James Nlcas
NU athletes
also excel in
academics
In all the hoopla surrounding
Nebraska’s loss to Texas, there was a
significant event showcased by the
athletic department that went largely
unnoticed last Saturday.
During halftime, the athletic
department recognized the 157 past
Academic All-Americans who have
spent their collegiate careers at UNL.
The athletic department also dis
played a permanent sign that recog
nizes those 157 student athletes, as
well as the 67 football Academic All
Americans.
Many people in Nebraska know
about the academic success of UNEs
student athletes. But, as with the fre
quent perception of the entire univer
sity, many outside this state perceive
UNEs student athletes as a herd of
dumb jocks who come here only to
win championships.
Saturday's unveiling of the sign
across the upper deck of the east sta
dium helps bring warranted recogni
tion to the academic success of stu
dent athletes.
It is often customary to believe
that an athlete chooses Nebraska
purely on UNEs athletic success. But
think about it: Although the
Comhuskers’ on-the-field achieve
ments are probably a major factor
when a student athlete commits, they
can’t be the only reason.
What are the incentives for a per
son to come to Nebraska? There are
no mountains, oceans, lakes or really
any other forms of entertainment that
would encourage a college student to
come here.
ii an atniete was only concerned
about winning championships, they
would probably want to go to Florida
or UCLA. They have great athletic
programs, and there are certainly
plenty of things to do.
But when an athlete is recruited,
one cannot overlook the mom and dad
factor that might encourage student
athletes attend UNL.
The academic program at
Nebraska helps families and students
know that a quality education is avail
able at Nebraska.
UNL’s academic achievements
could be on a list a mile high, and their
accolades are well-deserved.
This university has more
Academic All-Americans and Today’s
Top Eight than any other school, die
highest graduation rate in the Big 12,
and this year was named as having one
of the seven best NCAA Life Skills
Programs in the country.
Although their names aren’t wide
ly known, people in the academic sup
port program such as Dennis Leblanc
and Keith Zimmer, along with the rest
of the staff, are just as important to
NU’s success as coaches.
The student athletes and athletic
academic support program rarely gets
the attention it deserves, but the signs
at Memorial Stadium now serve as a
reminder of how great the program is.
James Nicas is a senior manage
ment and marketing major and a
Daily Nebraskan staff writer.
Alexander now starting at l-back
By David Wilson
Senior staff writer
Dan Alexander thought Correll Buckhalter was
joking when the sophomore, who had started six of
nine games at I-back this season, told Alexander he
Alexander
would be making the lirst start ot
his career Saturday.
It was no joke.
Alexander was informed
Monday before practice that he
would be given the starting nod at
I-back when Nebraska travels to
Iowa State this weekend
“I was kind of shocked,”
Alexander said. “At first, when
Correll told me, I was like, ‘Yeah
right Please. Stop messing with
me.’ Then Coach (Dave) Gillespie told me, and I was
like, ‘Oh, I guess he’s right’”
Playing behind Buckhalter in NU’s loss to Texas
last Saturday, Alexander took eight carries for 60
yards, including a career-long run of 22 in the
Comhuskers’ final drive.
Buckhalter was limited to 18 yards on eight car
ries.
“I want to make it certainly clear that Dan’s start
ing this week is no reflection on Correll’s abilities,”
Gillespie said. “They were both fairly equal when they
came in this fall. Cornell has just had more opportuni
ties than Dan to show what he has.
“I just felt that Dan had deserved a chance to show
what he has as well.”
As a backup to Buckhalter and DeAngelo Evans,
who has missed the last three games with a tailbone
injury, Alexander has run for 237 yards on 45 carries
this season.
His style, he said, has always been running people
over rather than dancing around them. But the 6-foot,
Hot and cold .
NU l-back Dan Alexander gets his first start this week.
Below are his statistics for the Kansas and Texas games,
which have been his two best, and the other seven games
this season.
Car. Yds. Avg. TD
KU/UT games 23 150 6.5 0
Other games 22 87 3.9 1
Jon Frank/DN
250-pounder said he has been working on adding
speed to his artillery.
“I’m kind of happy with the way I’m running
now,” Alexander said. “I feel a little bit faster.
Whenever we test, I have a pretty good 40 (yard-dash)
time, but it’s been really hard translating that onto the
field when you put the pads on and everything else.
Please see I-BACK on 11
NU s Evans
in practice,
still in pain
By David Wilson
Senior staff writer
I-back DeAngelo Evans returned to practice
Tuesday after missing the Cornhuskers’ last three
games with a bruised tailbone.
Evans went through the Cook Pavilion workout at
«
If there's a
way that
DeAngelo
could be out on
the field, he'd
be out there,"
Dave Gillespie
NU running backs coach
about half speed, Nebraska
Coach Frank Solich said,
and did not finish practice.
Afterward, Evans said he
did not want to talk with
the media.
“I don’t think he feels
much better than he felt in
the past,” Solich said, “and
I don’t see him being ready
for this game. The way it
seems to be progressing,
he may not be ready the
rest of the year. But we’ll
just take it on a daily
basis.”
The 5-foot-9, 210
pounder, who went home
to Wichita, Kan., to visit doctors last weekend, suffered
the tailbone injury Oct. 3 against Oklahoma State.
He took 10 carries for 32 yards the following week
against Texas A&M, before sitting out the Huskers’ last
three games. Evans also missed NU’s first three games
recovering from a knee injury.
In all, the sophomore has taken 38 carries for 218
yards in three games this season.
Despite the injuries, Evans has maintained a posi
tive attitude, NU Running Backs Coach Dave Gillespie
said.
“If there’s a way that DeAngelo could be out on the
field, he’d be out there,” Gillespie said.
Nebraska Head Football Trainer Doak Ostergard
said there is no quick fix for a bruised tailbone.
“It’s just a matter of pain and being able to tolerate
it,” Ostergard said.
Evans rushed for 776 yards as a true freshman in
1996 - the third-best effort by a freshman in school his
tory - but was hampered by a pelvic injury through
NU’s final nine games of the season.
That same pelvic injury kept him out of the 1997
season, for which he was awarded a medical hardship.
Evans suffered a slight ankle sprain last spring and then
injured his knee during fall camp.
“I know it’s been a tough time,” Gillespie said, “but
he’s kept his head up.”
A long season.
And not many games. DeAngelo Evans has only played
three games this season, each with varying results. He’s
been hampered with a bruised tailbone and various other
injuries.
Car. Yds. Avg. TD
Washington 13 146 11.2 3
Oklahoma State 15 45 2.7 1
Texas A&M 10 32 2.4 0
Jon Frank/DN
Scott McClurg/DN
JUNIOR FORWARD Lindsay Eddleman dribbles the ball against Oklahoma State earlier this
season. Eddleman has returned to the Husker lineup after an injury to become Nebraska’s
leading scorer.
NU’s Eddleman back from injury
By Brandon Schulte
Staff writer
Fifteen years from now when people are dis
cussing Lindsay Eddleman’s career at Nebraska,
the starting forward on the NU women’s soccer
team hopes people will remember her for her
physically dominating play of the opposition.
“I hope people see me as, ‘nice in person but
when she’s on the soccer field, she’s a terror,”’
Eddleman said.
She’s been a terror on the field as of late.
Eddleman has scored five goals in as many
games, while also contributing four assists in
that same stretch. She ranks third on the team
with 20 points, scoring eight goals and assisting
on four of them.
Eddleman has persevered this season after
breaking the fifth metatarsal in her left foot this
summer. The setback caused her to miss
Nebraska’s opening match against UW
Milwaukee, one of the Huskers’ three losses this
season.
Eddleman believes the injury didn’t slow
her as much as it could have, but it took her a
while to get back in the groove.
“It took me a while to get my speed, condi
Please see EDDLEMAN on 11