ne Spt te erg noms Ne a a December 1978 Comment “kind of expect they’ll be gunning for us.’” in the ex- Joining and players from the team that captured the Big Sky Conference championship. While that alone would be winners. JERRY L. ZAUGG has received a doctorate of entomology from the University of Arizona. He received his bachelor’s degree - from WSC anda master’s of entomology from the University of Arizona. He and his wife, the former Charlotte Baur, served as peace corps U.S. and in Anchorage and Fairbanks. In the back of their minds, of course, will be to get into the Big Sky Conference Toumament, and Championship naturally they TY ARTHUR R. JONES has received a doctor of leisure studies degree from the University of Utah. He is a 1968 graduate of WSC and earned his master of science degree from Southern Illinois University in 1970. He is employed by USU as assistant state 4-H leader. His wife is the former Calleen Woolsey. They have three children. Africa where they will play two games each team is Senior - McCarthy is quick to point out, however, that the ticket to the Con- ference Championship _ isn’t ee oe mm automatic. It will take a lot of hard work. _. “The Conference has the best gree ree balance in all the seven years I have eo eterse — I A A I aE IN PI a Te aN . are been associated with it,” He says. “Besides the excellent talent either returning or recruited at the schools, there are five new coaches in the ranks, and that tends to make a lot of question marks when you are figuring things out. Looking at the Conference on paper there are any of four teams that could be listed right up at the front of the pack, but again you never know how the rest will come along. I do believe that some of the best basketball in the country could be played right here in the Big Sky Conference this year.”’ The Wildcat’s plan is to be involved with their share of it. John Peterson dhe peep Ep ieee the would like to be the regular season champ and act as hosts to the affair. Mediterranean Kurt Cruise oe 12, 1979 rine Approximate Cost to find coaches is a mark of the he Army Cornerstone of the team this season should be Bruce Collins — Beautiful WEBER STATE COLLEGE ALUMNI OFFICE 626-6571 Weber State College| ends. The Rock Springs, Wyoming, = Bee ‘ , i “ tw Bee Mediterranean VISIT: GREECE, TURKEY, ISRAEL, EGYPT ““Hi-C” — one of the most talented and exciting players on the collegiate circuit. Just a junior this season, Collins will become the alltime scoring leader at the school, possible before this current season native earned MVP honors at the Big Sky Championship Tournament last Spring, beating out a player who was later the fourth athlete taken in the NBA draft. He can jump, shoot, rebound, and handle the ball with the best of them.-He may be one of the most exciting players in the long and illustrous history of theschool. ports on a cruise ship in the eke; 2 weeks-between . maturity of a program, the Wildcats have truly come of age. Qj Class Notes the ol Three freshmen, including the San Diego CIF Player-of-theYear, have been recruited, and they will be joined by a transfer and a returning letterman rom two years ago who took a break to serve an LDS Church mission. Although the team is diverse in background, they are extremely talented. Overall size and quickness is better than last season, the experience factor is higher, and the Squad boasts excellent maturity. In sum, the 1978-79 outlook is bright for the Wildcats. The prospects are especially pleasing for Coach McCarthy who has faced each of the last three Seasons with patched-up lineups and youngsters galore. Although no Specific team goals have been mentioned, the ‘cats want to be in better Shape than their opponents, they want to play hard, and play together. The team agrees that these are the keys to a successfui Season. New to the scene this year are a pair of assistant coaches hired during the off-season. The two, Dick Hunsaker and Riley Wimberley, are former Weber State athletes, and _ bring a continuity to the program. If the ability to go into your own ranks Quarterback guard Mark Mattos is a captain of the squad again this year. West | ROD “Old mai: Moore. in Coach McCarthy sees the schedule fairly comparable to last season, when the ‘cats put together a 19-10 mark. There are more road games, as the Wildcats stayed home more last season to play in their new Events Center. This season the ‘cats will check in at the All-College Tourment in Oklahoma City around Christmas time, and also make a first-ever swing through Alaska, aE bo Ghana, Guards The ‘cats picked up two junior news from Ogden. To complement the returners, the Wildcats have enjoyed an excellent recruiting effort that has brought some outstanding players to the school, some of whom may beable to play immediately. The Wildcats started four sophomores and a junior throughout the year last season. The lack of experience was a liability then. The experience gained has turned into an asset this year. Further in three other juniors. college transfers, one a first-team All-American, and they are also capable of making immediate contributions to the team. depending on your vantage point — spent several years Medical Corps. seniors nosed team leaders; while frontcourters David Johnson, Kurt Moore and Richard Smith are al proven performers who can soore, Pasta and play the rugged Wildcat defense. enough to make them a marked team, there is more good — or bad, volunteers five other two hard-working, hard playing, hard- them. The Weber State team this pa while still on the young side, as good experience and the confidence that comes with having been The Wildcats return their first six are Mark Mattos and Ben Howland are the China trip should have erased pect that they’ll be gunning for us.” That could be an understatement. Collins returning iettermen St team Nee PT the perience department was a summer visit to the Republic of China, where they played six of the best amateur teams in the nation under International rules. If the Wildcats still harbored any doubts about their abilities to win, especially in adverse circumstances, RRR helping Weber State coach Neil McCarthy is optimistic, but still cautious, about the upcoming season. ; “Last year we kind of surprised people, I believe,” he says with a smile. “They would look at our lineup and see that we were very young and not especially imposing physically, and tended to overlook us. This yéar, though, I kind of ex- — ET Page 8 <r gS aea