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Show 'BIRD SPORTS Thunderbirds register highs, lows for 1995-96 By JOE GARCES JOURNAL SPORTS EDITOR Finals are under way. For the ntxt few days loaded down cars will begin creeping down the highway, most headed for home, others to summer jobs, and some to God knows where. But before the mass exodus from Cedar begins though, lets take a look at the past year in Thunderbird sports. It was a mixed year for Thunderbird athletics. The highs were high, and the lows were low. Records were set and re-set in a variety of sports. Admission to the Big Sky Conference was denied. The head football coach resigned and was replaced. The school gained its first ever NCAA Division I qualifier in track and field. Thunderbird football opened early in September with a 14-7 home loss to Angelo State, but bounced back the next game with a tough 26-25 squeaker over Montana Tech . Unfortunately, the Thunderbirds were never able get much going after that. With just one more win on the year, the TBird gridders posted a dismal 2-9 record for the season that was punctuated by a mid-season 65-15 thrashing by Southwest Texas State. The'Birds were able to salvage a bright spot in the '95 season by beating the University of Nebraska-Kearny for a homecoming game celebration. Wide receiver Kevin Cuthbertson was named MVP for the season. The 1995 season also marked the end of an era for SUU football. In mid-October, Jack Bishop announced his resignation as head coach of the 'Birds after 16 seasons at the helm to concentrate on his duties as athletic director. Bishop was the winningest coach in SUU history, compiling an 80-73-4 record during his tenure. Bishop" vacancy was filled by University of Arizona assistant coach Rich Ellerson. Meanwhile, the Thunderbird men harriers were burning up the roads on their way to an American West Conference title. The season started out well with Ted Hans·e n capturing first place at the Pier Park Invitational in Portland, Ore. and a victory over 17th ranked Portland. The thinclads never looked back. Paced by Curtis Moore, the men's cross country team captured its first ever AWC title and Coach of the Year honors for skipper Eric Houle. On the women's side, SUU was lead by Mariam Steffensen's fifth place AWC championship finish, as the team took second place honors. Five Southern Utah runners were bestowed with All-AWC honors. Moore, Steffensen, Zak James, Ted Hansen, and Ryan Butler all received the top nod. Golf kicked off the fall season with fifth-year head coach John Evans being named top professional player in the state by the ProfessiC91al Golfers Association. The PGA Utah Section named coach Evans the Pro of the Year in October. The season saw the Thunderbird linskters take fourth place honors at the NMSU/Coca Cola Classic for their highest mark of the year. Individually, Tom. Johnson led the team with the best stroke average of 75.1 over All-AWC first team were Frandsen and Lindsey 19 rounds. Johnson scored both of SUU's top five Mortensen, while Krista Wardle was named to the finishes, finishing second at the Grand Canyon Fall second team. Monica Doman, Tami Newton, Mandi Classic and fourth at the Grand Canyon Invitational. Shaheen, and Jessica Sparrow all received honorable The Thunderbird men's cagers took the season to mentions. the rack by scoring their second straight AWC Spring was a time for re-writing the record books in championship, while the women made the same feat several sports. Track and softball saw records falling left and right, while tennis and gymnastics also look easy with a 16-0 record in the last season of the AWC. Despite losing three conference games, SUU achieved new highs. was able to overcome bleak odds and repeat as Many records were broken during the 1996 softball conference champs with a narrow 55-53 barn burning season. Jenny Hardy, Christy Burge, and Heide Miller victory over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the were among those re,writing the record books all tournament championships. Thunderbird hoopster season long. But unfortunately records weren' t Jon Gaines was named AWC tourney MVP and enough to help the Lady T-Birds, as they racked up a - - - - - - - - - - - - . bleak 13-48 season record, going 127 in conference play. Southern Utah baseball didn't £air Ted much better, as they ended the 1£96 Hansen season with a 9-34 record. Shelly Richards tore the track up all season long. Setting and resetting her own records all season in the 110 meter and 400 meter hurdles, Richards proved to be a star.Teammate Ted Hansen also set a record of his own. Smashing the school record in the 3000 meter steeplechase, Hansen earned a bid at the NCAA Division I National Championships today, the first ever to do so fro m SUU. Layne Richards ~~~..~ ~-i also set a school record in the decathlon at the AWC Championship meet and Deena Fullmer set several long jump records during the indoor season. SUU's tennis team finished the season with the best record of its three year history by finishing the year 4-12. The netters were able to capture third place honors in the consolation match of the AWC Championships. This was the first year that the Thunderbirds recorded an NCAA Division I victory. Gymnastics wrapped up its season by sending three athletes to the NCAA Midwest Regional qualifying meet. Tamara Turley, Julie Talbot, and Stacy Cather all competed as individuals at the regional meet. Talbot received honors as an academic AllAmerican while Cather set a school record in the floor exercise with a 9.900 against BYU in March. The 'Birds scored a school record with a season best team score of 194.200 against the University of Utah · during the last meet of the season, and also set a school record of 48.775 on the beam. The Thunderbirds narrowly missed post season competition, being edged out by the University of Denver by a mere 0.06 of a point at the last possible moment. Gymnastics finished the year 4-7. teammate Jim Crosbie joined him on the All Senior gymnast Stacy Cather and senior hoopster Tournament team. SUU finished its last season in Reggie Ingram were named the top female and male the AWC with a 15-13 record with two starters, athletes of the year in late May. Both athletes Gaines and Reggie Ingram, being given All-AWC personified the meaning of the words, scholar, honors. athlete, and leader and were big assets for SUU to The Southern Utah women's roundball squad was lose. equally impressive en route to their repeat It was a strange year for athletics at SUU. Along championship performance. After crushing Cal State with the successes came the defeats. Yes, the success Sacramento in the tournament finals, Thunderbird Cherri Frandsen was named tournament MVP for the was high and the defeats were low, but it all goes to second straight season. Mindee Larsen was named as prove that SUU is building for the future: a future in a conference Co-MVP and a member of the AWC All- which all Thunderbird sports will be programs to be reckoned with. Tournament team. Receiving nominations to the |