Splitting the difference
This weekend Kansas faces Kansas State at home and Manhatten.
Both teams need victories to secure a Big 12 Tournament spot.
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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2007 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 1B
SOFTBALL
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
After a season full of disappointing losses and exciting victories, the Kansas softball team's regular season comes to a close this weekend. Coach Tracy Bunge attributes the season's peaks and valleys to an inexperienced starting lineup.
Series of ups and downs
Jayhawks' season of disappointments, successes resembles roller coaster ride
BY EVAN KAFARAKIS
Coming off a split series with No. 3 ranked Oklahoma, Kansas' (32-21-1, 7-9) frustrations were compounded Wednesday by a series loss to Wichita State.
But heading to Ames, Iowa, for a weekend series against the Cyclones
(22-39, 1-15), coach Tracy Bunge was ready for the ups and downs her team would face this season.
"I expected a roller coaster type of season due to some inexperience," Bunge said.
Although the team returns six starters from last season's team, three of them are sophomores and three of them are sophomores and
three freshmen fill the remaining starting positions.
"We're hoping to be able to put things together by the end of the year." Bunge said.
The roller coaster season hasn't hit too high or low for this squad, ranked seventh in the Big 12.
as far west as California to as far east as Florida, Kansas was competing against quality teams while picking up wins and learning from losses.
In early season tournaments from
When Big 12 play hit, the young team was going up, sweeping Oklahoma State at its home.
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 6B
TRACK AND FIELD
Athletes compete in last regular-season meet
BY TAYLOR BERN
With the Big 12 Conference Championship looming on May 11 through 13, the Jayhawks have one more meet to prepare.
Sophomore sprinters Victoria Howard and ShaRay Butler, both winners at the Kansas Relays, will look to improve their regional times and garner new ones in different events.
This weekend Kansas travels 'to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Razorbacks Twilight in hopes of making a last push for regional marks before taking on Big 12 competition.
Howard is scheduled to compete in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, events she won at last week's UMKC Invitational. Howard's winning
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
SEE TRACK ON PAGE 6B
Sha'Ray Butter, sophomore spinner, placed first in the 400-meter hurdles at the Kansas Relays on April 21. At the Razorbacks Twilight, she will compete in the 400-meter dash in an attempt to get under the regional cutoff time of 54.61 seconds.
FOOTBALL
Big 12 season looks tough
Colorado, Texas A&M much improved
BY ASHER FUSCO
Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of three previews of the Kansas football team's 2007 schedule.
OCTOBER 6 — AT KANSAS STATE
The first Sunflower Showdown of the Ron Prince era undoubtedly
left Kansas
State fans
with a bad
taste in their
mouths. Last
November,
the Wildcats
marched
i n t o
Memorial Stadium on the heels of an impressive victory against Texas and were soundly beaten by the Jayhawks. Despite the setback in Lawrence, Kansas State enjoyed a successful 7-6 season with Prince at the helm. With super-prospect quarterback Josh Freeman one year older and reportedly two pounds heavier, Kansas State should have little trouble improving from one year ago. Freeman had a poor showing in the team's spring game, completing fewer than half of his passes and throwing two interceptions. But if his steady growth last season is any indication, Freeman will be just fine. The Wildcats lose five defensive starters but return star defensive end Ian Campbell. Campbell, who had 11.5 sacks last season, will present the first true test for a Kansas offensive line that replaces three starters. Though the Jayhawks are not too far behind the Wildcats in the talent department, the atmosphere in Manhattan should help the home team.
PROJECTION: LOSS - 4-1 (0-1)
OCTOBER 13 — BAYLOR
Make no mistake about it: Baylor football is on the rise. After years and years of futility, the Bears posted
a 3-5 conference mark last year and topped the Jayhawks in a late October matchup. Since the
arrival of coach Guy Morriss in 2002, Baylor has won twice as often as it did in the previous five years. Baylor will be even better in 2007 because of the turnover on its roster. The loss of seven offensive starters might be a godsend for Morriss, who could use some new athletes to plug into his up-temp system. Long-time quarterback Shawn Bell has moved on, leaving sophomore Blake Szymanski and senior Michael Machen to battle for the starting job. The Bears lost both of their cornerbacks to the NFL this offseason but return second-team
au-big 12 linebacker Joe Pawelek. Inexperience at the quarterback position against what looks to be a formidable Kansas secondary will keep Baylor from leaving Lawrence with a victory.
PROJECTION: WIN - 5-1 (1-1)
OCTOBER 20 — AT COLORADO
The Colorado Buffaloes endured some serious growing pains in their first season under coach Dan Hawkins. First, there was a forgettable 2-10 season that included a loss to Division 1-AA Montana State. Next, there was Hawkins' unforgettable offseason tirade accusing his players of lacking the toughness to compete in the Big 12 Conference. The big story in Boulder heading into the 2007 season is the battle for playing time at quarterback. Top candidates for the job include junior college transfer Nick Nelson
and reinstr
fresh-
man Cody
Hawkins,
who
happens to be
the son of
the coach.
No matter
PROJECTION: LOSS - 5-2 (1-2)
who comes out on top, chances are they will improve upon last season's 116th-ranked pass offense. Colorado's one bright spot is at running back, where the elusive Hugh Charles is one of the conference's best. Kansas barely defeated Colorado last season in a home game, so it is hard to imagine the Jayhawks defeating a much-improved Colorado team.
PROJECTION LOGS - 5-2 (1-2)
OCTOBER 27 — AT TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M narrowly edged Kansas in last year's matchup. This time around, things should not be as hard for the Aggies. Not only does Texas A&M hold home field
advantage, it possesses a strong core of players who gained experience last season and who
are maturing steadily. Quarterback Stephen McGee was rusty at the beginning of the 2006 campaign but blossomed into one of the best signal callers in the Big 12 by the end of the season. McGee, a junior, is an early candidate for the 2007 Big 12 player of the year. Also returning to A&M is running back Jorvorskie Lane. The 274-pound behemoth a fan favorite on his way to a school record 19 rushing touchdowns in 2006. Defense is where the Aggies truly shine. Linebacker Mark Dodge is the team's top returning defensive player. An absolutely mammoth defen-
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 6B
GOLF
Woodland named to All-Big 12 team
Senior Gary Woodland was named to the All-Big 12 team for the second consecutive year, the Big 12 Conference
Woodland
Thursday. Woodland is one of only 10 golfers to make the list.
He has won three tournaments and also leads the men's golf team with a scoring average of 72. This season, Woodland has also recorded eight Top-10 finishes and 10 Top-20 finishes. Woodland has also been selected to play on the 2007 United States-Japan Collegiate Golf Championship.
— Kansan staff report