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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1987)
Tuesday, February 24, 1987 Daily Nebraskan Pago 5 rl Ssiacliies comtiiMies ttadMon (i1 By Mark Dcrowitsch Staff Rpporter The Nebraska women's bi;!a tbdl tea.m will clo:;e its regular season tonight agaira-;t Oklahoma State. A Cornhuskcr win coupled with a Missouri loss to Kansas State could give Nebraska at least a tie for the Big Ei :;M Cor.fcrer.ee championship. But one factor against Nebraska is that the game will be played in Stillwater. Last Saturday, the Huskers de- Ira ka a 70 ccrfrrfr.ee record at nea.a. l i L "i . ,aa has wan ( a'y one f : h t:x a! trap's cn tha road. That c :: n't v.crry N.lr: ka coach ';.laLrk. "We've (,""!vv on ere g' : 1 i tha read f I . c k ' !, 'T t Ck!a L: i ll LJ 1 ; I 1 1 . :i f a t: . : : r If 1 riff 4. tj TT T d)0W(Qi j jaeaieci, ready to M for NCAA 'meet; By Steve Sipple Staff Reporter Nebraska swimmer Ed Jowdy, reco vered from the ankle injury that has plagued him for most of the season, he ready to prove once again that he's the premier backstroker in the Big Eight. Jowdy, who won conference titles in the 100- and 200-yard backstrokes in both of his first two seasons, has responded to his injury admirably, said Nebraska men's coach Cal Bentz. "The sprained ankle was tough for him to overcome," Bentz said. "I can't remember a time when someone has had that severe an injury and has bounced back to work so diligently and try to turn it around. He stuck with it and is swimming as fast as he ever was." Jowdy injured the ankle after the Southern Methodist dual last Nov. 20, two weeks before the Husker Invita tional. The injury's timing was particu larly bad because the Huskers "shave and taper" before getting ready for this meet, as they shoot for NCAA Cham pionship qualifying times. Jowdy Tapering is gradually decreasing training schedules following a sche dule before competing in a big meet. Swimmers shave their body hair to feel fast. Jowdy ordinarily would have done this before going for his NCAA qualify ing times, but couldn't because of his ankle. He qualified for the meet in his freshman and sophomore years. Jowdy has yet to qualify this year. To qualify, he must swim the 100-yard backstroke in 50.57 and the 200-yard meat regardless of the outcome of the game," Halterman said. "This game has very little meaning for us except we don't want to go into the tournament with a five-game losing streak. But it's a very Big game far Nebraska since they can tie for the championship. They'll be fired up, and we look for them to be ready to go." Maurtice Ivy, who is averaging 23.4 points a game, will lead the Huskers. Ivy h coming off a 35 point performance sgainst the Soer.crs, which was a Bab Devaaey Sports Center record. Bat Barman said Be !.c n't tk;ak t- ; !rg ivy v.Cl be the hay to the ga a?. "Nilra-ki B; a l:t of people v.I.o c:n - .-" r-'term-n said. 1 I -f ) etjs..' ?th;msat up v ' ira-.' at! r:erfaar : kVL :itjr.i,tl t , r ' " ' " r, I , - . " tUirtk. I : , If j tr. if'. . ' J 1 .i . . . :j't ;t-i: t: . back in 1:49.72 at the Big Eight meet. His best times in the events this year came last weekend in a dual with Kan sas when he posted a time of 52.20 seconds in the 100 and 1:53.60 in the 200. He has career bests of 50.87 and 1:49.85. His 200 time is a Bob Devaney Sports Center record. "If you vant to do good you have to put your mind to it. You have to put 110 per cent into it . . ." Jowdy Jowdy is confident he will lower his times and make his cuts for the NCAA meet. Jowdy also swims on Nebraska's 400 yard medley relay with Tony Poleo, Dan Novinski and Doug Hubner. Bentz thinks the foursome definitely will qualify for nationals. Bentz is confident and hopeful that Jowdy will do well in the final meets. "I want him to make standards," Bentz said. "I want him to go to nation als, go even faster and score. "The 400-medley relay is important. The faster he goes, the faster they go. He has a good shot at qualifying for and scoring well at nationals." Jowdy, an exercise-science and corporate-fitness major, was a prep All American at Glastonbury, Conn., High School. He credited former Nebraska football player Todd Profitt, also from Glastonbury, for stirring his interest in the Huskers. Jowdy said he was drawn by the friendly people, the change of seasons, Bentz and the Sports Center's facilities. Syracuse, Virginia and Florida State also recruited Jowdy, but the Huskers landed him, and he hasn't let them down. "Jowdy has lived up to every one of our expectations," Bentz said. "We see every reason why he can go even faster." Jowdy attributes both the No. 16 ranked Huskers' success and his own to dedication. "If you want to do good you have to put your mind to it," he said. "You have to put 1 10 percent into it if you want to be where you think you should be." By Tim Hartmann Senior Reporter If Nebraska wrestler Gil Sanchez makes it to the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in College Park, Md., March 19 through 21, he won't be the first member of his family to do so. And maybe not the last. His father, Gil Sr., was the NCAA runner-up at 115 pounds for Colorado State in 1962. Two of his brothers Jim, a freshman who wrestles for Nebraska at 118 pounds, and Frank, who will become a Cornhusker next season will attempt to follow their brother's success. Gil, a senior who wrestles at 134 pounds, is 39-1 and No. 2 in his weight class. His lone defeat came against Oklahoma State's John Smith, whom he defeated earlier this season. Sanchez said he is looking forward to a rematch with Smith on March 7 at the Big Eight Conference Champion ships in Stillwater, Okla. "I should do a lot better, I'm wres tling a lot better all around," he said. "Against him it's really important to do good in the first period on the take down part, because that's where he is strong. Wrestling on the mat I'll do fine. Whoever gets that first take-down (will have an advantage). It's pretty crucial." Sanchez said the Big Eight Cham pionship is important for both wrestlers to set them up for the NCAA's, which is where Sanchez really hopes to perform well. "The Big Eights are important for both of us for seeding, but the main thing is nationals," he said. "Nationals is where it really matters." The two Big Eight rivals are probably the top two wrestlers in the 134-pound weight class, Sanchez said. "I've wrestled a lot of guys and Smith has wrestled a lot of guys, and none of us have really had problems with anybody," he said. Nebraska wrestling coach Tim Neu mann agreed, saying Sanchez has had a remarkable season. "I guess the only way you can des cribe it would be outstanding," Neu mann said. "He's beaten everyone in the country." Last season Sanchez posted a 24-7 record and was defeated in the NCAA's by Oklahoma State wrestler Leo Bailey, whom Gil defeated in the Big Eight Championships. Sanchez said he doesn't see much difference between this sea son and last season, but he is happy with his sucess. "I don't feel a whole lot different Nebraska 118-poundsr Jim iniiii II I . ..- ..-! ..hi. i .... lain. n i . i.i in I. i hi I .'iiiiiiii.il .i,ini j I. nil j .... .... ui-. l.i n..i i . . " ' :aav'..a a--,.. , f x ) y ' aa " .. . " C - v I I I : 1 ! ? f I - - ...-- - - - - - - - - - -.- ... . J from last year, and last year I had a medium good year," he said. "This year everything is really clicking. My weight is good and I feel strong. "It's really going good," Sanchez said. "I've been pretty lucky I haven't got hurt. The workouts are really hard, but I'm enjoying myself wrestling." Although he is from a wrestling fam ily, Sanchez said, he actually got a late start in the sport. "We were influenced by it and it was always around, but I didn't really start working out until probably fifth grade," he said. "I was kind of behind for a while, but I got better in high school." He couldn't have done much better in high school. He ended his career at Cheyenne, Wyo., High School with a 48-0-1 record and two state champion ships. After sitting out a year Sanchez came to Nebraska. He has posted a 100-26-3 career record going into this weekend's action. Doug CarrollDaily Nebraskan Nebraska's Gil Sanchez rides assistant coach Mark Perry during practice. Sanchez, a senior, is one of the nation's top-rated wrestlers in the 134-pound weight class. Ssnchez works out with his brother Alter this season, Sanchez plans to be a graduate assistant with the team. That way he can continue to wrestle. "I'll be able to train and try out for some teams," he said. "This summer they'll have the Pan American Games and the Sports Festival and that will be good." Sanchez said he is looking forward to the 1988 Olympic Games. A different style of wrestling, freestyle, is used in the Olympics, but based on past per formances, Sanchez said, he thinks he could make an easy transition. "John Smith won the Goodwill Games this summer and I beat Barry Davis (of Iowa) this year. He got second place in the (1984) Olympics," Sanchez said. Meanwhile, Sanchez's brother Jim, who also won two Wyoming state titles in high school, has posted a 1 1-9 record so far this season. "Jimmy has had a fairly inconsistent year," he said. "He has had a number of injuries he has had to come back from." i X It, Doug CarrollDaily Nebraskan Gil during a recent practice. l , . t ' . &