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THURSDAY, MARCH 7, 2013
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TRACK AND FIELD
Jayhawks head to NCAA Indoor Championships
COLIN WRIGHT cwright@kansan.com
The Kansas women's track and field team has proven that they can handle pressure. The experienced group, currently ranked second in the nation, has been ranked in the top 5 nationally all season, and that high ranking was solidified when they won the Big 12 Indoor Championship in Ames, Iowa, last month.
"The athletes are used to it," said coach Stanley Redwine in a press release. "That's why I'm glad our athletes have the experience they have. They know how to deal with the pressure of trying to be the best. As coaches, we don't put any more pressure than they put on themselves, because they want to do so well."
Before the outdoor season begins at the end of the month, they will have one more chance to add some hardware to the trophy case on the biggest stage of all, the NCAA Indoor Championships. The women's team will send 11 athletes to the event this weekend while the men's team will send just one.
The lone representative for the men's team is senior Kyle Clemons, who qualified in the 400 meters. His time of 46.44 is the fastest time in school history and also ranks as one of the 15 fastest times in the nation this season.
The women's team is coming off
a strong finish in the 2012 NCAA Indoor Championships last year, in which it sent seven athletes and finished as national runner-up. This year, its goal is to go one step further and capture its first ever NCAA championship.
Junior Diamond Dixon defended her big 12 title crown in the 400 meters, and now, she will look to defend her NCAA title crown this weekend. The Olympic gold medalist currently has the ninth fastest time in the nation in that event.
Dixon will also be running in the 4x400 meter relay alongside seniors Denesha Morris, Paris Daniels and Taylor Washington. They posted a season best time of 3:33.71 last weekend in South Bend, Ind., and will look to improve on their third place finish last year.
Daniels will also be running in the 60 and 200 meters, where she currently sits at the tenth and sixth fastest time in the nation, respectively, in those events.
Seniors Andrea Geubelle and Francine Simpson will look to jump start the lajhwacks. The long jumpers are currently ranked first and second in the nation and Geubelle will try to repeat as national champion in the triple jump, where she currently ranks second in the nation.
In the pole vault, junior Natalia Bartnovskaya and Demy Payne will both compete. They currently boast the third and eighth best marks
in the nation this season, putting them in a prime position to pick up some points for the Jayhawks.
In the weight throw, senior Alena Krechyk will compete at the NCAA Championship for the second year in a row. Freshman Anastasiya Muchaykev will compete in the shot put, where she is currently ranked fourth in the nation.
Sophomore Lindsay Vollmer won the Big 12 Championship in the pentathlon and will look to do the same this weekend in her first trip to the NCAA Championships. She currently holds the school record in the pentathlon with a score of 4.123.
Because of the success the Kansas women's team has seen in 2013, coach Stanley Redwine was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year for the indoor season on Wednesday.
"I'm definitely excited about this, but I'm more excited for our athletes because this is just another honor for our program," said Redwine in a press release. "I'm thankful for both the athletes and assistant coaches because it's their hard work that put me in a position to get this award."
The Championship meet is all day this Friday and Saturday at Randal Tyson Track in Fayetteville, Ark., on the University of Arkansas campus.
- Edited by Tyler Conover
SOFTBALL
Junior outfielder Maggie Hull hits the ball during a game against Iowa State. Kansas won against Iowa State 8-2.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Kansas focuses on success rather than on opponents
JOSEPH DAUGHERTY
jdaugherty@kansan.com
The Jayhawks are coming off of a 4-1 weekend in the Wolfpack Challenge. The team's offense was once again potent, allowing it to break the school record for most runs in a game with 20. This weekend, the team heads to Boca Raton, Fla., for the Florida Atlantic Tournament. The Jayhawks will play the likes of Eastern Michigan, Michigan State, Ball State, Louisiana-Monroe and the host Florida Atlantic. Boca Raton is another stop in the Jayhawks' 28 road games they have to start the season.
"When you are playing that many teams in one weekend, you focus more on yourself because it's hard to focus on each individual opponent," Smith said. "We will be more focused on what we need to do in all aspects of the games. But it is fun to play five different teams because you get a different look each game."
This weekend will be a little different for Kansas. Normally, they will play three or four different teams in a weekend and will usually play a team more than once. This weekend, Kansas will play five different teams and play each team once. Coach Megan Smith and players agree it is more about focusing on what they need to do to be successful rather than focusing on the teams they play.
The first team the Jayhawks will face this weekend is the Eastern Michigan Eagles. The Eagles are currently 4-6 on the season, coming off a loss to Florida Atlantic, and are slated to play three more
games before they square off with the Jayhawks. In each of the Eagles' losses this year, they have failed to score more than three runs all but once and have been shut out three times. The Eagles have a team batting average of .261 and are allowing opponents to hit .319.
The Spartans of Michigan State
are the second team the Jayhawks will face this weekend. The Spartans are 13-7 on the season but are on a four game winning streak. In the Spartans' winning streak, they have only
The last team Kansas will face this weekend is Louisiana Monroe. The Warhawks are 8-10 on the season and are coming off a 9-10 loss against Louisiana Tech. The War-
or more runs in two of those 13 losses. The Owls are only hitting .236 as a team and allowing an opponents' batting average of .255.
"I'm excited about the warm weather. Last week was freezing." Kessler said. "I am excited to just get out and play. Any opportunity to play is great."
"We will be more focused on what we need to do in all aspects of the games."
MEGAN SMITH Coach
Last weekend marked freshman Kelsey Kessler's first collegiate shutout. She said that it was so nice to finally finish off a shutout because she came so close a few other times. Kessler said that the team's potent offense helps take pressure off her, and she is excited to play this weekend.
given up a total of 4 runs. Michigan State is hitting .280' as a team and only allowing its opponent's to hit .238. Spartans coach Jacqueline Joseph recorded her 700th career win as the Spartans defeated Niagara on Tuesday afternoon.
hawks are hitting
253 as a team and
allowing opponents to hit 308.
The Ball State Cardinals will be the third team the Jayhawks face off against this weekend. They have tallied an 8-8 record thus far. The Cardinals have five players batting better than .300, including one player hitting better than .400. The team is hitting an average of .309 and allowing opponents to hit .262 on the season. Junior Jennifer Gilbert will be a challenge for Jayhawk pitchers. She is the reigning Mid-American Conference player of the year and is hitting .440 this season.
Coach Smith said she thinks this weekend will be the most balanced weekend so far and each team will present a different challenge.
The host, Florida Atlantic, is the next team to face the lajwahays and is 7-13 this season. The Owlls have struggled to put up runs during the season's losses, only scoring three
Maggie and Rosie Hull both hope to keep playing well and are excited to keep implementing the mindset of focus on the team instead of the opponents that worked so well last weekend.
Edited by Hayley Jozwiak
Denver School of Nursing
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