Section B · Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, October 21, 1999
Chenowith, Pride given preseason recognition
B Matt Tait
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
According to the coaches' preseason poll released Tuesday, the Kansas Jayhawks are the favorites to win this year's Big 12 Conference basketball title.
The Jayhawks received 116 points, edging out the second place Texas Longhorns by 3. The 'Hawks also led Texas in first place votes, 6 to 5, with the other first-place vote going to third place Oklahoma State.
The rest of the teams, in order,
were: Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa
State, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas
Tech, Kansas State, Texas A&M and
Baylor
Points were awarded in descending order with 11 points for first place, no points for last place.
Kansas coach Roy Williams said he was pleased that the Jayhawks were selected first, but he said that he was anxious for his team to prove it.
"I am pleased that people think we are going to be a good team." Williams said. "I think we're going to be a good team myself. I look forward to try to show people that we are a good team once the season starts.
"Honors like this come because you have good potential, and now we've got to turn that potential into success on the court."
The coaches were not allowed to
BIG 12 CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
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determine their own team's potential, at least not officially, because they were not allowed to vote for their own teams. They also were not able to vote for their own players in the preseason All-Big 12 voting.
One Jayhawk, junior center Eric Chenowith, was an all-league selection, and two other KU players received votes for the first team — junior swingman Luke Axell and sophomore point guard Jeff Boschee.
Joining Chenowith on the first team were Iowa State's Marcus Fizer, Oklahoma's Eduardo Najera, Oklahoma State's Desmond Mason and Texas' Chris Mihm. Mihm also was voted preseason player of the year.
Baylor's Terry Black was voted the top newcomer, and the Jayhawks' Nick Collison was tabbed as the top freshman.
The women's coaches also released their preseason poll Tuesday, and the Kansas women's basketball team found itself in the league's upper ranks too. The Jayhawks were selected second overall, 19 points behind first place Iowa State but 10 points ahead of third place Nebraska.
Kansas senior forward Lynn Pride was named to the All-Big 12 first team and was the only Jayhawk to receive a vote. She also received a vote for presure player of the year, but that honor went to Iowa State's Stacy Frese.
The media will release their preseason polls later this month. The Big 12 women's media day is Oct. 27, and the men's media day is Oct. 28. Both will be held in Dallas.
Kansas junior center Eric Chenowith plays tough defense under the basket for the Jayhawks in a game last season. Chenowith and Kansas women's' senior forward Lynn Pride were named to the All-Big 12 first team in the coaches' preseason poll released yesterday. KANSAN file photo
- Edited by Allan Davis
Intramural titles claimed; new tournaments planned
A member of the Kuwait Hawks intramural soccer team teams the ball in yesterday's championship game. The Hawks won the men's open division title. Photo by Lucas Krump/KANSAN
By Jason Walker
sports@kansan.com
Kansas writer/swittier
Four University of Kansas intramural teams claimed titles yester day in the intermural soccer championships.
The men's residence hall championship went to Stephenson Hall, after they knocked off the Spanish Inquisition 2-1. David Harold, Topeka sophomore, said the win meant a lot to his hall.
"We got better throughout the season," he said. "And come tournament time, we played really well."
Harold said he was pleased with his team's play because most of the members of his team hadn't played soccer before.
The winners of the men's open division, however, were no strangers to soccer. The Kuwait Hawks knocked off the Hot Shots with a 3-1 victory
"We've been playing for this moment. We worked hard to reach the final."
Mohammed Alhamer Kuwait City, Kuwait, sophomore
yesterday, and looked like they were pretty thrilled after the final whistle.
"We've been playing for this moment," said Mohammed Alhamer, Kuwait City, Kuwait, sophomore. "We worked hard to reach the final."
Alhamer said that all of his teammates had been playing soccer since they were young, and they often played together just for fun.
"KU is a big university, and we want to represent our country," he said. "Winning is good."
Two other soccer championship games were decided on Tuesday in the women's Greek and co-recreational divisions. Pi Beta Pi hauled Theta 7-0 to win the women's greek, while 2nd String edged 6E 2-1, taking the co-rec title.
The men's greek championship will be decided at 4:30 today, when Fiji #1 will play Sigma Nu #1.
Now that football, soccer and sand volleyball are completed, intramurals are now shifting to new action. Floor hockey and indoor volleyball started play Monday, Oct. 18, and entries still are available for the bowling tournament to be held Wednesday, Oct. 27. Also, a swim meet is planned for Wednesday, Nov. 3 at the pool in 115 Robinson. Anyone interested in participating can call the Recreation Services office at 864-3546, or stop by 208 Robinson.
— Edited by Chris Hutchison
Iowa State's Fizer warns about defense
The Associated Press
AMES, Iowa — Marcus Fizer issued a warning Tuesday. If opponents want to double- and triple-team him this season, they'll do so at their own risk.
For the last two seasons, teams have been able to get away with double-teaming the burly Iowa State forward because the Cyclones' outside shooting has been woeful.
With the addition of five newcomers this season, both Fizer and Coach Larry Eustachy believe the shooting will improve, which in turn should give the 6-foot-8 Fizer more room to operate. But if defenses will want to collapse on
still want to collapse on him, Fizer said that's fine, too.
"I'd much rather people not triple and double-team me," Fizer said. "But they're going to be. But with the talent we have this year, it's going to be a big mistake. They're going to be totally embarrassed."
totally embarrassed by doing it."
Fizer fought through the double teams last season and the lead the Big 12 in scoring with an 18-point average. Now, he said, he can throw the ball back to the guards with the confidence that they'll make the shots.
"My assistant high school coach always told me an assist is better than a miss," Fizer said. "I'll just give my teammates more shots. Having more assists off them is better than我 forcing a shot."
Four of the newcomers are guards: junior college transfers Kantrail Horton, Jamaal Tinsley and Thomas Watkins and freshman Brandon Hawkins. The fifth, 6-5 junior college transfer Richard Evans, can play outside if needed.
Last season, Iowa State's guards shot just 35.6 percent. The only guard returning is senior Michael Nurse, who shot 38 percent while averaging 10.3 points a game.
"I think we've really improved our guard play," said Eustachy, who is starting his second season. "We've made more shots in three days (of practice) than we did all last year, so it's a positive. It's improved markedly. I think. It will really take the stress off our inside game."
Watkins, who averaged 17.2 points at Mesa, Ariz., Community College last season, is the best shooter of the bunch. Tinsley has impressed teammates with his ball handling.
"I've never see one man do so many things with a basketball that's not illegal." Fizer said.
Horton practiced with the team the second half of last season after transferring from Lassen, Calif., Junior College and is likely to be the starting point guard. The 6-1, 225-pounder last played in the 1997-98 season, when he averaged 16.5 points and 6.5 assists at Middle Georgia Junior College.
But Eustachy said the team has to stay healthy, and there already has been a backset. Martin Rancik, a 69 junior, broke the ring finger on his right hand on the first day of practice and will be out four to six weeks.
Losing Rancik is critical because he, Fizer and 6-9 junior Paul Shirley, back after a redshirt season, are the only post players.
Kansas aims to ace its competition at Regional Championships
By Melinda Weaver
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas men's tennis team hopes to continue a strong tradition of success as it travels to Wichita this weekend to compete in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Championships.
Teams earn spots in the tournament based on last season's national rankings, and the Jayhawks have earned the maximum eight spots.
The team has a tough reputation to uphold. Luis Uribe won the singles competition the doubles competition with partner
Ed Dus last season.
"This is a big tournament and, traditionally, we have done very well," coach Mark Riley said. "Since I have coached here, we have had two singles winners and two doubles championships and a doubles runner-up. We had the same results before I got here. Traditionally, we are very successful in this tournament."
In the main draw, Kansas sends five players, Alex Barragan, Pete Stroer, Quentin Blakeyen, Eleanar Magallan and Rodrigo Echagayar. The team also sends three in the qualifying round, Ed Dus, Bryan Maier and Sebastian Libertino.
Riley said because all of his players were
KANSAS TENNIS
of such high caliber, he had a hard time making the choice of who to send to the qualifying round.
"Having eight very good singles players makes my decision very hard." Riley said. "Dus, Libertino and Magallan could very easily do well in the main draw. If one of the three of them do very well, it makes my decisions even more difficult. Things aren't very clear cut as to where we are going to be in the spring and who is going to play."
Riley said he did expect to use this tournament to determine who his team leader would be this season.
"Last year, we weren't supposed to do anything or have any kind of standout guy, and then Luis won this tournament and proved to be that guy." Riley said. "I am looking to see who in this group is going to step up. We have eight good players, but I am going to find out who can contribute at the top for us. This tournament should tell me."
Riley's goal is to have eight player's in the tournament field of 64, and his players said they thought they had a chance.
"We have been working on our conditioning and practicing, so I think we are all
ready to play," Echagaray said. "We should do well. I think one of us will win the tournament."
Echagaray said that the team's traditional success at the tournament adds pressure, but that players expected to continue the success.
"We feel pressure because this is a very important tournament," Echagaray said. "Every year, Kansas should dominate this tournament, but very good players can lose on any given day. We should do well, and we expect to do well."
- Edited by Chris Hutchison
Senior Lindsey Loeffler
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