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SPORTS
9A
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAM
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2002
Andy Davies
adavies@kansan.com
Kansas Relays provide chance to check out top athletes
Jayhawk fans, don't blow this opportunity. Don't lose a chance to watch this year's version of the Kansas Relays.
Don't lose a chance to witness the World's Fastest Man and native Kansan Maurice Greene zooming down the backstretch of the 4x200 meter relay as his arms and legs pump like pistons.
Don't lose a chance to watch Kansas alum and 1996 Olympian Scott Huffman soar over the bar as he tries to capture first place in the pole vault.
I know what you're going to say, loyal readers: "Track and field just isn't exciting to watch." "My professors are killing me, and I've got so much to do during the next few days." "Watching athletes run laps around a giant oval isn't my idea of a good time." Or, my favorite, "I'd love to, but I can't ... I have too many bad memories of Memorial Stadium from watching the football team lose so many games."
But the rest of those excuses are flat out lame.
I can't disagree with that one. Chances are any Kansas fan will have more than their fair share of bad memories at Memorial Stadium.
Today, Friday and Saturday give you plenty of opportunities to watch the track meet. Head down to Memorial Stadium after class today or tomorrow and check out the events. If you have plans tonight or tomorrow evening, fight through that headache, wake up at a decent hour on Saturday and check out the action.
Whv. vou ask?
No other sport at Kansas, with the possible exception of men's basketball, has such a rich history as the Jayhawk track program. Kansas track and field has produced 30 Olympians, and 35 world records have fallen to Kansas alumni. The Relays have run for 75 years
— off-and-on since 1923. During that time a who's who list of Olympians have competed. Among the Olympians to compete in the Kansas Relays include Al Oerter, Billy Mills, Jim Ryun and, more recently, Greene in the 2000 Sydney games.
This year Greene will be back, but he won't be the only world class athlete present. Jon Drummond, winner of two Olympic medals and a perennial Olympic competitor also will compete in the Relays.
If the list of track stars isn't enough to get you to come out and watch the track meet, then the Jayhawk athletes competing should.
Scott Russell, owner of the Canadian record in the javelin and NCAA indoor champion in the weight throw will compete in the hammer thrown and discuss.
Charlie Gruber won first place in the mile two years ago at the Relays.
Leo Bookman, who finished in the Top 10 at the Big 12 Indoor Championships will run, too.
Andrea Bulat, who owns the Canadian record for throwing the javelin and is a returning All-American, should give fans a good show.
So head out to the Relays sometime during the next three days and catch a little sun and a glimpse of some of the world's best athletes doing what they do best. After all, it's not everyday you get to watch Olympic heroes past and present in Lawrence.
Davies is a St. Mary's senior in journalism.
HSI to compete in Relays
Maurice Greene flashes a smile during a Kansas Relays press conference at Memorial Stadium yesterday. Greene sat between Kansas Relays Director Tim Weaver, top, and HSI Training teammate Larry Wade, bottom.
SARA SHEPHERD/KANSAN
Kansas native leads track team holds world record in the 100
By Matt Norton
By Matt Norton
Kansan sportswriter
"I love coming back here and running because this is where I grew up," Greene said. "This is what I know most of all."
Greene, a Kansas City, Kan., native, began making a name for himself as a high school standout at the Relays and is now the world's fastest man and leader of the Los Angeles-based HSI training group.
Greene, Larry Wade, Jon Drummond and Kaaron Conwright will run in the invitational 400-meter relay Saturday at 7:15 p.m.
Wade said he liked his team's chances of winning the race.
"Considering that he's the world record holder, I don't think we could have a better anchor on this Earth," Wade said. "I know we're going to give our all and we already know he's going to give his all."
Greene said he was completely healed from a quadriceps injury that occurred in last year's outdoor world championships — which he still won. He also beat the world record in the 100-meter with a time of 9.79 in 1999.
"I have no more quad problems, I have no more tendinitis, so my body's feeling good," Greene said.
John Smith, coach of HSI, said the demand on his athletes to compete at various meets was large, but that's fine with him. His athletes work hard to prepare themselves to perform at the highest level.
"Just the reputation that has developed, people know we're going to come and give good value to their meet," Smith said. "They know we're entertainers and they know that they're going to get something special."
SEE GREENE ON PAGE 10A
Gooden in position of his predecessors
Former Kansas players faced same decision
By Brent Wasko
Kansan sportswriter
There seems to be something about Kansas basketball and its coach, Roy Williams, that keeps players from wanting to leave.
Only one Jayhawk player has ever decided to forgo his eligibility and enter the NBA Draft before his senior season during Williams' 14 years at Kansas. That player, Paul Pierce, left after his junior season.
Tomorrow afternoon, Jayhawk junior forward Drew Gooden may become the second player under Williams to leave school early to pursue an NBA career. Gooden is projected to be one of
Whether it is better to stay or go depends on whom you ask.
the league's top 10 picks.
"I think it's different in that he's going to be a high pick, there's not a guessimate out there. Yet there is a significant difference between one and 10." Williams said. "You look and see what the first pick gets over a four-year period compared to what a 10th pick gets over a four-year period, it'll surprise you."
Even though Pierce was the only player to walk away from a Williamscoached Kansas team, current NBA players Jacque Vaughn and Raef LaFrentz also considered their options.
After being selected as a secondteam All-American in 1996, Jayhawk point guard Jacque Vaughn decided to stay in Lawrence for another chance at reaching the Final Four.
That decision didn't pan out for Vaughn. He was forced to sit out the first part of his senior season because of an injury to his right wrist, and the Jayhawks didn't make it past the Sweet 16.
"During my process, I prayed a lot, and God led me to come back to Kansas. And there was no reason for me to second guess that at all. I had no regrets," Vaughn said in a 1997 Kansan article.
Vaughn's NBA draft stock dropped because of his injury-plagued senior season, and he has yet to make a name for himself playing professional basketball.
Unlike Vaughn, LaFrentz had a great senior season in 1998 and was named as a first-team All-American. However, like Vaughn, he didn't make it to the Final Four.
LaFrentz was drafted by the Denver Nuggets, but he never really saw much success with that team. He was traded
Pierce
Gooden
to the Dallas Mavericks this season and is averaging 11.1 points per game.
Pierce has had the most NBA success since telling Williams he wanted to leave Kansas early in 1998. He is averaging 26.3 points per game this season while leading the Boston Celtics to the playoffs
SEE PREDECESSORS ON PAGE 10A
Softball team delivers wallop in game two against UMKC
By Ali Brox
Kansan sportswriter
Senior Shelly Musser, who was playing third base because five Kansas players were serving suspensions after violating team rules, led off with a home run. But that was all the Jafhawks would score in a 2-1 loss in the first game against the University of Missouri-Kansas City yesterday.
Coach Tracy Bunge said that the suspensions forced her to ask some players to do some unusual things, such as sophomore pitcher Kara Pierce hitting as the designated player and junior pitcher Kirsten Milhoan playing right field in game one.
But the Jayhawks' offense returned in game two, as Kansas scored three runs in the seventh inning to cap off the 6-0 victory.
"Offensively we were able to string a lot more things together in game two." Bunge said. "We got some key runs early which helped the team relax. And we got a couple big hits from some key people. Other than Shelly, there wasn't a whole lot in game one."
In game one, Musser's first-inning home run to left-
The Kangarooos claimed the victory with another run in the bottom of the seventh. Amanda Rice reached first on a fielding error by Musser at third base. Jill Dolan pinch ran for Rice and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Chrystal Vega's single to center field moved Dolan to third, and another single by Katie Wiberg scored Dolan to end the game 2-1.
centerfield was the only run scored until the bottom of the sixth when UMKC's Brandy Tanner singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Kari Thurman. Tanner scored on an RBI single to right field by Kristen Caldwell and tied the game 1-1.
"This was a disappointing loss because it hurt us a lot," Bunge said. "But there were kids who played very hard and they know who they are and know that I am proud of them."
Senior left fielder Leah Tabb sparked the Kansas offense in game two when she led off the second inning with a homer to left center for a 1-0 lead. After senior outfielder Christi Musser walked in the fourth inning, Tabb struck again with a single through the left side.
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 10A
Lacrosse squad wants to capitalize on winning season
By Stephanie Goettsch Kansan sportswriter
As a first-year club sport, the KU men's lacrosse team expected a season of learning and growth as a squad.
But a nearly flawless record and a chance at a league championship trophy proves that you don't always get what you expect.
"It's amazing that it's our first year, we're number one in the league and we're going to the championship," Adam Kaba, Dallas, Texas, sophomore said. "We didn't even have these kind of expectations. We just wanted to get some games. Then we started winning and we could almost taste the championship."
The men's lacrosse team dissolved three years ago because of leadership and organizational issues. But it's back and better, according to Kaba.
SEE LACROSSE ON PAGE 10A
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