• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1997-03-27_Vol62_No21_05

0 Thursday, March 27, 1997 111751V/33 EJnTMETTil ffiTCTff Cats Drop to Third Place in Conference SPORTS EDITOR BRYAN SHARPE Western Carolina University's sluggers have had an up-and-down past few weeks. The highlight of the last three weeks had to be splitting a two-game series with the #2 ranked team in the nation, Georgia Tech's Yellow Jackets. Then, just over a week later, the Cats traveled down to Columbia, S.C., to face the #21 ranked team in the nation, the South Carolina Gamecocks. This turned out to be a road trip the team would soon want to forget, as they were beaten rather soundly 30-12. The Cats also had a roller coaster ride so far in the Southern Conference standings. The Catamounts were sitting on top of the hill all alone in first place until VMI took two of three games from them dropping them into a first-place tie at the time with Georgia Southern. Now the Cats find themselves in third place on account of their current string of non-conference games. Currently the Catamount sluggers are a game behind The Citadel and a half game behind Georgia Southern with a 21-11-1 record. During the past few weeks the Cats could not put more than two wins together consecutively until this past weekend's sweep over non-conference opponent Miami of Ohio. The Cats, however, lost consecutive games only once during the three-week stretch, where they dropped three games in a row starting from the second game of the Georgia Tech series (140) followed by two more losses at VMI, 17-9 and 6-5. This was the first time that WCU had lost consecutive games all season. The 14-0 loss against Georgia Tech was the first time in 72 games that a WCU team has been shut out. Western is showing signs of rekindling its success from earlier this season, when the Cats won nine out of 11 games and were among the nation's top-hitting teams. The Cats are currently on a four-game win streak and are in the midst of a seven-game stretch of playing non-conference teams. Western's next conference opponent will be on the road against Appalachian State University on Easter weekend. The Cats are currently 8-4 in the conference. It will be tough for the Cats to keep their four-game win streak alive as they will play host to Clemson on Tuesday (March 25) and then travel to Clemson the very next night. Clemson is currently ranked #10 in the nation. Western so far this season is 2-3 against nationally ranked opponents, splitting games with #2.0 Georgia University and then #2 Georgia Tech. The other loss came against #21 South Carolina. The Cats have two games with #10 Clemson, and their last ranked opponent will be against #11 Tennessee next Tuesday, April 1, in Knoxville, Term. The Cats are still hitting the ball with consistency, as everyone in the regular batting order plus five reserves are hitting at least an astounding .304 average or better. The first seven batters in the line-up are currently hitting .310 or better. WCU is also hitting the ball with power. Western is leading the Southern Conference in home runs with 57. This is at least 20 more than the nearest Southern Conference team. Western has already eclipsed last year's home run mark (52) during the 57-game schedule from a year ago, providing a chance to break the conference record for home runs in a season (119) set by the 1988 WCU team. At least five Catamount batters have seven home runs or more. Western skipper Coach Keith LeClair recently went over the 200 career victory mark at WCU. LeClair will bring a 208-125-3 record against Clemson. This marks LeClair's sixth season with WCU. His records' through those previous ifive seasons are: 44-21-1, 38-24,45- 18,32-24,32-24-1. The Cats next home game after Easter will be Wednesday, April 2, against interstate rival UNC-Asheville at 3 p.m. WCU Claim Women's 3-oii-3 Crown Staff Reports A 3-on-3 basketball tournament was held this year in conjunction with the Southern Conference Basketball Championships in Greensboro. The early rounds of the 3- on-3 tournament were held Saturday, March 1, at the UNC- Greensboro campus with the finals the following day on the main floor of the Greensboro Coliseum. Seven men's teams and three women's teams from around the Southern Conference competed in the tournament. Appalachian State, Davidson, East Tennessee State, VMI, UNC- Greensboro, Western Carolina and Wofford were represented by men's teams. Participating in the women's division were teams from UNC-Greensboro, Western Carolina and Wofford. The two teams representing Western Carolina University were the champions of the Midnight Madness 3-on-3 tournament held in Reid Gymnasium and in the Ramsey Center last October. The teams were awarded Southern Conference Tournament tickets and accommodations to represent WCU at the 3-on-3 tournament in Greensboro. The WCU women's team advanced to the finals in the Coliseum on Sunday and defeated UNC-Greensboro to win the Southern Conference 3-on-3 championship. The players were awarded individual championship trophies and a team trophy that is being displayed in the Intramural Department in Reid Gym. Members of the women's championship team are Kim Dills, Jeannie Ledford, Tracy Morrow and Christy Roberts. East Tennessee State won the men's Southern Conference 3-on-3 championship, with Wofford taking home the sportsmanship trophies for both the men's and women's divisions. Cats Make Early Exit from Conference Tourney STAFF WRITER CHAD GARRETT Western Carolina (14-13, 7-7) ran into a buz:z saw on Friday night in the Greensboro Coliseum. Appalachian State University stormed the Cats from all sides as they placed four players in double digits and shot a blistering 58 percent from the flocor for the game. Sophomore guard Blair Adderley was the first to get the hot hand for the Mountaineers. Adderley scored the first seven points for Appalachian and hit for 14 of his 18 points in the first half, on six of seven shooting from the field. "They were really putting pressure on Junior (Braswell) and that got me some open looks," said Adderley of his performance. The Cats managed to weather the first half storm from Adderley and keep the game close. There were six ties in the first eight minutes before Western made a stand defensively and got four buckets from four different players to take an eight-point lead at 25-17. Appalachian's rookie coach Buzz Peterson took a time-out to try and rally his troops. He got the results he was looking for as the Mountaineers came out and quickly cut the lead to one point with five and a half minutes to play in the half. Western could manage only one field goal in the last seven minutes and that bucket came on a lay-up with only three seconds left. However, Appalachian was not exactly scorching the nets either. The Mountaineers hit only three of eight from the floor and took a slim four-point lead to the locker room. In the second half Junior Braswell decided it was time to take over. Braswell and Tige Darner tag-teamed the Cats for 32 second half points. Braswell finished with a game-high 24 points, and Darner had 15 points and nine rebounds. Tyson Patterson chipped in with 11 points. The Catamounts came out of the locker room and did not respond on either end of the floor. The Mountaineers could smell blood, and they quickly seized the opportunity. ASU hit six of six from the charity stripe and five of six from the floor as they pushed the lead to 17 and took control of the game. The Cats just never got on track, and the Mountaineers took their biggest lead of the game at 70-48 with eight and a half minutes to play in the contest. Western managed to put together one more run at Appalachian, but could get no closer than 11 points. The Cats began to foul ASU, but the Mountaineers canned nine of 12 free throws in the last two minutes to close out a lopsided victory and advance to the semi-final round where Marshall was already waiting. Senior guard Larry Mayo had an great final game as a Cat, tallying 22 points and 12 boards. Scott Scholtz, also a senior, finished with 12 points, and Joel Flemming contributed 10. "We just didn't play good offensively," Phil Hopkins said after the loss. "It's a bad feeling, but the sun will rise in the morning." Martin Resigns as WCU Volleyball Coach Sara Martin, head coach of Western Carolina University's women's volleyball program for the past three seasons, has announced her resignation from that position, effective April 21, the end of spring practice for the team. Martin, who compiled a 33-65 record since taking over as the Catamounts' mentor in March 1994, cited family priorities In her decision to step down. "The primary reason for my leaving is out of a strong conviction that my young child needs more attention from me than the collegiate coaching profession allows. I have struggled with this decision, and yet I know it is the best decision for our family," she stated. Martin, 28, and her husband, Brent, gave birth to their first child, Madison Elizabeth, one year ago. Martin took over the program following a 4-27 showing in the 1993 season and showed immediate progress as her first season's team improved to 13-18. During her tenure, three Catamounts earned All-Southern Conference honors and one was a two-time GTE Academic Ail- American. "I will miss coaching the incredible young women that make the program what it is," Martin said. "They have worked hard and have a lot to be proud of. I would like to thank those who so faithfully supported me as well as our program." Marcy Girton, WCU's associate athletics director and senior women's administrator, said a national search for Martin's replacement will get underway immediately. "We appreciate all that Sara Martin has done for the Western Carolina University volleyball program over the past three years," Girton said. "Sara has made some very significant contributions to this program and to the athletics department. We wish Sara and her family the best." COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION Intramural Announces Champions and Events Date: March 21,1997 1. INTRAMURAL FISHING DERBY begins on Thursday, March 27,1997 and ends on Monday, April 28 at 3:00pm. All fish are measured at the Reid Gym equipment cage by a faculty member or cage attendant. Longest fish will be posted on the Men's Intramural Bulletin Board in Reid Gym. Fishing prizes will be awarded for the eight following classes: 1- Brown Trout 2- Rainbow Trout 3- Small Mouth Bass 4- Large Mouth Bass 5- Crappie 6- Bream 7- Walleye 8- White Bass *Intramural T-shirts will be awarded as prizes and pictures of the winners will be taken. 2. MEN'S AND WOMEN'S INTRAMURAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT will occur on April llth-13th (Friday-Sunday). Registration will occur on April lst-April 9th. A $10 team forfeit bond will be required when you register. If your team does not forfeit, the money will be returned. Intramural teams from other universities have been invited to participate. 3. INTRAMURAL MEN'S AND WOMEN'S HOME RUN DERBY will occur on Thursday, April 3rd at 4:00-5:15pm on the softball fields below Belk and Helder buildings. Two participants will represent each home run derby team, a pitcher and a hitter. All batters must provide their own pitcher. Fifteen pitches will be awarded with two warm- up pitches. Equipment will be furnished; come prepared to participate. 4. WOMEN'S BADMINTON DOUBLES RESULTS: All Campus Sorority Champions: Suzanne"Q" Hauck Sarah Scott Zeta Tau Alpha All Campus Sorority Runner-up: Joy Barry Erin Coker Alpha Xi Delta All Campus Independent Champions: Jackie Joines WhetselFloaters All Campus Independent Runner-up: Billy Hogan Missy Whitson Helder Hunies WCU Women's Golf Team Drives Past Wofford SPORTS EDITOR BRYAN SHARPE The Lady Catamounts golf team avenged a September defeat to Wofford by shooting 365 in team competition, compared to Wofford's 384 score, at the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville, N.C. The Lady Cats made up for their nine-stroke loss against Wofford in the Charleston Southern Fall Invitational by putting 19 strokes between themselves and the Lady Terriers. Western was led by freshman Sarah Parris from Blackfoot, Idaho, who claimed individual honors by shooting an 85 on the 18-hole par 72 course. Parris beat out teammate Jessica Blake from Yerington, Nev, who placed second, shooting a score of 90. The Lady Cats next competition is slated March 27-28 at the Charleston Southern Spring Invitational, at the Wellman Country Club in Johnsonville, S.C WCU will have two more competitions left on the schedule after the Easter weekend event: Campbell University Classic, April 6-8, and the Southern Conference Championships, April 13-15, in Greensboro, N.C.

The Western Carolinian is Western Carolina University's student-run newspaper. The paper was published as the Cullowhee Yodel from 1924 to 1931 before changing its name to The Western Carolinian in 1933.

• Creator
  • Western Carolina University
• Format
  • Publications (documents)
• Type
  • Text
• Date
  • Date original: 1997-03-27
  • Date digitized: 2020-01-13
• Extent
  • Dimension: 14" x 11.25"
  • Pages: 14 pages
• Subject - Topic
  • College student newspapers and periodicals
  • Cullowhee (N.C.) -- Newspapers
  • Universities and colleges -- North Carolina -- Cullowhee -- Newspapers
  • Western Carolina University -- Periodicals
• Location
  • Jackson County (N.C.)
  • Cullowhee (N.C.)
• Source institution
  • Western Carolina University
• Source Collection
  • WCU Students Newspapers Collection
• Identifier
  • HL_WesternCarolinian_1997-03-27_Vol62_No21
• Repository
  • Western Carolina University Hunter Library