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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 2002)
SECTION WfflMSggMM - THE BATTALION lux’s Benson faces drug charges AUSTIN (AP) — University of Texas Jrunning back Cedric Benson faces misde- Imeanor marijuana and alcohol possession Icharges after being arrested in his home- |town of Midland over the weekend. Midland police said Monday they [arrested the Big 12 freshman of the year [about 2 a.m. Saturday after responding to a [call about loud music at an apartment. Benson, 19, was charged with pos- J session of marijuana under 2 ounces and drug paraphernalia and being a minor in possession of alcohol. He was released from the Midland County Central Detention Center after posting $1,365 bail ! that morning. If convicted on the ! marijuana possession [charge — a Class B misdemeanor — Benson faces up to a I $2,000 fine and six months in jail. The paraphernalia and fninor in possession of alcohol charges are ! Class C misdemeanor offenses and carry up to a $500 fine each. Texas coach Mack Brown, who said he has talked to Benson, said he could not comment on the arrest and charges but called Benson “a great young man who we’ve really enjoyed having in our program.” "One thing we have really prided our selves on in our program is our family atmosphere and this will be handled within our family," the coach said. Considered the star of Texas’ 2001 recruiting class, Benson became a starter midway through the season and set a UT freshman record with 1,053 yards on 223 can ies and scored 12 touchdowns. BENSON Women’s tennis team has world flavor By Dallas Shipp THE BATTALION T ake a look at the athletes from the football or baseball team, and odds are, most of the play ers are from Texas or at least the United States. However, not all athletes call Texas or the United States home. Texas A&M senior tennis player Majorie Terburgh calls Aliwal-Noord, South Africa, her home and played at Tyler Junior College for two years before transferring to A&M. Seniors Olivia Karlikova and Martina Nedorostova are from Bratislava, Slovakia, and began competing against one another at a very early age. “[Nedorostova] was No. 1 or 2 in her age group since she was 12,” Karlikova said. “We became big rivals back home and faced each other four times. We each won two of those matches.” That early rivalry became invalu able to Karlikova, who looked to Nedorostova as her connection to the United States and an opportunity to attend a major university with a quality tennis program. When recruiting is mentioned, many students think of football coaches traveling to high school stu dents’ homes and convincing them that their school is better than any other college or university. However, in the world of college tennis, this is not the case. Because of a small budget, tennis coaches rely on connections and word of mouth to dis cover and recruit talent — especially from other countries — that can help their team compete. “You have to have connections,” said A&M head coach Bobby Kleinecke. “[Nedorostova’s] sister was considering transferring to A&M but couldn’t get the release from her school, so Martina came instead. [Terburgh] was at Tyler Junior College, and my former assis tant coach was there and he helped us find her. Then, [Karlikova] wrote to us and Nedorostova told us a lot about her as well.” While finding a school can be a big obstacle in coming to the United States, finding a college or university to call home also can be extremely comforting to those who cannot visit their parents on weekends like other students from areas near College Station, such as Houston or Dallas. “I am so glad I came to A&M,” Terburgh said. “The people, the school and Coach Kleinecke are incredible. Coach is a great guy, and I don’t think I would want to play for anyone else. Aggies are so proud of their school, and that makes me proud to represent them.” “I received an offer from a couple of other schools, including Tulane,” Karlikova said. “But when I came to Texas A&M, I fell in love with it. As soon as I set foot on campus, I knew this was the place for me. The people here and the tennis program were incredible. I just couldn’t say ‘no.’” Karlikova and Terburgh said there are some things College Station can not replace. “I miss my family,” Terburgh said. “My parents have never seen me play tennis in college, and that would have been awesome for them to visit me here.” Karlikova’s mother recently visited to watch in her final weekend match at A&M in the 2002 Big 12 Tennis Championships. “My mom had never been here before last weekend,” Karlikova said. “This was the first time she got to see me play in college. She was amazed at the stadium and how many people came out to watch us play tennis. People are into tennis more here. The crowds are a lot big ger than [Slovakia].” Not only do players benefit from STUART VILLANUEVA • THE BATTALION Olivia Karlikova (top left), Martina Nedorostova (right) and Majorie Terburgh all give the Texas A&M women’s tennis team an international flavor. scholarships for an education in the United States, but the team benefits from the global perspective these players bring to the team. “I like to have some foreign players on the team,” Kleinecke said. “It broadens the horizons of everyone else on the team. It’s fun to learn cul tures of other countries and talk with each other about their home country.” A* Tui~onm<^ Finals Schedule Monday 4/29 T uiesday 4/30 Wed nesday 5/1 Thursday 5/2 Saturday 5/4 Sunday 5/5 Monday 5/6 T uesday 5/7 9-11 AM Rhys 201 Oh. 15 Chem101 Final #2 Rhys 201 Final #2 Chem 101 Final #3 11-1 RM Chem 227 Final # 4 Chem 228 Final #4 Chem 1 07 Final #3 Chem 228 Final #5 1-3 RM Chem 228 Final #3 Rhys 201 Final #1 Rhys 202 Final #2 Biol 113 Final #2 3-5 PM Chem 22T Final #3 Chem 101 Final #1 Chem102 Oh. 27 Math 151 Final #2 Rhys 218 Final #3 Chem107 Final #4 5-7 PM C hem 1 02 Oh. 25 Chem 102 Final #1 Rhys 218 Final #2 Chem 1 02 Final #2 Math 1 51 Final #3 Chem102 Final #3 Chem102 Final #4 Chem102 Final #5 7-9 PM Math 151 Final # 1 Chem107 Oh. 14&15 Math 152 Final #2 Chem107 Final #2 Math 152 Final #4 Rhys 202 Final #3 Rhys 202 Final #4 Chem107 Final #5 9-11 PM Rhys 208 Mew Material Rhys 208 Final #1 Rhys 208 Final #2 Rhys 208 Final #3 Rhys 218 Final #4 Rhys 208 Final #4 11-1 PM Chem 228 Pennington Rhys 202 Final #1 Chem107 Ch.15/Final //I Math 152 Final #3 Rhys 201 Final #3 Monday 4/29 Tuesday 4/30 Wednesday 5/1 Thursday 5/2 Saturday 5/4 Sunday 5/5 Monday 5/6 T uesday 5/7 3-5 PM Math 142 Final #3 Math 142 Final #4 Math 142 Final #5 5-7 PM Acct 229 Final #1 Acct 229 Final #2 Acct 229 Final #3 * /Vcct 229 Final #4 7-9 RM Math 142 Final #2 /Ycot 209 Final #1 Acct 209 Final #2 /\cct 209 Final #3 Acct 209 Final #4 9-11 PM Biol 114 Final #2 Biol 114 Final #3 Biol 114 Final #4 Biol 114 Final #5 11-1 PM We conveniently located across Texas A&vlVI o*i University right behind McDonalds in the Harry’s Parking lot. For schedule of other classes offered, check our website at www.aplustutoring.ws or call 260-2660.