Sports
Friday, August 27, 2010 Editor: Jake Lovett sports iowastatedaily.com | 515.294.3148
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Iowa State Daily
Football
File photo: Iowa State Daily
Running back Blankenship will transfer to Ohio Former ISU running back Beau Blankenship has decided he will transfer, ISU coach Paul Rhoads confirmed Wednesday after practice. Blankenship will transfer to the University of Ohio and be a walk-on for the Bobcats. “We wish him all the best,” Rhoads said. “He was in open communication with me the whole time about what he wanted to do.” Blankenship was hobbled by an ankle injury throughout fall camp and was going to primarily be a special teams contributor for the Cyclones when they start play Thursday. Rhoads said Blankenship desired an opportunity to see more time on the field as a running back, an opportunity
he will likely have at Ohio. Blankenship was listed behind redshirt freshman Jeff Woody at running back on the team’s most recent Blankenship depth chart. The Norman, Okla., native saw plenty of action in six games last season, primarily on special teams. He had four carries for 11 yards in 2009. “What he’s given to this program has been fantastic in the year here and there’s no ill will whatsoever,” Rhoads said. — Daily Staff
Ben Lamaak of the Iowa State Cyclones. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
Offensive line sees improvement
Returning starters apply experience to new plays, ready to take on defenses By Jake.Lovett iowastatedaily.com
By now, you know about Iowa State’s skill players. There’s experience and depth at running back and receiver, and quarterback Austen Arnaud has more options than ever in his third year starting under center. For Arnaud and those weapons to be successful, though, there has to be success up front. “If you’re not playing well up there, it’s hard
to gauge where you’re at, at any point of the season,” said offensive coordinator Tom Herman. “Because it’s really hard at quarterback and at running back to try and get a full grasp of what you’re trying to do Lamaak when you’re running for your life or things aren’t blocked right.” The offensive line returns three starters from last year’s unit that paved the way for the third-best rushing attack in the Big 12. Gone, though, is All-Big 12 performer Reggie Stephens. In his place at center is Ben Lamaak, the starter at right guard during the 2009 campaign. “You don’t replace Reggie,” said offensive
Soccer
line coach Bill Bliel. “You just hope to bring somebody that can some day get to that point. Ben is playing really well. You obviously want your best inside guy at center, and that’s what we have right now.” Osemele Lamaak, a senior, has 33 career starts, splitting time at tackle and guard. When the Cedar Rapids native arrived at Iowa State, he was a 225-pound tight end, much different from the 320-pound center he is now. However, starting his career as a tight end has given Lamaak an advantage over his predecessor. “If Reggie reads this, he’ll kill me, but in athletic ability Ben’s probably a little bit more ath-
letic,” Herman said. “And I think Ben’s almost to the point where he’s understanding and grasping the offense and directing traffic the way that Reggie used to.” There is one area, though, that Stephens held an advantage over Lamaak. “The thing we’re still trying to get Ben to do is lead like Reggie led,” Herman said. “Reggie was a tremendous vocal and nonverbal leader, and Ben’s got to assume that role a little bit more.” Even with the coordinator’s concern, Lamaak’s position coach said he feels good about the leadership of the front five. He did say, though, that getting to this point has taken awhile. “We’re about to the point in camp where you’re starting to feel good about it,” Bliel said
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Volleyball
Hot off win, Cyclones Johnson-Lynch leads face Montana, Nevada team to first challenge in weekend tournament Showcase tournament features nation’s leading teams By Dan.Tracy iowastatedaily.com
By Cory.Weaver iowastatedaily.com The Cyclone soccer team is trailblazing west Wednesday, unbeaten. After a tie against Drake and their first win of the season at Northern Iowa, the women’s soccer team is heading up north for the University of Montana Tournament in Missoula, Mont. to take on Montana (0-1-1) and Nevada (0-1-1). Both teams are going into the weekend winless, but the Cyclones (1-01) are still treating the game like any other. It’s still early. The struggle of putting goals in the net plagued Iowa State in their first game against Drake. Fortunately, they found their groove against Northern Iowa and hope to keep that going. “In the first weekend we did a pretty good job possessing the ball and moving the ball, and the thing that has been lacking is the urgency to score; something that we finally got our hands around after UNI tied the game on the PK. The urgency definitely picked up,” said coach Wendy Dillinger. They emphasized that urgency in training Tuesday and Wednesday as well, Dillinger said. As for the game plan for Montana and Nevada, “Score early and score often,” Dillinger said with a smile. The Montana Grizzlies have dangerous outside midfielders who can both be difference makers if not accounted for. “If we let them get behind our back line, they’ll give us troubles,” Dillinger said. “That’s the main focus defensively, to keep those two kids from getting involved.” Montana also has 14 freshmen on their roster, a similarity Iowa State won’t share with too many opponents this season. Nevada is on the back burner for now for the Cyclones as they won’t play them until Sunday, but they will take a look at them once the game gets closer. Even though Nevada doesn’t have a win yet either, they have kept
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vs. Iowa State (1-0-1)
Montana (0-1-1)
Where: South Campus Stadium, Missoula, Mont. When: 7 p.m. Friday Media coverage: Live stats: cyclones.com Notes: Iowa State leads the all-time series with Montana 2-0. ISU coach Wendy Dillinger is one win shy of 100 career victories. Dillinger, in her ninth season, has a 99-46-14 career record.
Beginning her sixth year as coach of the ISU women’s volleyball team, Christy JohnsonLynch has become quite adept at getting her team to achieve program firsts. Johnson-Lynch has coached Iowa State’s first three All-Americans, helped earn its first national ranking, led the Cyclones all the way to their first Sweet Sixteen in 2007 and first Elite Eight appearance in 2008. Along with their highest preseason ranking in school-
history, the No. 9 Cyclones will begin their season, for the first time, at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb., for the Runza/ AVCA Showcase. In its 16th season as the premiere opening-weekend tournament in college volleyball, the Showcase will feature 4 of the top 15 preseason nationally ranked teams in the country, No. 2 Nebraska, No. 9 Iowa State, No. 13 Florida and No. 14 Kentucky. “I was really excited when we got the invitation, it was something that we’ve been pushing for and hoping for,” Johnson-Lynch said. “It’s such
Iowa State is unbeaten through two games this fall, but the 2009 Cyclones went seven games without a loss, the best start in their history.
vs. Iowa State (1-0-1)
Nevada (0-1-1)
Where: South Campus Stadium, Missoula, Mont. When: 12 p.m. Saturday Media coverage: Live stats: cyclones.com Notes: The Cyclones hold a 1-0 series lead all time against Nevada. Iowa State beat the Wolfpack 2-1 in a match played in the UNLV Rebel Classic in Las Vegas on Sept. 21, 2007. The tournament in Montana signifies the start of a three-week stretch with two games each weekend, including trips to Omaha, Neb., and Illinois. Iowa State has never played a game at Montana.
Defensive specialist and libero Ashley Mass digs the ball Saturday. Photo: Logan Gaedke/Iowa State Daily
a prestigious tournament, we are playing two great opponents and I think it’s a perfect opportunity for our team.” All four teams are coming off trips to the NCAA tournament in 2009 with Iowa State, Florida and Kentucky all reaching the Sweet Sixteen and Nebraska advancing to the Elite Eight before falling to eventual NCAA runner-up Texas. The Showcase will feature four matches with both Big 12 teams squaring off against the two SEC squads. Iowa State is 7-117 all-time against top 15 ranked opponents with all seven of those wins coming in the last five seasons. “I think it’s a great opportunity to be playing top 15 teams right away off the bat because it will be a challenge; but exciting,” said senior libero Ashley Mass. Saturday’s play begins at 2 p.m. when the Cyclones take on the No. 13 Florida Gators. ISU volleyball fans will recognize a familiar face on the Florida sideline as former ISU coach Mary Wise begins her 20th season with the Gators. With 603 wins to only 67 losses at Florida, Wise has helped lead the Gators to 19 consecutive 25-win seasons; the nation’s longest such streak. Wise, who went by her maiden name Fischl during her four-year tenure at Iowa State, is looking forward to taking on the Cyclones for the third time in her career and the
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