THURSDAY, JAN. 17, 2002 SPORTS THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 7A Team works out in California weather Swim team visits Disneyland but loses meet during winter break trip By Ali Brox Kansan sportswriter The Kansas swimming and diving team had 10 days off for winter break before returning to Lawrence and heading to Mission Viejo, Calif., for training. There the team swam twice a day in outdoor pools and lifted weights every other day. KU SWIMMING "The trip went really well," said senior diver Rebecca McFall. "We had really good weather." Besides swimming in 75-degree weather, the team had a little fun in California. "The third day we were there we got to go to Disneyland," said freshman swimmer Amy Gruber. "It was a lot of fun. We had a blast." The team trained in southern California from Jan. 3 to 12 and then flew home through College Station, Texas, for a dual meet against Texas A&M. Texas A&M won the meet with 187 points to Kansas' 108. point of Athena "Diving was good," said coach Cathy Burgess, but added that she had hoped swimming would be stronger. Gruber said the team had been exited to swim. "Texas A&M did really well. They showed up. But I think we did alright for coming off of training." The lone win for the Kansas team was Gruber's first place finish in the 200 freestyle in a time of 1.52:56. Gruber has been one of the team's top point scorers all season. "Obviously Amy is a standout," Burgess said, "Amy stepped up consistently all year." On the diving side, McFall placed second in the one and three-meter board. A highlight for the team during break was the team's fall semester grade point average. The team earned a 3.24 GPA, the highest in Kansas women's swimming and diving history. Of the 27 swimmers and divers on the team, 19 earned a 3.0 or better. Four athletes earned a 4.0 — junior Heidi Landherr and Stacey Schneider and freshmen Ally Colver and Libby Erickson. Contact Brox at brox@kansan.com. This story was edited by Cassio Furtado Track athlete sets record in weight throw By Matt Norton Kansan sportswriter Senior thrower Scott Russell stepped into the throwing ring Friday in Columbia, Mo., took two controlled but powerful spins to his left, and with a roar worthy of the 6-foot-9 man that he is, let the 35-pound ball fly. It landed far beyond the last marked line — 65 feet away from the ring—and spectators watching Russell immediately began guessing how far the mammoth toss traveled. After a couple of minutes of double checking by meet officials, the scoreboard next to the ring displayed the good news: 77 feet, 9.5 inches, which was a new facility, University of Kansas and Canadian national record in the weight throw for Russell. Russell bettered his own national mark of 76-7.75, set at last year's NCAA Indoor Championships. Russell's coach, Doug Reynolds, said he thought Russell would throw much farther later in the season. At home in Windsor, Ontario, during the holiday break, Russell was able to throw only occasionally because the facility he used for training was often closed. Though he normally uses a three-turn technique, Russell used only two turns to maintain form in the ring and ensure a legal throw. Russell said he knew right away the throw was going to be big bigger than the previous three that all surpassed the automatic qualifying standard for the NCAA indoor championships later this winter. "That feeling out of your hand—you know it's a big throw," he said. "You can feel your positions, you feel really stable through your body, and you can really feel the speed of the ball." The collegiate record of 78-9.75 is well within reach, Revnolds said. each other. To master both at such a young age takes a special athlete, Reynolds said. Many throwers don't peak And the we i ght t throw isn't even Russell's best event — that is the javelin, in which Russell holds "That feeling out of your hand - you know it's a big throw." the Canadian record and qualified for the World Championships last summer. Scott Russell senior thrower "As a weight thrower, he's certainly one of the best that's ever been. Where he stands in the record books shows that." Reynolds said. "He's training for essentially a hobby event and he's one of the top 10 ever." until their late 20s. The technical intricacies of the weight throw and the javelin are demanding, not mention much different from 200-pound soccer, football or basketball player," Reynolds said of Russell. "But he has the height and size of a world-class thrower. He's got great leverage and knows how to move." "He has the athletic skills of a six-foot. With his spot at the NCAA championships secure, Russell has embarked on an aggressive training program focused on producing an even bigger throw at that meet. Russell has augmented intense weightlifting work with a steady dose of 60- and 150-meter sprints with minimal rest between individual repetitions. Russell said he knew the workload would increase during the next six to eight weeks. "I'm pretty sore. In lifting weights, he's really been hammering us," Russell said of Revnolds. Russell is the best athlete Canada has ever produced in two events, but he said he wasn't spending much time thinking about that. Finishing his Kansas career with a flourish occupies his thoughts "Idefinitely want to go over 80 feet," Russell said. "I'm not placing a limit at that distance, but that's what I want to do, and then win a national championship indoors." sports@kansan.com. This story was edited by Jay Krall. Contact Norton at Big 12 Men Conference SCOREBOARD
ConferenceAll Games
WLWL
Kansas30142
Texas30124
Oklahoma30141
Missouri31134
Oklahoma St.22152
Texas Tech22133
Baylor22125
Colorado12104
Iowa St.1399
Nebraska1387
Kansas St.0368
Texas A&M03611
Wednesday's Games Missouri 74, Texas A&M 50 Baylor 73, Kansas St. 70 Colorado 63, Iowa St. 61 Oklahoma 78, Nebraska 51 Today's Games No Games Scheduled Big 12 Women Conference
ConferenceAll Games
WLWL
Kansas St.50171
Texas50132
Oklahoma41142
Missouri31123
Texas A&M22106
Iowa St.23143
Colorado23126
Texas Tech23105
Baylor13133
Oklahoma St.1388
Nebraska14117
Kansas04513
Wednesday's Games Colorado 70, Kansas 35 Kansas St. 66, Texas A&M 61 Texas Tech 83, Baylor 63 Texas 77, Oklahoma St. 64 Today's Games No Games Scheduled NBA Wednesday's Games Boston 101, New York 100 Toronto 109, Houston 103 New Jersey 111, Washington 67 Portland 108, Phoenix 95 Utah 95, Seattle 80 Sacramento 112, Denver 107 Milwaukee 105, Indiana 100 Golden State 117, Cleveland 88 Miami 102, L.A. Lakers 96 Then again maybe it has. Maybe you're one of the rare women who are being called by God to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. And if you'd only take a moment to really listen to your inner voice, God will get through. In today's world, it's so easy to lose sight of why we're really here. So perhaps the thought of devoting your entire life to God has never crossed your mind. we are the Sisters of St. Joseph, an international order with roots right here in Wichita. And we invite you to come live a life of holiness, in a community where we strive for unity and reconciliation among all people with God and with one another. Ours is a community of prayer and service. Our dedication to God motivates us and is the source of joy for all that we do. But how can you know if you truly have been called? Do you feel a longing for more in your life? Do you feel a void in your heart? Do you radiate joy? Does love pour out of your smile and do you long to follow Jesus? If so, you owe it to yourself to answer God's call. To learn more about The Sisters of St. Joseph, call or visit us online. You'll be eternally grateful you did. Vocation Director Sr. Mary Elen Loch 316-686-7171 or 316-689-4070 www.cjwichita.com Domestic & Foreign Complete Car Care We Stand Behind Our Work, and WE CARE!" 842-8665 8584 Floor Wheel Dr. LAWRENCE AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICS INC. ）