8A the university daily kansan
sports
thursday, september 4, 2003
Soccer star deserves recognition
Underrated is a word used a lot in college athletics. People say athletes are underrated or do not receive enough recognition for their accomplishments both on and off the playing field.
sports commentary
Some would say Kansas junior basketball player Keith Langford is an underrated athlete. Langford is under-recognized nationally for what he accomplishes game after game, but it's impossible for a Jayhawk basketball player to be truly underrated.
The true face of an underrated athlete in college athletics belongs to Jayhawk superstar soccer player Caroline Smith. There are probably people reading this column right now who don't know who Caroline Smith is, and that's a shame.
in just her second season at Kansas, Smith is already one goal shy of topping the all-time Kansas scoring list with 17 goals.
Daniel Berk
dberk@hansan.com
In just two games this season, Smith already has four goals, three of which came from a season opening hat trick in a 4-1 victory over Northwestern University.
Smith missed five games last year because of a knee injury, and instead of losing focus of her dream and giving up on soccer, Smith realized then she needed soccer just as bad as Kansas soccer needed her.
The sophomore from Edina, Minn., decided her season was not over and she was going to try to play on her bad knee.
Smith returned from her injury in the first round of the Big 12
Conference Tournament against Nebraska in San Antonio. Her team had lost three games in a row without Smith in the lineup. Smith returned, but didn't start.
Before the game, coach Mark Francis said he believed Smith would not be 100 percent, but he thought Smith could help the Jayhawks. Help, she did indeed.
With her team trailing by two goals in the second half, Smith netted one to cut the score in half. Kansas tried frantically to come back but eventually lost 2-1. The difference with Smith in the lineup was night and day.
When Smith came on the field her team raised its level of play and intensity because Smith did. That is a leader.
After that game, Smith was understandably upset and disappointed with how the season ended. But all she wanted to talk about was
her teammates and how excited she
already was about next year.
Well, next year is now and Kansas finds itself in a great position. The Jayhawks are 2-0 and have a healthy Smith. Smith is underrated because few people actually understand how good she is.Not a lot of fans across Lawrence have checked out what Smith can do with a soccer ball. She can do a lot.
In her senior year, Smith was a McDonald's/Powerade High School All-American. Now, in just her second season with Kansas, Smith, along with Francis, has rejuvenated a program which has the Kansas soccer team and its faithful thinking about the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season.
That is an underrated athlete.
Daniel Berk is a St. Louis sophomore in journalism.
Chiefs take on versatile former K- State player
(U-WIRE) MANHATTAN— Former Kansas State nose tackle Tank Reese has made the Kansas City Chiefs roster after switching from tackle to fullback, and ultimately back to tackle.
"I talked to [Chiefs executive] Carl [Peterson], and I said, 'I understand the size restrictions, but he's a nose guard type guy.' They put him back there, that's what their intent was going to be," coach Bill Snyder said.
Snyder made a name for himself, and his 5-foot-11, 280-pound bowling-ball frame, by having an engine that Snyder said never quit. That includes fullback, where the Chiefs initially tried him because of size restrictions. Even that wasn't new for Rees, however. Snyder indicated Reese tried fullback during his time at K-State.
OSU alum gives $70 million
By Bethany Krottinger Daily O'Collegian via u-wire Oklahoma State University
STILLWATER, Okla. - A geology school and a geophysics professorship are already named after him.
With a $70 million donation made to Oklahoma State this past March, Boone Pickens could have the football stadium named after him, too.
"I think Boone Pickens has earned it," said Lou Watkins, Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical Board of Regents member.
According to an OSU athletics news release, the athletic department will have a news conference regarding athletic facilities.
regulating
"We might name the stadium after him," Watkins said. "We are not renaming the field."
Watkins said the regents might discuss naming the stadium after
Pickens in its board meeting Sept. 5.
Pickens in its board meeting gested 51 Although Watkins expressed her enthusiasm for the donation to the stadium, she is worried it would overshadow the portion given toward academics.
"The figures going to the academic mission of the campus have been overlooked," Watkins said.
Pickens gave a $20 million trust to the Lewis Field expansion and $15 million generated from that trust toward a Boone Pickens General University Scholarship fund, according to an earlier OSU athletics news release.
Pickens' gift completes fund raising for the Next Level Campaign's Phase One project and also helps complete the south stands for the 2004 football season, according to the news release.
In his will, Pickens also gave a $35 million testamentary gift, which OSU's athletic and academic areas will divide, according to the news release.
Brent Goodin, regents spokesman, said $15 million of the testamentary gift will go toward academics.
"I think it is extremely appropriate to name a stadium after an individual who has made unprecedented contributions to OSU." Goodin said.
However, Pickens' $70 million donation was not the first.
Since his 1951 graduation, Pickens donated $5 million toward academics, funded the Boone Pickens School of Geology at the Noble Research Center and established the Boone Pickens Scholars Fund in geology, along with other scholarships and university endowments, according to the news release.
Competition calls in intramural sports
By Paul Gutierrez correspondents@kansan.com Kansan Staff Writer
Although overshadowed by the start of football season and the always-popular basketball team, Intramural Sports is one of the most popular programs on campus in terms of numbers-
Last year, 260 teams were assembled for basketball alone. Flag football fielded 94 teams. Each year, the number of participants increases as more sports are offered for individuals and teams.
"The intramural sports program is a fun alternative to the hyper-competition of varsity sports," said Kelly Hill, program manager. "It develops a person's fitness and lifestyle."
In addition to the athletic competition, intramural offers a variety of benefits, Hill said. Talent enhancement, new acquaintances and life-long friendships are all part of the equation in intramural sports, she said.
So whether students have been perennial lettermen or perennial losers throughout their athletic careers, there is almost always a roster spot available on an intramurals squad.
Even high profile athletes are no strangers to the intramural circuit. David Winbush was a star Jayhawk running back from 1997 to 2000, and frequently dropped in to participate in flag football games and tournaments. And Brett Olson, a reserve forward for the men's basketball team, got his KU hoops career started in the intramurals league before moving up to varsity.
Manager's meetings provide the best opportunity to join a team for those interested. Each meeting is the chance to pick up roster forms and rules for that particular sport. A slot on a completed roster is the ticket to instant scheduling, and maybe instant stardom.
TEAM SPORTS
Soccer manager's meeting will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Alderson Auditorium.
Meetings for volleyball, floor hockey and basketball will take place in October and November.
INDIVIDUALSPORTS
Entries for tennis singles will be accepted Monday through Sept. 13 at the temporary Recreation Services office in Burge Union, room 312.
Golf entries will be taken Sept. 22 through Sept. 25 in the new Student Recreation and Services Center.
Racquetball Singles entries will be accepted Sept. 29 through Oct. 2 in the center.
Entries for bowling and eight ball pool will be taken in October.
All dates are subject to change.
Call Recreation Services at 864-
3546 for time and date.
verification.For information
updates see www.ku.edu/
~recserv/.
"The intramural sports program is a fun alternative to the hypercompetition of varsity sports."
Kelly Hill Intramural Sports program manager
Edited by Katie Nelson
NO COVER
BROTHERS
Est. 1967
BAR & GRILL
Purdue University West Lafayette,IN
Thursdays
Brothers Mug Club
$4.00 You Keep The Mug.
$1.00 Refills
Your Choice Domestic Taps
Or Well Mixers
NOW OPEN 2PM DAILY
Fridays
$250 Capt. Mixers $250 Red Bull Vodkas
$1^{00} Shots of Pucker
4-7pm FREE DARTS & POOL
"Always the 'Best' Specials, Always the 'Most' Fun!"
KU Lacrosse
Come by, signup or visit with the University of Kansas Men's and Women's Lacrosse Clubs
Wednesday, September 3 through Friday, September 5 10am to 2pm Wescoe Beach
For contact information please visit: www.ku.edu/~kulax for Men's Club www.ku.edu/~lax for the Women's Club
The University of Kansas
}
1