University Daily Kansan / Thursday, August 29, 1991
SPORTS
13
Women's tennis hopes for title
By Jeff Kobs
Kansan Sportswriter
Oklahoma State has dominated women's tennis in the Big Eight Conference for the last decade by winning eleven straight Big Eight championships, Kansas coach Michael Celeni has thinned his team can end that streak.
"They aren't just going to hand it over, but we're really feel we ready to compete for the title," Center said. "We have a better team than we had last year."
"Our top three players are returni-
so we will have a lot of expere-
nence."
Returning for her senior season is three-time All-American Eveline Hamers, Hamers, from Meerseens, Netherlands, is the first Kansas woman tennis player to ever receive All-American status.
Center said Hamers was a very important presence for the team
"She has set new standards for Kansas tennis," Center said. "Her leadership on and off the court is essential.
Kansas recruits bring talent, skill
"She has done things in this conference that have never been done."
Hamers is a three-time Big Eight No.1 singles champion and has played in the NCAA Tournament the last two years.
Hamers reached the NCAA semifinals as a sophomore. No Kansas player or foreign-born college player had ever advanced that far before. As a junior, she lost to the eventual national champion in the quarterfinals.
Center said Hamers should start the season nationally ranked in the top five.
"She will play at the National Clay Courts, which is a invitation-only tournament for the top 32 collegiate players in the nation," Center said.
The rest of the team will open the fall season Oct. 5-6 at the Kansas State University.
"The fall season is mostly open tournaments, and it gives the players a chance to get in a lot of matches. "Cen-
He said the schedule was a tough one and would show the Japans where to place him.
Other returning players are: Renee Raychaudhuricq, Ossining, N.y. senior; Laura Hageman, Dallas senior; Chris Bowers, Englewood, Co. sophomore; Mark sophomore, and Abby Woods, Tulsa, Okla., sophomore.
The Jayhawks will have three incoming freshman who could also bolster the team.
"These girls are impact players," Center said. "Rebecca Jecsa is the highest ranked high school player we've ever signed. She'll probably be ranked in the top 20 of freshmen players."
The Jayhawks also signed Anacq
Maria Gonzales, from Caracas,
Tuesday.
Budapest, Hungary.
Center said the key to the season would be keeping the team healthy. However, injuries have already plagued the incoming class. Kove had knee surgery last week and Gonzales were injured. The other Kove should be back within a month, and Gonzales might be out two months, he said.
The Jayhawks finished last season 13-9 overtime, and placed third in the Big Eight with a 5-2 record. Kansas fans like Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
"They are both determined to come back and play," Center said. "We'll just have to wait and see how they rebound."
"One of our team goals is to win the conference," Center said. "We would also like to break into the national poll in the national tournament as a team."
"We didn't finish the season very strong last year, so hopefully we learned from that," he said. "It should motivate us for this season."
Swimming teams out for consistency
ing their tennis class next to Robinson Gymnasium. Yesterday was the first day of activity for many physical education courses.
Before going solo on the court, Shelly Marshall, Salina junior, and several classmates practice the fundamentals of a backhand swing dur-
By David Mitchell
Into the swing of things
Kansan Sportswriter
KU swimming coach Gary Kempf hopes this year's men's and women's teams can improve on the successes of last year's teams.
Throughout last season, both squads were nationally ranked, and both finished second in the Big Eight Conference.
Despite these successes, the teams suffered from inconsistent performances. Kemof said.
When the season began in November, the men's team was ranked 26th in the nation.
"We need to keep going in that direction academically," Kempf said.
One goal Kempf does have is to continue academic success of the program.
For the third straight season, the Kansas men's and women's teams earned All-American recognition for academics from the College Swimming Coaches Association of America in 1990-91.
With the first official practice two weeks away, Kempf said it was too early to make predictions about the season.
The team climbed to 19th, its highest ranking, in December and finished the season in February ranked 22nd.
The men's team compiled a 3.01 grade point average and the women recorded a 3.14 GPA.
"I think we should be better this year than last year," Kemp said. "We have proven upperclassmen to work hard and a good 10% of new talent."
"I want us to become the best we can this year," Kempf said. "I’ve told the team we’re not going to set the record straight." In work ethic and attitude it has."
Heading into the 1991-92 season, Kempf said the women's team looked especially strong.
"The women's sprint freestyle looks as strong as I've ever seen it," he said. "In the breaststroke we look very, very good. Overall, we have balance. We really don't have any weaknesses."
The women's team is led by three time All-American senior Barb Pranger. Sophomore Krista Cordon returns as the Big Eight 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter breaststroke champion.
"We're going to be in great shape." Kempfsaid.
He said seniors Eddie Riddle and Mike Soderling and junior Zhawn Stevens would provide needed leadership for the team.
Stevens was named top meet perforer at the Big Eight championships last season after winning a tiebreak against mine on two winning relay teams.
"I expect daily direction and leadership to help the team along," Kemm said.
He said the three swimmers needed to improve to national-caliber skills.
Stevens agreed. Despite his success in the Big Eight meet last year, Stevens said he wanted to improve this year.
In 1990-91 he failed to qualify for the NCAA championships. He missed the qualifying time in the 200 breaststroke by two-tenths of a second. In the 400 individual medal event up five-tenths of a second short.
"It's frustrating when you've worked all season and come that close," Stevens said. "I was happy to be there and come that to come that close is frustrating."
Stevens said he trained hard this summer to prepare for the season. He said that not only was he expected to be better, he expected the team to be better.
The swimming teams will compete in an intrasquad meet Oct.11.
The Associated Press
Royals' late rally sends White Sox skid to nine
Pecota bat out an infeld single off-
hand. The thugen (7-4)
thereafter beat second to first.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Warren Cromartie's two-out single in the bottom of the ninth scored Bill Pecota from second base last night and lifted Kansas City past Chicago 7-6 for the White Sox' ninth straight loss.
Jeff Montgomery (3-4) pitched one inning of hitters relief for the win.
Robin Ventura's RBI single gave the White Sox a 6-1 lead in the top of the table.
Then Brian McRae singled home
Theren Stumpf make it 6-6 in the
first round.
The Royals, who had been held hit-
less by Greg Hibbard the first three
innings, exploded for five runs in the
fourth to tie it.
Hibbard, who walked the bases full with two out in the second, issued free
passes to Pecota and Pallium leading off the fourth. After David Howard popped out, Shumper walked to load the bases once again, but Tim Spehr doubled into the left field corner to clear the bases.
After Ken Patterson relieved Hibbard, Kirk Gibson walked and George Brett tripped into the right field corner, tving the game at 5.
With the hit, Brett passed Ernie Banks on the all-time extra base hit list. He is 17th on the list, with 1,010 extra base hits.
Lance Johnson's leadoff double triggered a two-run second inning against starter Kevin Appier.
The Sox's Tim Raines singled to lead off the game and eventually scored Chicago's first run on a sacrifice fly by Bin Ventura.
After an outfield error, the Sox added a double and a single to take a 5-1 lead.
McEnroe vows to be part of the U.S. Olympic tennis team
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - John McEnroe wants to crown his career with Olympic gold - in tennis, or even in basketball if Michael Jordan doesn't want to play.
"It's going to be the last year, probably that I am going to be playing a full schedule, and I'd like to be a part of the Olympics," McEnroe said after winning his second-round match in the U.S. Open, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 against Martin Lauren-deau.
McEnroe, looking ahead to retirement, said yesterday he's changed his mind about professionals playing in the Olympics and would love U.S.队 at Barcelona, Spain, next summer.
"It is not going to feel as strange now that professional basketball players are coming," he said. "I am definitely going to try to do my best to get in."
McEnroe would no doubt live up the tennis
scene at Barcelona. He's barely been tested in the open so far, but he's already been slapped with verbal abuse and audible obscenity violations.
MeEnroe believes that all the years he put in playing for the U.S. Davis Cup team should weigh in his favor for a spot on the Olympic team, but ranking isn't as high as some other Americans.
McEnroe didn’t always feel so strongly about playing in the Olympics. He said he had mixed feelings about it in 1988, when tournament play interfered with the Olympics.
"If Jordan doesn't want to play, I am available for the basketball, too," said McEnroe,
McEnroe said he can't understand athletes who don't want to play in the Olympics.
"At that point, I guess I was sort of a traditionalist in the sense that I felt like maybe it should be the best amateur players," he said. "I would be a springboard for the best Americans."
No. 2 Stefan Edberg beat Jeff Tarango 3-6, 7-5, 6-0; Ivan Lendl 6, 5; beat Katherine Kuhnens 3-6, 2-4; unseeded Michael Chang beat Todd Witsken 3-6, 0-2; and No. 3 Michael Stich advanced via a walkover against a dehydrated and ill Jimmy Brown.
Maybe it would keep some kids from turning
it as well as they did. They have a sort of
incentive.
"Now that everyone is playing and it has become sort of accepted for tennis, as well as basketball, and maybe even some other sports, now I have changed my tune."
Guy Forget, No, 7 was the exception, losing to Jan Siemerkin 4-6, 5-3, 6-2, 7-6. (8-6)
In other play at the Open most of the seeded players advanced without much difficulty.
in women's matches, No. 2 Monica Seles overcame a brief lapse to beat Emanuela Zamora 2-6, 4-6, 6-0. No. 7 Jennifer Capriati beat her opponent, No. 14 November beats Peanut B. 2-6, 3-3.
"I think we have seen the red flag for the last time," International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch, a former Spanishassador to the Soviet Union, said yesterday.
Athletes from the Baltic states have been members of Soviet teams since the end of World War II. The states were IOC members between the two world wars.
If the United States, Japan and many European countries recognize the Baltic republics
TOKYO — The flags of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania may fly during next summer's Olympics at Barcelona.
Baltic republics may go to Olympics
SPORTSBRIEFS
as independent within the short term, it is possible that the IOC will give them temporary recognition" during an IOC board meeting at Berlin in mid-September, Saramanch said.
Before achieving full IOC recognition, however, the Olympic committees of the three republics must be recognized by five international sports federations, he said.
NCAA closes Bruins investigation
LOS ANGELES - The NCAA has informed UCLA that it is no longer investigating the Bruins basketball program regarding an alleged violation by coach Jim Harris during the 1988
recruitment of Don MacLean
It was alleged that Harrick had visited MacLean's house in 1988 during a period when recruiters weren't allowed to have contact with recruits.
"When this allegation first surfaced in 1989, we encouraged the (Pacific 10 Conference) and ultimately the NCAA, to investigate the situation she said. "We now consider the matter closed."
Teeing off
keeping nereys on the ball, Jennifer Frost, Lenexa senior, works on her swing by hitting a tennis ball off of a batting tee. Frost and the rest of the Kansas softball team worked on their hitting techniques during their second day of practice.