SURPRISED AGAIN
Pendergraph hopes doing the "little things" leads men's basketball team to greatness
By Michael Green

Junior forward Jeff Pendergraph loves surprising people. He conducts himself in an old-fashioned, even chivalrous demeanor, raising eyebrows when he addresses other as sir or ma'am and enjoying the reaction he gets. "People just don't do the little things anymore," he laments.

To that end, Pendergraph may surprise the college basketball nation this year. After putting up stellar numbers on two Sun Devil teams that were largely ignored, he is poised to emerge as a star in a basketball program that is on the rise.

His performance last year was a bright spot in a dismal year, in which the team struggled to a disappointing 8-22 record. However, the team called after a sweeping 71-47 loss to the University of Arizona on Jan. 24, playing better in its last 10 games than it had all season. The team went 2-8, but all but one game was lost by less than 10 points.

"Last year, people were surprised by how hard we played and how things went [at the end of the season]," he said. "They're going to be surprised again."

Already second in the Pac-10 in both rebounding and field goal percentage, he is eager to improve even on those impressive numbers. He will be helped in his quest by the addition of Duke transfer Eric Boateng, a 6-foot-10 forward who will take some of the pressure off Pendergraph to be the team's only big man.

"Eric will make things easier," said Pendergraph. "He's another person that rebounds and is around the basket, so I won't have to play on the post the whole time. I can move around." Though he still plans to fight Boateng for every rebound. "I can't just give it to him because he's there," he laughed.

That ambitious attitude is part of the reason he is pursuing a degree in economics that he is on track to obtain before he enters his senior year. "In case I make it to the NBA, I'd like to have a background in business," he said. "I want to protect as much of my own money as I can."

But that's in the future. For the present he can't wait to surprise people with this team.

"Last year we ended on such a high note," he said. "Lots of people came up to me and told me how excited they were for the year. There's a super upside right now."

-- By Michael Green, a Tempe-based freelance writer.

Point guard Dymond Simon was a strong Freshman of the Year candidate last January, putting up outstanding numbers and even earning a PAC-10 Player of the Week nod before she suffered the torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended her season. While her team was playing their way to the Elite Eight, Simon underwent surgery and began a grueling rehabilitation process.

Yet, Simon calls the experience a blessing in disguise, one that allowed her to gain new insights and perspective and return this season as a stronger and more well-rounded player and person.

"This has been one of the best summers, physically and mentally for me throughout all my years playing basketball," she said. "These last six months have been the longest months of my life and I wouldn't wish it on anybody, but I'm glad I got to go through it."

A daily regimen of inspiration from coaches, trainers and teammates, including Jill Noe, who has torn the same ligament as Simon in both her knees, was invaluable in helping her battle negative thoughts in the long climb back to restoring her self-confidence.

"They keep instilling in me to never get down on myself. You can't let an injury like this stop you," she said.

She says it was painful sitting on the sidelines, especially during the last game against Rutgers in which the Sun Devils were ousted from the NCAA tournament in an incredibly emotional game. But, she says, "sitting on the bench, you see opportunities on the court that you probably wouldn't see during the game. I watched how coach [Charlie Turner Thorne] reacts to the game and tried to see what she sees. And I've especially been learning from older teammates such as Reagan Pariseau and Briann January."

Simon will join a team which this past season set single-season school records for most overall wins (31), most Pac-10 wins (16) and most road wins (10) on their way to their first ever berth in the Elite Eight. ASU's final No. 8 ranking in the USA Today/ESPN coaches poll was its highest finish in school history.

She says she is in good health now and ready for the season — chomping at the bit is more like it. "I am so ready," she says. "I did fairly well last year as a freshman. But this year my whole mindset is totally different. I feel invincible. And that's not being cocky at all. I'm just ready to play."

By Michael Green

WEATHERUP GIFT NAMES NEW BASKETBALL PRACTICE FACILITY
ASU alumnus and past CEO of Pepsi Cola Craig Weatherup and his wife, Connie, have given the lead gift of $5 million to Intercollegiate Athletics to help ASU's basketball programs play on a national stage. The couple's gift, given through the ASU Foundation, will name the new basketball practice facility at ASU.

The Weatherup Center will be a 30,000-square-foot basketball practice facility. With state-of-the-art practice areas, locker rooms, offices and team meeting ares, it will be a home for the men's and women's basketball teams to practice, train and study. Features of the center include two full-size basketball courts, offices for the coaches, locker rooms and a team video room.

"Connie and I are proud to support ASU's Athletics, and we hope our gift will help contribute to the quality and excellence that is being seen through ASU," said Crag Weatherup. "This brand-new facility will not only bring visibility to the basketball programs, but will help shine a bright light on ASU as a major player in college athletics. We hope our gift encourages other individuals to invest in the excellence of ASU Athletics by providing greater resources for our coaches and programs."

ATLETICS LAUNCHES AMBITIOUS SUN DEVIL LEGACY CAMPAIGN
to further elevate its impressive successes, ASU Athletics recently launched the Sun Devil Legacy campaign. Currently, the first phase of the campaign comprises $90 million to build the Weatherup Center and a fieldhouse, and to fund renovations to Joe Selleh Track/Sun Angel Stadium, Packard Stadium and the Mona Plummer Aquatic Center.

"Our vision for Arizona State University is to achieve and sustain a performance level of national championship successes and Rose Bowl victories," said Lisa Love, vice president of university athletics. "In order to reach this vision of greatness, it will take an unprecedented level of commitment from our teams, our supporters and our university to compete on a national stage. Commitment and support for building state-of-the-art practice facilities and improving the legacy of existing Sun Devil venues will provide the foundation for ASU Athletics to compete among the best talent in the nation."

WAY TO GO
Sun Devils start football season strongly
It was definitely a new era in Sun Devil football country, led by new Head Coach Dennis Erickson, in the early weeks of the 2007 season, with ASU garnering five straight victories in five consecutive SAturdays in September. The 5-0 start was just the third time since 1982 that the team had played so well.

Fans were treated Sept. 1 to a 45-3 opening game victory over the San Jose State Spartans, Senior Ryan Tourain rushed 17 times for 123 yards and junior quarterback Rudy Carpenter turned in a precision performance, completing 14 passes out of 20 attempts for a total of 197 yards and two scores. Tourain and Carpenter were by no means the only players involved in the victory, as four running backs earned carries during the game.

The Sun Devils followed up their initial success with wins against Colorado and San Diego State. For the Sept. 22 game against Oregon State, the team's Pac-10 opener, the Sun Devils rallied from 19-0 down at the end of the first quarter to defeat Oregon State 44-32.

The offense scored four touchdowns of more than 40 yards, and the defense intercepted five Oregon State passes to push ASU to its second comeback from a double-digit deficit in three weeks. The Sun Devils trailed 14-0 after the first quarter against Colorado Sept. 8 before rallying to a 33-14 victory.

"I can't say enough about those players and what they did," head coach Dennis Erickson said after the Oregon State game.

When ASU played Stanford during the team's first away game of the season on Sept. 29, the Sun Devils turned a close game into a blowout in a matter of second.

Rudy Carpenter threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Rudy Burgess late in the second quarter and Omar Bolden returned an interception for a score on the next play from scrimmage. ASU had been struggling offensively up until that point, giving up five sacks and being held to a pair of field goals by STanford. In the end, ASU won 41-3.

At press time, the team had become bowl-eligible by winning its sixth straight victory on Oct. 6 by defeating Washington State 23-20. The team already provided Erickson with his 150th NCAA career victory on Sept. 8 with the victory against Colorado. It remains to be seen what the team will do when the "go bowling" with their new coach in his inaugural season at ASU.

ALL HEART
Senior leads youthful Sun Devil wrestling team
It would be easy enough to underestimate this year's ASU wrestling team.

The team, which finished sixth in the Pac-10 last year, could have freshmen in half the starting weight classes this year, according to Coach Tommy Ortiz.

But then consider Ortiz's winning record and the impact of wrestlers like freshman Anthony Robles, a two-time Arizona state and one-time national champion in high school - although he has only one leg.

"Every year is a challenge," says Ortiz, whose teams have won Pac-10 titles in three of the past six years. "I'm excited about my freshmen - they're hungry and they want to win."

Fortunately, Ortiz also has veterans like senior Jason Trulson, who finished in the top 16 nationally for his 197-pound weight class last year and is determined to win the title this year - although he'll have to beat his nemesis from last year. "I except nothing less than the Pac-10 champ for myself - the goal is to get a national championship match," said Trulson, a biology major who wants to become a cardiologist.

Don't bet against him.

"Originally he was a walk-on at tryouts," says Ortiz. "How he's close to a 4.0 student - and he's going to be All American. He's going to make every opponent use every ounce of effort."

One of four brothers raised by an at-home mother and father was a part-time wrestling coach in the construction business, Trulson is determined to train harder, wrestle smarter and do whatever it takes.

"I'm just going to have to work harder," he says. "Be more aggressive - go for more moves - be on the offense more often, which requires being in better shape."

Of course, he also plan to continue to maintain on of the top GPA's of any college wrestler in the nation, a strong emphasis on the team. That's what it takes if you want to get into medical school to study the heart.

Although, it must be said that, like the rest of his team, he already knows a lot about heart.

By Peter Aleshire, a Phoenix-based freelance writer.

ASSOCIATION OFFERS TWO HOT TICKETS
The ASU Alumni Association recently announced two special ticket deals to athletic events for its members.

Life members of the Alumni Association are eligible to receive a 2-for-1 voucher good for admission to any men's basketball game during the 2007-08 season, with the exception of the Jan. 9 game against the University of Arizona and the Feb. 28 game versus UCLA.

Alumni from the past two years of graduating classes (class of 2005 or later) who are current Alumni Association members are eligible to purchase one season ticket pass and one guest season ticket pass for the 2008-09 school year at the student rates for each pass — which are $99 and $150, respectively.

For additional information about both ticket offers, call Traci Nicksic at (480) 965-5207.

GETTING HER FEET WET
Swim team co-captain dives into final season
Nationally ranked simmer and ASU women's swim team co-captain Caitlin Andrew has a backup plan.

She plans to help ASU make it in the NCAA top 10 this year, then get into the Olympics and perhaps spend some time as a professional swimmer. After all, she does hold ASU records in the freestyle, backstroke and butterfly.

But just to make sure she has options, she also earned the highest GPA of any NCAA student in her sophomore year (4.1) and will graduate with a degree in biology this spring.

Her backup plan? Train dolphins, seals or killer whales at a marine park.

Of course, her top priority right now is helping the ASU women's swim team better its 16th place finish nationally last year. The entire ASU team could make it into the top 10 this year, with many returning standouts - including sophomore diver Micky Benedetti, who finished second on the platform dive nationally last year.

All summer the swimmers showed up at 5:30 a.m. for the daily workouts. The cohesiveness of the team inspired Andrew.

"Everything comes down to a team," She said. "When you're at practice and someone is having a bad day - it really brings down the energy and atmosphere. Same thing if someone's happy and excited - a lot of people go, 'all right - she did really well,' so I'm going to do really well."

Andrew says she started swimming late - at age 12, in a sport where many top athletes start at age 6. Although her father was her swim coach in middle school, she says he never pushed her. "You hear all these horrible stories about parents that push their kids too hard - but it was always my choice." Andrew said.

Regardless of her background, Andrew became a voracious swimmer.

"She's an unbelievable competitor - mentally really tough. She's one of those people who will do what she needs to do to put her hand on the wall first," observes Annemarie Miskovic, the team's associate head coach.

By Peter Aleshire