Basketball Schedule
DATE
Nov. 28
Dec. 1
Dec. 2
Dec. 7
Dec. 15-16
Dec. 19
Dec. 22
Dec. 27-30
Dec. 27
Dec. 28
Jan. 5
Jan. 6
Jan. 12
Jan. 13
Jan. 16
Jan. 20
Jan. 26
Feb. 2
Feb. 9
Feb. 10
Feb. 16
Feb. 17
Feb. 24
Mar. 3
Mar. 5
Mar. 10
OPPONENT
Sub Pac
Portland
Wichita St.
Montana St.
Kentucky Invitational
Oregon vs. Colorado St.
Kentucky vs. Nebraska
Providence
Gonzaga
Far West Classic
WSU vs. Minnesota
Oregon vs. Columbia
TCU vs. Wyoming
Oregon St. vs. Baylor
use
UCLA
Washing ton
WSU
Athletes in Action
Cal Poly Pomona
Oregon St.
Oregon St.
Stanford
California
California
Stanford
use
WSU
Washington
Oregon St.
SITE
EUGENE
EUGENE
EUGENE
EUGENE
Louisville
Providence
EUGENE
Portland
Los Angeles
Los Angeles
EUGENE
EUGENE
EUGENE
EUGENE
Corvallis
Portland
EUGENE
EUGENE
Berkeley
Palo Alto
EUGENE
Pullman
Seattle
EUGENE
ALL CAMPUS
J
.Ml. *«P#- *3
| tin emu
Ateftuloa 1.00
Spontorad by tha Rally Squad
m i ii■>■ iiilfr —
AW
Steve Cooper
Photo by James Link
Gymnastics
It could be super season
By MERLIN MANN
Of the Emerald
Bill Ballester is speedily digging inroads
into the eastern collegiate gymnastics
dynasty.
Only Pacific-8 school California has had
any claim of breaking up the dynasty of the
east in past years. The Golden Bears con
sistently rank high at the NCAA’s. Now
Ballester has brought Oregon into the
spotlight.
"An NCAA championship contending team
is just 1-2 years away,” Coach Ballester said
optimistically last week. And Ballester has
big reasons to be optimistic.
For instance: possibly the best recruiting
season every completed at a United States
university. Ballester lured the top two high
school gymnasts in the country to Oregon.
Long recognized as the top high school
gymnastics state in the union, Illinois sends
its all-around state champion Steve Roskam
to attend Oregon.
Recognized as the second-best high school
gymnastics state. Colorado sends its all
around state champion Tom Phillips to also
join the Oregon squad.
Ballester knows of no other university that
has ever grabbed the top two high school
gymnasts in the country. Yet, surprisingly
enough. Ballester's recruiting dominance
over his colleagues didn't end with just the top
two.
Ballester also grabbed Oregon's all-around
champion and runner-up, Ross Couthom of
David Douglas in Portland and South
Eugene’s Mike Blumenstein Also coming to
Oregon are Rand Lary, state high bar champ;
Tim Crambit, state rings champ; and Doug
Smith, third in state on rings, all from South
Eugene
From strong Illinois come parallel bars
specialist Steve Swaydrak; brothers Jim and
Don Lester: Jim on the side horse, Don,
however, will wait until next year to enter
school. The 17-year-old will work out with the
team, but not compete.
From Colorado, side horse specialist Mike
Luzny and still ringsman Marc Friedman join
the team. Two recruits attended North
Salem: Mike Wells and Bryan Lea; and
another hails from Missouri, an all-around
competitor Bob Rikli.
Consequently, after one recruiting season—
his first recruiting season—at a university
west of the Rockies not known for its gym
nastics, Coach Ballester swept the side horse
right out from under the more-famous
gymnastic coaches in the east.
And Ballester has his eyes set on high goals
in the coming years for his “Flying Ducks.”
For this year the goal is beating California in
the Pac-8 meet. “Stanford and Washington
will also be strong, but we certainly have a
chance at beating them. That would
automatically boost us into the top five in the
country. But we probably won’t be able to go
much higher than fourth or fifth in the
NCAA's. We’re still 1-2 years away from
being title contenders.” Ballester said.
Can a sophomore coach be seriouslv talking
about NCAA titles?
Indeed, if he were in Ballester s shoes.
Because Ballester, ho has not, and who may
never sutler uir<>ugh a losing season, oiicady
has a strong nucleus of a team on which to
build his title-contender.
(Continued on Page 9)