V^^ THE RETRIEVER Sports

PAGE 12 DECEMBER 1, 1992 UMBC needs a sixth man Hotline (x2129) to get the results. (from SPORTS, page 1) Make the games a social event. I can remember laughing to myself when they come out of the locker- when I would come home from a room and see the pitiful crowd game and see students gathered and attendance. We're losing even watching "Home Alone" on HBO before the opening tip-off! Take in my dorm last year. Come on, give some pride in our University. Make me a break! Go have a good time UMBC Basketball a big deal. We at the game instead. Celebrate are a young school and have a brand afterwards, parties are always better new Division I athletic program. It after a win. takes time to build a winner and has some of the finest we're not too far away from doing high school talent in the country. so. Last spring, our squad We can keep these players here became the first team from UMBC instead of watching them flock to to receive and at-large bid to an other areas. We can build some- NCAA Tournament. The Retriev- thing special here at UMBC. ers were matched against the #1 I can visualize a packed dorm, ranked Hurricanes of Miami on Pub or Ratt filled with UMBC their home field and scared the hell students cheering on the Retrievers out of them. With a break or two, in the Big South Championship the Dogs might have come away Game (which will be televised with a victory against the College nationally on ESPN). I can imagine World Series-bound Canes. Our busloads of our students travelling men's team was nationally to our team's opening round game ranked and our soccer programs are against Michigan in the big dance. well on their way to great things. From there, who knows? Maybe a Did you know that our women's miracle chance in the Final Four basketball team had two of the top competing for an NCAA Cham- six rebounders in the country a year pionship. ago? In college athletics, we all know Maybe the Retrievers will . that basketball is the sport that can advance to the NCAA Tournament put a school on the map. We need this year or maybe they won't. The to give them all the support that point is that we, as students of this we can possibly give. Get involved university, should make it our with the team. Keep a UMBC responsibility to support our team schedule in your wallet. If you can't and begin a brand new tradition make it to the game for some here that we all can be proud of.! outlandish reason, pick up a copy It can be done. Let's take some pride of the Retriever or call the Sports and have some fun! file photo Basketball players hope a packed Fieldhouse will intimidate visiting teams during the thrilling winter season. Aqua-Dogs slay Drexel Dragons and continue to rule the pool

Randy Davis Retriever Editorial Staff After an emotional win at College Park would the Aqua-Dogs have the heart to out-swim Drexel? When the waters of the UMBC Pool were once again calm, the lights on the scoreboard put any doubters in their place with the final results: UMBC men 159, Drexel men 81 UMBC women 147, Drexel women 80 "Trying to get them motivated ! mentally was tough this week," explained head coach Sid Burkot. "From a team standpoint we wanted to be 4-1, men and women, which we have never been before. We wanted to beat Drexel ... we have never beaten their men." With such confidence coming jinto the meet, Burkot tried to 'concentrate on some individual performances. Among the many shining moments in the meet was the performance of freshman David Miller, who set a UMBC record in the 1000 Free Open with a time of 9:32.94. "He [David Miller] beat one of the best distance swimmers in England and hung on and did a good job,"said Burkot of his young file photo swimmer. "David came out of our UMBC Swimming continues to leave opponents in its wake. Retriever Aquatic Club and decided to go to school here in the spring big schools. At the end last year when he swam with the club and the diver's concentration, especially photo by Dave Bellante last year. He was heavily recruited when he was rested and shaved he this is November . . . and that's during the entry. "I just try to zone UMBC out-played Costa Rica in the second half to win the exhibition. by N.C. State and a couple of other did go 9:27, and he holds our record really exciting." everything out and think about how Junior college transfer Victor I do it in practice," said Acosta. Acosta has made UMBC diving a The swimmers won't return home great strength at the meets. "My again until Jan. 15, and they will scores were pretty average, but not Retrievers will battle Terps at College Park where I want to be yet . . . due to travel to the U.S. Open meet Dec. and was six-of-eight from the my injury," Acosta commented. Six 4-6 in Orlando, Florida. Hopefully, charity stripe. weeks ago, Acosta broke his finger the Dogs will ride this impressive David Gansell Tonight' s Probable Starters The Retrievers are looking for when he banged it on the board string of victories while on the road Retriever Staff Writer UMBC UMCP fan support from the student body during a dive. Such an injury affects and into the winter break. this season. "Having a lot of When people talk college hoops Guard Dana Harris Kevin McLinton in the State of , the support helps us get motivated and spotlight is usually on College Park. Guard Skip Saunders Johnny Rhodes makes us play harder. In games The UMBC Retrievers men's bas- Forward Brian Watkins Evers Burns where we have had large crowds we ketball squad will try to change all Forward Artie Walker Exree Hipp have always played well," claims Watkins. "Fans will see an exciting that when they battle the Terrapins Center Sonique Nixon Nemanja Petrovic scoFmox tonight at 8 p.m. We all have heard offense and a lot of pressure defense about the great recruiting class that from us this season," added Harris. the Terps have brought in. The so- season." Head coach Earl Hawkins Saturday, November 21 by a 83-76 Coach Hawkins had not decided Upcoming Events called "experts" have predicted that claims that a win would "bring the margin. Coach Hawkins experi- upon his starting line-up, but look head coach Gary Williams has campus together and generate a lot mented with different line-ups and for Harris, Saunders, Nixon, Wat- brought in one of the top-five of enthusiasm. We are always being his team played a poor first half. kins and Walker to get the nod. "In Women's Basketball recruiting classes in the country. referred to as College Park's little However, the Retrievers out-scored order to beat them we'll have to take These players might turn out to be sister school. It's special anytime a their opponents 43-27 in the second care of the ball and limit the Dec. 1 - vs. Richmond at Fieldhouse half to erase a nine point halftime turnovers. We must control the great, but greatness takes time. little sister can knock off the bigger Fri. 4 - Sat. 5 Big Four Classic at school." Senior forward Brian deficit en route to the victory. Skip boards and execute our system. I Don't expect these kids to play like Coppin State All-Americans in their first contest. Watkins claims that "all the pub- Saunders' leaner from the right feel if we can accomplish these They have never played a college licity that they get just makes us elbow gave the Dogs their first lead things then we will come out on game and will face an experienced want to go out and play harder. We of the game with 5:49 to play and top," said Hawkins. UMBC club that returns four know what kind of personnel and they never trailed again. Soni Nixon A win against the Terrapins Men's Basketball starters from last year's campaign. skill level that they posses because scored sixteen points and pulled would be the school's biggest Dec. 1 - at MD-College Park 8:00 "It's our experience against their we play with them in summer down fourteen boards to lead victory in any sport since entering athleticism and youth." said senior leagues. We know that we can play UMBC. Freshman Damon Tweedy Dec. 5 - vs. Washington at Fieldhouse 7:35 was impressive, contributing twelve Division I. If all goes well, maybe point-guard Dana Harris. "It's the with them." some of that Terp hype will give In tuning up for tonight's season points and five rebounds in only first game of the year and a win way to Retriever hysteria in against a big school would give us opener, the Retrievers beat Costa twenty-one minutes of action. He the momentum we need to start the Rica in an exhibition game on hit all three of his field goal attempts Catonsville.