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Show /port/ B6 MONDAY*NOVEMBER 7*2005 Just Chatt'n with Wolverine Wisdom / heard rumors that former Wolverine Noelle Pikus-Pace injured herself recently. Is that true? —Claire, Orem Unfortunately, yes. The former World Cup skeleton champion and 2006 Olympic hopeful was doing a practice run in Calgary when she was hit by an American 4man bobsled team. Apparently, Noelle and a couple of her skeleton colleagues were waiting at the bottom of the track for a truck to bring them back up to . the top when they noticed the 4man coming at them full speed. The skeleton girls tried running out of the way, but it cornered Noelle. Definitely tragic, considering she's one of the top (if not the best) in her sport. She went through a couple lengthy surgeries, and who knows at this point if she'll be ready for Italy in February. David Heck looked really good in the Meet the Team Scrimmage. You agree? —Larry> Lehi Oh yes: fluid stroke, able to penetrate the lane, full of confidence. The kid even beat sharpshooting Matt Peterson in the three point contest. Ronnie Price out of the picture, look for David to make this team his own. He came on strong last season, but from what I've seen, he has risen another step above. Yonce Lady golfer Ashley Baldwin joined me right outside the McKay Center offices MV: How does it feel to be thefirstwomen's golfer in the history of the program? Kind of like a pioneer? MV: You were a member of the National Honor Society. For my sake, what does that mean? AB: Heck yes, trudging the trail for everyone else. AB: You have to have above a 3.5 G.P.A. MV: That takes me out. MV: You started swinging clubs in Idaho and then at Westminster. What was it like being a Griffin? AB: A great experience. I played basketball over there too and my coach was the coach of both teams, so it was a definite change coming here. But everywhere I've been has been a really good experience. MV: I heard the student-to-faculty ratio over there is something ridiculous like 11 to 1. AB: Yeah, I was gone a lot and so I would just call the professor and ask him questions all the time. It was a good learning atmosphere. MV: You mentioned you played basketball over there as well... I probably don't need to tell you this, but you guys were the number one free throw shooting team in the nation? Did you contribute to that? AB: I shot...I don't know, above 80 percent last year. MV: You realize if Shaq shot like that from the line, he'd be next to God? AB: I know, it actually makes him mortal. AB: (laugh) We just did a lot of service projects for our community and helped children. During Halloween, we worked in one of those haunted places... MV: The Queen Mary? AB: No. Anyway, we did it to raise money for the kids to get an education. MV: This is interesting, your dad played basketball at Gonzaga. Are you guys all big John Stockton fans? AB: Oh, heavens yes! Actually John was a freshman when my dad was a senior and so Stockton says that my dad taught him everything. He's a good guy and we've had an opportunity to have a good relationship with him. MV: In your view, how much has lady's golf grown in recent time on a national front? MV: Does your pops claim to have anything to do with any of the Bulldog's recent success? AB: Oh, amazing amounts. I mean now we're seeing the Michelle Wies and the Annika Sorenstams, they're in the public eye; and since she played in the PGA, it's just taking off. People are seeing that girls can play golf. AB: Nah. He'll wear his letterman's jacket though when they're in the tournament. MV: Michelle Wie now has a fairly nice bank account, doesn't she? AB: Yeah, too bad she was thrown out of her last tournament. MV: How's your short game doing? Courtesy photo/ UVSC Athletics AB: It's good. MV: Are you like me and live and die by the 9-iron? MV: What has coach Larson taught you this year? Ok, did I see right? The soccer team beat Delaware St 11-0? —Ralph, Orem That's true, not a bad way for Justin Wagar and his girls to end the regular season. But what's even more amazing is that we actually played a school from Delaware. I wasn't sure anybody even lived in Delaware. I thought it was a mythical place on the eastern seaboard, the 14th Colony if you will. AB: Probably more by the chip and put. AB: Tons of good stuff. She's taught me a lot about my mental game and on my actual swing, and just how to be a more well-rounded golfer. MV: It's 15 years down the road. You're sitting at your breakfast table reading about UVSC women's golf. What do you want to find out? MV: Was playing division one golf your goal all along? AB: No, I always loved sports and so I just wanted to play something; I didn't care what. I think this is the best opportunity for me here. AB: That it's one of the top programs in the country, just a program that girls want to be playing for. Rubber ducky /ay/ "read the college lime/** Gnever had gnocchi? Then you're in for a gnice surprise. Gnoc.chi is how Italy does the potato dumpling. Add tender burgundy braised beef, a splash of cream, a little onion, mushroom and sweet red pepper, and you've got a taste of Italian heaven. Don't wait to try it, our Gnocchi dish is only available for a limited time. After that, it's arrivederci. ——— — CORNER OF UNIVERSITY PKWY & 200 EAST |