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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 4, 2000)
SportsTuesday Four Huskers selected for Texas Relays By Jamie Suhr Staff writer Four native Texans on the Nebraska track and field team will be rewarded by the coaching staff by being sent home to compete in the Texas Relays on April 5-8. Pole-vaulters Eric Eshbach and Jonathan Henley, long- and triple jumper Tobyn Rucker and high jumper Shaun Kologinczak will head to Texas with Pole Vault Coach Tom Williams to compete in what Coach Gary Pepin called a world-class meet. “It’s a huge meet, but for us it’s still early in the season,” Pepin said. “At this time of year, we don’t want a tough meet every week.” Pepin said the team tried to schedule one event a year to give his athletes a chance to perform in front of their friends and families. But it’s not going to be a family reunion. Williams said many of the best athletes in the country will be participating in the meet. Williams said the meet takes only the top athletes in individual events, and in a lot of cases, the relays will only allow athletes to compete if they fulfill certain requirements. “It’s probably one of the biggest early season track and field events in the United States right now,” Williams said. All four athletes have compet ed in the Texas Relays as high school athletes. This will be the fifth time Henley, a freshman, has competed in the relays, but this will be his first as a collegian. Henley said he felt rewarded for the opportunity to perform in his home state. “I’m a little nervous,” Henley said. “My friends and family haven’t seen me jump in awhile.” Kologinczak, who won the high jump as a junior at Oak Ridge High School, said having highly com petitive meets early in the outdoor season brought out the best in him. “It’s a very good competition,” Kologinczak said. “The reigning national champion, J^Iark Boswell (Texas), will be there.” ^ I’m a little nervous. My friends and family haven’t seen me jump in awhile.” Jonathan Henley NU pole-vaulter Collier maybe new coach ■ The Butler basketball coach is in Lincoln but has yet to meet with team. From staff reports Butler Coach Barry Collier visit ed Lincoln Monday and met with University of Nebraska officials and former NU player Larry Florence, the Associated Press reported. NU fixed up the Bob Devaney {(/ really want to know what kind of person he is.” KimaniFfriend NU center Sports Center to look as if it were a game day, but Collier never showed up. The Huskers held their first off season workouts there on Monday afternoon and expected Collier to meet with them there. No such luck. But Kimani Ffriend told the Omaha World Herald he expects to meet the coach soon and is eager to do so. “Very, very,” he said. “I really want to know what kind of person he is.” Brian Conklin said he expects Collier to hang around and possibly visit with the players today. A press conference is expected today to name Collier NU’s new bas ketball coach. DN FILE PHOTO NEBRASKA SOFTBALL pitcher Jenny Voss has helped NU to a 14-game winning streak after a so-so start. Voss won 40 games in the 1998 season, a school record. K Revelle: Jenny Voss ‘sets tone’ ByJillZeman Staff writer There are many ways to describe Nebraska senior softball pitcher Jenny Voss. Coach Rhonda Revelle calls her a fighter - a competitor who sets the tone. Voss describes herself as “on a mission.” But nowhere does it say that Voss is invincible - although her first two collegiate years might suggest other- 44 “Jf yync wise. record” and“Jemay V6ss” realty SCUry. I had always record during ^T^opho- able tO m“e“ 40-9 in 1998, depend on my ^scZitoTdt'"?: physical well tories, as well as pitching the most innings in a sea- L'c'trig. son, with 340.1. The Comhuskers traveled to Jenny VOSS the College World Series in NU softball pitcher that season. Voss threw the most complete games, 46, along with pitching the final 101 innings of the season. However, Voss now has taken on a different role as she progresses into her final year as a Husker. Not all the weight lies on her shoulders, as Leigh Ann Walker, Lori Tschannen and Penny Cope are all talented pitchers able to take the mound at any point, Revelle said. However, the start of the season didn’t reflect the strength of the pitching staff, she said. The team started out 14-15, and Revelle said she can’t explain why the pitchers were having a rough time. “All of them were off; it was like the Twilight Zone,” she said. But at the beginning of March, all the pitchers began to improve. v The Huskers are on a 14-game winning streak, and Voss has thrown three shutouts in the past two weeks. “People think my sophomore year is as good as it gets,” Please see VOSS on 15 Linebackers ready to prove worth ■ After losing five starters from last season, young line man want to establish depth. By Brandon Schulte Staff writer Randy Stella, Scott Shanle, Rod Baker and Mark Vedral aren’t household names to many Nebraska football fans. But when spring practice concludes for NU football team on April 15 with the Red-White scrimmage, Stella, Shanle, Baker, Vedral and the rest of the Comhusker linebacking corps hope that their names aren’t quite so uncommon. For now, Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach Craig Bohl has his work cut out for him this spring. NU lost four of its top five linebackers - Eric Johnson, Julius Jackson, Tony Ortiz and Brian Shaw - to graduation last fall. After middle linebacker Carlos Polk, who was All-Big 12 in 1999, the group drops into relative obscurity. Stella, at the weak side position, said he doesn’t care if anyone knows who the linebackers are as long as the team is successful. “I think a lot of our linebackers aren’t really worried about making a name for themselves right now,” Stella said. “They put their team first before themselves. They’re just ready to go out and do things for the team. If we get better then we can worry about ourselves.” This spring is especially important in establishing depth at linebacker because of the relative inexperience at the posi tion. With the exception of Polk’s starting every game last season, the other five players on the depth chart saw most of their defensive action late in lopsided ball games. Vedral, Stella, Baker, Shanle and middle linebacker Jamie Burrow combined to only record 43 tackles and one sack last year. Bohl said that he was pleased at the rate the group was progressing. “The attitude has been good so far. Please see LINE on 15 Mike Vfanen/DN WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER Marie Vedral saw some playing time last feawn Ailing in for We -Pehmuw!. Vedral will be one ef the many young linebackers rotating in for the Huskers.