page 10
friday, march 28, 1980
daily nebraskan
Sf2)?fe
ushers hope to de
istoru a
gym
B
fuh
tNCAA
meet
By Paul Martin ,
In its 37 years of existence, the NCAA
Gymnastics Championship has never been
captured by the host team.
But when this year's championships be
gin April 3 at the Bob Devaney Sports
Center, Francis Allen's defending national
champion Nebraska Cornhuskers are pre
pared to defy history.
While Allen is confident his Husker
squad is capable of turning the trick, he
foresees three potential challengers among
the remaining nine teams.
"We have it narrowed down to
Nebraska, Iowa State, Southern Connecti
cut, and Oregon, Allen said. We feel on
any given day these teams could beat each
other,' he said. "Hopefully it will be our
day next week."
Allen said he feels that UCLA, with
standout all-arounder Peter Vidmar, could
also be strong.
Best meet
"This should be the best meet ever,"
Allen said. 'There could be a national
scoring record. We've bumped into Iowa
State five times and won three. Southern
Connecticut has beaten us. Oregon and
UCLA wUl be tough, too," he said.
In the past the NCAA has limited the
number of qualifiers from each region to
two, but that was altered this year.
Trie NCAA Gymnastics Committee,
selected one team from each of the four
regions with the six remaining teams being
chosen at large.
The rules change allowed three teams
from the Big Eight conference to be
selected, which should add to the intensity
of the competition.
Iowa State, one of the top teams last
year, didn't make it out of regional com
petition which aided the Huskers, accord
ing to Allen.
"We were glad when they (ISU) didn't
make it out of our regional last year,"
Allen said. "It was just one less team
breathing down our necks. They could
have put as much pressure on us as
Oklahoma."
Other teams
d..m. Vi Rio Fiohf enntineent. other
schools pursuing the team title include
m
K4F&t&f JSC?"!1,
m it . fc.. . ' -J "
l ' cH
Photo by Tom Gessner
Husker gymnast Jim Hartung performs on the pommel horse. Hartung has a good
chance to win the national all-around title at the NCAA Gymnastics Meet scheduled
April 3-5 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, said UNL Head Coach Francis Allen.
Illinois-Chicago Circle, Penn State, Louis
iana State and Arizona State.
The individual all-around title should be
hotly contested between five gymnasts,
according to Allen.
"We see about five guys that could do
it," Allen said. "(Jim) Hartung is ahead of
the pack and then comes Vidmar, (Phil)
Cahoy, McCutheon (Mario of SCU), and
Galimore(Ron of ISU).
In previous competition Vidmar has
beaten Cahoy and McCutheon has topped
Hartung. McCutheon won against Hartung
"for the first and last time," according to
Allen.
"If he (Hartung) loses this time, it's his
fault because he's the one that said that,"
Allen joked.
Husker Mark Williams, battling with ill
ness and injury, should be able to compete,
Allen said.
"He's got a little back spasm and a little
bit of a low grade infection but it's not
mono," Allen said. "They put him on
medication Friday and he was in the gym
today (Wednesday). He should be ready."
Competition in the three day meet
begins at 7 pjn. Thursday when the com
pulsories for the all arounders only are per
formed. At the same time Friday night,
optionals for the all arounders, the 10
teams, and the top six qualifiers in each
individual event, will take place.
On Saturday, the top three teams will
vie for the national title at 1 pjn. with the
top eight individuals competing for the all
around crown when the championships cul
minate at 7 pjn.
UNL track team heads south to cactus country
By Tad Stryker
Tempe, Ariz, will be a home away from home for the
UNL men's track team during spring break, as the Huskers
will be in cactus country to face Arizona State in a dual
Saturday and will remain there for the Sun Devil Classic
one week later.
"I think everybody's ready to get down there to some
good weather," said Dick Railsback, field events and assis
tant coach. "The competition's going to be super for both
meets."
Arizona State, always strong in track and field, is
expected to be as good as ever this season, Railsback said.
In the Sun Devil invitational, teams from across the
country will compete, as well as independent athletes like
Mac Wilkins, the 1976 Olympic discus champion, and
shotputters Al Fuerbach and Brian Oldfield.
Benefit from weather
The two meets and the week of practice in between
will be vital for the Huskers, Railsback said.
"Everyone will benefit from the good conditions,
especially our javelin and discus throwers, events where
technique is really important," he said.
The javelin and discus are two events that will
certainly make the Huskers more competitive outside
than they were indoors. Junior Ken Drwal is expected to
be a significant factor in the javelin throw, Railsback said.
Drwal placed third in the Big Eight outdoor meet last
year. Nebraska's hope for medal places in the discus are
Lee Kunz and junior Erik Korshoj. Kunz, a linebacker
for the Chicago Bears, is taking advantage of his freshman
redshirt year, and is co-captain of the squad along with
Scott Poehling.
"It's been good for me to come back here in the off
season," Kunz said. "Discus throwing is kind of a hobby
for me now, and I'm really looking forward to the out
door season."
Catching up to do
Kunz won the Big Eight discus championship as a
junior, with a throw of 192-8, but slipped to second place
and 175-5 last year. "This year, I'd like to see 200," he
said, "but it'll take a lot of time yet. I need more work on
technique and footwork.
Arizona State had its first outdoor meet more than a
month ago, and the Huskers will have a lot of catching up
to do in a hurry if they are going to stay with the Sun
Devils, Railsback said. The Huskers have been able to run
outdoors, but haven't had the track conditions that favor
fast times.
"Everybody's time should really improve down there,"
said Paul Downes, sophomore and member of last year's
NCAA champion two -mile relay team. "I don't know
what Arizona State has for middle -distance runners, but
there will be a bunch of good ones at the next meet."
Challenge Kansas
The Huskers pole vaulters have been improving lately,'
according to junior Mark Newton. Newton, a junior
college transfer from Grossmont Junior College in Califor
nia, cleared 17 feet in practice earlier this week-a person
al best.
"I had a real good week in practice," he said. "Randy
(Raymond) , and I didn't do real good in the national
indoor meet, but we're coming along now."
Quinn, team feeling spring fever
By Ron Powell
Husker quarterback Jeff Quinn and the rest of the
Nebraska football team have spring fever.
According to Quinn, none of the Huskers are sad to say
goodbye to the winter conditioning program which has
been going on since the middle of January. The Huskers
begin their spring workouts on April 7.
"Everybody is glad winter ball is over," Quinn said.
"Winter conditioning is probably the toughest part of
football. It's just constant running and lifting weights.
It's the best part of the year when you consider the shape
it gets you in, but it gets awfully long."
Quinn didn't start his winter conditioning until the
middle of February because of surgery to remove bone
chips from his ankle shortly after the Cotton Bowl.
"Ive been working pretty hard on the weights getting
.that ankle stronger," Quinn said. "I think I am almost
completely healed. The surgery should help me a lot this
year since I had to play with the injury all last season."
With spring vacation coming next' week and spring
practice following, Quinn said he has one priority next
week-to rest.
"1 am going home to rest and relax," said the Ord
native. "I haven't been home for a long time. It shoula" be
a good time to prepare for spring ball."
Quinn, who started the last part of the 1979 season
and passed for 624 yards, will enter spring practice as the
number one quarterback, but he said there are no guaran
tees he will stay there .
"I am going to have to keep working hard and proving
myself to stay where I am," Quinn said. "I haven't earned
the number one spot yet. Everyone who is here has the
potential to do the job. I know my job isn't secure and
that it's going to be a dogfight just like the other years."
Continued on Page 1 1
The Huskers placed fourth in last year's Big Eight out
door meet and should improve on that finish in Man
hattan this May, but will they be able to challenge Kansas
for first?
"I think so," Railsback said. "Kansas has got a lot of
great athletes-fine sprinters and jumpers. But I think our
middle distance runners and discus and javelin throwers
will help offset their advantage."
Kansas looks very good this year, Kunz said, but not
unbeatable.
"If everyone really puts it together, we could challenge
them," he said.
Husker baseball team
2-1 in Cal tournament
The Husker baseball team beat Eastern Michigan 6-1
Wednesday, but lost to Brigham Young University 19-6
in the second game of the Cal-Riverside-Baseball Tourna
ment in Riverside, Calif.
TKe Huskers, now 2-1, are tied for first with BYU in
their tournament division. Finals, are scheduled Saturday
afternoon.
Pitcher Steve Goehke pitched the winning game for
the Huskers against Eastern Michigan. In the second game,
Nebraska went through five pitchers before dropping to
BYU, ranked fifth in the nation.
Husker first baseman Steve Stanicek hit two home runs
and Jeff Hunter hit one in the BYU game, but six Husker
errors during the game gave BYU the deciding edge.
Husker center fielder Joe vScherger injured his shoulder
early in the week. Tim Sinovich and Steve Oakley injured
shoulders in Wednesday's games.
The Huskers played Cal-Riverside Thursday afternoon.
Sprint freestylers
eliminated at meet
Nebraska swimmers failed to qualify for the finals in
the 50-yard freestyle at the NCAA swimming and diving
championships in Boston, Mass., Thursday.
Tim Boyd swam 21 26 for 53rd place, Jim Korff swam
21.41 and Mike Hayhurst swam 21.44 to place 55th and
56th respectively, There were 57 entries.
Friday is the biggest day of the championships for the
Huskers with Anders Rutqvist swimming in the pre
liminaries of the 200-yard freestyle, and diver Scott
Hinrichs beginning his finals attempt in the threenmeter
diving. The Huskers' 800-yard freestyle relay team also
will swim in preliminaries Friday morning.