Section B
The University Daily Kansan
Sports
They got game.
Cynthia Cooper had 20 points, leading Houston to a 59-52 victory against the New York Liberty in game one of the WNBA finals.
FRIDAY AUGUST 25. 2000
Inside: Kansas City prepares for the barrage of Kansas State fans coming to town this weekend. SEE PAGE 5B
Inside: The Royals scored six runs against Pedro Martinez, but lost 9-7 in the 10th against Boston. SEE PAGE 7B
SEE PAGE 7B
For comments, contact Melinda Weaver or Jason Walker at 864-4858 or e-mail sports@kansan.com WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
A Horror Zontals member attempts to make a leaping catch during a game of Ultimate Frisbee. The game, invented in the 1970s by a group of Ivy League students, is becoming increasingly popular in the Midwest, and the Horror Zontals already have established rivalries with other universities in the area. It's in its 21st year on the University of Kansas campus, and the Horror Zontals currently are ranked second in the Midwest region. Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
Ultimate Frisbee spins into KU
Michael Sudhalter
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
A group of University of Kansas athletes has been playing basketball, football and soccer simultaneously without a roundball or a pigskin.
The Horror Zontals, the Ultimate Frisbee team that is entering its 21st year on campus, combines many of the elements of these popular and more well-known sports.
"We have a lot of catching and receiving as well as a maximum of three steps like basketball," said Peter Hindman, Bartlesville, Okla. junior.
"The pace of the game is similar to soccer."
Ultimate Frisbee, which features the positions of handler, middle and long, was invented in the '70s by a group of Ivy League students. While the sport gains more attention on the East and West coasts, Kansas currently is ranked second in the Midwest region.
The field is 70 yards long with two 25-yard end zones, and single points are received when the frisbee is caught in the end zone. Unlike other sports, Ultimate is played without a clock, and the majority of the games continue until a team scores 13 points.
"There is definitely a possibility for growth since the sport isn't very old."
--growth since the sport isn't very old." Laing said. "There have been pushes to get Ultimate Frisbee in the Goodwill Games."
John Lang
Olathe senior
John Laing, Olathe senior, said that Ultimate Frisbee could become a game that people would sit down in front of the television and watch someday, given its recent growth in popularity.
"There is definitely a possibility for
The Horror Zontals already have rivalries with other universities in the region, such as Rice and Washington University of St. Louis. Two years ago, the Zontals won the Midwest region and were invited to the prestigious 16-team College Nationals tournament in Boulder, Colo. The Zontals are hoping to once again compete on a national level during the upcoming season.
See HORROR ZONTALS on page 3B
Soccer team hits road with high expectations
Senior midfielder Colleen Colvin protects the ball during a team scrimmage. Photo by Aaron Lindberg/KANSAN
By Yoshitaka Ebisawa
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Expecting another record-breaking season, the Kansas women's soccer team will begin its sixth year on the road, facing Northwestern today in Evanston, Ill., and Illinois on Sunday in Champaign, Ill.
"The team is doing very well," coach Mark Francis said. "We are very happy with where they are now."
Kansas enjoyed the most successful season in the program's history last year, setting or matching school records in wins (8), home wins (5), conference wins (3), points (87) and assists (29). But having added talented new players from other states and countries, the Jayhawks may rewrite those numbers this season and make their first appearance in the Big 12 Conference tournament.
Sophomore forward Carmel Kaplinger played at Louisville last year, and led the Cardinals in scoring.
Freshman midfielder Maggie Mason, sophomore goalkeeper Layla Young and freshman midfielder Jennifer Ray played on national teams this summer roughly the toughest
— arguably the toughest competition around.
competition The newcomers will definitely increase the competition at each position and make the practice environment more intense." Francis said. "The added depth makes our job as coaches more difficult, but that is a great problem for any coaching staff to have."
Baker tasted the Jayhaws' strength last Saturday in a preseason exhibition match.
Senior midfielder Colleen Colvin said that Kansas boasted many good players this season and didn't have to rely on one or two star players.
Kansas fired 54 shots at Baker's goal and limited the Wildcats to only one goal attempt in the 3-0 victory.
Northwestern finished the 1999 season with a 4-12-1 overall record and last in the Big Ten. Illinois went 12-8-2 overall and 3-5-2 in the Big Ten.
Francis said Northwestern and Illinois would provide a slightly tougher competition than Baker.
"We took so many shots, but we didn't score very many goals," he said.
Despite the domination, Francis wasn't satisfied with the results.
"If we can come back from this road trip with two wins, that will be huge," Francis said. "But more than that, it is going to be how we play."
— Edited by John Audelholm
By Jason Franchuk sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Norris, 'Hawks pumped for football festivities
Before all of the success began arriving at his doorstep, and before he was a key component of Kansas' offense, this was Moran Norris' favorite time of year.
An added bonus is that there are no more two-a-day practices, which ended yesterday, just like summer vacation.
Actually, it still is. Because he is a good student, he looks forward to the start of school both for himself and the students he tutors.
And he will love tomorrow, when the Jayhawks participate in Kansas football's Get Ready Rally at Memorial Stadium.
The Rally is in its fifth year and is designed to be a celebration of the beginning of the football season. Families, children and University of Kansas students are encouraged to attend the free festivities, which take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. In between games, raffles and autographs, from 8 to 8:30 p.m. there will be a football pep rally.
"we love it because it's fun to have the support of the community." Norris said.
Norris, a senior running back, said he loved the event because of the kids who come to play the games that are set up on the field. Norris, who also is an assistant at Hillcrest Elementary during the season, enjoys signing autographs. And he doesn't get in a bad mood if some small kid comes up and punches him.
"Sometimes the kids are a little intimidated by me at first," said Norris, who is 6-foot2, 250 pounds
and holds the program's benchpress record (540 pounds). "But after a while, they get used to my size, and some kids will come try to beat me up. It's all a lot of fun."
The event should be fun for everyone else, too. Usually held on Sundays, the event was switched to tomorrow night at coach Terry Allen's request to try to involve more KU students.
"We want the student body to come out and enjoy this with us." Allen said. "It really is a good time for everyone."
The first 2,000 fans receive minifootballs and the first 1,000 get food. There are also games and raffle prizes, and the football team will be there to sign autographs.
The Rally also marks the first day students can pick up their allsports combo ticket package, which includes admission to football and men's basketball games.
Rick Mullen, Kansas director of athletic promotions, said some of the packages are still available for anyone wondering how to get one. Out of the 6,300 combo passes sold, Mullen estimated that a few hundred remained because students sometimes forget to sign up for them during enrollment.
Last year's Rally crowd was considerably low because of bad weather. Mullen estimated between 7,000 to 8,000 fans would show up tomorrow to kick off the season.
"We think we'll get a big crowd." Mullen said. "This is the beginning of football season, and there is definitely a lot of excitement surrounding the team this year."
— Edited by Shawn Hutchinson
Sports Columnist
Shawn Linenberger
sports@kansan.com
Bagel guru's football pick is justified
Ah, football season almost is upon us. Although most fans probably have grown tired of predictions about the upcoming college football season, here's how I see it.
I'm not the most prolific predictor. An eternal optimist, I usually go into each football season thinking the Jawhayes probably will be in a bowl.
But after the Jayhawks lost to San Diego State last fall at home, I became more of a realist. I wondered if the 'Hawks would win another game.
Early last season, traditionally struggling Iowa State was building a decent football program, Missouri was fresh from a bowl appearance, and doormat Bavlor appeared to be scrappy.
Kansas will end this season 8-3.
But gradual improvement and a near upset of Nebraska has paved the way for Kansas' first winning season in the Terry Allen era.
Yeah, yeah. How can the Jayhawks go from 4-7 to 8-? An omen.
He told me I was more than welcome to join the team. The man wasn't wearing any coaching garb, so his offer seemed unsubstantiated.
While getting a drink at a bagel shop downtown on Wednesday, a man approached me. He asked me if I played football at Kansas. I was flattered, but said no. He apparently didn't hear my reply, telling me that it was wonderful that I was playing here. I again said no, I just go to school here.
He then asked me what kind of record I thought the Jayhawks would have.
"Will they be like 7-4 or 8-3?" he said. Eerie, considering those records were in the vicinity of my prediction.
Yeah, it could be a long shot, but the Jayhawks have been tabbed by some as the Big 12 Conference's dark horse, so perhaps my visions aren't too far fetched.
Still, if this omen has any validity, the 'Hawks have a few things to take care of.
If the Jayhawks can tackle that obstacle, an early schedule without the likes of Notre Dame or a Big 12 opponent would help them gain momentum going into the game at Oklahoma.
A 3-0 start is extremely possible, but the first game is on the road and in SMU's new Ford Stadium. The Mustangs hope to climb back into respectability, and a season-opening win against Kansas wouldn't hurt. For the Jayhawks to be successful, they need wins on the road — a place they've only conquered once in Allen's tenure.
The Jayhawks have won the last three meetings with the Sooners, but this year's Oklahoma installation is supposed to be tough.
Along with winning on the road, the Jayhawks must fill holes in the defensive line. Junior Nate Dwyer is the only lineman with Division I experience. Junior college transfers Ervin Holloman and John Culp, both from Garden City, must produce immediately.
A poor pass defense must improve, but another junior college transfer, Jamarel Bryant, should improve the secondary. Having a preseason All-American in senior free safety Carl Nehmith doesn't hurt, either.
On offense, receivers must stay healthy this year. The Jayhawks have a strong chance at a very balanced offense if a finally healthy receiving corps can complement the Kansas backfield and solid quarterback Dylan Smith.
This sounds like more of a wish list than a prediction, but the Jayhawks are on the verge of a good season in many categories.
If the 'Hawks don't attain my lofty prediction, the guy at the bagel shop and I were insane. But a winning season definitely is within Kansas' reach.
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Ulsenberger is a Washington, Kan., senior in journalism.
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