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SOFTBALL
SPORTS
The Jayhawks lost two of their three games against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. Page 3
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 22,1996
Conference champions
Both tennis teams win Big Eight titles
By Spencer Duncan Kansan sportswriter
They saw it in reach. They wanted to have it. And on Saturday, they got it.
"We came out with a lot of energy because we had something to play for," Kansas men's tennis coach Michael Center said. "We did a great job."
The teams wrapped up the Big Eight season and the championships with wins against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. on Friday and the Sooners.
The No. 18 women moved their record to 15-7 overall and finished the Big Eight season undefeated at 7-0. In their five-year title run, the Jayhawks are 46-1, winning 20 consecutive conference matches.
"This conference has four top 50 teams," Kansas women's tennis coach Chuck Merzbacher said. "To win the championship coming through the state of Oklahoma was brutal. I have never been as proud of this team as I was this weekend."
The men, ranked No. 12 nationally, moved to 21-5 overall and finished the Big Eight regular season undefeated at 5-0. Kansas State and Missouri do not have teams.
The men have won 21 consecutive Big Eight matches and have not lost a conference match in three years.
The women defeated Oklahoma State, 4-3 and Oklahoma. 5-2.
"This team has worked hard and they deserve all the good things that come to them," Center said.
Against Oklahoma State, the Jayhawks struggled early by losing two of the three doubles matches. They lost the doubles point and found themselves down early, 1-0.
In all the meets, teams were awarded one point for the entire doubles competition and one point for each individual singles match.
The only doubles winners were No.10
See TENNIS,Page 2.
Past Big Eight champions
Men's tennis
Oklahoma 29
Oklahoma State 17
Kansas 12
Colorado 4
Iowa State 1
Missouri 1
Tied for title:
Oklahoma State 2
Colorado 1
Oklahoma 1
Women's tennis
Noah Musser/KANSAN
Tied for title:
Nebraska 1
Oklahoma 1
KANSAS RELAYS
ABOVE:
Kansas freshman David Henderson leaps a hurdle at the Kansas Relays, held last weekend at Memorial Stadium.
RIGHT: Kansas freshman Chip Malstrom attempts a pole vault. Malstrom finished second in the event
Tyler Wirken / KANSAN
'Hawks successful at Kansas Relays
Former Jayhawk breaks four-minute mile mark named best performer
"This is one of the best Relays I have ever witnessed." Kansas junior Pierre Lisk said.
By Adam Herschman Kansan sportswriter
Lisk anchored two of Kansas' relay teams, the third place 4x400 relay team that finished in 3:10.6 and the first place 4x100 relay team that finished in 41 seconds.
Top competition brought many fans to Memorial Stadium to watch the Columbia Healthcare Kansas Relays this weekend.
in the 4x100, junior David Cooksey got off to a good start, but a bad handoff to freshman Travis Batts slowed down the relay team.
SECTION B
After receiving the baton from Batts, Hill got the Jayhawks into third place before he handed it to Lisk.
"Batts, our second leg, took out too soon, and Travis literally had to almost stop before he got the baton because they were at the end of the exchange zone," Kansas junior Nathan Hill said.
"Pierre got out good, and we had as good handoff, and I just said, 'Go baby,'
Hill said. "I think we're finally coming around. It was just a great win."
"I don't think we've won as many things as we did last year, but then again that reflects on how the competition's increasing," Hill said.
Hill said that this year's Relays were more competitive than others he had seen.
Kansas senior Jeff Dietierch was the top collegiate finisher in the javelin competition with a toss of 218 feet, 3 inches.
Kansas senior Dawn Steele-Slavens said, "I wanted to get another watch, end my career here at the Kansas Relays with a good run."
Despite the talented competition, the Jay hawks felt good about their performances.
Sophomore Candy Mason set a school record and provisionally qualified for the NCAA outdoor championships with a second place finish in the heptathlon with 5,329 points.
Steele-Slavens ran a season-best of 1:00.3 to win the 400-meter hurdles.
The Kansas women's 4x400 relay team, with a time of 3:45.4, won after Kansas State was disqualified when a runner threw the baton before crossing the finish line.
The men's and women's sprint medley teams finished second in 3:20.54 and 3:56.02 respectively. The women's 4x100 relay team finished second in 46.81 seconds, Junior Kim Feldkamp finished second in the shot put with a throw of 45 feet, 4-1/2 inches.
Junior Diamond Williams finished third in the 100-meter dash in 12.1 seconds. Junior Travis Perret finished fourth in the decathlon with 6,310 points.
Kansas pole vaulters Chip Malmstrom and Marc Romito finished second and third respectively by clearing the 16-foot mark.
The Jayhawks were not the only competitors receiving cheers from the crowd
Stacey Dragilia, a graduate assistant from Idaho State, was named women's most outstanding performer.
Former Jayhawk and Olympic hopeful Michael Cox broke the four-minute mark in the mile with a time of 3:59.2. Cox was named the men's most outstanding performer.
She set a national record in the women's pole vault.
with a vault of 13 feet, 6
1/2 inches.
Kansas track and field coach Gary
Schwartz said the Relays couldn't have been successful without the help of Columbia Healthcare, Kansas University Athletic Corporation, the athletes, volunteers and the Kansas coaching staff.
In addition to providing competition, the Relays' high school events brought students to see the University.
"It's a recruiting event for the University," Schwartz said.
Batts said that his visit here was one of the reasons he had chosen to attend Kansas.
Batts and freshman Grady Blackmon, who attended Pine Forest Hight School in Fayetteville, N.C., competed in the Relays last year.
"This place just seems to breathe Jayhawk," Batts said. "I guess it's the gem of the Midwest."
Jayhawks swing to fourth place
For Kansas to secure a berth in the Big Eight Conference Tournament, it needed first baseman Justin Headley to start hitting and the team to start winning on the road.
Kansan sportswriter
By Dan Gelston
Last weekend, the Jayhawks got both.
Headley went 6-for-15 with six RBI as Kansas won its first two Big Eight road games of the year against Nebraska at Lincoln, Neb.
Kansas improved to 20-21 overall, but more importantly, 10-13 in the Big Eight, improving to fourth place.
Entering the series, Headley was in a 7-for-63 slump. But after some extra instruction from Kansas coaches, Headley may
Nebraska fell to 18-23 overall and 7-13 in the Big Eight, staying in last place.
Justin Headlev
"I was staying back more and was more relaxed," Headley said of his weekend success. "They said I was jumping at the ball."
finally be back on track.
Despite a double, triple and two RBI from Headley and a 4-for-5 effort from center fielder Isaac Byrd, Kansas lost to Nebraska 11-7 yesterday afternoon.
Kansas starter Mario Opipari (0-2)
allowed eight runs, six earned on nine hits in five innings.
Things were much better for the Jayhawks on Saturday when they swept a doubleheader. They took the first game 10-7 and won the second. 14-4.
Kansas designated hitter Josh Dimmuck went 4-for-5.
In the second game, Kansas starter
Brew drafted in third round
See BASEBALL, Page 2.
Kansan staff report
The Miami Dolphins made Brew the 79th pick overall when they selected him in the third round on Saturday. Then the waiting game began as no more Jayhawks were taken until tackle Rod Jones, guard Chris Banks and running back LT. Levine were all selected in the seventh and final round yesterday.
Former Kansas defensive back Dorian Brew led a group of four Jayhawks selected Saturday and yesterday at the NFL draft in New York.
The last time four Kansas players were drafted was 1986. Brew's third-round selection was the school's highest since defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield was taken in the first round by San Francisco in 1983.
Former Kansas quarterback Mark Williams, the Jayhawks' MVP in 1996, and punter Darrin Simmons were not selected. Both are anticipating being invited to training camp as free agents.
Jones, the 219th overall pick.
was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals. Both Banks, the 226th pick, and Levine, the 235th selection, were taken by the Denver Broncos.
The Jacque Vaughn-NBA saga has reached a new level of insanity, thanks to Lawrence Journal-World sports editor Chuck Woodling.
Vaughn won't be leaving
SPORTS EDITOR
The last thing I want to do is start a war. I have a great deal of respect for Woodling and his
opinions, but not in this case.
In his column yesterday, Woodling said that Vaughn should leave school early because he doesn't have the size or potential to be a superstar point guard like Magic Johnson.
Woodling said that if Vaughn stays, he'll give up a lot of money and his draft stock will drop. I disagree.
Most experts have said that Vaughn would be
chosen after Allen Iverson of Georgetown, Stephon Marbury of Georgia Tech and maybe even Santa Claire's Steve Nash.
Woodling said he heard Vaughn would wait to see if Iverson will decide to leave school early before making his own decision. That is obvious.
But the notion that Nash would be picked before Vaughn is ludicrous, especially after seeing him manhandle Nash in the NCAA tournament.
But I don't think Manning would have been the No. 1 draft pick in 1987, as he was in 1988.
Woodling also said that Danny Manning's decision to return to Kansas for his senior year cost him. I suppose Woodling knows for sure, since he was the Journal-World sports editor in 1987, and I was in the seventh grade.
David Robinson, a senior from Navy, would not have played second fiddle to Manning that year or any other, for that matter. When the San Antonio Spurs drafted Robinson, they had to wait two seasons to get him because he had service obligations to the Navy.
So who is the better player now?
Hint: it's not Manning. Sure, he has a national championship ring and a bronze medal from the 1988 Olympics, but he hasn't been a perennial NBA All-Star or been selected to play on the Dream Team.
Woodling contradicted himself by saying that Vaughn doesn't have a good chance to be drafted ahead of Iverson, Marbury or Nash, but should leave now to make as much money as he can, since he doesn't have the tools to become an NBA superstar.
accepted to play on the Dream Team Robinson has.
Vaughn's situation is the exact same one Manning faced nine years ago. Both are — or were — leaders of Kansas teams that seem to be one or two steps away from a national title.
So why in the world would Vaughn leave? Woodling said that Vaughn doesn't have a chance to be an NBA great, yet he should go anyway. That just doesn't make any sense at all. Woodling says he wouldn't go any higher in the 1997 draft.
Leaving for the NBA would give a decent payoff and the guarantee of being drafted, but that would also seriously hurt the national title hopes for the Javahaws.
If — and this is a really big if — the Jayhawks win the national championship and if Vaughn were named the college basketball player of the year — as Manning was in 1988, I believe that Vaughn would easily be one of the first 10 players selected.
Woodling then closes the column by saving that the money won, he
Wooding then closes the room by saying that the money won, he that great for Vaughn, but since he doesn't have the physical means to succeed in the leagua, he should go ahead and take it. Wrong again. I think Vaughn, with one more year, in college, could become a great MBA point guard.
All of the reasons Wooding gave for Vaughn to leave are the same ones I believe should make him stay.
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Only time will tell, but I think it is question has already been answered
So here's a news flash for you, Chuck—he will stay.