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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 2, 2001)
Wednesday Best Bet NBA Playoffs: Sacramento at Phoenix 7:30 p.m.,TNT SPORTS EDITOR: JEFF SMITH Smittside@aol.com Moos begins search for Runge’s successor Athletic Director Bill Moos said he is not surprised that applications are already pouring in for the vacant women’s head coaching position By Adam Jude Oregon Daily Emerald One of the most controversial eras in Oregon sports history is over; Jody Runge and her .687 winning percentage are gone. Now, the search for Runge’s replacement begins. An interim coach for the women’s basketball team was expected to be named late Tues day, but Athletic Director Bill Moos said he would not make the announcement until today. One of the three assistant coach es — Fred Litzenberger, Dan Muscatelland Kirsten McKnight — will take over the program temporarily to make sure the players continue workouts until a new coach is hired. “The assistants are under con tract and they are working with the team right now and contact ing recruits,” Moos said. “They are very qualified and talented people. In a perfect world, you’d love to retain all three of them, but that is usually not the norm.” Moos said he told the assis tants that they are welcome to apply for the position, but as of Tuesday, none had made a deci sion. With respect to Runge, Litzen berger said the assistants will not speak to the media about the situation. “The three assistant coaches have made a decision not to comment at this time,” said Litzenberger, a six-year veteran of the women’s program. “Maybe in a week or two we’ll talk about it. But we just want her exit to go smoothly.”' In the meantime, Moos said Tuesday that he has already re ceived a number of applications, although he did not know exact ly how many. “The position is being adver tised, and we are accepting ap plications as of [Tuesday],” Moos said. “Interest in it is ex tremely high, which is no sur prise.” Because of Runge’s success at McArthur Court, Moos said he expects to receive a large pool of applications. “Oregon is now a destination and not a stepping stone,” Moos said. “To Jody Runge’s credit and to the community of Eu gene’s credit, this is a very ap pealing position.” Several players expressed de sire for a coach with whom they can build a relationship. Mus catell, the team’s primary re cruiter, has been mentioned on more than one occasion as the players’ favorite coach. “I want a players’ coach,” guard Jamie Craighead said. “I respect Runge for all that she did for this program, but we just want to move on and continue the winning tradition.” “We just want someone who cares about us as people as well as basketball players,” forward Ndidi Unaka said. “We want a fresh start. “It can’t get any worse.” (( To Jody Runge’s credit... this is a very appealing position. Bill Moos athletic director, University of Oregon Oregon track star receives second Pac-10 honor . Ilfljllfi | | | Tom Patterson Emerald Oregon’s John Stiegeler’s mark of 245 feet, nine inches ranks him first among collegians. ■ Sophomore javelin thrower John Stiegeler headlined the Pac-10 last week by being named the league’s top athlete By Robbie McCallum Oregon Daily Emerald Being the top athlete in the nation brings many honors. For the second time this season, Oregon sophomore javelin thrower John Stiegeler is the Pacific-10 Conference’s Ath lete of the Week. The nation’s leader in the javelin at 245 feet, nine inch es, placed second at the Ore gon Invitational Saturday. Stiegeler ranks fifth on the U.S. list, which in cludes post collegians. The Coos Bay native placed second to Eastern Washington’s Ryan Cole, who threw the nation’s second farthest toss at 244-7. Stiegeler’s personal best is 11 feet farther than the next highest Pac-10 mark, held by Stanford’s Chad Wassink. The other Pac-10 honoree for the week is Stanford’s Michael Stember. The Olympian was pivotal in two Cardinal wins at the Penn Relays on Saturday. Stember broke the school record in the mile as the anchor leg of the 4 x 1,600 relay. The Fair Oakes, Calif., native ran a time of 16 minutes, 15.7 seconds to secure a Stanford vic tory. Later in the day, Stember also anchored the Cardinal’s 4 x 800 relay. Stanford won in a time of 7:19.8. Cross-town rivalry It’s one of the most ferocious rivalries in Divi sion I track and field, and it’s shaping up to be the best track and field dual meet of the 2001 season. The storied rivalry between Southern California and UCLA will enter its 68th chapter this Saturday, and it looks to be a speed-fest. The No. 1-ranked USC women host No. 2 UCLA in a meet that will feature the top Pac-10 competitor in 13 events. The men’s race should also be close, with No. 3 UCLA taking on the No. 4 Trojans. The Los Angeles-area schools are known to have the strongest sprinting teams in the coun try, which will make for exciting races in the 100-, 200- and 400-meters, as well as in both re lays. Top of the field While the Pac-10 men have only two favorites to win NCAA titles, those two events will be ones to watch. Arizona State’s Marcus Brunson currently has the nation’s official top mark in the 200-meters with a time of 20.37 seconds. Washington Olympian Ja’Warren Hooker has the nation’s unofficial best time of 20.37 sec onds, a split second ahead of Brunson. Too bad the mark was aided by wind. Hookers’ non-aid ed seasonal best is 20.57 seconds, which ranks him 10th nationally. In the polls The Pac-10 may be known for being one of the toughest track and field conferences, but not ac Turn to Men, page 8 Pac-10 women’s track teams rank alongside nation’s best The conference boasts several strong teams that could make noise at the NCAA Championships By Peter Hockaday Oregon Daily Emerald The track and field season is almost half-over, and the Oregon women are starting to take aim at a number of NCAA provisional and automatic marks. Unfortunately for the Ducks, the rest of the Pacific-10 Conference is hotter than the Seattle Mariners in April. Depending on who you talk to, the Pac-10 is the toughest women’s track conference in the country. While the Ducks once dominated the Pacific schools, they now must watch as UCLA, Southern California and others rocket to the top of the collegiate track world. So, with less than a month to go be fore the Pac-10 Championships at Cali fornia May 19-20, it’s time for a mid-sea son status report. Consider it a season preview, for what little season may be left. Without further ado, here are the Pac 10 teams (besides track-less Oregon State) in the order they will most likely finish at the NCAA Championships. 1. UCLA. The Bruins were ranked first heading into the weekend, accord ing to Trackwire’s rankings, and for good reason. The 2001 NCAA indoor champions have been tearing it up across the board outdoors. UCLA has the nation’s top-ranked pole vaulter, Tracy O’Hara, the top-ranked shot put ter, Christina Tolson, and the top ranked heptathlete, Michelle Perry. The Bruins will be tough to beat in the Pac 10 Championships and may run away with the NCAA title as well. 2. USC. Southern California seems to be a hot spot for track this year. While the Bruins own the field events, the Tro jans have a lockdown on the sprints. USC athletes are third and fourth on the national list for the 100-meter dash, and second and third in the 800. The Trojan 4x100 relay is the fourth-best in the na tion, while the 4x400 relay team is best in the Pac-10. 3. Arizona. They’re running and jumping hard in the desert, and the Wildcats may reap the rewards of a long season by the end. If the NCAA Cham pionships were scored right now, the Wildcats would score 27 points, third best in the conference. ’Zona owes a lot of its success to sprinter Brianna Glenn, whose 11.16 in the 100 is only .03 slow er than national leader Muna Lee of Louisiana State. Arizona also has top-5 athletes in the pole vault and hammer throw. 4. Arizona State. Desert, part deux. The Sun Devils have a good all-around team, and if they improve on their pro visional times, they could do well at the NCAAs. Arizona State is led by Lisa Auguilera, who is fifth nationally in the 1,500 and the 3,000 steeplechase, and sixth in the 5,000. The Devils will try to add good times to Auguilera’s to do well at the Pac-lOs and NCAAs. 5. Oregon. The Ducks have Sarah Turn to Women, page 8
