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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1997)
Mike Kluck Becker is right choice to keep program afloat Angela Beck said her decision to leave Nebraska and take the gamble by joining the American Basketball League is one of the most difficult decisions she has ever made. After all, Beck arguably is leav ing the best team in her 11-year ca- * reer behind in Lincoln: ** ■ Anna DeForge, a probable pre season All-American, is returning for her senior season. ^ ■ Also returning are rive soon to-be-sophomores, who all saw cot-^ siderable playing time this season. ■ Beck has also said the five in conpHg recruits this season is the best class in her career. But none of those positives could stop the feisty 39-year-old, who has called herself a builder not a main tainer of programs, from rolling the dice with the San Jose Lasers. Now that Beck has made her de cision to move on, Athletic Director Bill Byrne faces one of his own. He’s in a position a Husker ath letic director doesn’t often face — the hiring of a new coach in any sport. But Byrne need not go far in his search. The best candidate for the open Nebraska post won’t need a moving truck to come to Lincoln because she already has an office at the Bob Devaney Sports Center and will only need to add two letters to die name plate (Hi the head coach’s door. Nebraska Assistant Head Coach Theresa Bedcer WiU providl|the most stability in this situation for a Husker program that is (hi the veigQypf being an NCAA Tournament regular. Becker has paid her dues! She’s been an assistant coach fcir l4years — eight years at Nebraska-^—hnd a head coach for three years at a Divi smhi-I program—Iowa State. Becker has been credited with recruiting 1992 Big Eighiplayer-of the-year Karen Jennings, the Husk-. ers’ only first-team AD-Z^erican. Becker’s critics point to her 18 63 overall mark and 5-37 conference record at EU as a factor against ho-. But, if everyone is going to look at her records Iowa State they must remember she took overastruggling program, played mainly faeshmen and sophomores during ter .time in Ames and left only after ttefiyclones changed athletic directors. Becker didn’t feel comfortable voth the new leadership so she returned to NU. Seven of KlTs top eight players on tins year’s NCAA Tournament team were Becker’s recruits. Finally, the most important rea son Bedcer should get the opportu nity is because the current NU play ers want her as their coach and their say should be the loudest of all. Besides, hiring Bedcer will turn a positive move for Beck into a posi tive move for Nebraska. Klock is a journalism graduate student and a Dally Nebraskan se nior reporter. : HU QUARTERBACK FRANKIE LONDON has moved up to second an the depth chart after almost leaving MJ. London earns his chance By Mitch Sherman Senior Reporter Frankie London has finally arrived. Two seasons on the bench, a se ries of nagging injuries and thoughts of leaving Nebraska placed firmly in the past, London heads into Saturday’s Red-White Game as the Comhuskers’ No. 2 quarterback with a new outlook on football and the talent to lead the NU offense. Less than four months ago, Lon don, a third-year sophomore next fall, came within days of transferring. “I was pretty much packed and ready to go,” he said. But after meeting with Coach Tom Osborne and Turner Gill, London’s Please see LONDON on 10 By Andrew Strnad Staff Reporter / Stella Klassen’s quick sprint to success this year has been a bit of a surprise to her. After all, Klassen joined the NU women’s track team as a freshman this season and is now one of the NU’s most accomplished sprinters. In fact, success has almost come to easy so Klassen is looking ahead to brighter things. And qualifying for NCAA Out door Championships will be the per fect cap to a season where she has burst onto the NU track scene. Klassen, who is from Henderson, made an impact immediately in the indoor season by earning a spot on the 4 x 400-meter relay team. The team of Klassen, Jill Myatt, Charmaine Burton and La’Tisha Croom won the title at the United States Track and Field Meet in March, before athird-place finish at the NCAA Indoor meet in India napolis. The success Klassen enjoyed during the indoor season is making a difference so far in the outdoor season, she said. ‘The experience gained from the indoor season, especially going to nationals, has done a lot of good for me,” Klassen said. When the outdoor season started, Klassen slaved more than two sec onds off hef personal-best time in the 400-meter dash. Her time of53.62 seconds is the 13th-fastest time in the country and a mark she didn’t expect “I was hoping to break 54, but I was surprised I did it so quickly,” Klassen said. NU Coach Gary Pepin said Klassen’s early season performances were a surprise, but not a shock. “We certainly knew she could run that fast,” Pepin said. “We saw it during the indoor season, espe : J ■ Daniel Luedeki/DN STELLA KUtS» Ins bmai mi i> Mn fclgta —irttncfc Mi fMi tMrt tip sprMm hi dally with the relays.” The goal for Klassen remains the same, a trip to die indoor nationals _at Bloomington, Ind., in June. Klassen has already qualified as part of the 4 x 400-meter relay team, and she has posted a provi sional qualifying time in the 400 meters. But Klassen said she needs to improve greatly so she can earn an automatic ride to Indiana. “A 53.62 probably won’t get me there,” Klassen said. “ I don’t think my time will make it as of now,” Klassen said. Players know BeefcnwJe ^ right choice Huskers say Theresa Becker is good choice for replacement. By Mike Kluck Senior Reporter of the American a s k e t b a 11 League’s San Jose Lasers began to wear off for the Comhusker play ers Wednesday. Instead, they realized the opportunity Beck seized. “I was shocked at first,” said Emily Thomp son, who will be a fifth-year senior next season. “I really didn’t expect her to leave this year with how good we are going to be next season. Now I guess I’m real happy for Coach Beck more than anything else.” ll&tU players learned of Beck’s de 1 cision in an unscheduled team meet ing Sunday night in the press room at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Freshman Nicole Kubik said the ihBeting was very emotional with Beck and many of her players were in tears. Kubik said the players were called Sunday by Assistant Coach Bobbi Mdrse who informed them of the meet ing. After Morse called, the players tried to get more information by call ing around to one another. “It was a weird meeting because we didn’t know what the meeting was about,” Kubik said. “But when we got there we all had a pretty good idea.” « If she waited until we sucked, then she wouldn't get offers 1 ^tk0thatS\ W ^ CoriMcDill NU women’s basketball player NU junior Anna DeForge, who was a first-team All-Big 12 Conference player and an honorable mention All American this season, said she was shocked when die learned of Beck’s decision. “I’m disappointed she’s not going to be hoe for my senior season,” said DeForge, the team’s leading scorer last year. “I’m happy for her because this is a good opportunity. She should have never even thought twice about turn ing down that job.” What surprised many of the play ers about Beck’s acceptance of the position was the timing. NU just finished a 19-9 season, in which the Huskers started with a school-record nine-game winning streak and at one point were 16-1 and ranked in the Top 25. Nebraska also just missed making its second straight NCAA Tournament Besides DeForge returning, five sophomores-to-be who contributed significantly this season return next year. Plus Beck landed a recruiting class that she considered one of the best in her 11-year career at Nebraska. “The timing is not perfect,” sopho more Cori McDill said. “But if she Please see PLAYERS on 10
