SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Thursday, September 17, 1992
11
NCAA says Michigan players ineligible
Basketball standouts violated rules with paid appearances
The Associated Press
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Three Michigan basketball players, including sophomore standouts Jalen Rose and Chris Webber, have been declared inelegible until the NCAA decides whether they violated rules by being paid for some appearances.
Rose, Webber and senior Eric Riley were declared ineligible for an indefinite period of time, said Percy Bates,
the university's faculty representative to the NCAA.
The declaration was included in a report Michigan submitted to the NCAA late last week. The report answers questions that arose when the three were paid $300 each to appear at a charity basketball tournament last month.
The report, which Bates said was routine, also addresses questions
about the appearance of three other players at summer camps. The report asks the NCAA to immediately restore the players' eligibility.
"This is a routine posture to take when reporting such incidents," Bates said. "But we expect it to be dealt with in short order. It should not become an issue as far as games are concerned."
The NCAA could restore the play
ors' eligibility, suspend them from some games or levy other sanctions against the basketball program. It also could choose to conduct its own investigation.
Janet Justus, the NCAA's director of eligibility, said yesterday she expected a decision to be made in two'to four weeks.
Rose, Webber and Riley all played key roles in the Wolverines' trip to the national championship game last spring.
Rose, a point guard, led the team in scoring. Webber was named the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year after becoming the first freshman to lead the Big Ten in rebounding and steals.
Riley was the Wolverines' top front-court reserve.
The players' appearance in the event in Holland may have violated an NCAA rule saying athletes may be paid only legitimate and normal expenses for such appearances.
The players' eligibility could be restored even if they did break NCAA rules, Justus said. Typical penalties for offenses similar to those alleged by the Michigan players are repayment of money or suspension for a few games, she said.
The participation of other Michigan players in several summer basketball camps may have violated an NCAA rule prohibiting more than one player
from a school from appearing at the same camp. Two or more Wolverines appeared in at least 10 camps this summer, according to camp officials.
Those players were Rose, Riley, Webber, sophomore Juan Howard, junior Jason Bossard and senior James Voskul. They were paid an average of $200 each for giving lectures, demonstrating drills and signing autographs.
It was unclear yesterday as to why the other players also were not declared ineligible.
Kansas gets commitment from Wichita South forward
Jack Weidenbach, athletic director for Michigan, did not return calls for comment.
By David Dorsey
Kansan sportswriter
B. J. Williams, a 6-foot-8, 200-pound senior forward from Wichita South High School said yesterday that he had orally committed to play basketball at Kansas next year.
Williams said he usually watched the Jayhawks play on television, and wanted to wear the crinison and blue.
"I like the Jayhawks," Williams said. "Our program at Wichita South is similar, and it ought to be easy for me to make the transition. It's close to home, and they have a good athletic program."
Williams said he was still undecided on a marriage.
Wichita South coach Steve Eck said
that whenever there was a Kansas game on TV Williams could be found at Eck's house.
"He lives a couple of blocks away." Eck said. "Whenever a game is on he comes over, eats ice cream, and watches it."
Eck said that Williams knew he wanted to play at Kansas a long time ago and that making his decision early would ease the pressure he had been getting from other schools.
Although he has made an oral commitment, he will not sign a letter of intent until early November, when the
Wichita State, Kansas State, Alabama Middle Tennessee State and St. Louis University all have been recruiting Williams.
early signing period begins.
Williams averaged 17.3 points and 6.2 rebounds a game at South last season. He helped lead South to a Wichita City League title and a third-place finish in the class 6A state tournament.
Current Kansas guard Steve Woodberry was a senior at South when Williams was a freshman.
Eck said that Williams would probably be best suited for the small forward position at Kansas, but added that he could play anywhere from the swing man position to power forward, depending on how his skills developed.
Former Kansas swimmer one of ten finalists for NCAA Woman of the Year
Awards continue to accumulate for All-American Barb Pranger
By David Bartkoski
Kansan sportswriter
But the awards did not stop coming when she completed her collegiate swimming career in March.
Former Kansas swimmer Barb Pranger received numerous awards and honors in her four All-American years for the Jayhawks from 1989 to 1992.
She said she could not accept both of the NCAA post-graduate awards because of NCAA regulations, so she took the $5,000 scholarship.
Pranger, who is scheduled to graduate in December, was awarded a $2,000 Big Eight post-graduate scholarship and two NCAA post-graduate awards worth $5,000 and $6,000 each.
Now she has been declared one of 10 finalists for the 1992 NCAA Woman of the Year Award, which is based on an athlete's academic achievement, athletic accomplishment, community service and leadership.
Pranger said she knew that the award committee would announce the finalists on Sep. 13, but she had no idea she would be chosen until she received a phone call from Kansas swimming coach Gary Kempf.
"I was extremely excited when I found out," she said. "Coach called Sunday night, and told me about it."
As a result of Pranger being a finalist, the University will receive $5,000 from award sponsor Champion Products. The Kansas swimming program
already received $5,000 when Pranger donated to the program the money she won for being named Kansas' 1992 NCAA Woman of the Year.
The 1982 NCAA Woman of the Year winner will be announced Nov. 11 at a gala dinner in Chicago that Pranger will attend. The winner's school will receive an additional $5,000.
"I'm excited to meet with the nine other finalists," she said. "I don't know what really to expect that night."
Bob Frederick, athletic director, said Pranger excelled in the pool and the classroom.
“This award epitomizes the true student-athlete,” he said. “It would be difficult to find a better representative than Barb Pranger.”
She was a first-team Phillips 66 Academic All-Big Eight selection three consecutive years and has earned a cumulative 3.90 grade point average.
In her career at Kansas, Pranger competed in the 100-meter butterfly in four NCAA championships and was a Big Eight champion in the 100-meter butterfly once and in the 200-meter butterfly twice.
Pranger said her best memories on the team were finishing seventh in the 100-meter butterfly at nationals her senior year and setting the conference record in the 200-meter butterfly at the Big Eight Championships her sophomore year.
Senior Bob Beims, a roommate of Pranger, said that Pranger would always be there for a person in need.
including six 4.0 semesters.
"She's the type of person that if you're in a bad mood, she'll always make you feel good," she said.
Pranger has done volunteer work at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center and has worked with mentally disabled children.
Current swim team captain, junior Krista Cordsen, said she thought Pranger sometimes gave too much of herself to make other people happy, often postponing her own plans to help others.
Cordsen said Pranger had helped her appreciate her experience at the University more.
"I'm kind of nervous about being the team captain as a junior," Cordsen said. "I talked to Barb and she said if I had any questions or ideas that she would be there to talk about it."
Both Cordsen and Beins described Pranger as hyper, saying she was the type of person who was always busy doing something.
She is finishing her curriculum as an intern at Mid-America Rehabilitation Hospital in Overland Park and plans to work as a physical therapist after finishing her education.
“It’s a good thing she doesn’t drink coffee or anything.” Cordsen said. “She cannot sit still.”
Pranger will continue to pursue a degree in exercise science, which she is scheduled to receive in December.
Closing in on 3.000
SuperSonics contemplating trade for Rocket's Olaiuwon
source: 1991 Kansas City Royals Media Guide
SEATTLE — The Seattle SuperSonics may be trying to make a trade for disgruntled Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon.
The Associated Press
Olaijauwon, a six-time All-Star who feuded with Houston management last season, has said he did not want to play for the Rockets this year.
With NBA training camps just three weeks away, Sonics president Bob Whitsht is attending a general managers meeting in Chicago this week.
"I can't talk about another team's player." Whitstitt said the Morning News Tribune of Tacoma, Wash. "But I will say we're looking into the possibilities of a 2-for-1 or 3-for-2 deal. We've got a lot of marketable
players on our team, and if we can combine some players for an impact player, then we'll do it."
The Tacoma, wash, newspaper said the Rockets wanted forward Derrick McKey and guard Nate McMillan, and would need a center to replace Olajuwoon. Benoit Benjamin could fit that description.
But the paper said the Sonics would rather not trade McKey or McMillan, two of their best defensive players. It said Ricky Pierce, the Sonics' top scorer, could fit into the deal as a replacement for McMillan or McKey.
Olaijuwon's agent, Leonard Armato, said the Sonics were among several teams rumored to be interested in a deal.
Valerie Bontrager / KANSAN
lim Young, a senior on the Kansas men's golf team, practices his putting at Alvamar Golf and Country Club. Young is one of five Kansas golfers heading to Colorado Springs, Colo., for the Falcon Invitational Tournament.
Men's golf team to open fall season in Colorado
Five qualify to compete at Falcon Invitational Tournament
By David Dorsey
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas men's golf team leaves today for Colorado Springs, Colo., where it will play in the Falcon Invitational Tournament at the Air Force Academy.
The three-day tournament will be the Jayhawks' first competition of the season, and will include 24 teams.
Senior Jim Young was this week's top qualifier for the Jayhawks. Senior Brad Bruno and juniors John Hess, Matt Gogel and Jeff Moeller also qualified.
Of the 16 golfers on the men's team, only five normally qualify to compete in away tournaments.
Kansas coach Ross Randall said this week's qualifying rounds at Alvamar Golf and Country Club went better than he expected.
"It was very competitive," he said. "This year I think we're at least a top 20 team if we play to our potential."
team had improved from last spring. The team had no seniors in the spring, and all of the top players returned.
Young, who qualified for only two tournaments last year, said this fall's
"I feel really good about our team this year," Young said. "I think we have 10 guys that can really play. I didn't play a lot last year, but I saw what the other guys could accomplish.
"I think we have the potential to win the conference, and since this is my last year, I obviously want to do the best job that I can."
All of the Kansas qualifiers gained valuable experience during the summer, and several were very successful. Young, Hess and Bruno qualified to play in the United States National Amateur Championship at Murfurid Village, Ohio. Moeller played in the Southern Amateur in Oklahoma.
"Matt Gogel won the Big Eight two years ago as a freshman," Randall said. "He is one of the top players in the Big Eight."
Gogel qualified to play in the U.S. Open, but did not make the final cut. He also won the Kansas Amateur, and is considered a top golfer by his coach and teammates.
Randall said that qualifying for the U.S. Open was a tremendous accomplishment for an amateur.
For John Hess, this tournament will be the first road competition for which he has qualified.
“it’s exciting, but now I feel like I had such a good summer that I should be going,” he said. “I didn’t really win anything, but I felt I played consistently well.”
Hess said that qualifying for tournament play would be more difficult this year than it had been in the past.
"A couple of guys have stepped it up a notch," he said. "Last year you kind of knew who would make it. This year seven or eight guys rather than five or six have a gun at making it."
Young said that there was never any bitterness between those that made and those that did not make the cut.
"The competition to qualify for a tournament is really vicious," he said. "But it's an individual sport, and there's no room for animosity. If you don't play good enough to play for the team, then you have no one to blame but yourself."
The tournament starts tomorrow and ends Sunday.