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Sports briefs
Women’s track transfers
among nation’s best
In the most recent edition of
Track and Field News, the Oregon
women’s track and field team’s
group of newcomers was tabbed
among the nation’s best by the
sport’s leading publication.
The Duck women were among
six honorable mention choices just
outside of the top five nationally,
and more importantly, have since
added two high-profile newcomers
for the indoor season — transfers
Becky Holliday (pole vault) and
Mary Murphy (high jump).
In her indoor debut earlier this
month, Holliday met the NCAA
automatic qualifying mark and tied
the school record of 13-5 1/4 in the
Pole Vault Summit and ranks third
among collegians in 2002. The
Sparks, Nev., native joins the
Ducks after a breakthrough season
on the national scene in 2001.
Holliday raised her personal
best to 14-4 in the national cham
pionships — good enough to rank
her seventh in the nation at sea
son’s end and second among colle
gians. Later in the summer, she fin
ished fifth (1,4-1 1/4) in the U.S.
Outdoor Championships in June at
Hayward Field in Eugene, and
eighth (13-0) in the World Univer
sity Games in Beijing, China. She
also flexed her versatility in the
conference championships last
year adding points in the 200
(third, 25.5), 400 (second, 56.2),
4x100 (second) and 4x400 relays
(second).
“After competing here several
times (last year), Hayward Field
was a big attraction to me,” Holli
day said, “especially after doing
well here at the U.S. nationals. The
crowd was so great and so into it,
I’m excited to experience that
again.”
Murphy owns a high jump best
of 5-8 and joins a unit that already
returns two top-12 Pac-10 finishers
from last season. The Sherwood,
Ore., native could also see future
work in the heptathlon after scor
ing in the 2001 NWAACC Champi
onships in the in 200 (fifth), 400
(third), high jump (first, 5-7), long
jump (fourth, 17-4), triple jump
(fourth, high 34), 4x100 (second)
and 4x400 (first).
Among the Ducks’ freshman
class of newcomers to be honored
by the publication was prep All
America throwers Elisa Crumley
(javelin, 164-0) from Hillsboro,
Ore., and Katie McKeever of
Woodland, Calif., (shot put 45-3
1/4, discus 162-3), triple jumper
Clarice Hayward-Lee (39-1 1/2)
from Bellevue, Wash., javelin
thrower Roslyn Lundeen (161-9)
from Victoria, British Columbia,
and middle distance runner Sara
Schaaf of Klamath Falls, Ore.,
(800-2:12.91).
— From staff and wire reports
Soccer team
one of most improved
Soccer Buzz magazine recog
nized Oregon as one of the nation’s
most improved soccer programs
from 2000 to 2001.
The Ducks improved their
record to 8-8-2 last season, which
was tied for the sixth-best increase
in wins out of 278 Division I teams.
It marked Oregon’s best record
since it added the sport in 1996.
“I’m glad to see continued im
provement and we’re looking to
grow even further,” seventh-year
Oregon coach Bill Steffen said.
The country’s most improved
team was Campbell, which went
from 4-12-1 to 13-6.
— From staff and wire reports
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Women’s
continued from page 5
“I think we’re doing really well,”
senior guard Edniesha Curry said.
“Our chemistry is coming togeth
er, we’re starting to find our
rhythm on offense, and we’re real
ly starting to click.”
Smith said the team has a “new
look” from its early season woes.
“Offensively and defensively,
we have some chemistry, we have
understanding of how we need to
play in certain situations, and we
have a flow,” she said. “We’ve im
proved in areas that, in the begin
ning, people thought we weren’t
very strong.”
Continued improvement could
make Oregon a dangerous team
down the stretch, especially with
home-court advantage in the Pac
10 Tournament.
Offense —- Grade: B+
Rebound. Push the ball. Score.
It sounds simple, but hasn’t al
ways been for the Ducks this season.
Entering the season without a
true inside presence was a clear
weakness as opponents concen
trated their defense on Oregon’s
talented backcourt. Still, the back
court tandem of Shaquala
Williams and Curry have paced
the Ducks this season, averaging a
combined 29 points per game.
And the recent emergence of
M ' *
s climate is°»*xl«t.y
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s climate is honopho
In 2001 the University partid
post players Cathrine Kraayeveld
and Andrea Bills has given the
Ducks more options and the
guards more open looks.
Defense — Grade: C+
It’s all about Eddie, the Energiz
er bunny.
Typically, fans only rise to their
feet after a sweet behind-the-back
pass or a deep three at the buzzer.
But not at McArthur Court. Curry,
a speedy 5-foot-6 guard, gets the
crowd going with her uncanny de
fensive prowess, harassing opposing
point guards and forcing turnovers.
Rebounding, the biggest ques
tion mark at the beginning of the
season, “has certainly come a long,
long way,” Smith said. The Ducks,
in fact, are even with their oppo
nents in rebounding margin.
While the defense has been a
sticking point all year, it may be
doing the most improving — and
continues to do so. By the end of
the season, this could be the team’s
best asset.
The guards — Grade: B
On pure potential, Oregon’s
starting backcourt is probably the
best in the Pac-10.
Since Pac-10 play began,
Williams leads the league with
18.4 points per game and has
showed the same form that made
her the 2000 Pac-10 Player of the
Year.
And Curry’s quickness and floor
leadership has added another di
mension to the Oregon attack —
on both ends of the court.
Adam Amato Emerald
Senior Edniesha Curry has been instrumental to Oregon’s 7-4 Pac-10 record this year.
Simply put, if the Ducks need a
bucket, Curry and Williams are ea
ger to take control and are capable
of scoring on anyone.
Senior sharpshooter Jamie Craig
head has struggled in Oregon’s
new up-tempo game, but has
found her long-range shot of late.
The posts —Grade: B
The Ducks’ inside game, by far,
has been the biggest surprise of
the season.
Replacing 6-foot-5 Jenny Mowe
and 6-foot-3 Angelina Wolvert,
both WNBA draft picks, was no
easy task.
Seniors Alyssa Fredrick and
Ndidi Unaka opened the season as
the starters in the paint, but have
since moved to the bench.
In the last month, sophomore
Kraayeveld and freshman Bills
have taken over the starting roles
— and they’ve both given Acade
my Award-winning presentations
of late.
Since jumping into the starting
lineup on Dec. 29, Kraayeveld has
averaged 10.8 points and 9.5 re
bounds per game and her 1.82
blocks a game leads the Pac-10.
Bills is averaging 8.3 points
and 5.8 rebounds during confer
ence play.
“They’ve been a huge help in
the Pac-lOs,” Curry said. “Having
an inside presence opens it up
more for our guards with dribble
penetration and three-point shots.”
E-mail sports editor Adam Jude
at adamjude@dailyemerald.com.