The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 41, Ed. 1, Monday, February 21, 2000 Page: 1 of 6
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Sports
Sunday
1999: The Year in Review
Jason Prann sprinter practices Wednesday. The Wildcats competed at the Texas Tech Invitational meet in Lubbock Friday and Saturday
to qualify athletes for nationals March 10-11.
Stephen Fricks 23 tries to block his oppo-
nent in a game against West Texas A&M
The last year of the century reflected a transition
from the old to the new for ACU athletic programs
The spring saw Wildcats continue to shine in post-
season competition while the fall featured oung
piograms oeicoming expectations and building
for 2000
In the spring the mens and womens track teams
swept all four national championships for the second
time in the 1990s the mens and womens basketball
and tennis teams advanced to the NOW rcgionals and
the baseball golf and Softball piograms continued to
grow for 2000
The fall programs also enjoyed success The volley -ball
team returned to the postseason for the first time
since 1995 injuries hurl a talented football squad the
mens caiss uiunir) made their annual trip to the
national meet and the tennis and golf teams finished
strong fall seasons
jpawnyel Newhouse competes in the long
Jand triple jump for the Wildcats.
Track
ii Former Head Coach Wes Kittlcys swan song could
tiot hae been better in 1999
iThe mens and womens track teams swept the NCAA
Pivision ll indoor and outdoor championships for the
second time in the '90s
J The teams dominated mal St Augustine's at the
indoor meet March 6-7 at the RCA Dome in Indi-
anapolis The men beat St Augustmes 85-50 and the women
won 1 19-44 decisively the largest margin of ictor at
a national meet in the Kuiley era
JjThe women hae won 1 1 of the last 12 indoor cham-
pionships and the men hae taken the last six out of
Seven indoor championships
jACU is the only team in NOW history to win the
hen's and women's indoor and outdoor champi-
onships in the same year
Kuiley resigned in July to take the head coachingjob
ai lexas Tech
Jon Murray head coach of the nationally ranked
cross-country program took the icigns of the track
5nd field program in August
$ Young talent and cteran winners w ill have the mens
jind women's team primed for another title sweep in
000
Cross Country
The mens cross country team accomplished us goal
with a school-best fouith place finish at the NCAA
Division II Championships mjoplin Mo
rreshman Alfred Rugcma led the Wildcats with a sev-
enth place finish in 30 30 and teammate Gilbert
Tuhabonye finished 19th with a time of 31 08
Both earned All-Amcncan status Tor their efforts
Rivals Western State and Adam State finished fust
and second lespectively
The men won their ninth consecutive Lone Star Con
ference championship in Ada Okla
1 he Wildcats finished fust second fourth sixth and
12th
Young womens team finished seventh out of 12
teams
Football
Despite a 4-6 finish the football team played w uh the
intensity and heart that mikes 2000 a promising year
for the Wildcats
Injuries hurt a talented team that lost starling tailback
Geoige Tishcr a transfer from ly ler Junior College and
stalling quaitetback John Yank call) m the season
Hie Wildcats passing attack and tunning game was
put on the shelf and the) never recovered
ALU pla)cd haid but lost three of their last five
games to finish the season 4 6 for the second straight
year
Head Coach Jack Kiser's contract was not renewed
after this season and former San Angelo Central High
School Coach Car) C-aincs was named head coach in
December
Offensive cooidmator Chris Ihomsen was the onl)
holdover Horn Kisers stall
The icbuilding process has aheady stalled with the
signing of 14 pla)crs m rcbiuary
omen's Basketball
1 he womens basketball team found itself in a familiar
place last March - the NOW South Central louine)
However the women made m early exit horn us
sixth consecutive trip to the tourney losing 94-79 to
Titiinan State University in the quarterfinal lound
I he Wildcats ended the season with a 24-7 record
and the careers of ACU standouts Tarrah "rami
Amber Tate and Jill Kurschner
But the ilnee seniors still led the women to their sec
ond consecutive 1 one Star Conference championship
Junior center Jackie Bucher the LbC postseason toui
ney MVP; scored 605 points to put her 1 1th on the all
time school single-season scoring record
The Denvci native returned from an anterior cruciate
ligament injur)' to earn LSC Player of the Year honois
All-Region honors and All-Amcncan honors
late joined Bucher on the All-South Division first
team and Lnuly Berry leceived honorable mention
Bucher l'rantz Kurschner and Fate were named to
the South Division Academic AU-Confeience Team
I his season the Wildcats are battling Midwestern
Slate for the final postseason spot in the South
Division
A young ACU team is 7-6 in LSC play at piess time
Men's Basketball
Despite finishing confcience play 7-7 the men's bas-
ketball team earned us first postseason berth in 1 1 sea-
sons and made the most of it
1 he men defeated Lone Star Conference rival West
Texas A&M in a thrilling 102-96 overtime win in the
quarterfinal round and No 2 Pittsburg Slate in the
semifinals
Iniman State had ACU basketballs number this sea
son The Bulldogs beat the men in the South Cential
Regional finals 76-69
Ihe Wildcats finished the season 19 7
ACU ace Kristian Allen and the Wildcats have opened the 2000 season with six straight wins.
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i ii I ... . . i i ' ... immiiiii ni!ii M ' ' . '. ...Wm
Design by Canishka Stucirl
Steve Brennan (5) drops back to pass during the Homecoming game Oct. 23
The men lost six seniois to graduation including
Lone Star Conference Most Valuable Pl.i)cr and South
Division All-Academic selection Jaied Mosclc) who
averaged a LSC fouith best 19 7 points a game
But foiwaid Petci Kigali).! a pieseason LSC Pl.i)-
er of the e. and All-Aineiican has establisheil
himself to be one of the pienuei pl.iycis in the LSC
in 1999-00
Kiginya and shaipslioolei chailes Jackson made
honorable mention foi the I ai-.
Jackson iKo was named to tin. south Division c om
nussionei s I lonor Roll
Head loach shanon 1 lax - lesigned in luh md lot
mer Head Coach Mike Maiiin look over the reigns of
an AC U squad that has seven fieshmen this season
Martin is oiiied on the sidelines by Willard Fate who"
has the fouith most wins in school history
Ihe Wildcats aie cuiiciuly 4 7 in LSI play '
Baseball
1 or the second siraiglu yeai the baseball teams sea-
son ended earlier than expected alter the Wildcats;
vvcie not invited to ihe NCAA Division II South Cen--u
al Regional touinanant
Ac V linished the season vvuh a 41 19 lecoid lo go
along with a I- oconkunu itcoid
Please sQ Review page 3B
Story by urns Smith
Photos by Rafael Aguilaa ami Amciiicci Reila
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 88, No. 41, Ed. 1, Monday, February 21, 2000, newspaper, February 21, 2000; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101644/m1/1/: accessed May 1, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.