Sports
KU
Tomorrow Coverage of today's softball game.
The University Daily Kansan
14A
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Kansas basketball notebook
It's still possible associate men's coach Norm Roberts will leave Kansas before next season.
Roberts, a longtime assistant to Kansas coach Bill Self, is still a candidate for the
duplicate for the coaching vacancy at St. John's.
The Queens, N.Y.-based school is thought to favor Matt Doherty, a former Kansas assistant and former coach at North Carolina. But Roberts reported in
Roberts
reportedly impressed during his interview for the post.
One place Roberts will not be next fall is Miami. The Hurricanes filled their coaching vacancy with Frank Haith, an assistant coach at Texas. Roberts had interviewed for the post.
More on transfers
Nianq
With freshman Omar Wilkes definitely leaving Kansas for a school on the West Coast and sophomore Moulaye Niang likely departing, Kansas could have two open scholarships for next season.
But, at most, Kansas will only add one player. Because of the NCAA's five and eight rule, schools can only give eight scholarships during a two-year period and only four in any one year.
Because Kansas used four scholarships this year on Wilkes, David Padgett, J.R. Giddens and Jeremy Case, it cannot give more than four scholarships this year. With Russell Robinson, Darnell Jackson and Alexander Kaun already on the way, that leaves Kansas with one scholarship to give.
Recruiting trail
Self recently was back someplace former Kansas coach Roy Williams rarely went during his time in Kansas, the East Coast.
Self was scouting 6-foot-6 prep forward Alex Galindo.
Galindo, who plays at St. Benedicts in Newark, N.J., is considering Kansas, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh and Rutgers.
Self recently flew out to meet with him. Galindo is a solid rebounder and shooter, who likely would back up Keith Langford and Giddens next season.
According to Rivals.com, a recruiting Web site, Galindo is the eleventh best small-forward prospect in the country and the 65th best player overall.
Malik Hairston, another 6-6 swingman still interested in Kansas, is thought to be the better overall player, and played in this month's McDonald's All-American game.
- Henry C. Jackson
Promotions work for fans
Athletics Department strives to increase attendance of all KU sports
By Joe Bant
jbant@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
The new athletics administration began this year at the University of Kansas with one of its goals to increase the fan base for all Kansas sports.
With most of its first year down, it has met that goal with varying results.
Women's basketball and football still sit at or near the bottom of the Big 12 Conference — last and second to last, respectively — but both sports saw an increase in attendance this year, one that the Athletics Department continues to work on. In addition, several other sports are also on the rise, a positive change the department attributes to winning programs and aggressive marketing.
"We'd like as many people as possible to come to games," said Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director for external affairs. "Partly for revenue, but much more importantly, for the spirit and support it would give."
Marchiony said this year had seen success, but there was more to be done.
The programs he cited that needed the most work were women's basketball and football. Last season, an average of only about 1,500 people attended Kansas women's basketball games. The football average was at 38,750, almost 12,000 below capacity.
Marchiony said winning would be a key to getting those numbers up but was not the only factor.
"It itakes wins, but that's only part of it." Marchionny said. "The other part is
promotions."
Marchiony said he thought the department had done more this year to promote those sports than had been done in the past, and he projected greater promotion efforts in the future.
He said the department was in the midst of an aggressive campaign to sell football season tickets, and he was equally optimistic for the prospects of women's basketball.
"We will win, and we will promote the sport," Marchiony said. "Women's basketball is very important to us."
Marchiony cited soccer and volleyball as examples of sports that had increased their visibility this year. Exact attendance figures were not available yet for last season, but Marchiony said the success of those programs had
attracted more fan attention.
Volleyball coach Ray Bechard said he could also tell the difference this year in terms of fans coming to games.
"We had three or four sellouts last year." Bechard said.
Marchiony said a marketing plan was in place for volleyball season tickets that would further increase the fanbase. Season tickets for volleyball haven't been available in the past.
Softball team starts homestand
This year's baseball figures haven't been calculated yet either, with the season still going on, but coach Ritch Price said he continued to see improvement in the turnout from when he first came here for the 2002-2003 season.
"It's gotten better as our program has
'Hawks face more Missouri Valley Conference teams
By Jonathan Kealing
jkealing@kansan.com
Kansan sportwriter
The Kansas softball team did a pregame cheer to prepare for the Missouri game last Wednesday in Columbia, Mo. The Jayhawks lost to the Tigers 7-0. The team plays a doubleheader today against Wichita State at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Another pesky Missouri Valley Conference team awaits the Kansas softball team today. First pitch in the doubleheader against Wichita State at 3 p.m.
So far this season, the Jayhawks have played four separate MVC teams, doing no better than splitting each series. Kansas went 1-1 against Southwest Missouri State and Bradley, 1-0-1 against Creighton and 0-1 against Southern Illinois.
Kansas will have a chance to improve its mark against MVC teams today, as well as next Monday when Southern Illinois comes for the other half of its series.
Since conference play started, Kansas has struggled to win consecutive series. In fact, Kansas' 2-6 mark in conference play has drawn its overall record down to 23-19-1. Kansas' only conference victories came in a two-game series against Texas Tech.
Most recently, Kansas dropped two to Texas A&M. In the first game, the game was called early in accordance with the eight-run rule. The Aggies had 10 hits in game two of the double-header in Waco.
In the last three games, the Jayhawks have recorded only eight hits.
Wichita State is 25-15 overall this season and owns an 11-4 mark in MVC play. While Kansas has had no problems beating the team in the past, its 69-12 record has meant nothing over the last two years. The Shockers have
won three consecutive games against the lavhawks.
Kansas will probably bring senior Kara Pierce to the mound to face Wichita State. Pierce has a 13-9 record so far this season. Junior Lindsay Craig will probably pitch for the Shockers. Craig's 15-6 record includes a 1.35 ERA. Her opponents' batting average is .185. None of this bodies well for a layhawk team which has struggled lately to find hits and to capitalize on them.
Sophomore Serena Settlemier is an exception to the batting problems which are haunting the Jayhawks. Her 11 home runs are just two short of breaking Kansas' single-season record held by Leah Tabb during the 2001 season.
Today's game is the start of a sixgame homestand which will include a rematch against Border War rival Missouri at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
Kansas leads the all-season, all-sports Border War contest by a score of 16.5-8, according to www.kuathletics.com. As many as 15.5 points remain to be awarded.
Kansas will also play games against Oklahoma State and aforementioned Southern Illinois during the homestand.
— Edited by Cindy Yeo
Kansas file photo
Freshman guards Omar Wilkes and Jeremy Case crouch on the sidelines in Kansas' defeat to Iowa State earlier in the season. Wilkes has decided to leave the team.
Positive attitude defines Wilkes
Ryan Greene
rgreene@hansan.com
sports commentary
As Georgia Tech ran off the final seconds of its Elite Eight victory over Kansas, Omar Wilkes was on his hands and knees on the sideline. He looked exhausted and on the verge of tears, with the emptiest of empty looks across his face.
If at anytime this season you were at a Kansas basketball game, without even looking at the scoreboard you could tell the game's entire story by the body language and expressions on Wilkes' bow-next-door face.
Like everyone on the roster, the freshman guard had his moments on the court this season. His biggest night came with a nine-point effort against Fort Hays State on Dec. 10. But
Wilkes' numbers were never overwhelming this year, and as he will be transferring at the end of the semester, the numbers are irrelevant. Wilkes has left his own legacy in his own fashion for Iavhawk fans.
While most will remember Keith Langford for his dunks, Wayne Simien for his tenacity and Aaron Miles for his heart, there are other memories of Wilkes. He was pure emotion on the sidelines. By fans, he'll be remembered for his constant chest-bumps and high-fives on the bench. He'll be remembered for always staying late after games with a huge grin on his face to sign autographs. He'll be remembered for always being an approachable figure on campus or at a club, even if you'd never before met him.
By his teammates, he'll be remembered for always being the life of the party. He always kept his team loose. For example, there was the locker room atmosphere the day before the Georgia Tech game. While everyone had their serious faces on for the media, Wilkes was able to lighten up the entire room. He saw a dry-erase
behind Bryant Nash, who was lost in his headphones, and drew an arrow towards the senior along with the message "I'm three months pregnant." It was that type of moment which helped him fit into a locker room filled with former high school All-Americans and Final Four veterans.
When Roy Williams signed the son of former Los Angeles Lakers standout Jamaal Wilkes away from UCLA, Jamaal's alma mater, fans immediately figured Wilkes as a key contributor. When he arrived in Lawrence, it took him some time to adjust being so far away from home and to find his playing role on a nationally-ranked, veteran squad. It helped him to be roommates with freshman David Padgett, who helped Wilkes adjust to school.
Fans got to see the true Omar Wilkes following the team's annual media day before the season kicked off on Late Night in the Phog. As I went to interview Wilkes for the first time, he
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TALK TO SPORTS: Contact Henry C. Jackson or Maggie Newcomer at SPORTS@KANSAN.COM
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