KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2011 / SPORTS
9A
SWIMMING
Swimming team prepares for Big 12 Championships
BY BLAKE SHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
Before entering the pool on Saturday at the Robinson Center, the KU Swimming and Diving team had been riding a hot streak of success that goes back to early January.
The Jayhawks opened up the New Year by winning the Orange Bowl Classic in Key Largo, Fla., on Jan. 4. That win was followed up by wins against Florida International, Louisiana State University, American University, and Vanderbilt. The Kansas squad then fell to #18 Arkansas at home, by a score of 170-130.
The loss came the day after Kansas' swimmer Iulia Kuzhil, Cherkasy, Ukraine senior, was named one of the two Big 12 swimmers of the week.
"I didn't expect it all," Kuzhil said. "It was really a big surprise for me."
Prior to being named swimmer
of the week, Kuzhil had placed first five times in various events.
After the loss, the Jayhawks had little time to dwell on the defeat before their meet at Nebraska two days later. In Lincoln, the Jayhawks cruised to a 180.5-140.5 victory.
Fueled by their success, the Jayhawks entered the water against South Dakota and the University of Northern Iowa.
The day started out with the 400-Yard Medley, which University of Kansas won with a time of 3:52.84. The first swimmer into the pool for the University in that medley was Heather Clark, Lawrence freshman, who was pleased to start the day with a win. By the end of the meet, the Jayhawks had added two more to the win column. Kansas finished the meet with zero losses and one tie to combine for final scores of 186-91 over UNI and 165-89 over South Dakota.
After winning five out of their last six meets, coach Clark Campbell was also pleased.
"It's one of our stronger events, so it's nice to know that we can go out and win that first," Clark said.
Chris Bronson/KANSAN
"We've had a really good January" Campbell said. "This is a three-and-a-half-week period where we do a lot of training and a lot of racing."
This series of constant meets and practice sessions, which coach Campbell referred to as an in-season "training camp" is to prepare for the team's main goal: The Big 12 championships.
Junior distance swimmer Shannon Garlie displays her endurance in the women's 1000 yard freestyle race Saturday afternoon when the Jayhawks hosted Northern Iowa and South Dakota. Garlie's time of 10:24:54 landed her a second-place finish.
"That's our Super Bowl," Campbell said of the Big 12 Championships, which are set to meet in Austin, Texas at the end of February. "We're hoping to get several people qualified for the NCAA championships in March."
One of those vying for the NCAA Championship bid is Kuzhil.
Edited by Amanda Sorell
"My goal is to make it to NCs, and from there just swim as fast as I can," Kuzhil said.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Sooners' threes beat out Jayhawks
BY ETHAN PADWAY epadway@kansan.com
An onslaught of early three-point shots gave Oklahoma a 17-point lead going into the halftime. The Sooners would never relinquish the lead in their 75-57 victory against the Jayhaws.
"It felt good, I'm not going to lie," Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale said. "It takes the pressure off, and it just changes the way you feel. It was really good to see our players hit that next level of confidence."
Freshman guard Aaryn Ellenberg led the Sooners in shooting. Ellenburg was a perfect 5-5 in the first half when shooting from three-point range. Ellenburg finished the day 6-10 from downtown. Three of Ellenburg's five first-half three-point shots came from the left side of the arc, while the other two came from the top of the arc.
Sophomore guard Whitney Hand added two more threes in the first half as the Sooners shot 77.8 percent from three-point range in the first half.
"Ellenberg got a lot of threepointers off on us and so did Hand. We did not match up and get back in defensive transition," Sophomore forward Carolyn Davis said.
The Sooners' outside shooting slowed down in the second half, as they finished the day 10-20. But it was still above their average of 42.6 percent on the season.
"It itd feel (like they were making everything). But once that happens you need to adjust and see that we can't leave them open. If someone is on fire you can't let them feel good about themselves so you reed to change it and not let them get a shot off," sophomore guard Angel Goodrich said.
Sophomore guard Angel Goodrich goes up for a basket. Goodrich scored 15 points against the Sooners.
The layhawks could not match Ellenburg's output, finishing the day 2-7 from three-point range, with Goodrich and freshman guard Keena Mays being the only Jayhawks to connect from downtown.
Ashleigh Lee/KANSAN
"I think that the three-pointers started coming in transition. I did not feel that we were communicating well in transition. Ellenberg was able to knock down some three-pointers in the beginning and we started to give her a cushion in
the zone," senior guard Marisha Brown said.
The Sooners had struggled from three-point range in Big 12 play up until they faced the Jayhawks,
shooting 22.6 percent. This included a 0-9 performance against Kansas State on January 12th.
"It makes the game a lot easier
(when you make shots)." Thankfully,
we were hitting shots today," Hand said.
— Edited by Becca Harsch
BIG 12 (CONTINUED FROM 12A)
seven in a row.
We've been behind in a league race before," Self said, "but it puts us in a situation where there's very little margin for error."
There's so little margin for error, Self said, because of the quality
of this reads team. The Longhorns have strolled through their opening four conference games, winning by an average of 20.8 points per game.
enough to win a national championship. I really do. I think they're one of the best five teams in the country right now, hands down."
Key in the effort to win the Big 12, of course, is All-America candidate Marcus Morris. Morris was
"It puts us in a situation where there's very little margin for error."
BILL SELF Coach
including two victories over top 10 teams. There's little sign of the devastating crash that sent the Longhorns reeling to 9-7 finish in the league after opening Big 12 play as the nation's top-ranked team.
"I personally think Texas is real-
ly good." Self said. "I mean, good
just 6-of-17 from the field in Saturday's loss, and he'll need to play at a much higher level throughout the conference slate. He said the conference is tougher than
ever because top to bottom, particularly in the north division, there are no days off.
"It's going to be a lot tougher," Morris said. "Every game you're going to have to play."
Edited by Helen Mubarak
BY NICO ROESLER nroesler@kansan.com
Alumnae places in PGA tournament
Gary Woodland, a 2007 University of Kansas graduate placed second yesterday in the PGA Bob Hope Classic in La Quinta, Calif., in a shootout after leading the tournament heading into Sunday.
Jhonattan Vegas made a 13-foot par putt to take the lead and victory away from the former KU golfer. Woodland, who transferred to the University in 2003 after playing basketball for Washburn, recorded eight top-10 finishes and 10 top-20 finishes during his senior campaign with the Jayhawks. He also won the title at the All-American Golf Classic with a three-round
Vegas was the first Venezuelan to win a PGA tour event, and held a share of the lead throughout the tournament with Woodland.
Woodland has been participating in PGA since 2009. He said that making the cut to the U.S. Open in 2009 was the highlight of his golf career according to kansasathletics.com. In 2010, he played on the Nationwide Tour making the cut nine times and recording five top-25 finishes, and bringing him $56,370.
score of 211.
The final putt in the Bob Hope Classic, which Vegas made, was for $900,000 according to the Associated Press, a title and a prize that Woodland was one stroke away from winning.
Put your Professors in your backpack! CaptureNotes New iPad application now available! Record live lectures, type or write notes and review all notes at anytime. (www.CaptureNotes.com)
Edited by Emily Soetaert
AUDITION
Monday January 24th
7:00 pm
Studio 242
Robinson Center
NO SOLO MATERIAL REQUIRED
UNIVERSITY DANCE COMPANY
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 785-864-4264
Nail Specials
$20 spa manicure (reg. $30)
$35 spa pedicure (reg. $45)
CALL FOR APPT - 785.830.3979
Located inside The Eldridge
Tanning Specials
One month unlimited
level 1 $25
level 2 $45
level 3 $65
Two weeks unlimited
level 1 $15
level 2 $30
level 3 $45
2 Hours FREE
valet parking
will not purchase
1200 Oread Ave
(inside The Oread)
785.830.3908