Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
The Kansas basketball team is looking to add another player to its 1998 recruiting class — Ashanti Johnson, a 6-foot-9 swing forward
Pro basketball
The Chicago Bulls Micheal Jordan could be making his final run at a NBA championship
SEE PAGE 8B
Thursday
April 23, 1998
Section:
B
Page 1
International Soccer
Page 1
Italy's national soccer team is considering dropping Nike as its corporate sponsor
SEE PAGE 6B
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Softball team to honor seniors
By Laura Bokenkroger
Kansas third baseman Sarah McCann warms up between innings. McCann is one of six seniors who will be recognized Saturday during the Jayhawks' double-header against Missouri. Photo by Roder Nomer/KANSAN
Kansan sportswriter
When the Kansas softball team takes the field Saturday against Missouri, the Jayhawks will honor six seniors for their leadership in a season that has been marked by unaccomplished goals.
The Jayhawks began the season ranked ninth but lost 31 games and fell out of the top 25. At 26-31, this Kansas team is in danger of becoming only the second team
in school history to post a record below 500
But the seniors have readjusted their goals and have focused on winning the conference tournament and receiving a bid for regionalals.
"There been a lot of frustration this season," said senior third baseman Sarah McCann. "But we played really close
tolland: Feels stronger after a tryng senior year
games against some good teams, and if we just would have gotten one key hit, they could have been different."
McCann, who began playing T-ball at age four, played for the Blaze, a traveling team from Johnson County, during summers in high school.
When she was 14, her team won a regional tournament by defeating eight consecutive teams and earned a trip to
nationals. That year was just one of three years the Blaze qualified for nationals.
McCann was recruited by former Kansas coach Kalum Haack when she was a junior. When Haack left to coach at Alabama, Coach Tracy Bunge took over, and McCann credits Bunge with enabling her to graduate in May.
"Last semester. I
Funkhouser: Has enjoyed the friendships of the team
had to take a lot of hours, and she's the reason I'm graduating on time," McCann said. "She would let me make up practices if I had too much to do. She means school first."
After recovering from shoulder surgery in the off-season, McCann has come back to resume her title as the Jayhawks' most productive lead-off hitter, with a career batting average of .268.
After she graduates in May with a degree in education, McCann will begin student teaching next year in the Kansas City area. McCann, who describes herself as a relaxed player, said she would miss
the friendships from her softball days.
"It's a fun and a funny team," McCann said. "We laugh a lot."
Senior right fielder Jen Funkhouser said that the team members' friendships were a blessing because not all teams enjoyed such closeness.
Funkhouser, who was born and raised in California, began playing softball in the fourth grade. She played softball with her twin sister, Jamie, for several years, and after high school, they both chose to play at Palomar Junior College in California.
After Funkhouser gave a verbal commitment to Kansas, Nebraska called Palamar's coach looking for an outfielder. Her twin sister fit the bill, and the sisters became rivals for the first time.
"My sister is the greatest influencial person in my life because she's my best friend," Funkhouser said. "We're a lot alike, but she's more outgoing, and she talks more."
Funkhouser, who has a. 192 career batting average, said she just tried to help the team offensively with little base hits.
"I'm not a power hitter," she said with a laugh.
But that comment was contradictory to her performance Tuesday in a doubleheader against Southwest Missouri State. Funkhouser knocked out two home runs, the game-winner in the second game. "Funky," as her teammates call her, has hit all three of the homers in her career this season.
"Hitting a home run is my biggest athletic thrill because it doesn't happen very often. "she said.
By contrast, left fielder Sara Holland is known for her power.
After hitting her 14th career homer against McNeese State earlier this season, Holland is just one home run away from tying the Kansas career home run record.
With a career batting average of .337, she has established herself as one of the Jayhawks' top offensive players.
Holland leads the Jayhawks in career atbats, hits, runs and stolen bases. She credits her success to her determination.
Coming from a strong high school softball program in Bixby, Okla., Holland made official visits to Kansas, Ball State, Utah and Oklahoma State.
"I wanted to play at a Division 1 school, and KU had a strong academic program and a good team," Holland said.
After she graduates in December, Holland will be a graduate assistant coach while she seeks a master's degree in sports psychology.
Holland said her senior season has made her a stronger player and although the Jayhawks have fallen short of many of their goals, she has learned some important lessons.
tam lessons. "I try not to compare this season to other years," Holland said. "It's made me a stronger person because we set goals that haven't been met, but we're still after it. I truly believe success isn't all determined by wins and losses."
Make it to regionals last year was one of Holland's two greatest athletic thrills. The other was at the Big 12 Tournament last year.
With two outs and two strikes against
her. Holland hit an inside-park home run to tie the score with Oklahoma State
"In that moment, we all believed we could win that game," Holland said.
could win that game," Holland said.
"I think I'm the best housekeeper. Holland
thinks this season is fun."
As they focus on the games against Missouri, the Jayhawks are set to stage a late season charge for a shot at regional play.
Look forward to profiles of the other three seniors on the Kansas softball team.
See tommorow's Kansan
Baseball team bobbles ball late in game against Texas
By John Blakely Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
It seemed as if things could not get any worse for the Kansas baseball team.
The Jayhawks entered the top of the 10th inning against Texas last night with three last inning losses in six days.
With a 4-3 lead against the Longhorns in Austin, things got worse. Texas third baseman Brian Ivy singled off reliever Kansas Chris Williams and drove home first baseman Shawn Schumacher.
Make that four losses in seven days and 13 losses in 15 games.
Starting pitcher Rusty Philbrick had his second consecutive strong outing, allowing just three runs in nine innings. Philbrick was untouchable after allowing the three runs in the third inning.
"We've had good pitching performances the past couple of days, but we couldn't get a win," said coach Bobby Randall. "We were due to win one, but we couldn't do it."
Randall took Philbrick out in the bottom of the 10th inning, but Williams retired just one batter, allowing three hits in that inning.
The Jayhawks did not commit an error in front of the 4,900 fans at Disch-Falk Field but dropped to a 5-16 record in conference with just six Big 12 games remaining.
Centerfielder Clint Wyrick continued to pound the ball with three hits, one of the hits a double, and two runs batted in. First baseman Randy Case was the other offensive bright spot for the Jayhawks, adding two hits and a run batted in.
Kansas will play another highly ranked school this weekend when Texas A&M comes to Hogland-Maupin Stadium. Game times will be at 7 p.m. on tomorrow, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
The Jayhawks play a nonconference game against Kansas State Tuesday at Hoglund-Maupin and finish their Big 12 slate May 1-3 against the Wildcats in Manhattan.
University of Kansas (18-25) University of Texas (20-25-1)
Name (Pos) AB R B H R R N Name (Pos) AB R B H R R N
Wyrick, Clif cfl 4 1 3 2 Moose, Joon se 3 0 0 0
Williams, Sparky 3b 1 3 2 Cridland, Mike dh 4 1 1 0
Weed, Shad dh 6 0 0 Apio, Mike dh 4 1 1 0
Cose, Rondy 1b 1 0 Apio, Jeon pr 4 1 0
Darnett, Rocki 1b 0 Apio, Jeon pr 4 1 0
Drake, Drift 1b 0 Ivy, Brion 3b 0 4 1
Kappelmann, Brett 1t 0 Ivy, Brion 3b 0 4 1
Mullick, Rowi p 0 Richardson, Core pr/d 0 0 0
Williamenp C 1t 0 Brassw, Sean 2b 0 0 0
Shelter, Pilp p 0 Salder, Frank p 0 Halter, Frank p 0
TEXAS 5, KANSAS 4
Totals ... 37 4 8 3    Totals ... 37 5 14 4
| 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
**Score by Invitations:** **N 4 5**
University of Kansas          001 011 001 1-4 8 0
University of Texas         003 000 000 2-1 5 4 2
Texas expected to dominate tennis tourney
name records its first win over Big 12 conference sweep, UBT plays her single-match win against the winner in the runoff on the 108th innings with a 9-3 victory.
By Erin Thompson
Kansan sportswriter
The Texas men's and women's tennis teams will look to continue their dominance of the Big 12 Conference and could be crowned conference champions by the end of the weekend.
Play begins today at the conference tournament in Lincoln, Neb., with the lower seeds competing. The Kansas men's and women's teams do not play until tomorrow.
The fifth-ranked Texas women, who will play the winner of today's Texas Tech vs. Nebraska match, will be looking for their 10th-straight conference tournament championship. They have won nine in the Southwest Conference and one in the Big 12 Conference.
The KU women's team, a No. 2 seed, will face the winner of today's Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State match. The men, the sixth seed, will face the No. 3 seed, Oklahoma State tomorrow.
Texas will be the team to beat and is the top seed in both the women's and men's tournaments.
for the seventh year in a row, the Longhorns finished the season undefeated in conference play after beating the Jayhawks
Sunday. They earned their seventh consecutive regular season conference championship with the win.
The Longhorns repeated this year as regular season conference champions and will defend their tournament championship this weekend.
Kansas coach Roland Thorngvist said his team did not play to its capabilities and could beat Texas this weekend.
The Texas men's tennis team is ranked seventh nationally and is the top seed in the men's tournament. The men will face the winner of today's Nebraska vs. Texas Tech match.
Now, an the cards are out," he said. "We know what Texas has. We know what we're going against. We may have lost last weekend, but we gained in that we know what Texas has."
Oklahoma State could make a run for the title from the third seed. The Cowboys' Pavel Kudranc is the top nationally ranked singles player. Kudranc combines with
Martin Dvoreacek to form the top doubles team in the nation.
The Jayhawks will look to redeem themselves this weekend, said Kansas coach Mark Riley.
Oklahoma State faces Kansas tomorrow. The Cowboys defeated the Jayhawks earlier this year, 5-2.
Inexperience could work against the Aggies as well. Only two of their six starters have played in the Big 12 Tournament before.
Texas A&M is the second seed in the men's tournament. The Aggies are ranked 24th in the nation but have never won a conference postseason tournament. Last year, they defeated Missouri in the first round before falling to Kansas in the second round.
The Big 12 Conference announced the men's and women's Tennis Academic All-Big 12 teams Tuesday. Five Kansas tennis players made the first team and one received an honorable mention. Seniors Xavier Avila and Christie Sim, junior Kenny Powell, and freshmen Ed Dus and Micah Zomer were first-team selections. Senior Kylie Hunt made honorable mention.
BIG 12 TENNIS TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Today Women:
No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 9 Nebraska
No. 5 Texas A&M vs. No. 12 Missouri
No. 6 Oklahoma vs. No. 11 Iowa St.
No. 7 Kansas St. vs. No. 10 Oklahoma St.
Men:
No. 8 [Texas Tech or Nebraska] vs.
No. 9 [Texas Tech or Nebraska]
No. 7 Oklahoma vs. No. 10 Missouri
Tomorrow Women
Men:
Women:
No. 1 Texas vs. Texas Tech/Nebraska
No. 4 Baylor vs. Texas A&M/Missouri
No. 3 Colorado vs. Oklahoma/Iowa St.
No. 2 Kansas vs. Kansas St./Oklahoma St.
No. 1 Texas vs. Texas Tech/Nebraska
No. 4 Baylor vs. No. 5 Colorado
No. 3 Oklahoma St. vs. 6 Kansas
No. 2 Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma/Missouri
Saturday Sunday
Semifinals Finals
In the men's tournament the No. 8 and No. 9 rankings were not determined until late last night
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Steve Hatchell, who helped form the Big 12 Conference and became its first commissioner, may soon be leaving under pressure, sources told The Associated Press.
Big 12 commissioner may soon take new job
Hatchell recently has interviewed for a top position with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, which will oversee the Winter Olympics in 2002.
Ray Bowen, president of Texas A&M and chairman of the conference, told the AP that nutshell was not being forced out.
"If's a high stress, high pressure job, but he's not being off on." Bowen said.
it's a strong team, high pressure just, but he has being run off." Bowen said. Hatchell, reached in Dallas where the Big 12 is headquartered, denied he was being forced out. "It's been three very long years, and I informed President Bowen months ago that I was going to begin学习 at other opportunities. Dr. Bowen and I have talked a lot about that. I'm on that schedule, and we've been working in that direction."
Among the names being mentioned as possible replacements if Hatchell leaves are Joe Castignoles, Athletics Director at Missouri, and Bob Frederick, Athletics Director at Kansas. Frederick finished runner-up to Hatchell when the Big 12 presidents met in March 1995 to select the new league's first commissioner.
1
- The Associated Press
4.