Document text
53 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, April 14, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend April 14, 2005 A cut above Annie Chaney has become one of the most dominant players in the NAIA this season By JOE ZAVALA for the Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Annie Chaney is trapped. She won't say it, of course. She's way too nice for that. She'll scream it on the tennis court, though, loud and clear and in the language of the game she's loved since she was 4. She blares it out it in the way she hits the ball; in the way her feet are always in proper position just before impact; in the way she covers the court — fluid, easy. Really, when the ball's in play, there's no shutting her up. But the Rottweiler on the court is a kitten off it, so you have to watch, scrape your jaw off the pavement and read between the white lines. What Chaney's saying is, stroke-for-stroke, volley-for-volley, she's simply too good for Southern Oregon University. Advertisement Quite possibly, too good for NAIA tennis. Trapped. Simply put, Chaney is a NCAA Division I athlete in an NAIA uniform. It's a fact, or at least was. The sophomore agreed to play for Eastern Washington University on a full ride scholarship last summer but backed out a month later in a decision she says — after pausing and taking a deep breath — she does not regret. "I feel at home here," Chaney says in a soft voice. "I didn't know a single person there, and that scared me." So, the former Oregon Class 4A state doubles champion stayed in Ashland, and has spent the last two months throttling NAIA opponents, most of whom simply can't hang with the former North Medford High star. How dominant has she been? Chaney is undefeated in 10 singles matches this season — a program record — and most of those wins have been lopsided, two-set yawners. She says, with a grin, that few of her opponents are capable of seriously challenging her. "They just kind of get (the ball) back," she says. Chaney, on the other hand, is a baseline slugger whose two-handed backhand is nearly as strong as her forehand. For most top NAIA athletes who fall through the NCAA cracks, redemption can often be found in postseason success. For Chaney, however, this is where the trap really snaps. SOU's No. 1 singles player may be one of the best in the country at the NAIA level, but she also may never find out where she stacks up for sure, thanks to the association's postseason formula. Singles players and doubles teams may only compete in the national championships if their entire team qualifies. That means that in order for Chaney to get a shot at a national title, the Raiders must first capture their first-ever regional title April 29 and 30 at Nampa, Idaho. Chaney knows it's a long shot but believes SOU has a chance to pull off the upset. In the meantime, she's enjoying life at Southern. She didn't spurn Eastern Washington for nothing, after all. Chaney lives off campus with friends, is getting an education for about half price, thanks to scholarship money, and is 20 minutes away from home. ("Mom, I'm broke, can I come home for dinner," she jokes.) That last perk of Ashland life may be the most important to Chaney. Her dad, Tom, is the one that sparked her interest in tennis, and Chaney is so close to her mom, Mari Ann, that the two spent spring break together living it up in Cancun, Mexico. "We were together the whole time," she says. "We are best friends." Chaney is also quite fond of her coach, Gail Patton, who knew Chaney long before she came to SOU. Patton told Chaney to keep the small college in the back of her mind while she was considering her post high school options. When those options dried up, Patton knew a gem had fallen into her hands. It's the kind of break that puts programs on the map. "Definitely, we were lucky to have her because she has the caliber to play other places," Patton says. "But, she had the opportunity to go someplace else and decided she liked SOU, so that was our gain." And what a gain it's been. Besides her singles dominance Chaney has excelled in doubles as well, winning eight of nine matches to improve her overall record to 16-1. Her doubles partner is Nicole Nakama, SOU's No. 2 singles player. Chaney says the two have a unique chemistry. "It's hard to explain, but we work off each other and we communicate well," she says. While Chaney is laid back off the court, she's a fierce competitor on it who harbored dreams of going pro. She still plans on playing open tournaments — she won Ashland's own Big Al's singles title two years ago — but Chaney is now aiming more toward a career in business management. In the meantime, she'll likely spend the next two years continuing to rack up wins while gaining a permanent place in the SOU record books. And if another Divisiion I school comes calling? For now, Chaney doesn't sound interested. "I'm here," she says, shrugging. "I don't think I'll leave because I would have already if I wanted to." Joe Zavala is sports editor of the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 482-3456. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Distance Education Diamonds Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Fasa Advertisement s