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Show W Friday, March Daily Utah Cfcraalde WK FORTS Four U. Gymnasts to be Honored at Senior Night said. One gymnast who is not far behind JAMES EDWARD the individual achievements of Chronicle Assistant Sports Editor Woolsey is Caudle. Her greatest honor came at last year's NCAA championships. She This year's four Ute seniors came to the U. four years ago not knowing much about collegiate gymnastics. Saturday night they will compete in their last regular-seasohome meet knowing they accomplished more than they ever thought was possible. Utes will take The on Southern Utah Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Huntsman Center in the Sizzlcr Supermeet Senior Night, as the meet is dubbed, will be the last home meet for the Utah upperclass-mcn- . The four Utc seniors along with their parents will be honored prior to the meet for their contributions to the U. "It's going to be fun," Ute senior Megan Caudle said, "It's not supposed to be sad." The U.'s senior foursome, Caudle, Alysa Frenz, Jennifer Mcrcier and Sandy Woolsey, has played a vital role over their careers in helping maintain the high level of Utah gymnastics. Between the four of them they have eight national championship rings and awards. seven "It seems to be a group that thrives much more on intrinsic rewards and not extrinsic rewards," Utah Coach Greg Marsdcn said. Along with so many other classes before, this is one group of performers Marsdcn will be sorry to see go. Utah captain Woolsey has tallied more individual awards than the other three over her career, but that is an honor she shares with her teammates. "I don't feel I've contributed any more or less than they have," Woolsey was Utah's top individual performer finish on bal- with her second-placancc beam. "It was a long haul and I knew it would be," Caudle said about her career. "It was a great experience, and one that needed four years to dcvel- e n 7he Mac Attack is fourth-ranke- Back U. Ghdders Start Spring Drills d regular-seaso- JAMES JARDINE Chronicle Sports Editor Last year Utah football Coach Ron McBridc transformed a young Utc squad into the of the Western Athletic Conference. This season, with 46 lcttermcn returning to the U., expectations will be even higher. Coach Mac, in his seventh year at Utah, will get his first shot of die year at whipping his troops back into shape when 1 spring drills open tomorrow at 9 a.m. on the McCarthcy Practice Field adjacent to the Dee Glen SmitlAthletics Center. . . McBride is eager to see how the new faces of his strong recruiting class and Utah's tested veterans will come together. "You come out of spring knowing exactly what you have, ...it is really the developmental stage of your whole program," McBride said. "You find out who is going to step forward and who is maybe going to give you more than you counted oa" With so many veteran starters Merrier 0 is optimistic she will return to Utah's bar lineup this weekend after spraining her ankle on March 17. That would help ease a little bit of her recent frustration. Despite the continuous fear of competing in front of large crowds, Frenz has worked through it and is sad the see her career come to an end. "I love our class," Frenz said. "I know in the past there has always been competition among the gymnasts. But I know in our class we wanted the best for each other and nothing more than that" Chkomo Fhi Photo Jeff Beck strand Senior Night: Megan Caudle and the rest of the Utah seniors will be honored at Saturday night's home meet against Southern Utah. Caudle will be competing on floor for the first time since Feb. 12. Utah Baseball Makes 1996 Home Debut At Franklin Quest This weekend, after 25 games University of Utah baseball team will finally get a chance to bat in the bottom of an inning. Coach Bill Kinneberg's squad will open its 1996 home season today at noon at Franklin Quest Field. The Utes match up with the Air Force. Falcons in a doublehead-e- r today, followed by a single game Staying true to their intentions of playing the toughest teams in the country when on road trips, the Utes (8-- 3-- 1 WAC) will face three nationally-ranketeams in three days on their d weekend swing through California. For good measure, Utah will also Saturday. : The Utes take on future WAC rival San Jose State as a tuneup for their three dates before their matchup with the Utes, and don't figure to pose much of a problem for Coach F.D. Robbins' For Anteater Meet squad. On Monday, the Utes will face No. 5 Fresno State in San Jose, Calif. The WAC) are currendy Bulldogs (174, battling for a spot at the top of the conference standings. The match is also the Utes' final conference contest before the WAC Championships in April The Bulldogs boast three ranked singles players: No. 13 Fredrik Giers, No. 32 Frederik Bergh and No. 89 Bryan Juinip. For good measure, Fresno State also features the No. 30 doubles team of Giers and Juinio. The Utes will take on the No. 2 . team in .the country, the. Stanford ) Cardinal, on Tuesday. Stanford features six singles players ranked in the top 50 and two doubles pairings ranked in the top 30. They're pretty good. Perhaps the Anteater Invitational golf team's spring fever. .The Utes will travel to Irvine. Calif., this weekend to begin play in the tournament -hosted bv the ubia- A uitous University of California- - Tnnn AnMor T TmVi i rirlinar a hit nf a sliimn havintr finished near the back of the back in the first events uic new ycai. The Utes will use the Anteater as a warmup for next month's Cougar ' Classic in Provo. Ol . Beacham " (12-1- WAC) are success into Salt Lake City, but Kinneberg will have his dub ready. "Air Force is a better ball club early-seaso- n 1-- 0 can break the University of Utah 2-- 4 1, year's team, .both in success and in future prospects for success. Gone are the feelings of gloom and mediocrity that permeated the program in 1995. Most of these Utes are new to the program, and all of them want to begin a new era for the Crimson and White. The Air Force Falcons will ride ), Golf Team Hits Road (14-1- already lightyears ahead of last with destiny. The Spartans the Utes' opponent on Saturday, will be coming off a three-matc- h endurance test of their own the Smith Center. --Greg said. o o 3 team is asking for it again. Inclement weather will move practices into the indoor "Bubble" facility, also adjacent to . ging injuries that have prevented her from showing Utah tans how good a gymnast she can be. "I know what I'm capable of and, although I haven't had an opportunity to really reach my potential, I still know I could have done it," Mercier The University of Utah men's tennis ing upon the system in place." Spring practices will continue throughout April each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, closing with a scrimmage on April 27. : since Feb. 12. Mercier is another U. senior who can relate to the frustration of injuries. After missing all of last season with a knee injury, this season has been difficult for Mercier because of other nag- on the road, the revamped don't have to go back and a whole system to a new defense and offense. We can work on perfecting and improv- 1 n GREG BEACHAM Chronicle Sports Writer enced," McBride said. "Now, we - The most exciting thing for Caudle about Senior Night will be her return to Utah's floor lineup. It will be the first time she has competed on floor Men's Tennis Team To Face Nation's Finest (eight on offense, seven on defense) returning, McBride is thrilled that the Utes won't be starting at ground zero as last year's young team had to. "We are adding some things to our offensive and defensive packages because we are more experi- ; n . - than they have been in a long time," Kinneberg said, "I've c Chdonk.ii Photo Jaff Beckstrand ; . coached against Air Force for 13 years (in Kinneberg's prior stints at UTEP and Wyoming), and they are a determined, ball Utah's Ben Coates gets full extension on an overhead during action earlier this year. The Utes will face four teams in five days during their weekend road trip. .' ' J'--: The Utes will dose their spring vaca- tion with a trip across the San Francisco Bay toJJerkeley to face the No. 15 California Golden Bears: No. 17 Michael Hijl and No. 51 Bobby Mahal are the top players on the Bears The Utes made these same stops last (6-3- i year, and the results were a win over the Spartans and three thrashings. On the sunny side, this trip is the last ! marathon road swing of die year for the Utes, who will play twice in Boise in April before die WAC Qiampionships ' in Fresno April 17-2- club." ; hard-ruttin- g r ; "The best part about these next games is playing them at home," Kinneberg said, "It will be a. nice change to play in front of a home crowd." ' . -- Greg Beacham |