California State University Sacramento - Statesman Yearbook (Sacramento, CA)

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22 by Scott Hunter Staff Writer Two All-Americans returned to CSUS after the Division Il National Swimming Champion- ships. in Orlando, Florida. Maggie Schwindt placed 15th in her qualifying event, the 200- yard breaststroke. Kathryn Kruger earned honors by placing 14th in the 200-yard back- stroke. The top 16 finalists are considered All-American, CSUS's other national entrant, Don Lang, false started off the blocks in his qualifying event, the 100-yard butterfly, and was dis- qualified. “Don gave it his all, but in the end, was a second off his best time,’’ said Coach Doug Hagen. Lang has one more year to try it again and is determined to do so. ‘Qualifying this year Swimmers Gain-AlleAmerican Honors has convinced me to compete next year,”’ Lang said. Next year will be tough for the Hornet swim team, with only 20 to 25 swimmers returning from this year’s team of 34, Hagan admits that he has his recruiting work Cut out for him. “| peed to get out and recruit hard,’’ Hagen said. ‘With all the Division | teams out there looking for the same people, it is going to be very competitive.” “We need to get the swimmers who can get the times needed to qualify for Nationals,”’ Hagen added, ‘‘And to do that, we need to lure swimmers away from the big schools.” One thing Hagen feels is needed before this can happen, is a conference to compete in. “Not being in a conference is hurting us,” said Hagan, ‘‘It is hard to be in a good end of the season meet, and even harder for people to qualify when we have to travel so far to meet good competition.’’ And travel far they did. The high point ofthe year, according to Hagen, was the Oregon Invitational at Corvallis, Ore. Twenty-six teams competed, including several Division | powerhouses, and the Hornets finished well. The men’s team finished second and the women’s team third in a meet that saw the team’s best times of the year and the qualify- ing times of Schwindt, Kruger, and Lang. “It is easier for people to swim qualifying times when they can swim against someone who will push them to do so,’’ Hagen said. It remains to be seen whether a conference can be found for the team, but with competi- tive recruiting, next year could be a banner year for the Hornets. | ED (from march 19, 1986)

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Pro Soccer Comes To CSUS by Alan S. Walpole Staff Writer Professional soccer returns to Sacramento in the form of the San Jose Earthquakes, who will face the Hornets Saturday night, May 10, at Hornet Stadium. Game time will be a 7:30 p.m. The game is a benefit for CSUS soccer, which is playing a spring schedule for the first time. The Earthquakes are defending champions of the Western Soccer Alliance, the only outdoor professional league in the United States. The Earthquakes were once mainstays of the North American Soccer League, which featured the royalty of European soccer, such as Georgio Chinaligia, Franz Beckenbauer, George Best and Steve Zungul. But the league crumbled under huge salaries and dwindling crowds. According to CSUS men's soccer Head Coach Dean Wurz- berger, himself a former NASL player the Earthquakes now (from may 7, 1986) consist of ‘home grown American kids, ’ many of whom were college standouts. Wurzburger is also excited about the experience his Hornets will receive against the Earth- quakes, and also from the spring schedule, which includes CSU, Chico and Stanford. The new schedule represents a new attitude for the sport at CSUS. “The spring schedule is allowable under NCAA rules, ’ said Wurzberger. “‘It's the only way to go. If you're serious about it, like with spring football, it’s a must. You get the team together, get them thinking about next fall ... | have high expectations about what a spring schedule can do.” Wurzberger came to CSUS last year with high expectations for himself and his team. The previous year's team finished 2-14. Wurzberger hoped for a .500 season against a sched- ule that included five Division | schools. They finished 8-9-4. Now Wurzberger hopes the game with the Earthquakes will further improve the squad for next year. The game is “a tremendous help in recruiting,’’ and he will have several top players in attendance. Wurzberger is spending most of his free time recruiting and is excited about his prospects, which he expects to be a mixture of high school graduates and junior college transfers. Wurzberger hopes the game not only stimulates interest in CSUS soccer, but gets the community in general interested in soccer. “There used to be a tremendous following for soccer in Sacramento. The Sacramento Golf (of the old American Soccer League) used to draw crowds of 5,000 to Hughes Stadium. With the success of the Kings in drawing fans, you never know what might happen.” Soccer Notes ... A soccer clinic for those 18 and under, featuring the Earthquakes, will be held the day of the game, Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to noon at Hornet Stadium. The clinic will be directed by Coach Wurzberger and will feature several of the Earthquakes.

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Life Goes On For Ex- Hornet Baseball Star by Gary Sekikawa Staff Writer The final out was made, eliminating the CSUS baseball team from last year’s playoffs. The season had ended. For senior second base- man Bobby Haase, the loss also marked the end of his collegiate career. “It was over,’’ Haase said. ‘‘Everybody real- ized we wouldn't see a l ot of the guys again.”’ Haase remained part of the Hornet baseball program, however, after head coach John Smith asked him to say at CSUS as an assi- tant coach. “John and | got along well,’’ Haase said. “Sac State baseball is about loyalty. | put in some hard years. As a result, he gave me this opportunity.” When Smith offered him the assistant coach- ing job, Haase was grateful. “| helped get the program going.”’ Haase said. ‘‘Now I’m getting a chance to continue with it. ’ Haase believes the program is solid, and will only improve with additional funds for scholarships and field improvement. “| like the things we're doing,’’ Haase said. “And feeling | had a part of it.” The transition from playing to coaching has been difficult, however. Spring had always meant playing baseball, but this year was different. “It was hard to give up baseball,”” Haase said. ‘‘l loved getting out there and getting dirty. It’s been rough, but it would be rougher not to be around the game at all.”’ Haase has been around the game since he was eight, when he started playing little league. As a youngster, he learned the most from his father, who was a coach. “He gave me my love for the game,’’ Haase said. Despite an interest in several sports, he chose to concentrate solely on baseball. Fol- lowing his senior year at Valley High School, he earned a spot on the Kennedy American Legion team. In 1981, Kennedy made it to the legion world series in South Carolina, an experience that still ranks as his most memo- rable. After returning from South Carolina, Haase began his college career by playing at Co- sumnes River College. Following two years there, he transferred to CSUS, turning down scholarship offers from other four-year col- leges in order to say stay close to home. Although the Hornets were successful during his two seasons, what he remembers most is the relationship that developed between the team’s players. “Everyone went out together,”’ he said. ‘‘We did everything together. They talk about teams being a family. That’s what we were.”’ When he became a coach, Haase worried about how the people he played with only a year before would treat him. “! was looking for a rough year,” he said. “But it hasn’t been as bad as | thought it would.’” Last season, he was always listening to instructions; this season he is giving them. The toughest part about coaching for him, however, is yelling at his players. “| can't do it,’’ he said. ‘It’s so hard to be mean.” Like any young baseball player, Haase fanta- sized about playing in the major leagues. Realizing that a professional career was noth- ing to bank on, he has worked to complete his education and obtain a degree in criminal justice. For now, he is a coach, but he is prepared for a life without baseball. “| had my dreams,” he said. ‘‘| wanted to play pro ball, but if | counted on that, look where |’d be. Nowhere.” “It's easy to say ‘baseball is my life,’ ’’ he said, “But it’s not. If coaching doesn’t work out, that’s all right. Life goes on.” (from 2 19 86) SIA ad ed 23