THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
PAGE 7
Visit promotes women's sports
JESSICA JANASZ/KANSAN
THE women's basketball team hands out T-shirts and keychains to students at Mrs. E's Wednesday night in hopes of gaining support for its upcoming season. The team's first basketball game of the season will be Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. against Emporia State at Allen Fieldhouse.
KATHLEEN GIER
kgier@kansan.com
kgier@kansan.com
"Our games," sophomore guard Keena Maws said.
With T-shirts, license plates, key chains and posters in hand, one student asked if there was anything else for free at the women-in-sports celebration at Mrs. E's Dining Hall on Daisy Hill Wednesday night.
KU Dining Services and KU Athletics co-hosted the event which served as a meet and greet for five women's sports teams: basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, and swimming and diving. This is the latest move from KU Athletics to garner attention for Olympic and women's sports at Kansas.
The women's basketball team attended the event between a running work out and tutoring. Ashley Thornton, director of promotions for KU Athletics, said it is good to get the athletes out to relate to students.
"It is important for them to get out there and tell students how much they do for their sports and how much they would appreciate support." Thornton said.
Freshman forward Bunny Williams of Dunkinville, Texas was hopeful that this event would bring more fans to the games.
"If we show interest in them, then they will show interest in us and come to our games," Williams said.
Mays is advertising this season as a "free party in Allen every week."
"If we get them in the gym once, they will come back," Mays said. "We just have to get them out."
Williams said that fans have a lot to look forward to this season when they come to the games.
REALIGNMENT FROM 10
"It is gonna be fun to watch us,"
Williams said. "We are fast-paced and we go hard every day in practice."
With five new freshmen, the team has a new outlook.
"Our attitudes have changed and we are excited to see how our hard work will pay off when the season comes," Mays said.
The women's basketball season starts on Oct. 31 when the Jayhawks will host Emporia State in an exhibition game. Kansas women's basketball games are free with a student ID card.
Edited by Jennifer DiDonato
tionship with the Pac-12.
"We have kept them informed of the progress we've been making to gain agreement from the Big 12 for changes which will make the conference more stable in the future," Boren said in a statement. "Conference stability has been our first goal and we look forward to achieving that goal through continued membership in the Big 12 Conference."
One of those changes reportedly includes ousting current Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe, who has received a great deal of scrutiny throughout the whole conference realignment ordeal. The Big 12 Board of Directors would have to reach a majority agreement in order to fire Beebe.
Even though the chances of the Big 12's survival have increased in a matter of hours, there are still some hurdles remaining for the conference going forward, including the reformation of the financial policies of the conference and 'Texas' Longhorn Network.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Texas Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds is completely committed to the Big 12 and revenue sharing of the first and second tier television rights. Dodds did say that the tier-three rights are
non-negotiable.
"I don't think our network is in play," Dodds said to the paper. "Our network is our network. Anybody can do one. If somebody thinks something is wrong with our network and thinks it's hurting the conference, we would absolutely address it."
With Oklahoma and Texas seemingly committed to staying onboard the Big 12, the conference finds itself in the position to do its own expansion.
ESPN reports that the Big 12 will look to add Brigham Young University as a replacement for the SEC-bound Aggies. In addition, the conference may look to add two more teams, such as West Virginia and Louisville in order to get the membership back up to 12 teams.
Given the how quickly these events have progressed, the members of the Kansas Board of Regents moved its scheduled meeting to discuss Kansas realignment options from Thursday to Wednesday.
"Our priority is to have Kansas and Kansas State be together in the big 12," Regent chairman Ed McKechnie said. "It appears that we are making great progress toward that."
FOOTBALL
Son of former Jayhawk safety grows into his father's shoes
Edited by Mike Lavieri
MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kansan.com
More than 20 years ago, former Jayhawk and Kansas City Chiefs' safety Doug Terry called the Kansas secondary his home. Now his son, redshirt freshman safety Keeston Terry, can say the same.
With his father playing safety for the Jayhawks from 1988-1991, Kansas football is an extra-personal brand for Terry.
"It's crazy, because you grow up
year, he was playing the same position as his father, at the same school, only one number apart.
"I really thought I was coming here to play receiver," Terry said. "It was ironic that they moved me to safety, and then our numbers are really similar. I mean he was 10 when he was here, I was nine."
Terry had successfully made the switch to safety, playing in each of the Jayhawks first three games last season. Then, with the snap
Keeston said. "It's nice being close to home and having that support with all my friends and family who can come watch."
"He's a very,very conscientious young man and he's working on getting better, just like the rest of the football team."
of a finger, the plug was pulled,
as Terry suffered a lower leg injury that k e p t him out for the remain- of
But Terry's time at the University wasn't always supposed
TURNER GILL Coach
Before Terry's first game last
to be so similar to his dad's career. Terry was originally recruited to play receiver at Kansas. As a four-star recruit out of high school, expectations were high for Terry at receiver, but shortly into his first training camp in Lawrence, he was moved to safety.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Redshirt freshman safety Keeston Terry and senior linebacker Steven Johnson tackle quarterback Chand Harnish during the Northern Illinois game earlier this season. Terry had three solo tackles and one assist tackle in the Jayhawks 45-42 victory. Terry's father also played for Kansas as a safety.
But Terry recovered, and is now the starting safety for the Jayhawks. His transition has been a bit rocky three games into the season.
the season, granting him a medical redshirt.
The Jayhawks pass defense has given up an average of 268 yards
a game, against McNeese State,
Northern Illinois and a Georgia
Tech team that only threw
the ball seven times.
Defensive coordinator Vic Shealy attributed some of the Jayhawks' defensive woes to the youth and lack of experience of the defense, particularly of the secondary. Terry is no exception to that, as he is still adjusting to playing in a somewhat foreign position.
"Keeston is doing some good things, it's just when you look at the amount of formations he's having to see and deal with right now," Shealy said. "It's a lot for a young safety."
The jayhawks are using their bye-week to try and correct their defensive struggles. The time off the field provides an opportunity for the players to go through old film and see what they've been doing wrong.
Coach Turner Gill knows the Jayhawks' youth has hindered their defensive performance, including Terry's.
"He's doing all right. He's a freshman," Gill said. "He's just playing OK. He's a very, very conscientious young man and he's working on getting better, just like
the rest of our football team."
Terry continues to work on his performance. Playing in the same secondary and protecting the same end zones as his father
makes the wins much sweeter and the losses sting just a bit more.
"Losses like Georgia Tech make you frustrated and sick, because you grow up wanting your
program to be at the top," Terry said. "That's why I came here, to help out my team be at the top."
Edited by Alexandra Esposito
ITS MORE THAN A GAME. IT'S HOMECOMING. Look for The University Daily Kansan Special Section on Monday 9/26
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