FOOTBALL DEATH
FRANK WALL, who was instrumental in bringing the Falcons to Atlanta and served as team president from 1970 to 1976, died Wednesday. He was 78.
Wall remained on the franchise's board of directors and was a close friend of owner Ranking Smith Sr. The cause of death was not immediately available.
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
"Frank was like family, one
Frank was like family, one of my father's closest confidents and a man who
dants and a man who was vital to the team in its early years," team president Taylor Smith said. "The Fali- cons family is deeply saddened by the loss."
CLUB SOCCER TEAM TO FACE WILDCATS
THE KANSAS MEN'S CLUB SCOCER TEAM will play Kansas State at 3:45 p.m. today at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The game will be played before
the Kansas City Wizards professional soccer game. The rivals faced off last season before a Wizards game, and the Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats.
Florida defensive back EJIJAH WILLIAMS, accused of sexual battery by a 19-year-old student, instead faces a misdemeanor charge of lying to police. The charge stems from a March 4 incident in which the student filed a sworn complaint accusing Williams of sexual battery in his dorm room after they had been to a party.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 1997
FLORIDA WOES
After reviewing the evidence, authorities declined to file sexual battery charges.
But Williams was charged with obstructing a police officer without violence for allegedly lying to police during the investigation and encouraging other witnesses to do the same.
Williams is scheduled to be arraigned in May.
SECTION B
Kansas Relays action to begin this morning
Today's Kansas Relays action will begin at 8 a.m. with the women's long jump and the women's two-mile run at Memorial Stadium.
The relays will feature not only top athletes from colleges and universities but also standout post-collegiate and high school competitors.
"I have never seen an assembly of athletes like we have here," said Al Hopson, event coordinating assistant.
Several Olympians will compete, including pole vaulter Scott Huffman, a two-time All-American at Kansas who competed in the 1996 Olympics.
Also returning home will be former Kansas distance runner Sara Heeb and three-time Olympian and Kansas Relays mile record-holder Jim Ryun.
Heeb will compete in the steeple-chase. At one time she held the unofficial American record in the event with a time of 10:34.80. Ryun has been named the starter for the men's mile and the men's invitational mile.
Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for people college-age and younger.
—Kansan staff report
Kansas junior Candy Mason throws the javelin in the women's heptathlon. Mason won the javelin event and the heptathlon with 5.292 points.
Rams trade New York for first-round draft pick
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. — The St. Louis Rams obtained the first pick in the NFL draft from the New York Jets yesterday, giving them the chance to select Orlando Pace, the offensive tackle whom coach Dick Vermeil desperately seeks.
That will allow Jets coach Bill Parcells to get the defensive player he wants.
In return, the Jets received the sixth overall choice and the Rams' choices in the third, fourth and seventh rounds
In effect, the Jets are reclaiming the third- and fourth-round picks they gave up to New England as compensation for Parcells' release from his contract with the Patriots.
The Rams, who consider the offensive tackle their most pressing need, are certain to use the pick tomorrow to take Pace, the 340-pounder from Ohio State who is rated the best player available.
LUBBOCK, TEXAS — Just two months after a roster of relative unknowns and no-names opened the season with a blowout loss, those same Texas Tech Red Raiders are on top of the world.
Red Raiders successful after poor start to season
Despite beginning the season with eight new starters and a reconstructed pitching staff, Tech has vaulted to a 34-5 record and a No.1 ranking this week in Collegiate Baseball magazine.
At 14-4 in Big 12 play, Tech holds a 11/2-game margin over traditional power Oklahoma.
A collection of freshmen and junior college transfers hopes to take the Raiders further than they went last year, when a star-studded team faltered in the Southwest Conference tournament.
In addition to a roster filled with new players, Tech opened the season with seven men suspended for breaking team rules.
Tech wins by an average score of 11-4, has out-homered foes 78-31, hits, 362 and carries a staff ERA of 3.65. The Raiders have hurled four shutouts.
For Tech backers, the success is especially uplifting after more than a year of NCAA investigation, allegations of impropieties and eligibility goofs in the football and men's basketball programs.
Decathlete tops himself
The Associated Press
Two Jayhawks earn NCAA bids at the relays
By Matt Woodruff Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas track and field team made the second day of the Kansas Relays an eventful one, with two athletes posting scores good enough to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
All-American decathlete Mike Evers finished the Jim Bausch Men's Decathlon with a score of 7,702, finishing second to 1996 Olympian and Kansas State alumnus Steve Fritz.
"I got a qualifier, and that's what I came out here to do," Evers said. "I couldn't have asked for a better second day, and I'm definitely happy with it."
Evers broke his own school record by one point and became an automatic NCAA qualifier — Kansas' first indoor or outdoor qualifier for 1997.
Fritz's score of 8,380 broke the Kansas Relays record, which was set by Grigory Degtvrev of the Soviet Union in 1983.
"The overall field was pretty good," Fritz said. "It was good to see Mike Evers get his qualifier so he can go to the national meet. I know what it's like to be a senior trying to get that last qualifier."
Evers said having athletes such as Fritz around helped him perform at his best and continue to get better.
"I think it's heading in the right direction," Fritz said. "Meets today, you can't just have a meet and expect people to
"He's a great competitor," Evers said. "They're doing a great job of getting good athletes to come in, and Fritz is a perfect example. I keep my eye on him and find out what he's doing and try to learn from him."
Fritz said the competition at the Relays continued to get better.
FINAL DECIMATION STANDINGS
PLACE, NAME, AFFILIATION, POINTS
1. Steve Fritz, Accusplit Sports, 8,380
2. Mike Evers, Kansas, 7,702
3. Elliot Young, Southern Illinois, 7,075
4. Travis Renner, Kansas State, 6,689
5. Alex Lengemann, Michigan, 6,532
6. Nate Linstrum, Colorado State, 5,925
7. Kenneth Dennard, Kansas State, 5,910
8. Jason Jones, Lindenwood, 5,785
9. Ryan Lovelace, Southern Illinois, 5,780
10. Attila Zisivoczky, Kansas State, 5,355
11. Nathan Prenger, Kansas, 5,223
12. Allen Lakomlak, Southern Illinois, no score
13. Jeremy Haskin, UMKC, 4,636
14. Steve Keller, North Dakota State, 4,070
WOMEN'S HEPTATHLON OVERALL STANDINGS
PLACE, NAME, AFFILIATION, POINTS
1. Candy Mason, Kansas, 5,292
2. Jamey Mulske, University of Mary, 5,122
3. Joy Krekelberg, Marquette, 4,972
4. Elena Swan, South Dakota, 4,938
5. Gwen Wentland, Unattached, 4,924
6. Judy Galambos, Arkansas State, 4,923
7. Kerry Doetker, Nebraska, 4,731
8. Keisha Spencer, Barton County, 4,698
9. Traci Parsons, Eastern Michigan, 4,534
10. Nikki Biberger, Arkansas State, 4,525
11. Sharen Fidge, Hasting College, 4,520
12. Amber Mounday, Kansas, 4,221
13. Vicii Haynes, University of Mary, 4,123
14. Amber Qojinan, South Dakota, 3,918
15. Misty Campbell, Northwest Missouri State, 3,854
16. Lani McLane, Nebraska, 3,284
17. Henriette Jensen, Arkansas State, 3,263
show up; you have to work at it. I think Coach Schwartz (Kansas track coach) has done a good job of having the initiative to try and bring people in."
Kansas heptathlete Candy Mason was the winner on the women's side, finishing with 5,292 points and qualifying for the NCAA championship.
Kansas decathlete Nathan Prenger, who was in fifth place after the first day of the decathlon, had to withdraw after yesterday's first event because of an illness.
Despite beginning the day in fourth place and her performance in the javelin event, Mason thought her performance could have been better.
"Minus the long jump, high jump and 800,
I felt all right," Mason said. "I was pleased with the javelin. That's my best event."
Mason threw the javelin 142 feet and 4 inches, beating runner-up Misty Campbell of Northwest Missouri State by 6 feet, 4 inches.
Kansas' Amber Mounday scored 4,221
points, finishing twelfth.
Kansas State's Renita Sellers broke both the Kansas State and the Kansas Relays record for the women's hammer throw with a toss of 195 feet, 5 inches. The throw was the fifth-best in the United States.
Joseph Kogo won the 10,000-meter event (30:10.6), marking the fifth straight year that an athlete from Barton County College has won the event.
Women's golf tees off for first Big 12 title
Drive and putting contests tomorrow
By Kelly Cannon Kansan sportswriter
The first Big 12 women's golf championship tees off this weekend at Alvanard Country Club.
The location of the tournament rotates each year among the schools participating.
The men's tournament stays in the same place, but the women's tournament rotates around," said Beth Kane, assistant women's coach. "Some schools don't host the tournament because they don't have a site. The last time Kansas hosted the tournament was the Big Eight tournament in 1990, when we won."
Anne Clark
"Anytime you play on a course you know, you have an advantage with the greens and the breaks," she said.
Playing on the Alvamar course may give the team an advantage, Kane said.
Seniors Anne Clark and Missy Russell, junior Beth Reuter, sophomore Mandy Munsch and freshman Susan Tessary will compete for the Jayhawks.
"Five women compete, and we can take the four lowest scores, so we get to drop the highest," Kane said.
The team has no concrete expectations for the tournament except trying its best.
"All we expect is to go out and give it 100 percent effort." Kane said.
Kansas' toughest competition comes from
Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Nebraska, Kane said.
"The Big 12 conference is strong for women's golf," she said. "Any team, except for a couple, could win. It just depends who's on their game."
The tournament begins tomorrow when a long drive and a putting competition will be held.
Missy Russell
Three of each team's five golfers will compete in the long drive competition, and the other players will compete in putting. Clark and Reuter will tackle the putting, with Munsch, Russell and Tessary handling the long drive.
The long drive is a competition to see who can drive t.e ball the farthest based on three drives from each participant. The putting competition is based on who can putt the best on nine holes.
The scores of each team will be added to determine the team winner, and the person with the best score will be the individual winner. Kansas begins competition at 11:10 a.m.
based on who can put the best on six holes.
The driving and putting competitions do not count toward the golf tournament, but winners in the events are chosen.
Susan Tessary
The tournament begins Sunday, with Kansas teeing off at 8:50 a.m. Tee times Monday and Tuesday will be based on the previous day's results.
"This is going to be an exciting Big 12 tournament," Kane said. "This is a big improvement from what went on at the Big Eight tournament. The atmosphere is just better. There will be some awesome play and competition, and Alvamar is a great course."
Draft may take four 'Hawks this weekend
By Tommy Gallagher Kansan sportswriter
As many as four former Kansas football players could be taken this weekend in the NFL draft, including running back June Henley and wide receiver Isaac Byrd.
The NFL will conduct the opening two rounds of the draft tomorrow, but no former Jayhawks are expected to be taken then.
When the league conducts rounds
three through seven on Sunday, Henley, Byrd, linebacker Ronnie Ward and offensive lineman Scott Whittaker might hear their names called. They finished their eligibility with Kansas after last season
June Henley
Henley ran a 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds for NFL scouts, but his stock has dropped significantly since last season, according to Pro Football Weekly.
"Got the chicken pox after the 1996 season and ballooned up to 234 pounds in February," Pro Football Weekly wrote. "Tough, blocky, physical runner who has a knack for avoiding head-on hits. A good back who may lack the long-distance speed and the elusiveness to be a top back."
Six teams, including Kansas City, have shown interest in Henley, who is expected to be a third or fourthround selection.
Byrd's attractiveness has risen during the off-season, despite his interest in also playing baseball. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals last summer and was assigned to the team's Class A affiliate in New Jersey, but he has not reported yet.
The contract
Isaac Byrd
that Byrd signed with the Cardinals allows him to play both football and baseball.
"May have better future in baseball than football." Pro Football Weekly wrote of Byrd. "Is not worth a draft pick unless he commits to football. Is no (Kevin) House or Deion Sanders."
During the off-season, Byrd trimmed his 40-yard dash time to 4.38 seconds, and he has worked out with track greats Korerse, Jackie Joyner-Kerse and Gail Devers.
Byrd is expected to be drafted during the middle rounds. He said teams that had shown the most interest in drafting him included Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Chicago and St Louis.
Ward's stock has soared during the past few months after an impressive showing at the East-West Shrine game. He caught the eye of several scouts as an outside linebacker.
He is projected as a middle-round selection and has drawn interest from Chicago and Miami.
Three Jayhawks were chosen in last year's draft. Cornerback Dorian Brew was a third-round selection, while running back L.T. Levine, offensive tackle Rod Jones and offensive guard Chris Banks were seventh-round selections.
Some information was provided by The Topeka-Capital Journal.