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FOOTBALL Colorado's offense will present a challenge to Kansas' improved defense during Saturday's game MAPLE 104
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2004
Women's soccer claims top seed
Kansas senior forward Monica Brothers kicks the ball past Iowa State defender Deb Benakis during the Oct. 29 match.
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
BY JASON ELMOUIST
jelmquist@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIVER
For the first time in program history, the Kansas women's soccer team will be the top seed in the Big 12 Tournament.
To start off the tournament, the Jayhawks will face the No. 8-seeded Iowa State Cyclones at 11 a.m. today at Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio.
Junior forward Caroline Smith recorded a season-high five points in the match, with two goals and an assist, and senior goalie Meghan Miller helped the Jayhawks record their 13th shutout of the season.
They will face off against the same team they defeated just last week to clinch their share of the Big 12 title. In that contest, the Jayhawks dominated and came away with a 4-0 victory.
Kansas tied Texas A&M for the best conference record at 8-2, but the Jayhawks get the top seed because of their 1-0 victory over the Aggies on Oct. 22 in College Station, Texas.
Kansas was the third seed in last year's Big 12 Tournament and defeated Oklahoma in the first round, 1-0.
In the semifinals, Kansas lost to Oklahoma State, 1-0. The Cowboys went on to defeat the Missouri Tigers in the finals.
If Kansas advances beyond the first-round match against Iowa State, the Jayhawks will face the winner of the Nebraska-Texas match-up in Friday's semifinal. A late-season loss to the Longhorns helped prevent the Jayhawks from the winning the Big 12 title outright. The final round of the tournament is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday.
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freshman defender Afton Sauer were named to the All-Big 12 second team. Sophomore midfielder Nicole Cauzillo and Sauer were named to the All-Big 12 Newcomer Team.
Notes
After the best regular season in Kansas soccer history, coach Mark Francis was named B 12 Coach of the Year.
"It is nice to get that honor," Francis said. "It is great that the team and the players are getting that type of recognition, but we still have more to do this season."
Several Jayhawk players also received individual honors.
Senior goalkeeper Meghan Miller, junior forward Caroline Smith. freshman
defender Holly Gault and senior midfielder Amy Geha were selected to the All-Big 12 first team. It is the second time Miller and Smith have been named to the first team and the first time for Gelia and Gault.
Senior forward Rachel Gilfillan and
- Edited by Paige Worthy
Kit Leffler/KANSAN
Running backs Clark Green and John Randle thrive on each other's competition. Two new runningbacks, Jon Cornish and Gary Green II, will be fighting for game this time as well.
Players' injuries impact final games
BY JONATHAM KEALING
jkealing@kansan.com
KANSAI SPORTSWRIVER
Coach Mark Mangino does not disclose the specific nature of players' injuries, but just a day after announcing that sophomore quarterback Adam Barmann would likely miss the rest of
Injuries continue to hobble the Kansas football team.
"I've had seasons where not one of the 22 starters have had injuries where an injury kept them out of the game, and I've had seasons where the team has struggled with injuries," Mangino said. "Injuries are part of college football."
the season, he discussed the effect that injuries were having on the team.
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Defense is strong, offense needs work
The Jayhawks have accomplished impressive goals throughout the season: stopping the Wildcats' 11-game victory streak in the Sunflower Showdown, jumping out to a 2-0 start and coming dangerously close to defeating the high-powered Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Kansas' defense has been pulling its weight lately, while the offense has been struggling.
Unfortunately, that has not been enough to keep the 'Hawks afloat in a season that, with only three games remaining, looks to be shorter than the last.
This year, it has been a mystery as to which side of the ball our guys will step up and play on. The defense has been phenomenal recently, especially against the Cyclones, who averaged only 2.6 yards per carry on Saturday thanks to an A+ game from the lajhawk defense.
Defeating Iowa State and moving on to tougher Big 12 teams was an attainable goal, but for the second week in a row, Kansas' offense could not build up the scoring power that we have seen in previous contests in this same season.
This is also the same defensive squad who, back in September, let the Red Raiders climb back from a 30-5 deficit. But in recent games, the defense has been doing its job much better than the offense.
Of the four remaining Big 12 opponents Kansas had on its schedule before last Saturday, Iowa State seemed the best option for Barmann and company to break out of the rut that powerhouse Oklahoma left them in.
Iowa State and Kansas were both 1-3 before going into their game, and it looked like a great time to shake that Big 12 road game losing streak, which is now at 13 consecutive losses.
Starting quarterback Adam Barmann was sidelined early in the game, but short of scoring its own set of defensive touchdowns, the defense could not
ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
SEVENTH INNING STRETCH
Poor Luke seemed out of his element, as he was sacked three times and fumbled twice in not even a full quarter of play. Although the fayhawk defense did not give up a touchdown in the entire game, it is still impossible to win with those offensive.
I am wondering how back-up quarterback Brian Luke managed to stay in the game so long. I understand Jason Swanson was battling an injury, but the biggest impact for Kansas' offense came after he filled the quarterback spot.
have kept its offense anymore in the game.
Despite the mounting frustration among the defense, it doesn't point any fingers at the weakening offense. This shows the unbreakable bond these guys have with each other, a bond that they know must remain strong to win the next three games.
Linebacker Nick Reid surprised me when he said that the Jayhawks "Got to make more plays on defense, I guess," as stated in Monday's University Daily Kansan.
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This is the point in the season that teams could panic and let frustrations flood out, but not Kansas' team. The players admit their own weaknesses and vow to make them better. I admired Reid's comment, and the faith I have in the rest of the season stems from that.
The Jayhawks have faltered on both sides of the ball earlier this season, but the defense has been stronger. And all the guys know the only way they can win is with each other.
Bauer is a Winfield junior in journalism
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITHER
Banquet to honor ex-coach
Among those on the guest list: five All-Americans, a couple of legendary coaches and more than 19 years of Kansas tradition.
Several key figures in Kansas basketball history are slated to come together Thursday for the third annual Bert Nash Center benefit to raise money for mental health support.
The benefit aims to raise money for Bert Nash Community Mental Health Endowment. This year's event is called "An Evening with Ted Owens." Owens, a former basketball coach, is the guest of honor. Previous guests of honor include radio announcer Max Falkenstein and former football coach Don Fambrough.
Owens said the invitation to be the guest of honor came as a surprise.
The center invited Owens because of his dedication to the Lawrence community, said Scott McMichael, community development director.
"I am honored to have the privilege to have coached at Kansas," Owens said. "It is a wonderful place. To be given a special night was wonderful."
"Ted is well respected in the community not just as a basketball coach, but also in fundraising and community development." McMichael said.
McMichael said that Owens helped the center make its services available to people outside Lawrence.
The program will begin at 6 p.m., with a social hour that will last until 7 p.m. Some of the players and coaches have not seen each other in more than a decade, McMichael said.
"People he has touched throughout the country will be attending," McMichael said.
Owens said he had known the Jayhawks' current coach since Self's playing davs.
Owens coached the Jayhawks from 1964 to 1983. His teams won six Big Eight Conference titles and made the postseason seven times. Owens coached the Jayhawks to Final Four appearances in 1971 and 1974. In 1968, the Jayhawks took second place in the NIT. Owens was the Big Eight coach of the year five times.
Owens said he was looking forward to reuniting with his former associates.
At 7 p.m., there will be a dinner, followed by speakers at 7:30 p.m. Basketball coach Bill Self and former basketball players Bud Stallworth, Roger Morningstar, Jo Joj White, Al Lopes and David Magley will speak. A 15-minute video highlighting Owens' 19-year coaching career will follow.
"Bill was playing for Oklahoma State during my last year at Kansas, so I have been able to watch his success," Owens said. "Kansas has had some wonderful coaches, but he is going to be terrific."
"What separates coach Owens from many other coaches is his commitment to a life-long relationship with his players," said former player Roger Morningstar.
Owens said he planned to stay in Lawrence for a couple of days. He wants to attend Friday's basketball practice with some of his former players. He said he would also like to go to the football game on Saturday.
"I was there for the K-State game this year and was at the Missouri game last year, so I have been spoiled with good football games every time I have been back." Owens said.
McMichael said he expected about 400 to 500 people to attend the event. The ticket price is $125, and all proceeds go to the Bert Nash Community Center. In the past two years, the benefit has raised almost $100,000.
McMichael said the benefit was a win-win situation.
"I see them periodically, but not often enough," Owens said of his former players and coaching staff.
"It is a pretty neat thing to get people back in Lawrence and support a great cause and honor a great guy." he said.
- Edited by Bill Cross
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