The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 73, No. 38, Ed. 1, Friday, February 7, 1986 Page: 9 of 10
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Abilene Christian University Library.
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for ragtime
AClFa 'Wildcats have or-
chestrated many a victory in
. Moody Coliseum this season But
Saturday night when the Angelo
State University Rams come to
; visit it'll be a program of
ragtime.
' "Rag on the Rams" a promo-
Jk tion of the Students' Association
' will feature 700 purple "rags"
that will be handed out on a first-
cole's
calls
bykerrycole
come first-served basis. Another
probability for the game is the
distribution of about 500 ACU
golf caps.
That promotion plus ACU
basketball should provide a
ragtime show that would make
Scott Joplin proud. Ragtime
rauiic is at least in part
characterized by a fast-paced beat
aad strong syncopation. That
definition fits Wildcat basketball
perfectly.
Angelo State last year's Lone
Star Conference runnerup is com-
ing into Saturday's matchup with
a 2-3 record in the LSC. But that
doesn't mean the Rams don't have
the kind of talent they used to
outscore ACU by 16 in San
Angcio last season. ACU Coach
Alike Martin said ASU probably .
is better than the Howard Payne
team that gave the Cats a scare in
Monday's six-point win.
"We're just trying to pack
Moody for this game because it's
probably the biggest game as far
as the Lone Star Conference goes
because Angcio State's probably
the only team that stands a chance
of beating us" said Mike Pipkin
director of public affairs and in-
formation for the SA.
ACU has won 24 games in a
row at home and Pipkin said he
thinks an addition to the streak is
in line Saturday night.
"Wc just want to get in there
and intimidate the Rams" Pipkin
said. "We just want to say
You're in Abilene now and this
is our homecourt. .You're going to
be number 25 in a row. You're no
better than any other victim com-
ing through here.
"I don't care how good they
are" he said. "When you come
into a place packed like Moody
and with the talent our team has
they're not going to stand a
chance."
If "Rag on the Rams" proves
successful Saturday's ragtime per-
formance may have Angelo State's
Rams singin the Moody blues.
Schleyer:
y THOMAS GRAHAM
Sport EtNtor
"She shoots. She rebounds. She drib-
bles. She plays defense. She thinks
fast and she made a 4.00..." the 1933
Optimist article about the then-
freshman Claudia Schleyer began.
Today three years later the lead is
still the same. Except after one par-
ticularly difficult genetics class her
grade point average has dropped to
3.97. Everything else remains the
same.
She still leads the conference in scor-
ing 28.5 points per game as opposed
to 21.1. She still is averaging more
than nine rebounds per game 93 as a
freshman 10.5 as a senior.
Her team still is undefeated in con-
ference play and on its way to a fourth
consecutive Lone Star Conference ti-
tle. She's still a winner on end off the
court. '
Winning always has been a constant
in Claudia's life but not the only one.
Her friends describe her as a Christian
woman and a caring companion.
"In her friendship it's like three peo-
ple are involved" says junior
Stephanie Mouse a recent transfer to
ACU and one of Claudia's roommates.
"We know we have God in common."
Claudia's describeb as the type of
person one can turn to at any hour. As
listening rather than advising and ad-
vising rather than telling.
"She can see situations from other
people's viewpoint" Mouse said.
"She always looks on the positive side
of things and is very considerate of
people's feelings.
"Maybe she's never felt it" Mouse
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Leaps and rebounds
ACU's Roderick Johnson soars for a rebound In front of Howard
Payne's James Qualte as HPU's Ezeklel Robinson and Wildcat
Jamos Joseph look on during ACU's 85-79 victory Monday In Moody
Coliseum. (Photo by Rick Patterson)
occer ends seas
By CHARLES ELLIS
Sports staff . .
The regular season for the ACU Soc-
cer Club will end Sunday afternoon
with questions of the team's future
lingering overhead.
Each of the last Ave Sunday after-
noons the 16 members of the team
have competed against one of three
other teams in their division of the
Abilene City League on a practice field
at HardJn-Simmons University.
They have posted a 2-3 season
record in league play and failed to
qualify for the finals of the tournament
culminating with the championship
game Feb. 16.
Sunday at 1 p.m. the team will play
in its final regular season match.
However it will compete in two tour-
naments later this year.
"We had some players injured and
some others go out of town which
contributed to the losses" said Kyle
Curby freshman social work major
Ability
continues "but she can understand."
When the 5-9 forward from
Eldorado High School in Albuquer-
que JtfM. began playing for ACU
she said she felt something she had
never felt before in her life what it
was like to be a loser.
The Wildcats dropped their first
three games of her freshman season
and she said she "was expecting a long
season."
However things quickly were turn-
ed arourld as ACU won 21 of its next
26 games compiling a 21-8 record.
Claudia began her athletic career on
the tee-ball fields of Maryland because
the team her two brothers played on
needed another player said her
mother Janet a 1962 graduate of
ACU
Tee-ball is a for;n of pee wee league
baseball In which the players hit the
ball ofT of a stand rather than from a
pitcher.
She began playing basketball in
junior high school in Tucson Ariz.
where she and Stacy Atkinson an
ACU volleyball player and childhood
best friend of Schlcyer's dreamed of
going to the Olympics.
"We didn't know in what" Schleyer
said. "We just knew wc wanted to go."
Three years later her family moved
to Albuquerque and Schleyer would
become a key to one of the most suc-
cessful high school basketball pro-
grams in the nation under the
ruteledgc pf Don Flanigan.
1 Her mother said the high school
coach noticed Claudia shooting
baskets on a court one day and sug-
gested she come out for the team.
After leading Eldorado High to two
from Red Oak. He said that a lack of
organization and motivation because
the team does not have a coach was
also a factor in those losses.
"We need someone who will help
motivate us during practice someone
to help us arrange and finalize a
schedule of games and someone to go
with us on road trips" said Jeff
downing senior physical education
all-levels major from Dallas and cur-
rent president of the Soccer Club.
But a coach wouldn't solve all the
team's problems. It needs help finan-
cially. Because soccer is not a school-
sponsored sport the club receives no
funding from the athletic department
and must rely on contributions for its
funds.
"At the moment our main con-
tributor is a Dallas church member
who donated $1000" said Curby.
"With that money we were able to
buy uniforms some equipment and
pay entry fees to the city league and to
various tournaments."
desire
' v-
undefeated seasons and two state titles
against only two losses in three years
Claudia had to make a decision on a
college to attend. She limited herself to
a Christian school.
Oklahoma Christian College made
her a scholarship offer before her
senior year. ACU wasn't interested
but Claudia always had wanted to at-
tend ACU at least since she had
been friends withStacy whose parents
were high on ACU said Mrs
Schleyer.
Claudia and her parents visited
ACU her junior year in high school
and when they returned later
women's basketball coach Burl Mc-
Coy couldn't remember her name
Mrs. Schleyer said.
"You tend to be more Interested in
people who are interested in your
kids" Mrs. Schleyer said and McCoy
wasn't interested.
At least not until he saw her play
basketball. Once he saw her shoot he
said he knew he could use her talents.
Claudia's mother says she always has
been a good athlete.
"Since the first time she picked up a
ball she's had natural ability" she
said. "Claudia also had the ability to
work at it."
Claudia describes herself as a perfec-
tionist who works to correct eveiy
mistake she makes.
"I look back on games and
remember the bad passes and the terri-
ble things and then I work to correct
them" she said. She doesn't dwell on
her successes.
"Somewhere along the line she got
the ability urid then she got the desire
to excel" says Mrs. Schleyer
ats stifle HPU rally
By KERRY COLE
Assistant Sports Editor
Howard Payne kept fighting back until
the final buzzer Monday night but In
the end the ACU Wildcat men had
recorded an 85-79 victory and denied
the Yellow Jackets a tic for first in the
Lone Star Conference.
The Wildcats coming olf a one-
week layoff before Monday's game are
now 5-0 in the LSC. Howard Payne
drops io 3-2 with both losses coming
at the hands of ACU. Angelo State 2-3
in the conference will visit Moody
Coliseum Saturday and Eastern New
Mexico 1-5 in the LSC will play Jn
Moody Monday night in the final
regular-season home game for ACU.
Howard Payne came into Monday's
game determined to break a string of
ACU victories between the two teams
that dates back to the 1980-81 season
and stop the Wildcats' home-game win
streak at 23. ACU roach Mike Martin
said the Jackets came into the game
confident they could pick up a win on
the Wildcats home court.
The Cats held a 10-point lead Mon
omen prep for ASU
The ACU women's basketball team
will have to make at least one major ad-
justment prior to Saturday afternoon's
Lone Star Conference showdown with
Angelo State University in Moody
Coliseum at 6 p.m.
The change will be from
bridesmaids to basketball players and
from full length dresses and high heels
to basketball uniforms and Nike hoop
shoes - all in a matter of hours.
Claudia Schleyer and Deonna
Moore will serve as attendants In
former ACU center Jana Edwards'
wedding Saturday afternoon and then
lead the attack against ASU Saturday
evening.
A win Saturday evening would place
The club also would like to see more
support from .students and the
administration.
"We have had more support from
the students this year than last" said
Chowning "and it's more of a motiva-
tional tool knowing that your friends
are there watching."
While members of the soccer club
are grateful for the support of the
students they have their own opinions
on the lack of support by the
administration. '
"I don't think they take us seriously
as a sport" said Kyle McAlister
freshman journalism and mass com-
munication major from Waco. "They
keep telling us it will be added to the
program someday."
Chowning said he thought more
students would be interested in play-
ing soccer if the sport was financially
supported by ACU.
"I had an alt-star goalie from
Houston call me and express his in-
terest in ACU and the soccer club and
on Sunda
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ACCUStOmed tO Winning
Claudia Sohleyar works against Howard Payno In Monday's 76-69
v.ctory as Coach JS ' ""
constants In Schleyors life (Photo by Bick Patterson)
day in the game's final three minutes
but Howard Payne cut the margin to
four and had a chance to cut It to two.
HPU's James Qualte missed an
eight-foot jumper in the last 30
seconds and senior guard Ryant
Greene put the game away with two
free throws with nine seconds
remaining.
"I thought we played pretty well
after being off for a week except for
the last two minutes" Martin said.
"And then wc didn't play well. We
didn't go to the boards. But we did a
lot of good things tonight or we
wouldn't have won"
Junior Michael Williams who
scored 21 points in the Cats' victory
over HPU in Brownwood scored 20
Monday to lead ACU. Williams takes
over the LSC scoring lead at 15.6
points per game surpassing Brett En-
zor who averages 15.3.
ACU led 70-56 with 7:43 remaining
and still had a 10-point lead 79-69
with just 2:47 on the clock.
Then the Wildcats stopped
rebounding.
Howard Payne dominated the offen
ACU two games ahead of the field in
the race for the LSC title. The Lady
Cats are undefeated at 5-0 and ASU
enters in sole possession of second
place at 4-1.
ACU ran its LSC record to 5-0
Monday evening with a 76-69 victory
over the LSC's only winlcss team
Howard Payne University. The
Rambcllcs dropped their first con-
ference loss to Texas A&I 74-66.
Although the game Is important as
far as LSC standings go a possible na-
tional playoff bid is riding on each
game the Cats play for the remainder
of the season.
"We just can't lose anymore" said
junior guard Stephanie Mouse.
y; future
he wanted to know if he could get a
scholarship for soccer" Chowning
said. "I had to tell him ACU didn't of-
fer any scholarships for soccer but
that I would try to help him with some
financial aid."
Chowning has visited with ad-
ministration officials many times on
the subject of making soccer a school-
sponsored sport with finances set
aside for scholarships.
He said the two main reasons the
athletic department is balking at the
opportunity is it doesn't have the
funds at the moment for a soccer team
and it Is afraid soccer would be a finan-
cial loss like baseball in the 1970s.
Chowning said he was told by the
administration that soccer would be
die most feasible sport to add to the
athletic department and it is possible
that could happen in the next two or
three years.
"We could easily run a good soccer
program for $2000" Chowning said.
"Because wc are not backed by the
:
sive and defensive boards in the
game's final minutes getting three and
four shots at the basket eachtiirie
down to help the Jackets pulled to
within four 83-79 with 27 seconds
remaining.
ACU's starters were five of six
Wildcats in double figures. In addition"
to Williams Greene scored 16 Keith
Scales and James Joseph scored 12 and
Enzor had 10 and handed out njne
assists. Roderick Johnson added 10
coming off the bench for the Cats
Scales had 13 rebounds to lead all
plryers.
The game's leading scorer was
Quaite of HPU who had 21.
One of the game's keys was free
throw shooting because the two teams
were only six percentage points apart
in field goal shooting. ACU shot 01
percent from the line in the first half
and 71.9 percent overall and the
Jackets shot 58.3 percent.
"We're typically not a good frfce-
throw shooting team" Enzor said
"But we did well tonight. That may
have been the whole key to the game
right there."
Monday's win over HPU marked
one of the few times this season where
both Claudia Schleyer and Deonna
Moore have had comparable high-
scoring games. Schleyer the nation's
leading scorer with a 28.5 pointsper
game average scored 26 points find
Moore averaging 15.6 herself scored
23. . ;
The scoring after that was .fairly
balanced with Stephanie Smith adding
seven and Pat Bidwell and Stephanie
Mouse each had sue. J
Each of the above is expected t'4 at-
tend the wedding and will have; to
make the quick change to the court.
Jana is not expected to attend yhe '
game. -
unclear?
school we cannot get any of the big
schools to play us" McAlister said.
"I've had calls from Texas Tech and
Baylor wanting to play us but declin-
ed after they found out we were a tlub
and not a school-sponsored sport"
said Chowning. t
None of the schools in the Lonetar
Conference have a school-supported
soccer program. Angelo State and
Howard Payne each have a soccer
club much like ACU's said Chown-
ing. Texas A&I and Eastern New
Mexico also have soccer clubs but are
less organized than the ACU team
Chowning said.
"If the school decided to support us
we could join the NCAA Division II
program as an independent much! like
TCU" McAlister said. I
Chowning said membership in Divi-
sion II could mean scheduling schools
like Texas Christian University Texas
Tech Baylor Southwest Texas Texas
A&M Stephen F. Austin land
Midwestern State on a regular basis.
March
deadline
for run
The Marathon of the Great
Southwest sponsored by the Coca-
Cola BotUing Company will be con-
ducted March 15.
The marathon will consist of three
separate races; a 5000 meter run a half
marathon and a marathon. An entry
fee of $10 must accompany each eptry
form and be submitted by March 10.
Entry forms may be obtained by con-
tacting Mike Osborne Director of the
Marathon of the Great Southwest at
the Young Mens Christian Association
at 3250 State Street P.O. box 3137.
Runners will be required to check in
at the YMCA March 14 from 6 pjm.
to 9 p.m. Each runner will be Issued a
number and a T-shirt at this time.
Each runner must wear his issued
number to the race. All races begin at
7 a.m. '
Runners participating in the
5000-meter run or the half marathon
will ride a bus to the appropriate star-
ting point. The bus transporting the
runners to the 5000-meter run will
depart at 6:30 a.m. The bus transpor-
ting the runners to the half marathon
will leave at 6:20. :
The marathon will be on a 26.1 mile
course that circles Abilene. Start and
finish of the marathon will be at -the
YMCA facilities. The half marathon is
a 13.1 mile run and the 5000-mjter
race is a 3.1 mile run.
Mile markers will be in place tojin-
form the runner of his distance. ld
wto 2' et"P2''
S& ?3i3d
station.
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 73, No. 38, Ed. 1, Friday, February 7, 1986, newspaper, February 7, 1986; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth92036/m1/9/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.