r
pcgo 14
daily nebraskan
friday, march 9, 1979
Close struggle expected
V. I
1 s
A.' t X
41
8 gymnasts meet
for Big
Photo by Mark Billktgslcy
UNL gymnast Jim Hartung.
By Jack Shockley
Nebraska's gymnastics team, unbeaten
and ranked number one nationally, will
have another opportunity to flex its
muscles when it compet.es in the Big Eight
Gymnastics Championships at Oklahoma
University this weekend.
And Coach Francis Allen thinks his
squad is entering the meet in a sound frame
or mind.
"I was pleased that in the last meet
against Louisiana State Ui.iversity, that all
four of our all-arounders hit their peak,"
he said. "In fact, they've been getting
better every week and I don't expect this
weekend to be any different."
All-arounders Jim Hartung, Larry
Gerard and Chuck Chmelka scored career
highs in leading Nebraska to a 222.80
211.75 Win last weekend over LSU. Mark
Williams, NU's other all around performer,
also turned in a solid performance in the
LSU meet, helping the Huskers set a school
scoring mark.
NCAA rule change
Under a new NCAA ruling, this year's
Big Eight gymnastics champion will not
automatically qualify for the national
championships, as in the past. The meet is
for the conference title only-the Midwest
Regional, March 23-24 at Colorado State
University will decide the NCAA's Midwest
entries.
But Allen said that does not diminish
the meet's significance in the eyes of his
team.
"Even though the champ won't qualify
for the NCAA, we very badly want that Big
Eight trophy," he said.
"We are not going into this meet
thinking it doesn't mean anything, because
it means a lot to us.
"If you win the Big Eight, you're one
of the best in the country. We're already
number one, and now we have the chance
to prove to everybody why we are ranked
first."
Nebraska, fourth-ranked Iowa State and
host Oklahoma, rated second nationally,
are expected to go neck-and-neck for the
team title.
Upper hand
Nebraska, however, may hold the upper
hand.
NU defeated both Oklahoma and Iowa
State in a triangular in Ames, and beat
CU, the defending national champion, in
a home dual.
The Huskers, though, will be without
floor exercise and vault performer Steve
Elliott. Elliott, who is also a diver on the
swimming team, won the Big Eight three
meter diving championship last week and
will compete in. a NCAA regional
swimming and diving meet this weekend.
But Richard Brindisi, who has been
hobbled by a foot injury he received in the
Oklahoma dual, is expected to be at full
strength for the meet, Allen said.
Action will begin Friday afternoon in
the Lloyd Noble Arena, and will conclude
Saturday evening.
Probable NU performers
All around-Larry Gerard, Mark Wil
liams, Chuck Chmelka, Jim Hartung
Floor Exercise-Richard Brindisi
Pommel Horse-Terry Nowles, Steve
Todd
Rings-Brian Austin, Kevin Dunkley
Parallel Bars -Brindisi, Kirk Fridrich
HighBar-Brindisi.Fridrich
One eye on showshoes, ballplayers yearn for outdoors
By Sara Martens
The sun was shining, the snow melting
and it looked like spring and baseball both
were around the comer. That was last
week, before a four-inch snowfall on Satur
day and alternative days of warm and cold
weather this week.
"We might be wearing snow shoes,"
Coach John Sanders said, "but I like our
chances to get out and get something done
next week."
"Getting something done" includes
playing a ten-game home schedule before
the Huskers leave on a two-week tour of
California and Hawaii.
UNL is scheduled to open the home
season Saturday at 1:30 against Missouri
Western, but the team is in a holding
pattern, not sure of who or when they will
pay depending on the weather, Sanders
said.
The weather also has hampered con
struction of a bleacher and concession area
at Buck Beltzer field.
Sanders said he expects the project,
with the exception of landscaping and
some finishing, to be ready if the Huskers
play Saturday.
Boost pride
The stands will help in recruiting players
and fans, Sanders said, and will boost play
er pride. ' .
"You .come out here and football is
everything," said freshman Mike Vojtesak.
The stands will help motivate the team to
perform for themselves and for the crowd,
the Joliet, IH. native said.
"There are not that many places in Cali
fornia that are this nice" said UCLA trans
fer Ray Tromba. "They cut down the wind,
which helps the pitchers and they'll get
more people out to watch. All athletes are
entertainers, and we're the best show in
town,? Tromba said. -v""'-"v
'Hie heme schedule would gfve the team
i chance to get some of the kinks out be
fore i road trip where they will face tome
of the best baseball schools in the country,
Sanders said. Pepperdine, and California
State Universities at Fullerton, and Long
Beach are on schedule in California. The
Huskers will also meet the Japanese Nat
ional Championship team in a tournament
in Hawaii.
"We would like to be able to say we've
played before we meet the top teams in the
nation. But if we don't play before we go
we will be eager and enthusiastic about
playing," he said.
Climbing the walls
The team has been practicing inside the
North Fieldhouse since late October. The
outfielders have been outside for about one
and a half hours since then, all in the last
two weeks.
"We feel that we don't lose any time in
side. We get things done and simulate the
outside as much as possible but it's no sub
stitution," Sanders said .
The indoor workout area is large enough
to play a complete infield and two batting
cages.
The indoor conditions are not much of
a problem for pitchers and infielders, due
to the indoor turf, but they say they are
anxious to get outside.
If the team plays Saturday, Sanders said
either Tromba or junior college transfer
Jim McManus will be the starting pitcher.
The depth of the pitching staff is one
advantage this team has over last year's,
Sanders said. Nine pitchers, including one
left-hander will make up this years staff as
opposed to five last year.
Sanders has 12 lettermen returning from
last years 36-20 team. Every player, with
the exception of two lettermen, have
collegiate playing experience, and the
freshmen are playing more like sophomores
or juniors, Sanders said.
"I feel that mosi people are in a posit
ion where they can contribute the most,"
Sanders said.
Two new players have been added to
the infield, while others have been moved
to different positions.
Sophomore Jeff Hunter is scheduled to.
start at third, replacing graduate Doug
Miller. Junior Kelly Combs, a transfer from
UCLA, will be the other newcomer at short
stop.
Need sun
Pete Obrien, last year's leading hitter re
turns at first, with team co-captains John
Russo and Val Primante at second and
catcher.
The Husker outfield will include Stan
Haas at left, Steve Oakley at right and Joe
Scherger in center.
Tracksters mass talents for relay attack
By Mark Getzfred
Nebraska's track team hopes to put its
best foot forward this Friday and Saturday
at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field
Championships in Detroit, Mich.
Although the Cornhuskers qualified in
dividuals in 1 1 different events, the team
will emphasize the mile and two-mils relay
events. Only three individuals will parti
cipate in individual events, said assistant
coach Dick Railsback.
Randy Raymond, a Fremont native,
will compete in the pole vault. Raymond
cleared 16-6 in the Big Eight Indoor cham
pionships for a second place finish.
Railsback said Raymond has improved
tremendously throughout the year. He con
tinues to improve as his technique
improves, Railsback said.
Senior Doug Phelps from Hastings wiU
compete in the high jump. Phelps also
finished second in the Big Eight tourna
ment with a jump of 7-1 .
Timing will be the key to Phelps' per
formance, Railsback said. Because he is
attending physical therapy school in
Omaha, he hasn't had the practice he
needs, Railsback added.
"He is just learning right now where he
is in the air," Railsback said.
Probable runners
Randy Brooks, a sophomore from
Omaha, will compete in the 60 -yd. high
hurdles. Brooks, along with Ray Mahoney,
Pat McKenzie and Everton DaCosta will
probably be Nebraska's entry in the mile
relay, said head Coach Frank Sevigne.
Scott Poehling, Mark Fluitt, Brian Dun
nigan and Paul Dowries comprise the two
mile relay team , he added.
We feel like we have put together some
very good relays for the indoor. We won't
be exactly sure what everyone will run
until right before the meet," Sevigne said.
Scheduling of the events at the meet
and the competition was the reason for
only competing in the relays, Raisback said.
"We're going after events that we feel
through past performances, scheduling of
the meet and with the athletes we have, we
have the best chances of doing well in,"
Railsback said. "We felt we had a better
chance of scoring well in the mile and
two-mile relays."
Emphasizing the relays will mean
Poehling will by-pass the 880-yard dash.
Poehling holds the Nebraska record in the
event and has the best time in the Big Eight
this season with 1:4857.
Ray Mahoney will skip the 440-yard
dash and Mark Fluitt will by-pass both the
1,000-yard run and the mile run. Nebraska
also will not run their distance medley be
cause other , schools will be loading the re
lay with their best runners, Railsback said-
Continued on Page 15