Gymnastics coach says 8th title likely
By Jeff Singer
Staff Reporter t
When it comes to winning na
tional championships, there’s one
Nebraska sport that comes through
unlike any other.
The Comhusker men’s gymnas
tics team has won
national
during
Coach Francis W~.
Allen’s 22 years C '*** ■
at Nebraska, and
Allen is confident
that number eight ^ 4 ^*0*
isn’t far away. t “
Allen, whose ft Jfci
team will compete Allen
in the Big Eight Invitational this week
end in Lincoln, said this year’s Husk
ers might be the best he has coached.
“We have a very good chance of
going undefeated this year,” Allen
said. “With our balance and depth,
the whole team complements each
other well and could be one of the
best ever in college gymnastics.”
Nebraska opened its season last
weekend by winning the Rocky
Mountain Open in Colorado Springs,
Colo. The Huskers’ team score of
279.90 is the highest opening-meet
score in Nebraska history.
Allen said last weekend’s victory
was evidence that Nebraska is one of
the lop teams in the nation.
Our win last weekend means that
the team is either a barnburner or way
ahead of the rest of the competition,”
he said. “I think we’re a combination
of the two.”
All-American Dennis Harrison is
one of five sophomores returning.
Allen said he considers his sopho
mores to be the best class assembled
in the history of college gymnastics.
Harrison, who won the all-around
championship last weekend in Colo
rado, will team with Sumner Darling,
Che Bowers, Burkett Powell and Randy
Simonson in this group of underclass
men.
Two other key members returning
this season are juniors Louis Ball and
Josh Saegert. Saegert was doubtful to
see action this season after suffering a
broken leg in last year’s Big Eight
Invitational, but has beaten the odds
to return to the lineup.
Saegert, the only remaining mem
ber from Nebraska’s 1990 National
Championship team, has received
praise from his coach on returning so
soon after his injury.
“Saegert’s comeback is an inspi
ration to the team,” Allfen said. “Some
doctors said you may never see him
again in athletics, but now he’s back
here competing just as hard as be
fore.”
The Huskers also have two fresh
men competing this season: Richard
Grace and Richard Kieffer. Allen said
SCHEDULE ROSTER
Dec. 6*7 Btg Eight Invitational* in Lincoln. Louis Ball Jr. 5*6 of Papiilion
Jan. 25 Oklahoma & Iowa State* in Norman, Okia. Che Bowers So. 5*9 of Atlanta
FOb. 1 Ohio State in Lincoln. Sumner Darting So. 5*9 of Sarasota, Fla.
Feb. 8 USQF Winter Nationals in Colorado Springs, Colo Richard Grace Fr. 5*0 of Omaha
Feb. 15 Minnesota in Minneapolis. Dennis Harrison So. 5*7 of Omaha
Feb. 22 Southwest Cup in Tempo. Ariz. Richard Keiffer Fr. 5*6 of Longview, Texas
Feb. 29 Iowa State & Oklahoma* in Lincoln. Burkett Powell So. 5*6 of Lincoln
Mar. 7 New Mexico in Lincoln. Josh Saegert Jr. 5*5 of Austin, Texas
Mar. 14 UCLA in Los Angeles. Randy Simonson So. 5*6 of Kearney
Mar. 27-28 Big Eight Championships* in Ames, Iowa. Francis Allan coach
Apr. 23-25 NCAA Championships in Lincoln. Francis Alien, coach
*Btg Eight m—t __^_
? Amt«^er rain/DN
the two were a tribute to Nebraska’s
ability to recruit some of the coun
try’s top gymnasts.
“We had four freshmen that any
team would kill for last year, and now
we’ve got two more just like them,”
Allen said.
Defending national champion
Oklahoma will compete in this week
end’s invitational, but the Sooncrs
and the rest of the country won’t be
much of a challenge for the Huskcrs
as long as Nebraska is injury-free,
Allen said.
“As long as we stay healthy, we’re
going to overpower our competition,”
he said. “We’re going to be one of
those teams that’s hard to beat.”
AsforAUen’smission to coach his
eighth national championship team,
the Nebraska coach is confident about
his young team’s chances in bringing
home the title in April.
“I’d say we’re going to win it all,”
Allen said. “You’re only as good as
the people you have on your team,
and we have a damn good team.”
Husker women
defeat Drake,
continue streak
From staff reports '
The Nebraska women’s bas
ketball team kept its record
perfect by defeating Drake 62
56Tuesday night in front of 510
fans at the Drake Ficldhouse.
Nebraska upped its record to
4-0 with the win.
Comhusker coach Angela
Beck said the team was glad to
escape with a win in its first
road game of the season.
“We’re 4-0 and really happy
we did what we had to do to get
the win,” Beck said.
The Huskers were led by
juniors Karen Jennings and
Nafeesah Brown, who scored
21 points apiece.
In her first start as a Husker,
Brown also grabbed a team-high
nine rebounds and six steals.
“She contributed in all ar
eas,” Beck said. “She just played
a monster.”
The Bulldogs held Jennings,
Nebraska’s leading scorer and
reboundcr, to one offensive
board.
After jumping out to a 35-20
halftime lead on 50 percent
shooting from the floor, Nebraska
faltered late in the game.
The Huskers were eight of
21 from the floor in the second
half, but eight of 11 from the
free throw line.
“I’m pleased the way we hit
free throws down the stretch
and the way we stayed com
posed,” Beck said.
Drake fought back behind the
“inspired” play of guard Janet
Meeker and forward Kriste
Kinne, assistant Brenda
VanLengcn said.
Meeker scored 16 points and
grabbed eight rebounds and
Kinne scored 20 to pace the
Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs never cut the
Husker’s lead below six.
“We hit some key shots and
really protected our lead well,”
VanLengcn said. “We really
seemed to keep our cool.”
Nebraska’s next game is
Sunday against Wisconsin-Green
Bay. The Huskers meet the
Phoenix at 2 p.m. in the Bob
Devaney Sports Center._
NU foe tough without superstar
Brian Shellito/DN
By Todd Cooper
Senior Reporter __
Believe il or not, Michigan State,
the Nebraskatnen’s basketball team’s
opponent tonight, might be better
without former All-American guard
Steve Smith.
Last season, Smith, a first-round
NBA draft pick who averaged 25 points
a game, propelled the Spartans to a
19-11 record and the second round of
the NCAA tournament. But by the
second week of December last year,
the Spartans were just 1-2, including
a 71-69 loss to Nebraska.
This year, the Spartans arc 3-0 and
have vaulted into the Top 25 with a
15-poinl win over Arkansas (then
ranked No. 2) in the championship of
the Maui Classic.
And they’ve done il without Smith.
“So far, they’ve played belter with
out him,” Husker guard Eric Piatkow
ski said. “Last year, it was pretty
much the ‘Steve Smith Show’ —
everything basically revolved around
him. This year, everybody is more
involved in their offense. From what
1 saw, it seems like they’re really
having a lot more fun playing this
year.”
Nebraska, 4-0 and off to its best
start since 1984, will find out just how
much fun the Spartans arc having
when the two teams tip off at 7 p.m.
tonight in East Lansing, Mich.
V
By iheir statistics, the Spartans
have been spreading the joy. Three
players arc averaging double figures
in scoring, while three others average
just under 10 points a game.
And that’s helped the Spartans in
more ways than one, Comhusker Coach
Danny Nee said.
“With the team morale and unity
and pulling together, I definitely think
it has helped,” Nee said.
Nebraska has done some pulling
together of its own. Five Huskers
average double-figure scoring, led by
Piatkowski and senior forward Carl
Hayes, who arc averaging 17 points
per game.
Still, Nee said the Huskers need
improvement to beat the Spartans at
home. The Huskers arc shooting just
55 percent from the free throw line.
The Spartans, who were 12-2 in
East Lansing last year, will be mak
ing their first appearance at home this
season.
“Their Ians arc going to be really
excited because it’s their first home
game after winning the Maui Clas
sic,” Piatkowski said. "It’s going to
be a great atmosphere to play in.”
And a tough one for the Huskers,
Piatkowski said.
“If we win it, it’s going to be a
great accomplishment,” Piatkowski
said. “If we don’t win it, we know it’s
not the end of the world because it’s a
tough road game.”
* . ' William Lauer/DN
Nebraska forward Carl Hayes dunks on a fast break in Mon
day’s win over The Citadef. Hayes will lead the Cornhuskers
against No. 22 Michigan State tonight.