Sports
■Lady Lopers game worries softball coach
I By Darran Fowler
Staff Reporter
Alter defeating some of the na
tion’s best teams, Nebraska softball
coach Ron Wolforth should be fear
less when the opposition is an NAIA
But he isn’t.
Wolforth, whose unranked Com
akers have won eight of their last
10 names against Division I lop-20
teams, said he is not looking forward
to Nebraska’s double-header against
Kearney Suite today.
The (win bill, which features free
admission for all University ol Ne
braska- Lincoln students who present
their student IDs. begins at 5:30 p.m.
at the Nebraska Softball Complex.
“Kearney State always worries
me.” Wolforth said. “I hale playing
them. I’d rather play UCLA orOkla
homa Slate because I know that we're
always ready to plav those teams ”
Nebraska, which is 28-23 overall
and leads the Big Eight with a 7-1
mark, owns a 30-3 series edge over
the Lady l.opers, including 2-0and 6
1 wins during the fall season.
Wollorth, who spent a season
playing baseball lor Kearney Stale,
said his tears are based on that expe
rience and the fact that 20-11 kcar
nev Suite will come into the games
with the altitude that it has nothing to
lose.
Whenever I played against Ne
braska, he said. 1 went into the
games really tired up to neat them
because that would make the whole
season.”
Wollorth said Nebraska, which
hasn t been rated since being uibbed
15th in the prescason rankings,
should be ranked in this week’s polls.
He said the Huskers should he ranked
no lower than 15th provided they do
not lose to Kearney Suite.
Wollorth said he is worried about
the Lady Lopcrs, who arc a member
ol the National Association ol Inter
collegiate Athletics.
They've always been a reallv
scrappy ball club. ’ he said, “lust a
'Pin would be a big thing tor them It
would be a real shame to have a
lackadaisical approach and have u
come back and haunt us.”
Nebraska shortstop Jane Kremer
said the Huskers will be readv. She
said she and Nebraska's lour other
seniors realize that every game is
important at this time ol the season.
”1 don't think there will be a let
down.” Kremer said, “because the
seniors know that we have only a lew
games left in our season and so we
have to get alter it. Lven though it’s
not against a ranked opponent, it's
still a win ora loss on our record. We
have to pull oil two more wins.’’
Nebraska has won 17 of ns Iasi 2^
games. That streak began alter ihe
Huskcrs second six-game losing
streak of the season dropped their
record to 11-17.
Kremersaid the lirst hall of season
was difficult lor ihe seniors because
they have alwavs >ven used to win
ning.
‘Ii wa*' kind ol shoeking al lirst.
Kremer >aid. "It was like having a
rue pulled Irom undernealh vour leet.
'It takes a iittle time lor ihe
younger players io adiust to what
Division I softball is all about. It look
us half of our season to figure out
what it takes to win ball games and
pull together as a team and I think the
coaches have done a good job of
sucking with the younger players. I
think for us to win the Big hight we
have to continue to stick together. ’
Wolforth said the Muskers arc
playing the way he thought they were
capable ot all season. He said there is
room for improvement especially m
the area ol mental concentration.
We need to be competitive in
every inning, he said. It • getting
down to the point where n s real cru
uai and we re going to run out <»i
*econd chances. We have come .1
long wav unit we still have to Keep
improving. We're still search me tor
competitive greatness because we re
still not as good a ball club as we can
be."
Nebraska Hashed its potential this
weekend bv defeating top ranked
Oklahoma State h i. I he Muskers
then sandwiched 3-1 and 2-1 victo
ries against No. 17-ranked Iowa State
around a 5-0 loss to the Cowgirls.
David Fahleson Daily Nebraskan
Nebraska’s Kathrin Edelkotter displays her form en route to defeating
Kansas State’s Marijke Nel 6-3,6-1.
NU gains momentum from win
By Paul Domeier
Mdl Reporter
' he Nebraska women s tennis team gained
momentum lor this weeks Big Eight chumpi
•mships bv beating Kansas Slate 6-5 Monday at
!he ( ather-Pound courts.
1 he victory leaves the Cornhuskers in 4th
place, but within striking distance ol 2nd place
Oklahoma.
Womcn’scoach Gregg Calvin said the team
>sn i satisfied.
Wccan’t feci happy with where wc’rcat,”
alvin said. “When wc are comfortable, we
mm t play as good.”
Kansas State began the day ahead of Ne
braska. Calvin said the win shows that the
Buskers can catch 2nd-placc Oklahoma and
ri,;Placc Kansas in the Big Eight standings.
We have a good balance between singles
aful doubles,” he said. “If wc pick up play in
s,nglcs a little bit, wc can compete with Kansas
and Oklahoma.”
I he match was the third in three days for the
luskers, and it soon became a test of endur
ance. I he dual lasted over six hours.
Rachel Collins and Leslie Jones came back
!° Wln a ihrcc-sct match at No. 5 doubles for the
*nu' margin of victory. Collins and Jones look
0 *ast 11 vc games in the second set to even the
maten, and won 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
} ollins and Jones finished their Big Eight
Scason 5-2. They will probably be the third
sccd lor the conference tournament that will be
In addition to the doubles marathon. Collins
,ost 6-2. 5-6. 6-2 in a two and one-hall hour
match at No. 5 singles.
Three other Huskers secured seeds with
victories in singles. They included IldikoCiuba
at No. 2 singles. Doneta Holmen at No. 3
singles and Nancy Tyggum at No. 4 singles.
These three players all closed out their Big
Eight seasons with 5-2 marks in Big Eight
competition.
Cuba s 6-2, 7-5 win was especially impor
tant, since she had lost 6-0, 6-0 Saturday
against Kansas.
Calvin was impressed by Cuba’s perform
ancc.
“That says a lot, to come back from a poor
match and to win today,” Calvin said.
Holmen and Tyggum teamed to win 2-6,6
2, 6-4 at No. 1 doubles.
Freshman Kathrin Edclkolter posted a 6-3,
6-1 victory at No. I singles. She said the win
was particularly important because she is skip
ping her final three years at Nebraska in lavor
of returning to her home in Hamm, West Ccr
manv to study special education.
‘41 won’t be able to teach in Germany il I ge t
my degree here,’ she said.
Holmen, a tumor, also is leaving Nebraska
prematurely. She is returning to Wisconsin to
get married.
“It’s lough concentrating on anything, let
alone tennis,” she said.
She said she will attend the University ot
Wisconsin next year, where she may continue
her tennis career.
rormer NU players dratted
i»v jell a pel
Senior (editor
When former Nebraska safety Tim Jackson
was young, he used to get nervous when the
Dallas Cowboys were
playing in the Super Bowl.
But that anxiety did not
compare to the nervous
ness Jackson said he felt
prior to being drafted
Monday in the ninth round
by Dallas. He said his anxi
ety stemmed from the
questions and worries that Jackson
went through his mind.
‘‘Many things goon in your mind,” Jackson
said. “I had so many things going through my
head because I wondered what was going on. I
wondered when or if I was going to be
drafted.”
Jackson said his anxieties were relieved
when Gil Brandt, the director of player devel
opment for the Cowboys, called him into his
hotel room in Las Vegas, Ncv. He said the news
that he was a Cowboy took a tremendous load
off his back because his worries were over.
“Right now I’m just relieved and happy,”
Jackson said. “I don 't know if I ever want to go
through that much anxiety again.”
Four other former Nebraska players were
drafted on Monday. Those players included
wingback Dana Brinson, who was selected by
San Diego in the eighth round, tight end Todd
Millikan, who was taken by Chicago in the
l()th round, defensive tackle Willie Griffin,
who was drafted by Tampa Bay in the 11th
round, and quarterback Steve Taylor, who was
taken by Indianapolis in the 12th round.
Jackson, Brinson, Millikan, Griffin and
Taylor join two other former Nebraska players
who were selected in Sunday’s portion of the
draft. Those players were outside linebacker
Broderick Thomas, who was drafted by Tampa
Bay in the first round, and middle guard l^iw
rencc Pete, who was selected by Detroit in the
fifth round. Pete is projected as a defensive
tackle in the National Football League.
Jackson said he joined Brinson and Griffin
lor a celebration when he learned he had been
drafted. Taylor could not join the trio in their
celebration in l.as Vegas because he signed a
contract with the Edmonton Eskimos of the
Canadian Football League earlier this year.
Jackson said his selection was particularly
special because he grew up in Dallas.
“I’ve always been a Cowboy fan,” Jackson
said. “I used to get so nervous when they were
about ready to play in the Super Bowl that I
wouldn’t want to talk to anyone. I just wanted
to be by myself.”
Jackson was named one of the top 50 players
in Dallas following his senior season at Skyline
High School. He originally signed a letter of
intent with Kansas State, but transferred to
Nebraska after a two-year stint with the Wild
cats and one season at Coffcyvillc (Kan.) Jun
ior College.
The highlight of Jackson’s Nebraska career
was last season, when he was named a unani
mous AII-Big Eight selection alter leading the
Huskers with l ive pass breakups and four inter
ceptions. He also recorded 38 tackles and
caused three fumbles.
Jackson saia ne couia noi ncncvc nis cars
when Brandi informed him that he was a
Cowboy.
“It’s jusi wonderful,’’ Jackson said. “I’m
very excited.”
Jackson said he is confident about his
chances with Dallas. He said he is looking
forward to answering critics w ho say that de
fensive backs from the Big [light don't know
how to defend the pass.
“I love how much the pros pass,” Jackson
said. “I’m definitely looking forward to the
challenge.”
Jackson said he is looking forward to w ork
ing with Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson and
quarterback Troy Aik man. Johnson became
Dallas’ coach after Tom Landry was fired
earlier this year, while Aikman was the first
selection in the 1989 draft.
Dallas finished with a 3-13 record last sea
son. The Cowboys rosier includes Danny
Noonan, a former Nebraska All-America se
lection who is a starting defensive lineman.
“I know I'll get a lair shake,” Jackson said.
“It never even occurred to me that I
wouldn’t.”
Jackson said he feels sorrv for the Nebraska
players that were not dratted. Those players
include running back Tvreesc Knox, line
backer LeRoy Hucnnc.offensive linemen Bob
Sledge and Andy Keeler, outside linebacker
Jon Marco and defensive backs Loren/o Hicks
and Charles Fryar.
Oakland A’s to take baseball title
The Boston Red Sox isn’t the only team in
the American League with problems.
The Oakland A’s rosier is so loaded that
they had only one opening on their entire 24
man rosier throughout spring training. That
slot was filled by outfielder Felix Jose, who
made the team only after veteran Larry
Herndon retired because of a recurring knee
injury.
But unlike the Ked box s problems wmen
threaten to turn baseball into a Robin Givens
Mikc Tyson love/hate affair, the A s problems
will lead them to the World Scries. That's right
- Oakland is destined to make its second
consecutive appearance in baseball’s version
of the Super Bowl.
Last year, this column predicted that
Oakland would capture the AL. V . ,t title by
winning 103 games, while Minnesota would
finish second with 92 wins. That prediction
brought a variety of criticism from hecklers
who did not have any faith in Oakland’s awe
some arsenal.
This season, those hecklers will not have
anything to complain about when Oakland runs
away with the title early. The A s will win n by
using a variety of power, pitching and the
absence of veteran Don Baylor to finish with a
110-52 record.
The only sore spot on Oakland’s rosier last
season was Baylor, a veteran designated hitler
who lived off his past while basking in his
team’s accomplishments. With Baylor gone.
Oakland will increase its number ol wins by
See OAKLAND on10
