University Daily Kansan / Tuesdav. October 7. 1986
Sports
9
Kansas volleyball program gains respectability
This is the second of a two-part series on the Kansas volleyball program.
By IANE ZACHMAN
Sports writer
The Kansas volleyball program has gained respectability in the last two years, and not merely by coincidence. The administrators, coaches and players have all been making a conscious effort to bring the program up to the competitive level of the best teams in the country.
Today, Kansas volleyball is a thriving operation with a 16-3 record, the best it has had in years, and a coach who has been a master of the game by a degree of lout-awaited success.
Only two years ago, the Jayhawks hit rock bottom with the worst season in their history and a record of 5-30. Today, they are back on the upswing, under the direction of second-year head coach Frankie Albitz, with their win column increasing with each match.
Volleyball first became an organized sport at Kansas in 1970. It was a club sport, similar to rugby today.
In 1976 KU volleyball became an official intercollegiate sport and was sanctioned by the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. It was then organized under the Women's Athletic Department.
Bob Stanclift, currently the head coach of the Kansas women's softball team, took over as part-time coach of the volleyball team in 1976.
The first year he coached was the most successful season in the Jayhawks' history. They finished with a record of 35-15, placed fourth in the Big Eight Conference tournament and sixth at the AIAW Region VI tournament.
In the next two years that Stancliff coached, the team maintained winning records. He had a three-year record of 101-62-8.
At the end of the 1978-79 season, Stanciff left the volleyball team to devote more time to coaching softball.
"At the time that I got out," Stancift said, "we had a pretty competitive team and a lot of good players."
He said in two of the three years he coached the Jayhawks were only one game away from going to the national tournament playoffs.
Bob Lockwood, who had been the gymnastics coach for 14 season before the sport was canceled at the University in 1979, succeeded Stanclift.
Lockwood was also a part-time coach of the program.
Lockwood, a health, physical education and recreation instructor, said the Kansas volleyball program was hindered by financial difficulties during the six years that he coached the team.
He said until 1984, his last year as volleyball coach, the program's budget for scholarships and recruiting was too small to adequately recruit players to field a team equally competitive to other Big Eight schools.
"We were the lowest in the league in scholarships and recruiting travel," he said. "It became more important to raise funds to his competition."
Stancill said there were financial problems in many sports at the time.
'There's no reason why we couldn't have a good volleyball program. Frankie has done an excellent job.She has gotten support that wouldn't be there otherwise.'
Monte Johnson KU athletic director
"The money problem was signifi cant in softball as well as volleyball," he said.
"There were about five years (1978-82) of no growth in the budget. Football and basketball weren't doing well then, so none of us did. We were just reading water."
In 1976, the volleyball program had a budget of $9,875. The budget jumped to $22,470 by 1978, and today it is $90,610.
Another form of aid to the program was made available by the Margin of Excellence Fund, established in the Spring of 1983. The fund provides guidelines that allow coaches to raise money for their sports.
The first year the fund was utilized, the volleyball team raised $200
Last year the team raised $28,600 through the fund.
Nebraska, the conference champion for the last ten years, has a
in the six years Lockwood coached in the team, the Jayhawks compiled a record of 115-151-4. They finished above sixth place in the Big Eight tournament only once, placing fourth in 1980.
budget of $120,000.
One problem Lockwood noted was that for the first few years he coached the team, it was separated from other programs. They couldn't use training rooms, weren't allowed tutors for players and didn't have as many scholarships available as there were for other volleyball teams.
The NCAA allowed 12 full scholarships in volleyball in 1979. The University, however, only allocated seven full scholarships. Lockwood said he divided the scholarships so ten players could be on partial scholarships.
The team's goal is to have six instate and six out-of-state players on full scholarships, he said. More out-of-state scholarships were need to attract players from states where volleyball was a stronger and more popular sport.
"We had some excellent athletes," he said, "just not enough.
"Nebraka had 12 full-ride scholarships and 12 good athletes. It always seemed like we were one or two players short."
In 1984, the Jayhawks' record was 5-30. Lockwood left the program at the end of the year to contribute more time to his teaching duties and gymnastics. In the long run, though, his last year would become his most successful in other aspects of the program.
That same year, Johnny Learned,
head volleyball coach at Haskell Indian Junior College, told Lockwood he wanted to try to help improve the KU program.
In two seasons at Haskell, Learned compiled a record of 37-25-7 and was selected the Region VI Independent Coach of the Year. Before he began coaching there, the Haskell volleyball team only had won five matches from 1978-1981.
"I knew Bob was having problems with the team," Learned said. "He said if I was able to find someone to raise money they could hire an assistant coach."
Learned eventually was able to find the contributors and raise enough money to create an assistant coaching position.
One of the contributors was his uncle, Stanley Learned. Bartlesville.
See VOLLEYBALL. p. 12. col. 1
Outside hitter Catalina Suarez is an example of Kansas' increased efforts to improve its volleyball program. The Bogota Colombia, native was recruited by the Jayhawks after a larger budget allowed them to recruit outside the state of Kansas. Suarez, who played three years for the Colombian National Team, is currently ranked second nationally in defensive saves
'Hawks to begin new season with ISU
By ANNE LUSCOMBE
The real Kansas football season begins Saturday.
No more playing Division I-AA schools that the Jayhawes are expected to beat. This weekend the competition toughens with the start of the Big Eight Conference season.
Head coach Bob Valesente said yesterday that Kansas' non-conference record wouldn't mean a thing when the Jayhawks went into the game against Iowa State.
The Jayhawks will enter conference play with a 3-1 record. North Carolina shut out Kansas 20-0 for the Jayhawks' only loss. Kansas came back to win its next three games.
For the first two games, KU's defense carried the offense. After the opening game shutout, Kansas was able to score just 16 points against Utah State. The defense held North Carolina to 79 yards
passing, although it allowed the Tar Heels 222 yards rushing. Still, Kansas gained more yards than its opponent.
The defense was at its early season prime against Utah State. The Aggies managed only 78 yards in total offense.
Then the tables turned. The Kansas defense began to slide as the offense picked up some momentum.
After shutting down Utah State, the KU defense gave up 348 yards to Indiana State and 23 points and 286 yards to Southern Illinois. Offensively, the Jayhawks scored 20 points and gained 401 yards against Indiana State. Saturday, they scored five touchdowns for 35 points and 388 yards.
"The Bomb Squad is definitely back," wide receiver Ronnie Caldwell said, "Every game one side will play better than the other. We are just looking to blend them together, and then we will put people in trouble.'
Kansas 'Big Eight season opener matches it against the team most similar to it according to one of KU's opponents' coach.
After the Indiana State game, Sycamore head coach Dennis Raetz said the Jayhawks and the Cyclones were much alike. The Sycamores came to Kansas after an embarrassing 64-7 loss to Iowa State. The Jayhawks 20-6 win over the Sycamores was not as spectacular.
"This week is a big game for us," defensive end Phil Forte said. "Iowa State destroyed Indiana and we just got by."
Valesente said the Jayhawks were in for a true test.
"We're going to face what I think is hard-nose football," he said. "What we have to work on is to offset Iowa State's aggressive defense. They have got a powerful running game and an excellent quarterback."
KU's quarterback Mike Orth has been climbing the Kansas all-time passing chart, but turnovers still plague his games. Orth has thrown five interceptions and Kansas has lost 11 fumbles. The defense, by its own admission, also has had its share of problems.
Despite the alternating problems with the Kansas offense and defense, the team's confidence level is rising.
Willie Vaughn, wide receiver,
summed up the theme of the week:
"The season begins with Iowa
State."
Jayhawk notes: The Famous Chicken will entertain the fans during the homecoming game Saturday... This will be the 71st homecoming in Kansas history. The Jayhawks have a 26-39-5 record on Homecoming Day, but the Jayhawks have won three of their last four homecoming games, including a 24-17 victory over Iowa State in 1982..
Kansas quarterback Mike Orth and the Jayhawk offense will try to avoid turf—four games. Orth has thrown five interceptions and the offense has lost 11 novers Saturday in the Big Eight Conference opener against Iowa State. In tumbles,
United Press International
NFL marks broken in Seahawk victory
SEATTLE — Steve Largent established a National Football League record by catching a pass in his 128th consecutive game, and fumbles by San Diego's Lionel James set up two straight Seattle touchdowns last night, giving the Seahawks a 33-7 victory over the Chargers.
San Diego's Charlie Joiner also set an NFL mark during the game when he caught a 20-yard pass from Dan Fouts with 9:49 left in third quarter, increasing his career receiving yardage total to 11,843. He passed the old record of 11,834 by former New York Jet Don Mavnard.
The victory improved Seattle's record to 4-1 and kept the Seahawks
within one game of first-place Denver in the AFC West. San Diego fell to 1-4.
The Seahawks also got field goals of 29, 30, and 54 yards from Norm Johnson and built a 9-7 lead after an early San Diego score.
Largest finished with four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. With his receiving yardage, he also moved up to fourth place on the all-time NFL list with 10,317
Seattle's Dave Krieg completed 21 of 35 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted twice. Fouts completed 20 of 31 for 231 yards and three interceptions.
Joiner wound up with four catches for 39 yards, giving him a career total of 11,855. Joiner also has 728 career receptions, a record.
Hurricanes retain top spot in AP poll
The Associated Press
Miami, which climbed into the No. 1 spot last week after beating Oklahoma, cruised past Northern Illinois 34-0 on Saturday for its fifth consecutive victory. The Hurricanes received 55 of 58 first-place votes and 1,155 of a possible 1,160 points from a nationwide panel of sports writers and sportscasters.
The University of Miami remained No. 1 yesterday in The Associated Press college football poll but second-ranked Alabama made up ground on the Hurricanes while Stanford and Mississippi State cracked the Top 20 for the first time in five years.
Alabama also raised its record to 5-0 by defeating Notre Dame 28-10. The Crismon Tide received two first-place votes and 1,044 points. Last week Miami led 56-1 in first place votes and 1,156-1,058 in points.
The first nine teams are the same as last week. Third-ranked Nebraska edged South Carolina 27-24 and received 988 points while Michigan remained No. 4 with 959 points after downing Wisconsin 34-17.
The other first place ballot went to fifth-ranked Penn State, which knocked off previously unbeaten Rutgers 31-6 and received 937 points.
Sixth-ranked Oklahoma rebounded
from its loss to Miami by crushing Kansas State 51-10 and received 867 points. Auburn remained seventh with 828 points by blasting Western Carolina 55-6. Arkansas held onto eight place with 726 points by whipping Texas Christian 34-17 and Southern California remained No. 9 with 709 points thanks to a 35-21 triumph over Oregon.
However, Arizona was idle and slipped from 10th to 11th while lowa moved up from 11th to 10th. The Hawkeyes turned back Michigan State 24-21 and received 614 points.
The Second Ten consists of Arizona, Washington, Baylor, Texas A&M, Arizona State, LSU, North Carolina State, Stanford, Mississippi State and Clemson.
Stanford is 4-0 after beating San Diego State 17-10. The Cardinals last made the Top 20 during the first week of the 1981 season.
Mississippi State, which was in the Top 20 several times in 1981, is 4-1 after defeating Memphis State 34-17. Clemson, 3-1 after blanking The Citadel 24-0, also appeared for the first time this season.
UCLA dropped out of the rankings after losing to Arizona State 16-9. Michigan State disappeared following its loss to Iowa, and Fresno State, which made the Top 20 last week for the first time in 44 years, dropped out after losing to San Jose State 45-41