SPORTS
PAGE 1B
TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FOOTBALL
Player awaits return
ER.
Kansan file photo
John McCoy, who played defensive end during the 2003 season is pictured during Kansas's Oct. 31, 2003 game. McCoy has been serving in the 317th Quartermaster Battalion in the Middle East and has expressed to football coach Mark Mangino a desire to return to the team at some point during the summer.
Former defender wants to play after Middle East service
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
rcolaianni@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITER
The Kansas defensive end position appears to be strong with Charleton Keith and Jermial Ashley leading the way. However, an old face may re-enter the picture when training camp begins in August.
John McCoy, who has been serving in the 317th Quartermaster Batallion in the Middle East, has exchanged emails with coach Mark Mangino throughout his service abroad. Mangino received another e-mail last Friday.
"He wants to play football again. He is just not sure about physically and mentally depending on what time he gets back." Mangino said.
McCoy thinks he will be back at some point during the summer. Mangino said.
McCoy last played for the Jayhawks in 2003, during his junior year. During that season McCoy registered 11 tackles, including a sack and a forced fumble. McCoy left the team to join his Batallion before his senior year.
In the e-mail, McCoy said that the Middle East was beginning the hottest months of the year, with temperatures higher than 100 everyday. The heat has McCoy worried about his weight, Mangino said.
"He is keeping his body weight to about 250. He is concerned now with the heat," Mangino said. "A lot of the troops are going to cut a lot of weight this time of year."
McCoy was listed at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, during his time at Kansas.
"I think it would be tough for him to show up at the end of July, early August from the Middle East and think he is going to be able to compete," Mangino said.
McCoy has not said where he was currently stationed, but did tell Mangino that he moved locations often.
"He said when they settled for a while they actually have tents that they put up and they have a weight room," Mangino said. "He said he goes and lifts and reads."
Mangino does not want to rush him back to the field too quickly, especially right after his return.
If McCoy did return, he would likely compete with Keith, Ashley and junior college transfer Rodney Allen for playing time.
"I told him the first thing is we will get you your education, if you feel good and healthy, mentally and physically, we will get you out on the ball field. We would love to have you back," Mangino said.
McCoy transferred from Victor Valley College for his junior season.
Edited by Lori Bettes
CRIME
Urination leads to fight
BY JOSHUA BICKEL
jbickel@hansan.com
STAFF WRITE
Former KU football player John Randle will be back in court late next month.
Randle is scheduled to appear in Lawrence Municipal Court on May 25 on charges of battery and urinating in public, according to court records.
Randle was arrested early Saturday morning on charges of battery after a fight outside the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St, involving a 27-year-old manager of the Granada and an 18-year-old KU student, Ezekiel Adair, according to a police report.
The manager flagged down police outside the Granada after the fight, said Sgt. Dan Ward, Lawrence Police Department spokesman.
The manager told police that about 2:10 a.m., a car had pulled up outside the Granada. A man and a woman got out of the vehicle and walked over to Fatso's, 1016 Massachusetts St., to stand in line for pizza, according to the report.
The manager approached Randle and told him to stop. Randle laughed at the manager and then moved to another spot near the Granada and continued urinating, Ward said.
Randle then stepped out of the vehicle, walked over to the Granada and began to urinate on the wall near the door, according to the report.
When the manager approached the man again, he punched the manager in the face, which caused the manager fall to the ground, Ward said.
Randle
Adair came over and both he and Randle kicked the manager as he was lying on the ground, Ward said.
Ward said.
The manager denied medical treatment at the scene.
Lawrence police arrested Randle and Adair in connection with the battery. Both were booked into Douglas County jail about 3 a.m. Saturday for battery and urinating in public.
Randle was released from jail around 3:45 a.m. after he posted the $150 bond, according to jail records.
This incident marks the fifth time Randle has been arrested since November 2003.
Randle spent two days in jail in April 2004 for two separate incidents in March 2004.
Randle is scheduled to stand trial on June 8 for a previous battery that occurred on March 12 outside It's Brother's Bar and Grill, 1105 Massachusetts St.
He has been previously arrested for unlawful use of a driver's license, attempted theft and suspicion of domestic battery for incidents that occurred in November 2003 and March 2004.
Alcohol is listed on the report as a contributing factor.
The manager declined to comment about the situation.
Randle could not be reached for comment.
Edited by Kendall Dix
▼ ULTIMATE FRISBEE
Ultimate Frisbee wins sectionals
BY KELLY SPENCER
BY KELLY SPENCER
sports@kansan.com
KANSAN CORRESPONDENT
Photo contributed by Mike Khadavi
TULSA, Okla. — The KU men's ultimate Frisbee team, the HorrorZontals, won its tournament in Tulsa, Okla., during the weekend.
KU ultimate Frisbee club member Simon Mance, Milwaukee junior, tries to make a throw against Harding University at last weekend's sectionals tournament in Tulsa, Okla. The team went 5-0 during the weekend and will compete in Dallas April 30 and May 1 in regionals.
The team is ranked No. 23 nationally in the poll taken by the Ultimate Players Association.
Ultimate Frisbee is a team sport but is played with a flying disc instead of a ball. Like football, each team tries to get to the end zone of the other team. Unique to ultimate Frisbee is that there are no referees. The game is played on an honor system in which players are expected to play by the rules and call their own fouls. The game requires teamwork, something Andrew Wimer, team captain and Overland Park junior, said played a part in the team's success.
"Everyone played great," Wimer said. "We really rely on everyone. It was a joint victory."
Leading the team in the weekend's victories were Wimer and fellow co-captains Stu Jack, Tulsa, Okla., senior, and Austin Gangel, Tulsa, Okla., senior. The tournament; the Ozark Sectionals, determined which teams would go to the regional tournament. The HorrorZontals played five games, coming away with a 5-0 record. The women's team, the Bettys, won the women's tournament and will advance to regionals.
The HorrorZontals faced Missouri's MUtants during the tournament and won 13-5 . Other teams that Kansas faced were John Brown, Washington, Oklahoma and
Harding universities.
The ultimate Frisbee team will attend the regional tournament in Dallas in two weeks.
"Regionals are one of the biggest tournaments the team has to play this season." Wimer said.
Last year the team won regionals and went onto nationals.
"Sectional victory was really good for us because now we will be ranked high in the regional games." Wimer said.
The HorrorZontals played host to a tournament. Fools Fest, the first weekend in April and had a large turnout. Some of the teams that attended were the MUtants, Colorado, Iowa and K-State. The HorrorZontals made it to semifinals, losing to
top-seeded Colorado.
Ultimate Frisbee is a club sport at Kansas. Each fall, the team lets anyone who wants to play come out and play. There is a no-cut policy, with two teams usually formed based on skill level. The teams practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30 p.m., at 23rd and Iowa Streets.
Anyone interested in watching the practices or the games is encouraged to attend practices or check out the team's Web site at www.zontals.org.
"The HorrorZontals are another way of showing how great our school's sport system is." Overland Park freshman Chris Hill said.
Edited by Kendall Dix
INSIDE THE PARK
JACK WEINSTEIN
jweinstein@kansan.com
Relays bring buzz, bragging rights to KU
Could it be possible that Wilt Chamberlain, one of the most dominant basketball players of all time, opted to attend the University of Kansas not because of the basketball program, but for another reason not related to basketball at all?
"Wilt Chamberlain loved track and field," said Tim Weaver, meet director for the Kansas Relays. "He said on a number of occasions that track was his first and greatest love in sports. He made his recruiting trip here during the Kansas Relays, and that was one of the things that convinced him to come to Kansas. He said a lot of great places in this country have great basketball teams, but I've never seen anything before like the Kansas Relays. That's why he ended up here at KU."
Chamberlain only adds to the rich history of what is one of the most significant annual athletics events at the University. The first relays were held in 1923 and were started by Kansas football coach John Outland, with the help of basketball coach Phog Allen. Refereed by sports legends such as the inventor of basketball James Naismith, KU basketball All-American and future Kentucky coach Adolph Rupp, and Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne, the event would become one of the major events in track and field.
On Thursday night, more than 5,000 athletes will have traveled to Lawrence for the first night of the 78th Kansas Relays. These high school, college and professional athletes will represent more than 600 teams from 16 states and 15 countries.
As one of the "Big 5" relay events in the country, this year's Kansas Relays is garnering significant attention. The other four major events are the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, the Texas Relays in Austin, the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Mount San Antonio College Relays in Walnut Calif.
"This year, I would argue, although I'm a biased source, we're creating more buzz than anybody." Weaver said. "Kansas Relays this year has been the most talked about of those five events without a doubt. We're getting more regional and national press."
This year's event is highlighted by the Gold Zone on Saturday afternoon from 2 to 5 p.m. Olympic champions and world record holders Maurice Greene, Marion Jones and Stacy Dragila will compete in addition to Olympians Allen Johnson, Inger Miller and Nick Hysong.
"I know a lot this year has been made of the all-star cast of world champions and Olympians," Kansas junior middle distance runner Brandon Hodges said. "There are a lot of high-caliber performers coming."
On top of all of the Olympic champions that will grace the Memorial Stadium track, the newest breed of future track and field stars will also be present.
"We just don't have the household names that have been around since Sydney and Athens," Weaver said. "We've got a lot of people that are expected to be the stars of Beijing in that Olympic games. That combination has the track
SEE RELAYS ON PAGE 3B
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