University Daily Kansan / Wednesday, April 18, 1990
Sports
11
Kansas Relays continues tradition at KU
Athletes revive stadium
Bv Mollv Reid
Kansan sportswriter
Memorial Stadium has stood relatively silent in the shadow of the Campanile since the conclusion of football in the fall. But, as the spring sun moves the shadow from the field, the silence ends.
Today will begin the 65th year that the Kansas Relays has revived Memorial Stadium.
the competition begins with the decathlon and heptathlon events, which continue through tomorrow, Kansas athletes competing are multi-event athletes Kim Huthoefer-Busch and Chris Walters. Steve Palmquist, a Kansas redshirt junior, will compete unattached.
Competition begins at 10 a.m. today and tomorrow, and the field events begin at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The track events begin at 1 p.m. both days.
Kansas track coach Gary Schwartz estimated that 2,500 high school, college, club and unattached athletes will compete in the four-day meet.
Schwartz said 60 men's and women's college teams and clubs and 90 high school teams would compete, which is approximately the same number as last year.
Because attendance at the meet has dropped since the days when former Kansas world-record holder Jim Ryun competed in the late '60s and former Olympian Bruce Jenner competed in the 70s, Schwartz said he had tried to make the meet as attractive as he could to encourage colleges and high schools to compete
the public is much more difficult, he said.
"There are so many more sporting events available to go or on watch TV," he said. "In spring, there are so many activities youngsters are tied up in. One of my teammates called and said he would not be able to come Saturday morning because his kids have a soccer game. I understand that."
However, attracting the interest of
- Gary Schwartz Kansas track coach
'I could worry about showmanship and getting people in the stands. In that case we could hire the Beach Boys and get a lot of people here.'
Schwartz scid he was not concerned about the number of people in the stands. He is more concerned about the quality on the track.
"There are two ways to look at it," he said. "One, I could worry about showmanship and getting people in the stands. In that case we could hire the Beach Boys and get a lot of people here.
"Or, I can run a quality meet with large numbers of opportunities for competition and hope that people will come to watch. I lean toward the latter. I'm a coach; we want to put a quality product on the track."
65th Annual Kansas Relays
April 18-20
The Kansas staff has tried to make the meet more attractive to the
April 18-20 Events start at 10 a.m. at Jim Hershberger Track, Memorial Stadium
Top performers:
Mark Dalley (Eastern Michigan)
Men
Clifton Etheridge (K-State)
Neal Guldy (Southwestern La.) high jump
Brad Holwerda (Michigan)
Vince Labosky (Kansas)
Women
Kevin Little (Drake)
Kevin Little (Drake)
sprints Chris Walters (Kansas)
Felicia Allen (Missouri)
Jenns Walters (Kansas)
•decathlon
general public and KU students by offering a student body relay.
sprints
long jump
Seven teams of four men and four women are registered to compete in the 1,600-meter relay, said Amanda Stullken, co-chairman of the student relay.
Julieanne Broughton (Arizona) high jump
Stulken and co-chairman Pam Oyerly organized the race and designed T-shirts for the winners.
Julie Howerton (Kansas)
- middle distance
Kim Huthoefer-Busch (Kansas) shentethbln
Teri LeBlanc (Missouri)
Winners above the high school level will receive watching
KANSAN Graphic
- long jump
Angle Miller (K-State)
·discus
Mindy Rowland (Michigan)
- distance
"One way to increase interest is to put a good Kansas team on the track," he said.
Kansas track could be a catalyst for the meet.
Schwartz said that the quality of
The depth in the men's relay teams will be beneficial to the Jayhawks, Schwartz said. He said that with the talent, he could move the athletes around and put his best in the four-mile relay and the 3,200 relay. The women will compete in only one relay, the one-mile.
By Molly Reid
Some have seen Olympic glory
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas Relays is celebrating its 65th year at the University of Kansas.
Since the construction of Memorial Stadium in 1921, the event, which began as the brainchild of Kansas football coach John Outland, has grown.
Outland suggested that the Midwest needed such an event. After gaining support from athletic director and basketball coach Phog Allen, the plans were realized on April 20, 1923.
The first meet included 60 athletes from across the country.
In its first 60 years the meet attracted college and prep athletes that eventually gained Olympic glory.
Kansas track stars, such as Tom Poor, Jim Bausch and Glenn Cunningham, were some of the first athletes to win events in the Relays, and they went on to compete in the Olympics.
From the late 1940s until the mid-60s, when Bill Easton and Bob Timmons ran the Kansas track program, the Jahayaws dominated the conference. With athletes such as distance runner Wes Santee, who won the outstanding performer award in the Texas, Drake and Kansas Relays, the Relays became a premier,track meet.
In 1958, the meet began including high school competitors and the meet
During its 64 years, Kansas athletes have won the outstanding performer award 23 times, more than any other school.
produced some of the best high school marks of the time.
Gary Schwartz Kansas track coach
'Obviously the sport has changed. There are more meets. There are better facilities.'
in 1962, women were allowed to compete in the meet. Olympic competitors Merlene Otley of Nebraska and Naval E Moutawakel of Mor
oeco won multiple events at the Relays.
The arrival of distance runner Jim Ryun to Kansas in 1966 extended the Jayhawks' success. The three-time Olympian set Kansas Relays records by winning the mile run in 3 minutes, 54.94 seconds and being named outstanding performer in each of his four years.
Former Kansas Relays competitor Bruce Jenner won the gold medal in the decathlon in the 1976 Olympics.
As the director of the Relays in the '90s, Kansas track coach Gary Schwartz said he would do his best to attract top competition.
"Obviously the sport has changed," Schwartz said. "There are more meets. There are better facilities. The relay meets have gotten so big that they are a full, full, full either four or two-day program. Some coaches are making the decision to go to smaller meets.
Athlete competes by herself
"We're trying our best to make this meet, in its present format, as attractive to college and high school coaches as we can."
Special to the Kansan
By Monica Mendoza Special to the Kansan
MaryBeth Labosky works out with the Kansas track team during the week, but she often competes against them on weekends.
Labosky, who is sitting out as a transfer from St. John's University, has been competing in the high jump as an unattached athlete. Unable to compete or travel with the team because of NCAA regulations, Labosky has had to seek out nearby meets on her own, said Rick Attig, assistant track coach.
The Vincentown, N.J. native will compete in the open high jump at the Kansas Relays, which start today and continue through Saturday.
As an unattached athlete, Labosky must provide her own transportation and pay an entry fee at each meet, usually between $5 and $10.
On Saturday, Labosky finished first in the women's high jump at the Emporia State Relays with a jump of 5 feet $10^{\frac{1}{2}}$.
Labosky, who is the sister of Kansas javelin thrower Vince Labosky, said searching for other track meets and fitting them into her schedule had been difficult. She said she had classes that usually conflicted with meet times.
meet times.
Her goal is to qualify for The
Athletic Congress outdoor champions, which will be in June in California. The meet is the national championship for amateur track.
When Labosky left St. John's in Jamaica, N.Y., she knew she would have to sit out for a season of collegiate competition. But she thought Kansas' coaching staff and program would be in her best interest.
"High jumping is a very neglected area because it is so technical." Labosky said. "They take it seriously here at KU. The coaches and the athletes have better attitudes and are more motivated."
concerned about the possibility
Attig said 'the NCAA rule state that students transferring from one four-year Division I institution to another must sit out the next season without losing any athletic eligibility. Labosky, a sophomore academically, will remain a sophomore in athletic eligibility next year.
"She doesn't have much choice. It's something that she has to do," Attig said.
She said she told Attig that she was
It is also possible that, because she is not affiliated with the team, Labosky would have to finance her trip to California if she qualifies for the TAC meet. The qualifying height is 6 feet $1 \frac{1}{2}$.
"TAC is one of the biggest meets you can get to," Labosky said. "I walked in and said 'Coach, what if I make the jump and then I can't pay for the trip?' "
Attig said that he was looking into the rules to see if it would be possible for Kansas to finance the trip.
Labosky said that she was getting closer to her goal. She said she hoped that she would be able to make the jump to jump Saturday at the Kansas Relays.
"I think she can clear it," Attig said. "Mentally, she is ready to clear something that high."
Aug said he was happy that Labosky was seeking out other meets to compete at. He said if it weren't for the transfer rule she would definitely be an important part of the team.
Labosky's jump last weekend was higher than the NCAA qualifying mark of $5-8\frac{3}{4}$. The mark also was better than any recorded this season by Kansas high jumper. Sophomore Melissa Hart has the best jump of $5-7\frac{3}{4}$.
"If she were on the team, she would have already qualified for NCAA," Attig said of Labosky. "We can't look for the meets for her, but we'll help in getting her prepared for them."
Unattached athlete MaryBeth Labosky takes a practice jump to prepare for the Kansas Relava
Keith Thorpe/KANSANX
Kansas plays well but loses to Wichita
Soult makes a catch as Shocker Mike Lansing steals second.
By Brent Maycock
Kansan sportswriter
Defending national champion Wichita State avenged a March 27 loss to Kansas and pummed the Jayhawks 14-7 last night at Hogland-Mupun Stadium.
"It was a hitter's night and they got more out of their," Kansas coach Dave Bingham said. "They got most of their runners home and we left a lot."
Kansas baseball
The two teams combined for 24 hits and 21 runs. However, Kansas stranded eight men, including three in the fifth inning, with the score tied at 6-6.
Jayhawk third baseman Gerry Camara started the inning with a line drive that hit Shocker pitcher Tyler Green. Green then walked catcher Garry Schmidt before shortstop David Soult advanced both runners with a sacrifice.
The Jayhawks will play a doubleheader at home against Benedictine today. The first game is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Kansas, 16-22, has lost six consecutive games.
The Stocksers scored five runs in the top of the fifth and led 6-4. But the Jayhawks answered five runs their own in the bottom of the fifth.
Jayhawk second baseman Jeff Burlinger hit a ground ball to third and Shocker third baseman Pat Marets three out Camara as
he tried to score.
With two outs, Kansas center fielder Pat Karlin doubled to right, scoring Schmidt and Berlinger. Green hit Jayhawk first baseman Mike Bard in the head with a pitch and was replaced by Shocker reliever Jeff Bluma.
Kansas left fielder Mark Hummel greeted Bluma with a double down the left field line, scoring Karlin and Bard. Hummel scored on a single by catcher Mark Moore. Right fielder Denarck Stewart doubled to left, and when Camara was hit with a pitch, Kansas had loaded the bases.
However, Schmidt grounded out to first base and ended the inning.
"It was a big, big thing to happen for us tonight," Bingham said. "Maybe that's an indication of what might take place later on."
Wichita State answered the Jay-
hawk comeback by scoring seven
runs in the next three innings. The
big blow was a three-run home run
by Shocker center fielder Jim
Audelw.
"We were looking forward to coming up here," Audley said. "It was revenge."
WICHITA STATE 14, KANSAS 7
Wichita State    001 051 430-14 11
Kansas         100 051 070-1 73
Kansas 105 100 101—7 13 2
Green, Bluma (5) Smith, B. Williams (9)
and Mirabelli Niles, Merman (5) Stoppel
(7), Wheckey (6) and Schmidt. W-Burnia
(3), L-Meriman (0-1) 28-44
Kartin, Bard, Hummel, Stewart, Kaneas,
Kartin, Bard, Hummel, Stewart, Bard, 38-
Wichita State, Mirabelli, HRE-Wichita State,
Winston, B. Audley (4).
Northwestern transfer verbally commits to KU
Kansan sportswriter
Bv Mollv Reid
With one more scholarship left for 1980, Kansas has gotten a jump on its 1991 recruiting class.
Recruiting
Rex Walters, a 6-foot-3 sophomore transfer from Northwestern, said last night that he would attend Kansas in the fall.
Due to NCAA rules, Kansas coach Roy Williams was unable to comment on the verbal commitment until he had received the letter.
After two years at Northwestern, Walters said he was ready to transfer. According to NCAA rules, he will have to sit out his first season at Kansas but will begin the 1991 season as a junior.
"I just wasn't happy," he said. "I respect the people there, but I just thought it was time to move on."
ting to Williams at the office," I "came in last Wednesday," Waters said, "and I just fell in love with Kansas."
though it was a mistake. Walters said he made up his mind the minute he came to Kansas. He canceled visits with Arizona State and UCLA before verbally committing to Williams on Sunday.
Waiters cause some excitement when he vhited Kansas last week. He was kicked out of Robinson Center for dunking.
"It wasn't that easy. It's far from home. But everything I thought Northwestern was going to be, Kansas is."
wouldn't have done it," he said. "A student stuck up for me, and I felt bad because he got kicked out too."
"I didn't know, otherwise I
The San Jose, Calif., native returned home at the end of the basketball season at Northwestern.
Walters averaged a team-high 17.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists during the past season. He was an All-Big 10 honorable mention.
He said he looked forward to joining the Kansas program.
"I trust Roy Williams," Walters said. "Under him, I know I will develop to where I want to be."
Walters was primarily a shooting guard for Northwestern but said was capable of playing the point guard position.
Bob Gibbons, publisher of All-Star Sports Publications, said Walters was a good outside shooter with a style very similar to senior Kansas guard Kevin Pritchard. Gibbons ranked Walters among the nation's top 50 high school players two years ago.
Walters was recruited by North Carolina as a high school senior in Williams' last year as a Tar Heel assistant. However, the sophomore guard said he hadn't been recruited by Williams before.
"I guess Coach Williams heard about me through Bob Gibbons," Walters said. "I was really interested in Kansas. When they got in touch with me, I was pretty excited and told them I would really like to go there. Then I canceled all my other visits."