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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 2, 1981)
Harder times ahead for runners Duck women say good-bye to AIAW, hello NCAA By DOUG LEVY Otta EmaraM The times have changed for women's collegiate athletics Once only an afterthought, women's sports are big time now, and two rival organizations — the National Collegiate Athle tic Association (NCAA) and the Association of intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) — are battling for control over member schools The rivals are in a campaign to woo schools to join up with them, and each will stage its own championships this year And the shifting and scrambling for new divisions and align ments have left the Oregon women's cross country team out in the cold. At Oregon, women's cross country has always been a suc cess story. The Ducks, the powerhouses in the AIAW Region 9, traditionally win their region, go to nationals and make a strong showing. But Oregon has chosen to go with the more powerful NCAA, and that means: good-bye patsy AIAW Region 9, hello tough NCAA District 8. The same holds true for Oregon State, Washington and Washington State. One person who is unhappy about the change is Mike Lawless, the chairman of the AIAW Cross Country Commit tee. "Two national champs is not good for the sport or the people involved,” says Lawless, who adds, "whatever happens, hopefully will be for the best.” Most observers feel that the changes seem to point to the downfall of the AIAW Another person who wishes Women face big challenge Top-twenty teams abound in California Invitational The fifth-ranked Oregon women's cross country team will face its first big chaltenge Saturday when they battle fourth-ranked Stanford and a host of other nationally-ranked squads at the California Invitational in Ber keley “This is a chance tor us to see how we stack up m the early season against some top teams, especially Stanford,’ says Oregon coach Tom Keinonen Arizona (ranked second nationally) and Stanford are rated the top two teams in our NCAA District 8 and only two teams will au tomatically qualify for the NCAA champion ship,*' he added Nine teams, including strong squads from Oregon State. California (ranked 12th), Florida State (ranked 19th) and Cal State-Hayward (1980 AIAW Division III Champion), will be after the Ducks, each anxious to impress the NCAA at-large bid representives Oregon’s Eryn Forbes, a junior and track All-American, along with touted freshman Kathy Hayes are among the favorites for in dividual honors as are Stanford s Kim Schnurpfeii and Ceci Hoppe, and Cal’s Cindy Grant and Suzanne Richter The Ducks' lineup will include Lisa (O’Dea) Martin, also a track All-American, and two freshmen, Rosa Gutierrez and Claudette Groenandaal Also making the trip for Oregon were juniors Sandy Dickerson and Joan Hop tenspirger. Oregon will take two weeks off from com petition after this weekend, as the Oregon Track Club Invitational, set for Oct 18th will be the Ducks' next test Photo by Bob Bakw Oregon junior Bryn Forbes is among the favorites for individual honors at the Cat in vitational Saturday. Fingers reattached BOSTON (AP) - Seven fingers severed from the hands of a 21-year-old man by an iron press were successfully reattached in a two-day "sur gical marathon" that involved 44 doctors, nurses and tech nicians, doctors announced Thursday Dr James May Jr., who head ed the Massachusetts General Hospital surgical team, said he believed the operation marked the first time surgeons have been able to replace that many fingers He also said the 46Vi hours was the longest a patient had been under general anesthesia at Massachusetts General Michael Bates lost eight fingers Sept 4 when they were caught in the iron press at a factory in Bellows Falls, Vt May said the surgical procedures for reattaching severed limbs have become commonplace over the past few years He estimated surgeons at his hospital perform an average of one replant operation a week ATHLETIC ■\ 115 W BROADWAY ON THE DOWNTOWN MALL 343-1288 M-F 9-5:30 SAT 9-5 Welcome Back! reg. sale Converse Pro Canvas Shoes Hi $28 95 $22.95 Converse Pro Canvas Shoes Low $27 95 $21.95 Converse Pro Mesh Shoes Hi $37 95 $29.95 Converse Pro Mesh Shoes Low $35 95 $27.95 Adidas High Pt Low Court Shoes $22.95 $17.95 Russell Hooded Sweatshirts $8.95 Russell Sweat Pants w/zipper $6.95 Olympian Racquetball Racket $13.95 Wilson Tennis Balls $2.95 Tonix Badminton Rackets $11.95 Ektelon Racquetball Rackets 20% off Nylon Duffle Carry Bag $9.95 Grey Workout Shorts $6.95 Nylon Gym Shorts $4.95 Russell Nylon Pullover Jackets $43.95 -AND MUCH MORE MORE! SALE SEPT 25th-OCT 9th he was back in Region 9 is women’s cross country coach Tom Heinonen. His team will have a tough enough time run ning well in regional meets let alone nationals.“I don’t mind having a tougher time qualify ing, as long as it’s fair, and it might not be,” says Heinonen. Heinonen’s reference is to the NCAA qualifying format, which allows for only 13 teams at nationals compared to the 29 teams men’s cross country put forth a year ago. The low number of qualifiers definitely puts the crunch on Oregon. The Ducks, ranked fifth in pre-season, must battle it out with Arizona (2nd), Stanford (4th), Washington (8th), and UCLA (20th) just to get one of District 8's two qualifying spots. In addition, San Diego State, ranked 11th and currently a member of District 7, is attempting to join District 8 It is of little solace to Heinon en that the NCAA will extend three at-large bids for nationals “Can you imagine being 11th best in the country," says Hein onen of San Diego State’s bid to join District 8, “and not even in the ballpark for your own region? It’s absurd.” Money is the big factor dictating the low 13 team total at nationals Heinonen feels the NCAA is “an iron hand that rules with money In order to meet expenses, they chop one-third of the qualifiers, so nobody is going to be happy." The NCAA's reply is a terse one: "I think it will eventually work out best for everyone in the long run," says Mary Alice Hill, chairman of the NCAA Track Committee “We'll just have to make the best of it," Heinonen says. Luckily, Oregon may have the talent to do just that Junior Eryn Forbes returns for the Ducks, and with her may be the most talented group of freshmen Heinonen has ever had on one team. Three of those newcomers — Kathy Hayes, Rosa Gutierrez and Claudette Groenendaal, will travel to Berkeley this weekend when Oregon competes in the Cal Invitational Saturday. Heinonen is optimistic about his team's chances in the meet after seeing the Ducks place five runners among the first nine finishers in the Garrie Franklin Classic last weekend, but the Ducks will get their first taste of tough. District 8 competition in Berkely when they go up against Stanford. "Stanford has never been this deep before. They've had top runners, and they've always been great early and not so great later," says Heinonen of the 4th-ranked Cardinals, ‘‘i think this meet will show how accurate the pre-season rankings are.” The enthusiastic coach notes that, "We’ve got a ways to go. Everyone ran close to my ex pectations last Saturday, but we have so many new people, it’ll take a while to get adjusted With little more than a month remaining before the District 8 meet in Long Beach, Calif., Heinonen hopes it will not take long before his team can make that adjustment. “We're going to have to suck it up this year and perhaps run our best race of the season at district. That’s something we re not used to and that’s not what we want, because nationals comesTight after," Heinonen says. “It's like setting a goal of making it to the Olympics — once you get there, you’re not a factor in the competition.” jma Food Service Skylight Featuring: 2 homemade donuts & French Roast Coffee 50 Special good from 9 am-10 am Open 8:00-2:00, Monday thru Friday
