Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
JAYHAWKS DOMINATE SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN
Kansas beats Kansas State to go 4-5 in the Big 12. TENNIS 13 B
THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
WWW.KANSAN.COM
SOFTBALL RALLIES AGAINST NEBRASKA
Kansas loses 4-0 in game one before game two comeback. SOFTBALL 8B
HOPEFUL HORIZON
PAGE 1B
Late-season rally builds anticipation
Team eager, optimistic for next season
BY JAYSON JENKS jjenks@kansan.com
The excitement surrounding Kansas' run to the Women's NIT championship consumed Lawrence, spread east to Kansas City and
swept across the vast state of Texas into the cities of Houston and San Antonio.
From those locations, five Kansas recruits for next season sent coach Bonnie Henrickson texts, the anticipation of
"I've never been more excited about the program than I am right now."
middle of that run."
Sure, Kansas' turnaround in which the Jayhawks won nine of their final 12 games was impressive and well received by the community.
But don't be fooled. Kansas
building upon that success requiring communication with their soon-to-be coach.
BONNIE HENRICKSON Coach
And that same feeling is one shared by fans, players and, yes, even Henrickson.
"Ive never been more excited about the program than I am right now," Henrickson said. "And I honestly felt that way during the
expects bigger and better things next year. The Jayhawks sensed the NCAA tournament was within their grasp this season. Next year, Henrickson and players expect to be playing in it.
"Our expectation and my hope —
is that we play with a sense of urgency every single night and that makes us a better basketball team," Henrickson said. "But to make the NCAA tournament and then not just to get in it."
For much of this season, though,
SEE WOMEN'S ON PAGE 6B
Ryan McGeeney, Tyler Waugh/KANSAN
Above: Kansas' Krysten Boogaard hugs a South Florida rival after losing 75-71 in the championship game on Saturday. The attendance at the game tipped the record for the most fans at a Big 12 women's basketball game and the record for most attended home game for the women.
Bottom right: Danielle McCray, junior guard, shoots a jumper during the 2008-2009 season. The women's team went 23-10 this year, which beats the previous 1990 win record.
Lineman hit by SUV, hospitalized
Suspect identified but athletics department refrains from commenting
BYSTEPHEN MONTEMAYOR
smontemayor@kansan.com
Freshman offensive lineman Ben Lueken is being treated at The University of Kansas Hospital
in Kansas City, Kan., and is in good condition following an altercation early Sunday morning, according to hospital spokesman Dennis Mirkoff
Minich.
A report issued by the University of Kansas Public Safety Office indicated that Lueken
Witnesses listed in the report included former cornerback Kendrick Harper, sophomore wide receiver Johnathan Wilson, sophomore punter Alonso Rojas, junior linebacker Angus Quigley and sophomore defensive tackle Jamal Greene.
Capt, Schuyler Bailey, spokesperson for the Public Safety Office, said Lueken was likely thrown from or tumbled off the hood of an SUV during an altercation that occurred between 1:50 a.m. and 2:10 a.m. Sunday.
suffered severe lacerations after being struck by a vehicle at 1603 W. 15th St. — the east parking lot of Jawhawk Towers.
Bailey also said that a suspect
At a press conference before spring practices began, coach Mark Mangino called Tueken one of the team's best backups and said he was to compete for the starting right tackle spot and possibly one of the guard positions.
Lueken took the field in nine games in 2008 as a freshman out of Chaminade High School in St. Louis.
has been identified but an investigation was ongoing.
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said the athletics department would not comment until it learned more from the investigation.
Edited by Heather Melanson
BASEBALL
Jayhawks defeat the Hawkeyes 9-3
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
Baseball is fun again for Zac Elgic, Or at least even more now.
"It's been fun lately, especially picking up these wins." Elgie said.
Elgie, a freshman first baseman, once again provided the big hits, but this time he wasn't alone in a 9-3 road victory against Iowa on Wednesday.
Coming off Tuesday night's game-winning single that drove in
"It's been fun lately, especially picking up these wins."
afternoon. The
ZAC ELGIE Freshman first baseman
two runs in the top of the ninth. Elgie's encore performance was, statistically, just as good.
last two games for Elgie have made baseball a lot more enjoyable.
The Minot, N.D. native tied his career high in hits from Tuesday with three. His first single was a two-RBI job that put Kansas up early
in the top of the first.
COMMENTARY
SEE BASEBALL ON PAGE 5B
Dreams of unequaled season start now
"Those are the moments in which you are able to think that is going to be perfect when the moment actually happens," he continues. "We always feel better in anticipation."
"There is no better moment than this moment, when we are anticipating the actual moment itself," begins incendiary comedian Lewis Black's album "Anticipation."
And really, he's right. It is April and we're two days out from football's spring game, Junior quarterback Todd Reesing will drop back, inevitably scramble out of the pocket and sling a pass to junior wide receiver Kerry Meier in front of us for the first time since last December's Insight Bowl.
We're going to see recently-converted left tackle, redshirt freshman Tanner Hawkinson and swear up and down that he will not - cannot - be stopped. No, he's truly the next great left tackle at Kansas.
With the fahawks replacing all three linebacker positions, we'll fall in love with the future Saturday. Coach Mark Mangino's decision to move junior Angus Quigley from running back to linebacker might be thought of as genius a move as Meier's transition from quarterback to receiver. Junior Jake Schermer will finally get his shot after playing behind Joe Mortensen, Mike Rivera, James Holt, Kevin Kane, Nick Reid and Banks Floodman over the years.
You know, I've also been thinking that few things are as addictive and yet so disposable as preview magazines. We do this all the time. A glossy cover grabs us at the store and promises unrivaled pigskin prognostications months from the season's start. We must have it.
Some years those surprises are overwhelmingly pleasant — such as 2007. Others, not so much. But the feelings we have right now, at this very moment, are often as good as it gets. For a few short months were in control. Our imaginations give us hope and excitement that that cold, hard bithed named Reality rarely delivers.
And so when junior satez, Darrell Stuckey makes a leaping interception, or, even better, a new arrival such as IUCO cornerback Calvin Rubles wows us. we'll swear that there's not a better collection of players in the land. That Mangino and his staff are conecting something special. Disney will want to take note of this.
And then, of course, the actual moment occurs. Months - sometimes even weeks - later those magazines are rendered useless; the future is nothing like we thought it'd be.
It doesn't matter that the team Kansas is playing Saturday is itself. That will not hamper our expectations of and impressions from the spring game. No, because the game really isn't being played at Memorial Stadium. It's in our heads.
- Edited by Carly Halvorson