Rainbolt to coach for Kent State
By Tony West
Staff Reporter
Nebraska Assistant Coach Steve
Rainbolt has been named the head
coach for men’s and women’s-track
and field and cross country Kent State
University in Kent, Ohio.
Rainbolt, who has been assistant
track and field coach at NU for a total
of seven seasons, said he is ready for
the challenge of head coaching.
“This will change the scope of my
job significantly,” he said. “I’m really
excited about the opportunity though.”
NU Coach Gary Pepin said the
transition may be a little difficult for
Rainholt and his family at first, but he
had the utmost confidence in
Rainbolt’s abiliy to make the change
in location and coaching position.
“It’s going to be a lot larger time
commitment for Steve,” Pepin said.
“But I’m sure he’ll doa good job there
and I think Kent is very lucky to get
him.”
Kent State University Athletic Di
rector Laing Kennedy said Rainbolt’s
ability to excel in numerous areas of
track and field was a major element in
choosing him over approximately 60
other applicants.
“He has done it all,” Kennedy said.
“... in my opinion, coach Rainbolt is a
rising, great track and field coach. He
is a demonstrated winner.”
Pepin said that Rainbolt can bring
a number of things to any program.
“Steve has lots of enthusiasm and
has always had a strong work ethic
that he brings to the team,” Pepin said.
Rainbolt’s enthusiasm and coach
ing knowledge has helped Nebraska
produce 67 NCAA All-Americans and
more than 100 Big Eight conference
gold medals in his tenure at NU.
The' team has also won seven
women’s Big Eight indoor champion
ships, three men’s Big Eight indoor
championships, and five women’s Big
Eight outdoor championships in his
tenure.
And that is the type ot success that
Rainbolt said he hopes to accomplish
with Division I Kent State University
in the Mid-American Conference.
Kent State University has finished
in the top five of the 10-team Mid
American Conference five times in
the past two years for men’s and
women’s indoor and outdoor track.
“I feel Kent is in the position to
pursue conference championships,” he
said. “And I’ve been really excited
about the group of athletes I’ve seen.”
Pepin said that Rainbolt’s ability to
deal with student-athletes in a positive
way should also help him in head
coaching.
John Nichols, a former Nebraska
decathlete and pole vaulter who
Rainbolt recruited in 1992, agreed
with Pepin.
“His knowledge of the sport is just
incredible,” Nichols said. “He has an
ability to accommodate an athlete and
definitely knew how to make me feel
wanted at Nebraska.”
Tanna Kinnaman/DN
Sailboats breeze across Branched Oak Lake during the
sailboat competition of the Cornhusker State Games on
Sunday.
Rambling suggestions; thoughts on the year m sports
Last week in this very column, I
mentioned how major league baseball
owner’s plan to make games faster
would not be very fan friendly.
Well, at the last minute, the owners
pulled their heads out of their rear
ends and scrapped the whole plan for
the time being.
Was it my influence? I doubt it.
Maybe the owners are finally starting
to learn their lesson.
Other whiny comments about
what’s going on in sports.
—The Baseball Network — seen
in this area as the Kansas City Royals
game of the week—began last Satur
day. The idea is to bring games of
regional interest to each individual
television market.
The problem: just because the Roy
als have their Triple A farm club in the
Big “O”, that does not mean every
body in the viewingmarket is a Royals
fan.
Let’s see some other teams. How
about the Rockies or the Indians ever}
once in a while?
—Nebraska football update: Forty
three days to kickoff in Stillwater and
defense of the National Champion
ship.
The whole state is already thinking
repeat and three-peat, and the talk has
already started. Tommie or Brook?
—Nebraska volleyball update:
Thirty-seven days until the Huskcrs
get their rematch with the Nittany Li
ons in the Coliseum. One of the top
freshmen classes, although hindered
by injury, should provide fireworks
and another run through the NCAA
tournament for the Huskers.
—Troy Aikman on Tuesday was
greeted by a woman who snuck into
the Cowboy training camp. The sup
posedly secured area turned out to be
not so secure. Aikman’s teammates
were not surprised that a person would
try to stalk an athlete that is a million
aire.
Michael Irvin said that the media
has done a good job of publicizing
Todd Walkenhorst
athlete’s salaries. Is the media report
ing on the salaries or on the actions of
the athletes holding out for huge con
tracts?
—I may have found tickets for the
October 29 NBA exhibition game
between the Chicago Bulls and the
Los Angeles Clippers.
What a match-up! Michael Jordan
and former Husker Eric Piatkowski.
With my luck, my tickets are a sure
sign the NBA lockout will continue
insuring this game will not be played.
—Former Omaha Northwest
pitcher, Greg Olsen was waived by the
Cleveland Indians after a month-long
comeback. 01 sen, during the 80 ’s, was
one of the most dominant relief pitch
ers in the American League for the
Baltimore Orioles. Arm problems led
to Olsen’s stint in the minors. Olsen’s
future seems unclear at this time.
—Current Oriole Cal Ripken Jr.
continues to pursue Lou Gehrig’s
streak of consecutive games played.
Less than 50 games remain before he
hits the 2130 mark.
Hats off to Ripken, but the streak is
still far from being in the bag. Also,
let’s not overshadow the Iron Horse’s
accomplishments. Gehrig was one of
the greatest first basemen to play the
game. Both have played a lot of games
in a row, but that is where the compari
sons end.
—October may help rekindle in
terest in Major League Baseball if the
standings remain the same. If the play
offs started today, Atlanta, Cincinnati
and recent expansion team Colorado
would clinch their respective divisions
with Houston grabbing the wild-card
in the National League.
In the American League it would
be even more bizarre. Cleveland, with
the best record in baseball, Boston
and California would win their divi
sions. Yeah, really! The Rangers
would clinch the wild-card out of the
“weak” west division. If having the
Indians and Rockies in the World Se
ries does not get fans back to the
ballpark and watching on the tube, I
don’t know what will.
—On Monday night, New York
Mcts’ rookie Jason Isringhausen made
his pitching debut with a 7-2 victory
against the Chicago Cubs. With a name
like that, I wish him great success so I
can keep on printing a last name that is
longer than mine.
Walkenhorst Is a senior broadcasting ma
jor and Dally Nebraskan sports writer.
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