monday, march 1, 2004
the university daily kansar
sports
7A
Senior plays last game at fieldhouse
By Jonathan Kealing
jkealing@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Leila Menguc, Stockholm, Sweden, senior, waved to the crowd as she stood next to former women's basketball coach Marian Washington. Menguc played 15 minutes her last game in Allen Fieldhouse on Senior Day Saturday.
Saturday, Senior Day, Leila Mengui played her last game at Allen Fieldhouse in front of family, friends and fans bearing signs congratulating her.
All-American Swedish Girl
Betow are some of the many placards held by fans at the fieldhouse Saturday. In part, they help to tell the story of a Jayhawk from Sweden.
Mengüç has been a Jayhawk scholar three times and was named to the Academic All-Big 12 first team twice.
On Saturday, Menguc's mother, Leena, came to Kansas to see her daughter play her last games. This was her first trip to Lawrence.
it's quite an atmosphere. I went to the European Championships in Stockholm last year," Leena Menguiq said, "and I think the whole atmosphere here is better."
Thanks for Many Good Years
This has been a different year for the senior, as she lost her spot in the starting lineup and her playing time has decreased.
Last season Mengüç started 28 of 29 games and notched 77 points, an average of almost three per game.
game.
"I still remember the first time I came to the Fieldhouse," she said.
"I ran all the way up to the top with my camera. It was love at first sight."
Swedish Girls Rule
Swedish Christmas Basketball came to Mengtie at an early age. Influenced by elder
sisters Elin and Aila, Mengiuc put on her first uniform at an early age. Aila played basketball at Florida International University.
"Lela wanted to start, and the coach gave her a jersey. Her size, very tiny and little." Leena Menguç said. "She was six or seven."
She played throughout childhood and high school. She also played on a Swedish club team that won Swedish and Nordic Championships.
Leila, We Love You
With her limited minutes this year. Mengüç has been able to take
another role on the team.
"She's the heart of the team," junior guard Aquanita Burras said. "She's that person who can push you, get you going."
Interim coach Lynette Woodard echoed Burras' sentiments.
"She has been the heart and soul of this team for four years," Woodard said. "A great motivator, she plays with passion." Leila Rocks
Leila Rocks
Earlier in the week, Mengüc indicated that she expected her team to go out and do all it could for a victory. She was pleased, even
though the team couldn't bring back a victory.
"It was great. Everybody put their effort out there," Mengüçsaid.
While she may not have always posted the highest numbers, Mengüc has always worked to provide support and intangibles to her Jayhawk team. She remains thankful for her Kansas experience.
enice.
"I want to thank coach Washington"
Menguc said, "for taking me to this wonderful place."
- Edited by Ashley Arnold
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12A
This all rattled through my mind waiting outside Marian's office. But instead of Beau exiting the door, it was Marian, her face with that constant warm smile.
NEWELL: Washington's career covered more than just coaching
She didn't want to just talk with me, she wanted to invite me inside her office.
Sitting in her large guest chair, trophies and awards and clippings and photographs of players
the office of a therapist.
"She's the type of person that you can talk to about anything," junior guard Aquanita Burras said. "If you're mother's not there, she's there. That's a lot, when you have 15 daughters."
so many players—surrounding me, I realized the one truth about Marian Washington: This was not the office of an instructor, this was the office of a mother.
Say what you will about her recent coaching record. In 31 years, she won seven league titles, and considering there were between seven and 11 teams to compete against, this still seems pretty successful.
She pushed for the progression of women's basketball. She fought for equality between the women's and men's programs. She helped those women in college today who might not even know she did.
But even that's not the point. Marian meant so much more than victories.
"I hope everybody takes a second to thank Marian Washington," Athletics Director Lew Perkins said. "She laid the
groundwork for women's basketball. If nothing else, that's what I'll always remember Marian for."
But notice Perkins didn't talk about coach Washington or Ms. Washington. It was Marian. That's what it was to all that met her.
More than the wins, more than the equal rights, more than basketball itself, Marian, for 31 years, did something amazing: She had a positive impact on people's lives.
Maybe the best example is interm coach Lynette Woodard. Sure, Marian taught her about basketball, which enabled Woodard to become the all-time leading scorer in women's NCAA history and pursue a professional career with the Harlem Globetrotters (the first woman, in fact) and in the WNBA. But, when talking about Marian, that is not what comes to Woodard's mind.
"The love that she gives to other people and her giving spirit. I wasn't like that in the beginning," Woodard said. "I watched her and saw the fruit from that, and I would always say if I could be a little like that, I would be very proud of my life."
One can only hope, wherever she is, Marian is proud of hers as well.
Coach. Teacher. Mother.
But, most of all, just Marian.
Newell is an Emporia sophomore in journalism. He is the women's basketball beat writer.
Hearing will continue to debate numerous Bryant trial issues
The Associated Press
information is relevant.
the extensive agenda for a hearing this week.
EAGLE, Colo. — The woman who accused Kobe Bryant of rape told police she had consensual sex with someone else two days before her encounter with the NBA star, but whether jurors will be allowed to hear that is part of
Before such information can be presented to the jury at Bryant's assault trial, the state's rape-shield law requires that Bryant's attorneys prove to the judge in a closed-door hearing that the woman's prior sexual
The woman is scheduled to testify behind closed doors tomorrow. She and Bryant will be in court together for the first time since the Los Angeles Lakers guard was arrested in July.
guard was arrested. In court filings, defense attorneys Hal Haddon and Pamela
Mackey have argued that the woman's sexual conduct is relevant because it could show the injuries could have been caused by someone else.
Prosecutors maintain that the information is irrelevant and want the judge to prohibit it from being introduced at trial.
Prosecutors also want the judge to limit the defense questioning of the woman tomorrow. "It is a humiliating fishing expedition which the prosecution seeks to prevent," prosecutor Dana Easter wrote in a filing on Friday.
Attorneys are scheduled to resume arguments on whether
the woman gave up her right to confidentiality of her medical history because she talked about it with others, and on whether certain evidence against Bryant including his statement to police should be thrown out because of the methods police used during the investigation.
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