Monday, February 26, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Senior Day ends on a low note
By Jessie Mever
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Saturday was when everything was supposed to go right for the lady Jayhawks.
the seniors — Brooke Reves, Jennifer Jackson and Jaclyn Johnson — would play their last game in Allen Fieldhouse in front of family and friends, walking away with the sweet memory of victory ingrained in their minds forever.
But just as the rest of the season has unfolded for the Kansas women's basketball team, things did not go according to plan against the Missouri Tigers Saturday in 69-55 loss.
On a day filled with the emotion and sadness of reaching the end of an era for three Kansas seniors, the Jayhawks (10-16 overall and 4-11 in the Big 12 Conference) lost to Missouri (18-8 and 9-6) for the second time this season. It was the first time the Jayhawks have lost on Senior Day since 1990.
"We really wanted this win, and it just didn't fall for us tonight," Reves said. "We tried to rally but we just couldn't hold on to it, and it slipped away from us."
The Jayhawks were down by as many as 22 points in the first half with Reves and Johnson both on the bench in foul trouble. The Jayhawks, trailing by 17 points at halftime, had dug themselves a hole they would never crawl out of.
They didn't go down without a fight.
though, Johnson came to life in the second half, playing with the three fouls she picked up in the first half, scoring 18 of her game-high 21 points.
"I was a little upset after the first half," Johnson said. "I just felt like we weren't doing what almost won us the game down in Missouri and that's put the ball inside."
When Kansas began to pound the ball into Johnson, the Tigers started to find foul trouble of their own, and the 'Hawks were able to convert four three-point plays in the second half.
But despite an 11-2 run that helped bring the game within 11 points, the 'Hawks just couldn't get out of the ditch they had dug.
"We lost our intensity for a second, and it slipped away," Reves said. "It was always a fight, always a struggle, always going against the grain."
Saturday's game was about more than just winning or losing for the Jayhawks. It was about saying goodbye to seniors Jackson, Reves and Johnson, along with redshirt junior Nikki White, who has opted not to return for her last year of eligibility because of an injury.
"We went in the locker room, and I basically didn't say anything about the game," Washington said. "It's really about these seniors and trying to celebrate what they've meant to this program."
K. C. Hilgenkamp gives senior teammate Brooke Reves a hug after Revis' postgame senior speech Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse. Reaves and fellow seniors Jaclyn Johnson and Jennifer Jackson, and redshirt junior Nikki White all spoke about their appreciation for fans, family, coaches and teammates at the conclusion of their final home game. Photo by Laurie Skiers/KANSAN.
Edited by Jay Pilgreen
Rowers trade water for dry land in contest
By Jay Mullinix sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
For a few hours Saturday afternoon, members of the women's rowing team traded competition on the open water for dry land, racing in the Indoor Ergometer Championships at the Anschutz Sports Pavilion.
The competition, which divided contestants by age and weight, consisted of 2,000-meter races on individual rowing machines, called ergometers. The top 30 rows in both the men and women categories also competed in a 500-meter sprint race at the end of the day. Competitors were divided into two age groups — younger than 20 years old and 20 or older.
Along with the Jayhawk rowers, more than 350 other men and women representing varsity and club teams from various Big 12 Conference and other regional schools were in attendance.
For the rowers, the meet proved to be one of the most demanding endurance tests of the entire season.
Despite the pain, Hickey still managed to take home a silver medal in the Women's Under 20 Openweight race with a time of 7 minutes. 24.2 seconds as well as a bronze in the 500-meter sprint race with a 1:38.5 time.
"This is like rowing, take away all the nice scenery and being outside," said freshman Beth Hickey. "It just completely drains you because you're not working with the team. It's just you versus the clock and a stupid machine."
Also medalging for the Jayhawks were sophomore Mary Koboldt, who took the gold in the Over 20 Lightweight race (7:43:32); senior Heather Muir, who won the silver in the 500-meter sprint (1:38:22); and freshman Beth Olson, who earned a bronze in the Under 20 Openweight race with a 7:26 time.
Kansas coach Rob Catloth said he was pleased with the efforts of the Jayhawk rowers.
"We were just looking for solid individual performances and we saw some good ones here today, so I'm happy with how it went," he said.
Assistant coach Heather Galvin said that because the competition was so
Coxswain Erin Roos, Apple Valley, Minn., freshman, gives words of encouragement to Christine Smith, Topeka, freshman, after her 2000m ergometer rowing race on Saturday. Photo by Laurie Sisk/KANSAN.
individually focused, the pressure factor is much higher for the rowers.
"I think the girls feel a little more pressure for this," Galvin said. "In a normal race you're in a boat, rowing as a team against other teams. Here it's just you by yourself and the erg."
New NCAA regulations served to heighten the focus on individuality. The new rules prohibit varsity teams from competing before the start of the spring season. All varsity rowers were, therefore, required to compete as individuals.
Because of the new rules, the team total points trophy, which Kansas had claimed each of the past five years, was awarded to the top club team in attendance. The Kansas State club team earned the trophy Saturday with 318 points.
The Jayhawks now have a monthlong break before their first regatta of the spring season Saturday, March 24, when they take on Texas in Austin, Texas.
By Michael Sudhahafan
Kansan sportswriter
sports@kansan.com
Track teams finish ninth at conference championships
Edited by Jay Pilgreen
The Kansas track and field team finished ninth in both the men's and women's competition at the Big 12 Indoor Championships in Lincoln, Neb. last weekend.
The Jayhawk men finished fewer than 10 points out of sixth place as Nebraska, Texas A&M and Texas rounded out the top three.
Coach Stanley Redwine said he had mixed emotions about the meet.
"We had some disappointments in some events, but on the other hand we had some great performances," Redwine said. "We still need to work harder and learn how to compete at a level like this."
Junior All-American Charlie Gruber scored points with a thirdplace finish in the mile — 4 minutes, 5.94 seconds. Senior Andy Morris placed second in the heptathlon with 5.486 points. The Jayhawks also benefited from senior Andy Tate, who took third in the 3,000 meters, and senior Jabari Wamble, who finished fifth in the 400.
Wamble said he worked hard to get points for the team in the 400-meter dash.
"It's a business thing for me," Wamble said. "I think we wanted to get to points out of the 400 and I did that."
In the women's competition, the Jayhawks posted 32 points along with their ninth-place finish. Nebraska won the meet followed by Texas and Kansas State. Coach Redwine said he was pleased with the women's team effort.
Junior Brian Blachly also gave Kansas two points by finishing seventh in the 1,000-meter run.
"The women did excellent," Redwine said. "We came in thinking that they could score 31 points
and they scored 32 points. Everyone stepped up and did their best."
Senior Sherre-Khan Blackmon placed seventh in the 600 yard dash in 123.90.
Blackmon said her previous experience in the conference meet
"Since I was here last year, I felt like I had a bit of experience coming into the event." Blackmon said. "Even though I did insev
enth, helping the team out with some points was what I wanted to do."
Gruber took third place in the mile with a 4:05.94 time
Sophomore Brandi Taylor gave the Jayhawks points in the triple jump event with a 38-1 1/2 jump and 11th place finish. Junior Kathryn Eisenmenger placed fourth in the 1,000 meters, 2.52.15, while freshman Laura Lavioie gained a fifth-place effort in the 800 meter, 21.081.
Junior Jennifer Foster continued her strong effort in the shot put with a 24-2/3-4 toss while the 4x400 relay team placed fourth.
Redwine said the women's team performance was evidence of its vast improvement from last season.
"I think finishing ninth this year from 12th last year is a great accomplishment for our women's team." Redwine said.
Kansas will compete at the NCAA Qualifying meets on Friday in Ames, Iowa and
Saturday in Lincoln, Neb
— Edited by Courtney Craigmile
Saturday in Lincoln, Neb
Loss doesn't spoil emotion of farewell
By Brandon Stinnett sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportswriter
For Jaclyn Johnson, Brooke Reves, Jennifer Jackson and Nikki White, Saturday's loss to Missouri did little to dampen the emotion during the traditional Senior Day festivities.
The Jayhawks lost to Missouri for the second time this season and dropped their eighth game in Allen Fieldhouse.
The 69-55 loss wasn't the send-off envisioned by
their final home game at Kansas
It's been a wild ride for each of the four players. Three of them, Johnson, Jackson and White, came to Kansas as freshmen in 1997, and Reves joined them a year later after transferring from Wichita State.
White's four years at Kansas have been hindered by injuries. A redshirt junior this year, she decided not to come back for a fifth year because of her injuries. Still, her greatest memory as a Jayhawk came during her freshman season when the team made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
During individual speeches immediately after the game, the four players took time to thank their families, friends and coaches who have helped them throughout their college careers.
"We had to come in and produce and come in and really play some minutes," White said. "I really remember that year because we had to step up. I think that helped us mature even faster."
"I think in the past I could have done a little bit more, but that isn't what Coach wanted me to do," Johnson said about Marian Washington. "I have to go by what she says or I'm going to be sitting on the bench."
Johnson will take nothing but positive memories away from her time at Kansas, but the 6-foot-1 forward wishes she could have made a bigger impact early in her career.
It wasn't until this season that Johnson became the team's goto player. She leads the Jayhawks in points (16), rebounds (7.7) and steals (2.3).
"This year, I can handle the pressure, that's fine," Johnson said. "I think I'd rather have the wins than the points."
Johnson: leads in points, rebounds and steals
Johnson said she reveled in the responsibility that went with being a team leader, but she'd rather see the Jayhawks (10-16, 4-11) with a better win-loss record.
Reves: joined team after transferring from Wichita State
Jackson: said career at Kansas was a great experience
Jackson, whose family traveled from Florida to see the game, said four years at Kansas
White:redshirt junior will not return next season
ranked among the greatest experiences of her life. "I've enjoyed it more than I could have ever hoped when I came out here," Jackson said. "Coach Washington's been great and I came in here with a great group."
Washington said it was nice to see all the fans who stayed after the game to honor the seniors for their efforts.
"We had a great crowd." Washington said. "I really appreciate that the fans stayed and showed their love and support of these young seniors who, through four years, have done well for us. They've been to the Sweet 16, and with the exception of this year, they've helped us be a nationally ranked ball club. So they have a lot to be proud of."
- Edited by Courtney Craigmile
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