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(07/29/02 2:07am)
First game: Aug. 30. \nFirst official team practice: Aug. 9. \nFrom the look of things, the season is still a little way off for the women's volleyball team. But, numbers can be deceiving.\nHere's a few that aren't. Six women from last season's team stayed in Bloomington this summer to work in the weight room and condition. The rest of the team -- five of the younger players -- came back to IU on July 13 to lift some iron plates and warm their calves with mid-summer wind sprints. This is all because the team had made a commitment last spring to putting a lackluster 2001-2002 season behind them.\n"I'm looking forward to bouncing back from last season," the team's sole senior, Hillary Toivonen, said. "We lost a lot, and it was very hard on the team. We're working hard to erase that."\nToivonen said the summer stay-over was a first for the team, as previous teams had always opted to do off-season conditioning on an individual basis.\nThe work has produced what many players said they consider a stronger, tighter IU club that is much better physically and mentally prepared to handle the rigors of a Big Ten schedule -- which includes facing such ranked teams as Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State.\nBut team leaders, including sophomore Katie Pollom, said they are confident that IU will be able to slug it out with top competition this year.\n"We should have some very strong ball control this year with Hillary playing the libero position," Pollom said.\nShe said this year's team will not only be stronger but better at ball control because of its maturity and the addition of the libero position to collegiate volleyball. This position, which was borrowed from club volleyball, is for a ball-control specialist and allows one player to replace any player in the back row without it counting as a substitution.\nIn short, where IU is best -- ball control -- they should be better with one of the team's best passers and defensive personnel, Toivonen, filling the new position.\nPollom said the team has also been working on swing blocking -- something they introduced in spring workouts -- to put the pressure on opponents to second guess ball placement. In essence, this would bring those players closest to the net near the middle, opening up at the last minute as they move outward and giving IU's defense less gaps to fill and opponents less room to operate.\n"The defense works around the swing block," Pollom said. Like line- or cross-blocking (in which players move further out or stay in closer), the movement helps to channel shots to different spots and gives the defense a better sense of where the ball will be returned.\nBut concepts only go so far. The rest rides on intangibles such as team chemistry and maturity -- two things IU considers its strong suits in 2002.\n"I think we have a lot of experience and very good team chemistry," Toivonen said. She said IU is not only stronger but smarter, with "smarter hitters" who are very proficient in ball placement.\nLooking to be an emotional leader is junior Melissa Brewer, who was on on the Freshman All-Big Ten team. Members of the team said Brewer is known for being vocal, and they said she is the firestarter, constantly getting others around her excited on the court.\nOther players expected to contribute significantly this season include junior Monique Pritz, sophomore Christina Archibald and junior Nicole Hill. Incoming freshmen Ashley White and Mandy Eberle are also expected to see the light of day bouncing from waxed floorboards between painted lines.\nOverall, coaches said they are wary about making any preseason assessments, as official practice is still a few weeks away. But assistant coach and '99 graduate Cyndrice Carter said she was very optimistic about this year's prospects. \nAlthough no goals will be set in stone until August, Carter said IU will probably be aiming at a top four spot in the Big Ten.\n"It's always a sweet revenge to come off a not-so-good season," Carter said of surprising other teams.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Tuesday the doubles tennis team of junior Karie Schlukebir and sophomore Linda Tran will try to put the finishing touches on a season that just keeps getting better.\nStrong down the stretch, the women's tennis duo -- that has amassed an overall record of 34-9 and won its last 14 straight matches -- will become only the 20th doubles team in school history to compete on the national stage.\nUnseeded and unbeaten since March 9, the two hope to keep the ball rolling with a good draw and a combination of confidence and strategy.\n"I never go out there thinking I'm going to lose," Schlukebir said. \nTran added that confidence has propelled the duo to its highest level of performance, especially down the stretch. "Our attitude going onto the court is one of confidence," Tran said.\nAs for their strategy, it has its roots in team chemistry and manifests itself with complimentary play. Both from Michigan, Schlukebir and Tran have known each other for over 10 years, even facing off a few times in their prep careers. Each knows the others' strengths and weaknesses, making it easier to communicate and cover the court.\nThe proven court coverage, combined with a polished finesse game should make the team dangerous adversaries for opponents in the 32-team field that meets in Palo Alto, Calif. The nation's top doubles teams will battle for eight All-American spots and the crowning-honor of best team in the land.\n"They (Schlukebir and Tran) can definitely beat any seeded teams," coach Lin Loring said. He said that he hopes they can get a good draw -- one in which they would not face a seeded team first round -- but no matter what they "won't get out-doubled or out-finessed."\n"Their toughest match-up would be an overpowering serve," Loring said.\nBut doubts were few and far between for Schlukebir and Tran as they readied for their first nationals appearance. While they said they were disappointed with their team's Regional performance in Nashville, they weren't doubting their own shot at national honors.\nFor a team that always sits in the same chairs -- Schlukebir closest to opponents and Tran on the seat furthest from them -- and commonly requests to play with the ball they last pointed with, winning has become a routine, both familiar and natural.\n"Depending on the draw, I think we can do really well," Tran said. "Be All-American by the end of the weekend"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Karie Schlukebir and Linda Tran would have liked one more victory. The junior-sophomore pair had been invincible since March 9, winning 15 doubles matches in a row before falling last week, one round short of All-American status.\n"At first just being there (Nationals) we were really ecstatic," Tran said. "But once we won our first match and got up in our second and it slipped away, we were just disappointed."\nSchlukebir agreed.\n"I was happy we got so close, but disappointed we didn't get the win," Schlukebir said of the duo's second round match.\nRelying heavily on finesse and strategy, the two pushed themselves to a late season unseeded berth at Nationals in Palo Alto, Calif. They became only the 20th doubles team in IU history to do so.\nNeeding two wins at Nationals to reach the quarter finals -- and secure All-American honors -- the pair set out to cap their streak with hardware, saying they hoped to get an early break and play an unseeded team, but were confident about their chances to get a trophy nonetheless.\nThey got their wish. The pair faced 20th-ranked Raquel Kops-Jones and Jody Scheldt of California. The formidable opponents proved little more than a warm-up for what looked like an inevitable run to the elite eight. At least in the first set.\nSchlukebir and Tran buried them 6-1 in the first set to open tournament play. They had to scratch and claw to win in straight sets, though, battling through a tie-breaker to eventually gain a 7-6 (4) advantage in the second set.\n"The girls played extremely well out there," said coach Lin Loring, who was especially happy with their first round play.\nAfter their first round victory, the duo took on Kentucky's Carolina Mayorga and Sarah Witten, a team they had beaten earlier in the season. The doubles team was seeded No. 4 in the tournament, but conceded early control of the match to the unseeded Schlukebir and Tran.\nThe Hoosiers took the first set by a commanding 6-3, exuding the confidence that had characterized them in the preceding 15-match winning streak. This confidence spilled into the second set, carrying the tandem to a 4-2 early advantage, and within two games (two points) of advancing to the round of eight.\nBut Mayorga and Witten surged. "Pushing" -- a technique consisting mainly of keeping the ball in play as long as possible, hoping to force errors -- the duo played mostly on the baseline and was able to offset IU's offensive attack.\n"They changed their strategy on us and finally someone found out how to beat us," Tran commented about the Wildcats' unorthodox but ultimately successful doubles play in the three-hour match.\nThey won the next two games pulling even at 4-4 and eventually wrapping up the set 7-5. The pendulum shifting, the Wildcats wasted little time in the third set, taking an early 3-1 lead.\nMayorga and Witten went on to win the final set 6-4 and the match, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, and eventually advanced to the semi-finals, legitimizing their No. 4 seed. \nWith the 1-1 showing at the NCAA's, Schlukebir and Tran were able to amass a season record of 35-10. The mark placed them among the top five players in all-time doubles wins in a season at IU.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Last Thursday, men's basketball coach Mike Davis etched his John Hancock on a six-year contract, worth $800,000 a year. Dwarfing last year's contract, the deal, co-signed by Director of Athletics Michael McNeely and President Myles Brand, puts a premium on keeping the Cinderella coach in Bloomington.\n"It is an honor to know that I will be the head coach at Indiana University for the next six seasons," Davis said in a press release following the signing.\nThe deal -- which is still subject to minor tweaking -- caps a runner-up finish in the NCAA tournament after IU failed to make it past the first round of the tournament in the previous six years.\n"We appreciate the hard work and dedication Mike and his staff have demonstrated in preserving the proud tradition of Indiana basketball," McNeely said in a public statement. "This past season is a great story, about a group of student-athletes who believed in each other and played well together."\nThe belt-buckle-notching narrative was enough to earn Davis the fourth-best salary in the Big Ten -- making him a young addition to the elite group. \nBroken down, the deal consists of $800,000 in guaranteed annual income -- $225,000 in base pay, $25,000 in deferred compensation and at least $550,000 in outside promotional and marketing pay.\nIt also offers the possibility of an additional $137,500 in annual incentive income, based on team performance and grades. For instance, if Davis leads the Hoosiers to an outright Big Ten Championship next year, he will receive an additional $25,000. If he does so and the Hoosiers' team Grade Point Average eclipses 2.3 (a mark that might seem automatic against IU's average student GPA of 3.01) he will receive double that.\nThe same format applies for other incentives, including a $5,000-$10,000 package based on making it to the Sweet Sixteen and having a team G.P.A. of 2.3 or higher. An independent academic bonus of $25,000 will also be awarded to Davis if the team GPA exceeds 3.3.\nAdditionally, Davis will receive another $300,000 just for honoring the contract until July 1, 2005.\nAll this may be disconcerting for the masses who aren't used to so many zeros in their weekly pay stubs, but where there is money, many say, there are worthy recipients.\n"It is a lot of money, but he's got a really hard job," senior Roselyn Wang said. "He's got to deal with a lot of pressure."\nWang, like many others, got especially wrapped up in IU basketball around March of this year, as the Hoosiers started to gain steam and collect upsets. \nSeason ticket holder and 2002 graduate Joanna Lin Want, said she was just glad that IU made its run before she graduated and felt Davis was deserving of the new contract.\n"I think that within the range of salaries coaches are making. It's appropriate," Want said.\nFinal details are still being worked out with the deal, as Davis came back to the bargaining table last weekend to discuss a few sections of the contract. There was no word about the specifics of this dialogue, except Davis was mildly concerned about the terms of some incentive packages, says athletics department Director of Media Relations Jeff Fanter. Davis told The Indianapolis Star the deal he signed was not the deal he agreed to.\nFanter said no major changes were expected, but it is possible that a short addendum could be added to the contract Davis signed last week. For complete coverage of Davis' contract situation, check www.idsnews.com and Monday's edition of the IDS.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Maurice Greene. Marion Jones. Gail Devers. IU. \nLast weekend, IU mixed with the top competition in the country at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Stanford, Calif. and emerged with five top-10 placements.\n"We were excited to get back into the national scene," IU men's coach Marshall Goss said of bringing six athletes to the Championships.\nBesides five top-10 placements, IU placed one other athlete among the top 15 and placed in the junior division on its way to rivaling LSU as the best represented collegiate program at the event. The women's team -- led by junior Rachelle Boone -- grabbed top-10 spots in every sprint event and in the long jump, while Hasaan Reddick was the sole winner from the men's team.\n"It was a very important meet for us," women's coach Randy Heisler said. "(This is the) first time our athletes get to compete with other (non-collegiate) athletes that are doing this well." \nHeisler said the event marked the second of two major competitions on the track and field calendar -- the first being the NCAA's -- that allow top athletes a chance to test themselves against premier competition.\nLeading off for IU on Friday, Boone finished 10th in the 100 meter semifinals, narrowly missing a trip to the finals with a time of 11.56. She then turned around and placed fifth in the 200 meter dash on Sunday with a time of 22.63 -- 0.28 seconds behind Marion Jones' winning time of 22.63. \nThis all came after a season that ended under the shadow of injury for Boone. She had pulled up lame in the Big Ten Championships, never fully recovering before NCAA's.\n"I am just so pleased that Rachelle Boone was able to run and run well," Heisler said.\nAlso placing fifth at the USA Championships last weekend was senior Rose Richmond in the long jump. She recorded a leap of 20'10" for the honors, only four inches off the leader, Tuscon Elite's Brianna Glenn. \nRichmond held one the nation's top marks going into the event and was part of IU's All-American 4x100 relay team. But she had failed to make the finals in the NCAA's, thus making her third best personal mark at the USA Championships especially timely, if not redemptive.\n"Rose actually did pretty good considering what happened at NCAA's," jump coach Wayne Pate said.\nPate said he was happy with her performance as well as Reddick's triple jump effort, though both have recorded longer jumps this season.\n"It's tough jumping against the best competition in the country, especially when you haven't seen them before," Pate said.\nRichmond's mark was enough to put her in contention for one of the two women's spots at the under-25 nationals, depending on whether the jumpers who finished ahead of her opt to compete at the meet.\nSenior Tia Trent -- who is a two-time Big Ten champion in the 400 meter dash and who filled in for Boone on IU's 4x100 relay team NCAA's -- turned in a seventh place performance in the 400 meter at Cobb Track. She ran a 52.71 in the event.\nsenior Danielle Carruthers then finished ninth in the 100 meter hurdles, rounding out IU's strong showing on the short track. She finished with a time of 13.10 in an event that she dominated at Big Ten's. Though the time did not come close to her record 12.68 -- the world's second best time this year, set by Carruthers at the Big Tens -- it was still faster than any other collegiate time in the 100 meter hurdles this year.\nCarruthers is a two-time All-American in the event and also a part of the IU's All-American 4x100 team. Her semifinals time left her just shy of the finals. \nGail Devers went on the win the event with a time of 12.51.\nReddick grabbed a 13th place finish in the triple jump for the men's squad with an effort of 52'4", significantly bettering his best attempt at the NCAA's. \n"He's just come so far in the three years he's been with us," Goss said. "I really feel he could go to the next level."\nIU freshman Aarik Wilson, who was a Big Ten champion and who finished second nationally in the triple jump, did not compete at the USA Championships.\nIU was also represented in junior competition by freshman Christina Archibald, who finished ninth in high jump in the women's junior national division. Her best attempt was 5'6".\nNo official team score was kept at the USA Championships.
(07/18/02 5:42am)
Cream and crimson litters the United States. Sunburn and ball gloves together again, as the boys of spring have become the boys of summer -- IU ballplayers are polishing their skills in collegiate leagues across the country.\nFrom central Illinois to central Florida, from Indianapolis to the Pacific coast, IU baseball players are keeping the faith and keeping pace one cleat dig by home plate and one ground ball to the chest at a time.\n"We want them to play, otherwise they'll get behind," IU assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Tony Kestranek said.\nSimple enough. \nAs other programs around the country are also sending players to summer leagues, summer ball is crucial for IU to keep up, let alone maintain a competitive edge mentally and physically.\nKestranek said the leagues help players to stay in shape, and that those who do not participate in summer ball are not getting done what they need to get done to play at their highest level.\nSo off to Cape Cod and New England players go. Some choose where they go, some are placed depending on age, experience and accolades.\nJunior Kevin Mahar is one of eight players who signed up for a two-and-a-half-month baseball academy in Brandenton, Fla. The spot is far and away the most popular of all leagues, attracting exactly half of all the IU players that are playing in summer leagues this year.\nMahar was "placed" in Florida last summer by the coaching staff, then opted on his own to go back there this year. Like other players, the outfielder worked with the IU coaching staff to determine the best possible spot for him this summer.\n "It really has helped a lot," Mahar said of his experience last summer that led to his decision to revisit Brandenton. Aside from working on his hitting and mental game, Mahar said he enjoys meeting other ballplayers from around the country.\n Meanwhile, teammate and junior pitcher Chris Behrens went to work on his throwing mechanics at the same training camp. The 6-foot-7 hurler said the one-on-one instruction he has received has been invaluable in helping him work on a more fluid, mechanically sound pitching motion so he can use more of his entire body to drive home pitches that top out in the low 90s.\n"A lot of pitching is your lower (body)," Behrens said. "I'm just working on using my body more for pitching. It's not exactly just playing but getting the instruction from the guys down here that helps you out."\nMahar said the monotony of routine as the only downside to the camp/league.\n"You're doing something over and over again," he said. "It gets tiresome."\nThat repetition includes morning workouts -- complete with base running -- afternoon hitting and defensive drills, and five evening games a week.\nThey are eating and sleeping baseball for eight weeks, from June 1 to July 28.\nOther leagues inhabited by IU ballplayers include the Central Illinois Collegiate League, where sophomore pitcher Adam Pegg and 2002 shortstop recruit Seth Bynum are playing, and the Great Lakes Collegiate League -- summer home to 2002 infield recruit Jay Brant and freshman infielder Ryan Parker.\nA few IU players have ended up as the sole IU representatives of their respective leagues, bringing some Indiana dirt and chalk to the New England, Great Lakes, Pacific International, Indianapolis and Cape Cod Collegiate Leagues.\nThe latter touted as the top collegiate league in the country, is the summer training post for IU's third team All-American, junior Vasili Spanos.\nAt the Cape Cod Collegiate League, top players around the country, such as Spanos, play six games a week. Spanos was able to find work at a local supermarket three days a week and said he typically used his day off to go the beach or explore Boston.\nNot counting playoffs, the league lasts roughly eight weeks, such as the Brandenton camp.\n"The best part about playing here is the exposure and the competition," said Spanos, who has decided to forgo the draft this year and play his senior season at IU.\n He ended up in Cape Cod after an Anaheim Angel's scout expressed interest in seeing Spanos play in this premier league to the IU coaching staff.\n "I don't think I could have done anything better this summer than this," Spanos said. He said getting used to wooden bats, tougher pitchers and less porous defensive play has challenged him and forced him to be more patient, especially at the plate.\n For Spanos, the real improvement comes by playing premier competition.\n"In my opinion, it's better than any training you could possibly do," Spanos said.\nFrom the roughly 40 players IU has listed on its roster, a little less than half play in collegiate leagues. The rest are expected by the IU coaching staff to play in similar, low profile leagues in their hometowns to stay sharp for the upcoming fall season.\n"All play, but not all play in collegiate leagues," Kestranek said. "They're simply not getting done what they need to get done if they're not playing"
(05/23/02 2:13am)
17.74 miles per hour; approaching third gear. That's how fast Danielle Carruthers was going Saturday when she recorded this year's second best time in women's 100 meter hurdles on the planet. Carruthers' run concluded a weekend of personal bests at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships in Madison, Wis.\nWinning her event by .32 seconds and beating her previous best time by .13 seconds; the junior was one of several Hoosiers who brought their best to the conference championship as the women's track team finished second behind the University of Michigan and the men's squad placed fourth.\n"We really pulled together," said a disappointed but hopeful Carruther's of the women's second place finish. While decorated with dominating individual performances, the meet was the first outdoor team meet this century the lady Hoosiers didn't win outright. \n"We knew we all did the best we could do," Carruther's added.\nOther standouts on the men's and women's teams included junior Rose Richmond and freshman Aarik Wilson. Richmond won the women's long jump by setting a Big Ten record with a personal best leap of 21'6." The jump was the second longest posted by any collegiate woman and top 20 among all female athletes in the U.S. this year. \nWilson headlined the men's efforts with a career milestone in the triple jump at 54'0.5" to secure the men's only individual Big Ten title. The freshman showed the strength of this year's recruiting class with his nationally-competitive distance, recording his best jump so far this year at the meet.\nThe women's team collected five titles in all with Carruthers, Richmond, senior Tia Trent and freshman Ara Towns each taking home a share of two titles. Aside from their individual efforts, Carruthers and Richmond were part of the 4x100 medalist team that included Towns and junior Rachelle Boone. The team set a McClimon Track record of 44.22 with their second best outdoor time this season to successfully defend their title in the event.\nTrent, a senior, then reclaimed the 400 meter title she won as a freshman with a 53.63 run. She also joined the 4x400 team of Towns, sophomore Chiama Ndubisi and freshman Charlene Maddox to claim first place with a time of 3:40.18.\n"It was nice for Tia to win here at her last conference meet," coach Randy Heisler said. He said he was pleased overall with the sprint and short distance efforts but unhappy with the Hoosiers' throwing performance.\n"It was the worst point production in throwing since 1985," Heisler said. \nHe attributed part of that to not entering a shotputter in the meet (an event IU has finished third or higher in since 1985) and to the other Big Ten schools' breakout throws in javelin that successfully muffled IU's junior Irina Kharun. Kahrun owns the sixth best throw in the country but could only muster a fifth place finish in the formidable field with a heave of 164'7."\nInversely, the men thrived in javelin, riding sophomore Pat Miller's NCAA-provisional throw of 221'1." The mark was enough for second place and put Miller on the alternate bubble for the NCAA championships. His performance typified the men's strong showing in the field.\nAdding to Wilson's first place finish in the triple jump, junior Hasaan Reddick placed third in the event to become the only other male athlete to qualify for Nationals. He did so with a personal record of 53' 8" on his final jump of the meet, shattering his previous best by a foot.\n"I didn't want my season to end," said Reddick, commenting on his clutch jump. \nDancing with disqualification, he scratched on his first two of three preliminary jumps, making it into the finals with a sub-50 mark, before taking three more attempts to reach the qualifying plateau by five centimeters.\nReddick and Wilson also contributed in the long jump along with freshman UnRico Lloyd, where the men accounted for the third, fourth and fifth place spots. \n"We showed true dominance in the horizontal jumps," Reddick said.\nCombined with runner-up finishes in the 4x100 meter relay run and pole vault and overall command of pole vaulting points (with three total top eight finishes), this dominance helped propel the men's team to its best Big Ten tournament finish this millennium.\n"I thought we had a good meet," coach Marshall Goss said "Got off to a good start. 4x100 did a superb job, especially considering they were hobbling."\nWith 11 on the injury list coming into the meet, Goss said the meet became even more of a proving ground for what he considers one of his best recruiting classes. Among the other standouts in this year's recruiting class is freshman John Jefferson, who ran a 3:49.64 to finish second in the conference in the 1500 meter run.\nTwo men -- Wilson and Reddick -- and five women -- Carruthers, Richmond, Towns, Boone and Kharun -- are currently qualified for the NCAA's, while a few others, including Trent, Miller and 400 meter runner freshman Emily Tharpe, will have to wait and see when final qualification decisions are made today. These decisions hinge upon injuries, open spots and a variety of other factors that dictate how many athletes will compete in each event at nationals. \nWilson and Reddick qualified in the triple jump, Kharun in the javelin, and Carruthers, Richmond, Towns and Boone are qualified in the 100 meter hurdles, long jump and 4x100 meter relay, respectively. Depending on health, Boone may also run individual sprint events, including the 200 meter.\nBoth Goss and Heisler are confident that those traveling to nationals will put the Hoosiers on the board. 2000-2001 Big Ten Coach of the Year Heisler said he expects more of the same from the Big Tens, hoping breakout performances push IU women into the top five of each of their respective events at the NCAAs. \n"We could run against any team in the country and win," Heisler said of his Hoosiers who have amassed a 149-4-1 indoor-outdoor record in the last three years.\nHis confidence in team performance translates into high expectations for individuals at Nationals as the season closes in Baton Rouge, La., May 29-June 1.
(05/16/02 2:55am)
The IU women's tennis team served up the usual this past Saturday -- strong doubles play and porous singles play -- in a 4-3 heartbreaker to Auburn in the NCAA Regional semi-finals. \nA team that has been hampered by injuries all season long, especially down the final stretch, it has relied heavily on the team doubles point but been unable to count on singles to ice matches. The result has been a dreary 4-5 team record in April and May, and four 4-3 losses, including the most recent season-ending loss to Auburn.\n"It was really a mirror of our season," coach Lin Loring said of the Auburn match. "We were great in doubles play, struggled in singles." \nLoring attributed much of the discrepancy to injuries. He said it was easier to juggle the doubles line-ups and produce the two wins necessary for the doubles team point than to compensate for injuries in singles. He also said injuries have made it difficult for players to condition, something that hurt the team playing under the Nashville sun after weeks of overcast weather.\n"It was hot and humid," No. 1 doubles player sophomore Linda Tran said. "Conditioning was probably a factor." \nTran and doubles partner junior Karie Schlukebir, who will compete in NCAA doubles competition, agreed the conditioning woes (mainly due to injury and not weather) were nothing new for the young team.\n"It was like the rest of the season," Schlukebir said. \nAnd it was the same for the team, the duo of Tran and Schlukebir and one upstart singles player -- freshman Inga Radel.\nAfter powering out of the gates with eight wins at the beginning of the season, IU faltered against tougher competition and was KO'd by the monster of mediocrity as injuries left few standing. In fact, IU had to forfeit two singles matches early in the season because there were not enough uninjured players to fill the slots.\nBut glimpses of brilliance were provided by the doubles team of Tran and Schlukebir and singles player Radel. The duo pointed in the Auburn match, along with the last 14 of the season, and Radel won her final 15 matches in a row after battling injuries to move from No. 6 singles to the No. 1 singles spot.\nTran and Schlukebir, who are 34-9 overall, shut out Auburn's duo of Katia Illarionova and Carolina Maurer 8-0, while Radel capped her 30-3 season with a dominating 6-0, 6-3 straight-set victory over Katia Illarionova. The No. 3 doubles team of senior Amanda Field and sophomore Martina Grimm also won with an 8-6 victory over Auburn's Liz Sauerborn and Sarah Suitor to secure the team doubles point. The win marked their sixth in a row.\nThe only other team point on the day came from Tran who won handily (6-0, 6-1) at No. 3 singles against Carolina Ramirez. \nVanderbilt eventually won the tournament they hosted. The Commodores blanked Murray State in the semifinals, then swept Auburn in the finals 4-0 to advance to NCAA national finals in Palo Alto, Calif. Like the No. 4 seed Commodores, not a single seeded team (of 16) failed to win their Regional.\nTran and Schlukebir will also make the trip to Palo Alto, leaving this weekend and competing on Tuesday. The two said they were disappointed with team play in Nashville, but were excited about the prospect of making their mark at nationals.\n"We have a lot of confidence," said Tran of the red hot duo. "Depending on the draw, I think we can do really well - be an All-American by the end of the weekend." \nThe duo is the 20th in IU history to make the national tournament. The two join 31 other teams who will compete for the same honors, with the top eight teams earning All-American status.
(04/26/02 5:56am)
"The what?" "Huh?" Such were the usual responses by IU students when asked if they had heard of Bloomington's Growth Policies Plan.\nIn a community where the city and campus often seem disconnected, this may be nothing new. But the master plan for local growth and development has a lot to do with IU's own growth, parking, traffic and environmental concerns. It will carry more weight than most other public policy that has passed under the nose of the University and its students.\nStudents' concerns range from possible off-campus housing implications, but also high on the list are preservation of local environmental sanctuaries such as Yellowwood State Forest, preservation of locally owned downtown businesses and an increase in the competitive nature of the local retail market.\nMoreover, roughly three-fourths of the students interviewed said they were interested in learning more about the GPP.\n"We have a wonderful environment in Bloomington -- a balance between a small town and incredible nature," Common Council President Patricia Cole said.\nCole said it is just this balance that the GPP seeks to protect. \n"We need to maintain this nurturing environment," she said.\nA graduate of IU, Cole said students should know about the GPP because it will affect everything from where they can park, shop and eat to where they can live.\nBrian Oppmann, an official with Bloomington's Planning Department, said students should pay special attention to the third and the last of the Guiding Principles because these guidelines describe plans to improve public transit and strengthen communication between IU and the city.\n"We'd like to pursue an integrated mass transit system that involves Bloomington and IU," Oppmann said.\nHe went on to say this goal would be attained either by creating a universal bus pass system that would work for both students and year-round citizens of Bloomington or merging the Bloomington transit with IU transit.\nSpeaking from her experience as a student, Cole said she knew "a student's life is typically limited (to campus-related activities), but it is always wise to have an awareness of what is going on in local governmental bodies."\nThe lack of awareness about the GPP is unsettling for Paul Schneller, School of Public and Environmental Affairs faculty member. He said he believes students, especially those who work in special interest groups -- like student-run environmental organizations -- could benefit from having a hand in policy making procedures, such as those undertaken by the Planning Commission currently involving the GPP.\nYet, many students and even some faculty remain largely unaware and uninvolved in the GPP building process.\nSchneller said students should be involved in the local community. "They're living here… it's their community for four years," he said.\nStill, Schneller said he remains unconvinced and feels no vision statement is readily available for citizens who want to know more about the general intentions of the GPP.\nThis confusion, set against the backdrop of an already unknowing student body, probably won't make it easier for IU students to get involved. But local political leaders urge students to take an active role in public policy.\n"Any student that's going to travel about Bloomington might be impacted by the end product of the GPP," city council member Michael Diekoff said.\nHe cited a section in the GPP on traffic mitigation as one such example of areas of the GPP that could affect students. Overall, though, Diekoff contended it is difficult to fully know what provisions in the GPP would directly affect IU and its students, as the GPP is only a backbone to more concrete zoning laws that will be created based on the passing of the GPP in May and its interpretation by lawmakers.\nAs the final trees fell in Brown's Woods to make way for new apartments, as a local church looks for city help when another apartment's residents start looking for parking spots in their lot and as traffic slows because more businesses sprout up, the residents -- including those students only stopping in for four years -- have an opportunity to see firsthand how a city's future is planned.\n"We benefit from what businesses come in and out (of Bloomington)," junior James Tabron said.\nHe said local developmental policies affect him as a student and consumer.\nFor students concerned about off-campus housing, provisions in the plan probably won't affect most existing apartment complexes.
(02/08/02 6:10am)
Last weekend might have changed the minds of those who doubted the IU women's tennis team. The Hoosiers are 6-0 on the season, fresh off an upset of 13th-ranked Notre Dame.\n"A lot of girls don't think we're as strong we know we can be," said sophomore Linda Tran, who plays No. 1 doubles with junior Karie Schlukebir. "After last weekend, we proved we can compete with top teams."\nUnlike last weekend, IU is not the underdog this weekend when they face Marquette and Butler Saturday. After being on the road last weekend against Ball State and Notre Dame, IU is back at home. Home or not, IU players are taking little for granted.\n"We'll be favored," said senior Amanda Field -- IU's No. 1 singles player, regarding this weekend's match-ups. "It's difficult to be the one expected to win. That will be the challenge this weekend."\nThe other challenge will be overcoming a shortened roster. IU has five healthy players of the eight listed on their roster. There are six singles slots to be filled. In other words, IU will have to default one singles match, and they could suffer in doubles play as well.\nAlthough sophomores Christina Solli, who has been plagued by injury and seen limited action throughout her college career; J.J. Levin, who has been recovering from shoulder surgery; and Martina Grimm, who sustained a shoulder injury this week will be missed, past scores indicate that the healthy quintet of Field, Tran, Schukelbir, Inga Radel and Dominika Walterova should be able to pick up the slack.\nIn its first six matches, IU gave up only five team points (of a possible 42), and has shut out three opponents. Though there should be some close matches this weekend -- including a No. 1 matchup between Field and Marquette's Jen Charron (who has played Field tight, eventually losing, in their two previous meetings), it is not out of the realm of possibility that IU would sweep five singles matches against 1-3 Marquette or 0-1 Butler.\nCoach Lin Loring said his club has one goal: "Improve as a team." \nNo numbers, no scores, just a prescription that, through constant application, would help his team prepare for the Big Ten conference schedule which looms in the not-too-distant future.\n"We're getting better each week," Field said. "We have the talent to be competitive," she said, speaking of national and Big Ten competition.\nAction resumes at home Saturday against the Golden Eagles of Marquette at 10 a.m. and the Butler Bulldogs at 3 p. m.
(02/08/02 6:10am)
Loring a coaching constant for HoosiersAthletics has a few businesses. \nJust imagine having your best year with a company or leading your organization from near ruin to success only to be fired shortly thereafter. \nThe only constant in coaching is that there isn't one. Logos, players, colors and coaches come and go. But there are exceptions.\nOne of those is IU women's tennis coach Lin Loring. In his 25th year at IU, Loring joins an elite group. Only two other active coaches have been at IU for more than a quarter of century. Besides longevity, these coaches have one thing in common -- winning.\nJerry Yeagley, the men's soccer coach of 28 years, has five NCAA national championships to his credit. Bob Morgan, IU men's baseball head coach for 26 years, has recorded 25 winning seasons. So why has IU kept Lin Loring around for 25 years? He is the winningest college coach in the country in women's tennis with over 600 career wins.\nTo leave it there would be to shortchange the skipper that guided his crew to an NCAA championship and 15 Big Ten championships. He was also Big Ten Coach of the Year four times and Midwest Coach of the Year six times. \nIf those statistics aren't enough, maybe winning the ITA/Rolex Meritorious Service Award is. An award given only 11 times in its history, Loring won it for his work as the chairman of the National Team Indoor Championships in tennis along with other distinguished services.\nStill, there is more to Loring than can be found in the box scores. Each year, the women's tennis team receives higher marks in academics than any of IU's 24 varsity programs. Aside from leading the IU athletics department in average GPA with a 3.3 over the last decade and a half, Loring also graduates each one of his athletes. \nNo one who has played under Loring for four years has left without a degree. No one. \nAnd only five of his players have taken more than four years to do so. \nThe goal-oriented Loring has a chalkboard at the Tennis Center on which he and those on the team write down team objectives before each practice. The focus is on improving individual play -- becoming a more dimensional player -- for example, and not necessarily winning a certain number of individual or team matches. \nSuccessful as he is, Loring is grounded. Don't look for any flying chairs anytime soon. As a coach who believes in the importance of intensity and hard work, he also believes in balance.\n"Academics is something we've always made a priority," Loring said. "Tennis is second." \nLoring, who credits his supporting staff, including assistant coach Ramiro Ascui (a two-time winner of the Midwest Assistant Coach of the Year award), takes his role as a coach and mentor seriously.\nAsked what he wanted for each of his players he answered without hesitation. \n"Leave with a degree," he said. "Enjoy their time here." \nLoring, who cites the fact that less than one percent of college athletes make it in the professional sports realm, runs his program in a way that allows his athletes to enjoy other aspects of college life.\n"They (the coaches) are very concerned about how we do with our school work and future careers," said senior Amanda Field, who plays the No. 1 singles spot and who has already landed a job as a business analyst in marketing for Target.\nAt 6-0 thus far in his 25th season at IU, Loring is back in the saddle making waves as a coach who has two things that are hard to come by in athletics -- consistency and constancy.
(02/04/02 6:36am)
The bats cracked in John Mellancamp Pavilion with a little more emphasis this January. Unlike in years past, the women's softball team only had three weeks of practice after Christmas break to prepare for their opener Friday. \nBut, far from fretting the earliest start in school history, IU looked forward. \n"People are taking it upon themselves to push themselves," said senior pitcher Alison Cooke, who cited the weight room as ground zero. "Everyone's come in aggressive, confident, and goal oriented." \nThe trip to the University of New Mexico Diamond Invitational ended with a 1-1-1 record for the Hoosiers.\nThe first game of the trip matched IU against New Mexico last Friday. After playing to a 2-2 tie, the game was called because of darkness. \nThe team resumed play the next day, and was able to pull out a win against New Mexico, defeating the Lobo's 5-4.\nAfter jumping out to a positive start, the Hoosiers faced a setback against Mississippi, losing 9-1. The game was called after four and a half innings, because the Rebels had built an eight-run lead.\nDespite having a mixed weekend, the Hoosiers are confident about the season.\nCooke is one of the key component's in IU's mix this year. In the past three seasons she notched 70 starts, including starts in roughly 60 percent of the 52 games last season. \nAnother crucial player is 2001 All-Big Ten selection senior Brooke Monroe. Monroe, who has started each game in her IU career, is co-caption on Hoosiers' squad. Last year, she led the team in eight categories, including batting average (.338), home runs (8), and slugging percentage (568).\nThe other co-captain of this year's squad is junior Stormy Hanson -- the only other player on the team with over 50 starts last spring. Hanson, a power hitter, tied for second in RBIs on IU's squad last year with 11. The third baseman joins a host of veteran infielders this year that should give IU's defense a boost.\nAnd a boost is certainly what IU needs. After going 16-36 last year, and a dismal 4-16 in the Big Ten, IU coach Diane Stephenson's club has some work ahead of it. But for a squad that returns eight starters, the outlook may not be as bleak as it seems.\n"Our confidence, experience and communication are all up this year," Monroe said. \nThe team's focus is communication. Given the number of veteran starters this year versus in years past (in 2000 there were five freshman starters), communication should improve. \nThe lack of experience in the outfield is expected to be picked up by 2001 starters Monique Bullock and Katie Joy.\n"We're solid throughout," Monroe said, addressing whether or not the outfield was capable of the same high caliber of play expected of the more experienced infield this year.\nAs for the goals on the season, the Hoosiers separated them into three categories.\n"The season is divided into three (parts), with the first third being the preseason (or pre-Big Ten season), and that is our primary focus right now," Stephenson, who could reach the 400-career win mark this season, she said. \nClearly, though, the IU's focus is on their first opponents. \n"No long term goals right now, just focusing on the preseason," Cooke said.
(01/18/02 6:20am)
The IU men\'s tennis prepares to open its spring season as freezing temperatures remain the norm. After limited action in the fall and two weeks worth of practice in January the men\'s team is ready to enter the spring season this weekend. \nWhat lies ahead for Ken Hydinger\'s crew, a team that went 5-5 in the Big Ten and 14-9 overall last year? That's anyone\'s guess. Still, a cheat sheet couldn\'t hurt.\nSeniors Milan Rakvica and Rahman Smiley and Junior Zach Held are the three returning starters from last year\'s squad. All compiled winning records in the 2001 spring campaign. \nAlthough the Hoosiers graduated four starters in 2001, IU held onto a proven leader in Rakvica. The All-Big Ten Rakvica finished the 2001 campaign ranked 58th in the country, with a career singles record of 73-40. He also blanked opponents in fall doubles competition going 4-0.\nWhen asked about projections for the upcoming season, Rakvica was hesitant about predicting specifics. \n"It\'s going to be a tough season," he said. "There are a lot of good teams in the Big Ten. It\'s hard to tell who's going to be where in the Big Ten."\nRakvica\'s prescription for success? \n"We\'ve just got to play," he said. \nRakvica, who has suffered from back problems in the past, knows firsthand the importance of just getting the ball rolling. \nRakvica likely locked into the No. 1 singles spot for 2002, while Smiley is expected to keep the No. 2 singles spot warm. Smiley, who played at the No. 4 singles spot most of last year, thrived in Big Ten play going 10-2 in the conference, with two wins in the Big Ten Championships. \nHe compiled an overall record of 22-12 his junior season, and he also won eight of his last nine matches. This latter string of victories could launch him into a groundbreaking senior season. In any case, he is not afraid to raise the bar.\n"I would love to make NCAA\'s in singles and doubles, to be All-Big Ten and All-American," Smiley said. \nSmiley believes that IU should win their season openers against Bowling Green and Toledo, but they will have to work hard for the wins.\nAnother key ingredient in the IU mix is Held. He has been strong at IU, especially in doubles play. Last spring, Held finished 13-6 as a doubles player. This fall, he picked up more steam, finishing a formidable 7-1. If the numbers are the crystal ball, Held, who will be paired with Rakvica, should make some noise in 2002 doubles play.\n The big question at the outset of the spring tennis season is who will step in the other big shoes? Having lost four of seven starters from last year\'s team, the Hoosiers are looking to freshmen to make an immediate impact. \nRyan Recht, who will be paired with Smiley, Jakub Praibis and Jon Magnes, who will likely be paired together, are all freshman who are candidates to fill open doubles spots. \nLikewise, Praibis, Juliun Vulliez, Recht and Magnes are strong cases for the three singles spots still up for grabs this season. The official announcement for No. 1-3 doubles and No. 1-6 singles will be made following today\'s practice.\nFor better or for worse, the door is open. \n"We're always looking to get into the NCAA tournament," said Rakvica, who has seen IU qualify each of the last two years. "As the season goes on we can only get better. Guys get more focused, freshman will understand what it\'s like to play (in the Big Ten)."\nIU\'s first tests are Toledo and Bowling Green. Indiana will play host, taking on the Rockets at 9 a.m. and the Falcons at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Indiana Tennis Center.