THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
SPORTS
7B
ROWING
Offseason doesn't mean time off for Kansas rowers
Jayhawks uses the break between fall and spring seasons to build strength and endurance to prepare for shorter, faster-paced races
BY BEN WARD
bward@kansan.com
The arrival of winter marks a period of change for the rowing team.
While the fall can essentially be characterized as the team's exhibition season, the spring season carries big-time implications. Events in the spring have a direct effect on Big 12 conference rankings, and even NCAA championship qualification.
Thus, while a majority of the team saw action in the fall, the increased competition in the spring will mean fewer boats on the water. The primary boats that will compete in the spring are the first and second varsity eights and the varsity four, leaving coach Rob Catloth with some personnel decisions to make.
"The main focus there is trying
to find your best eight, your best second eight, and your best four," Catloth said. "Those are the boats that are competing for the NCAA championship."
The movement toward spring
also represents a shift in the style of races. In the fall, the team primarily competes in head races, usually about four to five kilometers in length. In the spring, however, the team focuses on sprint races, which are only two kilometers.
Not only are they shorter, but sprint races have a decidedly more "race-like" feel to them. As opposed to head races, where the competing boats are staggered one after the other to start, sprint races begin with the boats lined up right alongside one another — providing an added boost in competition.
"From the start you know exactly where you are against other boats," senior Stacy Rachow said. "It's a lot more intense."
"All the little things really make a difference when each stroke counts."
STACY RACHOW Senior rower
Because the rigors of the spring demand a heavy off-season work load, the team has continued to focus on polishing up its technique.
"We need to place more focus on all of the technical stuff."
Rachow said. "All the little things really make a difference when each stroke counts."
Though the team's practice routine hasn't varied much, the venue certainly has.
Gone are the outdoor practices
and the actual time spent on the water. The team is relegated to working indoors until the spring, improving strength with weight training and building endurance on indoor rowing machines.
With the only visible sign of progress being digits on machines, the indoor practices can often be frustrating. But Catloth said he hoped his team could continue to work hard and view its efforts during the winter as a means to an end.
"One of our biggest focuses this year is to be really strong in the Big 12," Catloth said. "Hopefully everybody sees it as part of the process to help achieve their goals."
Edited by Amanda Thompson
Follow Ben Ward at twitter.
com/bm_dub.
**Rowers speed toward the finish in the 2009 Big 12 Rowing Championship. Coach Rob Catloth said he hoped to use the time between the fall and spring seasons to build on strength and endurance to be a big presence in the Big 12.**
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Nebraska victory ends Kansas State's postseason hopes
Oklahoma, Baylor continue to slide; Missouri receiver dominates against Iowa State
BY CLARK GOBLE
cgoble@kansan.com
NEBRASKA 17,
KANSAS STATE 3
A lot was on the line for the Wildcats.
touchdown for the second-consecutive game.
A victory would have put them in the Big 12 championship game and made them bowl eligible. Instead, a loss to the Cornhuskers ended their season.
Coach Bo Pelini installed an Information in his offense and gave junior Roy Helu Jr. 26 carries to help Nebraska move the ball down the field.
The Wildcats failed to score a
Nebraska will represent the North in the Big 12 championship game, but it will play Colorado next week in its final game of the regular season. The Cornhuskers have won four games in a row.
TEXAS TECH 41,
OKLAHOMA 13
A nightmare season for the Sooners got worse on Saturday.
Texas Tech's Baron Batch rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns to help the Red Raiders give the Sooners their most losses in a season since 1999.
Last season, Oklahoma routed Texas Tech 65-21. The Sooners haven't had a loss this bad since 2005 when they lost 45-12 to Texas.
With the victory, Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach became the winningest coach in Texas Tech history.
Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts wore the name "Nick" on the back of his jersey instead of "Potts." Leach said after the game.
that the name change was a tribute to former Kansas linebacker Nick Reid, whom he admired.
MISSOURI 34,
IOWA STATE 24
In his last three games, Missouri receiver Danario Alexander has put up numbers that could be considered pretty solid for an entire season. His 173-yard performance against Iowa State gave him 578 yards in the three games.
Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud threw a touchdown pass to put his team up 17-10 at halftime, but Missouri scored on two long touchdown passes in the second half to retake the lead.
The victory broke Missouri's threegame losing streak at home. The Tigers haven't lost more than threehome games in a row since 1993.
Missouri running back Derrick Washington left the game in the second quarter with an apparent
concussion. Blaine Gabbert helped the Missouri ground game out by rushing for 51 yards.
TEXAS A&M 38,
BAYLOR 3
The Aggies secured bowl eligibility with a dominant rushing attack against the Bears.
Two running backs, Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray, each rushed for more than 100 yards on less than 14 carries. It was the second time this season the duo have rushed for more than 100 yards in the same game.
The teams combined for 25 penalties for 238 yards.
Note: Information compiled from Associated Press reports
Edited by Nick Gerik
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nebraska players dump a cooler on coach Bo Pelini Saturday after beating Kansas State 17-3 in Lincoln, Neb. The Cornhuskers won the Big 12 North championship and will play Texas in the Big 12 title game.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No.6 Tennessee defeats No.12 Virginia, 77-63
BY HANK KURZ JR. Associated Press
Associated Press
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Angie Bjorklund scored 24 points and hit the big shots when Tennessee needed them as the No. 6 Lady Vols beat No. 12 Virginia 77-63 on Sunday.
Shekinna Stricklen added 20 points and Glory Johnson 14 for
Tennessee (3-0), playing for only the second time in Charlottesville, led 40-33 at halftime and pulled away after the Cavaliers (3-1) closed to 42-39. The rally ried up the crowd of 11,895 fans, a record for a women's basketball game at Virginia.
But Bjorklund stopped the surge with a four-point play, and when Taber Spani followed with a 3-pointer, the Lady Vols' lead was back to 10. Virginia got no closer than seven again.
Pre-season All-American Monica Wright led Virginia with 21 points, but Chelsea Shine, coming off a 27-point effort in a victory against South Carolina Upstate, had her first shot blocked by Kelley Cain and never seemed
Tennessee, which has beaten the Cavaliers in 12 of 14 meetings, but lost to Virginia at home last season, 83-82.
to recover. She scored three on 1-for-6 shooting.
Ariana Moorer scored 12 for the Cavaliers and Simone Egwu had 10.
The Lady Vols used an early 24-9 run to open a 26-15 lead. Stricklen had eight points in the spurt, and 6-foot-6 Cain blocked three shots and altered several others.
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Tennessee built its lead as high as 13 on several ocassions, but Wright and Moorer hit 3-pointers and Whitny Edwards had a jumper in an 8-2 run for Virginia to end the half.