The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 22, 2002, Page B9, Image 21
COLLEGE FOOTBALL BEGINS THURSDAY
2002 season starts in Virginia
Colorado State
at Virginia
7:30 p.m. Thursday
Scott Stadium
TV: Fox Sports South
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (AP)
— Virginia is hoping that the
earliest season opener in
Division I college football history
will help the Cavaliers come
back from their first losing sea
son in 15 years.
Virginia plays host to
Colorado State in the Jim
Thorpe Classic on Thursday
night.
The Cavaliers, under second
year coach A1 Groh, are trying
to forget about last year’s 5-7
record, but the team has just a
handful of seniors on the roster.
Colorado State, meanwhile, has
gone to a school-record three
straight bowl games and is ex
pected to contend for the
Mountain West Conference
championship, along with Utah
and BYU.
Virginia and Colorado State
will play a 13-game schedule this
year; the NCAA is allowing
schools to play 12 games this sea
son, and teams that compete in
early-season “classics” are al
lowed a 13th game.
Groh and Colorado State
coach Sonny Lubick disagree on
the benefits of a 13th game.
“It’s one more game in our
long-term development, whether
that is our next 13 games or our
next 25 games,” Groh said. “We
work hard all year, probably en
dure a greater physical toll than
any other sport, and for all that
we’re rewarded with less games
than any other sport. The oppor
tunity to have fun, play one more
game is a positive opportunity.”
By contrast, Lubick said he
hopes he’s seen the last of the 13
game season for a while.
“I would be in favor of that
once every four or five years,” he
said. “I am happy for this reason:
We will get all the exposure and
everything we thought we would
from this game. To be the first
game, I think, there is something
special.”
Groh will rely heavily on un
derclassmen this year, including
a freshman class that was rated
among the nation’s 10 best.
During Tuesday’s practice,
Groh reviewed the basics for his
young team, going into detail
about exactly what players
should pack in their game bag.
He jokingly providing diapers to
some of the fresh faces.
“That tended to create a little
more looseness,” Groh said.
Junior Matt Schaub, who split
time at quarterback last year
with Bryson Spinner, became
the starter by default when
Spinner transferred.
“The young guys bring a lot of
talent that we might not have
had before,” Schaub said.
“That’s our job, to bring the
younger guys along and give
them the confidence they need to
step up and make plays.”
The Rams also will start a ju
nior quarterback who started
about half the games last year.
But Bradlee Van Pelt, son of for
mer New York Giants linebacker
Brad Van Pelt, also is a threat as
a runner.
“We have the possibility of go
ing 12-1 or 13-0,” Van Pelt said.
“You have to shoot high. That’s
what we’re going to do this year.
We have the talent; we have the
coaches. We have all the ingre
dients.”
They also have a tough sched
ule. After Virginia, the Rams
will face Colorado and UCLA.
“The ACC is a good football
conference,” Lubick said. “They~
have good teams in that confer
ence, but we’d like to think that
we have good teams in the
Mountain West Conference, too.”
AP Coaches’
Top 25 Top 25
1. Miami 1. Miami
2. Oklahoma 2. Texas
3. Florida St. 3. Oklahoma
4. Texas 4. Florida St.
5. Tennessee 5.Tennessee
6. Rorida 6. Colorado
7. Colorado 7. Florida
8. Georgia 8. Nebraska
9. Washington 9. Washington
10. Nebraska 10. Michigan
11. Wash. St. 11. Georgia
12. Michigan 12. Ohio St.
13. Ohio St. 13.LSU
14. LSU 14. Wash. St.
15. Oregon 15. Oregon
16. Va. Tech 16. Va. Tech
17. Louisville 17. Louisville
18. Mich. St. 18. Mich. St.
19. Marshall 19. Southern Cal
20. Southern Cal 20. Maryland
21. Maryland 21. Marshall
22. USC 22. USC
23. Texas A&M 23. Wisconsin
24. Penn St. 24. Penn St.
25. Wisconsin 25. N.C. St.
2002 Early Games
Jim Thorpe Classic, Thursday:
Colorado State at Virginia
John Thompson Foundation Classic, Friday:
Fresno State at No. 25 Wisconsin
Pigskin Classic, Friday:
Texas Tech at No. 13 Ohio State
Black Coaches Association Bowl, Friday:
New Mexico at North Carolina State
Black Coaches Association Classic, Friday:
Arizona State at No. 10 Nebraska
Eddie Robinson Classic, Friday:
Iowa State vs. No. 3 Florida State
Hispanic Fund Classic, Saturday:
Arkansas State at No. 16 Virginia Tech
Kickoff Classic, Aug. 31:
No. 21 Maryland vs. Notre Dame
—
. .
BRIEFLY
s«.
Men’s soccer plays
scrimmage Friday
The USC men’s soccer team
will play an exhibition match
Friday at 7 p.m. against .
Appalachian State at The
Graveyard.
Friday’s matchup marks the
first meeting between USC head
coach Mark Berson and
Appalachian State head coach
Dave Golan. Golan was Berson’s
assistant before he left USC to
take the head_‘coaching job at
Appalachian State. Golan also
played for the Gamecocks under
Berson.
Admission to the Friday night
showdown is free.
USC begins the regular season
the following Friday at 7 p.m.
when they play host to
Charleston Southern.
spring zuua
Sport Entries Open Entries Close
Open Registration Thurs.1\13\03
# ^Basketball Mon. 1\13\03 Thurs. 1\23\03
#,*Soccer Tues. 1\21\03 Thurs. 1 \30\03
Badminton Tues. 1\21\03 Thurs. 2\13\03
#,*Softball Mon. 2\3\03 Thurs. 2\13\03
#,(S)Bowling Tourn. Mon. 2\3\03 Thurs. 2\20\03
#Team Racquetball Mon. 2\17\03 Thurs. 3\6\03
Racquetball Doubles Mon. 2\17\03 Thurs. 3\6\03
*lndoor Soccer Mon. 2\24\03 Thurs. 3\6\03
Wallyball Mon. 2\24\03 Thurs. 3\6\03
#,*Floor Hockey Mon. 3\3\03 Thurs. 3\20\03
#Sand Volleyball Mon. 3\17\03 Thurs. 4\3\03
Tennis Doubles Mon. 3\17\03 Thurs. 4\3\03
Table Tennis Mon. 3\24\03 Thurs. 4\10\03
#Track Meet Mon. 3\24\03 Thurs. 4\10\03
‘Denotes a team with a $15 entry fee per team. www.sa.sc.edu/pecenter/im.htm
# Denotes a Greek Point Event 803 777 5261
©Denotes a separate fee to be determined later.
*t i
2002-2003 Intramural Sports
Fall 2002
Sport Entries Open Entries Close
Open Registration Thurs.8\22\02 Thurs. 9/12/02
#,*Flag Football Mon. 8\26\02 Thurs. 9/19/02
*CoRec Softball Tues. 9\3\02 ' Thurs. 9/19/02
#Tug-0-War Tues. 9\3\02 Thurs. 9/19/02
#,*lndoor Soccer Mon. 9\9\02 Thurs. 9/19/02
#.(S)Golf Tournament Mon. 9\9\02 Thurs. 9/26/02
Tennis Singles Mon. 9\9\02 Thurs. 9/26/02
#Team Tennis Mon. 9\9\02 Thurs. 9/26/02
Ultimate Frisbee Mon. 9\16\02 Thurs. 9/26/02
#*Volleyball Mon. 9\30\02 Thurs. 10/10/02
Bench Press Mon. 10\7\02 Thurs. 10/24/02
Racquetball Singles Mon. 10\7\02 Thurs. 10/24/02
#3-on-3 Basketball Mon. 10\28\02 Thurs. 11/14/02
#Swim Meet Mon. 10\28\02 Thurs. 11/14/02
#,*Basketball Mon. 11 \18\02
Welcome Back Students!
WHALEY S visit us at Whaley’s Mill
Tours Available
Call Right Now To Improve Your Standard of Living
803.254.7801
• Premiere Location • 1,2,3, and 4 Bedroom Apartments
• Fully Furnished Apartments • Movie Rentals
• Shutde Service to Campus • Social Activities
• Swimming Pool • Friendly Management Team
• Computer Lab • 24-Hour Maintenance
Swimmers compete
in national event
Several members of the USC
men’s and women’s swimming
teams gained experience this
past week at the U.S. Summer
National Championships in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla.
Highlighting the week for the
Gamecocks was junior Chris
McCrary, who placed fourth in
the 50-meter freestyle last
Thursday with a time of 22.58
seconds.
“This is big springboard into
the collegiate season for our
swimmers who competed,” head
coach Don Gibb said. “Chris
McCrary’s performance was in
credible and a lot of fun to watch,
with three Olympic gold medal
lists finishing ahead of him. I
think Chris is ready to move on
to the next level.”
Also competing for the men’s
squad was junior Ed Murphy
and newcomers Brandon
Buslepp and Josh Boyd.
On the women’s side, re
turnees Heather Skaggs,
Jennifer VanAssen, and Amy
Vinson competed in several
events for the Gamecocks, along
with USC newcomers Stephanie
Margalis and Haley Skaggs.
sistant coach at the College of
Charleston, Cougars coach John
Pawlowski announced Tuesday.
Lake takes over the position
vacated by Gregg Mucerino.
Mucerino became the head
coach at Loyola University in
New Orleans last week. Lake will
serve as the Cougars’ third base
coach and hitting instructor, and
he willcoach the outfielders and
help Cougar assistant coach/re
cruiting coordinator Scott
Foxhall with recruiting.
“Working the past four sea
sons for coach Ray Tanner has
been a wonderful and a tremen
dous learning experience for
me,” said Lake, who helped the
Gamecocks reach the champi
onship game of the College
World Series this past season.
“The knowledge and experience
I take from my years at South
Carolina will help me through
out my coaching career.”
Golf teams to hold
annual fund-raiser
The USC men’s and women’s
golf teams will hold their annu
al wine tasting and silent auction
fund-raiser Friday from 7-9 p.m.
at Seawell’s on Rosewood Drive
in Columbia.
Tickets for the event, which
has become widely popular, are
$30 for individuals and $50 for
couples in advance. Tickets are
$35 at the door for individuals.
Carolina football head coach
Lou Holtz and announcer
Charlie McAlexander will serve
as guest hosts.
For tickets, contact the South
Carolina athletic ticket office at
(803) 777-4274 or 1-800-4SC-FANS.
A bevy of items are available ,
at this year’s auction, including a
Vermont vacation package;
signed memorabilia from Tiger
Woods, David Duval and other
PGA and LPGA Tour stars; signed
prints; and various USC items
signed by Gamecock coaches.
Assistant coach
moves to C of C
Stuart Lake, an assistant base
ball coach at Carolina the past
four seasons, has been named as