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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 1996)
-,'1 : i. - .. $n " ' •: <L.' , ^ ...». ,v _ ' - ’tjl. •; u .yi^. ...•;*. * •• . - '•_ / ■■' is ■■•*• -■' .MSSufeisaiSSk; . .. Gregg Madsen NU coach says distance runner is Husker secret It’s not easy to pronounce, but Balazs Tolgyesi’s name may be come one to remember over the next few months. The senior cross country runner from Szekesfehervar, Hungary, should be a dominating force for the Comhuskers this season, Nebraska Coach Jay Dirksen said. “He’s probably one of the best kept secrets as far as quality athletes here at Nebraska,” Dirksen said. Not bad for a runner who was recruited by Iowa State, not Ne- , braska. After finishing seventh in the 1,500 meters at the 1991 European Junior Championships, the Cy-, clones offered Tolgyesi a scholar ship. Tolgyesi said the desire to run and go to school at the same time —an impossibility in Hungary —• convinced him to come to the United States. “At die beginning,” he said, “I had doubts. But very soon, I found out that this was what I wanted to do—get an education and do track as well.” Iowa State couldn’t give Tolgyesi that scholarship, and he spent his first year in the United States at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo. After winning the NAIA indoor 800 meters as a freshman, Iowa State was still unable to give Tolgyesi a scholarship, so he con tacted Nebraska coaches to see if he could run fbr the Huakers. . “That didn’t sit too well with Iowa State,” Dirksen said. At Nebraska, Iblgyesi quickly established himself as a top per- , former in die middle distances, win ning the 1,000 meters at the 1995 Big Eight Championships. Last sea son, Tolgyesi set a Big Eight indoor record in the 800 meters, and he fin ished fourth in the nation outdoors in the 1,500. Iblgyesi returned home after the outdoor season and earned a spot on the Hungarian Olympic Team in the 1,500 meters. In Atlanta, he made it to a semi final heat, in which he finished 10th, setting a Hungarian and NU record time of 3 minutes, 35.57 seconds. Iblgyesi said his Olympic experi > ence, as well as his entire career, has been a surprise. “Just a few years ago, I didn’t think I could get this fir,” he said. “I seriously think it has something to do with me coming to the U.S.” Dirksen said having a world class runner like Iblgyesi has el evated the entire team’s perfor mance level. Both Dirksen and Tolgyesi hope the next level will bea Big !2 cham P,°“Wfehave thS'potential to be a very good team tins year ” Iblgyesi said. “If everybody Mays healthy, anything can happen.” rf:* U I & 1 £ i H | ? i H _ i p • NU wingback struggled to find motivation while suspended. By Trevor Parks Senior Reporter Nebraska wingback Lance Brown can’t wait to play in his season opener this weekend.__ Brown has been waiting for this game since January, when he was sus pended for an undisclosed disciplinary incident. He sat out of the Red-White Game in April and did not play Sept. 7 in NU’s season-opening 55-14 rout of Michigan State. The 5-foot-ll, 190-pound sopho 1 ■ more from Papillion said he struggled to find motivation while waiting for Saturday night, when the No. 1 Comhuskers play No. 17 Arizona Slate in Tempe, Ariz. “It was really difficult,” he said, “especially during two-a-days. The other players all knew that a game was corning up. In the back of my mind, I knew I was going to have to sit out and wait until the next game.” So to stay positive, Brown—along with split end Ryan Held—created a group called the Positive Action Tbam. It was designed to keep Brown's spirits up and to loosen up the other Husker receivers. Throughout his suspension, Brown kept a positive attitude, Receivers Coach Ron Brown said, but that out look took a hit the week before NU's game with Michigan State. “I could see a couple days prior to the game that his spirits were a little down,” Ron Brown said. “The only* thing I could tell him was that it wouldn’t be long until he was back in the mix again.”. Since redshirting in 1994, Brown has consistently shown the potential to become a big-play receiver. He holds the NU receivers' record in the pro agility run with a time of 3.82 seconds and owns the team's seventh fastest time over 10 yards, 1.S2 seconds. Brown backs up Jon Vedral this season after being relegated to third string duty behind Vedral and Qester Johnson last year. A year ago, Brown played in every game and caught two passes, one of which has been a hot topic of conversation recently. In Nebraska’s 77-28 disposal of Arizona State in Lincoln last season, Matt Turman threw a 39-yard touch 1 ways o ,« o» ever senior accepts reserve role By Vince I^Adamo Staff Reporter When Nebraska Soccer Coach John Walker raves about his team’s depth, he’s not just blowing smoke, he’s telling the truth. Every time senior co-captain Kim Ratliffcones off the bench, her action speaks volumes for the team’s depth. Walker said Ratliffs experience, intangibles and team-oriented ap proach have helped set the tone for the 5-0 Huskers. “She never complains,” Walker Said. “Kim's work ethic in the weight room and in practice is ideal. So it’s pretty dear that starting at Nebraska isn’t the issue.” With her intense and physical style of play, the Millard South graduate often provides a spark off the bench. She is a strong player, which is evident by her second Husker Power Award last season. “She’s very powerful, aggres sive, fast andintense,” Walker said. “She’s really worked to improve the •:-4T a defender** scored her third goal of the season *... I want to be able to look back and re iior yean NU defender in 13th-ranked Nebraska’s 9-1 drub bing of Loyola Marymount Sunday. As a.a freshman, she attended Marquette University in Milwaukee and is the first senior in the history of the three-year NU program. "1 try to provide some teadenhip example on^he^eld!” Ratliff saiU Like any team leader, Ratliff said, the team’a success is more meaningful than her own achieve ments. -V - . V-. "The team has always had a lot of togetherness, especially last spring and this fidl,” Ratliff said. "We sat down in training camp and said, 'These are our goals we want _ to accanpiish.’We talk about those g°^Ti^s^^^cairies added s'g nificance fbr RatHffas a senior andj a Nebrada native.; “I want to be able to look back and remember my senior year,” Ratliff said. “It’sabig pride thing. I grew up watching all kinds of Ne braska sports. I take a lot of heart into it far my home state.” Ratliff can take pride in helping build a strong foundation for a pro gram that appears to be poised for the NCAA Ibumament after just three years. However, Ratliff is not getting ahead of herself. She said it isimportant the team doesn’t over does not start Ratliff is an excq£ tkm to that rule, but it seems to matter little—if any—to Ratliff. “We’re all focused on the same line, and nobody V really worried about individual honors,” Ratliff said. “You haveajob to do whether you start or come off the bench. —• down pass to Brown with 38 seconds to play in the game. Hie play call upset Arizona State Coach Bruce Snyder, who opted not shake hands at midfield with Husker Coach Tbm Osborne after the game. Osborne later apologized publicly and sent a letter to Snyder. Hie play was designed as a short pass, Osborne said. ASU’s defensive back broke in too fast, opening a seam for Brown, who ran alone into the end zone. After scoring, Brown was caught by Memorial Stadium’s HuskerVision screens performing a backflip cm the sidelines. If he scores Saturday, don’t look for Brown to pull a repeat performance. “Hie thought crossed my mind,” he said, “but Coach OAarne put a damper on that. Plus I would probably get a penalty.” 3 Huskers head home Saturday By Patrick Wyman StaffReporter Hie Nebraska football team’s Sat urday meeting with 17th-ranked Ari zona State is more than just another game ror twee Comhuskers. For sopho mores Kenny Cheatham and Eric Johnson and true fresh man Mike Brown, Satur day is a chance to display their talents to a hometown au- Johnson dience. Johnson, the No. 2 Will linebacker, Please see ARIZONA on 12 ASUfcQB says offense ^ By Peter Marhoefer Staff Reporter Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer is approaching Saturday night's battle with the No. 1 Nebraska just like any other game. “Some people think that this is the most important game we’re playing,” Plummer said during a press conference in Tempe, Ariz., this week. “But to,,,,,,-,,- « it’s really not” ™ ” Plummer leads a talented ASU of fense that returns 10 starters and amassed 452 yards and 49 points per game this year in wins overWashing ton and North Texas. : The Sun Devils’ fourth-year quar- - tertwcl^ an All-Pacific 10 selection in : PkaumASOonlS