SPORTS
University Daily Kansan/Tuesday, February 11, 1992
9
'92 football recruits excel academically
New Jayhawks hit the gridiron and the books
By Jerry Schmidt
Kansan sportswriter
When Kansas football coach Glen Mason announced his 1992 recruiting class last week, he talked highly of the academic and extracurricular activities of the future Jayhawks.
Not only did the recruits tackle their opponents, they also tackled the books.
The list includes class presidents, National Honor Society members, honor roll students and even one player who has a 4.0 grade point average.
"We've got some outstanding individuals," Mason said. "Some of those things go unnoticed in recruiting and aren't talked about by the recruiting experts."
The list is led by Garden City's Jim Moore, a Parade Magazine All-American at tight end, who is a National Honor Society member and has compiled a 4.0 GPA.
Garden City coach Dave Meadows
said Moore got to where he was academically through hard work.
"He's got some really good study habits," Meadows said. "He doesn't struggle even in the tough courses. Every class he has is reserved for the top couple percent of the senior class."
Jason Brown, a defensive lineman from Blue Valley High School, serves as student body president, is a member of the National Honor Society and is also co-sports editor of the school newspaper.
The third National Honor Society member is Keith Rodgers, a defensive back from Shawnee Mission Northwest. Rodgers also has been on the honor roll every semester in high school.
Another National Honor Society member is Kiley Brown, a wide receiver from Carter High School in Dallas. Brown was a first-team academic All-City selection.
Carter coach Freddie James said academics always came first for Brown.
"The Kansas coaches stressed they had a great academic school," James said. "Kiley has been good academically all the way through and has good study habits."
Kansas' football recruiting coordinator R.D. Helt said high school players were taking academics more seriously now than in the past.
Helt said not all the Kansas recruits were academically qualified yet, but he said he would not be surprised if all the recruits qualify before next fall.
James said Brown scored an 860 on the SAT standardized test and had a 3.8 GPA.
He said that if a prospective high school player was not concentrating on his grades, Kansas would not pursue him.
"We keep going after a kid if he's close enough to qualifying." Helt said. "If the kid is not even close we'll back off completely."
Courier is No.1 in tennis
21-year-old on top after San Francisco tournament
The Associated Press
Jim Courier, who vaulted to the top of the tennis world with his victory at the Australian Open, officially became No. 1 yesterday, the first American in $6/2$ years to achieve that distinction.
The 21-year-old from Dade City, Fla., moved ahead of Sweden's Stefan Edberg in the ATP rankings with 3,721 points. Edberg, who Courier beat in the Australian Open final, ended up
with 3,671 points. Courier is the first American at the top of the rankings since John McEnroe, who was last No. 1 on Aug. 26, 1985.
Edberg was idle this week as Courier reached the finals of the Volvo-San Francisco tournament, where he lost to Michael Chang 6.3-6.3.
But the loss hardly mattered to Courier, who moved toward the top by winning the French Open last June and then losing to Edberg in the finals
of the U.S. Open in September. Courier was almost as happy Sunday as he would have been had he beaten Chang, who is ranked 12th in the world.
"The key for a champion is to win when he is not playing his best tennis," Courier said. "This week I could have played better, but I managed to scrape through until the final."
Courier celebrated his new status Sunday night by dining with friends after losing to Chang.
Philip Meiring/KANSAN
Intramural plav
Evan Franseen, assistant scientist for the Kansas geological survey, attempts to drive past Kris Thomas. Plains sophomore. The two were playing intramural basketball last night at Robinson Center.
Kansas falls to No.4 after falling to OSU
Sutton: Kansas should hold the No.3 spot
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Remaining No. 2 does not bother Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton. But seeing Kansas drop to fourth does.
Sutton's Cowboys, whose perfect
in the countrv."
season disappeared with a loss Wednesday at Nebraska, whipped then-No. 3 Kansas on Saturday at home in a game Big Eight fans hoped might elevate one of their teams to No. 1.
But, Duke,
which, like Oklahoma State, has
remained atop
It seems Oklahoma State's 64-56 victory against the Jayhawks produced a display of sportsmanship as well as athletic skills. In the bruising, intensely fought game, Cornell Hatcher was
the latest Associated Press poll, and
applied to mapped to a fourth-
place tie with Iran.
"I'm pleased we stayed in second," Sutton said yesterday. "The ratings are for the fans and the student body. For the players and coaching staff, believe me, we look at them, but that's the least thing on our minds.
"Ifigured we'd stay second or third, but I thought Kansas would remain right behind us. Duke's the best team
knocked to the floor in what Cowboy coaches protested was a deliberate act of malice by a Jayhawk.
As Oklahoma State coaches argued with officials, demanding a penalty, Kansas coach Roy Williams approached Sutton and asked him to identify
"I thought it was very classy on Roy's part to come down and visit with
But Sutton, invited to remove one of Kansas' starters in one of the most important games of the year, chose to be honest.
the offending player
"Eddie said his staff had seen it.
himself did not see it. "Williams said
"I said, 'If you yourself actually saw it, I will take the kid out.' Williams said.
Top 25 AP Polls
Here are the top 25 teams in The Associated Press 1991-92 college basketball poll (records through Feb. 9 in parentheses), and last week's rankings:
Previous Women
Previous
| | Previous | Women | Previous |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1. Duke (18-1) | 1 | 1. Maryland (20-1) | 1 |
| 2. Oklahoma St. (21-1) | 1 | 2. Virginia (20-1) | 2 |
| 3. UCLA (17-1) | 4 | 3. Tennessee (17-2) | 4 |
| 4. Indiana (17-3) | 6 | 4. Stephen F. Austin (19-1) | 6 |
| 5. *Kansas* (17-2) | 3 | 5. Mississippi (20-1) | 7 |
| 6. North Carolina (17-3) | 9 | 6. Stanford (17-2) | 3 |
| 7. Arizona (17-3) | 7 | 7. Iowa (17-2) | 5 |
| 8. Ohio St. (16-3) | 8 | 8. Miami (20-1) | 9 |
| 9. Missouri (16-3) | 12 | 9. Vanderbilt (15-5) | 10 |
| 10. Syracuse (16-3) | 13 | 10. Vanderbilt (15-5) | 13 |
| 11. Arkansas (17-5) | 15 | 11. Penn St. (15-6) | 11 |
| 12. Michigan St. (15-4) | 11 | 12. SW Missouri St. (18-2) | 16 |
| 13. Southern Cal. (16-3) | 16 | 13. Hawaii (17-2) | 15 |
| 14. Tulane (18-2) | 14 | 14. George Washington (15-4) | 8 |
| 15. UNLV (20-2) | 17 | 15. W. Kentucky (15-5) | 12 |
| 16. Alabama (18-4) | 18 | **16. Kansas** (18-5) | 17 |
| 17. Michigan (14-5) | 18 | 17. Texas Tech (17-3) | 20 |
| 18. Connecticut (16-4) | 10 | 18. New York (15-6) | 19 |
| 19. Kentucky (16-5) | 19 | 19. West Virginia (17-2) | 23 |
| 20. LSU ('4-5) | 22 | 20. Houston (16-5) | 14 |
| 21. Texas-Eso Pasio (18-3) | 25 | 21. Alabama (17-4) | 22 |
| 22. N.C. Charlotte (16-4) | 20 | 22. California (15-4) | 24 |
| 23. Florida St. (15-6) | 23 | 23. Clemson (13-7) | 18 |
| 24. Cincinnati (17-3) | — | 24. North Carolina (16-5) | 21 |
| 25. Seton Hall (13-6) | — | 25. Wisconsin (14-5) | — |
me," Sutton said. "I couldn't identify the player. We just let it go at that. I thought that was a good example of sportsmanship, where two coaches can get together in the middle of a war ... and talk things over."
Williams said, "I have talked to the young man, and I'll let it go at that. I thought I was doing the right thing ... because of the respect I have for Eddie Sutton."
The Cowboys and Jayhawks are tied for the Big Eight lead with 5-1 records. But No. 9 Missouri, fresh off a road victory against the struggling Oklahoma Sooners, is right behind at 4-2.
"This is what happens in a league where everybody is a very good basketball team," Missouri coach Norm Stewart said. "In this league, you've got to prepare yourself for every game."
Two from tennis team lose at Rolex tourney
BvLvlle Niedens
Kansan sportswriter
Last week's Rolex Championships in Minneapolis were a case of deja vu for Kansas women's tennis player Eveline Hamers and Indiana's Debbie Edelman.
Edelman, ranked No. 26 in the nation, beat Hamers in three sets at the National Clay Court championships last fall, eliminating her from the tournament.
After beating No.11 Danielle Scott of Arizona and No. 5 Heather Willems of Stanford in the first two rounds of the Rolex tournament, Hamers had a chance Friday in the quarterfinals to redeem the earlier loss to Edelman.
But Edelman defeated Hamers again 7-5, 6-3, knocking her out of the tournament.
Kansas coach Michael Center said Hamers, who is ranked No. 32, was disappointed because she beat two players who she thought were better than Edelman.
"She had two really nice wins," Center said. "She really controlled both matches. She just didn't play with the same aggressiveness in the last match."
Hamers said she did not feel comfortable playing Edelman.
"I was too influenced by the way she played," Hamers said. "It was not a very fun match.
"I learned a lot from the matches I played. I had two great wins, but a bad loss. If I'm going to win these tournaments, I need to be more consistent."
Kansas' other representative at the tournament, freshman Rebecca Jensen, went 1-2.
Jensen, ranked No. 21 in the country but battling a flu bug, lost her first round match against No. 12 Vickie Paynter of Texas 6-3, 7-5.
Jensen rebounded for a consolation round 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victory against No. 41 Christine Neuman of Duke but was eliminated from the consolation round Friday by No. 28 Kylie Johnson of Stanford 6-4, 6-2.
Center said, "Rebecca didn't play as well as she could have, but give Johnson credit. She took Rebecca out of her game."
Hamers and Jensen were the first alternate doubles team at the tournament but did not get a chance to play.
Center said that the tournament left him with one last impression.
"The thing that really stood out in my mind is how good the competition was," he said, "and how much more we need to improve to compete with the top teams in the country."
Hamers and Jensen will return to the court with their teammates Saturday when the Jayhawks will play Iowa at Wood Valley Racquet Club in Topeka.
Speedskater earns 1st U.S. gold
The Associated Press
ALBERTVILLE, France — The Bonnie Blair 500, a speedskating spectacular by the world's fastest woman on blades, gave the bedeviled U.S. team its first gold medal of the Winter Games.
Blair, a red, white and blue blur, crouched lower than all her rivals and rocketed into Olympic history yesterday with the first back-to-back golds in the 500-meter.
Fueled by an all-American peanut butter and jelly sandwich just as she was in the Calgary Olympics, and cheered by the Blair Bunch of 50 flagwaving friends and relatives from Champaign, III, she overcame a hour delay in the race and the burden of breaking the U.S. medal jinx.
The U.S. team, which had not won a Winter gold since Blair's last one in Calgary, desperately needed the
boost.
Blair's time, 40.33 seconds on the slow outdoor oval, didn't come close to her world record 39.10 on the indoor track at Calgary, but her flash start gave her the momentum she needed to win the first of the three golds she is seeking. Blair will skate tomorrow in the 1,500 and Friday in the 1,000.
"I'm just shaking all over," Blair's mother, Eleanor, said when the winning time was posted. "I held my breath too long, I think. She should have skated faster."
Her gray eyes brimming with tears under a gold cap that read "G Bonnie Gold," Eleanor Blair hugged four of her other children who made the trip, then was besieged by all their friends
Blair yanked off her hood as she passed by them, pumped her fist in the air, then slapped a high-five with coach Muelter, a 1976 gold medalist in speedskating.
OLYMPICS BRIEFES
Canadians win in hockey
Eric Lindros, a star without a stage, finally grabbed the spotlight yesterday before an international audience.
Joe Joneau got two goals and two assists as Canada, 2-0, stayed in a three-way tie with the Unified Team and Czechoslovakia for first place in their six-tem group. Switzerland, France and Norway are 0-2.
The Canadian sensation who withheld his superior skills from the National Hockey League flashed them at the Winter Olympics with two goals and an assist, sparking Canada to a 6-1 victory against Switzerland.
Four teams from each of the two groups will make the medal round.
The Unified Team, formerly the Soviet Union, notched its second straight 8-1 rout, beating Norway. France, seeded 11th, mounted another spirited showing before its home crowd, threw a scare into another favorite — and lost again, to sixth-
Skaters stymied by stunt
seeded Czechoslovakia, two days after a 3-2 loss to second-seeded Canada.
The side-by-side double axel, that intricate 2*1/2*spin leap launched from a single skate blade, often separates the skaters as the medalists in pairs figure skating.
The pairs will return today for the
programmer to use.
The double玻片 will be waiting.
Half of the 18 couples entered in the Olympic pairs competition were sabotaged Sunday by the complicated, gravity-defying jump, with skaters landing awkwardly all over the ice during the short program.
"The jump is very difficult and produces extra pressure because the skaters know how important it is," said Ron Ludington, coach of U.S. national champions Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval.
CBS receives high ratings
Marval's bad landing on the double axel cost the Americans points and left Ludington's skaters seventh after the pairs short program, which comprises one-third of the total score.
That $243 million roll of the dice on the Winter Olympics by CBS looks good—so far.
World champions Natasha Mishkutienko and Artur Dmitriev and their Unified Team comrades, Elena Beckhe and Denis Petrov, were 1-2 in the standings following the first phase of their competition.
Network officials said CBS was off to a strong start in the first two prime-time telecasts of the 16-day spectacle. CBS reported a 14.5 preliminary rating and a 24 share for Saturday's opening ceremonies, close to the 14.8-35 ratings ABC posted in the 18.4 Calgary Games.
Olympic medals count
Country G S B T
Austria 2 2 3 7
Germany 2 1 1 4
Norway 1 1 1 3
Unified Team * 1 0 1 2
Finland 0 1 1 2
U.S. **1 0 0 1**
China 0 1 0 1
France 0 1 0 1
- Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan
Knight-Ridder Tribune