiltrate positions from first to third, and catcher, too. But her tough challenge is learning to play the role of a defensive lineman in infielder for the Kansas women's softball team.
"When I didn't start, it was really tough to sit on the bench." Myrille, Wiltshire sophomore, said. "It's a common position for most freshmen, and I don't think this year because there's a lot more seniors."
BUT SITTING on the bench and waiting for a chance to play is the assignment given to a utility infielder. Her worth to the team isn't reflected in the number of times she starts, but in the ways she uses her skills as she moves from one infield position to the next.
She might be called upon at any time in the game to replace an injured player, or perhaps to pinch hit with runners on base. Such situations are tough for any player, Myrtle said, but especially for players who have to stay in the game both physically and mentally.
"I always have to be ready, and still be
competitive, even coming off the bench cold," she said. "I like to do the best that I can. Being mentally prepared is more of a routine type of thing."
Even though she encourages her teammates to their best, Myrtle says sometimes discuses the point. "She will be with us."
"DEALY, I would like to start. But if a player is hurt, I'll come in and do the best I can," she said. "I've been really fortunate to come on as a backup player when they needed it."
"There was kind of a conflict situation, always being the desire to play, but trying to be as supportive."
But Myrtle may become more than just a reserve. She filled in at both shortstop and third center, and she was an elite defender.
After regular shortstop Sue Sherman injured her hand in a collision at second base, Myrtle started every game at shortstop in the Oklahoma City team. The 281 batting average - third best on the team
"Certainly she has proven herself and deserves much more playing time than before," she said.
utility player but now deserves a chance on the first team."
Myrtle said, "People were really pleased I could come off the bench and do it. Nothing spectacular, but I made the plays, and that was the key."
Mytle had some experience making key plays at Wichita Heights High School, where she was a freshman.
"I've played softball since I was 7 and was kind of raised on the softball field," she said. "I was the tomboy in the family, and followed Dad around for years. He was very supportive. My dad also coached my team for four years."
But after four years of high school, one of the few goals Myrtle had left to attain was a place on a major college team. After initially trying out in the Big Ten, she came back again with the possibility of becoming a walk-on.
"A major goal since I was little was to try for a major college team and make it," she said. "Softball always has been a big part of my life, but it's not the only reason for choosing KU. The first time I saw this campus, I fell in love with it."
Baseball team will meet Benedictine today
By ARNE GREEN Sports Writer
Sports Writer
The weather, not Baker University, stopped the Kansas baseball team yesterday when early morning rains washed out the Jayhawks' doubleheader with the Wildcats.
The Jayhawks will try again today with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Benedictine at Quigley Field. The games are the team's final game. For Big Eight play begins this weekend.
"When you play baseball in the spring in Kansas, or anywhere in this area, there's a danger of rain," he said. "That's why we try to play so many games at home early in the season."
KANSAS COACH Floyd Temple said that he was disappointed with the rainout but that it seemed to be a bad sign.
"It's unfortunate that we lost to the rain the
A pair of lefthanders, freshman Dennis Copi and junior Randy McIntosh, will start against Benedictine, but Temple said he planned to look at several other pitchers.
home opener after spring break, but it really shouldn't be too detrimental.
Coplan, 3-4, is off to a fast start this year,
inming both his starts this year and picking up a
new one.
"Coplan and McIntosh will pitch about two
rings each," he said. "It'll probably use
eight."
METNOSH, HAMPERED by a hamstring pull this spring, has struggled, however. Has an 0-1-1 ratio?
"Randy's problem has been lack of control early in the season," Tenned said. "He got a late start."
"They had a pretty good team last year and they have a good coach," he said. "It's a game where we need to play well if we're going to win."
Temple said that he did not know very much about Benedictine but that the Jayhawks would take him.
The Jayhawks have tomorrow off, then open the Big Eight season against Oklahoma State with doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday. The games are set for 10.m. at Quigley Field.
"WE PLAYED some tough competition in
the play that that's any indication, I think we
are ready to go."
Senior second baseman Roger Riley, KU's leading hitter with a three-hit streak, is ready for Eight-play.
Temple also said he thought the team would do well against Bir Elech competition.
The Jayhawks won seven of 11 games on their Texas trip over spring break.
"I think so," he said. "We might be outmanned in personnel, but our kids believe in themselves and I am confident."
Graves and Neumann meet the seated in the top 20 in individual events. Graves is seeded 13th in the 100-yard breast stroke, 16th in the 200 stroke and 20th in the 200 individual medley.
Neumann is seeded 15th in the 100 backstroke and Wright is seeded 42nd in the same event.
KU swimmers to compete in NCAA
Top collegiate swimmers from across the country, including three Kansas swimmers, will give the pool another stuff test in the first round of the state swimming and diving championships in Austin today.
Because it is wider and deeper than most swimming pools, the University of Texas' pool consistently gives up some of the fastest times in the nation.
DAVE KRAUSI/Kansan staff
Co-captain Steve Graves and sophomores Chuck Neumann and Gardner Wright will compete for Kansas in the meet, which will continue through Saturday.
"I was reading in the newspaper that winning the NCAA championship is tougher than winning the Olympics, and it's true. There is some great competition.
"But I think that our guys are going to do well. I feel really good about it."
Shawn Myrtle, a reserve infielder for the KU softball team, warms up during practice earlier this week. Myrtle has earned a spot on the starting team when she came off the bench to bat .281 during a spring break tournament.
Spahn said the NCAA championship was the toughest meet in the world.
Although traditional powers California, Florida, UCLA and Texas are returning strong teams to this year's championship, Spahn said he hopes the Big Eight representatives to hold their own.
"Missouri, Iowa State and Nebraska all have fine teams and should do well in the nationals," he said. "But we have the best chance out of the teams from the Bie Eight."
"Our guys are already well," KU Coach Bibb Spahi said. "They are all really close to Batman."
Syracuse's Erich Santifter hit his last 11 shots of regulation play en route to a game-high 26 points and sent the game into overtime. The team scored on the next play at the regulation bunzer to tie the score at 82.
NEW YORK (UPI) - Tulsa's Greg Stewart scored a team-high 25 points and a tie-breaking win with 30 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of 88-84 victory over Syracuse at the NIT final.
Tulsa wins NIT in overtime. 86-84
Tulas finished the season at 26-7 under new coach Nolan Richardson, who came from Texas Junior College to inherit an 8-19 team that didn't enjoy a winning season since 1974-75.
Phoenix is not yet champion and the Kings still are in the race on the strength of their 110-101 victory last night. Scott Weddian had a lot of work to do, but his unfield scored 25 points as the Kings shot 62 percent.
The Phoenix Suns needed one victory to clash the Pacific Division championship, and the Kansas City Kings hoped to avoid the one loss that would have been one of the two remaining playoff spots in the NBA.
Kings get needed victory over Suns
Kansas City hit its first nine shots of the game, took a quick 10-point lead and never trailed despite an 11-point streak by the Suns that made the score 91-10 in the fourth quarter.
For the Suns Walker Davis scored 27 points, Dennis Johnson had 19, Truck Robinson hit 18 and Alvin Scott and Alvan Adams had 12 each. The Suns shot only 42 percent.
Reggie King was the third King with more than 20 points, and Otis Birdsong, Kansas City's All Star guard, scored 16.
.
Kansas City has only two games left, one Friday against Houston and one Sunday against Dallas. Kansas City and Houston both are left in the playoff spot. Should the two teams have identically beat the season's end, the Kings would get the playoff on the basis of the regular season's play.
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