THURSDAY, DEC. 9, 2010 | PAGE 6
SPORTS
THE TIMES-DELPHIC
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Two Drake women’s basketball players, senior Kristin Turk and freshman Angela Christianson, became the first Bulldog duo to sweep the Missouri Valley Conference’s weekly awards since 2006. Turk was named MVC Player of the Week for Nov. 29 through Dec. 5, while Christianson garnered MVC Newcomer of the Week honors. Drake won both games it played last week.
BASKETBALL
winter WATCH Women
As cold weather arrives, the gym heats up as Drake teams prepare for Valley season
Men
by Tim Weideman
Staff Writer tim.weideman@drake.edu
Angela Christianson is on a roll for the Drake women’s basketball team, which has found its own momentum by winning its last four games. Christianson continued a great start to her freshman year last week. She recorded 14 points, two assists and a career-high nine rebounds in a Nov. 30 win over North Texas and scored a career-high 17 points in a win against North Dakota last Saturday. Christianson was named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week on Monday. Her average of 9.9 points per game leads all MVC freshmen. “I have to give lots of credit to my teammates,” Christianson said. “They’ve just been really supportive. They’re really passing well to me when I was open. We have good chemistry right now.” Drake (5-2) is counting on its young roster to help supplement the duo of senior guard Kristin Turk and junior forward Rachael Hackbarth. “As a freshman, I have no pressure on me; I can just go out and play,” Christianson said. “It’s fun getting this great opportunity as a freshman, getting to go out and help my team right now.” Turk has been a major contributor in the Bulldogs’ winning streak. Turk was named MVC Player of the Week on Monday for the
FILE PHOTO
SENIOR KRISTIN TURK blazes past a defender to get to the rim. Turk has been on a tear lately, with 24 points and seven steals in a win against North Texas, and then 21 points and six assists in a road win versus North Dakota.
second consecutive week, the first time that has happened for a Drake player since Jill Martin accomplished the feat in 2006. Turk set a season-high of 24 points, posted a career-high seven steals and tied a careerhigh with six assists against North Texas. The seven steals tied for the sixth-most in a game in Drake history. Against North Dakota, Turk scored 21 points and tallied six assists again. Turk leads the MVC in scoring with 19.9 points per game and 2.9 steals per game. Hackbarth has been Drake’s presence in the post, averaging seven rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Drake head coach Amy Stephens said that it’s been a team effort building around the two leaders, Turk and Hackbarth. Stephens said players like Turk help the younger players improve. “Kristin brings so much passion and so much energy to our team, and is such a great teammate and role model with how she plays, her work ethic everyday,” Stephens said. “You know, it’s neat when you see freshmen try to emulate that.” Stephens has noticed a change in Christianson’s play since the start of the season. “Angela has improved every week,” Stephens said. She said Christianson has been improving offensively, defensively and has become mentally tougher. Christianson credits some of her improvement to Turk and Hackbarth. “They’re super helpful,” Christianson said. “They’re such great leaders on the court and off the court. They’re great role models, great examples.” Stephens has noticed improvement all around for the Bulldogs. “Our team chemistry has really come together,” Stephens said. “Our practice environment is really good this year, and we have a lot of coachable players who come in every day and work hard to improve.” Drake will know how much it has improved after tonight. The Bulldogs face a Wisconsin team that is much better than its 2-7 record suggests. The Badgers own the nation’s 18th toughest schedule and have played most of it without at least one of its better players. Tipoff is at 7:05 p.m at the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs host Tennessee Tech (5-1) this Saturday before welcoming No. 19 Iowa (8-1) to Des Moines on Dec. 20. Stephens said the matchup against the Badgers will help prepare the team for the Hawkeyes. Stephens added that both games will show the team how to play against a true, physical opponent. Missouri Valley Conference play begins for the Bulldogs on Dec. 31 in Omaha, Neb., against rival Creighton. “We will definitely be ready by Dec. 31,” Stephens said. “I’m definitely glad we have four more games before we open up. I think that experience will be good for our team.” If Christianson and the rest of the team continue to improve, those extra weeks could be just what the Bulldogs need.
FILE PHOTO
JUNIOR POINT GUARD FRANK WISELER is second on the team in assists, but averages just 2.3 per game, a telling statistic of how the Drake offense has struggled this season. The Bulldogs have had less than 45 points in two of the team’s four losses.
by Eduardo Zamarripa
Staff Writer eduardo.tamezzamarripa@drake.edu
For the young Bulldogs, returning home to the Knapp Center might just be what the team needs to dust off its early season slump. After all, Drake has undergone a school-record, sixgame road swing while facing some sturdy competition. “We must make sure we are not affected by the slow start and continue to work hard,” senior guard Ryan Wedel said. “We must continue to work hard every day in practice, and make sure we stay positive and continue to gain confidence as the season progresses.” With a 2-4 record, the Bulldogs certainly have learned some tough lessons on the road. A 48-point drubbing against Iowa State overshadowed what had been an encouraging debut win against Texas Southern. After Drake rebounded nicely with a win over Southern Utah at the Great Alaska Shootout, it suffered a 43-point loss against St. John’s. Close losses against Weber State and Colorado State roundout the Bulldogs’ record. “Obviously we are disappointed by the rough start, but if we keep working hard, we will get where we want to be,” sophomore center Seth VanDeest said. Growing pains were to be expected for the inexperienced Bulldog squad. “With a young team like we have, every game of experience is important for us,” VanDeest said. “We will get better with every game that
we play.” There is still room for improvement for Drake because players have played together for only six games, and with all the new faces it’s tough to get into a rhythm, especially on defense. “We need to rebound better and get stops on the defensive end,” VanDeest said. “Those are two areas that we have really struggled with through the first six games.” The Bulldogs will now get the opportunity to gain some confidence and improve their winning record. After they squared off against Eastern Michigan on the road Wednesday night, Drake will play its next five games at home. The first four of those games will round out the Bulldogs’ non-conference schedule before they begin play in the tough Missouri Valley Conference. Drake will face off against Boise State, Iowa, Dartmouth and Chicago State at the Knapp Center. The Bulldogs will try to avoid going 0-2 against Iowa and Iowa State for the second consecutive season. On Dec. 29, the Bulldogs will host their first conference game of the season against Southern Illinois. Last season, Drake went 3-0 against the Salukis, the only team they were able to sweep throughout its MVC campaign. “The Valley is always a really tough league, year in and year out, so we know it is going to be tough,” VanDeest said. “There are really good teams that you face every night, so it will be a challenge, but I think we will be ready to handle it.”
>>Bulldog Basketball Winter Break Schedules Men
Women Location
Time
Date
Team
Location
Time
Mon., Dec 20 IOWA
KNAPP CENTER
7:05 p.m.
Sat., Dec 18
IOWA
KNAPP CENTER
7:07 p.m.
Wed., Dec 22 AIR FORCE
KNAPP CENTER
5:05 p.m.
Tue., Dec 21
DARTMOUTH
KNAPP CENTER
7:05 p.m.
Fri., Dec 31
at Creighton*
Omaha, Neb.
3:05 p.m.
Thu., Dec 23
CHICAGO STATE
KNAPP CENTER
2:05 p.m.
Thu., Jan 6
at Southern Illinois* Carbondale, Ill.
7:05 p.m.
Wed., Dec 29 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS* KNAPP CENTER
7:05 p.m.
Sun., Jan 9
at Evansville*
Evansville, Ind.
1:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan 1
at Creighton*
Omaha, Neb.
TBA
Thu., Jan 13
BRADLEY*
KNAPP CENTER
7:05 p.m.
Tue., Jan 4
at Wichita State*
Wichita, Kan.
7:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 15
NORTHERN IOWA* KNAPP CENTER
2:05 p.m.
Fri., Jan 7
BRADLEY*
KNAPP CENTER
7:05 p.m.
Sun., Jan 9
INDIANA STATE*
KNAPP CENTER
5:05 p.m.
Wed., Jan 12
at Evansville*
Evansville, Ind.
7:05 p.m.
Sat., Jan 15
WICHITA STATE*
KNAPP CENTER
7:05 p.m.
Date
Team
* denotes Missouri Valley Conference game compiled by Matt Moran | Sports Editor sports@timesdelphic.com
Drake sports information director Mahon resigns after 23 years by Matt Moran
Sports Editor sports@timesdelphic.com
Mike Mahon, Drake University’s sports information director for the last 23 years, resigned last week. “I leave Drake with countless memories and will miss the close associations that I’ve developed over the years with student-athletes, administrators, coaches and the media,” Mahon said in a Drake athletics press release. “I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to have served as media coordinator for the many national
events that Drake has hosted, like the NCAA Championships and the Drake Relays, which have enhanced my career.” Mahon began his career as a sports information director at the University of South Dakota in 1977, after graduating from the school in 1976. He has been at Drake since 1988. “I relinquish my seat on the sidelines, but will still be actively wishing Drake athletic teams success,” Mahon said. “I’ve been contemplating a career move recently and I look forward to the challenges of the future.” Drake Athletic Director Sandy Hatfield Clubb expressed her gratitude to Mahon for his
service to the school and the athletic program. “Mike has been an integral part of the Drake family for many years,” Hatfield Clubb said in the same press release. “His contributions as the sports information director, and in particular his leadership with the Drake Relays, are appreciated. Mike will be missed by the department, and particularly by me. We wish him the very best.” A sports information director’s main job is to document and publicize the accomplishments of athletes or teams for a particular school or league. He or she usually acts as a liaison between the athletes and the media.
Sports information directors have one of the busiest jobs in college sports. The department is in charge of compiling statistics, collecting information on each athlete, providing media guides for each sport, writing press releases and setting up interviews for players and coaches with members of the media. Mahon has been involved with the U.S. Olympic Committee, serving as a press officer at the 1992, ’96 and 2004 Summer Olympics. He has also worked at numerous NCAA men’s basketball tournaments, including the 2001 and 2005 NCAA Final Four.