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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 1996
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 6A
Kansas softball coach takes reins at Washburn
Gina Thornburg / KANSAN
The Kansas softball team, which lost its head coach, Gayle Luedke, this year, is also losing assistant coach Kim Newborn.
by Matt Woodruff Kansan sportswriter
This fall, Kim Newbern will begin her first season as a head softball coach.
However, it will not be with the University of Kansas. Newbern will start coaching at Washburn University, who hired her last week to replace last year's coach, John Punzo.
"She had a lot of the things we were looking for," said Lauren Ferre, athletic director at Washburn. "She brings a lot of enthusiasm, energy and knowledge of the game. Her experience as a player as well as an assistant at Kansas are also very important."
With Newbern leaving for Washburn, a Division II school, KU softball must search for new candidates for the assistant position.
"Before the Washburn job, she was definitely being considered, or would have been, for our first assistant position," said Betsy Stephenson, KU assistant athletic director.
Newbern said that the loss of last year's softball coach, Gail Ludke, did not affect her decision to leave Kansas.
"I liked the locale, the smauer environment and the fact that they're very strong academically," Newbern said. "I really just wanted to be out on my own, to lead a team and watch it grow. I'm extremely excited about the opportunity."
Newborn said that Washburn's location was a major factor in her decision. Born in Wichita, she graduated from Wichita Heights High School, then attended Hutchinson Junior College for two years before transferring to Kansas.
After graduating from Kansas in 1994, Newbern worked as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State and helped guide the Cowgirls to a 36-
16 mark and a first-place finish in the Big Eight Conference.
Newbern played at Kansas in 1993 and 1994 and started in every game during her career. Her senior season was her most productive as she hit .272, which was the second-highest average on the team, and registered 89 assists.
Associate athletic director accepts position at UCLA
Betsy Stephenson will leave Kansas in early August
by Matt Woodruff Kansan sportswriter
Betsy Stephenson, who has served as associate athletic director since 1992, will leave Kansas to accept a position at UCLA.
"Betsy Stephenson made a huge contribution to Kansas athletics in her three-plus years on the job," Kansas athletic director Bob Frederick said. "Additionally, she provided tremendous leadership to the Big Eight
Conference during a very important period when the decision was
Betsy Stephenson
made to include Senior Women Administrators as part of the conference's governing body. Betsy should be proud of her many accomplishments at Kansas. We will miss her greatly.
Stephenson will continue her duties at Kansas until early August when she will leave to become the associate athletic director at UCLA.
"UCLA offers new and different challenges that I'm enthusiastically looking forward to meeting," she said. "Most of my experience so far has been at Kansas, and I would like to experience a different environment."
Stephenson said she wants to broaden her career base and experience a different environment.
Stephenson said that a salary increase was not a major factor in the decision.
Although she probably will not be involved in finding her successor, she does have a few words of advice for whoever replaces her.
"I've had a wonderful experience, both personally and professionally at Kansas, and I appreciate the support that I have received here," Stephenson said.
"I'm sure there will be a number of people interested in the position, and I can tell them that their experience here will be a very positive one."
During the upcoming basketball season, part of Stephenson's heart will remain at Kansas.
"I'll be rooting for both teams next season," said Stephenson. "But as for when they play each other, no comment," she said.
During her tenure at Kansas, Stephenson supervised 18 athletic teams. She was responsible for overseeing the operation of Kansas' strength and conditioning program, promotions, equipment and athletic merchandise. She was also chairwoman of the Big 12 board of Senior Women Administrators last year. Stephenson is the chairwoman of the NCAA Women's Committee and is a member of the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Committee.
Prior to her arrival at Kansas, Stephenson spent six years at the NCAA headquarters serving in various capacities.
Stephenson graduated from Kansas in May of 1983 with a bachelor of arts degree.
Rayford pleads not guilty to battery charges
Kansan staff report
Former Kansas men's basketball guard Calvin Rayford pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of battery.
Rayford was arrested last Tuesday for hitting his girlfriend in the face. He was charged with domestic battery and released after posting a $500 bond.
guilty, Judge Jack A. Murphy ordered Rayford to return to Douglas County Court Division 5 on July 11.
After entering a plea of not
At the request of Rayford's attorney and with the consent of the District Attorneys' office, Murphy removed a no contact order that had been in place. According to Rayford's attorney, Rayford, who completed his basketball eligibility this
past year, wanted the order lifted so that he could see his child that he has by the girlfriend
Rayford's girlfriend was not in the courtroom because of a scheduling conflict.
According to police reports, Rayford is accused of punching his 26-year old girlfriend in the face during an argument concerning another woman.
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