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Daily Nebraskan
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OlympkHiiopeliiuiIls to tefle uoc wommeini's srainni cowjgh
By Mark Quundahl
A once in a lifetime opportunity.
Coach Ray Huppert of the Nebraska
women's swimming team spared few
words in describing the NCAA Women's
Championship meet scheduled for March
1 7-1 9 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center
pool.
"We are anticipating great crowds be
cause it's an opportunity for people to see
our 1984 Olympic hopefuls and perhaps
to see some future Olympic gold medal
ists," Huppert said.
He said he sees no team as a runaway
favorite. He predicts that Florida will re
peat as champion, augmented by superstar
Tracy Caulkins, who nabbed seven gold
medals at last year's NCAA meet.
"Florida has the franchise," Huppert
said, referring to sophomore Tracy Caul
kins and her older sister Amy, who won
two gold medals of her own last year.
"Tracy is really good," Huppert said.
"She could really throw a wrinkle in the
meet; because she's good in so many
events, nobody knows where she's going to
swim."
After Florida, Huppert said he sees
Stanford as the next closest team, followed
by Texas.
"It's going to be an awfully fast meet,"
Huppert said. "There will be a number of
American records set."
He said the time of the year, the fast
Bob Devaney pool and the fact that the
1984 Olympics are not that tar away will
be factors in record-breaking performances.
"The ladies are ready to swim fast,"
Huppert said.
Participating qualifiers for the Com
huskers will be former NCAA All-American
Sherri Hayward in the 200-yard back
stroke, the SOO-yard freestyle relay team of
Hayward, Linda Sebesta, Shauna Gilmore
and Emily Ricketts, and the 200-yard free
style relay of Gilmore, Ricketts, Sebesta
and Rene Sullivan.
Senior captain Hayward said the meet
was "gonna be tough," but she said she'll
be satisfied with matching her sixth place
finish time of 2:02:8 in the 200 back
stroke in last year's meet.
Havward said the three freshmen that
swim with her in the 800 freestyle relay
may be nervous in their first NCAA meet,
but" she said she wasn't worried.
"They're really good under pressure,"
she said.
Coach Huppert agreed and felt the Hus
kers' 800 freestyle relay team was really
strong and had a good chance of gaining
All-American status.
Hayward said that senior co-captain
Rene Sullivan would do well in the 200
freestyle relay because "she has exper
ence." "Last year we finished 20th," Huppert
said, "and we'd like to improve on that.
But we have to be real sharp and perfect.
"Anything can happen . . . the kids are
looking good," Huppert said.
Huppert also said that other Big Light
teams could improve their standings in the
nation.
"Kansas is stronger than ever, and they
could quite possibly move into the top
10 " he said. He added that Oklahoma
and Iowa State would send one qualifier
each to the tourney. The fact that the Big
Eight participants may know the pool bet
ter than others would be a definite plus,
Huppert said.
"When you're familiar with the facility,
when you know where the walls are and
when you've been on the starting blocks
before, there's some advantage," he said.
Huppert also had praise and high hopes
for sophomore Husker diver Wendy Lu
cero. "Lucero is a beautiful diver," Huppert
said, "and (diving) coach Jeff Huber feels
she is going to do well."
"Her chances are really good," Huber
said. "But I'm more concerned that she
goes out there with a smile on her face and
enjoys the high level of competition, and
the rest will take care of itself."
"We're estimating that 80 percent of
the next Olympic team will be here," Hup
pert said. "So we're hoping we can show
our girls a few more Nebraska fans."
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7 A '" ( i
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Hlartung's achievements reap Olympia Award
Staff photo by Craig Andresen
Jim Hartung
By Patty Pry or
Former Nebraska all-around gymnast
Jim Hartung was awarded the new South
land Olympia Award at a luncheon Mon
day. The award, sanctioned by the VS.
Olympic Committee and presented by the
Southland Corp., which operates the 7
Lleven stores, is aimed at recognizing the
achievements and contributions of athletes
in the 31 summer and winter Olympic
sports.
"Most of the past winners have all been
Olympic medalists," Hartung said. "It's a
little surprising why I would get it.
"I would like to make it to that group
of Olympic medalists some day, though,"
he added.
Hartung was a member of the 1980
Olympic team, but did not compete be
cause the United States boycotted the
Games.
The Southland award is a distinctive
museum-piece reproduction of a Grecian
vase presented to outstanding athletes
more than 2,500 years ago in Athens. The
vase was usually filled with olive oil as part
of the honor.
At the presentation ceremonies Mon
day, Hartung asked, "If I stop by 7-Eleven
later, will they fill it up for 39 cents?"
The award is "definitely one of a kind,"
he said afterward. "I had no idea it was as
beautiful as it is until I got here."
In brief remarks, Nebraska Head Gym
nastic Coach Francis Allen called Hartung
a "gymnastics fanatic, both in the way he
performs in the gym and in the commun
ity." "Jim has done more for the sport of
gymnastics not only in our part of the
country but all over," he said. "More dem
onstrations, mor; exhibitions, more clinics
- if you asked him, I don't think he could
count the number he's done."
In his four years at Nebraska, Hartung
won a record-tying seven individual cham
pionships and Nebraska won four team
NCAA championships.
t He was also named the U.S. Gymnastics
Federation's "Athlete of the Year" in
1981, and last March received the Nissen
Award, considered the Heisman Trophy of
gymnastics.
Hartung joins UNL track star Merlene
Ottey as a Southland recipient. Rene Hen
ry, of the Southland Corp., said besides
Nebraska, only the University of Indiana
boasts two athletes that merited South
land recognition.
Hartung is now a graduate assistant
coach at Nebraska, where he's training for
Iris "ultimate goal," the 1984 Olympics.
Cavemen. Andrews are swwsse picks for All
Two surprise choices appear on the Daily Nebraskan's
All-Big Eight Conference basketball team for 1982-83.
Based on their strong performances this season, Steve
Stipanovich and Jon Sundvold of Missouri and Wayman
Tisdale of Oklahoma have deservedly appeared on both
wire service all-conference teams, and similarly deserve
a spot on ours.
But you may not have noticed Greg Cavener of
Missouri and Lorenza Andrews of Oklahoma State on
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Tim
Woods
either the AP or UPI squads.
Still, Cavener and Andrews were vitally important to
their respective teams this season, and if the wire services
don't want them on their all-league teams, well, we'll
take them.
Kevin Warneke, DN Sports Editor Bob Asmussen and
I have been able to cover what might have been the most
competitive Big Eight season in recent years.
An influx of top-notch freshmen - Tisdale, Nebras
ka's Dave Hoppen and Kansas' Kerry Boagni leading the
way - plus the maturity of some younger, returning
players and the expected strong play of the league's
veterans all brought the caliber of the Big Eight to a
higher level than in years past.
Three teams - Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and four
time regular season champion Missouri - are headed to
the NCAA tournament.
Nebraska, meanwhile, was invited to the National
Invitation Tournament and could be one of the sleeper
choices to take the NIT.
So with four strong teams, and an upgraded second
division, the Big Eight this season had many quality
players from which to choose an all-conference team.
We've selected three squads which represent this quality.
Mizzou's Cavener earned a first-team berth largely on
his defensive work. His ability to cover opposing teams'
centers allowed Stipanovich to play, in effect, a one
man zone which made the Tigers' middle defense one of
the most difficult to penetrate.
Andrews, meanwhile, showed his ability to produce
in the clutch Sunday against Missouri in the Big Eight
tournament final. Whether scoring on a twisting layup or
a jump shot off the glass, Andrews gave Oklahoma State
a bona fide outside threat while averaging 17.3 points per
game in Big Light play.
The second team is led by Oklahoma State center
Leroy Combs, who dominated Stipanovich in the Cow
boys' win Sunday. Combs has been red-hot lately; his
continued strong play could make OSU one of the sleep
ers in the NCAA West Regional.
Oklahoma forward David Little had another strong
season (18.1 ppg in conference games), but had two off
games against Missouri when the Sooners could have
shared the regular season title by winning either one.
Oklahoma State's Matt Clark was a solid point guard
all season, averaging 6.4 assists per game in Big Eight
play. Much of OSU's success in the NCAAs, however,
could depend on whether the physical Clark can stay
out of foul trouble; he scored only five points Sunday
against Missouri before fouling out.
Kansas' Carl Henry, a transfer from Oklahoma City
University, was one of KU's few bright spots, averaging
17.6 ppg in league play. The 6-5 guard should be one of
the Big Eight's top players next year.
Nebraska's Claude Renfro earned the other forward
spot, largely because of his inspirational play in spark
ing the Cornhuskers to their best record in five years.
While other forwards had higher "numbers" - Renfro
averaged only 9.0 ppg in Big Eight play - the 6-6 senior
epitomized Nebraska's scrappiness, coming up with cruc
ial baskets and rebounds time and again over taller, more
"talented" opponents.
Before we discuss the third team, one factor used in
our selection process is worth mentioning.
IcDglfM
How much consideration on an all-conference team
should one give a player who carries a high scoring aver
age, yet whose team still finishes toward the bottom of
the league standings?
Colorado guard Jay Humphries, a third-team select
ion, is one such player. The 6-3 junior led the nation
in steals and averaged 16.0 ppg in league play.
But the Buffaloes still finished last; Humphries' pres
ence apparently had little effect on CU's finish. We
therefore bumped Humphries down to the third team.
Iowa State forward Barry Stevens is in the same
situation as Humphries. The 6-5 sophomore averaged
17.8 ppg in Big Eight games, but might not have re
ceived so many post-season honors had he not scored
40 points in the Cyclones' upset win over Missouri in
February.
Two freshmen, Nebraska center Hoppen and Kansas
forward Boagni, possess all the skills necessary to become
two of the nation's top players.
Oklahoma guard Bo Overton, who led the Big Eight
in assists with 6.9 per game, rounds out the third team.
So there are the DN All-Big Eight squads. Some mis
cellaneous awards follow.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Paul Hansen took Oklahoma
State to the championship of the Big Eight tournament -against
Missouri in Kansas City, no less. State, at 24-6,
is enjoying its winningest season in 17 years
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: In a word, Wayman.
v. ith apologies to several others.
PLAYER OF piE YEAR: This one was tough. I
like Stipanovich; he showed this season the all-around
skills that many Big Eight observers (right, Joel?) doubted
he possessed.
Asmussen likes oundvold. "Any guy who can fight
ott a pick so easily," he said, "is good enough for me."
Sports staffer Randy Wymore, in Warneke's absence,
chooses Tisdale. "He's brought more national attention
to the Big Eight than any one player in recent history,"
Wymore said.
n-n?!fre.are ithe nomnees- To find the winner, check out
Bill Allen s column in Thursday's Daily Nebraskan.