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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 25, 1981)
page 10 daily nebraskan tuesday, august 25, 1981 Sf2)i?Gs Volleyball coach having difficulty picking starters ByWanJW.TriplettUI Coach Terry Pettit has been having a tough time picking the starters for his 15 member volleyball squad, and the confu sion hadn't ceased as of yesterday after noon's practice. "I would say that this is the most com petitive squad I've had here. This is the first time that I havenl known this close to the first game who would be starting or not, Pettit said. The team, made up of eight returnees, six freshman recruits, and one junior college transfer, has been training in two-a-day practices since Aug. 18, and opened its regular three hour practice schedule yesterday. The first game is Sept. 5 against Kansas State in the Colosseum. This is about the strongest team we've had here as well, Pettit said, noting that the average bench press for the team has been 115 pounds and the leg press 360 pounds. "Everyone kept in good condition over the summer, so we're in good shape physi cally," he said. Three seniors are returning, including team captain Terri Kanousc. The 5-9 cen-ter-blocker was a first team all-American last year. Setter Lori Zimmerman stands to move into a starting spot after filling in for three years, and Shandi Pettine, another center-blocker who can also phy the out side hitter position is back. Sophomore Erin Dean was a starter for most of last year, while junior Lori Schadegg and soph omores Debbie Thompson, Salley Ramsey, and Angela Gray add seasoned depth. Gone are all-Big Eight setter Lori Mel cher, as well as Mendy Martins, Reba Govier, and Maria Lichty. "We lost in those four almost 400 games of varsity experience combined, and that won't be that easy to make up,' Pettit said. "But we have the talent here. As a team we jump well, and we're very fast. We've got people who can do the job." Pettit's 1981 recruits, he said, were not only good for the Midwest, but were na tional level recruits as well. Leading the ay is 5-10 Gwen Pell, a transfer from Kel logg Junior College in Battle Creek, Mich. Pell was named the most valuable player in the junior college national championships while leading her team to the title. 5-6 setter Mary Buysse of Marshall, Minn., participated in the United States Volleyball Association junior nationals for the North Country Development learn. Cathy Noth was the most valuable player in the Iowa State Volleyball champion ships as an outside hitter. Battles for position Pettit also recruited four in-state players who were unanimous all-state selections. They include Sue Lind of Albion, the Na tional Junior Olympic high jump winner, Kare Richters of Utica, Theresa Bohn of Friend, and Julie Hermann of Nebraska City, all of whom played for the midwest team in the junior nationals at Creighton this summer. The influence of the new players has caused "some battles' for positions, Pettit said. "Pell and Buysee look like they've got the edge on everyone else now for the front court spots, and Noth and Richter are bat tling two of our returnees, Dean and Pet tine for the outside hitter spots. Of course, Shandi is also going to play the center block position, and we're looking for someone to start opposite her if we put her there. Because of a switch in defensive pat terns, those players that dont make the starting line up can find a comfortable spot as a front line defensive specialist. Thomp son, Ramsey, and Gray might get those positions, Pettit said. "As of this day, everyone is playing well. It's just that we have some people who are playing awesome one day, than so so the next. Im still looking for consisten cy, and for somebody to come out and really take control of a spot. he said. "Right now, I'm concerned about the concentration level and passing. I think we may need to clean some things up, but we've got the talent to be a national cal iber team, he said. Osborne says losing recruits sometimes positive for team With five in the running By Cindy Gardner To the press, it's always the story of the one that got away, yet according to Husker Coach Tom Osborne, sometimes losing a prize recruit can be positive. Speaking at a press conference in Scotts bluff, Osborne told reporters, "Sometimes the ones you lose are the best recruiting things you do. A guy's got to want to play for you and if he doesn't, he's not going to help you." In a year Big Eight rival Oklahoma is calling one of their best ever in terms of recruiting, Osborne said that Nebraska lost some good players. Names noticeably ab sent on the Husker "catch" list include Mike Alo of California and Marty Kobza of Schuyler. "There was a lot of speculation about Mike Alo," Osborne said. "He was a great fullback. When you figure that probably 70 or 80 schools are recruiting him and USC's involved, the percentages of our getting a Mike Alo are maybe five percent, but then when you lose him it becomes a news item. "We lost some very good players at the end but we figured we were gomg to lose some pretty good players because we're dealing with what we think are the very best players in the country. You can only sign 23 or 24 which is what we did. So, we'll just have to wait and see," he said. Osborne said that to wait and see is the only way to judge a recruiting class. New 'recruits reported to camp Aug. 1 1 for four days in sweat clothes before the varsity players arrived. Those four days were spent timing, testing and getting to know the new faces. Osborne said that time would give the coaches a general idea of their re cruits but said, "Sometimes you really dont know until you've had them around for a year or year and a half and had them out there in spring ball." Husker coaches have plenty of talent to get acquainted, with in the form of 26 scholarship recruits. Among the new faces in the UNL camp are seven high school and one junior college all-American as well as six high school honorable mention all Americans. Kevin Waechter, an ail-American from Waldorf Junior College, will be competing with fellow recruits Mike Rozier of Coffeyville College and Grant Campbell from Ricks Junior College for a spot with the varsity this fall. Campbell averaged 48 yards per punt at Ricks and should be a welcome addition to the Husker kicking game. Eight of Nebraska's recruits are in-state products. Osborne said that it has become increasingly difficult to draw players from a distance. "I think sitting where we are with a million and a half people in the state, it's very, very difficult for us to compete head-to-head with people like Ohio State, USC, Texas - people that have a large number of athletes within a two to 300 mile radius." Osborne said that coaching cutbacks and rule changes have both hurt Nebraska's recruiting. "In the 60s and 70s we might have as many as 14 or 15 coaches who did some re cruiting. Now we have nine guys on the road and last year we were restricted to three contacts," Osborne said. "The way we got a lot of players out of Texas and California and places like that was simply out-working people. We'd see players more often and pay more attention to them. Well, then you couldn't out-work them so the rules have really boxed us in." 0 Continued on Page 1 1 Gill confident in battle for quarterback position By Bob Asmussen The battle that is being waged for the No. 1 quarter back position includes a confident sophomore from Fort Worth, Texas - Turner Gill. "My chances are just as good as anyone else's, Gill said. "I'm just going in there trying to be number one like everyone else. I'm going to give it my best shot." Gill said the coverage the quarterback situation has re ceived doesn't surprise him. "It's the most important position on the team," Gill said. "The number one quarterback position is a big deal. It may have been a bit overdone but that's because every one has their own opinion on who should be number one. Each of us is trying to do his best to be number one. Despite the lack of experience, the auarterhark situ. tion at Nebraska isn't all bad, according to GUI. "We have five good quarterbacks," Gill said, "Each of us is talented enough to make Nebraska a winner " Gill views himself as a quarterback who can pass and run equally well. He doesnt like the label given him as a running quarterback. "If I was just a runner I'd have gone to Oklahoma," Gill said. "I came here to Nebraska so I could both run with the ball and pass it as well." The Nebraska coaches have talked to Gill about his taking a redshirt season this year. While the idea doesn't exactly thrill him, he realizes it may be the best for his future. "It's a good idea," Gill said. "If I dont start or make second team and the number one and number two guys stay healthy I'm sure IH be redshirted. That would give me uuee more years and possibly three years as a starter. Gill said his redshirt status depends on where his name falls on the depth chart. "IH probally make the trips, but only play if someone gets hurt. Things would change if I moved to number one or number two." Gill stayed in shape during the summer by throwing three times a week and by working out with weights. He said he felt well prepared entering fall practice. The idea of alternating quarterbacks is one Gill is not sure about. "I don't know that it would be good for the team, Gill said. "Coach Osborne mentioned it but I really don't think he's too high on the idea.
