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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (March 13, 1997)
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If vou are: * Healthy, 15-45 years of age * Using asthma medication * Able to walk or jog for 10 minutes * A non-smoker See if you qualify bv calling: 683-4324 * All study procedures free of charge * Compensation for study participants * No referral necessary Allergy and Asthma Research Group 1488 Oak Street, Eugene, OR 97401 Robert Frost Jones, M.D. / Kraig Warren Jacobson, M.D. Runge: Ready to make big step ■ Continued from Page 7 bought into her program. And anytime you have people that buy into what you’re selling, amazing things can happen,” Litzenberger said. And amazing things did hap pen. Oregon’s 20-9 overall record that year was good enough to earn it a home berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1987, and its single-season turnaround was not only the best ever in the conference, but it was also the sixth-best ever in the na tion. While she clearly impacted Oregon and sparked its turn around in 1994, Runge was not quick to take all the credit. “I think the appropriate word is we, not me.” It is just that attitude that makes Runge such a special coach, Litzenberger said. “Ever since the first time I met her, I have been impressed with her because of her ability to work hard, her understanding of the game and the fact that she has no ego.” Litzenberger said Runge treats the program, including the coaching duties, as “ours,” not “mine.” She lets her assistants do what they do best... and not many coaches in the country do that,” he said. “I think that shows great respect by her, and I think that shows great respect for her. She’s one of the great coaches in this country and one of the peo ple that I respect a great deal.” Part of Litzenberger’s respect for Runge stems from her ability to keep Oregon among the con ference’s top teams. While 1994 was Oregon’s breakthrough year, its success did not stop there. In the 1994-95 season, the Ducks finished in fourth place in the Pac-10 with an 11-7 record (18-10 overall) and made their second straight trip to the tourna ment. The following year, the Ducks went 10-8 in the conference and 18-11 overall and again ad vanced to the Big Dance. And this season, the Ducks fin ished in sole possession of sec ond place in the Pac-10 for the first time ever and will make their fourth straight appearance in the tournament Saturday against San Diego State. “A lot of programs go one or two years, they're successful and then they struggle for a while,” Litzenberger said. "The great thing I think about what Jody Runge has done at Oregon is she has continued that success over a long period of time. And that’s much, much more difficult to do.” In addition to winning, Runge has brought an emphasis on aca demics with her to Oregon. Runge herself was a two-time academic all-Southeastem Con ference selection and was think ing of a career in optometry be fore coaching came along. Through Runge’s efforts, the Ducks became one of the nation’s top 10 women’s basketball pro grams academically and is the only school in the Pac-10 to have six players named academic all Pac-10. “She has always believed that the No. 1 reason athletes are in school is to get their education,” Litzenberger said. Despite her and the Ducks’ past success on and off the court, Runge still wants more. “We want [a top 25] reputa tion,” she said. “One way or an other, whether it be beating Stan ford or getting two or three wins in the NCAA Tournament, we gg We want [a top 25] reputation. One way or another... we want to become a team that gets ranked and stays ranked. —JodyRunge Oregon Head Coach -39 want to become a team that gets ranked and stays ranked.” Scheduling more teams from the nation’s most powerful con ference, the SEC, is another way Runge said the Ducks can estab lish themselves nationally. She said she has tried, but it is diffi cult “getting people to come out here and play because it is so far away from everybody.” A win over San Diego State Saturday would most certainly give Oregon a second-round date with defending national champi on and perennial power Ten nessee on its home court. And a win over the Lady Vols would force the rest of the nation to take note of the rising star in the west. As a former Kentucky Wildcat, playing at Tennessee is nothing new for Runge. “Tennessee was certainly our big rival when I was at Ken tucky,” she said. And she made no bones about the fact that she did not like the Lady Vols. “1 had a big poster with a big orangutan on my wall my whole college career with a big orange in its mouth that said ‘Suck a big Orange.’ “We just hated Tennessee and it was always a great rivalry.” If the Ducks can get by the Aztecs, Runge will get a shot at rekindling that rivalry, but this time with a little different twist. The University of Oregon Athletic Department Needs Yoor Help! 7I5AMWORK Internships Available Earn upper division credit for school Gain valuable experience in the athletic department Have fun working with coaches to keep U of O on top Activities include: assisting on game days, helping in recruiting student athletes, hosting legendary Oregon dignitaries. Plus other events, which occur throughout the year Come Join the Team! For more information please call Augie Avila. Teamwork Coordinator at (541)346-1498 ASAP.
