Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2002)
Sports briefs Kent signs super prospect’ Oregon men’s basketball head coach Ernie Kent announced Satur day that Adam Zahn, a 6-foot-8, 225 pound forward from Redondo Beach, Calif., has signed a national letter of intent to play for the Ducks next season. “We are very excited to get Adam into our program,” Kent said. “He brings a new dimension to our team that we don’t have, in that he’s an ath letic big guy who can run the floor.” Zahn averaged 14.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a senior in earn ing all-CIF Division 2A first team hon ors at Redondo Union High. Coached by Tom Maier, he led his team to a 24 7 record in 2001-02 as Redondo Union advanced to the Southern Cali fornia regional semifinals. As a junior, Zahn averaged 17 points, nine re bounds and six blocks per game as Re dondo went 28-1. Respected recruiting analyst Bob ^ Gibbons ranked Zahn among his top 100 seniors nationally. “(Zahn) has nice size and a good touch from the perimeter,” wrote Bob Gibbons All Star Report correspondent Rob Mat era. “He’s a hard worker and a solid weakside rebounder.... (He) has some potential as a combo forward because of his ability to shoot the ball.” Other recruiting services took no tice of Zahn as well. FansOnly.com gave him a rating of “super prospect.” Hoop Scoop ranked him as the 17th best player in California. Prepspot light.com ranked him among the top 40 power forwards in the nation. Last summer, Prep West Hoops listed Zahn fourth among “rising power forwards” on the West Coast. Zahn, the son of Chet and Cathy Zahn and brother to Arizona player Andrew, is also a good student with a 3.0 prep grade point average. He will join three players Oregon signed in the fall — Jordan Kent (Ernie’s son) of Eugene, Brandon Lin coln from Portland’s Jefferson High School and Andre Joseph from Lee Ju nior College in Baytown, Texas. “This recruiting class has some ex cellent athletes who should keep our program very well stocked for the next four or five years,” coach Kent said. “This is a versatile group that can fill a lot of needs.” Oregon graduated six seniors — guards Freddie Jones, Anthony Lever, Ben Lindquist and walk-on Kristian Christensen, center Chris Christoffersen and forward Mark Michaelis — off the 2001-02 team that won the Ducks’ first outright confer ence title in 63 years and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight. Women’s hoops signs second Canadian The University of Oregon women’s basketball team landed another Cana dian recruit Thursday as the Ducks signed 6-foot-2 forward Yadili Ok wumabua to a national letter of intent. Okwumabua (oak-wum-ah-BOO ah), a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, averaged 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks per game as a senior last year at Glenlawn Col legiate Institute. She also earned 4A Player of the Year honors in Manitoba her final two years. “She’s a great rebounder and de fender and loves to play an up-tempo style,” said Oregon assistant coach Al lison McNeill, whom Okwumabua played for on the Canadian Junior Na tional Team last summer. “On the jun ior national team, she tested out as one of the camp’s top athletes in terms of speed and jumping ability.” A three-year letterwinner at Glen lawn, she led her team to the 4A Provincial championship each year — an unprecedented feat by a boys or girls team in the province. Okwumabua’s junior season was nearly as successful with averages of 18 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three blocks per game. “Yadili is such a mentally and physically tough player,” McNeill said. “On top of that, she’s a great "kid and an excellent student.” An honor-roll student, Okwumabua also earned the Carl Ridd Award, which annually recognizes one Mani toba athlete for outstanding athletic, academic and community service ac complishments. Okwumabua joins 6-foot-3 post player Carolyn Ganes (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), 5-foot-8 point guard Corrie Mizusawa (Lafayette, Calif.), a transfer from Saint Mary’s, and 5-foot 10 guard Chelsea Wagner (Spring field), a transfer from Hawaii, in Ore gon’s 2002-03 recruiting class.- It will mark the first time the Ducks have had two Canadians on the roster since the 1983-84 season. Women’s soccer player to represent University Oregon women’s soccer senior Lindsey Peterson was one of about 300 student-athletes chosen to attend the sixth annual NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference from May 26 30 at Orlando, Fla. Participants are from all three divi sions of the NCAA attend the five-day conference which helps enhance leadership and communication skills for the student-athletes. Peterson, a three-year letterwinner at the defender position for the Ducks, is a native of Port Orchard, Wash. She is majoring in business administra tion. To be nominated, one must be in good academic standing and have ath letics eligibility remaining the follow ing year. Student-athletes also must demonstrate an ability or strong desire to be leaders. Junior women’s basketball player Shaquala Williams represented Ore gon last year. —from staff and wire reports J I... < >< ? / > \ < 1 i < : I Jonathan House Emerald Shortstop Lynsey Harj and the Oregon softball team have three games remaining in their season. Softball continued from page 9 play nearly with the same passion that we took to the UCLA game,” Rincon said. Hall, who struck out and popped out to the shortstop on Sunday, said that her final game at Howe Field left her feeling “bitter sweet.” Washington is “an incredible team, but we didn’t play to our potential — we didn’t make the hits and we didn’t do what was necessary to win,” she said. “It’s a good feeling ending my four years, but kind of bitter sweet knowing that we weren’t as successful as we should have been. “I’m very proud to be on this team. Whether we win or lose I love playing with this team. It’s different going out like this. ... There is no other team I would rather go out with.” Hall and McMurren have three games remaining in their collegiate career as Oregon travels to play California on Friday and Stanford in a doubleheader on Saturday. E-mail sports reporter Chris Cabot at chriscabot@dailyemerald.com. No Time like the Present tor Your Good Health /T \nadi Spring checklist ✓ Borrow one of the terrific books from the Health Education Office. Topics include sports nutrition, cookbooks, mediation guides, sexual health and more. ✓ Schedule a Peer Health Educator to speak to your group. Talks include safer sex, making sound diet choices, relaxation strategies, drug effects. Call Ramah at 346-0562 to schedule. ✓ Sign up for a CPR certification class. Tuesday, May 14th, from 5-9 p.m. Call 346-2770 to^egister. Get your blood cholesterol and glucose checked Tuesday^ 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the Health Education Office. Just dr<
