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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2004)
Sports Editor: Hank Hager hankhager@dailyemerald.com Wednesday, April 21, 2004 Oregon Daily Emerald SPORTS Best bet MLB: San Diego vs. San Francisco 7 p.m., ESPN2 Sophomore sprinter battles through nerves to find success Travis Anderson battled through nerves to become one of the Ducks’ top sprinters by Jon Koetman Sports Reporter * Travis Anderson has dusted all competitors in the 400-meter dash during the past two weeks. The Arvada, Colo, native topped the field at the Pepsi Team 'Invitational on April 10th at Hayward Field with a time of 47.04 seconds. Anderson followed the performance with a vic tory (47.08) at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif. The reason for the sophomore's success? He's finally able to relax. As is the case with many newcomers, Anderson spent much of his freshman year adjusting to the added pressure of making the jump from the prep level to a Division I program — espe cially a program carrying the tradition Oregon does. Despite battling nerves during his |M| first season as a Duck, Anderson still TPACIT managed to qualify for the Pacific-10 I Conference Championships in the 400 and the NCAA's as a member of the Oregon 4x400 relay team. While Anderson's freshman campaign was a successful one, the humble speedster is coming into his own as one of Ore gon's top sprinters. "There's less pressure this year," Anderson said. "1 know the system this year. Nothing's new and I know how every thing works." After getting past the pressures of running in Eugene; Ander son has embraced his time in Tracktown, USA, a place that was too tempting to pass on coming out ofWestminster High School. "Oregon felt more like home than any other school I visit ed, " Anderson said. "I felt more comfortable with the coaches and the other athletes than any other school I considered." While Anderson has been successful recently in the 400, he will instead compete in the 200 during the Oregon Invitation al this weekend at Hayward Field. ■ Turn to SUCCESS, page 9A Erik R. Bishoff Photographer* Travis Anderson has won the 400-meters during consecutive meets. Vincent faces same situation I he running back is eyeing No. 1 on the depth chart but knows he needs to improve to get there By Hank Hager Sports Editor Ask sophomore Chris Vincent how his 2003 season went, and he gives a definitive answer. "Not good at all," he said. "1 had big ex pectations, but didn't live up to them." Easily said. Vincent had a strong set of spring workouts — his first with Oregon — but then, by all counts, he disappointed during the regular season. Me began the year by gaining 49 yards in seven carries against Mississippi State, then 77 in 21 attempts two weeks later against Arizona. After that, the ball fell off the cliff. Vincent ended the last nine games of the season by rush ing for 41 yards in 28 attempts. He missed two games during that stretch and suited up for, but did not make a rushing attempt, in Oregon's loss in the 2003 Sun Bowl. "I think he has the talent to play," Ore gon head coach Mike Bellotti said, echo ing Vincent's thoughts that the 2003 sea son was disappointing. "He's the biggest back we have. But he has to play with reck less abandon. And he has to be able to play if he's not 100 percent. After the first game, very few players are 100 percent. That's a very honest, a very frank opinion." Vincent was beset by injuries, most no tably a sprained knee suffered in Oregon's win over Mississippi State. Admittedly, he said he didn't play through the pain as much as he should have. "It was my first season of college foot ball and my body was just shot," Vincent said. "I felt like I was 50 years old after the injury. When you wake up, it's hard to move around and get going. My main DUCK FOOTBALL Adam Amato Senior Photographer Oregon sophomore Chris Vincent finds himself in the same situation as last season, when he impressed during the spring. He, however, disappointed during the latter part of the 2003 season. focus this offseason was to just build up my endurance." Vincent enters the same type of situa tion this spring as last year. He's basically the team's No. 1 running back because of injuries to Terrence Whitehead and Kenny Washington. When the duo returns, Vincent will es sentially be fighting for the third spot with Ryan Shaw. In addition, the back field gets a little more crowded when Turn to SITUATION, page 9A Ducks eighth, hope to move up UCLAs Hannah Jun and Charlotte Mayorkas are tied for first at 1-over par going into the final round of the Pacific-10 Championships By Brian Smith Freelance Reporter The Oregon women's golf team improved considerably over Tuesday's opening round. Problem was, the rest of the field followed suit, leaving them in eighth place for the second straight day at the 2004 Pacific-10 Championships held at the par-72, 6,405-yard Saticoy Country Club course in Somis, Calif. The good news is that Oregon still has a chance to make a final round push to finish in the upper half of the conference. The Ducks sit 10 strokes behind fifth-place Washington and fourteen strokes behind third-place finishers California and Arizona. Five of the six Ducks saw marked improvement Tuesday. Sophomore Therese Wenslow made the biggest move of the day, recovering from an opening round 89 by shooting a 3-over 75. Wenslow's 75 included birdies on three of the last four holes, matching teammate Kimberly McCready for the best round of the day by a Duck. McCready continued her impressive conference championship debut by opening her second round with a birdie on the 10th hole before carding three bogeys on her first nine. The freshman Turn to EIGHTH, page 9A DUCK GOLF UO women embrace new coaches Expectations are increasing for the Oregon women heading into the Oregon Invitational this coming Saturday at Hayward Field By Alex Tam Sports Reporter When Michelle Donovan crossed the finish line of the 400-me ters at the Long Beach Invitational this past Saturday, she felt dis appointed. However, it is not the disappointment one would expect. Dono van, a junior from West Linn, finished the race in a time of 57.68 seconds — good enough for first in her heat and seventh overall in the event. The mark was also less than one second off her personal record of56.80, set two weeks ago at the Pepsi Team Invitational. So why did she feel a letdown in her performance? "This past weekend was kind of a shot in the dark just because it was raining and gross when we were at Long Beach, * Donvo van said. "Our travel day right before was also kind of hectic. "At Pepsi, I ran in the 56's and that's where I PRed last year. It was such a great day weather-wise and 3,000-plus people and I had competition." Donovan is one example of the increased expectations and change toward a positive attitude surrounding the rebuilding Ore gon women's program. The Ducks now look forward to the Oregon Invitational at Hayward Field beginning with the women's heptathlon Thursday. The 20-year-old Donovan, who will have another chance at the 400-meters this weekend, said the coaches have been a big help through Turn to COACHES, page 8A WOMEN’S TRACK
