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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Commentary
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2001
Doug
Pacey
Columnist
sportskanan.com
The heroes on the field may lose out on a degree
Kansas 62. Oklahoma 49.
Kansas 62, Oklahoma 49.
That's not a prediction of this Sat
urday's homecoming game.
It's not a basketball score.
It's the student-athlete graduation rate for both schools.
The University has the third-best student-athlete graduation rate in the Big 12 Conference. Only Texas with 63 percent, and Baylor, a private school, with a rate of 67 percent, topped Kansas.
The Jayhawks might not give fans much to be proud of on the football field, but this gives students and alumni something to be smug about. Despite the heat that the Athletics Department has taken in the last few months (it cut men's tennis and swimming and has been investigated for embezzlement by the KU Public Safety Office), it has taken care of its most important asset — the student-athletes.
The NCAA released a month ago the graduation rates of student-athletes who entered college in 1994, the most recent year for which figures were tabulated. Kansas' rate was four points higher than the Division I average of 58 percent. The average for all Division I public schools was 54 percent. Half the schools in the Big 12 had student-athlete graduation rates less than the public school average.
If Kansas could get credit on the football field for what its players have done in the classroom, the Jayhawks might have a chance at a bowl this year. Fifty-six percent of the 1994 freshmen recruiting class graduated, only Baylor, 67 percent, and Kansas State, 77 percent, finished better than Kansas.
The average graduation rate for all D-I football players was 51 percent, and eight Big 12 schools fell below that mark. What's worse is that Iowa State, Missouri and Oklahoma State each were more than 10 points below the average, with the Cowboys graduating a pitiful 17 percent.
That's pathetic.
But in Missouri's case it makes sense. Some of the best football teams have poor graduation rates.
The Tigers were 8-4 and won the Insight.com Bowl in 1998. The football players who entered college in 1994 would have been seniors that season. The Tennessee football team, which defeated Florida State for the national championship in 1998, had a graduation rate of 35 percent, far less than the Volunteers' overall student-athlete graduation rate of 59 percent.
Florida, which finished 10-2 and beat Syracuse 31-10 in the Orange Bowl that season, graduated just 31 percent of its 1994 freshmen class. Other top-tier college football teams Florida State, UCLA, Michigan State and Texas A&M, which won the Big 12 championship in 1998 had rates less than the national average.
"That's certainly a trend that many people have noticed," said Paul Buskirk, associate athletics director for student support services at Kansas."But I don't know if you can make an absolute corollary to good football teams and low graduation rates. The NCAA crafted this survey
SEE ATHLETES PAGE 7A
Penalties nearly cost game
Kansas gives Texas 94 yards, 10 points,and a home loss
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswriter
On an unusually frigid western Texas Saturday night, tempers flared for the Kansas football team, resulting in personal fouls that could have cost the Jayhawks their second win.
At least 10 yards and an automatic first down were attached to each of Kansas' four personal fouls. Two of the four came on two possessions that ended in 10 Texas Tech points in the Jayhawks' 34-31 double overtime win this weekend.
"I told my team after the game that if we would have lost, it would have been because of penalties," said Kansas coach Terry Allen.
Kansas' first personal foul resulted in a 27-yard Red Raider field goal. Chasing the play from his right defensive tackle spot,
senior Marquis Hayes lunged forward and knocked his helmet into Red Raider wide receiver Nehemiah Glover after he was down.
The Jayhawks' third club came on a Texas Tech third down and seven from the Kansas 49-yard line. Red Raider quarterback Kliff Kingsbury threw an errant pass to wide receiver Anton Paige, but his offense was given new life after Kansas freshman defensive end Travis Watkins was caught using an illegal pass-rushing move.
Kansas' fourth flagrant foul was more a matter of effort than emotion. At the end of the first overtime, senior cornerback Quincy Roe raced around the right corner in an attempt to block the kick. The momentum carried his body into the Texas Tech
"The referee told me that he got his arms stuck, but it is a common thing to do in the pass rush." Allen said. "Overall, though, the game was fair."
SEE PENALTY PAGE 7A
Senior free safety Jamarei Bryant tries to stop Texas Tech tight end Cole Roberts. The Jayhawks defeated the Red Raiders 34-31 Saturday night at Jones SBC Stadium.
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
CHRIS BURKET/KANSAN
Jennifer Bawanan practices her drives at the Alvamar Golf Club driving range. Bawanan recently won the Sunflower Cup, shooting a 71, one under par and claiming victory in a one-hole playoff.
Young golfer feeling confident
California native starts sophomore year with first tournament win
By John Domoney Kansan sportswriter
Jennifer Bawanan felt a sense of calmness as she navigated a one-hole playoff for first place at the Sunflower Cup tournament.
"I was actually more nervous on the 18th hole that I bogeyed," said Bawanan, who fired a 1-under-par 71 that forced the playoff in the Sept. 26 tournament in Manhattan. "I wasn't nervous in the playoff because the whole team was there, and coach was there rooting me on."
Bawanan came to Kansas in the summer of 2000 after completing a stellar high school career. She played in 18
With the victory, Bawanan emerged as one of Kansas' top women's golfers.
With her team standing by for support, the sophomore from Modesto, Calif., saw no reason to be anxious two weeks ago as she took on Kansas State's Christine Boucher for the individual title.
tournaments her senior year, winning each one of them.
As a KU freshman last year, Bawanan said she was confident that her time to shine wouldn't be far off. The Golden State student competed for the Jayhawks in 10 tournaments.
Bawanan's first collegiate win came at a tournament that wasn't originally on the Jayhawks' schedule. The Sunflower Cup was played because both Kansas and Kansas State needed a tournament after both teams were left with long gaps in their schedules. Each team lost a tournament the cancellation of the Mary Fossum Intercollegiate on Sept. 15-16 after the terrorist attacks.
For Bawanan, it was the lucky break she needed to jump start her sophomore campaign as a Jayhawk.
bawanan was a key member of the first recruiting class brought in by Kansas coach Nicole Hollingsworth, who took charge of the program last fall.
"She was going to be a very important recruit for me because she was my first recruit," Hollingsworth said.
Although Bawanan has found a home in Lawrence, she still regularly hears
questions in California about her leaving for Kansas.
"I get that question about every time I come home," Bawanan said. "KU is so much different than the California schools. This town is so centered around the University and there's a lot of pride in the school."
This summer Bawanan returned home and focused on her golf game.
Not only did she take lessons and practice nearly every day, but she also competed in tournaments on the California amateur circuit and the Transamerica amateur tournament in South Dakota.
The work has paid off for Bawanan, as she has become one the Jayhawks' top performers and the only sophomore on the squad.
"Freshman year, I had to get used to a lot of stuff with balancing school, golf and social life," Bawanan said. "Now I know what I need to do and how to do it."
Contact Domoney at 864-4810
Men second after first day; women improving
By John Domoney
Kansan sportswriter
After the first day of tournament competition for the Kansas men's and women's golf teams, both teams fared well in their quests for success on the road.
The men's team completed its first and second rounds in the Purina-Missouri Bluffs Classic yesterday with the play that the Jayhawks have come to expect.
Knowing that this tournament would be crucial to its fall schedule, Kansas stands in second place after the two opening rounds in which the team shot rounds of 291 and 282 for a total score of 573. The Jayhawks' only trail leader University of Illinois by 4 shots heading into today's final round.
"We played well in the first round until the last couple of holes where we then faltered," said coach Ross Randall. "After the second round, we got ourselves back in a position to have a good round and a decent run at the title tomorrow."
Leading the Kansas attack was sophomore Tyler Hall, who carded a two-round total of 141 for eighth place. Junior Chris Marshall shot a 143 to tie for 11th place, and senior Travis Hurst shot a 144 for a tie in 16th place.
Also competing for Kansas are red shirt freshman Andrew Price and freshman Kevin Ward. Price is tied for 32nd place after he fired a 147, and Ward shot a 149 good enough for a tie in 49th.
Senior Casey Harbour competed for Kansas as an individual and carded a 151 for a tie for 57th place.
While the Kansas men's team stands in a position to compete for the tournament title today in the final round. the
Kansas women's team isn't in position to shoot for a first-place finish in the Women's Collegiate Shootout. The team shot rounds of 307 and 311 for a total score of 618 that positions itself in 16th place in the 19-team tournament.
The Jayhawks, however, were delighted after they shot their best two team rounds of the fall in yesterday's two opening rounds.
"Overall, I am happy with our efforts today," said coach Nicole Hollingsworth. "It is our best team performance this fall, and our competition is playing fabulously."
Juniors Jill MacDonald and Heather Rose turned in the best scores for Kansas; both are tied for 46th after their two round totals of 153.
Also competing for Kansas are sophomore Jennifer Bawanan and junior
Junior Tiffany Kruggel is only one shot behind MacDonald and Rose. She shot a 154 and is tied for 55th place.
"After the second
"After the second round, we got ourselves back in a position to have a good round and a decent run at the title tomorrow."
Ross Randall KU men's golf coach.
Kristy Straub. Bawanan is tied for 73rd place with a score of 158. Straub, who made a hole-in-one in Sunday's practice round, struggled to shoot 162 for 87th place.
Both teams play their final rounds today.
Contact Domoney at 864-4858
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