Friday, November 20. 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Kansas to hold cross country finals
By Brad Hallier
Kanson sportswriter
Kansas seems to play host to anniversarv championships.
In 1988, Kansas was the host of the 50th Final Four, which was held at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the NCAA Cross Country Championships, and Kansas will be the host of the meet on Monday at Rim Rock Farm.
Emporia State will serve as cohost for the Division-II championships the same day at Rim Rock Farm.
Rim Rock Farm is one of the tougher, and more unique, NCAA courses in cross country. Many courses are situated on golf courses, but Rim Rock Farm is solely a running course and has challenging hills, inclines and turns.
Kansas runner Brian Jensen, who was the only Jayhawk to qualify for the championships, said the course was just as tough physically as mentally.
“It’s mentally tough because you run by the finish so many times,” he
said. "Physically, because the hills take you out of rhythm. The footing is hard, too. But it's the same for everyone."
Kansas coach Gary Schwartz told the difficulty of the course was hard to measure, but it challenged runners.
The six-mile course has several unique touches that runners and spectators don't see at other courses, such as the covered Oak Holler Bridge. The competitors run by the finish line three times before the stretch run, twice on the final mile. Runners also run by six different ponds and a cemetery.
In addition to serving as home to the Jayhawks and this year's championships, Rim Rock Farm also was the location of the Kansas high school classes 6A and 5A state cross country meet. This year, the high school races were held on Halloween, and there was plenty of rain. With the rain and four races that day, the course was ripped up.
Since then, Bob Timmons, owner of Rim Rock Farm, said there had been a lot of work done on the course
CHAMPIONSHIPS
10:30 a.m. - Women's Division-I race (5K)
11:30 a.m. - Men's Division-I race (10K)
12:30 a.m. - Division-I awards ceremony
1:30 p.m. - Men's Division-I race (10K)
2:30 p.m. - Women's Division-I race (10K)
to prepare it for the championships.
"There was all kinds of damage to the parking area and the course," he said. "It does look pretty good right now. There are areas where there needs improvement, but if there is no more rain, it will be in good shape."
Timmons is a Kansas cross country coaching legend. He coached the Kansas men for 22 seasons. He led the Jayhawks to two conference titles and six team appearances at the championships.
He designed the course at Rim Rock Farm himself and tends to it.
"We have used special turf products that tends to absorb moisture that I believe they use on baseball fields," he said. "We have placed wood mulch in wet areas. We've had a lot of help getting this ready. It has been really hectic this week but not frantic. Again, the only concern is that everything will be fine unless it rains."
Jason Benavides/KANSAN
Schwartz said no matter how much it rains, the championships will be held Monday.
"No matter what, at 10:30 Monday, someone will shoot the gun," he said.
Kansas volleyball strives to attain winning season
There are still goals to be met for the Kansas volleyball team.
With four matches left this season, including one tonight at Missouri, the 14-14 Jayhawks are looking for their first .500-plus season in four years.
"A winning season is still out there for us," said Coach Ray Bechard. "Our seniors want to go out with a .500 or better season, and that would be huge because they haven't had one vet."
Bechard said the Jayhawks, who battle Iowa State tomorrow night in Ames, hoped to move up in the Big 12 Conference standings this weekend.
"There is still an opportunity to finish sixth or seventh in the conference." Bechard said. "We were ranked tenth in the preseason, and it was a goal for us all season long to improve over each week."
The Jayhawks had the week to polish their skills after a
five-match losing streak.
Bechard said the Jayhawks had two good practices Monday and Tuesday to prepare for their matches this weekend.
"We had some success against these teams last time," Bechard said. "We reviewed some films and talked about our goals for the rest of the season. We're trying to stay sharp on the little things that you sometimes lose track of at this point in the season."
Earlier this season, the Jayhawks beat Missouri and Iowa State 3-0 each in a Big 12 weekend at Allen Field House.
Despite their previous success, middle blocker Anne Kreimer said the Jayhawks wouldn't take either team lightly.
"Missouri has been playing well lately," Kreimer said. "They took Nebraska to five games and K-State to four games. Iowa State is fishing for a win any way they can get one. It's always tough competition on the road."
The Jayhawks also have one
more opportunity to defeat a ranked opponent, which has been a goal all season.
"We would like to finish the season with four wins." Kreimer said. "If we play to our ability, we come so close. We just need to get over that hump. We've had the opportunity and have come up short."
Missouri, 12-17 overall, defeated 3-25 Iowa State last weekend, improving to 3-13 against Big 12 opponents. Iowa State has won just one conference match, defeating Oklahoma on Oct. 17.
Bechard said the Jayhawks would employ different strategies against the two teams.
"There are some match-up situations against Missouri that we have to be aware of," Bechard said. "Some of their blocking lineups are more physical than others. Against Iowa State, our confidence level will be the difference and how we impact them early in the match. If we control the tempo and the rhythm, we should have some success."
Fort Hays State next opponent for Jayhawks
Continued from page 1B
"We haven't played Alvamar Technical." Williams said. "We've played some pretty doggone good teams. We may be ahead of where we were last year at this stage."
Williams said he was looking at tomorrow's game as a good learning experience for the team.
"We're trying to get our entire team well, and that means individual performances as well as队," he said.
The Jayhawks have to be ready to play in order to avoid a possible upset, said center Eric Chenowith.
"You've got to come out ready for those games," Chenwith said. "We're going to come out with the same enthusiasm as if we were playing North Carolina. We're going to work on ourselves. We're not going to think about the next game. We're going to go out there and get a lot better."
The Tigers may have a familiar look to them. Coach Chad Wintz graduated from Kansas and was an assistant coach for Eddie Fogler, who like Williams, was an assistant coach to North Carolina's Dean Smith.
The game will be the second meeting between the two schools. Kansas won the first contest 93-55, on Dec. 31, 1994 in Allen Field House.
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