COLLEGE FOOTBALL. Kansan editor Colleen McCain is the guest on this week's Pigskin Predictions. Page 6B
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1995
Mason has used poor judgment
After furrowing brows last week with my column on racism, don't think I'm trying to get on anyone's good side with this column.
I know that many who disagreed with me about Darryl Johnston or Frank White are part of a club I'm thinking of joining. No, not the Kansas City Country Club
Every football season since I arrived at Kansas three years ago I've heard about the "Get Rid of Glen Club." It welcomes everyone.
I used to believe in Kansas football coach Glen Mason. There’s no denying he turned the program around. But even after Kansas’ victory last night, I’m no longer a believer.
In fact, the Texas Christian game triggered the memories of last season's failure. Everyone said that the turning points in Kansas not making it to a bowl game were the TCU and Oklahoma.
Oklahoma games.
Against TCU, Kansas did a bad job of stopping the Horned Frogs on third and long, just as it had in other games.
The statistics said that the secondary was bad. The coaches said the linebackers weren't always in position. So it looks as if it made sense that Mason got rid of defensive coordinator Bob Fello, who is now with TCU, and secondary coach Mark Dantonio.
SPORTS COLUMNIST
But it didn't.
Despite the defensive troubles, Kansas should not have lost to TCU last season. When Kansas quarterback Asheli Preston got hurt, Mason failed to put in backup Mark Williams. They had planned to redshirt Williams last season. And he didn't even put in third-string quarterback Matt Johner.
Instead, he put in senior quarterback Van Davis and sent in running play after running play.
Mason should have put Williams in the game. Williams would have been an effective passer, and Mason would have called passing plays because of his confidence in Williams' ability.
He was worried about Williams losing a year of eligibility when the game that decided the season was on the line. Every coach knows that the most important game of the season is the one that is being played.
So why didn't Mason play the best player when Preston was injured?
Mason always says that he plays the best player at a position, regardless of the player's year in school or the team's future. Recently on the radio, he told a caller that he played Williams instead of back-up junior quarterback Ben Rutz because he was better now. The caller thought that if Rutz gained experience now, then he would be a better quarterback, and the team would be better in the future.
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The baffling part is that the next week, he started Williams against Alabama-Birmingham. Johner or Davis could have started, and Kansas would have won.
Preston played most of the time after the Alabama-Birmingham game. Williams played some series and got experience, but the redshirt season was lost.
Williams lost a whole season of playing time. Kansas failed to beat TCU and go to a bowl. And statistics were the easiest answer to what went wrong.
Mason did a great job helping Kansas become competitive, but now that the team is not improving, he is running out of time. With the addition of four good Southwest Conference teams next season, Kansas will be lucky to finish in the top six. If Mason did not survive beyond this season, Kansas would have a good chance of attracting a good coach to a future powerhouse of the Big 12 Conference.
By adding a new defensive coordinator, Mason may have added an extra year to his stay in Lawrence. It takes time to put in a new system, and players must adjust to it. The next excuse is that the coach needs to recruit players that would fit the system better.
We don't need a scapegoat. We need a winner.
Women's soccer to begin conference play
Kansas will play home games in Overland Park this weekend
By Jason Strait
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas women's soccer team will play its first Big Eight Conference opponent today.
Although a rivalry between the two first-year programs has not had a chance to develop, the game has a special importance to one member of the team.
Kansas women's soccer coach Lori Walker is good friends with Iowa State coach Cathy Klein and is eager to face the Cyclones.
"For me, it's going to be some fun competition," Walker said. "I'll be looking forward to playing her program probably more than the girls are. Because of the age of our program, the conference rivalry is not something that exists for them."
Kansas will play Iowa State at 5 p.m. today and Mississippi at noon Sunday. The games will be played at the Shawnee Mission Soccer Complex at 95th Street and Quivira
Kansas is playing in Overland Park because its new field, north of 19th Street behind Oliver Hall, is not ready for use.
Road in Overland Park. Admission is free.
Betsy Stephenson, Kansas associate athletic director, attributes the delay to the August heat wave.
The Jayhawks expect the field to be ready for their next home games on Oct. 13 and
Oct.15.
Walker said the team was not too concerned about the field situation.
"The team just wants to play." Walker said. The crowd was outstanding last Friday, and the field in Shawnee Mission is very nice. Our new field is kind of like our team. You can't rush the growing of grass, just as you don't want to.
The team has been trying to promote the games this weekend and even set up car pools for students, Walker said.
Greek spirit fills charity games
In addition to Kansas' games, Iowa State and Mississippi will play at 1 p.m. tomorrow.
Memorial tournament raises money for home that aids abused children
By Jeffrey Auslander
Kansan sportswriter
The 15th annual Delta Upsilon Greg Wilkerson Memorial Football Tournament has livened up the Y.S.I. Sports Complex, 25th and Wakarusa streets, this week.
The tournament is dedicated to a Delta Upson alumnus who was killed in the early 1980s in a construction accident.
Delta Upsilon philanthropy chairman Rod Barleben, Clay Center junior, said that this year's tournament had a good turnout.
Not only does the tournament provide an opportunity to watch football, but the proceeds also benefit a cause.
"This year we had 22 fraternities come out and nine sororities," Barlee said. "It is $100 per team, and $150 to enter two teams."
The 15th Annual Delta Upsilon Greg Wilkerson Football Tournament features a sorority division in addition to fraternity competition. The finals will be played on Sunday in Memorial Stadium.
The tournament has become one of the most successful philanthropic events at Kansas. It will raise $15,000 to $20,000 this year for the Villages Inc. of Topeka.
"The Villages is a group home for abused and neglected children," Barleen said.
Co. and KJHK radio.
Proceeds from the tournament don't just come from the teams' entry fees. The tournament is sponsored by Pizza Hut, Wendy's, Commerce Bank and Saturn of Olathe. The tournament also is receiving advertising from Copy
The tournament started Monday and will conclude Sunday, with the women's final at 11 a.m. and the men's final at noon.
The men's final contenders are Phi Delta Theta, Alpha Tau Omega and Delta Upsilon. The women's championship contenders are Alpha Delta Pi and Chi Omega. Sunday's finals will be played at Memorial Stadium.
"We've had the final at Memorial for a couple of years now," Barleen said. "We are waiting on a liability insurance form to be processed, but once that form is turned in, all things are a go."
Matt Flickner / KANBAN
Jeff Pritchard, Delta Upsilon philanthropy co-chairman, said, "The high level of competition in this tournament stems from the chance to play this Sunday at Memorial Stadium. Everybody wants to play there. Everybody wants to get out the word that they have the best team."
The fraternity was able to get ESPN to cover games Wednesday at Y.S.I. Barlee said that the reason he wanted ESPN at the complex wasn't really to cover the games but to show fraternal spirit at Kansas.
Now that Delta Upsilon has made some noise on a major sports network, it hopes it can make more in
"I wanted them to shoot a spirited Greek community," Barleen said. "I called all the houses to get people out there to support ESPN Thursday Night Football, but I don't think anyone actually believed that ESPN was out there."
Sunday's final. Standing in the way, though, is Alpha Tau Omega
Matt Engmann, San Antonio,
Texas, junior, who plays for Delta
Upsilon, said he hoped to beat Alpha Tau Omega and advance to Sunday's game.
"We have got to be aggressive."
Engmann said. "ATO has a tough team, but with all the young talent we have, I think without a doubt we can beat ATO."
Kansas senior Tracie Walt and sophomore Maggie Mohrfield block a spike during a 3-1 win against Wichita State on Tuesday at Allen Field House.
Paul Kotz / KANBAN
Women's volleyball hopes for comeback against UTEP
The Kansas women's volleyball team hopes to rebound from a physically and mentally draining loss to Iowa as it participates in the Kansas Invitational today and tomorrow at Allen Field House.
Kansan staff report
"We're just going to have to take care of our side of the net," Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise said. "If we pass well, that will open up a lot of things for us."
The Jayhawks play Texas El-Paso tonight at 7:30.
The Jayhawks want to improve their 2-6 record one day after losing to the Hawkeyes. The match included a seesaw battle in the fourth game before Iowa won 16-
14.
UTEP comes into tonight's match riding a three-game winning streak. After losing their first match against Marquette, the Miners have won five consecutive matches.
Team leaders for UTEP include junior outside hitter Christy Crank, who had 263 kills last season and comes into tonight's match leading the team with 91 kills. Senior middle blocker Jackie Kapraun also has played strongly early in the season with 62 kills and 45 digs.
in their second match, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday, the Jayhawks take on undefeated Cornell, which did not lose a single game in matches against Vermont, Rider and Niagara.
Cornell is led by sophomore middle blocker/right side hitter Carol DeZwarte, who has 28 kills, and junior outside hitter Julie Roth, who leads the team with 20 digs.
Kansas will close out the tournament against Western Michigan at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The Broncos enter the match with a 3-1 record, having won their last two matches against Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Cincinnati.
For the Jayhawks, freshman outside hitter Laura Rhode is coming off a team-leading 14-kill and 15-dig performance against Iowa on Wednesday night. Schonewise said she was happy with the bench play from Tiffany Sennett, Alisha Starnes and Moira Donovan.
Golfers aim for successful season start in Minnesota
Kansan sportswriter
By Spencer Duncan
The Kansas men's golf team has been eagerly awaiting its opportunity to prove that it can win.
The Jayhawks have their first shot Sunday in Minnesota.
"We can't wait to start." Kansas men's golf coach Ross Randall said. "It's one of the best courses in Minnesota."
The team will be competing in the Rellastar Collegiate Golf Classic at the par-72 Dellwood Hills National Golf Club in Dellwood, Minn. It is a two-day tournament that will tee off with 36 holes on Sunday and 18 holes on Monday.
Going into the tournament, the team hopes it can begin a successful season.
"If they play well, we can be very competitive," Randall said. "Our goal is trying to be a top-ten team."
The Jayhawks will start the season with experienced golfers.
leaders ofers.
Leading the Jayhawks is senior Slade Adams.
Adams was a transfer from Texas Christian in 1994 and was last year's Big Ten Conference
champion. This summer Adams tied for 11th place in the 1995 Kansas Open and played in
the 1995 Kansas Amateur Tournament
"We don't think anyone should beat us," Rooney said.
Rooney said he believed the team could win this weekend.
Randall said that Adams' experience and leadership would play a big factor in the team's success.
Also participating this weekend are seniors Alan Stearns and Dan Rooney. Both competed in the 1995 Kansas Amateur Tournament, and Rooney participated in the 1995 Kansas Open.
The fourth traveling member is junior Kit Grove. Grove transferred to Kansas from New Mexico State in 1994 and brings to the
team a career average of 75.85.
Finishing up the traveling team of five is redshirt freshman Chris Thompson. Thompson was redshirted last season and did not compete in fall tournaments. Although he has little experience at the collegiate level, he was the 1993 and 1994 Kansas State Junior champion.
For Randall, this tournament will show how the team will look. Randall said the team worked hard over the summer, and he thought that its hard work would pay off Sunday.
"The first tournament is really a guessing game about who will perform well," Randall said. "But I am pleased with what most of the guys did over the summer."