THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24. 2005
PAGE 1B
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VOLLEYBALL
Contributed photo
Paula Caten, Canarana, Brazil, senior, smiles with her daughter Paola. 4. Paola lives in Brazil with her grandmother while Caten, a starting outside hitter for the KU volleyball team, finishes school.
On-court Jayhawk off-court mom
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
Junior cornerback Charles Gordon has received numerous accolades and was named to the All-Big 12 preseason team. Gordon is expected to spend time on defense, offense and special teams again this season.
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
When Paula Caten decided to come to the United States, to pursue an education and a volleyball career, she left behind more than the average student-athlete could imagine.
While the senior had typical demands of practice, a social life and finals, Caten had an added emotional weight to deal with — a young child who lived on a continent away.
Caten became pregnant at 18, in the midst of her last year of high school in Canarana, Brazil. As one of the top players in her country, Caten had dreams of a professional volleyball career. Against the wishes of her coach, those dreams were put aside temporarily for the birth of her child.
Caten's parents advised her to have the child. Caten gave birth to a daughter, Paola, in May of 2001. It was the beginning of a difficult journey emotionally for Caten, but she knew her family was there for support.
"He thought I had a lot of potential, so he said I should have an abortion," Caten said. "That didn't even come to my mind. I was going to have the baby."
"At first I would cry a lot," Caten said. "I was so worried about her."
She returned to school, and to volleyball, to finish her high school career after a long layoff. Her skills on the court had not abandoned her, and she earned an opportunity to work toward her future in the United States. For Caten, the decision to leave her daughter behind was a difficult one.
Caten's daughter, now 4, lived with her father, and Caten often found it difficult to contact her. She became concerned and frustrated with the situation and eventually decided she had to do something about it.
"I decided that I could not give up the opportunity to come to America," she said. "It was my dream."
Caten said she had her daughter live in Brazil with her mother, Maria from then on. Caten said it was then that she really began to feel like a mother herself.
Gordon got game
Caten left home in 2002 for Barton County Community College in Great Bend. She would earn All-American honors while leading the Cougars to the 2003 NJCAA championship. She said she was happy with her situation, but being separated from the most important person in her life was a heavy burden to bear.
SEE VOLLEYBALL ON PAGE 6B
Caten transferred to Kansas after finishing her two years at Barton County. She was recruited by schools such as Penn State and Minnesota. Soon after arriving in Lawrence in 2004.
"I told him that I was taking her home," Caten said. "I said, 'You have no choice.'"
FOOTBALL
Versatile cornerback ready to lead
BY RVN COLAMNI尼
rcolaitani@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Junior cornerback Charles Gordon's list of accolades seems endless: first team All-Big 12, third team All-America, Lott Trophy watch list, Thorpe Award watch list and pre-season All-Big 12 team. But there is one accolade that may not be listed on his biography.
Gordon was listed as an "impact player" in the new EA Sports NCAA Football 2006 video game.
During Gordon's downtime he likes to play Sony PlayStation, and he admits he's played the new college game.
"I think they got my receiver skills kind of low but my defensive skills are pretty nice," Gordon said when asked about how realistic the game portrayed him. "I'm not complaining, it's cool."
"He's a corner, but he'll tell a safety where to line up," Mangino said. "He'll make the adjustments. Charles is the leader back there."
While Gordon thinks that the game didn't get everything right, it appears he did everything right on the field last year. He won't be sneaking up on anyone this season; after leading the NCAA with seven interceptions last season, opposing quarterbacks are going to know exactly where Gordon is on the field.
Kansas football coach Mark Mangino said Gordon helped improve the secondary every day during practice.
This year, Gordon has been named to nearly every defensive-awards list, and many expect Gordon to be as spectacular as he was last season. Despite high expectations, Gordon said he wasn't pressured.
"There are a lot more expectations. But I am just going to approach the season the same way that I did last season: Just go out and have fun and play football," Gordon said.
As solid as Gordon was at cornerback last year, Mangino may try to use Gordon more on offense this coming season.
getting better. Are we going to use Charles a little more on offense?"
The answer is probably yes for the Jayhawks; Mangino said he hoped to use Gordon at wide receiver to improve an offense that struggled last season.
"I think we have a dilemma, a good dilemma," Mangino said. "We have some corners that are really developing and
"In practice, he helps you on one side and kills you on the other side every day." Mangino said.
Gordon set numerous records as a freshman wide receiver,
racking up the most receiving yards, 769, and recepcions, 57, of any Kansas freshman in the history of the university. He switched to full-time cornerback last season, and helped the defense become one of the best units in the conference.
The defense led the Big 12 in takeaways, with 27, but Mangino said he wanted the offense to capitalize more on those takeaways.
That may mean using Gordon
more as a wide receiver.
"If we need Charles on offense to get that spark, we'll do that," Mangino said. "We'll just count his reps and be careful with him. We won't wear him out, and won't put him in harm's way. We'll just have to pick and choose our battles."
Gordon said he thought the coaching staff did a good job
SEE GORDON ON PAGE GB monitoring where and when he
Improved rushing key to win
Rvlan Howe/KANSAN
Backs averaged only 2.7 yards per carry last year
Senior running back Clark Green is the frontrouter to start at his position. Green wants to improve on last season and fill the hole left by former running back John Randle.
BY RYAN COLAIANNI rcolaianni@kansan.com KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Last season, the running game was virtually nonexistent, which led to one of the worst offenses in the Big 12 Conference.
The rushing attack averaged 2.7 yards per carry last season. This year's team must deal with the loss of running back John Randle, who was dismissed from the team just before spring practices began in March.
If the Kansas offense wants to be productive this season, it will have to be successful on the ground.
Senior running back Clark Green will try to improve on his 309 yards rushing last season. He ended his season last year on a solid note with a touchdown and 118 yards at Missouri. Green saw limited carries last season because Kansas coach Mark Mangino said Green was a little overweight. Green said he lost weight to prepare for this season.
"I came in a little underweight where I wanted to play," Green said. "I feel quicker and move quicker than I did last
vear."
Green had stellar freshman and sophomore seasons. He rushed for almost 1,000 yards during his sophomore campaign and ran for 813 yards as a freshman.
With those numbers, Green climbed up the all-time rushing list at Kansas. He ranks eighth all-time in rushing yards with 2,090 yards. If Green gains 1,000 yards rushing in 2005, he could move as far up as third all-time.
Mangino said he was worried about the running game in training camp, but recently was impressed with the way the position had shaped up.
Mangino had a word with Cornish, the New Westminster, British Columbia, native, after spring practices concerning his focus on football.
Junior Jon Cornish will challenge Green for the starting job this season after his impressive spring and training camp. Mangino said.
"The running game is one of the areas that is probably improving the fastest on offense." Mangino said.
MOORE SPORTS
SEE RUNNING BACKS ON PAGE 6B
C.J. MOORE
jmoore@louisville.com
Rush brings up red flag
School has started and the entire Kansas basketball team is on campus preparing for the season, right? Not quite.
In one of the wackiest recruiting sagas this basketball junkie has ever witnessed, Kansas coach Bill Self may be adding one more piece to his rebuilding puzzle.
That piece could be Brandon Rush, sibling to the Rush brothers, JaRon and Kareem. Brandon Rush isn't sure if he wants to attend school. So it isn't a surprise that the first week of classes has come and gone and Brandon Rush is home in Kansas City, Mo., plotting out his future.
Brandon Rush, now 20, is waiting for the NCAA Clearing-house to review his transcripts and declare him eligible to play college basketball this season.
It is clear he did not want to go to college, however. He declared for the NBA draft in the spring, only to pull his name when he realized he would not be drafted in the first round.
He has since decided to let the recruiting battle for his services drag on into the school year. Now, in an ironic twist, it appears he's destined to spend a year or two playing ball down the road from his hometown.
The youngest Rush made it clear that, like his older brothers, he would not wear out his welcome at the collegiate level. If he has a solid freshman year, he will undoubtedly bolt for the land of easy money and easy ladies.
I have to admit, I've never met or talked to Brandon Rush. I've never seen him play in person. But being from the Kansas City area, I know of him, and I know of his family. It makes me mey to know he may don the crimson and blue this year.
JaRon and Kareem Rush played high school basketball at Pembroke Hill, a private school in Kansas City, Mo. After winning three state titles for the school, an NCAA investigation showed that the brothers did not pay for their education at Pembroke. Myron Piggie, their AAU coach, paid their way and regularly gave them cash.
Brandon Rush did his share of bouncing around schools, which was a red flag in itself. No one changes schools like they change underwear, unless attitude or academic problems arise. After going through three Kansas City high schools, he ended up at NBA-breeding Mt. Zion Academy prep school in North Carolina, alma mater of Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady.
So, basically Brandon Rush would be a pre-NBA major at Kansas. That could spell trouble.
JaRon Rush was once himself a prospective Jayhawk. This was before former Kansas coach Roy Williams noticed JaRon Rush dogging his substitution patterns. JaRon Rush ended up attending UCLA in 1998. When Williams stopped recruiting JaRon, it didn't make the Rush family too happy with Kansas.
JaRon Rush missed time on the court because of NCAA violations. After two years at
SEE MOORE ON PAGE 6B