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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