McClain
wants ISU,
not tears
Husker senior plays
final home game
against Iowa State
Sunday night.
ByMikeKluck
Senior Reporter
If Tina McClain has her way
Sunday night, there won’t be any
tears during senior introductions
before her final game at the Bob
Devaney Sports Center.
It’s not because the senior for
ward on the women’s basketball
team — who said she is very sen
sitive — hasn’t enjoyed or appre
ciated her time as a Comhusker.
McClain doesn’t want tears be
cause she wants to remain focused
for the Huskers’ 6 pjn. battle with
Iowa State. A win for Nebraska
(18-5 overall and 8-5 in the Big 12
Conference), who defeated the Cy
clones 76-52 Jan. 30 in Ames, will
help solidify NU’s chances for its
second straight trip to the NCAA
Tournament.
McClain will probably be
matched up against either junior
forward Jayme Olson, who led the
Cyclones with 18 points in the first
game against NU, or junior forward
Janel Grimm, who scored 15
points.
ISU (14-9 and 7-6) defeated No.
9 Texas Wednesday night 74-56 in
Ames and enters the game having
won five of its last six games. Since
Nebraska beat the Cyclones, Iowa
State has lost only once, dropping
an 82-78 game at Kansas.
“It’s going to be a real tough
game,” McClain said. “Hopefully
we will have a lot of fans there. It’s
a real important game for us, and
hopefully I will do the best I can.”
McClain played one of her bet
ter games in the first contest, scor
ing 15 points — her third best out
ing of the season — and grabbing
seven rebounds.
But it’s been an up-and-down
season for a performer who last
year was named All-Big Eight.
McClain has only scored in
double digits nine times this sea
son and is averaging just under
nine points per game. She is also
second on the team in rebounds
with 127, good for an average of
5.52 a game.
Last season McClain averaged
13.8 points and scored in the
double digits 22 times. She led the
team in rebounding averaging 6.8.
Matt Milleb/DN
TINA McCLAIN fights for the ball against Baylor Werineshay night.
McClain Is one of three NU seniors who will play their final gawe at the
Beb Devaaey Sports Center on Sonriay.
After a two-point, four-rebound
effort against Kansas and a six
point, one-rebound performance
against Colorado — both Husker
losses — Nebraska Coach Angela
Beck talked to McClain and told
her she would not play if her per
formance didn’t improve.
The quiet captain from
Montrose, Mo., responded with a
season-best 21 points to help the
Huskers upset then-No. 9 Texas
Tech 62-57.
“I was upset with myself be
cause I knew I wasn’t playing up
to my potential,” McClain said. “I
wasn’t looking for my shot. 1 was
only getting three or four shots a
game because I wasn’t shooting.”
McClain said she also knew her
offensive output needed to improve
to help the Huskers on their run to
make the tournament again. With
most teams double-teaming NU’s
leading scorer Anna DeForge,
McClain said other members of the
team have had to step up.
Her style has also had to change
with the development of freshman
center Charlie Rogers. Since com
ing to NU, McClain has been
known as a player who plays with
her back to the basket but this year
she has had to adjust to facing the
basket more.
But no matter what McClain—
who is one of 17 Huskers to score
1,000-plus points in her career —
Women's Basketball
Starters
Sunday, 6 p.m.
Devaney Center
Nebraska 18-5 (s^)
Pos Name Hi Yr.
F 30 Anna De Forge 5-11 Jr.
G24JamiKubik 5-11 Jr.
ImSL 14-9 (7-6)
Pos Name Ht Yr.
F 52 Janel Grimm 6-1 Jr.
G 22 Tara Gunderson 5-8 Sr.
does the remainder of the season,
she has already surpassed the ex
pectations that were placed on her
coming out of high school.
“When they told me that, I re
ally doubted myself and I became
my own worst enemy,” McClain
said. “It really took my parents to
make me look at all the Division I
schools recruiting me. They must
have seen something in me.”
NU golfers open season in Tfexas
BySamMcKewon
Staff Reporter
The Nebraska men’s golf team
opens the season with a Texas two
step as the Comhuskers start the year
with two tournaments in Texas.
NU begins its spring season today
at the Crown Colony Invitational in
Lufkin, Texas.
Coach Larry Romjue said he
doesn’t expect Nebraska to be in top
form in the first tournament of the
year.
“We’ve got to shake off the rust,
that’s for sure,” Romjue said. “I don’t
think we’re going to go out and win
the tournament, but we need to start
off on a good foot.”
Romjue said the Huskers are look
ing forward to competing this week
end. The tournament features 15
teams, including nationally ranked
Arkansas.
f*We need to get out and compete
against other teams,” he said. “There
are teams that we can beat in Lufkin,
and we would like to challenge Ar
kansas a little bit.”
The Huskers are led by sophomores
Steve Friesen and Josh Madden.
Friesen won two tournaments during
the fall season, while Madden had
strong finishes early in the tournament
season. The two also helped NU to a
title in the fall.
Romjue said Madden and Friesen
provide a powerful one-two punch that
solidifies the Husker five.
“Josh and Steve are both very con
sistent golfers,” Romjue said. “I ex
pect that those two will be our most
stable and solid players.”
Despite the strength at the top,
Romjue is counting cm seniors Jacques
Palement and Ttent Morrison to take
NU to the next level.
“Jacques and Trent have been
around here awhile and they have the
experience to be team leaders,”
Romjue said. “Josh and Steve’s per
formance isn’t as important as the res
of the team and how well they do.”
Filling the fifth spot in the Husk
ers’ lineup is Scott Gutschewski.
Gutschewski, a transfer from
Creighton, tied for 10th in two fall
tournaments and was Nebraska’s third
lowest scorer.
After the tournament in Lufkin,
NU moves on to San Antonio to play
in the Texas-San Antonio Invitational
on Monday and TUesday. Romjue said
the team should begin to improve en
tering the second tournament.
“We should be a little bit more pre
pared to {day in San Antonio,” he said.
“We’ll have a couple rounds under our
belt by Monday and Tuesday.”
Romjue said NU will take this
week to sharpen its chipping and put
ting games because both are difficult
to pick up again after a long layoff.
“The short game is always the
quickest to go,” Romjue said. “It’s
hard to simulate it in practice because
you don’t have a real putting green.”
Doubles switch
helps tennis team
By Jay Saunders
Staff Reporter
Women’s Tennis Coach Scott
Jacobson took the old saying “if it isn’t
broke, don’t try to fix it,” and threw it
out the window.
Junior Lisa
Hart and fresh
man Sandra
Noetzel played
together in No. 1
doubles during
the fall and had
a lot of success.
They compiled a
6-2 record and
are ranked 20th
in the latest tennis poll — the highest
any Husker pair has been ranked in
school history.
But, instead of keeping the success
fill duo together this spring, Jacobson
split the two of them up.
“Sandra and Lisa played together
in the fall because they were two of
our better players,” Jacobson said.
“After contemplating the situation we
thought it would be tetter to split them
up.”
Noetzel is playing No. 1 doubles
with new partner Jennifer Thoste. Hart
is now teamed with senior Annie Yang
at No. 2 doubles. Hart and Yang
played doubles together two years ago.
“It didn’t bother me at all,” Hart
said. “I think it is the test combina
non. uur team is even stronger now
with more depth in doubles.”
Jacobson said the move helps the
team in other ways as well.
“In many respects this makes the
team stronger,” Jacobson said. “This
gives our team a little better chemis
try.”
Hart said chemistry is something
the Comhuskers are not lacking, and
that is one of the reasons the new com
binations have worked well.
“We are all so close that any com
bination can work,” Hart said.
“Sandra’s and Jenny’s games comple
ment each other.”
In NU’s four dual meets this spring
the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles teams are
a perfect 8-0. This added strength in
doubles has helped the Comhuskers
to a 4-0 dual record.
The doubles teams look to extend
their perfect mark as the Huskers
travel to Texas this weekend to play
27th-ranked Texas A&M and Texas.
“A&M is going to be a critical dual
for us,” Jacobson said. “I think we can
compete at that level.”
The men’s tennis team is also in
action this weekend. The Huskers take
on Southwest Missouri State Saturday '
at 2 p.m. at the Cather-Pound tennis
courts.
The Huskers are currently 1-3 af
ter dropping decisions at New Mexico,
New Mexico State and Texas-El Paso.
NU’s lone win came against Texas
San Antonio.
California standout
signs with Huskers
By Jay Saunders
Staff Reporter
A standout women’s tennis player
from California has decided to con
tinue her career at Nebraska.
Danica Hardy, who was featured
in “Faces in the Crowd” in the Feb.
10 Sports Illustrated, is packing her
tennis bag after a stellar four-year ca
reer to attend NU.
Hardy, a senior at Ernest Righetti
High School in Santa Maria, Calif.,
signed a national letter of intent ear
lier this month to play tennis for the
Comhuskers following a very success
ful high school career.
In four years, Hardy had a North
ern League record of 168-0 on the way
to a 296-12 overall record. She breezed
through her conference schedule,
dropping just one set in 168 matches.
“It was a lot of fun going through
those four years,” Hardy said. “I am
kind of amazed myself.”
After entertaining offers from
Iowa, Cal-Irvine and San Diego State,
Hardy — who plans on majoring in
communications — was sold on Ne
braska after visiting Lincoln.
“I couldn’t find anything wrong
with it,” Hardy said. “I was mostly
looking at which school could put ev
erything together. Nebraska has a
great tennis program and great aca
demics.”
The idea of leaving beautiful
southern California behind and mov
ing to the Midwest doesn’t bother her,
Hardy said. But there is one aspect of
the Midwest that Hardy is concerned
about.
“The main thing f am worried
about is the weather,” Hardy said. “It
has never really snowed where I am
from. I am hoping I can adapt very
quickly.”
Another person who is hoping
Hardy can adapt successfully is NU
Women’s Tennis Coach Scott
Jacobson. Jacobson said he didn’t see
a problem with Hardy fitting into the
Husker program.
Jacobson said the addition of
people like Hardy and Kelly Clark of
Redlands, Calif., who also signed with
NU, will make a difference in the pro
gram down the line.
“Individuals want to go to a pro
gram where they have that type of
people,” Jacobson said. “Danica seems
to be one to lead with example and
with a smile on her face.”
Usbome wont slow down
KLUCK from page 9
Then there’s Lawrence Phillips.
Osborne gave the troubled youth from
California a chance to change his ways
and play football for the Ccirnhuskers.
Phillips succeeded on the field and
helped the Huskers win their only two
national championships under
Osborne. Phillips also endured many
publicized off-field problems.
When Osborne stuck by Phillips
and worked to try to get him help,
Osborne became known outside of
Nebraska as a win-at-all-costs coach.
Then just this week, Phillips, who
plays for St. Louis, was arrested in
Omaha for disorderly conduct and dis
turbing the peace.
“There’s only so much you can do,
and once they have left, you can’t con
tinue to burden yourself,” Osborne
•.
saia. "sure it nuns ana ootners you
when they don’t succeed.”
Despite Osborne’s displeasure with
the press, certain aspects of the newly
formed Big 12 Conference and the
tightening guidelines of the NCAA,
he still hasn’t been discouraged
enough to consider not being pan of a
fall football Saturday in Memorial Sta
dium.
He does foresee the day when he
isn’t pacing the sidelines, a period
when he will be spending more time
with his wife Nancy, who Osborne
feels has made the greatest sacrifice
for his successful career.
For now, nobody is asking Osborne
to go.
Kluck is a journalism graduate
student and a Daily Nebraskan se
nior reporter.
