Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Heard of Brett Favre? A No. 33 pick in the 1991 NFL draft. Favre is one example of the fact that the draft is anything but an exact science.
Ailing Women
Three Kansas women's basketball players are facing offseason surgery for knee injuries.
SEE PAGE 3B
WIZARDS
Wednesday
April 15, 1998
Section:
B
Page 1
Pro Basketball
Police are investigating a sexual assault complaint against Juwan Howard and Chris Webber.
SEE PAGE 3B
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Luke Axtell, Big 12 transfers lose eligibility
By Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
Transferring within most major college conferences often proves costly for football and basketball players. The Big 12 Conference is no exception.
Football and basketball players must sit out for one season and lose one year of eligibility when they transfer within the Big 12. That means former Texas guard Luke Axell will be a junior when he finally plays for Kansas in the 1999-2000 season.
But Axtell said he would appeal to the conference to try to retain his sophomore season.
"We're going to do everything we can," Axtell said. "But it's not looking good. A couple of other people have been stalled on their appeals. But really, it doesn't bother me. This doesn't bother me."
The Axtell family already has asked Texas athletics director DeLoss Dodds to request a penalty waiver from the Big 12 based on the terms of his departure.
Eddie Oran, former Texas assistant basketball coach, allegedly falsified Axtell's grades and faxed them to a local radio station. The grades then were broadcast on the air.
Axtell: Would appeal to retain a year of eligibility.
That action could be enough to prompt conference officials to give Axtell his sophomore season back, following what may have been a new precedent set in March.
Texas A&M guard Brian Barone potentially recovered one year of eligibility when Big 12 faculty representatives voted to drop the penalty if he wanted to transfer within the conference.
Barone, whose father, Tony, was fired as the Aggies' coach after this season, said he was interested in attending Texas. Axtell could benefit from the same exception.
Richard Konzem, Kansas associate athletics director, said Big 12 officials could vote on the issue next month.
"There are spring meetings in May among Big 12 officials." Konzem said. "They provided Brian Barone with an exception earlier. And if there would be an appeal about granting a similar exception, it would likely be heard there."
Iowa State coach Tim Floyd said whether Big 12 officials granted exceptions to Barone and maybe Axtell was none of his business.
"The administrators don't need me telling them how to run the league, and I don't need them telling me how to coach." Floyd said. "But if they made more exceptions to the rule, that would be a good change for all of us, not just Kansas."
Softball team sweeps Shockers
Kansas first baseman Shannon Stanwix gets knocked into the air after tagging out a Wichita State runner. The Jayhawks won a doubleheader yesterday against the Shockers 7-2, 3-2.
Photo by Steve Pupke/KANSAN
By Laura Bokenkroger
Kansan sportswriter
For only the third time this season, the Kansas softball team swept its opponent in a doubleheader.
The Jayhawks won both games (7-2, 3-2) against the Wichita State Shockers yesterday at Jayhawk Field, avenging a split doubleheader against the Shockers two weeks ago.
"Today, I think we basically felt like we were in control the whole game," said second base Nezli Leathers.
Five Jayhawks recorded hits in the first game. Shortstop Michelle Hubler led the way, posting two runs and two RBI on a 3-for 3 hitting performance.
After falling in 1-0 in the first inning, the Jayhawks tied the Shockers in the bottom of the second and never trailed again.
Three doubles — by Hubler, left fielder Sara Holland and second baseman Katie Malone — led to three Kansas runs in the bottom of the third inning, giving the Hawks their first lead of the day 3-1.
Holland's double was her 15th of the season, giving her the lead in the Big 12 Conference for doubles this season. She now has 58 in her career, the most in Kansas history.
The Jayhawks took advantage of three Shocker errors in the fourth inning to pick up three more runs and gain a 7-1 lead.
Despite an error by Hubler in the fifth inning leading to an unearned run, pitcher Jessi Kowal picked up the 7-2 win and improved her record to 11-15.
Pitcher Courtney Wilson started the second game for the Jayhawks in her second appearance this season. Wilson had a wrist injury that required surgery last season, but she said she felt good yesterday.
The Shockers scored first in the second game. Leathers dropped a pop-up that appeared to be in foul territory, but the official called it a fair ball. The Shockers picked up an unearned run on the only Jayhawk error of the game.
Kansas came from behind and tied the game in the fourth inning.
Kansas first baseman Shannon Stanwix led off the inning with a base hit to left field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Katie Malone. Abbie Berg came in to pinch run for Malone and scored on an RBI double by designated player Christy McPhail.
Leathers reached first base and picked up an RBI on a fielder's choice that scored McPhail, tying the game at two.
Wilson, who gave up only five hits and no earned runs in five innings, was replaced by McPhail in the top of the sixth.
the Jayhawks kept the Shockers scorele in the top of the sixth and took the lead in their half of the inning.
Heather Chambers came in to pinch run after Malone led off the inning with a double to left field. McPhail laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Chambers to third.
Leathers picked up the game-winning RBI with a double to left center field. The Jayhawks won 3-2.
"We got a big clutch hit in the bottom of the sixth," said softball coach Tracy Bunge. "Two young players picked us up, and that's nice to see. They were positive and they really believed they could do it."
The Jayhawks, who improved to 24-27, left early this morning to play a doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. today against Creighton.
By Erin Thompson
Kanson sportswriter
Kansan sportswriter
Maria Abatoglou may be a varsity tennis player, but when she looks back on college she wants to remember it as more than just an athletic experience.
In an attempt to experience more during her college days and to provide a new perspective as a student athlete, Abatjoglu is running for Student Senate as a member of the Delta Force Coalition.
"I'm concerned with the rec center." Abatijoglu said. "It's disturbing to see how little students have here. People don't use Robinson as only recreational. It's for academics, also. Something really needs to be done."
The most pressing issue for Abatjoglu is the lack of adequate recreational facilities for University of Kansas students. As a member of the tennis team, she has had the opportunity to see the facilities at other schools.
"She's extremely dedicated on the academic side," he said. "She's on a different level than most kids on campus in that aspect. She's very goal-oriented, which is something you don't see in a lot of student athletes. She does a great job of balancing both sides of being a student athlete."
Abatjoglou's dedication to everything she does would be a strong base for her as a Student Senate member, Kansas tennis coach Roland Thornovist said.
As a tennis player, Abatjoglou is a three-time first-team academic all-conference selection and a two-time first-team academic All American. She won the Big Eight No. 4 singles title as a freshman and was the only Kansas player to win a tournament last fall.
ments with the athletic achievements of her All-American teammate Kylie Hunt, you would have one studly person.
The tennis jokes that if you were to combine Abatjoglou's scholastic achieve-
Although Abatjoglou has reached her senior year as a tennis player, she has another year of school remaining. She does not concentrate on the end of her tennis career but on her opportunity to participate in more facets of student life, she said
"I want to participate in as many normal activities as possible," she said. "When I think back on college, I want to think of college and not athletics."
Abatoglou: Tennis player is running for Student Senate.
In her rare moments of free time, Abatoglou has participated in a number of activities. She is president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and serves on the University of Kansas Athletics Commission. Abatoglou also helped shape the mission statement for the Kansas Athletics Department and attended the Blueprints Leadership Conference last fall.
Of all that she has accomplished, Abatjoglou said she was most proud of being president of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She said this was more important to her than any of her tennis accomplishments.
While playing tennis and balancing all her activities, Abatjogou has maintained a 4.0 grade point average as a double major in philosophy and Spanish.
Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall watches from the dugout as his team falls to the Wichita State Shockers, 4-1. The next game of the series is Wednesday evening at Wichita. Photo by Jay Shepand (KANISAN)
After graduation, Abatjoglou plans to attend law school.
Wichita State holds'Hawks
Hitter grounds out in eighth, team misses chance for comeback
By John Blakely Wilson Kansas sportwriter
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas clean-up hitter Josh Dimmick came to the plate with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of a 4-1 game last night at Hoglund-Maupin Stadium. Wichita State closer Marc Bluma fired a low fastball on a 3-1 count, and Dimmick bit on the pitch, drilling a slow grounder to shortstop to end the Javahaws' threat.
Bluma, who has allowed just two earned runs in more than thirty innings this season, struck out three Jayhawks in the ninth and picked up his fifth save of the season. Kansas (17-19) must regroup at 7 tonight against the ninth-ranked Shockers (28-3) in Wichita.
"We had the right guy up, but Bluma made the right pitch," said Kansas head coach Bobby Randall. "We had the chance late in a game against a top-10 team. We just didn't come through."
Wichita State starter Erich Bryan picked up his fifth win of the season, battling through seven and two-thirds innings and allowing just one run.
"Against pitchers like Bryan and Bluma, you're not going to get many chances to score," Randall said. "We had one chance against Bluma in the eighth, and he beat us."
Kansas pitcher Les Walrdon kept the Jayhawks in the game, giving up just three runs in seven innings while dropping to 3-4.
“Les struggled in the first innning, but he battled for us,” Randall said. “He threw well, but I also know he can throw better than that.”
Kansas right fielder Doug Dreher had a kev lead-off hit in the eight inning and
Josh Bailey, who closed the game on the mound for Kansas, said the team might play better with its back against the wall.
made a diving stab near the foul line in the seventh inning.
"Doug is just a freshman, but he's a scrappy little guy," Randall said. "His heart is as big as this place."
"We're getting to the point we have to win games to get to the Big 12 tournament." Bailey said. "Maybe the pressure to perform will push us through to win some close games."
Wichita State, a traditional power, always draws a large crowd to Hoglund-Maupin Stadium. The game drew 1,320 fans, the third-highest total in stadium history.
WICHITA STATE 4. KANSAS
| Name (Pos) | AB R | H RBI | Name (Pos) | AB R | H RBI |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Hoop 2b | 1 B | 0 B | Nelson sa | 1 A | 0 A |
| Sorensen sa | 3 B | 2 A | Wylock bf | 1 B | 0 B |
| Magness 1a | 4 O | 1 I | Dinnick c | 4 O | 0 O |
| Magnes 1b | 4 O | 1 I | Dinnick c | 4 O | 0 O |
| Prostat c | 4 O | 1 I | Case 1b | 4 O | 1 O |
| Hay s | 3 O | 0 O | Kappelmann ii | 4 O | 1 O |
| Mcphail th | 3 O | 0 O | Kappelmann ii | 4 O | 1 O |
| Davis ph/II | 1 O | 0 O | C'Nleaf bf | 2 O | 0 O |
| Hill bf | 1 O | 0 O | Levin ph/2b | 1 O | 0 O |
| Hill bf | 1 O | 0 O | Welman p | 1 O | 0 |
| Bryan p | 0 O | 0 O | Bolley p | 0 O | 0 |
| Blum p | 0 O | 0 O | Totale | 51.5 | 51.5 |
V
---
Wichita State 201 000 010 47 0
Kansas 000 001 001 1 30
LB—Wichita State 6, Kansas 6, BH—Hooper (8, Ryan (13), 3B—Ryan (5),
BW—Wirley (19), CS—Blea (4), SH—Willham (7)
| | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Wichita State | 12.5 | 7.2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Bryan (W, 5-0) | 11.1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Kansas | | | | | | |
| Wakefield (I, 3-4) | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| Rocky | | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
.