Jayhawk Fall Sports Teams Preparing for Post Season

FOOTBALL

The Kansas football team is on the verge of securing a postseason bowl bid for the first time since 1995.

The Jayhawks have a record of 5-5 and travel to Stillwater Oklahoma Nov. 15 to play Oklahoma St. The final game of the season is against Iowa St. on Nov. 22 at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff for both games is set for 1 p.m.

If Kansas secures a win in either of its final 2 games, it is likely the Jayhawks will secure a bowl bid. Head Coach Mark Mangino insists that the team's focus is not on the postseason, but the next game.

"The biggest thing about our team is we are focused. Our kids practice and play well. We tell our kids if you play well and win, the postseason stuff will take care of itself. We don't talk about it and never mention it. We take each opponent one at a time. We have Oklahoma State this week-we are focused on them. We are getting together our plan and a way to play them down in Stillwater. Our kids have great spirit. They understand what's going on. KU is in no situation where there is a lot of pressure-believe it when I tell you. We are getting better all of the time and getting confident good things are going to happen for us here."

Tickets are still available for the Iowa St. game. Contact KU athletics at 800-34-HAWKS or log on to www.kuathletics.com.

SOCCER

Click on photo to view video of NCAA tournament selection announcement

This has been a record-setting season for the KU soccer team. The Jayhawks are ranked in the Top 25 for the first time in school history, finishing the regular season with a record of 15-4-1. The team also captured its first postseason win in program history, defeating Oklahoma in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. The 16 wins are the most ever by a Kansas soccer team.

The Jayhawks will look to continue their postseason success in the 2003 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament. Nationally ranked at No. 16, the Jayhawks earned a national seed of 13 (top 16 teams are seeded) in the 64-team field and will take on the Illinois State Redbirds at 4 p.m. Nov. 14 at Audrey J. Walton Soccer Complex in Columbia, Mo.

Caroline Smith

Sophomore Caroline Smith leads the team. Earlier in the season, she became the all-time leading goal scorer in school history. She also holds the KU single-season point mark with 38 and ranks first in the Big 12 in points (38), points per game (2.00), goals (18), and goals per game (0.95). She has been named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the week on three separate occasions this season.

VOLLEYBALL

The volleyball team is looking to secure a post-season tournament bid as it continues to pick up wins. The Jayhawks have an overall record of 16-9 and a Big 12 record of 8-6.

KU recently defeated Border War rival Missouri and Big 12 foe Texas in dramatic fashion. Coach Ray Bechard was extremely proud of his team after the Texas victory.

"I have never seen this team [KU] play as well as they did in this final hour," Bechard said. "We had great results and did something no Jayhawk team has ever done in Austin. We can't let up and are excited to get back home and play at Horejsi Wednesday."

The Jayhawks have six matches remaining in the season, with three at home. Tickets can be reserved by calling 800-34-HAWKS. The first round of the NCAA tournament is Dec. 4.

Kansas Volleyball Remaining Schedule
November 12 Oklahoma 7pm
November 15 at Iowa St. 7pm
November 19 at Nebraska 7pm
November 22 Texas A&M 7pm
November 26 at Baylor 7pm
November 29 Texas Tech 7pm

Cross Country

The Kansas men's cross country team finished fourth at the Big 12 Championships Friday at the Barton Creek Lakeside Golf Course in Spicewood, Texas. The men's finish is the highest conference finish under head coach Stanley Redwine and is the best Big 12 finish ever for KU. The women's team finished 10th.

The Kansas men's cross country team finished fourth at the Big 12 Championships at the Barton Creek Lakeside Golf Course in Spicewood, Texas. The men's finish is the highest conference finish under head coach Stanley Redwine and is the best Big 12 finish ever for KU. The women's team finished 10th

"I'm excited with the men's team placing fourth. We are going to continue to work hard and prepare for regionals," Redwine said. "Our women didn't have a good race and things just didn't go well. We have to find out what happened and get better before the regional meet."

Both teams will return to Stillwater, Okla., Nov. 15 for the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships. The top teams in each region advance to the NCAA Championships Nov. 24 in Cedar Falls, Iowa