FOOTBALL Kansas should edge Iowa State for first Big 12 road victory of the Mangino era. PAGE 9A
SPORTS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SOCCER
www.kansan.com
'Hawks to face Cyclones
Today's match could be last home game for 7 seniors
BY JASON ELMQUIST
jelmquist@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Today's final game of the regular season could have big implications on the soccer team.
The team's 3 p.m. game against Iowa State could be the last home game for seven seniors, and could give the seniors the opportunity to end their careers as co-champions of the Big 12.
The No. 7 Jayhawks will face a Cyclones team that is in the midst of a three game losing skid. But Iowa State, who is currently 7th in the Big 12 Conference standings with a 4-5 record, has actually outscored conference opponents 12-10.
"Obviously, it's a huge game, especially for the seven seniors," said senior defender Stacy Leeper. "We want to go out on a good note for our home fans because we don't know for sure if we'll get to host a game."
Leeper, who started in all 18 games
this season, leads the back four defenders that has been a major reason for the Jayhawks' success, as they are second to only Penn State in goals allowed with six.
Senior goalkeeper Meghan Miller leads the defense. She leads all Big 12 goallies with a 0.33 goals against average, which ranks her sixth in the nation. Miller has achieved 11 of the team's 12 shutouts this season, which ties the team for first in the country with four other teams.
While Miller is the senior leader on defense, senior forward Rachel Gilfillan is tied with junior Caroline Smith on the offensive side of the ball with seven goals each.
Other seniors playing their last home game include midfielders Amy Geha, who has two goals, one of which was a game-winner, and four assists for eight points, Gabriela Quiggle, who has one assist and has played a key role coming off the bench in 16 games, and Lauren Williams, who has one goal and four
assists for six points. Forward Monica Brothers, who has one goal, which was a game-winner, and four assists for six points round out the senior squad.
"It's going to be an emotional night for the seven of us, our parents, and the team as well." Miller said.
Coach Mark Francis expressed that the team still needed to focus on the match up against Iowa State.
"We focus on the process of what we need to do to be successful in the game, and that's kind of what we really are trying to focus on," said Francis. "All the other stuff is going to be a result of us winning the game."
The prospects of winning a Big 12 Championship will cap off the success the senior class has brought to the Kansas program. The group has brought Kansas its only two NCAA appearances, including last season's Sweet 16 run and have compiled 57 wins in its four years.
Kansan file photo
Nikki Alvarez, sophomore defender, dribbed the ball during a recent game. Today the team plays the Cyclones in its last regular home game of the season.
- Edited by Ashley Doyle
'Hawk Shot
London Heroes/KANSAI
Damon Benitez, Lawrence junior, goes up for a shot against Justin Florance, Sullwell senior, and Brock Wells, senior. Benitez's team won the pick-up game played yesterday evening in the Student Recreation Fitness Center.
Team adjusts its game playing style
BY PAUL BRAND
pbrand@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIETER
Accompanied by senior Blair Waltz and junior Crystal Kemp, Kansas women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson made it clear at Big 12 Media Day that the inexperience of her 10-person roster is a problem that excludes no one.
"Right now, I have 10 freshmen, and two true freshmen," Henrickson said of a Kansas team she took over following the end of last season.
Since Henrickson assumed control as the women's basketball coach, all players were given a clean slate and were expected to absorb an entirely new approach and coaching staff With this fresh start comes an understanding that a new foundation must be made; even by the seniors.
"It's basically going back to being a freshman again," Waltz said. "It's just kind of going back to the basics."
Henrickson's new system is not the only issue confronting the team. The Jayhawks have to adjust to a new playing style in the Big 12 Conference, one of college basketball's toughest conferences.
Seven Big 12 teams earned NCAA tournament berths in 2004, and this year has five conference teams Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Kansas State — returning strong rosters for the 2004-2005 season.
Although Henrickson recognizes the tough competition of the Big 12, she remains optimistic about the potential for growth in the program.
she said. "I wouldn't have come to Kansas if I thought that was impossible."
Competing with the Big 12's upperter teams of the Big 12 will present obvious problems to the small roster of the Jayhawks, whose tallest player, Kemp, is only 6-foot-2.
"We understand what's coming at us as far as size." Henrickson said.
"We realize we have to beat K-State."
To combat this expected difficulty, Kansas has been preparing early in practice to deal with the dynamics of a taller opponent. To Henrickson, dealing with superior height is only a mental matter and can be overcome using resourceful coaching.
"It's not how big you are, it's how big you play," she said. "We are obviously going to have to bring some help and bring it from different parts of the floor and be creative."
Henrickson said former coach Marian Washington's cooperation earlier has helped ease the transition period.
"From coach Washington we have had nothing but support, and our communication with her has been nothing but positive." Henrickson said.
Despite the help from Washington in the transition phase, Henrickson inherits a roster with members from team that finished 9-19 last season. But even with the lack of recent success.
Henrickson's confidence and optimism have rubbed off on the "young" team.
"I think it is just mostly we have more confidence in each other," Waltz said. "We have developed that self-confidence.
Kansas takes top spot in preseason poll
- Edited by Neil Mulka
Preseason praise for this year's men's basketball team keeps on coming.
Oklahoma State, Texas also in coaches poll
Yesterday evening, the first ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll was released and Kansas was the leader of the pack. It was close though.
Wake Forest is just 17 points behind Kansas, and actually garnered more first place votes than any other team on the list. The first place votes split seven ways, giving Wake Forest 12, Kansas with eight, North Carolina with six and Georgia Tech, Illinois, Oklahoma State and Louisville with one vote each.
Included in the Top 25 are six Atlantic Coast Conference teams, including the three ranked directly behind Kansas, the Big East and the Southeastern Conference with four teams each and the Big 12 Conference
"They are going to be there regardless." Self said. "I think that with the expectations, they put you in a position to operate under pressure."
At Wednesday's Big 12 Media Day, Kansas coach Bill Self said his team might as well embrace the preseason expectations.
So far this season, Kansas and Wake Forest have been first or second in most of the preseason polls.
with three teams.
Rounding out the top ten are Syracuse, Connecticut, Oklahoma State, Kentucky and Michigan State.
Kansas starts the season with an exhibition game against Emporia State at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7
ESPN/USA TODAY TOP 25 COACHES POLL
Jonathan Kealing
| No. Team | Points | Pvs | No. Team | Points | Pvs |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1. Kansas (8) | 741 | 9 | 19. N.C. State | 218 | 20 |
| 2. Wake Forest (12) | 724 | 15 | 20. Wisconsin | 216 | 16 |
| 3. North Carolina (6) | 697 | 22 | 21. Notre Dame | 214 | NR |
| 4. Georgia Tech (1) | 697 | 3 | 22. Florida | 160 | NR |
| 5. Illinois (1) | 598 | 11 | 23. Memphis | 131 | NR |
| 6. Syracuse | 557 | 19 | 24. Washington | 108 | NR |
| 7. Connecticut | 541 | 1 | 25. Stanford | 64 | 6 |
| 8. Oklahoma State (1) | 511 | 4 | | | |
| 9. Kentucky | 480 | 8 | Others receiving votes: Gonzaga 58, | | |
| 10. Michigan State | 476 | NR | Cincinnati 44, Michigan 38, | | |
| 11. Arizona (1) | 475 | NR | Providence 37, Oklahoma 34, | | |
| 12. Duke | 403 | 2 | Charlotte 31, UAB 11, UNLV 9, Utah | | |
| 13. Louisville (1) | 374 | NR | 6, U. of the Pacific 5, Southern | | |
| 14. Mississippi State | 365 | 13 | Illinois 4, Texas Tech 8, Purdue 3, | | |
| 15. Texas | 334 | 10 | DePaul 3, Saint Joseph's 2, | | |
| 16. Maryland | 316 | 24 | Pepperdine 2, Toledo 2, UTEP 2, | | |
| 17. Pittsburgh | 247 | 7 | Vanderbilt 1, Princeton 1, Florida | | |
| 18. Alabama | 224 | 14 | State 1 | | |
No.2 position not yet claimed
Senior Chris Jones said each runner on the men's team needed to run to his potential and not be rattled if something unexpected happened in the race.
BY FRANK TANKARD
ftankard@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITER
The men's and women's teams are coming off disappointing finishes at NCAA Pre-Nationals on Oct. 16 in Indiana, where the men's squad placed 22nd out of 37 teams and the women's side finished last out of 36.
"We just have to run better than we've been doing," he said. "We haven't had a great meet yet."
Doug Clark, Kansas distance coach,
conceded that Colorado, which won
Pre-Nationals, was heavily favored.
But beyond the Buffaloes, he said, the
field was wide open.
After traveling to St. Paul, Minn., and Terre Haute, Ind., for their last two meets, the Kansas cross country teams will stay close to home tomorrow for the Big 12 Championships in Topeka.
The men's squad has fared well against Big 12 competition this year, finishing ahead of Baylor, Kansas State, Nebraska, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, and only losing to Colorado, which has won the Big 12 Championships each year since the conference expanded to 12 teams in 1996.
If the women's squad finished in the middle of the conference that would be a success, Clark said.
"After [Colorado], there's going to be three or four teams — Texas, us, Oklahoma State — shooting for second," Clark said.
Major said the women's team needed to stay in a tight pack throughout the race, which it was working on in practice by running together in workouts.
The women's team lost three of its top five runners from the meet last year because of graduation, but the men returned eight of the nine runners who competed.
"If our girls our healthy and we get good races out of them, our top end will be sixth or seventh," he said.
Sophomore Laura Major said the team would be focusing on itself rather than the competitors, but admitted that a win over a couple of rivals would taste sweet.
"We'd like to beat K-State, of course, because we don't like K-State," she said. "And we don't like Mizzou."
"We definitely want to do better than we did the previous year," Redwine said. "If everyone is healthy, I think that can be attained."
Sophomore Benson Chesang is expected to lead the men's team after placing third out of 256 runners at Pre-Nationals. Jones said the rest of the team needed to finish closer to him. Junior Matt French was the Jayhawks' next finisher at Pre-Nationals with 100th place.
Coach Stanley Redwine said that both squads were capable of improving over last season, when the men placed fourth and the women placed 10th. The men's finish was the highest Jiahawk conference finish since 1994, the last year it made the NCAA Championships.
The meet will be held at the Stateland Cross Country Fairgrounds in Topeka, where the Jayhawks competed in the Kansas State Wildcat Invitational on Sept. 11. At the meet, the men won out of six teams and the women placed fourth out of eight.
Jones said the teams' familiarity with the course, which many runners complained about after the meet, would give them a mental boost.
"It gives us ease of mind going in," he said. "We won't be shocked that the footing isn't great, or that the turns are really tight. We should feel confident because we've already had success there."
The women's 6-kilometer race will be held at 10 a.m., followed by the men's 8-kilometer race at 11 a.m.
— Edited by Ashley Doyle
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