Gymnasts look for loop crown
Currently ranked by the NCAA as one of the top ten teams in the nation, the KU gymnasts travel to Manhattan this weekend for the important Big Eight Conference.
In addition to determining conference team and individual champions, the meet will also decide team and individual qualifiers for the NCAA meet to be held April 2-4 in Philadelphia.
Under NCAA rules, only conference champions may vie for the national team title. However, any gymnast, regardless of his team affiliation, who places among his conference's top three in individual events, will also qualify for the national meet but on an individual basis only.
KU coach Bob Lockwood, who has termed this Jayhawk edition the best in KU history, is cautiously optimistic that his team can achieve its highest finish ever. The Jayhawks have never placed higher than the third place position they have occupied three of the last four years.
But the likelihood of a KU championship appears slim. Iowa State, unbeaten in dual competition, is currently ranked number one in the nation by the NCAA and is favored to win its fifth title in the last six years.
"Iowa State has to be favored," Lockwood said. "They have not scored below 160 (180 is a perfect team score) and they have the highest average in the nation."
While not conceding the team championship to the Cyclones, Lockwood is concerned with at least a second place finish.
"A second place finish is important to our program," he said. "It would be a great help to our recruiting."
The Jayhawk mentor said the top challengers to KU for the second place spot will be Kansas State and Oklahoma. The Wildcats are also ranked among the nation's top ten, behind Iowa State and KU, but Lockwood thinks Oklahoma may be a darkhorse.
"They just haven't put it together yet," he said. "If we miss our routines they could beat us—but then of course so could K-
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State."
The key to KU's success according to Lockwood will be improvement in the side-horse and floor exercise.
"We must be more consistent in the side-horse," he said, "and the technical aspects of the floor exercise must be improved. We have worked hard on this for two weeks and hope it will make the difference."
Strongest individual KU threats will come in the form of Kirk Gardner and Gerald Carley.
Gardner, and Atchinson junior, ranks first in both the conference and the nation in still ring competition. Carrying an average score of 9.35, his top score is a 9.55 against K-State on March 6.
Gardner has changed his routine especially for the meet and coach Lockwood is confident he can win with it.
"We think this set can win for him at Manhattan and also score high nationally," Lockwood said.
Carley, a Wichita junior, leads the conference in the high bar with an average score of 9.20. His best score is 9.35.
Carley's strongest competition may come from teammate Roger Hemphill. The Lawrence junior is currently ranked fifth in the conference with an average of 9.05.
Long horse specialist Ron Faunce is another Jayhawk strong-point. Currently tied for second in the conference, the Topeka sophomore carries a 9.25 average.
Lockwood also sees possibilities in all-around performer John Brouillette. A Wichita junior, Brouillette is ranked fourth and according to Lockwood would need a great effort to make the top three.
Finally, Dan Bradfield, Stan Clyne and Richard Schubert drew mention from Lockwood as being threats. Bradfield, an Overland Park junior, and Clyne, a Wichita sophomore, are floor exercise specialists and can challenge anyone nationally, according to their coach.
Schubert, a Lawrence sophomore, is ranked sixth in the side horse but Lockwood said his last two weeks have been his best and he is capable of challenging anyone.
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Bob Lockwood at work...
Gymnastics coach Bob Lockwood scrawls out the Jayhawk's lineup on the blackboard in preparation for the Big Eight meet this weekend in Manhattan.
KU trip to Tulsa is off
Kansas was snowed out of four baseball games Wednesday but quickly added two as coach Floyd Temple scheduled a doubleheader with Washburn University to open the Jayhawk's season March 25.
The twin bill with Washburn will be played at KU's Quigley Field at 1 p.m.
Earlier in the day Kansas' opening trip for doubleheaders in Tulsa with Tulaa University and Oral Roberts University this weekend was called off because of heavy snow. It was reported some areas in the Tulsa vicinity had received more than six inches of snow.
When it became impossible to work out corresponding opening dates with Tulsa and Oral Roberts, Temple decided to cancel the opening dates.
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