Sports
Cornhusker freshman sets world record
Williams leads Huskers to 10th place in NCAA
By Mark Derowitsch
Senior Reporter__
Nebraska’s Peter Williams, a
freshman on the men’s swim team,
set an unofficial
world record Sun
day after the com
pletion of the
NCAA Champi
onships in Indian
apolis.
Williams bet
tered the previous
record in the 50- Williams
meter freestyle in an all-comers meet
following Nebraska’s lOth-place fin
ish at the NCAA Championships. His
time of 22.18 seconds beat the old
mark of :22.33 held by Tom Jager,
who set it last month in the United
States Senior National Champion
ships.
Nebraska coach Cal Bentz said it
might take a while for Williams’
record to be validated. He said the
pool must be measured and the lime
must be acknowledged by the interna
tional governing body of swimming.
Williams, a freshman from Port
Elizabeth, South Africa, said he
didn’t think about the record before
the meet.
“I wasn’t expecting to get it be
cause the NCAA meet was really
tiring,” Williams said. “After I swam
it (the 50 meters) the first time, I knew
I had a shot at it. But actually, I was
quite surprised with it.”
Before his record-setting perform
ance, Williams led the Comhuskers
to their best finish ever in the NCAA
Championships. He finished third in
the 100 freestyle with a time of
:43.50, which earned him All-Amer
ica honors.
Williams also helped Nebraska
score a team-record 125 points. He
said he wasn’t surprised by the Husk
ers’ effort even though it trailed first
place Texas by 299 points.
“We’ve been saying that a top-10
finish was one of our goals the whole
season,” Williams said. “We’re
happy to have gotten it, but we’ve
been planning on it.”
Williams also earned honorable
mention All-America honors in the
50 freestyle by finishing ninth and
teamed with Ed Jowdy, Sean Framp
ton and Ed Rief to claim that honor in
the 400 medley relay. Nebraska’s400
freestyle relay of Williams, Rick
freestyle relay, the lOth-place finish
in the 800 freestyle relay and the 12th
place finish in the 400 medley relay.
“We felt every one of our three
relay teams could have scored in the
top eight,” Bentz said. “We had a lot
of people who were swimming (in the
7 wasn’t expecting to get it because the
NCAA meet was really tiring. After I swam
it (the 50 meters) I was quite surprised
with it.’
_ —Williams
Havekost, Dan Novinski and Mike
Irvin and the 800 freestyle relay of
Williams, Novinski, Irvin and Alan
Hobbs also earned honorable-men
tion All-America honors.
Bentz said he was disappointed
with the ninth-place finish in the 400
NCAA meet) for the first time, and
it’s difficult to have every person
swim their best at the same time.”
Irvin also earned All-America
honors in the 200 and 400 individual
medley by placing eighth and seventh
in the two events.
Bentz said he anticipated Wil
liams and Irvin to lead Nebraska into
the top 10.
“We expect them to do extremely
well,” Bentz said, “and they per
formed like we hoped they would.”
Bentz said Nebraska was also
aided by its divers. Lawrence Rod
dick finished third on the 1-meter
board and eighth on the 3-meter
board. Teammate Lewis Meyers
placed lllh in the 1-meter competi
tion and fourth on the 10-meter diving
platform, which was a non-scoring
event.
Bentz said Nebraska is on the
verge of earning a top-five ranking
nationally next season because 10 of
the 11 Huskers who placed at the
NCAA meet return next season. The
lone senior at the championships was
backstroker Ed Jowdy.
“Last year, we finished 19th,”
Bentz said. “We felt legitimately we
should have been in the top 15. This
year, our goal was to make the lop 10
and we did it. Now, we’re going to
move forward.
“We’ll strive for even higher next
year.”
NU women gymnasts earn second straight N C A A berth
By Lori Griffin
Staff Reporter
A second consecutive appearance
in the NCAA Championships awaited
the Nebraska women’s gymnastics
team after it finished third in the
NCAA Midwest Regional Saturday
night at Norman, Okla.
Nebraska coach Rick Walton said
the team performed well in three of
four events. The Huskers led Utah,
the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, by
three-tenths of a point after the first
rotation, but then fell five times on the
balance beam on their way to a third
place finish with 187.05 points.
Utah won the meet with 190.20
points, and Arizona State was second
with 187.10.
“We went from winning the meet
to fourth after the second rotation,”
Walton said. “We had to fight like a
dog to get back in contention.
“The positive thing about this
meet was that we didn’t roll over and
die.”
Walton said the Huskers let Ari
zona State gel back into the meet. He
said Nebraska is at least two points
better than the Sun Devils, but fallson
the balance beam hurt the Huskers’
chances of finishing second.
“Everything went as predicted
with the exception of Nebraska fall
ing to third,” Walton said. “Every
seed held the position that it had going
into the meet. We challenged Utah,
and they are not substantially better
than we are.”
Walton said Arizona State was
aided by its strong gymnastics reputa
tion, which was “worth a few points”
with inexperienced judges at the re
gional meet. He said there will not be
inexperienced judges at the NCAA
Championships April 22-23 at Salt
Lake City.
“If we hit four events at the
NCAAs, then the margin between
Nebraska and ASU will be widened,”
Walton said. “It’s going to have to be
a meet where we pul everything to
gether.”
Oklahoma’s Kelly Garrison
Stevcs recorded the meet’s only per
fect score, on balance beam, and fin
ished first in the all-around competi
tion with a 38.65. Arizona State’s
Karli Urban, a native of Omaha, was
second with a 38.25, and Patti Mas
soels of Utah was third with a 38.15.
Nebraska’s Michele Bryant finished
fourth in the all-around with a 37.90,
and teammate Lisa McCrady finished
sixth with a 37.60.
Walton said there is added pres
sure to perform well in the regional
championships in order to qualify for
the NCAA Championships. The top
ranked team from each of the five
regions, which is determined by scor
ing average, receives an automatic
berth in the NCAA meet, and the
remaining seven squads receive at
large bids.
Columnist: Mets will win NL East pennant
Despite all the hoopla surrounding
the New York Mels, the question on
most people’s minds is not whether
the Mets will win the National League
Last, but by how much.
-1 -
- 1 ■ ■ " ^
If the Mets find their stopper in the
bullpen in Roger McDowell, this race
will be over before Aug. 1. If not,
Montreal and Philadelphia could
challenge the Mets — but New
York’s strong starling pitching will
bring home the flag. Randy Myers has
to provide an adequate replacement
to departed Jesse Orosco for New
York’s bullpen to be as productive as
it was in 1987.
One thing the Mets have this sea
son that they lacked last year (when
they finished three games behind
division-winning St. Louis) is Dwight
Dr. K” Gooden. Gooden missed his
first 11 starts because of a cocaine
problem but still finished with a 15-7
record.
The rest of the Mels’ pitching
looks solid. Ron Darling, Sid Fernan
dez, Bob Ojeda and either Rick
Aguilera or Dave Cone will give New
York the best starting rotation in the
majors. If this staff can stay healthy,
die Mets might not even need a good
bullpen.
One aspect of the Mels’ game that
manager Dave Johnson doesn’t have
10 worry about is offense. With out
fielders Darryl Strawberry (39 home
runs last season) and Kevin McRey
nolds (29), third baseman Howard
Johnson (36), catcher Gary Carter
(20) and first baseman Keith Hernan
dez (18) leading the way, there will be
?[uite a few balls flying over the out
ield fences at Shea Stadium.
But Strawberry docs have to worry
about his tongue. Earlier this spring,
he blasted some of his teammates in
an April interview in Esquire maga
zine. If the team is able to concentrate
on itself instead of the massive New
York media, it will rank as one of
baseball’s best ever.
The Mcts will win this division.
That you can bank on. Another thing
you can bank on is that there will be a
logjam of teams fighting for second
place.
But the Philadelphia Phillies will
prevail and at least give the Mets
somethine to look at behind them.
The offense of this Phillies team
will give its fans something to cheer
about. This attack ranks up there with
the Mike Schmidt/Greg Luzinski
tandem.
bcnmiui is sun arounu, anu uic
three-time Most Valuable Player is
coming off yet another impressive
year (35 home runs, 113 runs batted
in). Juan Samuel is the other half of
the Phillies’ one-two punch. He re
corded 28 homers, had 100 RBIs and
stole 35 bases.
The Phillies showed they were not
impressed with their 80-82 record last
season. They traded for left fielder
and former Missouri standout Phil
Bradley. Bradley has the perfect
numbers for a lead-off hitter — .297
average, 101 runs scored, 38 doubles,
84 walks and 40 stolen bases.
Philadelphia proved last year that
they have people to drive in runs. In
addition to Schmidt and Samuel,
catcher Lance Parrish will improve
from last year and Von Hayes hit 21
round-trippers.
The Phillies’ Achilles heel will be
pitching. Pitching wins pennants, and
that’s why this team won’t be much of
a challenge for the Mels.
Shane Rawley, Kevin Gross, free
agent David Palmer, Don Carman and
Bruce Ruffin could make or break the
Phillies. Also, Cy Young Award
winner Steve Bcdrosian saved 40
games last year but has been bothered
by injuries this spring. If the pitching
doesn’t hold up, look for the Phillies
to challenge for the cellar instead of
second place.
Another team that will fight the
Phillies for second place is St. Louis.
Like the Phillies, the Cardinals’
pitching will determine their season.
John Tudor seems to spend half of
every year on the disabled list, and
besides Danny Cox and Todd Worrell
and Ken Dayley in the bullpen, the
rest of the staff is under average.
Manager wnucy Herzog is Damp
ing on Jose DeLeon to be the savior
for St. Louis. But DeLeon is a career
32-55 pitcher, so the only thing
DeLeon will save the Cardinals from
is the cellar.
Also, the Cards must find a re
placement for Jack Clark, the only
slugger St. Louis had last season. But
free agent Bob Homer isn’t the an
swer. He’ll help the team, but he can’t
replace Clark’s bat.
Montreal, like Philadelphia and
St. Louis, is banking on its pitching
staff to come through.
Dennis Martinez compiled an 11
4 record last year, and Pascual Perez
was 7-0 after being called up from the
minors in August. The rest of the stall
is Neal Heaton, former Nebraska
pitcher Bob Sebra, Bryn Smith and
Floyd Youmans. Heaton and
Youmans both need to have a big year
if the Expos arc to remain in the hunt
for second place.
The Expos’ offense will rely on
speed. Left fielder Tim Raines hit
.330 last season while Tim Wallach
hil .298, but there are just loo many
holes to fill.
Once again, Pittsburgh and Chi
cago will battle for the cellar, but look
for the young Pirates to prevail.
The Pirates arc two years away
from challenging as they have traded
away mostof the team’saging players
and the youth movement appears to
be working.
Mike Dunne, who was 13-6 with a
3.03 ERA last season, leads the pitch
ing staff, while Andy Van Slyke hit
.293 with 21 home runs after being
traded by the Cardinals.
The Cubs ’ question about pitching
has already teen answered — it’s
horrible. Outside of Rick Sutcliffe,
the Cubs’ staff looks as bleak as
blackout in New York City.
Calvin Schiraldi and A1 Nipper,
both acquired from the Boston Red
Sox for reliever Lee Smith, won’t be
the answers. At best, both pitchers
will look to break even.
Andre Dawson leads the ollensc
after hitting 49 home runs last year.
Rync Sandberg and third baseman
Vance Law will have to have career
years in order for the Cubs to escape
last place.
H m 11111' i iMHeHi
The predicted finish:
Team Record Games Back
N. Y.Mets 110-52
Philadelphia 88-74 22
St. Louis 87-75 23
Montreal 81-81 29
Pittsburgh 75-87 35
Chicago Cubs 70‘C 10
Derowitsch is a news-editorial sopho
more and a Daily Nebraskan senior reporter.
Walton said the Huskers will be
seeded eighth in the 12-team NCAA
Championships. He said he is pleased
Nebraska’s seed in the champion
sh ips because it has nowhere to go but
up.
Walton said he expects the Husk
ers to produce some All-America
performances at the NCAA meet.
Gymnasts earn All-America honors
by finishing among the top six in the
individual competition or in the top
10 in the all-around competition.
“At this meet, what you’ve done
all year doesn't matter,” Walton said.
“You train hard and prepare yourself
and go in with something to prove.
The teams who go in with the attitude
that they have nothing to prove arc the
teams that fall on their ears.”
Basketball player
leaves Husker team
Nebraska basketball coach
Danny Nee announced Monday
that Rodney Curtis, a 6-foot-1
freshman guard, has left the
team for personal reasons.
Curtis appeared in 13 games
last season and averaged 2.5
points per game.
“We regret that Rodney de
cided to leave,” Nee said. “It’s
sad whenever you lose a player,
part ic ularlv after he fought back
from die neck injury' he had last
summer.
I he door is open tor mm to
return in the fall if he wants to.”
NU raises record
with four victories
Nebraska completed a four
game sweep of Kansas Monday
at Buck Bellzcr Field by posting
5-3 and 5-1 victories against the
Jayhawks.
The win raised Nebraska’s
record to 27-8 overall and 7-1 in
the Big Eight.
Nebraska’s next game is in
Lincoln today, when the Corn
huskers face Kearney State in a
single nine-inning game at 3
p.m. The Huskers will then face
Missouri Western in a double
header Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
A story in Monday’s Daily
Nebraskan incorrectly suited
that Illinois’ David Zeddics in
jured his knee at last year’s Big
Ten Championships. Zeddics
actually broke his foot four
weeks before the conference
competition.
The Daily Nebraskan regrets
the error.