WOMEN'S BASKETBALL The Jayhawks begin their final season of Big Eight Conference play with a 3-1 record. Page 4
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1996
The times they are a changin'
Change is good.
From editor to news clerk, all of us at the Kansan have changed jobs for the new semester.
A few more changes have taken place that some of you may not know about, so let me get everyone caught up.
SECTION B
Kansas football coach Glen Mason changed jobs when he was introduced as the new coach at Georgia on Dec. 19. But after accompanying the No. 9 Jayhawks to Hawaii for
the Aloha Bowl,
he changed his mind and decided to stay at Kansas.
Mason isn't the first coach to change his mind after changing jobs. A few years back, Georgia Tech basketball coach Bobby Cremins was introduced as the new coach at South Carolina, but decided a four-
SPORTS EDITOR
days later to stay with the Yellow Jackets.
Some may say that making a move such as Mason's will further prevent another change in the future. Who would want to hire a coach who previously had changed his mind about a move?
I don't think Mason will lose any future considerations because of this move. Besides, he was smart for sticking with a team that, in my opinion, will be just as good or better than the one that finished 10-2 in 1995.
It appears the change Kansas softball coach Kalum Haack made will be permanent. Haack left to become softball coach at Alabama and has been replaced in the interim by former assistant coach Gayle Ludke.
The softball team had a perfect fall season in 1995, but that wasn't enough to get Haack to change his mind. Maybe the thought of wearing shorts instead of a parka to the first spring game had something to do with it.
Even the Jayhawk mascots went through some changes. Most know about the change to new costumes — that happened at the men's basketball game on Dec. 2. But Baby Jay has changed again — this time from a Woody Woodpecker-type head to a smaller version of that worn by Big Jay.
n Speaking of the men's basketball team, the No. 3 Jayhawks faced an unexpected change during their trip to France. Playing in its first of two exhibition games against a professional team, Kansas was unaware that players would foul out of the game with three fouls rather than the traditional five.
The rule change caused several Jayhawk starters to be disqualified from the game before halftime. Change wasn't so good in that case.
And there are more changes to come. Kansas baseball coach Bobby Randall will make his debut as a Jayhawk next month.
The women's tennis team has a new assistant, coach as well. His name is Frank Polito. Look for a story about him later this week.
Readers won't see too many changes on the sports page this semester, though. Many of the features we brought in last semester will be back, including our scores and standings on page two and "Sports Rep." which will be published each Thursday.
But our greatest accomplishment last semester was the increase in response received from you, the reader. I even received mail during the break from as far away from Marietta Ga.
Please keep letting us know what is on your minds. Letters can be faxed to 864-5261 or mailed to 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall, Lawrence, 66045. Or feel free to give me a call at 864-4810.
Only time can tell what the next five months will bring to the sporting world and Kansas athletics. Games will be won and lost, stars will rise and issues will be brought up. I promise to let everyone know what is happening and why.
That will never change.
This section is not for me. It is for the students, staff and faculty of the University.
Kansas outmuscles Saint Peter's
Thomas finds hot shooting streak that had been lost
By Jenni Carlson Kansan sportswriter
Billy Thomas seemed to have misplaced his shot during the Jayhawks' last two games.
But he found it during the No. 4 Kansas men's basketball team's 85-71 victory against Saint Peter's last night in Allen Field House. The sophomore guard scored a career-high 16 points, which tied junior forward Raef LaFrentz for the team high.
"I feel I can make shots whenever I'm out there," said Thomas, who went a combined 0-5 during the last two games. "It just happened tonight that they were falling." The other
Thomas seemed to sense it, too.
With the No.
4 Jayhawks trailing 12-9 with 12:23 remaining in the first half,
Thomas hit his second
Vaughn picked up a technical foul after complaining that he had been fouled. Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams sat the starting point guard on the bench for the remainder of the half.
"Supposedly he cursed the official, and I'm not going to say whether he did that or not," Williams said. "He thought he was fouled on the first possession and after that second shot, but that's not any way to handle the situation.
Kansas still led 45-26 at halftime.
Senior guard Calvin Rayford and freshman Ryan Robertson spelled Vaughn during the first half. Rayford dished out four assists, and Robertson was 4-of-4 from the free-throw line.
"When I took him out, I told our coaches that I wasn't going to put him back in no matter what the score was," he said.
Robertson's free-throw attempts all came after two Saint Peter's tech
unee-point shot at the top of the key. While he ran back on defense, he quietly proclaimed under his breath, "I'm back."
Thomas came back again with another three-pointer less than a minute later. The Jayhawks led 15-12 and never trailed again.
"The threes definitely hurt us," Saint Peter's coach Rodger Blind said. "You can't let good shooters get open like that. We gave him so many good looks at the basket."
Kansas' 13th victory didn't look very good, either. Early in the first half, Kansas junior guard Jacque
nical fouls. He shot two more in the second half when the Peacocks picked up another technical.
"You've got to like that kind of position," Robertson said. "Coach Williams is saying, Ryan, here's two points."
The Jayhawks stretched their halftime lead to 22 points with 17
remaining in the game. Kansas junio.
Jerod Haase converted one of his five steals into an uncontested layup.
But the Peacocks showed no sign of folding completely. They got 13 second-half points from freshman guard Jamar Hunter and stayed within 15 points for much of the final period.
"It was just one of those frustrating games that you just have to grind out." Robertson said.
"It wasn't a game, I'm sure, that a lot of fans liked to watch. But we did end up winning the game, and that's all you ask for."
Matt Flickner / KANSAN
Kansas freshman forward Paul Pierce applies defensive pressure during last night's game at Allen Field House. The Jayhawks won, 85-71.
Foul trouble hits Kansas
By Dan Geiston
Kansan sportswriter
There were technical difficulties in last night's game between No. 4 Kansas and Saint Peter's at Allen Field house.
Four technical fouls were called — three on Saint Peter's and one on Kansas — to cap off a night that saw a season-high 48 personal fouls called on both squads.
Saint Peter's wasted little time in the foul wars as it committed eight within the first five minutes of the game.
Saint Peter's coach Rodger Blind said the technical fouls, along with an undisciplined offense, helped decide the game in the first half.
"You cannot have three technical fouls in a game like we did," he said. "The two technicals in the first half were pivotal in the momentum of the game."
Kansas freshman Ryan Robertson was more than happy to take advantage of the Saint Peter's technicals. He converted on five-of-six attempts, accounting for all of his points.
What made the technicals even more disappointing to Blind was that they occurred while Kansas junior point guard Jacque Vaughn was sitting on the bench. Vaughn was called for his first-ever technical just 3:53 into the game and was promptly benched by Kansas coach Roy Williams for the remainder of the half
"There's a thin line between dirty and aggressive," Vaughn said of St. Peter's defense. "I don't know how you wanna judge this."
Saint Peter's forward Luis Arrosa, forward Jerome Davis and center Bas de Voogd each received technicals. Arrosa and de Voogd both fouled out.
"I told the ref he was protecting a couple of guys, and I guess he took it the wrong way," Davis said.
Mason's reversal of plans remains a mystery
Earl Richardson / LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
Kansas football coach Glen Mason and senior quarterback Mark Williams hoist the 1951 Aloha Bowl trophy.
By Robert Sinclair Special to the Kansan
After agreeing to take the head coach's position at the University of Georgia the day before he left with his team for the 1995 Jeep-Eagle Aloha Bowl in Hawaii, Glen Mason did an about face and chose to remain the head coach at Kansas. The decision came on Christmas morning before Kansas defeated UCLA 51-30 in the bowl game.
HONOLULU — Kansas' here-today- gone-tomorrow football coach is here to stay.
"Ive got a reputation for shooting from
the hip," Mason said after the Jayhawks' victory. "I'm not afraid to make decisions. I think that bad action is better than no action a lot of times, but this has been weighing on my mind."
To recap the coach's wild week:
On Dec. 18, Mason attended a press conference in Athens, Ga., where he announced that he was resigning from Kansas to take the job at Georgia.
On Dec. 19, before the Jayhawks departed for Hawaii, Mason apologized to his players for not being able to break the news to them firsthand.
As Kansas was preparing for UCLA, Mason emphasized that the Jayhawks
still were his No.1 priority.
The night before the Aloha Bowl, Mason had second thoughts about leaving the Sunflower State.
On the morning of the game Mason informed both Georgia and Kansas that he would remain a Jayhawk. More importantly, he was able to tell his players of his decision in person.
"I think it got us a little motivated," Kansas junior running back June Henley said after the game. "He didn't say why,
And you thought you had a hectic week before Christmas.
See MASON, Page 4.
Flip-flopping Glen Mason style
Mason is introduced as Georgia's football coach after announcing his resignation as head coach of the University of Kansas.
December 18, 1995
December 19,1995
Mason leaves with the Jayhawks for Hawaii to play in the Jeep-Eagle Aloha Bowl in Honolulu.
December 25, 1995 Mason announces that He will stay at Kansas.
Georgia athletic director Vince Doley hires Jim Donnain as his football coach
Kansas softball coach out, former assistant is in
Noah Musser/KANSAN
By Jenni Carlson
Kansan sportswriter
Luedke begins recruiting Haack heads for Alabama
In a mid-season whirlwind, Kalum Haack resigned as Kansas softball coach, and former Jayhawk assistant Gayle Luedek took his place on Friday as the interim head coach.
Haack, who could not be reached for comment, was in his ninth season at Kansas, and the team had just completed an undefeated fall season.
Haack will become the head coach at Alabama. He will resign officially from Kansas on Jan. 31 and is on administrative leave until then.
"It's definitely an awkward time to have a coaching change," said Kansas associate athletic director Betsy Stephenson. "Coach Haack had applied for other positions prior to the fall season, so I'm not surprised. But I am disappointed for the plavers."
Even though Stephenson was not surprised, some of the players were.
"Completely shocked
Kalum Haack
was a better word, actually," said Kansas freshman pitcher Sarah Workman. "I don't think anybody really expected it."
Kansas sophomore right fielder Sara Holland said she heard during the summer that Haack might be looking for other employment. But after the Jayhawks' fall success, she didn't expect him to move.
"It's kind of a disappointment," Holland said. "But I'm excited Coach Luedke is going to be our coach."
Luedke played softball for Kansas from 1985 to 1988 before becoming a graduate assistant for the team and then a full-time assistant. Luedke resigned in August and was a volunteer coach for the Texas softball team, which is in its first year.
"I've always wanted to find out what kind of head coach I'd make," Luedke said. "Many things will be similar, but I'm also going to include my philosophy. I don't have a problem changing things."
And she will have that opportunity. Even though the word interim is attached to Luedke's title, she will assume full head-coaching responsibilities such as on-field decisions and recruiting for the entire spring season, which begins in late February.
One of the most difficult aspects of
Luedke's job will be recruiting. Since taking charge on Friday, Luedke has been scrambling to become familiar with Jayhawk recruits.
"In talking with some coaches, players that signed or are being recruited are a little anxious about what's going on here," Luedek said. "I don't blame them."
For the next few months at least, the Kansas softball program will rest in Luedke's hands. Only after the season ends in May will the search process for a permanent head coach begin. Stephenson said.
And Luedke hopes the Jayhawks don't have to look too far for their permanent coach. She plans to apply for the position.
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"I wouldn't have come back if I was staying for only four months," she said. "The search process is a long ways away. We've got a pretty important season ahead of us."