PSU Magazine Summer 1987

------·SPORTS•------ Vikings try to beat 6-5 season Second-year head coach Pokey Allen will have 34 lettermen returning this fall, including 12 starters from last season's team. The Vikings last year won six and lost five, ranking eighth in the nation in passing offense. Leading the returnees are two first– team all-league offensive stars who earned the honor as sophomores: quarterback Chris Crawford, ranked seventh nationally in passing efficiency in 1986, and tight end Barry Naone, tops in the Western Football Conference. Also returning is second– team all-league running back Kevin Johnson, who set a single season PSU rushing record with 902 yards, despite playing only nine games. The kicking game should rank at the top of the WFC for the third straight season with the return of Mike Erickson, who punted for a 40.l average and made ten of 18 field goal attempts. "We're going to be much improved," said Coach Allen, "mainly because we're now two-deep at all positions. We should be able to withstand injuries that crippled us last season." The Vikings defense has also been strengthened by a great group ofJC transfers joining four returning starters. "Our defensive line could really be tough," said Allen. The Vikings open the '87 season at · home Sept. 5 against first-time opponent Wisconsin-Stevens Point. PSU's first of six league games will be at Southern Utah Sept. 26. '87 Vikings Football Sept. 5 Sept. 19 Oct. 3 Oct. 17 Oct. 24 Nov. 14 Home games Wisconsin-Stevens Pt., 7 p.m. Univ. of Idaho, 7 p.m. Humboldt State Univ., 1 p.m. Sacramento State*, 1 p.m. Cal Lutheran*, 1 p.m. Cal State-Northridge*, 1 p.m. *Western Football Conf. All games at Civic Stadium. Call 229-4000 for tickets. PSU teams make gains in '86-87 A second place finish in the Western Football Conference, a third place finish for the baseball team in the PAC-10 North, an eighth place in the NCAA II wrestling finals, and ninth place in the NCAA II national volleyball tournament highlighted the PSU athletic program's achievements this past year. Other sports also showed marked improvements. Women's tennis advanced its record from 2-16 to 10-9 for the most dramatic turnaround under Coach Chaun Ball. Greg Bruce guided PSU women's basketball from 8-18 to 13-14 in his first season after coming from an assistant's position at Notre Dame. During the course of the '86-87 seasons, PSU produced four All– American wrestlers, including national " champion Hiag Brown, a freshman, Wule receiver Tim Corrigan, who last year made 35 catch£S for 535 yards, returns to the Vikings this season. opening game is Sept. 5 at Portland Civic Stadium. Spikers build on past glory PSU volleyball has experienced some real highs in recent memory, including the NCAA Division II national championship in 1984 and 1985. Last year's 20-16 showing was less spectacular, but coaches Jeff and Marty Mozzochi feel the future is bright. "This is a team with a lot of depth," said Coach Marty Mozzochi. "They should be more consistent and court-ready." PSU's schedule this year includes six tournaments involving top teams in the country. The Vikings will host the Baden Invitational Sept. 25-26, featuring Northridge, North Dakota State, Sacramento State and Chico State. Then PSU travels to Corvallis Oct. 16-17 for the Second Annual Oregon Challenge Cup with U. of Portland, Oregon and Oregon State. PSU MAGAZINE PAGE 16 and sent three players to professional baseball in drafts by the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles. Fund-raiser, ticket manager hired Two new staff people have joined the PSU athletics department in the areas of fund raising and ticket sales. Richard Bause has been hired as executive director of the Viking Athletic Association, which has been operating without an executive director for two years. Bause was assistant director of development for athletics at Rutgers University and did development work at Temple University. At PSU, he will be responsible for raising funds for the athletic scholarship program. Steve Ranieri joined the staff in April as athletic ticket manager. Ranieri, who spent four years at the University of Tulsa in a similar position, will also work on game promotions, advertising and sponsorship at PSU. Former ticket manager John Hahn is now assistant sports information director.