Droughns: Earned
No. 1 job early in camp
■ Continued from Page 20E
on and off the field for two sea
sons. “Reuben is different. He
knows how to sacrifice; he is a
true leader.
“Those are the types of guys
who make it to the pros."
Droughns has one other in
gredient necessary to make it in
the National Football League
—stunning natural ability.
In two seasons at Merced,
Droughns rushed for 3,067
yards. Last season he led the na
tion with an incredible 1,611
yards and 12 touchdowns in just
eight games. After the season,
PrepStar magazine rated
Droughns as the top-rated junior
college tailback in the country.
Still, Droughns’ family was
never able to share in Reuben’s
on-field accomplishments.
Merced is about a seven-hour
car ride from Anaheim, both
widening and narrowing the
distance between Reuben and
his family all at the same time.
“I remember we played one
game down near Los Angeles
and my family was able to
come visit me at halftime,”
Droughns says. “But that was
the only time they even got to
see me play.”
Which is what made
Droughns’ first game with the
Ducks — a regionally televised
game on ABC — that much
(( Reuben is different.
He knows bow to
sacrifice; he is a true
leader. >>
Tony Lewis
Merced head football coach
more special.
“My family was able to
watch the game,” Droughns
says. “I had a smile on my face
the whole game because I knew
that my family and friends
were back home watching it.
“In junior college we were al
ways taught to be a fist — that
is, like a family. You have indi
viduals, but you’re always con
nected.”
Droughns says that’s the best
part about having finally
reached his goal of playing for
Oregon.
“This team is really like a
family," Droughns says.
“These guys have been work
ing hard and I just want to be a
part of it.”
So much so that he is taking
his time leaving this practice
field tonight.
If only everything in life
were as easy as catching punts
in near total darkness.
Tennis: Wygonowska leads team again
■ Continued from Page 4E
season, the Pac-10 will again be
one of the toughest women’s ten
nis conferences in the nation.
So what does third year head
coach Jack Griffin have to be excit
ed about this season?
A lot, he says.
“I think that things are starting
to fall into place,” Griffin said.
“We have great players coming in
and some healthy players coming
back. We understand what we
need to do to get to the NCAAs. ”
The 1997-98 season was a diffi
cult one for the Ducks. At one
point or another almost every one
of Griffin’s players was injured.
While a number of the Ducks
struggled through injuries, one
player became Oregon’s star.
Alina Wygonowska stepped up
as the Ducks No. 1 player, becom
ing the first woman in Oregon his
tory to qualify for the NCAA indi
vidual championships last May.
i
“She had some really good
wins,” Griffin said. “She beat three
players ranked in the top 10 in the
country. The good thing is that she
knows she can do it now, but
sometimes it’s easier when not as
much is expected from you.”
Wygonowska won’t be sneaking
up on anyone in the Pac-10, which
Griffin thinks wil 1 have three teams
ranked in the preseason top 10.
While being part of such a “brutally
tough” conference makes winning
that much harder, Griffin says there
are advantages to it.
“It’s very, very helpful that so
many people want to play in the
Pac-10.” Griffin said. “Being able
to play with the best teams in the
country is going to help us recruit
ing and in improving our kids’
play.”
Griffin used the Pac-lO’s appeal
in landing two heralded recruits
this season.
“We’ve got some strong youths
coming in,” Griffin said. “They've
played in a lot of tournaments and
they’re really going to be into it. ”
Adeline Arnaud arrives from
France with a ranking equivalent
to being in the top 20 in the US,
and Janice Nyland is one of the
highest ranked American players
ever to come to Oregon.
“Adeline was too good to pass
up,” Griffin said. “Janice has a
great attitude and she’s really ex
cited about coming here and being
a part of the Pac-10. She’s a big
catch for us.”
So Griffin looks forward to next
season because his star is return
ing, because he’s adding to
promising new recruits and be
cause the rest of his team is return
ing healthy and stronger after the
hardships it experienced last sea
son.
“It think we’ve grown a lot,” ju
nior Jamie Martin said. “We’ve
definitely come together, and
we’re excited for next season. ”
Sports Briefs
Women’s basketball
ranked No. 21
The Oregon women’s basket
ball team is ranked No. 21 by the
Women’s Basketball News Ser
vice in its preseason Top 25 poll.
The Ducks’ return four starters
and seven other letter winners
from the last season's 17-10 team.
Center Jenny Mowe will be back
after missing all of last season be
cause of an injury to help lead
head coach Jody Range’s squad
to its sixth straight NCAA Tour
nament appearance.
Ensrud back to
Oregon as assistant
Jeremy Ensrud may be done
competing for the Oregon
wrestling team, but he isn’t done
contributing to it.
Ensrud, a two-time All-Amer
ican who compiled a 106-29 ca
reer record for the Ducks, will be
back with the program as an as
sistant coach to new head coach
Chuck Kearney.
“Jeremy is a product of our
program," Kearney said. “He
has excelled in everything he’s
done, and I expect him to con
tinue with that in the coaching
field."
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