Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 5, 2000)
Eugene’s best selection of quality tents, backpacks, and sleeping bags. Backcountry t — Gear Limited— WITH THIS AD ON ANY IN STOCK ITEM www.backcountrygear.com (541) 485-4007 • 207 Madison Street • M-F 9-5:30 Everything on Sale Bikes-Frames-Clothing-Accessories-More Buy Now for Best Selection All Sales Final 087-0288 1330 WILLAMETTE PLAY THE GAM! it? Wr • • n Check your local TV listings www.SaxWars.com * TM & & 2000 Metrb-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc . The ODE Ctoifieil section... mucii mar eta i piece for tlie fraoril Duck tennis opens up play ■ The men’s tennis team kicks off the 2000-01 season against a familiar foe By Robbie McCalium Oregon Daily Emerald The 1999-2000 season saw 13 of 15 Oregon athletic teams reach postseason play. One of those teams was the men’s tennis team. Head coach Chris Russell hopes to bring this year’s team back to the NCAA tournament after a first round exit last May. The countdown begins for this year’s tournament on Friday, when the Ducks kick off the 2000-01 sea son in Fresno, Calif., at the Bulldog Classic. The tournament will take place at the Spalding G. Wathen outdoor tennis facility on the Fres no State campus. This season, Oregon hopes to im prove upon last season’s 12-9 record and third-place finish at the Pacific-10 tournament. The Ducks’ spirits are high after a month of practice in their new $2.1 million, 48,000-square-foot fa cility. The newly finished on-cam pus building offers Oregon a chance to practice indoors in a cli mate-controlled facility. The Ducks can also work out on the outdoor courts on East 15th Street. The lux ury to choose between two venues was not available to them last year. “Now, there are no excuses,” Russell said. “We've been competi tive before, but this is the next step toward getting to that next level of play.” Oregon is expected to bring a small contingent to the Classic, which is a three-day individual tournament with no team scoring. The tournament will be a re match between Oregon and the team that eliminated the Ducks from the NCAAs last season — Fresno State. Four players return from each team that played in that game. The Bulldogs romped on { { Now; there are no excuses. We've been competitive before, but this is the next step toward getting to that next level of play. We’re really looking forward to getting out there and seeing how our young guys measure up with everyone. It’s a chance to get exposure, which is what we’re seeking from all this. Chris Russell Oregon tennis coach Oregon, 4-0, on May 13.“We’re re ally looking forward to getting out there and seeing how our young guys measure up with everyone,” Russell said. “It’s a chance to get ex posure, which is what we’re seek ing from this.” Seniors David Mullins and Peter Luczak lead the Bulldog attack. Luczak is ranked No. 14 in the pre season ITA polls while Mullins has the best record of any Fresno State player. Also at hand for the Classic will be Pacific-10 Conference rival Washington. Sophomores Ari Strasberg and Matt Hanlin return after outstanding freshman years. Hanlin is ranked 50th in the presea son polls, while Strasberg is No. 85. Junior Thomas Schneiter is the top returning Duck. The Worb, Switzerland native played in the No. 2 spot last year behind All American Guillermo Carter and helped lead Oregon to its second NCAA team appearance in three years. Also expected to play are sopho mores Oded Teig, Leslie Eisinga and Jason Menke. “Jason is one of those guys that I’m looking forward to getting out there and seeing him blossom and grow,” Russel said. Teig was the 2000 Newcomer of the Year after breaking the fresh man record for single season wins with 22. Eisinga became the first freshman to qualify for the NCAA doubles tournament along with Carter. It is unknown whether highly touted recruit Paul “Buck” Mink will begin his Oregon career on Fri day or whether Russell will keep him out of competition until later in the season. The Classic will give the Ducks a good chance to warm up and get back in the swing of things before the ITA Preseason Regionals take place in Berkeley, Calif., from Oct. 28-31.“When you practice and practice, it’s nice to have something to gear up for,” Russell said. Smedstad continued from page 7 A “I had read about her and how well she did in Sweden and I tried to get a hold of her but found out she had graduated and had moved away,” Acosta said, adding she had tried twice a month for about a year to get a hold of Smedstad to see if she wanted to come to Oklahoma State and run for the Cowgirls. “When we finally got to talk with each other, it was at the right time,” { C I would have gone to the university in Eng land, but I would never have been able to run on their cross country teams • because they don’t provide scholarships for runners like the US. colleges do. Hanna Smedstad Oregon senior Smedstad said. “I would have gone to the university in England, but I would have never been able to run on their cross country teams be cause they don't provide scholar ships for runners like the U.S. col leges do. I would have had to run with a club.” Smedstad had an extremely suc cessful three years in Stillwater, Okla. She reached the National Cross Country meet twice, finishing 28th in 1998 and 18th last year. The two-time All-American also reached the NCAA outdoor track meet in the 5,000 meters and the 3,000 meters. She picked up anoth er honor as All-American as a member of Oklahoma State’s eighth-place indoor distance med ley team in 1998. Last year, Smedstad completed her degree in psychology at Okla homa State. The next logical step for Smedstad was to go graduate school and get a Ph.D. in neuro science. She decided to transfer to Oregon with two seasons of eligibil ity left. The decision “was mostly aca demic,” Smedstad said. “But I did want to run here.” Despite this being her fifth home in as many years, Eugene is a nice fit for Smedstad. She said that she has adapted well to the new cli mate. “So far so good,” Smedstad said. “It’s a lot like Sweden — except for the rain. It’s a lot easier to train here where it’s not so hot. In Oklahoma we would have to train in the morning. It’s better here.” Living in Oregon will give Smed stad a chance to do some things she hasn’t done since living in Sweden: activities such as cross country ski ing, orienteering (a sport which uses maps and compasses) and see ing the ocean. Smedstad was almost a complete surprise to Oregon coach Tom Heinonen. “She has just dropped out of the sky for us,” Heinonen said. “We’re real lucky to have her. She’s added so much depth to our team.” She has just dropped out of the sky for us. We're really lucky to have her. She's added so much depth to our team. Tom Heinonen Oregon track coach In addition to depth, Smedstad takes over the No. 1 spot for the Ducks, which was vacated during the summer when sophomore Amy Nickerson left the team. Smedstad has fit in well with the Oregon team. In her first meet in a Duck uniform, she finished sixth overall at the Roy Griak Invitational in St. Paul, Minn. “Our {team] goal is to just do bet ter than we did at nationals the year before,” Smedstad said. Whatever the future holds for this nomadic distance runner, for now she has found a home with the Oregon cross country team.
