CM LIFE has learned that Joseph Carr and Kevin Nelson will play basketball for the Chippewas starting in the 2002-2003 season.

Carr, a 5-9 point guard, is from Detroit Renaissance High School.

Nelson, a 6-2 shooting guard, is from Detroit Country Day High School.

Nelson was selected as a Class B first-team selection for the 2000-01 season, averaging 18.5 points per game while shooting over 50-percent from behind the three-point line.

Kurt Keener, head boy’s varsity basketball coach for Country Day, says Nelson will be a good fit for CMU.

“He’s (Nelson) a very solid student and a good, hard-working kid,” Keener said.

“He’s seen CMU turn the corner last season to becoming an elite program and wants to be a part of a winning program.”

Keener said Nelson’s strengths are his competitiveness, shooting range, ability to get off his feet quickly, ball handling and defense.

“He’s a very skilled player,” Keener said.

“Kevin is a good scorer who can create his own shot, with, or without the ball.”

Nelson, who golfed when first attending Country Day, started last season at 165 lbs.

This summer has been the first time Nelson has done any extensive weight training, Keener said.

“Kevin was a relative unknown until breaking out last season,” Keener said.

“He’s a wiry kid, but golfing didn’t require the weight training that basketball does. He will benefit from this summer and then continue to get stronger and better when he is involved with the weight training program at CMU.”

Nelson will follow two other current Country Day alumni to CMU in David Webber and Mike Manciel.

“I have tremedous respect for the CMU program and Coach Smith,” Keener added.

“I hope we can keep the pipeline from Country Day to CMU open for years to come.”

Renaissance coach Mark White was unavailable for comment.

A former Mid-American Conference basketball player at Akron has arrived at CMU
to help sustain the growth of the Chippewa men’s basketball program.

Cornell Mann, who previously was the head varsity boys basketball coach at Oak
Park High School and assistant coach with the Michigan Mustangs AAU team, started
his duties July 2.

While at Akron, Mann was a three-year starter in addition to earning a bachelor
of arts degree in family development in 1995.

Mann immediately noticed the difference styles in coaching at the Division I level,
especially the recruiting process.

“I’m in awe of the competition in the fact that you have a large number
of schools competing to bring the same kid to a program,” Mann said.

“Some schools may stretch the rules, but it’s my job to be professional,
thorough and sell the bright spots CMU has to offer. From previous experiences,
this is recruiting to the third power.”

Before becoming the head coach at Oak Park, Mann has experience as an assistant
coach at Colby Community College in Colby, KA; Elmira College in Elmira, N.Y.;
and Ferndale High School.

During the 1998-99 season, Mann served as the interim head coach after Bill Morse
left the position.

“I was the interim head coach at Colby and had to perform all the duties
because I didn’t have an assistant,” Mann said.

“I’ve paid my dues and I’m not scared of working hard. Challenges
are the spice of life.”

With Mann’s experience and work ethic, head coach Jay Smith says Mann’s hiring
was a good fit for the program.

“We’re excited to have Cornell on our staff,” Smith said. “He
is a great addition to the program and we’re looking forward to having him
here for many great years.”

Mann is also excited to join the program and found Smith and his staff committed
to continuing last season’s success.

“It’s a lot of work learning the new stuff, but it’s great,”
Mann said. “The hard work is necessary to be successful. I also enjoy helping
young men out so that they become productive citizens in our society.”

“It’s a dream come true to coach at the Division I level and I work
for one of the best coaches in the country in Jay Smith,” Mann added.

“The coaches and staff work hard and do a lot of work behind the scenes that
people may not be aware of. They have also done a lot to help me and get me on
board.”

Last year the Chippewas posted a 20-8 record and capture the regular season MAC
crown, but Mann says he can help push the team to new heights.

“I bring toughness and discipline on and off the floor,” Mann said.

“I can also add some contacts and relationships that maybe weren’t in
place before my arrival. I’m seriously excited about being a part of CMU’s
future and being an integral part of the basketball program’s success.”

Although Mann has been here only two weeks, he has already met the team and believes
they can overcome being the marked team in the MAC.

“I’ve met with the team and they’re a great group of guys. They’re
focused and they want to win,” Mann said.

“We’ve got a great group of players coming back. If we don’t win
the MAC again, it won’t be because we didn’t work hard.”

If there one thing to know about Mann, other than that he works hard in meeting
his responsibilities, is that he likes the people at CMU and Mount Pleasant and
knows how to have fun.

“I knew when I got here, it was a family atmosphere and I’m the new
addition to the family,” Mann said.

“I’ve had the opportunity to visit CMU before when I played at Akron.
My last game was played in Rose Arena. I’ve never come to Mount Pleasant
and not had a good time.”

Beginning with the 2002 tournament, after the four top teams in each region are
selected, the committee will assign those teams to first-/second-round sites,
emphasizing the placement in the most geographical compatible sites.

The process doesn’t take into account where the teams will play in the regionals the subsequent week.

CMU men’s head basketball coach Jay Smith said the change will benefit everyone
involved.

“The change is good for the welfare of the student-athletes,” Smith
said.

“To remain in the classroom and miss fewer days of class is a good thing.”

The committee will place teams in the eight first-/second-round sites in groups
(“pods”) of four (seeds 1, 16, 8 and 9; seeds 4, 13, 5 and 12; seeds
2, 15, 7 and 10; and seeds 3, 14, 6 and 11).

There will be two pods at each first-/second-round site and the two pods at a
site may feed into different regional sites.

“The committee wanted to maintain the event as a `national’ tournament,
with four evenly balanced regions, while at the same time, keeping as many teams
as close to their natural geographic area as possible,” said Mike Tranghese,
chair of the basketball committee and commissioner of the Big East Conference.

In another change the committee adopted for the 2002 tournament, the committee
will have the flexibility to place the fourth team selected from a conference
into the same region it placed the highest-seeded team from the same conference.

Another adjustment in the procedure is that the committee will not place teams
seeded one through five at a potential `home-crowd disadvantage’ in
the first round.

Previously, the protection only applied to teams seeded one through four.

“This is a win-win situation for both fans and parents plus the players,”
Smith said.

“I think people will like the changes.”

In other men’s basketball news, the NCAA will review two separate proposals
at the October management council meeting for exemptions to the five/eight scholarship
limitation.

Currently, NCAA schools are not allowed to sign more than five players in one
recruiting class, or more than eight in two years.

The NCAA is considering approving legislation that will take into account rare
exceptions, but may not include the NBA draft if players don’t leave in good
academic standing.

Another development the NCAA is investigation is the participation of high school
graduates in university or college run basketball camps.

College coaches have expressed concern to the NCAA about schools using a new enrolling
incoming freshmen to go to summer school to their advantage by enrolling incoming
players into basketball camps.

Even though camps are paid by the players, coaches have expressed concern that
some of the bigger schools have higher level camps, creating an unfair advantage
over other schools.

“We don’t ever do that here,” Smith said.

“I’m for the kids going to school in the summer and getting acclimated,
but it’s disheartening to hear other schools taking the new rule to the extreme.”

“I totally disagree with incoming players attending camps and I hope that
the rule is corrected,” Smith said.

The basketball committee will meet again in Sept. and Lee Fowler, director of
athletics at North Carolina State, will replace Tranghese as the committee chair
starting Sept. 1.

Changes in the Mount Pleasant Adult Softball program has increased its popularity
and the number of participants.
According to Eric VanHevel, Recreation and Athletics Coordinator and head of
the adult softball program, an average of 10 new teams are added since he began
heading the program four years ago.
“We made some schedule changes, so that we accommodate more players,”
VanHevel said. “In the past when there were a few teams, they would play
multiple nights in a week. Now, teams play one night a week. With busy schedules
people have, it was the practical thing to do.”
The program currently has 52 teams in eight leagues. There is two men’s
and women’s leagues in addition to four co-ed leagues.
VanHevel said that despite the amount of rain during May, the current season
is going well and that people have been understanding.
The relationship between the Mount Pleasant Parks and Recreation and CMU Facilities
Management is something VanHevel believes is another positive for the softball
program.

“We have a great relationship with facilities management,” VanHevel
said. “Since we started having teams play at the new intramural fields,
the fields are now in the best shape since they were first completed. They still
need to be tweaked, but they are in great condition.”
One thing that VanHevel would like to improve is the process before the season
begins.
VanHevel says that his office starts the upcoming season information process
in February with the registration deadline and managers’ meeting in April,
but finds that teams are trying to get in a league well after games have started
in May.
“At that point, we can’t get anybody in,” VanHevel said.
The league is open to all adults 18 and older and there are two game options
available for prospective teams.
Men’s, women’s and co-ed teams can choose from a 21-game (doubleheader),
or an 11-game (single-game) format.
According to the parks and recreation Web site, fees for the current season
are listed as follows:

Men’s and women’s 21-game format

• $550 with umpire fees
• $235 without umpire fees

Co-ed 21-game format

• $500 with umpire fees
• $269 without umpire fees

Men’s and women’s 11-game format

• $275 with umpire fees
• $110 without umpire fees

Co-ed 11-game format

• $250 with umpire fees
• $129 without umpire fees

In addition, players must have a player fee paid before participating. Player
fees are due with player cards prior to any participation.
Player cards and instructions are supplied to the manager at the managers’
meeting after the team is properly registered.
Player fees are as follows:

• $15 for city residents
• $20 for non-city residents

A resident is a person that lives within the city limits of Mount Pleasant.
One other change that the softball program had was the format of the post-season
tournament.
“Last year we went to a weekend format instead of continuing a week-long
format,” VanHevel said. “Before last year, the tournament was the
only time we couldn’t guarantee when teams would play. What happened is
that we were getting numerous forfeits because of work schedules. With the weekend
format, it’s easier for players to break away from work to play. Last year’s
tournaments went well.”
This season’s co-ed tournament is set for Aug. 11-12, while the men’s
and women’s tournament is set for Aug. 18-19.

With the popularity in college basketball continuing to rise, attendance records have continued to fall.
The NCAA recently released its figures for the 2000-01 season and in Division
I, the men topped 24 million* for the second consecutive season. The women posted
an increase for the 17th consecutive season.
While the men didn’t break the 1999-2000 record (24,281,774), six conferences
set record highs, including the Mid-American Conference.
Since the 1997-98 season, the MAC reported record highs for home contests every
season and had 698,286 fans attend 180 games or sessions for the 2000-01 season.
At CMU, the men’s attendance has risen every year during the same period
and during last season’s MAC Championship campaign, 54,646 fans attended
14 home games.
“I’m extremely excited about the attendance rising,” CMU men’s
head coach Jay Smith said. “I was also pleased with the attendance at Rose
last year and this shows how popular college basketball is.”
“I’m looking forward to next year,” Smith added.
In women’s Division I, attendance topped six million** for the first time
as 19 conferences posted all-time highs, including the MAC.
The women’s home attendance in the MAC was 147,395 for 162 games or sessions.
At CMU, since the 1997-98 season, the attendance has been more stable than on
the men’s side until last season where the figure jumped 3,182 in two fewer
home contests.
“A big part is because of the success of the program,” CMU Associate
Athletics Director Gary Friedman said.
Friedman said the marketing department prepared for the eventual success of
the basketball program.
“Certainly a big plus is the success,” Friedman said.
“A large part is Jay Smith and his staff marketing his program and things
put in place by the marketing department.”
The CMU women’s attendance for last season was 13,596 for 11 home games.
For the upcoming season, the CMU men’s team will look to continue their
success by defending their conference crown and 20-8 record. The women will
look to rebuild and improve their 4-24 record from last season under new coach
Eileen Kleinfelter.
“It’s been wonderful to witness the growth of women’s hoops the past 20 years,” Kleinfelter said. “We’re hoping to build a successful program and bring some more fans to Rose Arena.”
MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst was unavailable for comment.

* Total attendance
** Home attendance only

Despite the wet, gloomy weather and a change of location, the 12th Annual Charles
E. Anthony Zipper Open took place Monday.
The open was held at the Winding Brook Golf Course in Shepherd to raise money
for cardiac patients. Over 70 golfers participated who were placed in “zipper”
and “non-zipper” teams.
The zipper teams consisted of former cardiac patients, some of who have the zipper
scar from heart surgery.
Pat Housley, college relations director for Public Relations and Marketing and
widow of Anthony, said the open was another success.
“It’s really nice to have such a fun event that people want to attend,”
Housley said. “The event just gets bigger every year.”
According to Connie McCann, director of marketing and development for Central
Michigan Community Hospital, the Zipper Open raised over $10,000 for CMCH’s
cardiac services program.
Golfers were treated to a variety of special events, contests, and help on the
golf course for the four-person scramble format.
The contests included longest drive for men and women, closest to the pin on a
par-three and longest putt.
Special celebrity events were provided by Bret Hyble, Rep. Sandy and Bill Caul,
Cindy Hales and George Dunn.
Hyble provided teams an extra drive at the number one hole and there was also
a photographer on hand to take commemorative team photos.
The Cauls were at the green on the number nine hole, while Hales and Dunn were
at the number 12 hole, giving an extra putt.
Judge Paul O’Connell, part of the original 12 Zipper Open golfers in 1990,
was thankful to be a part of the event.
“I’m grateful to be here with some good people and friends,” O’Connell
said.
After the round of golf, a heart-healthy luncheon was served to the participants,
something that Anthony carefully did in starting the event.
After lunch, Tom and Mark Anthony, Charles’ sons, welcomed the crowd to the
event. They also passed out various awards won from the contests on the course.
Bob Janson followed with some comments and shared some of his personal stories
involving Charles Anthony. Janson noted Charles Anthony’s love for golf,
his unique swing style and his own application of golf etiquette.
Housley noted that this event is where everyone had fun, something that typified
Charles’ personality.
“It’s nice to have Charlie’s sons and grandsons keep this event
going and have it benefit the hospital’s cardiac services,” Housley
said.

With Rick Pitino giving the Michigan Wolverines the 11th hour snub, speculation
around the next men’s basketball coach in Ann Arbor has begun to swirl
again.
In an article in last week’s Detroit News, CMU’s Jay Smith has resurfaced
in rumors that he is being considered as a candidate.
Although still under contract and a potential extension being discussed, Smith,
at this point, has put to rest any rumors about the Michigan job.
“I haven’t been contacted by them (Michigan),” Smith said. “I
don’t worry about when my contract is up. I just do my job, which is coaching
CMU. Things like this usually work themselves out.”
Although a formal deal hasn’t been reached for a contract extension between
Smith and CMU, one should come within the next couple of weeks with National
Signing Day for high school recruits looming on April 11.
Although Smith has not been contacted by Michigan, his name has surfaced due
to his days when he was an assistant for the Wolverines from 1989-96.
Smith then left Michigan to become the Head Coach at Grand Valley State for
the 1996-97 season before coming to Central.
Under Smith, Grand Valley went 23-6 en route to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference title.
Smith, who guided the Chippewas to a 20-8 record and the Mid-American Conference’s
regular season title, was the MAC’s ‘Coach of the Year.’
The Chippewas became the first team in MAC history to finish first after finishing
last the previous season.
The past season was also the first winning season for the Chippewas since the
1987-88 season, Dan Majerle’s senior season.
Other candidates reported by the Detroit News for the Michigan job include Seton
Hall Head Coach Tommy Amaker, Oklahoma Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, Kent State
Head Coach Gary Waters and Missouri Head Coach Quin Snyder.

FIRST TEAM
Shane Battier, Duke, senior
Jason Williams, Duke, sophomore
Joseph Forte, North Carolina, sophomore
Troy Murphy, Notre Dame, junior
Casey Jacobsen, Stanford, sophomore

SECOND TEAM
Jamaal Tinsley, Iowa State, senior
Troy Bell, Boston College, sophomore
Jason Richardson, Michigan State, sophomore
Michael Bradley, Villanova, junior
Tayshaun Prince, Kentucky, junior

THIRD TEAM
Frank Williams, Illinois, sophomore
Michael Wright, Arizona, junior
Charlie Bell, Michigan State, senior
Udonis Haslem, Florida, junior
Kirk Haston, Indiana, junior

HONORABLE MENTION
Gilbert Arenas, Arizona; Craig Austin, Columbia; Cory Bradford, Illinois; Tarise
Bryson, Illinois State; Torrey Butler, Coastal Carolina; Casey Calvary, Gonzaga.
Jarron Collins, Stanford; Jason Collins, Stanford; Juan Dixon, Maryland; Teddy
Dupay, Florida; Melvin Ely, Fresno State; George Evans, George Mason.
Reggie Evans, Iowa; Jason Gardner, Arizona; Kenny Gregory, Kansas; Jerry Green,
UC Irvine; Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall; Trenton Hassell, Austin Peay.
Brendan Haywood, North Carolina; Brian Heinle, Cal State-Northridge; Dewayne
Jefferson, Mississippi Valley State; Joe Johnson, Arkansas; Ken Johnson, Ohio
State; Rahsaan Johnson, Monmouth.
Jason Kapono, UCLA; Sean Lampley, California; Steve Logan, Cincinnati; Shernard
Long, Georgia State; Jody Lumpkin, College of Charleston; Demond Mallet, McNeese
State.
Chris Marcus, Western Kentucky; Ronnie McCollum, Centenary; Jeff Monaco, Southern
Utah; Terence Morris, Maryland; Brett Nelson, Florida; Rashad Phillips, Detroit
Mercy.
Norman Richardson, Hofstra; Kareem Rush, Missouri; Preston Shumpert, Syracuse;
Demond Stewart, Niagara; Tim Szatko, Holy Cross; Webber, Central Michigan.
Mekeli Wesley, Brigham Young; David West, Xavier; Rodney White, Charlotte; Tarvis
Williams, Hampton; Loren Woods, Arizona.

In other news:
The men’s basketball team will be hosting its year-end Basketball Bust
Sunday, April 8 at the PohlCat Golf Course.
Festivities are set to begin at 1 p.m. and the public is invited to attend.
The cost for the event is $23 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under.
For more information, or to RSVP, please call (517) 774-4302 by Mar. 31.

All-American Team lists provided by the Associated Press.

Chippewa fans haven’t seen anything like him in quite some time.
In fact, the last person to create this much buzz in Chippewa basketball
circles was Dan Majerle.
However, that’s where the comparisons stop as junior guard David Webber has
created his own identity and has put together a stellar season.
In the Mount Pleasant and CMU community, he’s not Chris’ little brother,
rather ‘David Webber — MAC Player of the Year.’
The Farmington Hills product received 36 of the possible 78 votes for the award.
Ohio’s Brandon Hunter was the next closest with 18 votes.
Webber was instrumental in the Chippewas’ historic season as the team became
the MAC’s first team in history to finish last one season and first the next.
The Chippewas finished 20-8, including a 14-4 mark in MAC play, which was one
game better than Kent State. Last season the team went 6-23 and 2-16 in the MAC.
Webber averaged a MAC-high 18.4 points per game and also led the Chippewas in
rebounding at 5.2 per game.
In a five-week stretch, Webber was named MAC West Division Player of the Weekthree
times and is also one of the 15 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Player of the
Year Award.
Against Buffalo, Webber notched his 1,000th career point in typical fashion -
completing a break away layup, off a steal and drawing a foul to create a three-point
play.
A prelude to the season probably came against Purdue, where he scored 24 points
and gathered 10 rebounds. However, it was his last rebound and an assist to Todd
Schrotenboer for the buzzer-beating layup that won the game for the Chippewas.
Webber scoring would bail out the Chippewas in the team’s road overtime win
against Northern Illinois.
Down 16 points with nine minutes left in the second half, Webber would score 22
points in the half to help force overtime and an eventual win.
Webber played all 45 minutes in the game and also hit a career-high 13 free throws.
The Chippewas would eventually find out what it would be like to play without
Webber as he developed a case of pneumonia.
In the challenge, the Chippewas played an inspired game at home against Ball State
and pulled out a 59-54 win.
Webber would return in the team’s next game as the Chippewas hosted Western
Michigan for Gold Rush. In limited action, Webber played only 24 minutes, but
made his presence felt on defense, gathering a career-high four steals.
In his first full game back from pneumonia against Toledo, Webber showed why he
was MAC’s best player.
Webber scored 26 points, gathered four rebounds, dished three assists and had
two steals. Yet, it wasn’t his scoring that won the second Toledo game.
Drawing a Toledo double-team at the end of the game, Webber dished the ball off
to Chad Pleiness, who hit a baseline jumper as time expired to give the Chippewas
a 70-68 win.
"When I’m 40 years old and done playing basketball I think I’ll
appreciate this. Right now all I care about is winning," Webber said.