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SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 1995
SECTION B
Lisa Perry / KANSAN
Kansas senior Manny Otitz practices at the Allen Field House tennis courts for an come meet in Nebraska. Ortiz has climbed through a tough four-year career at Kansas to become a key member of the men's tennis team.
The "corazon y alma" of Kansas men's tennis
By Robert Moczydlowsky
Kansan sportswriter
Manny Ortiz is known for his voice.
It crosses the courts and encourages his teammates. It tears through fences and unnerves his opponents.
His voice makes him strong. voice is his weapon. It used to be his enemy.
Ortiz grew up in Condado, Puerto Rico. As a high school senior, he was ranked No. 5 in the nation and was the No. 1-ranked doubles player in the Central American/Caribbean Region.
In 1990, then-Kansas coach Scott Perelman spotted him at the National Junior Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich. Perelman convinced Ortiz to make a campus visit, and after two days in Lawrence, Ortiz said his decision was easy.
Ironically, Falbo left Kansas for the professional ranks after his junior year. Ortiz came to Lawrence anyway, intent on becoming a freshman contributor to the up-and-coming Jay hawks.
"I just thought that Lawrence was the perfect college town," he says. "I was impressed by the crowds at the matches, too. One of the guys I knew from juniors, John Falbo, was an All-American here. I really wanted to be like him. I wanted to be on the same team as John Falbo."
What Ortiz became instead was a model of inconsistency. He was streaky as a singles player, splitting time between the No. 2, 3 and 6 singles positions. He enjoyed some success in doubles while paired with Carlos Fleming — eventually reaching a No. 26 national ranking — but his emotional outbursts hindered his abilities and cost him close matches.
He also had problems in the classroom, where his 1.9 freshman grade point average nearly left him academically ineligible.
"When I came here, I was mentally weak," Ortiz says. "I was a perfectionist, I had a serious problem controlling my temper."
When Michael Center replaced Perelman as Kansas coach in 1992, Ortiz's tantrums had worsened, and his record had started to suffer. He was no longer just losing matches. Now he was losing playing time. As a junior he fell completely out of the Kansas singles lineup, his role reduced solely to No. 2 doubles.
"I'm being totally honest when I say that there were times that I didn't think that Manny would make it," Center says. "He had a serious problem with his emotions. He would direct his anger and frustration toward his opponent. What we had to do was find a way for him to channel his emotions in a positive direction."
Ortiz began to work on his emotions and his
academics. He saw a sports psychologist, and he worked on his physique. Time previously spent partying was dedicated to athletics and academics. Motivated by his team's 1994 Big Eight Championship, Ortiz focused on once again becoming a major part of his team's success.
"I faced a lot of adversity," he says. "I wasn't playing that much, and I really wanted to be a help to the team. This year, I'm on an even keel and playing the best tennis of my life. What started all of this was the Davis Cup."
Earlier this spring, Ortiz traveled with teammate and fellow Puerto Rican J.P. Vespaeto to
See ORTIZ. Page 3B
BIG EIGHT TENNIS
Jayhawks close conference play Kansan staff report
The Kansas tennis teams will finish Big Eight Conference play on the road this weekend. Tomorrow, the No. 33-ranked women will play the Iowa State Cyclones in Ames, Iowa.
On Sunday, both Jayhawk teams will be in action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Neb.
Both Kansas teams are undefeated in conference play. The No. 14-ranked men's team is 4-0 in the conference. The women's team is 5-0.
The Big Eight tournament is April 21-23 in Oklahoma City.
Tournaments put golf teams in the top 10
By Jenni Carlson
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas men's and women's golf teams have taken their final competitive swings before the Big Eight Conference tournaments later this month.
And they looked to be good swings. Both teams placed in the top 10 in tournaments earlier this week. The women placed fifth at the rain-shortened Susie Maxwell Berming Classic in Norman, Okla. The men competed in the Western intercollegiate in Santa Cruz, Calif., and tied for ninth.
Because of lightening and bad course conditions at the women's tournament, the 12-team field played only one round. The Jayhawks played a portion of their round in 30-degree weather and high winds but still posted a 326 total.
But the team still was a little disappointed, said freshman Beb Reuter.
"We only missed third by three strokes," she said. "Other than Michelle, no one played a really good round."
Reuter was referring to senior teammate Michelle Uher. Uher's 75 propelled her to second place in the individual standings.
"Michelle has always been capable of playing very solid golf," Kansas women's golf coach Jerry Waugh said. "If you could choose someone on our team capable of playing three or four strokes over par, Michelle would be the one you'd select."
Uher's round tied the best competitive score of her career. She shot a 75 earlier this year at the Diet Coke-Roadrunner Invitational.
Despite the career mark, Uher said she played similar at the Berning Classic and the Jayhawks' last tournament, the Indiana Invitational — where she shot scores of 82, 81 and 78. The difference between the two tournaments was Uher's putting. Uher said she worked on the practice green and got some advice from a member of the men's team, junior Dan Rooney.
"He told me I was moving my legs," she said. "This round has built my confidence for Big Eight's."
A men's golfer that played two confident-building rounds was senior Tyler Shelton. In leading the men's team to its 10th place finish, Shelton opened the Western Intercollegiate with rounds of 71 and 72. He was in fourth place, two shots out of the lead, after the first two rounds.
"My score blossomed to 77 in the third round, though," Shelton said. "I was disappointed with my finish."
But Kansas men's golf coach Ross Randall was optimistic about Shelton's performance on the Pasatiempo Golf Course, one of the world's top 100 courses.
"He's coming around to where he was last fall," Randall said. "It was a good field and a very difficult golf course."
The progress of the remaining Jayhawks has not happened as quickly, he said. The unpredictable weather hampered the team's practice this spring.
"There's not much consistency, and I think that's a lack of practice time," Randall continued. "Now, we've got some time and some good weather to get some things done."
The Jayhawks shouldn't have to worry about the weather. And with senior Tom Sims' performance at the Western intercollegiate, Kansas shouldn't have to worry about having a consistent fifth player, either.
That problem has plagued the Jayhawks all spring. But Sims placed 28th, carding the Jayhawks second-best score.
With that performance, Sims solidified his position on the competitive team, Randall said.
"He just got off to a slow start," Randall added. "Now, his confidence is back."
Seniors and Robinson sav farewell at hoops banquet
Sean R. Crosler / KANSAN
Outgoing Kansas men's assistant basketball coach Steve Robinson acknowledges the crowd after a standing ovation at the Kansas basketball banquet. He was named the new head coach of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Wednesday.
By Christoph Fuhrmans
Kansan sportswriter
The voice of the Jayhawks, Bob Davis, was the master of ceremonies for the banquet that gave four members of the Jayhawks a chance to say their goodbyes. Kansas senior center Greg Oostertag and senior guards Greg Gurley and Scott Novosel said their respective farewells along with assistant coach Steve Robinson. Robinson was named head coach of the Tula Golden Hurricane on Wednesday.
A crowd of about 800 people clapped and cheered as they watched the highs and lows of the season during last night's basketball banquet in Allen Field House. There were many more highs than lows after a 25-6 season, a Big Eight Conference championship and a trip to the NCAA tournament's Sweet 16.
With emotional players and coaches alike at a loss for words, a highlight film of the 1994-95 Kansas men's basketball team captured the season's essence better than any one person could.
Ostertag, Gurley and Robinson all became emotional, trying to explain their respect for Kansas basketball.
Novosel, on the other hand, displayed his emotion in a different way. Filled with nervous energy, Novosel
excitedly thanked his teammates, coaches and family and friends.
Gurley, who was suffering from the flu, tried to put into words what being a Kansas Jayhawk for four years meant to him during his speech.
"I don't know what I could say that would sum it all up," he said. "I'm at a loss."
"I wanted to apologize for causing all those gray hairs so I took it upon myself to go to the store and by him some Just For Men in extra black," Ostertag said to the laughing crowd.
Novosel said his best moment was when he started against Oklahoma State for the conference championship on senior day.
"If I had been the coach, I probably wouldn't have started me against Randy Rutherford," he said. "But he did and gave我 confidence."
Ostergat was full of confidence during his speech. In his usual fun-loving manner, Ostertag presented Kansas coach Roy Williams with a gift for putting up with him for four years.
The crowd was silent, though, as Robinson thanked the program that he had been a part of for seven years.
"The most difficult thing is to try and explain how I feel right now," he said. "The bottom line is that I care very much for Roy Williams and Kansas basketball."
Men's basketball awards
Ken Koeings Academic Award: Jacquie Vaughn and Jared Massa
Dutch Lonborg Free-throw Percentage Award: Greg Gurley
Cedric Hunter Assists Award: Jacquie Vaughn
Clyde Lowellatte Most Improved Player Award: Billy Thomas
Tad Owens Defensive Player Award: Scot Poland and Joel Hause
Bill Bridgets Rebounding Award: Greg Guttering and Reed LaFrentz
Dick Heip Field Goal Percentage Award: Greg Ostertag
James Nashmith Captain's Award: Jacquie Vaughn, Jared Massa and Greg Gurley
Dr. Forrest C "Phog" Allan Must Valuable Player Award: Jacquie Vaughn
The men's basketball banquet was an emotional time for Kansas assistant coach Steve Robinson, who will be the new head coach of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane nextyear.