Cross country meet to be
challenging for NU teams
By Tony West
Staff Reporter
Having had a chance to relax, the
Nebraska cross country teams will
have be faced with tough competition
this weekend.
While a few Nebraska runners com
peted at the Doanc Invitational last
Saturday, most took the weekend off.
However, the majority of the run
ners will step back onto the course for
competition Saturday at the Minneso
ta Invitational in Minneapolis. The
men will run 8,000 meters, and the
women will follow with a 5,000-meter^
run at the University of Minnesota
golf course.
Having had a week off or not,
Nebraska’s runners should be chal
lenged Saturday, Nebraska cross coun
try coach Jay Dirksen said.
“Some of Jhe best teams in the
country will be there,” he said. “This
week will be the first real test wc’U
have. We should get tested for both
men and women.”
About 26 men’s teams and 25
women’s teams will be competing.
Although there are many teams.
Dirksen said, Nebraska should be
ready for the competition.
“All of our meets are big meets,’’
he said.
But for the first time, the
Comhuskers will see the kind of com
petition they can expect later in the
season.
“This meet simulates more of a
championship-type meet,” Dirksen
said.
Dirksen said he was hoping for
high finishes on both the men’s and
^omen’s sides. '
“I hope we can be in top 10 for men
and top five for women,” Dirksen
said.
Even if the teams don’t reach that
goal, Dirksen said, he wants to see
more of what he has been noticing so
far this fall.
“Attitudes are really good,” he said.
“We’re getting better. The big thing
we want to do this week is keep im
proving.”
Makovicka
Continued from Page 7 >
chart when Calvin Jones returns.
“It doesn ’ t matter where you are on
the depth chart because the I-back
gets so much work in our offense that
we will still have to rotate in and out
a lot/’ Makovicka said.
Makovicka said Nebraska’s coach
es planned to use Saturday’s game as
a chance to evaluate all the running
backs before entering the Big Eight
season. The coaches now have to
decide who will sec most of the play
ing time behind Calvin Jones.
“It is going to be kind of a tough
decision for the coaches,” Makovicka
said. “We are all trying to make it a
little harder on them.”
Although Makovicka has seen lim
ited playing time, he said, he’s pleased
with his improvement over last sea
son.
“Last year, I was just getting in at
the end of the game when it didn’t
matter,” Makovicka said. “But this
season I’ve been in there when the
game had still not been decided.
“It helps my confidence to see the
coaches have the confidence to trust
and believe in me to produce.”
R
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Nebraska’s Nikki Strieker, left, and Jen McFadden attempt a block during Nebraska’s win
over Kansas State Wednesday night.
Cyclones
Continued from Page 7
ule that Iowa State has ever had ”
Nunez said. “We opened with
Washington State so we could show
our young team where we want to
be.”
Iowa State took both Indiana
and Michigan to five games before
losing in the Big Eight-Big 10 Chal
lenge in Boulder, Colo., Sept. 17
18.
Nunez said Nebraska would be
a good “role model” for the Cy
clones.
“My respect for Nebraska is
enormous,” she said. “They are
sol id all the way around. They have
one of the best setters in the country
in Nikki Strieker.
“They’re extremely powerful,
and their strengths are extremely
well-rounded.”
Strieker, the Huskcrs’ seniorset
ter, moved closer to breaking former
Husker All-American Val Novak’s
school record for set assists by col
lecting 48 against Kansas State.
Strieker now has 2,984 career
set assists, which is second to
Novak’s 3 303.
Former Husker Pickens charged
with the rape of Alabama woman
n i i n ) — mimiui r<u
cons cornerback Bruce Pickens is
denying a 26-year-old Birmingham,
Ala., woman’s allegations that he
raped her.
“Things like this happen when
you’re in my position,” Pickens said
Wednesday.
Pickens, 25, a former Nebraska
player who completed his eligibility
in 1990, was served Tuesday with
papers charging him with one count
of rape, but he was not detained,
police spokeswoman Glenda Locke
said.
“I want to first apologize to my
teammates and the organization for
any negative reaction this alleged in
cident nas caused them,” Pickens said
at the Falcons’ training complex. “1
feel my innocence will be proven in
— ft
I feel my Innocence
will be proven In the
near future.
former Nebraska
comerback
-ft"
the near future.”
The woman said that Pickens of
fered her a ride from a nightclub to her
hotel Sept. 17 and that he stopped by
his apartment to change cars, then
talked her into going upstairs, where
the alleged rape occurred, Locke said.
Afterward, the woman said.
Pickens promised again to drive her to
her hotel, but sneaked away instead,
Locke said.
_.. __
i iiv wumflii wvm luvjiauj nwuiir
rial Hospital for an examination, but
did not report the alleged rape to
police until Sept. 22, Locke said.
Pickens was the Falcons’ first
round draft pick in 1991 and the third
pick overall. He will be arraigned
Oct. 5.
Falcons officials did not return
phone calls seeking comment.
Pickens is the second Atlantaplay
cr to be arrested this month. Wide
receiver Andre Rison was charged
with aggravated assault Sept. 2 for
fighting with his girlfriend, rap singer
Lisa Lopes, and tiring a gun after two
men tried to intervene.
His case also is scheduled for Oct.
5. Until then, he remains with the
team.
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Soccer clubs to converge
on campus for tournament
From Staff Reports
The UNL Women’s Soccer Club
wiU be hosting a four-club tourna
ment at Whittier and Mabel Lee
fields Saturday and Sunday.
Along with two Nebraska teams,
two teams from Kansas, one team
from Colorado State and one team
f rom the University of Nebraska at
Omaha will participate in the tour- '
nament.
Games begin at 10 a.m. Satur
day, with other Karnes following at
noon, 2,4 and 6 p.m.
