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daily nebraskan
friday, march 20, 1981
National tournament goal of women's golf team
By Charles Vaughn
In most sports, coaches feel winning is everything, hut
women's golf Coach Gerry Fisher says this is not true in
the AIAW. Qualifying for the nationals in May is what
counts.
"None of the tournaments mean anything," Fisher ex
plained. "It doesn't help us to win the Big Fight when
qualifying for nationals. We would like to win the Big
Fight because it's good for our confidence, but it does not
meet our ultimate goal of going to the nationals."
Qualifying requires playing one's best throughout the
season. It allows no room for a break until the season is
completed. Fisher said. He said an average team score of
310 will be sufficient for qualifying, but he says it could
drop by the end of the season.
Qualifying scores are determined by taking the 10 best
day scores for the year. Fisher estimates Nebraska's is 312
at the moment.
"You need to be in the top 24 to qualify and the
coaches feel that the top 24 will be 310 and under. We're
just guessing at 310, it could be 308, we don't know. We
just have to play the best we can all the time and get
some good averages," Fisher said.
"It's almost like running a race against the clock -you
don't know what it takes to really win. By winning I mean
qualifying. Fvery time you tee up at the tournaments you
are not only competing against the schools that are there
but you're competing against all the schools in Division
I," he added.
"We need to have some good rounds to get down to
310 and have a shot at the nationals." Fisher said.
Last week at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in Austin,
Texas, the Huskers opened the spring season by finishing
last out of 21 teams. Fisher says this is no indication of
the kind of team to expect. A combination of competing
ever played on," not getting a practice round and compet
ing against 18 of the top 24 teams in the nation, resulted
in a last-place showing.
Fisher said he expects a complete reversal in a tourna
mpnt in Houston. Texas, against Missouri, Iowa,
Minnesota, Oklahoma, Houston Baptist,
spring break.
and lamar over
"We will get four days to practice so we should know
the course. We've (previously) beaten all the teams except
Lamar and Houston Baptist. We have a good chance of
winning," Fisher said.
Shot-putter Staub enjoys NCAA indoor success
By Cindy Gardner
As the Nebraska men's track squad gathered for prac
tice Monday afternoon, shot-putter Joe Staub was the
recipient of lots of praise and more than one friendly pat
on the back. List weekend, the junior finished fourth at
the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in
Detroit, Mich., with a personal-best and school-record
throw of 64-3. Yet. it was a moment of victory that
almost didn't occur.
Less than a year ago, Staub, who has been frustrated
by injuries throughout his career, said he was ready to
quit. Instead of giving up, however, the former Division
II All-American and national record holder said he was
able to find the motivation he needed to stay in competi
tion. "I think being a Christian keeps me going." said Staub.
who still suffers from tendinitis in both knees. "The
Ford has really helped me. He's been my motivating
force."
In his first year as a Husker. Staub apparently has
had all the necessary motivation. The first time he
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competed as part of the Nebraska team his throw of
59-1 broke the 15-year-old college record.
Won California championship
Staub came to Lincoln after winning the California
Junior College Championship as part of the Glendale
Junior College team last season. Prior to competing
for Glendale. Staub attended Cal-State Northridge where
he earned his Division II honors.
Staub's shot put career began at Cantwell High School
in the Los Angeles area. He was throwing 62-6 with the
12-pound shot, but he said. "That wasn't good enough
against the tough California competition."
"I didn't win anything," he recalled with a smile. "1
hail a lot of injuries in high school."
He said his older brother inspired his prep school shot
put efforts.
"I can remember when I was a sophomore and my
brother was a senior I just wiped him out in the shot,"
Staub said. "He accepted it, I guess."
Training, encouragement
Despite the injuries. Staub chose to compete on the
collegiate level and said it was at Northridge that he
received most of his training and encouragement. While at
this Division II school near Los Angeles, he trained and
competed under the watchful eye of Coach Art Venegas.
"He (Venegas) was a very good coach. He really moti
vated me and inspired me to throw," he said. "He knew I
hail ability."
After establishing himself as a notable athlete at North
ridge. Staub transferred to Glendale before coming to Ne
braska last fall.
"I had a large choice of colleges but I chose Nebraska
because of the people." he said. "1 really like Coach
(Dick) Railsback."
No adjustment problems
Coming from sunny California, where he was able to
train outdoors all year, to Nebraska hasn't caused any
major adjustment problems for Staub. In fact, he said he
prefers the Midwest.
"It's more relaxed here. I really like that. I think it
helps me throw better." he said. "The competition out
here is also a lot better."
In addition to the relaxed atmosphere, Staub said he's
noticed a lot of team spirit among the members of the
men's squad.
"We all have our goals and they're not just individual
goals-they're team goals," he said. "Team goals are im
portant even in an individual sport like this. They pro
vide an internal motivation. You're not just out here for
yourself."
Staub claims that setting personal goals in terms of
length is something he avoids.
"I don't like to set goals because when I set goals I'm
also setting limits."
Although definite goals aren't part of the picture,
Staub does have some hopes for the future.
"I want to go to the Olympics, but it depends on a
lot of little things. If my body can hold up I would
like to throw 67 or 68 feet someday, preferably before
I graduate." he said. "In the meantime, I just like to do
my best every year."
Continued on Page 1 1
Softball team gains
first-round victory
The Nebraska women's Softball team upset
Southwest Missouri State University, 3-2, in yes
terday's opening round of the Oklahoma Invitat
ional at Norman, Okla. The game marked UNL's
first win against the defending Region Six champ
ion. A three-run home by Peggy Loos lifted the
Huskers to the win. Pitcher Rhonda Revelle picked
up the victory for Nebraska by allowing three hits
and no runs and adding a single.
The tournament consists of Five pools of six
teams each. Schools must play all other teams
in their pools and the top two from each pool
will advance to Saturday's championship round.
Nebraska was scheduled to play Texas Women's
University last night and will face Northeast Okla
homa and Southern Illinois today.
Crowd support would aid gymnasts
Just a few notes for those of us who have not yet left
for spring break:
Before leaving, why not buy a ticket to the NCAA
Gymnastics Championships to be in the Bob Devaney
Sports Center April 2 through 4? It's a rare advantage to
be able to host the national finals in any event, much less
two years in a row. It would be good to see high attend
ance prove Lincoln worthy of the honor.
fryker
Joe Staub
I he Huskers are going for their third consecutive nat
ional championship and have the capability of being an
awesome team, especially when pumped up by a roaring
crowd. The second-place finish in the Big Light meet will
look pretty insignificant if Francis Allen's athletes grab
the big slice of cake. The end of the season, the time that
really counts, is much more important than the top half
of the schedule.
Now look at the NCAA basketball tournament. Lxcep:
for years when a dominant team (Kentucky in 1978,
Indiana in 1979) pretty much kicks every one else around,
the team that just motors along in December and January
and then gets hot at the end of the year usually wins the
championship. Last year's champion, Louisville. Michigan
State the year before the Marquette in 1977 are examples
of teams that weren't much better than lots of others, but
peaked at the right time.
That brings us to this year. Three teams that have not
played exceptionally well earlier, but are peaking at the
right time are Indiana, North Carolina and Kansas.
This column was written Thursday morning. So I pre
dict that whoever won last night's Utah-North Carolina
game, played in Salt Lake City, Utah, will win the West
regional. In the last, the Brigham Young-Notre Dame
winner should make the Final lour.
Indiana will win the Mideast regional; and, really going
out on a limb on this one. Kansas will win the Midwest.
Random Shots: I've seen some big upsets, but St.
Joseph's over DcPaul? Blue Demon fans are still sitting
stunned in front of their TV sets.
Qui answers from last column Kenny Brown's 10
yard punt return against New Mexico State on Oct. 6.
P'79. was the last regular season Husker to runback Of
course. Johnny Rodgers' 77-yarder in the 1972 Orange
Bowl win over Alabama was I Ms last m postseason
play