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The women's rowing team is busy preparing potential walk-ons for next week's tryouts. The team tries to add about 30 to 40 novices to the squad each year. PAGE 3B
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The University Daily Kansan
Friday, August 22, 2003
Soccer declines in poll
Sophomore Caroline Smith tries to move past junior defender Stacy Leeper during a team practice. Smith was recently chosen for the 2003 Preseason All-Big 12 team.As one of three forwards chosen from the Big 12 conference, the Edina, Minn., sophomore destroyed KU's single season scoring record with 12 goals, and led the Big 12 in points per game and goals per game.
By Nikki Nugent
nugent@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Big 12 Conference coaches picked the University of Kansas soccer team to finish seventh in the conference in a preseason poll released Tuesday. Last season's poll picked Kansas to finish sixth, which is exactly where the team finished with a 4-5-1 Big 12 record.
Coach Mark Francis said he didn't know why the team dropped a spot from last year. He said the poll would likely motivate the team. He said the players laughed when he told them.
"That is why you play the games," he said. "Maybe we'll surprise them."
Francis said he expected the conference to be tough this year.
"On any given day anybody could beat anybody," he said.
Texas placed first in the poll with 96 points and seven first place votes. Texas A&M, defending Big 12 champion, came in second with 89 points and two first place votes and defending Big 12 Tournament champion Nebraska came in third with 88 points and two first place votes.
Missouri rounded out the top four with 63 points. Despite losing to the Jayhawks 5-1 last season, Colorado jumped from seventh to fifth this year after a 10-8-2 finish. The Buffaloas received 62 points. Oklahoma was the final team to place ahead of the Jayhawks with 55 points.
Caroline Smith, sophomore forward from Edina, Minn., received
honors from the Big 12 coaches. Smith was named to the 2003 Preseason All-Big 12 Conference soccer team.
Francis said he thought Smith's great freshman season helped push her into the Big 12 elite. The coaches only pick three forwards for the preseason team. Texas' Kelly Wilson and Kelly McDonald fill the final two spots.
spots.
"I think it's a great honor for her," Francis said. "She's in with very good company."
company. Last season Smith broke Kansas' single-season scoring record with 12 goals. She also led the Big 12 in goals per-game with 0.8 and points-per game with 1.80.
Smith appreciates the recognition
"On any given day anybody could beat anybody."
Mark Francis Women's soccer coach
especially because she missed five games last season due to injury. She said she thought she was a better player this year and would like to make the All-Big 12 team at the end of the season, when it really counts.
As for her team's seventh place ranking, Smith's not worried.
"We just have to go out and play the games," she said.
Edited by Ashley Marriott
K-State, Cal to play in BCA
By Kevin Flaherty kflaherty@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
After years of several kickoff classic games, this year will be home to just two, the Black Coaches Association Classic and the Literacy Classic, which is a new classic this year. The BCA Classic is played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Starting this season, several classics were ended because the season was already 12 games.
there are few classic games this year, the number could still increase in 2004.
number could sin increase in 2001 Carter said the games were great to have from a publicity standpoint.
was already 12 games. Three years ago, the NCAA voted to have seasons of 12 games in years when there was a certain number of Saturdays during the season. Last year was also 12 games, but next year will have 11 games.
"The only drawback is that if Kansas State goes to the Big 12 Championship game, they will have played a record 15 games counting their bowl," he said. "But it's one of the few games being played, and exposure-wise is worth it's weight in gold."
Bo Carter, Big 12 Conference assistant commissioner, said the NCAA would continue to evaluate preseason classic games on a year-by-year basis. While
The NCAA granted an extra game to the BCA Classic because lightning struck Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Va., canceling the Virginia Tech-Georgia Tech match-up in 2000. The game would have pitted two All-American run-pass quarterbacks in Virginia Tech's Michael Vick and Georgia Tech's Joe Hamilton against each other.
gain each other. This year's classic will feature another speedy quarterback in K-State's Ell Roberson. Blessed with great speed and
Kansas State's Ell Roberson attempted to avoid a tackle by Willie Andrews of Baylor during their Oct. 25 match-up last year in Waco, Texas.
agility, the only question has been Roberson's arm, having completed only 52 percent of his passes last season.
Bill Snyder said that Roberson was one of the leaders for the Wildcats.
last year with the improvement he made," Snyder said. "They feel extremely confident about his capabilities and how he interacts with our offensive football team."
"Our players have gained a great respect for Ell over the years, particularly
SEE BCA ON PAGE 4B
Manning latest addition to Self's staff
By Chris Wintering
cwintering@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
The University Daily Kansan has learned that the Kansas men's basketball team plans to announce the addition of Danny Manning to the coaching staff.
but the announcement may come as early as today, according to Media Rela-
Former Kansas basketball standout Danny Manning may return to the KU basketball team as an assistant coach.
He was the consensus college player of the year during the team's championship season in 1988.
camp season in 1988. During the 1985-86 season at KU, one of Manning's coaches was current KU coach Bill Self.
tions Director Mitch Germann
tions Director and Manning played for the Jayhawks from 1985-1988 and is the team's alltime leading scorer and rebounder.
The 37-year-old Manning is a 15 year NBA veteran and has played for the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons.
He also played on the 1993 and 1994 NBA All-Star teams.
- Edited by Andy Marso
sports commentary
Jonah Ballow
jballow@kansan.com
Mangino following blueprint for success
Ever read the book, How To Build a Football Powerhouse?
This scenario is similar to what Kansas coach Mark Mangino faces in the years to come. He has the daunting task of trying to take a team back to a bowl game, where it hasn't been since 1995. He also faces some of the toughest league competition in America in the Big 12 Conference.
I'm guessing you haven't, because this book doesn't exist, and neither has any other coach in America. The book could solve the problems a new head coach faces when resurrecting a team from the conference cellar into a national championship contender.
in consequence. If Mangino were to read that book it would include some of the accomplishments the program has already achieved in his second season at the helm.
The introductory chapter would give the reader a sense of what it takes for a great football team to succeed before hitting the field. The team must be in a place where football can shine and have the opportunity to establish its own tradition.
tion.
The University of Kansas has Memorial Stadium, which is regarded as one of the most picturesque stadiums in the country.
The Jayhawks are in the Big 12 and automatically attract media attention without a winning team. If Kansas were able to compete within the conference, national recognition would easily follow the team.
win some games.
A task that is easier said than done
the team:
With these two aspects of the program established, Kansas has to just find a way to win some games.
A task that is easier said than done.
The next couple of chapters to the book would deal with personnel moves inside the program. The Jayhawks have a coach who has previous experience with winning teams. Mangino was an assistant with Kansas State and Oklahoma who both rebuilt themselves into perennial contenders. Mangino knows what it takes to revive a football team and what is necessary for this team to succeed.
is necessary for this team Kansas now has an athletics director in Lew Perkins who is dedicated to moving the football program in a positive direction.
These two men are necessary for success and the fictitious book would describe the importance of a coach and athletics director who are on the same page.
The next step in the rebuilding process is to find a diamond in the rough, a player who can raise the level of talent around him while carrying the team on his shoulders.
shoulders. Oklahoma had Josh Huepel, K-State had Michael Bishop.
Kansas has quarterback Bill Whittemore.
The senior needs only 32 passing yards to break into Kansas' top 10 for career passing yards, and he's only played nine games as a Jayhawk. Whittemore is a special player and the reigning Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year. He has the ability to help the Jayhawks beat more talented teams because of his playmaking ability. If Whittemore can improve the team, confidence will increase even after he leaves Kansas.
SEE BALLOW ON PAGE 4B