1996_03 Insight March 1966

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MARCH 13,1996
Sports
Kearney
soars to
WAC
record
by Larry A. Johnson
Staff Writer .  , ,
Senior track and field siar Moses
Kearney had guaranteed entry into
the NCAA Indoor Track and Field
Championship last weekend at Indianapolis. He placed sixth, making him an All-American.
Kearney earned an automatic
berth to the championship meet
with his 7-4 1/2 mark in the high
jump.
"Moses can do very well in this
event if he happens to be on, during thai particular day," Fresno
State track Coach Red Estes said.
"He has had very close jumps at
7-6. If he made that, it would probably place him in the top three.
There ^vill probably be a log jam
for participants right around thc 7-
2 to 7-5 area. If someone could hit
7-6. ihey will probably walk away
with the brass ring." F.sies said.
Kearney won the Western Athletic Conference title at the WAC
Indoor Championships March I in
Colorado Springs. Colo.
Kearney's leap of 7- f "
him the confen
«the
Photo courtesy Sports Information
High jumper Moses Kearney has set his standards high for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
During (he Bill Cosby Invitational in Reno. Nev.. Kearney
broke thc Fresno State indoor
record in the high jump for the second straight week.
He won the contest by clearing 7-4
1/2. bettering his 7-3 mark set the previous week at the Wolf Pack Inv iia-
lional. also in Reno.
Alter his performance in Nevada.
Kearney was named WAC Male Track
and Field Athlete of the Week. It was
the second straight week he was honored vv ith the award.
Kearney has established himself as
one of Fresno State's best high jump-
He had his best performance of
the outdoor season al the WAC
Championships, where he cleared
7-1 3/4 to finish second.
Kearney is ihe first Bulldog to
clear the 7 fool mark since 199 I.
Recruiting frenzy stirs dreams of the big time
by Derek Togerson
Staff Writer
The NCAA football championship.
Hundreds of teams strive to attain it
bul few ever do.
Football hopefuls dream of earning
a scholarship to a big school and playing for the national title.
The spring recruiting frenzy affects
more than Division 1-A campuses.
California State University. Fresno is
no exception.
Last year. 20 JC transfers donned
Bulldog red. supposedly solidifying
Fresno's place at lhc (op of the West-
em Athletic Conference.
However, the 5-7 season made even
the most devoted Red Waver flinch.
This season should be different.
Fresno State has brought in key
players this season to resurrecttheir
running game and bolster a defense
that was one of the worst in the nation last year.
Fresno State running backs Coach
Kelly Skipper said the Bulldogs did
extremely well in its recruiting.
"We improved our depth across thc
boarU-witrt a good balance between
JC and high school kids." Skipper
said. "Thc transfers will help right
away, while the freshmen will have a
chance to grow into the system."
According to Dennis Zahn.
ihority on national football recruiting.
Fresno State's class has been rated the
second best in the WAC by Student
Sports magazine and Blue Chip Illustrated, two nationallv-renowned talent evaluators.
The onlv WAC team rated higher
is Brigham Young University.
Fresno State received high marks
from BYU Head Coach LaVelle
Edwards, who has butted heads with
Bulidogs Coach Jim Sweeney over re-
Edwards is impressed with thc
Bulldogs' improvement.
"They will be a definite competitor in the WAC. partly due to recruiting." Edwards said. "(Coach
Sweeney) always does a great job.
They're an early pick to win their di-
This year, the Bulldog coaching
Staff looked beyond 1996 and signed
14 high school players, while picking up nine from thc JC ranks and one
major-college transfer.
"We filled all ihe areas of immediate need and have laid a solid foundation for the future." Sweeney said.
The Bulldogs signed 13 plavers on
offense and 11 on defense.
At the top of Sweeney's wish list:
Linebackers and running backs.
Those dreams came true when
Fresno State landed linebackersTyrell
Grayson (Edison High) and Allen
Nicholas (College of the Desert! and
running backs Michael Gray (Bakers-
field College) and Akka-ar Moses
(Polytech High. Long Beach).
Grayson will have io put on some
size to play linebacker in the WAC.
He had 130 tackles and 14 sacks his
senior season at Edison.
"We needed the most help at linebacker, so we're very glad we got
." Skipper
Grayson."
-Nicholas covers the entire field and
is a solithuickler. with 133 last sea-
Gray was heavily recruited out of
Bakersfield College alter rushing for
1.923 yards and 33 touchdowns last
season. In one game. Gray went for
286 yards and five TDs.
"He [Grayl is great between the
tackles, he picks his holes well, and
has a knack for shedding tacklers."
Zahn said.
Moses is a Blue Chip All-American and. according to Zahn. one of
lhc two best fullbacks in the slate. He
averaged 8.2 yards per rush as a senior and will probably be opening
holes for Gray this year.
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Softball star heads
for the Olympics
by Cathy Isom
Staff Writer
Dodging mud puddles. Laura Berg
walks into California State University. Fresno's brand-new softball sta-
Dressed in red. Berg heads for practice with the Fresno Slale Women's
softball team, a squad she won't play
with until 1997.
Hns season. Berg will add white
and blue to her Bulldog red. taking
the field for the U. S. Olympic sofi-
ball team
"This has always been a dream."
Berg said. "I never thought that I
would be plav ing on the Olympic-
Berg, a junior, has played center
field for Fresno Slate for two years,
She is majoring in recreation
As a freshman. Berg had an excellent year at (he plate with a .361 batting average. She tied the school
record for most hits in a single game
with four.
Berg grabbed Olympic attention
alter capturing third-team All-
America, first-team All-West Region
and honorable mention All-WeCiern
Athletic Conference honors
In her second year al Fresno State.
she scooped up first-learn All-
America, first-team All-West and
first-team All-WAC awards.
Berg, with one school record already under her belt, set two more
single- season records in triples ill)
She also became the second Bulldog in school history to record l(X)
or more hits in a season.
Recruited from Santa Fe Springs.
Calif.. Berg turned down several big-
name schools and opted to come to
Fresno State.
Among the schools Berg turned
down were national powers L'CLA
and Arizona, as well as Florida State.
University of Washington. Long
Beach State and University'
ofCalifomia. Berkeley.
She picked Fresno State because of
its dedicated program.
"I felt that thc other schools.weren'i
as family-oriented as Fresno's program." Berg said. "They portray an
Photo courtesy Sports Information
Fresno State stand-out Laura
Berg will represent the United
States at the 1996 Olympics.
attitude that its not just a job. They
love to play."
She has been selected to play for
the 1996 Olympic softball team in
Atlanta this summer.
Laura is one of thc best outfielders in the country." Fresno Slate soft-
ball Coach Marg'ie Wright said. "I am
verv. very proud, and this will be a
phenomenal experience for her."
Berg will continue to practice with
Fresno State umil April, preparing for
the spring training with her new
Oly mpic teammates.
"I think they're great." Berg said.
"They are very enthusiastic and have
a lot ol" energy. They're older and
know more about the game."
Berg is not alone when it comes to
Bulldogs in the Olympics.
Taking the field with Berg will be
former Bulldogs Julie Smith (90-91).
Shelly Stokes (87-90). Kim Maher
(91-94). and Martha Noffsinger-
OKelley (87-90).
Coach Wright will join the '96
Olympic team as an assistant coach.
See BERG, page 6
MISSING
TRACI RENEE CONRAD
White Female Juvenile. Date ol Birth
12/2/84. 11 years of age
Ht: 4'10*. Wt. 84 lbs.. Brown Eyes.
Brown Shoulder Length Hair
"    Broken Front Tooth. 3" Scar on Right
Knee
Wears Silver & Blue Framed Glasses
Last Seen Wearing: Plaid Shirt, Green Stretch Pants.
Multi-Colored Winter Jacket - Pink. Purple & Aqua in
Color. Jacket has Numerous Pockets.
Area Missing From: Birch & Kensington Street Area
Time Missing: Sunday, 2-25-96 at 1:30 p.m.
IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT
TRACI, PLEASE CONTACT THE HANFQR0
POLICE DEPARTMENT AT (209) 585-2535
Kennel Bookstore
General Book Department • 278-4286
Dr. Ed Hibler
Autographing
Thursday, March 14
11:30- 1:00
General Book
Department,
Lower Level
Celebrate
Women's
History
Month!
^FRESNO STATE
W?       CA/Kmim Star tfcwnMy. fmm.