NBA
The Bulls eye their 70th win this season. Page 6.
NBA
Reggie Miller fractures his eye socket,
SPORTS UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Page 3.
TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 1996
SECTION B
Rowing team brings home five medals
Freshmen rowers win gold, three silver medals crown improved team performance
MEN'S BASKETBALL
By Evan Blackwell Kansan sportswriter
Kansas women's rowing coach Rob Catloth said the team's performance at the Great Plains Rowing Championships last weekend was a dramatic improvement on the previous week at Iowa.
"We were about 200 percent improved," Catloth said.
The Jayhawks turned in one of the better performances at one of the larger regattas they'll be in this season.
Kansas brought home five medals, with a gold coming in the novice four 2,000-meter competition. The gold-medal boat included freshmen Jennifer Adams, Beth Erickson, Stacie Frain, Ashley Masoni, and Kelsey Roberts as the coxswain.
Masoni said the boat's gold medal would be shared with the whole team.
"We found out right before we raced that we could win a plaque for the team," she said. "It was so exciting to see the boats getting farther and farther away from us as the race went on."
The first-place showing by the novice four boat continued the strong season for the Kansas freshmen team, which has made strong showings at almost every regatta of the spring season.
"We've got a very talented and hard-working group," Catloth said. "They're a good group of gals to build our program around."
The Jayhawks also won three silver medals in the varsity lightweight four 2,000 meters, the novice eight 2,000 meters and the varsity lightweight eight 400 meters.
Steve Punne / KANSAN
The strong showing by the freshmen came after Kansas struggled two weeks ago against Iowa when they failed to win a race. Masoni said the performance was followed by one of the season's toughest weeks of practice.
"We were just drilling technique all week." Masoni said. "We had to straighten out some kinks."
Kansas junior guard Jacque Vaughn gets a standing ovation as he receives one of his five awards. The banquet included an awards presentation along with a highlight film.
Vaughn delays his decision
Masoni said the constant work on technique made the workouts a different kind of challenge.
"It wasn't really more demanding physically because we're already in shape," Masoni said. "But it was more demanding mentally."
"We've got two weeks, and we're going to continue to get more efficient and more race-ready." Catloth said.
Catloth said the practices will be just as demanding for the next two weeks as the Jayhawks prepare for the Midwest Rowing Championships April 26-27 in Madison. Wis.
No announcement made about NBA
By Jenni Carlson Kansan sportswriter
An announcement during last night's Kansas men's basketball banquet was anticipated by some, but it didn't come.
Following the NCAA tournament, the Kansas basketball team's junior point guard said he might forego his senior season and declare himself eligible for the NBA draft.
The Jacque Vaughn watch continues.
The more than 1,100 people in attendance at Allen Field House seemed to hold their breath when Vaughn first stepped to the microphone to accept the Cedric Hunter Assist Award, one of five awards he received.
"I wasn't really prepared to say anything. I'm just a little bit tired," said Vaughn, who flew back yesterday from Washington, D.C., where he was named the 1996 male athlete of the year in Black Issues in Higher Education's Second Annual Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Awards.
Even though it appeared from the outset that Vaughn would make no announcement about his future, subtle hints from others popped up everywhere.
After having a T-shirt autographed by Vaughn, a woman said, "We'll see you next year."
While presenting Vaughn the Cedric Hunter Assist Award, Kansas assistant coach Matt Doherty said, "You know, if he sticks around one more year, he might have his name on this award."
And then there were the standing ovations. Every time Vaughn picked up one of his honors, including the Forrest C. "Phog" Allen Most Valuable Player Award, the audience members rose to their feet.
Vaughn sensed their motive.
"You're trying to convince me," he said. Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams also didn't give any hints during the banquet celebrating a 29-5 season. But
he did say after the ceremony that he was still collecting information about Vaughn's prospects. He also said Vaughn was waiting until after the Desert Classic this weekend, which will showcase the country's top college seniors.
"The decision hasn't been made," Williams said. "I've given him information from eight different teams. And after giving all the information to Jacque, then it's his
decision."
Following the NCAA tournament, Williams indicated that the information-gathering process might take about two or three weeks, which would have made last night's banquet a prime time for Vaughn's announcement.
Now, Williams said it would be another week or two before all the information was gathered. A decision will
come sometime after that.
The Jayhawk coach insisted he would provide only unbiased information and present both sides of every argument for Vaughn, who would be returning to a team that is already being tabbed by many as a preseason top-three team.
"I will tell him my opinion, but there will be no pressure from Roy Williams," he said.
Tyler Wirken / KANSAN
Members of the Kansas women's varsity rowing team prepare to simultaneously board their boat last Saturday at Lake Shawnee in Topeka.
Injury keeps Rutz from spring drills
Kansan staff report
Rutz, who served as a backup last season to Williams, was operated on yesterday afternoon at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
next season's starter in the Jayhawk backfield, will miss the remainder of spring drills after suffering an injury to his left knee during a scrimmage Saturday.
Kansas senior quarterback Ben Rutz, who has been projected as the top candidate to succeed
Ben Rutz
Closer opens door to his success
Head coach Glen Mason said he expected Rutz to return next fall for the start of the 1968 season.
Junior Matt Johner will move to the top spot on the Jayhawks' depth chart as quarterback.
Kansas has five more practices remaining prior to the annual spring game, April 27, at Memorial Stadium.
Rutz, a 6-0, 190 pound-native of Oldhamia City,
Okla. saw action in seven games last season.
By Dan Gelston
Barrett's third year offers chance to display what he learned in early, lean years
Kansan sportswriter
One year has made all the difference in the world for the Kansas sophomore closer, whose meteoric rise enabled Kansas' fast start. He not only saves games, but he might have saved the season.
Three years ago, Barrett was a two-time all-state selection at Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville and was hoping that success would carry over at Kansas.
"That was tough for me," Barrett said. "Going from playing all time to being redshirted wasn't easy for me. But I tried to make the most of my time on the bench. I would watch guys like (former Jayhawk pitchers) Jamie Splittortff, Chris Corn, Dave Meyer, and I learned as much as I could."
Last year, Casey Barrett sat on the bench wondering if he would ever get into a game and what direction his career was going.
This year, Barrett knows when the game is close; his wait is just seven innings and his career is only going up.
Barrett was eager last year to show what he learned. But again, he kept his spot on the bench; warm, appearing in just 12 games. He had a 1-1 record but a 9.00 earned run average in just 16 innings.
Instead, Barrett was forced to redshirt and watch as Kansas compiled a 40-18 record.
"I had to make the adjustment to playing again after not playing at all the year before," he said. "I didn't have a whole lot of confidence, but on the other hand, they wouldn't really give me the chance I was looking for."
Despite the two lean years, Barrett said he still enjoyed Kansas and didn't think about transferring. He started this season with an undefined role, but with new coaches Bobby Randall and Steve Lienhard, who had no preconceived notions about Barrett.
Barrett got his first opportunity as a reliever. His success this year can be traced to what might be the defining moment in his Kansas career.
"In the fall, (Randall) told me I'd probably start as much I'd relieve." Barrett said.
In the fifth game of the season, the Jayhawks played
Kansas sophomore relief pitcher Casey Barrett is enjoying his best season as a Jay hawk. He leads the Big Eight Conference in saves with seven.
then-No. 18 Texas in Austin, Texas. Kansas led 8-6 in the bottom of the ninth, when Barrett walked the bases loaded with two outs. But he got the final batter to strike out.
"I didn't get a good idea of my role until the Texas series," he said. "That was a pretty big turning point for me. It just added to my confidence."
That confidence skyrocketed even more in Kansas' next series. The Jayhawks were clinging to an 11-10 lead against Louisiana Tech when Barrett once again found himself on the mound with the bases loaded in the ninth innning. Again he got the final batter to strike out.
"Last year, I would have folded in those situations," he said. "I didn't have the confidence. I knew I had the ability.
"It's all mental, no matter what you're doing. You have to stay focused when you come in and have to throw strike after strike and the margin of error is so small."
Kansas senior catcher Ted Meadows has noticed a difference in Barrett
"He has that real go and get 'em mentality."
Barrett also credits Lienhard for his success.
he said. "He really believes when he's out there that you can't beat him. I think that's something that was missing last year."
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"he kind of went to bat for me," Barrett said. "He had the best grasp of what I needed to do at the time."
Barrett also credits Lehhard for his success.
in the group of what We Reckon is in the closer's role. He Barrett has continued to thrive in the closer's role. He
has posted a 1-2 record with a 3.00 ERA — 0.93 in Big
Eight Conference games.
He leads the conference with seven saves and has yet to blow a save opportunity.
"I love my role," Barrett said. "I feel like I'm an everyday player."
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