sports
Lions look tough as season nears
by Andy Dobry
Collegian Staff Writer
After compiling a record of
11-14 last season and losing the na
tion's leading rebounder to gradua
tion, you might not expect a very
good outlook for the Behrend
basketball team. However, this
year's team may be better than
ever.
The 1987-88 edition returns three
starters from a team that won eight
of their last 11 games in the last
season. Throw in two redshirted
players who have started in the past
and what Coach Doug Zimmerman
calls "the best freshman recruiting
class I've ever been associated
with," and you can see why op
timism abounds over this year's
team.
In looking at this year's roster, it
quickly becomes evident that this
team has more depth than any
Behrend team of the past. It is for
this reason that Coach Zimmerman
is reluctant to reveal a starting five,
saying that any eight or nine
players are capable of starting.
At point guard, Wayne Snyder
will share playing time with Randy
Baughman. Joe Weed, last year's
starter at the - ' is lost for the
Profile: Doug
by Andy Dobry
Collegian Staff Writer
Men's Basketball Coach Doug
Zimmerman is an individual with
an impressive background and an
even brighter future. A native of
Erie, he attended East High School
and spent two years at Behrend
before moving on to Slippery
Rock, where he earned a Bachelor
of Science and a Master of Science
degree in Physical Education.
Coach Zimmerman was an All-
American athlete in both baseball
and basketball at Slippery Rock.
He was drafted by the 'Pittsburgh
Pirates and played for them at the
Double-A level.
He began his coaching career at
Slippery Rock as an assistant for
three years and was promoted to
head coach. He held that position
for four years before accepting a
position at Alabama-Samford as a
first assistant and Assistant
season, due to injury. Snyder, a
5'11" senior, matured a great deal
last season, showing good shooting
skills and leadership qualities.
Leader is' also the perfect word to
describe Baughman, a 5'9"
Freshman from East High. He has
a great presence, as he sees all of
the court and knows how to get the
ball inside.
Jim Webb, a 6'2" junior from
Cathedral Prep who was redshirted
last year because of a leg injury,
figures to hold down one of the
wing positions. 6'2" senior Gary
Zang should be a leading candidate
to start at the other wing. Zang was
among the area leaders in shooting
percentage last year, and has ex
cellent inside skills.
No fewer that six players will
push Webb and Zang for starting
spots. The most pleasant surprise
to Lion fans may be Mike Jenkins,
a 6'2" freshman from Academy
High School. Jenkins was a crowd
favorite at Academy and runs the
court with blazing speed. Two
transfer students, Dave Gurska
from Shenango and Bob Minford,
a junior, should see plenty of ac
tion. Another freshman, Girard's
Brian Maslar, brings a dead
Rick Demski goes one-on-one against a determined Gene Gorniak
Athletic Director. He remained at
Samford for four years before
returning to Behrend as Head
Basketball Coach. Zimmerman
resides in Erie with his wife and
two children.
It may seem odd that a coach
with a promising future at a
Divison One school, would leave
the Alabama climate to return to
Erie, but Zimmerman does not
regret his decision. Two main
reasons for returning were Coach
Herb Lauffer and Dr. Roger
Sweeting. " All through my life I
have been fortunate enough to
have had people push and guide me
into accomplishing my goals. I
wanted to be associated with class
people, and the people here are
good individuals. They have a com
mitment to make this campus a
good one. Unfortunately, this
doesn't happen fast enough for
most people."
photo by Mary Beth Zawistoski
shooting eye to the lineup. Rick
Askey, a sophomore from Con
neaut Valley, may prove to be a key
player later in the season.
Sophomore Brian Phillips will miss
the first part of the season because
of a hand injury. Phillips, from
Seneca High, is the type of all
around athlete who benefits any
program.
Depth in the inside game will be
Behrend's biggest weakness this
season. Only four players on this
year's roster are over 6'2". These
four, however, are very talented.
Gene Gorniak, a 6'7" junior from
North East, will provide much
needed size inside. Gorniak's inten
sive play should move him out of
the shadow of brother Randy and
into the spotlight as the Lion's
leading rebounder. Greg Green, the
other player redshirted last season,
returns to this year's lineup. Green,
a senior from Cleveland, showed
signs of brilliant play two years
ago, including three resounding
dunks against highly rated Gannon
University. Greg should develop in
to this year's enforcer. Spelling
these two players will be a pair of
freshmen. Prep's Rick Demski, a
6'5" leaper, and Fort Lebouef's
Zimrnerman
Zimmerman also desired to
return to his home town, and feels
that Erie gets a bad rap, undeserv
ingly so. According to the coach,
the city has many positive things to
offer. " Those who complain pro
bably haven't been outside the city
limits very much," stated
Zimmerman.
A third reason for returning to
the area was to put the Behrend
program on a national level. The
area is in a triangle between basket
ball hotspots Cleveland, Pittsburgh
and Buffalo. " Look at the roster
of any NBA team and you'll be
shocked at how many pro players
are from the area," said the coach.
As a coach, Zimmerman is con
cerned with helping his players
reach their potential both in
dividually and as a team. The first
priority that he sets with his players
is the classroom. He pushes them
to do their best, _ reminding them
that academic success is their main
reason for being in college. He also
desires to see his players reach their
potential as individuals. The coach
feels that adding athletics to
academics helps them to reach their
potential more quickly. Finally,
Zimmerman pushes each player
toward success on the basketball
court.
He believes that he is making
steady progress in each area, gain
ing ground each year. He knows
that maturity is a slow process, not
something that happens when a
coach snaps his fingers. He believes
that the solid foundation he has
been building for the past five years
at Behrend is starting to pay off. "
As an athlete, you're put into situa
tions where you need to perform. If
you don't perform, a lot of people
know about it. Athletic experience
can be a big help in allowing so
meone to reach their potential
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Frank Keller will see plenty of ac
tion giving Gorniak and Green a
rest.
Coach Zimmerman is pleased to
finally _ have a good blend of
seniors, juniors, sophomores and
freshmen on the roster. After a
series of good practices, Zimmer
man rates the team's strengths as
shooting inside and outside, team
speed and overall depth. Their big
gest strength, according to Zim
merman, may come from within.
"This year's team has an attitude
about them in a positive sense, that
makes them different from
previous teams. It could be due to
last year's strong finish. They sense
that they can win, and want to go
out and do it."
Look for the Lions to be much
more aggressive both offensively
and defensively. Zimmmerman
plans to run the ball after made
shots as well as after missed shots,
and to press more on defense.
"We're going to make teams play
94 feet of the floor," said the
coach.
Behrend opens the season
November 21st at Westminster.
The first home gartte will be Tues
day, November 24th at Erie Hall.
photo by Mary Beth Zawistoski
more quickly." Zimmerman knows
that this experience can carry over
into the classroom and into life.
The key word to his philosophy
is disipline, which he defines as, "
very simply put, doing what is
needed, when it is needed, and do
ing it right."
As for the future, Zimmerman
believes that two things need to
happen for the basketball program
to substantially improve, Most im
mediate is a renovation of Erie
hall. Although a new Life-Fitness
Center is promised in the future,
the need for renovation of the cur
rent facility is immediate. Because
of the small confines of Erie hall,
teams are reluctant to play here,
especially with the Behrend team
constantly improving. The coach
believes that the current facility
gives the Lions a-cozy advantage. It
is now more difficult to bring in
good teams to play, as witnessed by
the recent refusals of Gannon and
Mercyhurst to play any more
games at Behrend.
Zimmerman also desperately
wants to get Behrend involved in a
conference. This would make it
easier for the Lions to schedule
games, especially during the mon
ths of January anu February when
the other teams are involved in a
conference schedule. A conference
would also open the door to post
season play, and give some recogni
tion to deserving individuals and
the program on both a regional and
national level. Finally, involvement
in a conference would develop
rivalries and stir up local interest in
the program.
With the basketball team im
proving each year, and the promise
of a new home gym and possible
conference involvement, Doug
Zimmerman should finally reach
some well-deserved goals.
Mike Jenkins shows off for the camera.
Intramural Tales
by Angie Papaleo
Collegian Staff Writer
The end of the semester also br
ings the end of the athletic season,
which includes the Intramural pro
gram. Currently the flag football
and soccer seasons are being com
pleted, with playoff games schedul
ed for the first week of November.
There were 31 teams entered in
flag football and all but three have
been eliminated. Krush Attack will
definitely play in the championship
game and will square off against
either Air Attack or the MacKenzie
Brothers.
The Women's champion has
already been decided, when Sigma
Theta Chi defeated The Party
Pack, 25-6.
Eight teams participated in the
soccer program, and they have
finished the regular season. the
championship game will be played
sometime in early November.
The final intramural sport this
Volleyball Notes
by David Bruce
Collegian Sports Editor
A lack of bench strength has
begun to take a toll on the Behrend
Women's Volleyball team. In the
last few weeks, fatigue has cost
them at least two victories.
The Lady Lions lost a tri-match
against Grove City/Westminister
in straight sets on Oct. 22. They
played well, according to Coach
Jan Wilson, especially Gwen
Jones-who had three serving aces
and four kills against Grove City.
"They're (Grove City) a na
tionally ranked team," said Coach
Wilson, "...we played well, we
suprised them...but then we
couldn't bounce back against
Westminister."
On Oct. 27 they played another
tri-match, this time versus
Fredonia/St. John Fischer. Coach
Wilson said," They were consistent
but using a new setter, as we had to
do, really upset the team."
The squad then traveled to West
Virginia to play Bethany and Salem
Colleges. Againt Bethany, the
Lady Lions played well but lost in
three sets; "...we simply made too
many errors,"said Coach Wilson.
They played even better against
Salem, winning 15-11, 7-15, 15-12.
Gwen Jones, who had nine kills
and two serving aces, was one of
the key players in the victory. The
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November 12, 1987
Collegian
PAGE 7
Mary Bet)
semester will be three-on-three
basketball. The season began on
Nov. 5, and will run until the week
before finals.
Bombardment, a Behrend
favorite, might be played during
the last week before finals and will
run throughout that week.
The unpredictable Erie weather
has .not put a damper on the ac
tivities, according to Bob Peck, In
tramural Director, "Overall, I've
been very pleased as well as supris
ed by the turnout this season, there
is obviously a great amount of in
terest and enthusiasm in in
tramurals at Behend."
Peck also wanted to express his
gratitude to the people who of
ficiated games this semester, "We
were very fortunate to have these
people help out with the program,"
said Peck.
Peck has a few ideas for more
events, including a cross-country
race and even a Trivial Pursuit
tournament, so keep your eyes
open.
team as a whole had 14 serving
aces; "They played consistently
well...not many errors, Cathy
Cadonic had an especially good
game," said Coach
Wilson.Cadonic is the new setter
for the Lady Lions, and is improv
ing steadily in her play.
On Nov. 2, Behrend entertained
Canisus, a Division I team. The
Lady Lions actually led the Match
at the end of three sets, 2-1.
However, the lack of bench
strength cost them dearly as they
lost the final two sets; the score
was: 1-15, 15-13, 15-11, 6-15,
11-15.
Coach Wilson believed that this
match was the team's most consis
tent, they had 35 total kills and 12
serving aces. Individual stars were
Beth Beres who had 13 kills and
Erica Scribner who had four serv
ing aces.
The Lady Lions' final match was
on Nov. 5 against Thiel, by now the
team was reeling from injuries and
simple fatigue due to - a lack of
replacements. Coach Wilson was
forced to use a makeshift line-up.
San?:,' Taylor, in her first match as
a hitter, had five saves and three
kills in a losing effort.
Coach Wilson said that there will
be Spring volleyball next semester
with perhaps several tournaments.
She was pleased with the players'
attitudes and hopes they gain more
experience in the spring for next
season.
The Collegian is looking for
sportswriters for next semester:
if you're interested,. call the
Collegian Office at 898-6221.
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