The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, November 03, 1995, Page 7, Image 7
Gamecock Athletics
Volleyball at Tennessee, Fri.; at Kentucky, Sun.
Women's soccer at SEC Tournament
Soccer vs. College of Charleston, Sun., 2 p. m.
Friday, November 3,1995
SI
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Vjead coach Nancy Wilson will tool
players, like guard Natalia Funderl
tm|M starters from last year's 12-1
\
Gafciecock rec
Hie Gama^ock football team entered
the 1995 season with high bowl expectations.
Those expectations now dangle
by a thin string). Florida and Clemson
will enter Williasms-Brice Stadium in
the next few weeks trying to cut that
string and keep Carolina at home for
the Holidays.
As I watched the Volunteers run us
out of Neyland Stadiufti last weekend I
realized something I fyad never really
thought of before. The iGamecocks recruit
well year after year,\but the Gamecocks
don't recruit anywhere close to the
SEC teams that are consistently at the
top of the conference, such as\,Tennessee,
Auburn, Florida, and Alabai:na.
The Gamecocks have al|ways had
their occasional prize recruit1,such as a
Todd Ellis or Steve Taneyhill, bait overall
our recruiting classes are a little beti
ter than average. Fans, a little better
than average doesn't cut it in th^ SEC.
Sparky Wood's recruiting classes
were consistently better than his predecessors.
His classes were usually ranked
in the top 25, but usually in the very bottom
of the top 25.
Brad Scott has done a lot of things
better than his predecessors including '
recruiting. Scott's first recruiting class
was a huge success considering the time
he had to recruit after being hired as
head coach. That class included high j
school Ail-Americans Zola Davis, Ben
Washington, and Anthonv Wright.
Last season's recruiting class was |
also a top 25 class. That class included
high school Ail-Americans Jason Pomar, ,
1 Rodney Brown, and Errol Rochester. It
also included starting tailback Duce Staley
who transferred from a junior col- ]
lege. Even though the coaches brought
in some of the best players in America j
with these recruiting classes, overall the
classes are still not at the level they need |
to be to make the Gamecocks a major j
contender in the SEC.
r.v I
^ mm
FILE PHOTO The Gamecock
( for team leadership from senior
liurfc. The Lady Gamecocks return
5 team.
:ruiting key to
OVERTIME
Robbie Meek
We all know Scott is a good coach
and he has been tabbed as a great recruiter.
I believe Scott can and will bring
in the talent it takes to win in the SEC,
but until he does we are just another average
SEC team at best.
All you have to do is look at a media 1
guide from Florida, Tennessee, or any 1
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just about all of their recruits are 1
high school All-Americans. True you 1
don't have to be a high school All-Amer- 1
ican to be a college star, but that is the <
case most of the time. Great recruiting 1
classes make great teams. '
1
Sweet end to a long season. Our (
hated rivals to the northwest have been j
playing well as of late. The Tigers are
thinking bowl birth. As of now, the Tigers j
are 5-3. Since the Western Carolina win
doesn't count toward a bowl the Tigers c
need to win two of their last three games (
(Nov. 4 North Carolina, Nov. 11 Duke, ^
and Nov. 18 in Williams-Brice Stadi- (
um). Should the Tigers lose one of the
next two they would come to Columbia '
needing a win to go to a bowl. If Caroli- ^
tia doesn't qualify for a bowl, what would t
be the next best ending to the season? c
Keeping the Tigers from going to a bowl? \
1
Mourning trade-good or bad? Be- a
ing from the Charlotte area and being ^
a Hornets fan, I have a strong interest
in the Alonzo Mourning trade talks. Alon- ^
zo is a major part of this team and their ^
bopes for the future, but 91 million per ,
year is out of the question and it doesn't
look like he will settle for less.
Yes, the Hornets shot themselves in 0
the foot when they gave Larry Johnson a
34 million (two wrongs don't make a 8
I
Stop by the
4th floor, R
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SPOK]
.
lady Gamecocl
ACHIM HUNT Staff Writer
This year's women's basketball season looks to be
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poised to make a move at joining the elite of the SEC.
They have a core of three seniors including AllAmerica
candidate Shannon Johnson, along with three
returnees and five newcomers that include a junior
college transfer and four freshmen.
Hie team has struggled in recent years because of
the lack of depth caused by having only eight players
in uniform. Coach Nancy Wilson, who is entering her
12th year of coaching at USC, definitely is anxious
about having plenty of depth on her team this year.
" Fm looking forward to seeing what this team can
do with added depth, because I feel like we've got our
nucleus from last year back with our seniors," Wilson
said at her pre-season press luncheon. "I feel that our
outlook is much brighter in the depth and in the talent
area, so now it's up to us as a team to pull it all together."
The Lady Gamecocks' fate for this season will ride
on the shoulders of two time All-SEC and senior Johnson,
who has led the Lady Gamecocks in scoring, assists,
and steals the last two seasons. Wilson thinks
that Johnson is a tremendous talent and is a true team
player.
"Shannon's award's are backed up by her ability
and her great performances in our games," Wilson
said. "Natalie does a great job of getting her the ball
and Shannon makes her shots. Shannon has great individual
stats and yet at the same time she is a true
team player."
Even though Johnson has accomplished many great
SEC success T&nc
right). But the point is the Hornet's nest
has now been stired and it's time to send Staff Repor
Zn nn his wnv o^?4-u
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Best deal: Zo for Rod Strickland and is one of fiv<
Cliff Robinson. The Hornets need a point ny Unitas Gi
guard that can shoot It has been proven goes to the i
you can win championships without a terback.
dominant center (Bulls-Bill Cartwright, The othe
Pistons-James Edwards), but not with- of Nebraska,
out a capable point guard Muggy Bogues' da State, Bol
3ize and shooting ability, or the lack and Mike Gi
there of kills the Hornets in crunch time. Taneyhi]
Ifthey go with one of the other trades 328 passes
that has been mentioned, they are mainly
trading for picks. So, that would mean
they are trying to build a franchise. The
only problem with that is they would be am
;earing down what has already built. a fwjh
Ihey have to make a trade that will keep
he franchise alive and growing. You
ion't tear down your new house before Soonsm
t is finished. \
Strickland can get the job done and
ilobinson, who can play all three front GRILLE Vi
:ourt positions, would also be a big adlition
to the Hornets roster. Well since
ve're in this trade talk, do you think we Ryan Wil
an trade Alan Bristow for a real coach? Sports Co-E
Record: 31I
Indian War. The Braves showed
vhich tribe was the best in baseball as Larry Wil
hey finally got their World Champi- Sports Co-E
t t 1 i a .-i.
nuiuji. x uui i oaj x was iiapy_y aiAiut it, rtBUUlU. or '
>ut I will say, they deserved it. They ?
lave been the best team in baseball for Dnhhip IL
i few years now, but haven't been able A .7 . 0
11 la x-ixu- Assistant Si
0 pull out the series until this year. Record" 39This
series matched the best pitch- '
rig staff in baseball against the best of- ensive
team in baseball. More than like- rai FICK L
y next year's series will consist of the Senio^Lyo'o<
ame match-up. The Indians have a lot
f young bats and the Braves definitely ~ Z
ren't going anywhere, so baseball fans ?. I.
et ready for another Indian War. Wagenhi
No. 1 Slaye
TTTtE G3TF
Get a head start on your
The Gamecock Advert
Department is seeking en
self-starters as Accoi
Executives. Incredible "<
you learn" opportuni
Experience is not require
positive attitude is
? Student Media Advei
ussell House and star
rs ^
ks ready to ste|
things during her career at USC, she still loves teamwork
and the good feeling of the team when the Lady
Gamecocks win. 1
"My first priority here at USC is to play hard and
to the best of my ability at every game," Johnson said. .
"I think that if we play hard as a team then we can do ,
OAtMA . rm ?
ouniu gi cat Liimga wiuii urns team una year.
In addition to Johnson, senior point guard Natal- j
ie Funderburk from Camden, S.C. is another another
team leader whi was second on the team in assists
with 126, and third on the team in steals with 50.
Senior forward Cindy Kelly from Sanford, N.C. is '
the other team leader and started in all 27 games fin- '
ishing with an average of 10.8 points per game. '
"Natalie and Cindy are my other two seniors this
season," Wilson said. "They wUl not get as much recog- - J
nition as Shannon will but they both possess quality 1
talent and are great leaders on and off the court." t
One of the newcomers to the team that will have <
immediate impact on rebounding and blocked shots is
junior college transfer Trese Hickey. Hickeyisfrom T
Cleveland, Tenn. and averaged 10.2 points, 8.9 boards, \
and led north Oklahoma A&M in blocked shots with i
14.
"Trese is aiLoqtstanding talent for us from junior
college," Wilson said. "She has excellent talent and is 1
a smart shot taker. Trese has a knack for putting back
points that don't go from our guards."
This year, the Lady Gamecock's face a tough non- e
conference schedule as they will travel to the Wake
Forest Tournament over Thanksgiving to start the J
regular season. They also will travel to Michigan this *
year for a tough road game against the Wolverines. ?
The longest road trip of the year happens right af- c
yhill named Unitas fins
?; ? school record 27 touchdowns
irolina s Steve Taneyhill n^ne games. He is two touc
$ finalists for the John- away from setting a South
}lden Arm Award, which Conference single-season 1
lation's top senior quar- ing rec0rd and leads the le
passing yards,
xs are Tommie Frazier The Unitas award winne
Dannv Kannell of Flori- GOT) Kv fVio Tfonfiiolrv okonf/
UVAA KfJ VilV X^VUVUVAJ VUCAJSl/t
)by Hoying of Ohio State National Football Foundat
roh of Virginia. Hall of Fame. The winner wi
11 has completed 223 of nounced Nov. 30, with the
for 2,713 yards and a tation Dec. 8 in Louisville, i
' GAMECOCK SPORTS I
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2d2?r Carolina State
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career,
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ant
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rtising Department.
t your career today!
. Saturday's Games
LSU at Alabama* Mississippi State at Arkansas
NE Louisiana at Auburn*N. Illinois at Florida
E Kentucky at Vanderbilt*Ole Miss at Memphis
Southern Miss at Tennessee
a
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ter final exams when the Lady Gamecocks travel hal
a world away to the Alaska Northern Lights Invita
tional at Anchorage.
* The Lady Gamecocks will be decided underdog
against Vanderbilt, Tennessee, and Georgia. The;
will do battle against Vanderbilt and Tennessee in th<
friendly confines of Frank McGuire Arena but have U
face Georgia in Athens on a game that will be nation
ally televised.
A glance on the schedule also shows that the La
ly Gamecocks must travel to arch rival Clemson ii
aarly February for a game that is always tough an<
ixciting.
The season ends with a trip in early March to th<
SEC Women's Basketball Tournament which will b
leld at Chattanooga, Tenn. At last year's tournament
die Lady Gamecocks capped off a disappointing sea
son of 12-15 with an 80-70 loss to Arkansas.
"We must play well in our tough conference thii
fear," Wilson said of her team's status inside the SEC
his up coming season. "We are improving but the con
erence is improving also. We have to compete at i
ligher level and we must execute both mentally anc
ihysically as a team."
Hie Lady Gamecocks will improve this season with
he increased depth from the five newcomers. The tal
:nt level is higher this season and is led by Johnson
Hie season starts with two exhibition games at the
'Yank McGuire Arena. Hie first game is on Nov. 14th
it 7:30 p.m. against Champion. The final exhibitior
fame is against the Czechoslovakian National Team
m Nov. 16 at 7:00 p.m.
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11 Miami Wash NX. State
i Miami Oregon N.C. State
Baylor Wash Maryland
Baylor Wash. N.C. State
.