2C THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN ON THE HILI MONDAY,AUGUST 16,2004 Fall sports line-up looks promising KU sport teams gear up for another successful season with impressive players Kansan File Photo Banks Floodman, junior linebacker, stopped Northwestern's quarterback last year. Floodman said he was looking forward to the upcoming season and the chance to show everyone Kansas' improved defense. By Joe Burke jburke@kansan.com Kansas staff writer Classes are almost under way, the heat of the summer is giving way to the cool breeze and the University of Kansas fall season athletics are about to begin. Fall sports, including football, volleyball, soccer and cross country, will begin the main part of their seasons in the coming weeks. As the teams look forward to the start of a new year, it is hard not to look back at the many accomplishments of the past year. The football team went to a bowl game for the first time since 1993. The volleyball team qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history and set the record for most conference victories in a season. The women's soccer team went to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time and earned the first ever national ranking in school history. The cross country队 had its best showing at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships since coach Stanley Redwine took over in 2000. With that in mind each team will embark on the new season with high expectations. Here is a look at each team. Football After its first bowl appearance in nearly a decade, the football team looks to build off the momentum created by last season's successes, but are faced with the fourth toughest schedule in the nation, according to www.espn.com writer Brad Edwards. Senior center Joe Vaughn said he was ready to play whoever was on the schedule. Kansan File Photo "We know it's a tough schedule, but we're just looking forward to playing," Vaughn said. "We know we want to be the best, so we have to beat the best." One major question facing the team going into the season will be the defense, which gave up more than 400 total yards per game last season. Junior linebacker Banks Floodman said he was looking forward to the upcoming season and the chance to show everyone Kansas' improved defense. "We're really focused on improvement on our entire defense, our linebackers getting Senior outside hitter Lindsey Morris and junior middle blocker Josi Lima tried to guard the net against Missouri offense last year. Last season Lima became the first to receive Big 12 honors two years in a row. into gaps and our secondary doing their job." Floodman said. "We had a lot of missed tackles last season, and that was a big part of our problems. We are excited, it's definitely a challenge, but we're looking forward to the season." ball coach Ray Bechard has put together another challenging schedule for the Jayhawks in 2004. Highlighting the Jayhawks' non-conference schedule in 2004 are NCAA Tournament teams Arkansas and Wisconsin. "We open with an NCAA team in Arkansas and will host Wisconsin, a top Big Ten Conference team, early in the season to get us ready for league play," Bechard said. "The Big 12 is sizing up to be all that it is expected to be and we look forward to making another run to post-season play in 2004." Volleyball After a program-best season in 2003, University of Kansas volley Kansas File Photo The team returns 10 players from a 22-win team that will be looking to continue its stay in the top third of the Big 12. One Jayhawk to watch this season will be Josi Lima, who continues making and breaking school records. Last season Lima became the first Jayhawk to be named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region Team and the first to receive Big 12 honors two years in a row. She received Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2002 and earned All-Big 12 honors in 2003. Midfielder senior Amy Geha kicked the ball during a game last year. The team will be looking to improve upon last season's success. 2003 Central Region Coach of the Year Mark Francis, the University's women's soccer team is primed for the upcoming season. The team, which was ranked 11th in SoccerBuzz's final 2003 poll, will be led by the school's alltime leading scorer sophomore forward Caroline Smith and the single season shutout record holder senior goalkeeper Meghan Miller. "It will be hard to repeat the success we had last season, but we will be more talented than we were last season," Francis said. After one of the best seasons in the program's history, coach Stanley Redwine said the cross country team looks to continue to become one of the best team's in the Big 12. Cross Country The men's team finished in fourth place; its best since 1994 when they finished third. The women's team came in fifth, which was its best finish since finishing placing first in 1994. As the season approaches the men's side will be led by sophomore Benson Chesang, who finished 48th in last season's NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships. He was the second freshman to finish the race last season and also paced the Jayhawks' finish at Regions coming in second in the 10-kilometer race. Soccer The women's team has 14 returning athletes and will be led by four seniors, including Megan Manthe who finished 17th in last season's Regional competition. Led by SoccerBuzz magazine's — Edited by Abby Tilery Fall intramurals offer students a way to participate By Erik Johnson ejohnson@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Students at the University of Kansas looking to stay in shape during the school year or just compete amongst friends will find a multitude of intramural sports to choose from each season. From basketball to nine-ball pool, ultimate Frisbee to wrestling, the University's intramural programs offer options for just about anyone. "We're always doing our best to try to accommodate anyone who's interested in playing," said Kurt Schooley, assistant director for sports programs at the Student Recreation center. "Our overall goal is to allow all teams a chance to compete against each other and have some fun." The University has a rich 84-year history of intramurals, and 26 different sports and tournament events make the University's intramurals program one of the most successful in the country. Men's, women's and co-eed make up three divisions of play. and many sports have a competitive level and recreational level during regular season play. Kerri Hill, Liberal junior, and Erin Foley, Norton graduate student, played on championship co-ed teams for softball, basketball and flag football last year. Their women's volleyball team placed second after placing first the two years prior. "The competition is usually really good," Hill said. "We try to train when were not playing, and you can always go out and scout other teams before you play them. That helps." Foley has played on at least one intramural team since her freshman year, and said she enjoyed getting out and playing with her friends the most. "We just love to go out and compete together," she said. "But like anyone else, we want to win." Forming a team is free and only requires filling out a roster and attending manager meetings on days when entries open for seasonal sports. Sign-up for fall sports is just around the corner. For more information on forming your own team visit www.ku.edu/~recserv or stop by the Student Recreation Center and pick up a roster form. — Edited by Abby Tillery INTRAMURAL SPORT SCHEDULE Fall 2004 Team Sports: | Sport | Entries Open | Entries End | Play Begins | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Flag football | Tues, 8/24 | Wed, 8/25 | Mon, 8/30 | | Sand Volleyball | Tues, 8/24 | Wed, 8/25 | Mon, 8/30 | | Soccer | Tues, 9/7 | Wed, 9/8 | Mon, 9/13 | | Volleyball | Tues, 10/5 | Tues, 10/5 | Mon, 10/18 | | Floor Hockey | Tues, 10/5 | Tues, 10/5 | Mon, 10/18 | | Pre-Holiday BB | Mon, 11/15 | Wed, 11/17 | Mon, 11/29 | Fall 2004 Individual/Dual Sports: Sport Entries Open Entries End Play Begins Table Tennis Mon, 9/13 Thurs, 9/16 Mon, 9/20 Racquetball Singles Mon, 9/13 Thurs, 9/16 Mon, 9/20 Golf Mon, 9/20 Thurs, 9/23 TBA Tennis Singles Mon, 9/20 Thurs, 9/23 Tues, 9/28 Bowling Mon, 10/18 Thurs, 10/21 TBA Eight-Ball Pool Mon, 10/18 Thurs, 10/21 TBA *All dates subject to change. See www.ku.edu/~recserv for information on updates and changes. Source: www.ku.edu/~recserv Students Welcome! FREE BBQ Saturday, August 21st 5:30-7:00 p.m. Immanuel Lutheran Church and University Student Center 15th & Iowa 843-0620 Lutheran Student Fellowship www.ku.edu/~lsfku The Lied Center of Kansas HG. Wells' The Invisible Man OCTOBER ANTICIPATE THE EXTRAORDINARY! OCTOBER Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company NOVEMBER The Aquila Theatre Company in H.G. Wells' 'The Invisible Man' Flamenco Vivo/ Carlota Santana John Philip Sousa and his band, A Star-Spangled Spectacular Fosse Tickets Half Price for KU Students! STUDENT SENATE Cypress String Quartet For tickets or more information please call 785-864-2787. Amazones: The Women Master Drummers of Guinea School of Fine Arts University of California Prague Philharmonia NOVEMBER (continued) Trout Fishing in America family music fun Camerata Sweden Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! DECEMBER A Scottish Christmas with Bonnie Rideout The Blind Boys of Alabama gospel & soul music FEBRUARY ior 2004-2005 Brentano String Quartet FEBRUARY (continued) Scholastic's The Magic School Bus™-Live! Fiddler on the Roof Pharaoh's Daughter world-music band MARCH He on th Philadanco! contemporary dance MONDAY Pick Up Performance Co. in Dancing Henry Five Teatro Lirico D'Europa in Bizet's Carmen What w that he freshm Compiled I Buy On-line Tyler Dal "I ate Gumb Pizza a late snack. dorm is horn ble." Taylor Dool Jubilant Sykes, baritone ties I Jason H senior APRIL Zuill Bailey, cello with Robert Koenig, piano Drum Drum world music from Panua New Guinea FREE Outdoor Concert • Sesquicentennial Celebration • Lawrence City Band Friday, August 20 – $9.00 m l Ping Chong's Native Voices - Secret History Readers' Theatre Event MAY 42nd Street "I go know lot of ple. I parti lot a were alwa toge Maria For Tickets Call: 785.864.2787 ticketmaster (816) 931-3330 (816) 931-3344 TDD: 785.864.2777 . 1