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Show 12 The Signpost -- Wednesday, Sept. 28, 1988 Fredrick's squad favored for WSC's first conference title By Michael Butler Asst. Sports Editor "This year could be the most exciting year in Weber State volleyball. We have a team that has worked hard this summer. They are highly motivated, the confidence level is high and they are just overall very excited about the upcoming season." Cindy Fredrick Those are pretty optimistic words from the fourth-year head coach. But when you look at the 1988 Weber State volleyball team, it is easy to see why Fredrick is so excited. One major reason for the bright outlook is outside hitter Kim Benesh. Fredrick brought Benesh along with her to Weber State from her native Iowa four years ago and Benesh has made the most of her stay while in the Beehive State. Last season Benesh, who doubles as co-captain this year, led the team and the Mountain West Athletic Conference in total kills with 653. The first-team all-MWAC star also set WSC records in total kills and kills per game (4.6). Benesh's forte' is her powerful kills that seem to dent the hardwood floor each time she drills a well-set ball past the opposition. This year Benesh leads the team with 4.3 kills per game Along with the excellent individual talents of Benesh, Weber is very team- oriented. The difference between this year's team and last year's 24-12 squad is the depth. This year's Wildcats, according to Fredrick, will have the ability to replace an injured player with a solid substitute. Weber will also have the services of Teri Okelbcrry. The standout from Weber High returns for her senior season. She comes off another All-American track season which she capped off by competing in the U.S. Olympic Trials this summer in Indiana. Okelberry is a solid passer and an excellent defensive player according to Fredrick. Okelberry led the team in digs last season with 366 and was just behind MWAC leader and teammate Kathy Nickel in aces with 43. Nickel, the "other" outside hitter with Benesh, will be a major asset in the Wildcat's hopes to win the Big Sky title this year. (The MWAC became part of the Big Sky Conference over the summer.) The junior from El Toro, Calif, has been a starter since coming to WSC and is known throughout the conference for her deadly serves. She learned the drop serve from WSC Assistant Coach Mashallah Farokhmanesh. Nickel shattered the WSC ace record with 8 1 last year while just a sophomore. She nailed seven aces in four different matches while maintaining a .232 hitting percentage. This year Nickel leads the team in aces with 28 and is second NOTICE FREE LOTS LOST TO EXPANSION SHUTTLE STILL AVAILABLE Due to the construction of the new physical education building, the free parking lots are no longer provided. Students can still park for free at the Dee Events Center and ride the shuttle to campus. 7:20 7:30 7:40 7:50 8:00 8:10 Horning buses o 7:03 7:05 7:10 7:13 7:15 7:18 7:13 7:15 7:20 7:23 7:25 7:28 7:23 7:25 7:30 7:33 7:35 7:38 7:33 7:35 7:40 7:43 7:45 7:48 7:43 7:45 7:50 7:53 7:55 7:58 7:53 7:55 8:00 8:03 8:05 8:08 THIS SCHEDULE RUNS EVERY HOUR UNTIL 1:30 P.M. VENING BUS 4:00 4:03 4:05 4:10 4:13 4:15 4:20 4:23 4:25 4:30 4:33 4:35 4:40 4:43 4:45 4:50 4:53 4:55 4:18 4:38 4:58 THE BUS WILL ALSO STOP AT THE SWENSON GYM AND THE INFORMATION BOOTH IF NECESSARY rS3l only to Benesh in kills. Lora Heissinger adds a great deal of enthusiasm and leadership to the Wildcats. Heissinger led the team in blocks with 22 solo and 120 assisted blocks last year from her middle-hitter position. Right behind Heissinger in blocks was MWAC-Newcomer-of-the-Year, Kelly Hankins. At 6-1, Hankins has the ability to be the premier right-side hitter in the (see 'CATS on page 14) ' '" ; f . f . . I - f f i I ) .li i j iv t y v : bed V . f ' J V ? '--,.,. ' v- ' r '-' ' f i 1 " - Hinnn tmrinnmnilili - flit , ; ' n mi n - CINDY FREDRICK gives some advice to freshman setter Marcie Ganson in Saturday's game against Northern Arizona. Ganson is filling in for fellow freshman setter Keri Killebrew due to Killebrew's strained thumb. The Wildcats are the preseason favorites to win the Big Sky Conference title. (The Signpost photo: Robecn Gillom) Drugs kill Johnson's Olympic win By Ethan Yorgason Sports Editor Won't these people ever learn? Last week Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis put on one of the greatest races in Olympic history. This week Johnson had his gold medal and his new world record taken away from him for failing his drug test. Johnson's case is hardly unique this year but is by far the most visible. We could have easily forgotten about the others who were disqualified because of drug use. A couple of Bulgarian weightlifters forfeited their gold medals when they tested positive. But who really cared? They were from an Eastern bloc country, after all, and didn't everyone always suspect that these countries gave their athletes banned substances? We could even have forgotten that Angel Myers, the American swimmer, was disqualified after the U.S. Olympic Trials. She never actually represented this country in the Olympics so she could have quickly become a distant memory. Besides, no one had ever heard of Angel Myers. It wasn't even hard to put the suspensions of close to 20 NFL players out of our minds. Haven't the games continued as usual without them (all except Lawrence Taylor perhaps)? They'll all be back after sitting out 30 days anyway. But when Ben Johnson tests positive for drug use after winning the biggest 100-meter dash since Jesse Owens won the gold in Berlin, the news hits hard. It also brings back the memory of all these others who got in trouble for testing positive to drugs. Haven't there been enough examples of the damage drugs can do to discourage these athletes from taking these chances? There have been plenty of examples, but the lure of success or pleasure seems to be too much for many of these athletes to resist. Johnson must have thought that the only way he could beat Carl Lewis was with the help of drugs. (see DRUGS on page 13) |