WEDNESDAY, AUG. 29, 2001
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 5B
Seasoned bowling teams hoping to keep their success rolling
Men's team looking to top last year's finish at fifth-place in the nation
By Jason Hwang Kansan sportswriter
It may come as a surprise, but the Kansas athletic team with the highest national finish last year was the men's bowling team.
And the men, as well as their female counterparts, are ready to start what they hope will be another successful season. The men's team will try to build on their fifth-place showing at the Intercollegiate Bowling Championships, which took place last year in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The women's team finished sixth in the sectional tournament. Only the top four teams advance to the national championships.
Mike Fine, the team's coach, is in his 15th year with the team and revealed the keys to a successful season.
"To be successful you must have desire and well-honed athletic ability." Fine said.
The top six bowlers on the team compete in tournaments, from their home tournament at Royal Crest Lanes, 9th and Iowa streets, to as far away as Chicago and New Jersey. Fine said the top bowlers on each team were among the top 5 percent in the nation.
Three of the top six bowlers on both the men's and women's team return this year.
The men's team retain Mike Keeler, St. Charles, Mo., senior, Mark D'Errico, Rochester, N.Y. sophomore and Jesse James, Lawrence junior.
The top returning female bowlers include Nicole Mosqueda, Topeka junior, Kristina Boehm, Olathe junior and Tiffany McBurney, Albany, Ore., senior. Christy Distler, a third-year pharmacy student from Overland Park, returned to the team after a year absence because of shoulder surgery.
Fine said the members of last
year's non-traveling team would
"To be successful you must have desire and wellhoned athletic ability."
Mike Fine Bowling head coach
have a chance to step up to the top open bowler spots.
"We return three top bowlers on both teams," he said. "We have a solid base of solid returning bowlers, some to rise on the traveling team."
Jesse James, one of the returning men's bowlers, said consistency was the key and that the team had to keep its focus throughout the tournaments.
can make a difference between a strike and a split."
"We roll 150 games on average a week to practice," he said. "We do this to sustain endurance and stay sharp. If you take a day off, you're hurting yourself. One inch
James said he appreciated the work of Fine. James said Fine not only taught the physical aspects of the game, but also helped them stay on task, focused and relaxed.
Boehm also credited coach Fine for her success on the team.
"He helps me to become a team player," she said. "He makes sure I keep up on priorities. School first, then bowling."
Boehm said the women's team would have a good chance to qualify for nationals. She said the team could be ranked in the top 10 nationally season's end.
Fine said that both teams were capable of winning the Intercollegiate Bowling Championships in April in Buffalo, N.Y.
"Anybody can have a goal to win it all, but we are starting to believe we have the ability to win the national championships," Fine said. "The best team doesn't always win. Only the one that gets a couple breaks and are on a roll."
Contact Hwang at 864-4810
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Yesterday's Catch
Here's what you missed from yesterday's issue of the Kansan:
- KU is offering Hungarian for the first time,making it one of the only universities in the country to offer the language
- Student Senate studying online voting for April election
- Editorial board endorsement of allowing alcohol at tailgating parties
- Two football players suspended from Saturday's opener
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN