Sports
The Battalion
Page 7 • Wednesday, January 29, 2003
exas A&M softball team set for new season
HI ^ Final week of practice begins for Aggies
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AUSSA HOLLIMON • THE BATTALION
pxas A&M pitcher Lindsay Wilhelmson releases a pitch during the 2002 season.
By Michael Crow
THE BATTALION
The Texas A&M softball team is
now less than a week away from
kicking off its 2003 season, follow
ing a trip to Italy for exhibition play
and weeks of practice. While in
Europe, A&M played two exhibition
games versus the Italian team, win
ning each game via double-digit
shutouts.
“The trip (gave) us a great oppor
tunity...to get some international
playing experience,” said Head
Coach Jo Evans. “It was really good
to finally get on the field and play.”
The Aggies are certain to enter the
season as a threat after finishing
their 2002 campaign with an appear
ance in the NCAA Regional tourna
ment.
Evans wants to take her team even
farther this year with improved offen
sive play. First-year assistant Rich
Wieligman will take over as the
team’s hitting coach this year and
should help the Aggies to improve
their numbers in the batter’s box.
Wieligman spent the past two years
working as an assistant at Texas Tech.
“It’s a great opportunity for me,
getting to come to A&M,” Wieligman
said. “I’ve had to coach against
(Evans) and recruit against her for the
last few seasons, and I’m just looking
forward to working with her.”
Wieligman’s task on offense
should be made easier by the return
of senior catcher Selena Collins.
Collins led A&M in virtually every
offensive statistical category in 2002
on her way to receiving third-team
All-American honors and being
voted Big 12 Player of the Year by
league coaches. The catcher from
Glendale, Ariz. finished the season
batting .331, with 16 homeruns and
43 runs batted in.
“Selena is a very important player
in our lineup,” Evans said. “But we
should have plenty of good hitters
having success around her as well.
That should he a key to our season.”
The Aggies also return the team’s
top three pitchers from a season ago.
Juniors Jessica Slataper and Lindsay
Wilhelmson tallied 190 and 141
innings pitched last year respectively.
Slataper was on the mound for a
team-leading 20 wins. In addition,
senior Lindsey Rippee contributed 61
innings pitched and a win-loss per
centage of .889.
“It is nice to have experience on
the mound,” Evans said. “They have
gained a lot of confidence and cer
tainly know now what it takes to be
successful at the top level.”
A&M will also depend on some of
its newcomers to contribute in 2003.
See Softball on page 9
SPORTS IN BRIEF
eCtlOl Aggies fall to No. 6 OU, 75-68
Jordan named to 14th NBA All-Star team
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The Texas A&M men's basketball team fell to the
Oklahoma Sooners on Tuesday evening in
Norman, Okla. Senior OU guard Hollis Price led his
team with 24 points in the game.
A&M senior guard Bernard King became the
Aggies' all-time leading scorer despite the loss,
passing Vernon Smith's 1,778 points scored
between 1977 and 1981. King is now just 41
points away from becoming the all-time leading
scorer in the Big 12.
Chris Sheridan
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — Michael Jordan was select
ed to the All-Star team for the 14th time
Tuesday, and Karl Malone was shut out for the
first time in 15 years.
Jordan moved into a tie with Malone and
Jerry West for the second-most All-Star selec
tions in NBA history behind Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar’s 19.
Jordan, who has the highest career scoring
average in All-Star history at 21.3 points, was
voted in as a starter in his 13 previous selections.
He is a reserve for the Feb. 9 game in Atlanta.
Malone was selected every year since 1988, but
did not make the cut in balloting by NBA coaches.
Also chosen for the Eastern Conference team
were Jason Kidd of New Jersey, Paul Pierce and
Antoine Walker of Boston, Brad Miller of
Indiana, Zydrunas Ilgauskas of Cleveland and
Jamal Mashburn of New Orleans.
Six NBA teams — Boston, Dallas, Houston,
Indiana, the Lakers and Phoenix — will have
two All-Stars.
Other than Malone or anyone else from the
Utah Jazz, those notable for not being selected
included Indiana’s Ron Artest, Washington’s
Jerry Stackhouse, Dallas’ Michael Finley and
Golden State’s Antawn Jamison.
The starters for the East will be Detroit’s Ben
Wallace, Indiana’s Jermaine O’Neal, Orlando’s
Tracy McGrady, Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson
and Toronto’s Vince Carter.
Houston’s Steve Francis and Yao, Kobe
Bryant of the Lakers, Minnesota’s Kevin
Garnett and San Antonio’s Duncan will start
for the West.
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