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MONDAY AUGUST 22, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Former Jayhawks play in Europe
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
Three former Kansas basketball players have officially agreed to terms with professional teams in Europe for the 2011-2012 season.
Guard Tyrel Reed signed a one-year deal with VOO Veriwers-Pepinster of the Ethias League in Belgium last Wednesday, according to the Lawrence Journal-World. A Burlington native, Reed was a First Team Academic All-American selection his senior season. He holds the distinction of being the winningest player in school history, collecting 132 wins in four seasons.
Reed averaged 6.3 points per game in his career at KU and was part of four Big 12 regular season
titles. He finished his career ninth on KU's all-time three point list, connecting on 176 in his career.
Russell Robinson, a prominent member of the 2008 national championship team, signed with French team JSF Nanterre of the French Pro A-League on Friday. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Robinson originally signed with the NBA's Houston Rockets in 2008 and had spent time in the NBA Developmental League, as well as stints in Turkey and Spain. A native of New York City and a former high school All-American, Robinson averaged 7.1 points per game and was a two-time All-Big 12 defensive team member in his four seasons at KU.
Sherron Collins, another solid
contributor for the 2008 championship squad, agreed to terms with Hacettepe Universitesi of Turkey on Aug. 12 according to eurobasket.com.
Collins signed a two year deal with the Charlotte Bobcats of the NBA after going undrafted in 2010. He appeared in 20 games for Charlotte last season, averaging 0.9 points per game before being released in February. Bobcats coach Paul Silas said the team planned on re-signing Collins in March, but two missed flights from his hometown of Chicago to Charlotte forced the organization to find a replacement, signing guard Garrett Temple instead, according to reports from the Kansas City Star. Now Collons will compete in the
Turfish Basketball League, Turkey's top men's league.
Although not yet official, former guard Brady Morningstar acknowledged that reports of him playing the 2011-2012 season in Greece are true, reports the Lawrence Journal-World. A former Lawrence Free State standout, Morningstar averaged 5.6 points per game at KU and was a member of five Big 12 regular season titles. The contract is not official and no terms have been disclosed, but Morningstar acknowledged that the deal is with a team in Greece's top professional league.
Edited by Laura Nightengale
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KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Sheron Collins claps his hands after hitting a three-pointer during a game at Allen Fieldhouse against Nebraska. Collins is joining Hacette UniversiTES in Turkey.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
Young team ready for start of season
VOLLEYBALL
Sophomore outside hitter Catherine Carmichael of the Crimson team delivers an attack on the Blue team during Saturday's scrimmage. Carmichael a total of 12 kills for the afternoon. Kansas opens at home Sept. 2 against Belmont.
The volleyball team opens its season on the road on Aug. 26 in Athens, Ga., at the University of Georgia Bulldogs Invitational. At the fall Olympic sports media day on Aug. 17., Bechard discussed the importance of leadership from the upperclassmen on his sophmore-heavy team.
"I'm extremely excited about the culture in the gym, the work ethic and what we're trying to get done," Bechard said. "We're going to count on three seniors."
The Jayhawks finished last season with a 3-0 sweep of the nationally-ranked Oklahoma Sooners, putting their overall record at 17-14. The Sooners went on to make the Sweet 16, and the Jayhawks watched the tournament from home. That sweep could give the Jayhawks confidence in a new-look Big 12, but some players are not looking too much into how last season ended.
"I thought it was great to get the team on the floor in front of a live crowd, live refs and a game environment," coach Ray Bechard said. "This gave us some more info about our team and will continue to help us prepare for next weekend when we start up for real."
Sophomore middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc had 11 kills, senior outside hitter Allison Mayfield had nine of her own and the Blue team defeated the Crimson team on Saturday at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center, 25-18, 18-25, 25-19. The exhibition pitted Jayhawk against Jayhawk as a conclusion to the team's preseason two-a-day practice schedule.
MATT GALLOWAY
mgalloway@kansan.com
"We just need to focus on ourselves because every team changes," jarmoc said. "Oklahoma
The upperclassmen on the volleyball team have been raving about team chemistry since organized practices began two weeks ago. Saturday's Crimson and Blue exhibition provided a glimpse of that chemistry with the regular season opener just six days away.
"Once again, there are the two newcomers who are physically gifted," Bechard said. "They haven't seen a Big 12 match, the speed of the play or any of those things. McClinton is 6-foot-2 and Albers is 6-foot-1. (Karina Garlington and (Jenna) Kaiser had some offensive skills, but these two bring some other skills, physically."
Bechard said replacing Garlington and Kaiser will be by committee until the freshmen are ready, Junior middle blocker Tayler Toilefree said adjusting to the speed of the college game is something that should not be taken for granted.
"Everyone says once you get to college, everything is faster and quicker," Tolefree said. "In high school and club you think you are fast and can jump high, but when you get here and everyone is faster and jumps higher. It's all about getting used to it and being relentless."
has obviously lost people so it's a new team every season. I think it's more focusing on us and how strong we are coming back and with our new additions. We're all very hopeful and you can feel it in practice. We all have higher expectations and we push each other more."
Jarmoc said the tournament in Athens will be a great way to prepare for Big 12 play, which begins Sept. 24 in Austin, Texas, against the Longhorns.
"I love tournaments. They are a great way to work the kinks out because you play consecutively one game after another," Jarmoc said. "You don't have long day breaks. If you have to make adjustments, you have to make them quick."
Bechard has high expectations for the team's two freshmen, outside hitter Chelsea Albers and outside hitter Sara McClinton.
Edited by Mandy Matney