BASEBALL: Softball pitcher named player of wekk. See page 7A. OLYMPICS: Read about Apolo Anton Ohno's surprising victory. See page 7A
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
8A
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2002
Kate Eichten
keichten@kansan.com
2002 hockey team has age advantage
Hockey lesson number two: Last week I wrote about the 1980 Miracle on Ice Olympic hockey team and the rules of the game. This week I will have you know that the hockey team of 1980 was much different than the 2002 Olympic team. This year's team is an NHL all-star team of sorts, while in 1980 every player was a college kid with the average age of 19.
It is hard to imagine that members of the1980 hockey team were barely college age when they handed Russia the biggest upset in Olympic hockey history.
The ages of the current team range from 24 to 39.
The United States is a favorite this year, seeded first in its bracket for the medal round. The team faced off against Germany last night, winning 5-0.
This year's coach is Herb Brooks, who also coached the team in 1980. Brooks was also a part of the 1964 and 1968 Olympic teams but won his first medal as coach of the 1980 'kids.' In the past 20 years he has coached four NHL teams. When asked what he thought about the format of the team this year, Brooks said he would prefer to keep it strictly at an amateur level, but will accept the change. He said without change, there was no progress.
Ispoke with Matt Davis, Topeka sophomore and player for the Kansas club hockey team, about his feelings on both the 1980 team and the 2002 Olympic team as far as age and performance measure up.
"You have to realize that the majority of these guys who play at this level practice at least twice a day—hockey is life up North," Davis said. "When I lived in Canada we would even practice before school. Anymore, guys our age who play in the NHL are physical prodigies just like the young guys who make it to the NBA before college."
Davis is right. Take a look at even the youngest of the Olympic team this year.
Mike York, a forward from the New York Rangers is the youngest player at 24. Michigan State alumni, he was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist for the college hockey player of the year his junior and senior year, and was also runner up for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year.
Then take a look at 25-year-old Chris Drury, a center for the Colorado Avalanche, 2001 Stanley Cup Champions. This guy has a list of achievements longer than most of the 1980 players. He began his athletic career as a pitcher in 1989 for the Trumbull baseball team who made it to the Little League World Series. Making the switch to hockey, Drury was recruited by Boston University and was the leading all-time scorer. Boston won the NCAA championships when he was a freshman, and he earned All-American Honors twice and was the winner of Hobey Baker Award. After graduating he went to the NHL to the Colorado Avalanche and won the Calder Trophy during the 98-99 season.
So keep a watchful eye on the Olympic team this year. Although there probably won't be as many sparks and miracles the 1980 team produced, the this year's team is sure to do well.
And if you're looking for a little hockey action nearby to suffice your craving, make your way over to Ice Sports in Kansas City Friday night for the club team's game. Face off begins at 9:15.
Eichten is a Topeka sophomore in journalism.
Junior leads Jayhawks
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswrite
The junior infielder — and junior college transfer — went four for four with two doubles, two RBIs and three stolen bases yesterday, helping the Kansas baseball team beat Newman 8-1.
Brandon Shepard wasted little time making an impact.
The victory improves the Jayhawks to an unblemished 5-0 mark, while Newman dropped to 6-8 on the year. Shepard, playing in four of the five games, is hitting 615 (8-for-13) with four doubles and eight runs scored.
"It's feeling good," Shepard said. "It's good to get a couple of wins under our belt and get off to a quick start."
As a team, Kansas cranked out 13 hits yesterday from seven different players. Senior third baseman Ryan Klocksien contributed three hits and three RBIs, and junior outfielder Lance Hayes went two for four.
"We haven't faced Big 12 pitching," Shepard said. "But we have to be pretty pleased with the way we've been swinging so far."
Down 1-0 in the first inning, Shepard followed a leadoff triple by Hayes with a run-scoring single. He later scored on a single by Klocksien, putting the Jayhawks up early—and for good.
After doubling in the third inning, Shepard stole third base, and advanced to home on a throwing error by Newman catcher Shawn Jacques.
Freshman Chris Jones, one of six Kansas pitchers, was credited with the win. Senior Randy Strann pitched
KANSAS 8. NEWMAN 1
■NU—100000000 - 1 6 2
■KU—2020002X - 8 13 3
W: Chris Jones (1-0) L: Corv
Pladson (1-1)
HR: Holmes (2)
three shutout innings in relief, and four other pitchers recorded scoreless innings to close out the game.
"I think you saw another quality performance by the pitching staff," coach Bobby Randall said. "That was the buffet pitching plan—a little bit of everything."
"It felt nice," Shepard said. "I'm working hard in practice and ready to go whenever I get the opportunity."
In the bottom of the eighth, junior designated hitter Pat Holmes slapped a solo home run, and Shepard concluded his perfect day at the plate with an RBI double.
The running game of the Jayhawks, relatively quiet in the first four games, started to show some life. Sophomore second baseman Ryan Baty stole his second base of the season to go with Shepard's three-stale performance.
"We work on that every day in practice," Shepard said. "That's something that's going to help us a lot — getting runners over and getting them into scoring position."
With a three-game home series against the University of WisconsinMilwaukee starting on Friday, Randall said he was happy with where his team stood, despite needed improvements.
Contact Wood at rwood@kansan.com. This story was edited by Justin Guenley.
Kansas shortstop Brandon Shepard throws the ball to first base after forcing Newman player Lenny Rau out, making a double-play. The Javhawks beat Newman 8-1
CHRISTINA NEFF/KANSAN
Junior Will Zenk fights to get past Jonson County's defense during a rugby game last spring. The rugby team opens it's season this weekend in Norman, Oklahoma. CONTRIBUTED
Rugby teams start season
By Stephanie Goettsch Kansan sportswriter
Veteran players will be the key to success for the men's and women's rugby teams this season.
"We have great leadership," club president and three-year team member Matt Kenney, Kansas City, Mo., junior, said. "They teach the underclassmen rugby skills as well as social skills, like how to be a team."
Both the men's and women's teams will open their spring seasons this weekend. The men will compete Saturday and Sunday in the Big 12 Tournament in Norman, Okla. The women play Saturday in Norman in a single game against Oklahoma.
Last season, the men were undefeated in collegiate play, 13-2 overall and Big 12 Conference runners-up. The charge was lead by the preponderate upperclassmen.
"We've had almost the exact same team for the last two years, so team continuity is one of our strengths," Will Lenz, Gurnnee, Ill., junior said.
"One thing we want to do this season is incorporate guys who haven't played as much since we have so many veterans. We'll need to fill those positions for next year," Lenz said.
Jordan Brown, Whitefish Bay, Wis., freshman, and Olathe sophomore Kyle Ricketts were the only rookies to see playing time.
In addition to increasing depth, the team is focusing on its upcoming games.
"Our focus is to win at the Big 12 Tournament, St. Louis and Nebraska. Those are the big three," Kenney said. "We had a strong team last year, and it already looks like we've improved these first few weeks of practice, so we should be really competitive."
The KU men's rugby team may meet Texas in the tournament this weekend. Texas defeated the team last year in a heartbreaking clash.
"We were winning for a while, but they were hard runners and more physically fit," Lenz said. "We've been working on fitness and endurance so we'll be ready for them this year."
The women's team closed last season with an 11-1 record. The team's most impressive performance was an overwhelming victory at a tournament in Colorado.
"We played four games in one day, which is a grueling schedule," Neodesha senior Abbey Harper said. "We ended up only getting scored on once. I'm really proud of what we did."
Harper attributed a lot of last year's success to team dynamics.
SEE RUGBY ON PAGE 7A
By Matt Norton Kansan sportswriter
Women ready to win distance at Big 12 meet
A revival is taking place among the women's distance runners at Kansas.
For the first time since the inception of the Big 12 Conference in 1997, Jayhawk runners could claim titles in multiple distance events at this weekend's championships in Lincoln, Neb.
The entire team has improved this season, but perhaps nowhere more than with the distance runners. Since 1997, the Kansas women have scored an average 24.4 points at the conference indoor championships.
And the distance runners haven't scored a point, much less won a single conference indoor title during that span.
This season, however, the Jayhawks could score over 30 points in the distance events alone, and the team could finish in the top six for the first time as members of the Bia 12.
The last time the women's distance runners performed this confidently was in 1996, when the Jayhawks claimed Big Eight titles in the 800 and 3000 meters, as well as the distance medley relay.
Assistant coach Doug Clark said with better performances from this year's runners came higher expectations.
Then he chuckled and rethought that statement.
"Maybe it's me who's getting nervous about them getting nervous," Clark said.
Sophomore Laura Lavoie, who finished fifth in the 800 at the conference championships a year ago, will run the 800 this year, as well as a leg on the distance medley relay.
.PLEASE SEE WOMEN'S ON PAGE 7A.
Distance medley relay team members sophomore Laura Lavoie (left), sophomore Arrah Nielsen (center) and senior Katy Eisenmenger stretch with the track team before practice at Anschutz Sports Pavilion yesterday. The relay team hoped to qualify for the NCAA championships at the Big 12 championships this weekend.
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