6B • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY,AUGUST 18,2003
Men's cross country team runs with nationals in mind
By Sean O'Grady
Kansan Staff Writer
sogrady@kansan.com
The Kansas men's cross country team has one goal in mind for their 2003 season: to run at the NCAA Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Nov. 24.
Four of the top five runners from last year's district championships will return. Mark Menefee, the Jayhawks' top scorer and lone NCAA qualifier, graduated last spring. However, freshman Benson Chesang, a mid-year addition last year and outdoor 10.000 meter conference champion, is poised to take Menefee's spot.
"We have basically the whole team back this year," assistant coach Doug Clark said. "As long
as we stay focused and healthy, we could be the most improved team in the conference and maybe the region."
Staying healthy will be the key to a successful season. Steve Vockrodt, senior, and Chris Jones, junior, missed last year's indoor and outdoor seasons recovering from injuries sustained in the fall.
Vockrodt told former KU teammate and All-American Charlie Gruber gave him a motto to train by this summer: "We don't want September heroes and November zeroes."
Vockrodt and the team will train through the first part of the season in order to be in their best shape when it comes time to qualify for the NCAA Championships
Jones said the team's depth made it hard to say who could be running at the championship meets.
at the championship.
"We have a lot of good guys who can contribute. There also could be a freshman that comes in and makes an immediate impact," he said. "It'll be really competitive and will just help the team."
"We can't rely on Benson or Chris Jones to take us to nationals."
John DiCalogiero, junior, said. "The seventh man has to run just as hard as the first man. Qualifying for nationals is a total team effort."
The layhawk begin the journey to an NCAA berth on Sept. 6 at their home course, Rim Rock Farm, for the Bob Timmons Invitational.
Kansas' Leo Bookman (middle) ran the Men's 200 meter in a time of 20.47 to win the event on June 14, the last day of the NCAA Division 1 2003 Outdoor Track & Field Championship at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex in Sacramento, Calif. He finished ahead of Houston's Stanford Routt (left) and Christopher Lambert of Harvard (right).
Edited by Katie Bean
Hector Amazcua/The Sacramento Bee
Peters, Bookman strive for the gold
By Saju Ng'alla
sngella@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Two athletes from the University of Kansas track team say they have a good chance of competing in the 2004 Olympics.
Monique Peters, Champs Fleurs, Trinidad, senior, is currently the second-ranked female long jumper in her native country. Leo Bookman, Dickinson, Texas, junior, won the NCAA Outdoor and Indoor 200-meter dash competitions in the middle of June. The two track stars have larger aspirations than just competing for the University.
When Peters was 7, she was not daydreaming about palm-lined beaches, lush rain forests or pristine coral reefs. She dream of representing her island in the Olympics.
Earlier this summer, Peters traveled back to Trinidad to compete in the national track championships and won the long jump competition.
"The jumping conditions were not ideal," Peters said. "But with the people and the island atmosphere, I enjoyed competing there."
For winning the long jump, Peters received a gold medal and inched closer to her life-long
dream of representing Trinidad in the Olympics.
Bookman's possible journey to the Olympics began in June when he decided to leave the football team to focus on track.
He said he noticed a magazine that previewed the NCAA football season at the airport getting ready to go to the USA Outdoor
Track and Field Championships in Palo Alto, Calif. He said his name was not even mentioned.
"I said, 'Forget KU football.' I felt like it was pointless since I was not getting the respect I deserved." Bookman said.
The following day, Bookman called a press conference and announced his decision to leave
the football team.
Bookman said his chance of competing in the Olympics was strong.
"I just need to shave three- tenths of a second off my time and I will be in the running to make the Olympic team," he said.
Edited by Ehren Meditz
Women runners focus on season
By Sean O'Grady
sogrady@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
The University of Kansas women's cross country team will rely on a mix of veterans and freshmen this season to improve upon last year.
The 'Hawks return three seniors, four juniors and three freshmen from last year's squad, which finished sixth at the Big 12 Championships.
"We have our top five runners back from last season," assistant coach Doug Clark said. "This is one of the deepest teams we've had."
Senior Paige Higgins said the team's goal of qualifying for the NCAA Championships was within reach because of the returning talent.
"Last year's freshmen are now stronger and had an entire year to learn what it's all about," she said. "Laura (Lavoe), Lauren (Brownrigg), and I are all seniors now. It's our last shot to do something."
Sophomore Jenna Bimbi said the leadership of the three seniors was the team's strongest quality.
"They are so dedicated. We
"We have our top five runners back from last season. This is one of the deepest teams we've had."
Doug Clark Assistant coach
learn so much from the way they train and race," she said.
Joining this year's team are six freshmen who all could make an immediate impact on the team.
They include Laura Major and Melissa O'Rourke, both of Jenks High School in Tulsa, Okla. The tandem helped win the distance medley relay title at the 2003 Kansas Relays.
Missouri 4A state champion Jessie Violand, and Beth Eisenmenger, sister of former KU AllAmerican, Katy Eisenmenger, could also compete for a varsity spot.
The Jayhawks get their first chance to race Sept. 7 at their home course for the Bob Timmons Invitational.
Edited by Ashley Marriott
'Huskers offensive lineman to be sentenced on battery charge
The Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. — Suspended Nebraska offensive lineman Junior Tagoa'i was fined $350 Friday for a two-year-old charge of disturbing the peace.
He also is scheduled to be sentenced next Friday in Lancaster
while in court.
County Court on an assault charge for hitting his former girlfriend while she was holding their child. He pleaded no contest to that charge last month.
Also next Friday, he will face a hearing on a contempt charge filed after he allegedly made an obscene gesture in the direction of a judge
'Huskers head coach Frank Solich has said he wouldn't comment on the senior's status with the team until after he had been sentenced on all the charges.
Tagoa'i, a Hanuula, Hawaii native was listed No.1 at rightguard on the Cornhuskers' depth chart
following spring practice. Because of his suspension, Tagoa'a was not allowed to report to preseason camp, which started Aug. 5.
He is not listed on the depth chart that was released before the start of fall camp and he is not included in the Husker media guide.
Tagoa'a told Lancaster County
Judge Gale Pokorny on Friday that he was taking anger management classes to recognize his problems and work them out.
He could have received up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.
The charge stemmed from an incident in October 2001 involving a fight with his girlfriend. Two
months later, records indicate the woman give birth to his daughter.
Tagooai was originally charged with misdemeanor assault. He agreed to a pretrial diversion program and the charge was dropped. The charge was refilled a year later after he failed to verify completion of the program.