Thursday, August 26, 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Women's basketball forward glad to be a Jayhawk
Spencer nearly missed chance to play at Kansas
By Melinda Weaver
sports@kansan.com
kansaswriters sport
Sharonne Spencer, women's basketball freshman forward, did not have the typical recruiting opportunities provided to high school athletes by their coaches.
Instead of working with her coaching staff at Compton (Calif.) High School, her mother, Alzera Cowen, had to make the recruiting calls because of problems with Spencer's high school coach.
When universities tried to contact Spencer through her coach, the coach would dismiss the calls, telling the recruiters that Spencer was committed to Long Beach
State, even though Spencer had little intention of committing to that school.
In the end, Kansas was one of the few opportunities she had left, but it appeared to be the right one.
"Kansas stayed persistent and kept contacting me." Spencer said. "I got to know the coaches, and I felt comfortable around them. When I went on the recruiting trip, I got that gut feeling as soon as I got off the plane. I knew this was where I was supposed to go."
program.
Lawrence is a big change from her home in the Los Angeles area, but the program and the people she had met made her feel comfortable, which Spencer said was an important factor.
"I am one of people who will not open up or talk unless I feel comfortable around you," Spencer said. "It was very important for me to be comfortable around the people in this
"Coach Washington is like a mother. She is always checking to see if I am doing well. She can't take the place of my mother, but I feel safe here."
In addition to being comfortable with the system, Spencer has skills that will help improve the program in the future.
Nike All-American in 1997.
"She was one of the top high school seniors in the country," said Coach Marian Washington. "She has great size and is an outstanding athlete. She also has a great attitude and really wants to be successful."
Spencer, who earned All-California Interscholastic Federation honors in 1998 and 1999, averaged 14 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks, four steals and four assists per game her senior year.
She also was named to the All-San Gabriel League first team three times and was a
However, Spencer will not see action with the team this season because she is a partial academic qualifier.
She scored just below the required athletic SAT score and must sit out a season as a result.
Spencer said she always has had trouble in school and saw basketball as a way to keep her involved in her school work.
"In the fifth grade, I wasn't really a problem child, but I had problems that were reflected in class," Spencer said. "I got bad grades. One day, I was at recess, bouncing a basketball with both hands, and a teacher's assistant came up to me to teach me how to dribble with one hand. I had never even heard of basketball at that time."
Her teacher's assistant continued to teach her basketball basics until she became pretty good, and then, he began to
talk to her about school.
"He asked me if I like basketball and wanted to play it in junior high," Spencer said. "I told him that I did, and he said that I couldn't play without good grades. That really turned me around."
Since the fifth grade, she has worked hard to develop a strong work ethic and good shot.
"I have a very basic style," Spencer said. "I try to hustle and be a team player."
These are skills she said she hoped would help her prove herself to the rest of the team in the future.
"I feel like she is going to be a real contributor," Washington said. "By sitting out a year, she can learn the system, and by the time she is ready to play, she will be more comfortable than most freshman in their first season."
Edited by Allan Davis
sharonne Spencer, Compton, Calif., freshmen, is one of the newest editions to the women's basketball team. Despite recruiting problems, Spencer will be playing forward for the Jayhawks. Photo by Nick Krug/KANSAN
Soccer team aims for tourney
Cynthia Dahle has played through three frustrating years on the Kansas soccer team.
As a freshman, Dahle led the Jayhawks with six goals but watched as her team narrowly missed the inaugural Big 12 Conference tournament, finishing in seventh place. Then-Jayhawk coach Lori Walker left for Ohio State, leaving the program without a coach.
Enter Dan Magner. He couldn't turn the program around in two years, and the soccer team hit an all-time low last year, finishing dead last in the Big 12, and scoring an embarrassing low — 19 goals in 18 games.
Now at the helm is Mark Francis
18-3-1. No joke. That's a difference of 16 wins.
"I can't put it into words," Dahle said.
"For myself, Betsy (Pollard) and Lindsey Loeffler, it would mean a lot. We've been through three coaches. We were recruited by a coach we loved, then we went through two years of frustration with Dan, and now I'm really excited to play for Coach Francis."
Now at the helm is mark Francis.
Jayhawk soccer begins its fifth campaign tomorrow with a home match against Colorado. Dahle, the all-time Kansas leader in points with 21, told me yesterday that the Jayhawks would be in San Antonio for this year's Big 12 tournament. Guaranteed. And with this year’s field being expanded to eight teams, there is no reason whatsoever Kansas should not be a part of the field.
Who wouldn't be? Francis, a 34-year-old London native, has known nothing but success. He was an All-America soccer player at Southern Methodist. He inherited a depleted roster in 1996 for the women's soccer team at South Alabama, and the team went 2-17 that year. The next year, the Jaguars were
Now he's at Kansas, and Mark, you are no longer in the Big South, but I don't need to tell you that, do I? You will get three dates with national powers. Baylor, Texas A&M and Nebraska will
be tough to hang with. Other than those three teams, the rest of the Big 12 is beatable. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were unimpressive last year, as were Texas Tech and Texas. Iowa State plays well in conference games, but are very beatable. You have a squad that defeated
Brad Hallier columnist
sports @kansan.com
Missouri last year and Colorado's goalkeeper was the only thing they had gone for them last year. Expectations are high for this team in these parts, and your team should not only qualify for San Antonio, but qualify comfortably.
But how will you guide this team to San Antonio, and can you qualify easily?
"That's a good question. We have established a part of that with our work ethic on a daily basis," he said. "We have been playing at a level that we duplicate on game day, which was one of our keys to success in the spring."
"Conference games mean a little more, but I don't know how we stack up with the other teams," Francis said.
"We have a good test Friday. The games we prepare for are the conference ones."
He was rewarded by being named the Central Region Coach of the Year by Soccer Buzz, and was also named Big South Coach of the Year. He received the Big South honor again in 1998, guiding South Alabama to a 13-5 record.
That spring season was an undefeated 7-0-1 record. But Francis knows that Kansas will not likely go undefeated in the fall season. And there are a few questions marks surrounding the soccer team. One is the goalkeeper position. Pollard has spent the last two seasons as the third-string goalie, but is number one this year. She has never started a game at Kansas, thus essentially making her a freshman in experience. And then who's going to score? There are plenty of candidates for the job, including Melanie Schroeder, Lindsey Horner, Colleen Colvin, Johanna Larsson and transfer Hilla Rantala. Rantala was a proven goal scorer at South Alabama, but if she starts putting balls in the net here, who's going to pick up the slack when she gets double teamed?
All is not perfect for Kansas soccer. But the talent is there. Kansas was not a last-place team last year. But the time is now to qualify for the Big 12 tournament. And if Francis can take this team to Texas this year and start building a foundation, I think Jayhawk soccer, given the University's location and being in a big-name conference, can even be in the NCAA tournament within three years.
Hallier is a Mission, senior in journalism.
Kansan sportswriter
Just a few years ago nobody would have expected this.
Seven years ago, many Big 12 Conference schools, including Kansas, did not even have varsity soccer teams. The conference didn't exist yet. Now, as the Big 12 enters a fourth year of play, it stands as one of the most prominent conferences in the country.
The Big 12 boasts 11 teams — Kansas State being the only conference school without a team — and three enter the 1999 season ranked in the nation's top 20. Three others, including Kansas, have received national recognition for solid recruiting classes.
The race for the regular season title will be a dogfight as reigning conference champion Baylor looks to defend its title. The Bears, ranked 19th in the Soccer Buzz preseason poll, boast a new head coach in Nick Cowell. Cowell will attempt to maintain Baylor's status as a conference power with the help of junior forward Courtney Saunders, who was an all-Big 12 selection last year.
A strike against Baylor will be the loss of senior Molly Cameron, who will miss the entire season because of an injured knee.
Attempting to dethrone Baylor will be Nebraska and Texas A&M. The Aggies, ranked 15th, finished third in the conference last year. Texas A&M Improved its schedule, by adding games against No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 13 Vanderbilt.
The team looking to make the strongest run at Baylor is Nebraska. The Cornhuskers boast a preseason No. 5 ranking and have added the nation's 11th-best recruiting class.
Nebraska finished in the top 10 each of the last four seasons and looks to do the same this year. The 'Huskers win with their defense, which is led by preseason All-Americans
sarrotta Nonen at defender and Isabelle Morneau in the midfield.
Oklahoma State returns three of its top four scorers from last year's squad. Colorado returns 16 players from last year's roster, but lost goalkeeper Sloane Cox, a second-team all Big 12 selection last year.
The middle of the conference is where the race gets tricky. Six teams will battle for the remaining tournament berths. Along with the Jayhawks, Missouri, Iowa State and Texas will make up the conference's middle ground.
The Longhorns, Tigers and Cyclones finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively last season. Texas face-lifted its program with the addition of a new coach, new players and a new playing facility.
The Tigers builts their first senior class as the program enters its fourth year of existence. Headling the roster is junior Nikki Thole, who led the team in offense last year. Also returning is senior Erin Grimsley, who set a school record for assists last season.
Iowa State finished sixth in the conference last year, but added the fifth-best recruiting class in the Midwest, headlined by freshman Annie Henley, who scored two goals in her exhibition debut against Truman State this week.
the wild card in the Big 12 is Kansas.
With the nation's 24th-best recruiting class, headlined by junior transfer Hilla Rantala, Kansas may shock the conference. Rantala, who scored 27 goals in the past two seasons at South Alabama, will add power to the Kansas offense. The Jayhawks also return a solid defense, which held Nebraska and Baylor to one goal each in 1-0 defeats last year.
“It’s not going to be easy but I would say that we need to keep an eye on Kansas,” Texas Tech coach Felix Oskam said. “I think they might be the Cinderella this year.”
$5 OFF HOLLYWOOD $5 OFF NAILS
--Edited by Chris Hutchison
New Ownership
New Own
• Full Sets $2500
• Fill $1500
• Manicure $1300
• Pedicure $2300
Hours: M-Sat. 10-8
16 E. 8th St.
865-5800
$500 Off a full set of nails on your first visit
Exp. 8/31/99
Help make a difference Join the KU Environs
1st Environs Meeting of the Semester Monday, August 30th @ 7:30 p.m. Kansas Union in the International Room
For more information or questions contact
Envirores
at 864-7325
PLAY IT AGAIN
SPORTS
We Buy, Sell &Trade USED & NEW Sports Equipment
841-PLAY
1029 Massachusetts
Regular Season
9-19. Denver
9-26. Detroit
10-10. New England
10-31. San Diego
11-21. Seattle
12-12. Minnesota
12-18. Pittsburgh
1-2. Oakland
K. C. Chiefs Football Tickets
ON SALE NOW!
Tickets $50 each SUA Box Office, Level 4, Kansas Union
STUDENT UNION ACTIVITIES
SUA
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
nothing catches the eye
White space can be an irresistible attraction to a pair of inquisitive eyes. Have your KANSAN sales representative help you to use it to your advantage when you place your next ad where students look first.
Kansan
Nothing works better