And when the Trojans finished sixth in the final AP Poll of the year (the only poll they were even allowed in this season), people started to say it.

USC is back in the national spotlight.

But please don’t hold your breath. The final chapter is about to be written. This season will determine whether the Kiffin Era of USC football gets an extra page in the history books or its own 30 for 30 documentary.

So far, the script reads pretty darn well. Rumors and accusations surrounding the previous regime leave a dynasty tarnished and broken. The innocent are punished for the actions of the guilty. Justice is served in the eyes of the system, but injustice lives in the hearts of the people.

Sounds like something Steven Spielberg wrote, doesn’t it?

Forget for the moment that USC is a private research facility in the middle of one of the largest media markets in the world. It sounds better when you leave out a few details. But there is one factor that cannot be overlooked:

USC must go undefeated in 2012 if they want to be considered officially back in the national conversation again.

The 2011 season, contrary to what many people may feel, was not USC’s figurative rise from the ashes. It was the penultimate chapter. Now they need to try to write “happily ever after” in permanent marker.

At a school where 8-4 is considered a complete atrocity, this means the Trojans have no choice but to go for broke.

Or in this case, 14-0.

A chink or two in the armor would still give them a chance for Rose Bowl contention. And though nothing quite compares to the Granddaddy of Them All, this story is not about tradition.

It’s about vengeance.

If you take inventory in Heritage Hall, you will find two missing items. The first is a crystal ball won in South Beach in January 2005, and the second is a bronze statue won in New York that same year.

USC has 17 returning starters, including two All-Americans and five Freshman All-Americans, led by the way-too-early Heisman front runner Matt Barkley. He’ll be throwing to possibly the best receiver duo in the nation with Biletnikoff finalist Robert Woods and Freshman All-American Marqise Lee, together for at least one more year.

The Pac-12 is in flux with four new head coaches, three of which are in the Southern Division. The only player comparable to Barkley, Stanford’s Andrew Luck, is probably on his way to Indianapolis with a multi-million dollar check in his wallet.

Yes, USC might have to face Oregon twice, but they will host the Ducks during the regular season. And if both teams square off weeks later in the Pac-12 Championship game, then theoretically there is a chance the Ducks will have to fly south again to defend their title.

The fact is, USC should go undefeated. And if they do, they have not only secured a place for their golden-armed, golden-haired gunslinger in New York, but a free trip back to South Beach.

Aha.

That is what Barkley meant when he said that he and the 2012 squad had some serious “unfinished business” to attend to.

Seven years later, the Trojans could find themselves back exactly where their story began and the current set of characters will have one last chance to leave their kingdom exactly how they found it. The same number of trophies. The same dignified glory.

A Rose Bowl in their first year back in the postseason would be nice, but it wouldn’t get the entire nation to drop everything to see what comes next. But winning a national championship at the spot where their last one was taken away?

Well, let’s just say Pat Haden should have Steve on speed dial.

Read more USC Football news on BleacherReport.com

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Notre Dame 71, West Virginia 44

By John Antonik for MSNsportsNET.com

February 22, 2012 10:10 PM

Jerian Grant scored 20 points and Notre Dame shot a sizzling 61.9 percent from the floor to run away with a 71-44 victory over West Virginia Wednesday night at Purcell Pavilion in Notre Dame, Ind.

Tonight’s 27-point defeat was the Mountaineers’ worst since losing by 38, 84-46, at Villanova on Jan.

5, 2005, and it was Coach Bob Huggins’ worst loss since falling 97-70 at Kansas on Feb. 7 , 2007 when he was coaching at Kansas State.

The 44 points scored tonight were a season low for the Mountaineers this year and the fewest since scoring 39 in a 23-point loss to Cincinnati on Jan. 30, 2008.

“This game is such a mindset and when your mind is not right it’s hard,” said West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. “It’s kind of like people who play golf – it’s hard to get turned. When it starts going south it’s hard to get it turned.”

Believe it or not, West Virginia actually led the Irish by as much as five, 19-14, with nine minutes to go in the first half and had a chance to take the lead at halftime down two with the ball. But the Mountaineers made just one field goal (Deniz Kilicli basket with 17:39 remaining) during an 11-minute stretch to start the second half and the 20th-ranked Irish got whatever they wanted, wherever they wanted.

“We didn’t get anything in transition and they did get things in transition, obviously, and when you’re constantly playing with positive numbers it bodes well for you and they played with positive numbers all night,” said Huggins.

Notre Dame was 27 of 44 overall from the floor, including 9 of 16 from 3-point range. Scott Martin, who finished with 15, and Eric Atkins, who added 13, combined to make 14 of their 22 field goal attempts. Sixteen days ago in Morgantown, those two were just 7 of 26 from the floor.

Jack Cooley also contributed 13 points and six rebounds as Notre Dame outscored West Virginia 41-16 in the second half. Ironically, 16 points is what West Virginia scored in the first half in the earlier game this year in Morgantown, a four-point Notre Dame win.

The Irish also had 17 assists.

“It got to a point in time when I asked a couple of them, ‘Is there anybody on their team you can guard? Just tell me who it is and we’ll put you on him,’” said Huggins.

The loss was West Virginia’s 11th straight in Purcell Pavilion dating back to 1996. The Mountaineers have won only three times ever in this facility.

Kevin Jones led WVU with 15 points and eight rebounds, including grabbing the 1,000th rebound of his career. Jones is one of just five players in school history to pull down 1,000 rebounds: The other four are Jerry West (1,240), Lloyd Sharrar (1,178), Warren Baker (1,070) and Willie Bergines (1,025).

Baker was the last Mountaineer to do it 26 years ago.

The victory was a school-record ninth in a row for the Irish and now gives them 20 wins for the season. West Virginia drops to 17-11, 7-8, and has only one day of preparation before facing 10th-ranked Marquette on Friday night at the Coliseum.

“You score and you want to celebrate and you look up at your mother in the stands and they’re running by you shooting a layup,” said Huggins of Marquette. “You want to run down there and put your hands on your knees and they’re kicking it to somebody for a 3.”

Marquette, which defeated Rutgers at home tonight, will bring a 23-5 overall record into Morgantown.

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By Natasha Records

Just seconds away from campus, Phillip’s Market is a small deli with big plans.

Phil’s Market is right across from the Gatton College of Business and Economics on South Limestone.

Whether on the way to class and wanting to grab a snack or on a lunch break and want a home-cooked meal, Phil’s is the place to go.

The market carries a variety of items, such as chips, candy and any type of snack desired, as well as drinks.

Food, from the popular catfish platter to a burger and fries, can also be made to order.

Gordon Bentley, the owner of Phil’s, is also a cook and has been there since the beginning. The market employs two full-time cooks and another who is part-time, in addition to Bentley himself.

Phil’s started out where Wildcat Textbooks is located, then moved to the space next to Prince Hookah Lounge.

It has been running for 32 years at its current location, Bentley said.

Throughout high school, Bentley worked for a woman named Ms. Phillips, which inspired the name “Phillip’s Market.”

When Ms. Phillips died, she left the market for him, and he now carries it on as best he can.

Bentley’s head cashier, Terry Day, is a big help to the market. He takes care of the finances, talks to customers and helps them with anything they may need.

Before he started at Phil’s Market, he rented from Bentley and lived in one of the apartments above the market for six years.

He was able to step into the business easily because he used to work in retail.

Still, Day finds the job demanding.

“It’s not all that easy,” he said. “The public can be very hard to deal with at times.”

Without having any of the prices listed by the cash register, he has to remember most, if not all, of the prices for the snacks and for all the meals made by cooks.

When walking in and getting a whiff of the food, ome realizes the smell will be attached to the clothes upon leaving.

But the smell that follows is well worth it when walking out with a full belly of food. And the prices aren’t high, either.

“Compared to other places, their prices at Phil’s Market are reasonable, especially since it’s homemade and quick and easy,” said Jin Ho Park, a hospitality junior. “Like today, I’m getting a burger to go and will just eat it on my way to my next class.”

Entering through the front door from South Limestone, one walks down a hallway with tables set up on the left and bright orange chairs for customers to relax and eat.

Farther down is the cash register, and on the other side of the register are the cooks.

Being able to see the cooks making meals is different from most deli environments, because it gives a feeling of comfort that students miss out on when being away at college.

Behind the wall across from the cash register, there is another room with rows of chips and snacks, as well as drinks.

Tables are also set up in this area for customers to sit and eat, or just hang out.

Students and faculty make the market a popular stop during the five days a week it is open.

Park comes into Phil’s at least four times a month, if not more, he said. His favorite on the menu is the cheeseburger.

On his first time at Phil’s, he bought cigarettes and didn’t know what to expect. He wasn’t aware that he could sit down and have a meal.

“It’s a very convenient location for all students and priced very well” Park said.

Morgan McKenzie works full time on campus. She comes in once a week on average to grab lunch or a snack while on her break.

Her favorite on the menu is the grilled chicken sandwich.

“It’s very convenient for me since I’m on campus and the prices are cheap,” McKenzie said.

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SETTING THE STAGE

Looking ahead to its second of four early season tournaments in warm-weather locales, the No. 19-ranked University of Oregon softball team (3-2) heads to Palm Springs for the Cathedral City Classic this Friday-Sunday, February 24-26.

UO will play five games in the Oregon-State hosted tournament, including single tilts vs. World Series returnee and No. 21 Oklahoma State (4-4), NCAA Regional finalist and No. 22 Nebraska (8-3) and fellow NCAA advancer in New Mexico State (9-2). Oregon’s other two foes – Northwestern (3-5) and Cal Poly (1-3) – have made NCAA trips in recent years.

AROUND THE CORNER

The next month, the Ducks have 11 more games the next two weeks in Orlando (with several games televised online at ESPN3.com) and Fresno. In those games, UO will face one more World Series advancer (Baylor) and two more round of 64 NCAA tourney qualifiers (Fresno State, Illinois State).

UO’s home opener at Howe Field is only three weeks away vs. No. 2-ranked Alabama, Tue., March 13. The Crimson Tide’s top player was one of head coach Mike White‘s former Marist prep players – Kayla Braun (pron. BROE).

Altogether, UO’s schedule is one of the nation’s toughest and features 33 of its 56 games against NCAA tourney qualifiers from last year (including six of last year’s eight advancers to the Women’s College World Series).

RECENT 2011 DUCK STARTERS (2012/2011/Overall Career Starts)

C: Alexa Peterson (2/48/50), Courtney Ceo (2/-/57)

1B: Kailee Cuico (5/40/45)

2B: Kaylan Howard (5/52/113)

SS: Kelsey Chambers (4/54/164)

3B: Courtney Ceo (2/55/57) / Lindsey Chambers (2/7/66)

OF: Allie Burger (3/52/111), Sara Goodrum (3/-/3)

OF: Janie Takeda (5/-/5)

OF: Samantha Pappas (4/50/111)

OPENING WEEK RECAP

Two weeks ago, then-No. 11 Oregon opened its 39th campaign in the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. with a 3-2 mark. UO won two games via the eight-run rule vs. UCSB (10-2 (5)) and San Jose State (8-0 (5)), and the finale on a two-run seventh-inning double by freshman pinch hitter Hannah Melick vs. NCAA veteran San Diego State (5-4). Oregon’s two losses were by one run in seventh-inning comebacks compounded by Duck errors against Super Regional returnee BYU (2-1) and New Mexico (7-6).

During the weekend, All-Pac-12 returnee and junior pitcher Jessica Moore climbed all-time UO lists for career strikeouts (second, 481), wins (eighth, 42) and complete games (10th, 33). Senior shortstop Kelsey Chambers likewise improved on career charts for homers (sixth, 28) and RBI (10th, 100), and on all-time game bests with her marks vs. San Jose State (hits, second, 4; runs, sixth, 3; RBI, 10th, 5).

Overall for the five games, nine Ducks topped .300, including five over .400 – junior left fielder Allie Burger (.571, 4-for-7, 2 BB), freshman infielder Hannah Melick (.500, 3-for-6, 3 RBI), sophomore infielder Courtney Ceo (.471, 8-for-17, 1 HR, 3 RBI), junior second baseman Kaylan Howard (.467, 7-for-15, 2 HR, 7 RBI) and Kelsey Chambers (.467, 7-for-15, 2 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 3 BB).

Freshman Karissa Hovinga logged the team’s first shutout of the season vs. San Jose State (5.0 IP, 3 SO, 3 BB, 4 H) after she escaped a pair of bases-loaded situations in the first and second innings.

DUCK 2012 TEAM PREVIEW

Ranked No. 11 and No. 16 in the preseason by USA Softball and the NFCA (both preseason program bests), Oregon returns starters at seven of the eight field positions, and its top pitcher from last year – junior right-hander Jessica Moore.

The right-hander from Sutter, Calif., posted UO’s top two all-time best strikeout totals (238, 224) the past two years, and became the third Duck pitcher ever to earn All-Conference honors.

Seven other Duck returnees have earned prior All-Pac-12 acclaim – senior shortstop Kelsey Chambers (2010 Honorable Mention), junior outfielders Allie Burger (2010 HM) and Sam Pappas (2010 All-Pac-10) and infielder Kaylan Howard (2010 All-Freshman HM), and sophomore infielders Courtney Ceo (2011 All-Freshman), Kailee Cuico (2011 All-Freshman HM) and Alexa Peterson (2011 All-Freshman Team).

Several members of Oregon’s six-member freshman class are challenging for starting positions, meaning the future is even brighter.

Freshman Janie Takeda was the only Duck frosh to start all five games opening weekend with her nods in center field. Freshman Sara Goodrum started two games in left field and another in right field. Freshman Karissa Hovinga (1-0) won her first collegiate start vs. San Jose State, and struck out three in the five-inning shutout. Freshman Hannah Melick hit .500 opening weekend and connected on three hits in her six at-bats and knocked in 3 RBI.

2011 – ANOTHER MEMORABLE SEASON

Last year, UO both started and ended the year ranked top 15 in both national polls en route to its second straight (and ever) NCAA Super Regional trip.

- Last May, Oregon finished tied for third in the Pac-10 Conference – its best finish since the league expanded to eight teams in 1993. The final two weeks of the regular season, UO won its first series vs. then-No. 12 UCLA and then-No. 12 Stanford for the first times since 2005 and ’07, respectively.

- Among other conference play notes last year:

- UO won its third-ever season series vs. eight-time national champion Arizona.

- UO swept Oregon State for the third time ever and first time since 1994.

- UO’s 8-0 win at then-No. 6 Washington tied its biggest winning margin in the series.

Last May, UO opened the postseason with a 3-0 mark in the Penn State Regional with wins over Albany (3-1), Fordham (2-0) and at Penn State (3-1), then dropped both of its Super Regional games at eventual NCAA runner-up Florida.  Altogether, the past two years, UO is now 6-4 in the postseason under third-year head coach Mike White.

- Last year’s Duck team broke school season records for home runs (71, 1.22 per game), and ranked 14th nationally. On the mound, the Ducks’ 446 strikeouts (7.69 strikeouts p/g) ranked second-best all-time for UO behind his 2010 pitching staff’s mark (470, 8.25).

OPPONENT SEASON REVIEWS

Cal Poly Mustangs (1-3)


The Mustangs are under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Jenny Condon (201-153), and her coaching staff includes former Duck pitching great Ani Nyhus who is in her sixth season in San Luis Obispo. Last year Cal Poly went 11-36, and tied for sixth in the Big West, while it made NCAA tournament trips under Condon’s guidance in 2007 and ’09. One of six position starters returning, senior outfielder Nora Sobczak was an All-Big West honorable mention last year, and hit .315. The team’s top pitcher last year, junior right-hander Rebecca Patton, ranked top four in the conference last year in starts (second, 30), and strikeouts (fourth, 107).

Top Mustang Players (Notable 2012 Stats)
Nora Sobczak, Sr. OF – .444, 4-for-9, 3 BB

Kim Westlund, So., IF – .364, 4-for-11, 1 HR, 5 RBI

Whitley Gerhart, Jr., OF – .333, 2-for-6, 1 RBI

Rebecca Patton, Jr., P – 1-1, 4.501 ERA, 2 CG, 14 IP, 7 SO, 4BB, 17H

Chloe Wurst, Fr., P – 0-2, 15.75 ERA, 2 GS, 6.2 IP, 4 SO, 7 BB, 11 H

No. 22 Nebraska Huskers (8-3)
The Huskers are under the guidance of 20th-year head coach Rhonda Revelle, a former Duck softball player, who is 737-404 in her tenure in Lincoln. Last year, NU went 41-14, and in the Stanford Regional opened and closed with losses to Fresno State (1-0, (10 innings)) and Stanford (4-1), while its postseason wins came vs. Pacific (11-1 (5) and Fresno State (5-0). Sophomore catcher Taylor Edwards was a NFCA Third-Team All-American last year, and her sister and pitcher/utility player Tatum Edwards, joined her on the All-Big 12 Second Team. Senior infielder Ashley Guile was an All-Big 12 First Team pick in 2010, and senior pitcher Ashley Hagemann was likewise honored in 2011. Two other Huskers were 2010 All-Big 12 Second-Team choices – senior outfielder Nikki Haget and junior outfielder Brooke Thompson.

Top Nebraska Players (Notable 2012 Stats)
Ashley Guile, Sr., IF – .500, 17-for-34, 1 HR, 16 RBI, 7 BB

Madison Drake, Sr., OF – .500, 10-for-20, 3 2B

Tatum Edwards, So., UT/P – .429, 15-for-35, 3 HR, 16 RBI, 6 BB, 1.07 ERA, 4-1, 19.2 IP, 15 SO, 3 BB, 14 H

Taylor Edwards, So., C – .424, 14-for-33, 4 2B, 2 HR, 10 RBI

Gabby Banda, Jr., IF – .394, 13-for-33, 13 RBI, 8 BB

Brooke Thomason, Jr., OF – .355, 11-for-31, 4 2B, 2 HR, 11RBI, 10BB

Ashley Hagemann, Sr., P – 3.67, 4-2, 40 IP, 53 SO, 23 BB, 44 H

 

New Mexico State Aggies (9-2)
Ninth-year Aggie head coach Kathy Rodolph was the 2011 WAC Coach of the Year and owns a 435-326 record. The Aggies received votes in the preseason national poll in January after they went 44-17 last year, and won the WAC Conference. In the NCAA tourney last May, NMSU opened with a 9-0, five-inning win over Texas Tech, then lost 8-0 at No. 8 Arizona and 6-4 to the Red Raiders. Senior utility player Tiare Jennings was an All-WAC First Team and All-West Region Second-Team pick last year, and sophomore utility player Valerie Swedberg was the 2011 WAC Freshman of the Year and an All-WAC First Team choice with junior utility player Teresa Conrad.

Top Aggie Players (Notable 2012 Stats)
Tiare Jennings, Sr., UT – .545, 18-for-33, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 8 BB, 3 SB

Amber Olive, Jr., OF – .543, 19-for-35, 3 SB

Briana Tovio-Asato, Fr., IF – .467, 14-for-30, 4 2B, 1 HR, 4 BB

Malena Padilla, Fr., OF – .435, 10-for-23, 1 HR, 6 RBI

K Covarrubia, RSo., IF – .400, 10-for-25, 4 HR, 17 RBI, 5 BB

Valerie Sweberg, So., UT – .389, 14-for-36, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB

Staci Rodriguez, Fr., OF – .323, 10-for-31, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB

Celisah Walker, So., P – 1.91 ERA, 3-0, 22 IP, 13 SO, 8 BB, 24 H

Alex Newman, Jr., P – 3.97 ERA, 6-1, 37 IP, 26 SO, 6 BB, 42 H

 

Northwestern Wildcats (3-5)
Head Coach Kate Drohan sports a 360-182-1 record in her 11th season at the helm, and last year’s squad went 23-20 overall and placed 10th in the Big Ten (5-13). This year’s squad returns seven starters, including junior infielder Emily Allard. Last year she was a top-25 finalist for the USA Softball Player of the Year and an All-Big Ten First Team pick after she hit .491, while her 45 bases earned her the 2011 NFCA Golden Shoes Award as the nation’s top base stealer. Senior infielder Adrienne Monka was a First-Team All-American last year and led the nation last year in walks per game (1.53) and on-base percentage (.707). Sophomore infielder Marisa Bast was an All-Big Ten Second-Team pick last year.

Top Wildcat Players (Notable 2012 Stats)
Emily Allard, Jr., UT – .485, 16-for-33, 3 2B, 7 RBI, 6 SB

Paige Tonz, So., C – .364, 4-for-11, 1 2B, 2 BB

Kristin Scharkey, Jr., OF – .313, 5-for-16, 2 BB

Anna Edwards, Fr., IF – .308, 8-for-26, 1 HR, 4 BB

Adrienne Monka, Sr., IF – .300, 6-for-20, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 6 BB

Amy Letourneau, Fr., P – 6.76, 3-3, 29 IP, 29 SO, 27 BB, 27 H

Meghan Lamberth, Jr. P – 4.67 ERA, 0-2, 18 IP, 5 SO, 21 BB, 19 H  

No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowgirls (4-4)
Sixth-year head coach Rich Wieligman has led the Pokes to three straight NCAA trips, including a World Series bid in 2011 that capped a 44-16 season. This year, OSU opened the year as No. 11 in the preseason national polls and ranked eighth at the end of the ’11 campaign. Oklahoma State said farewell to two key senior infielders from last year – All-America second baseman Alysia Hamilton and third baseman Mariah Gearhart -  both three-time All-Big 12 and All-Midwest Regional choices – while senior shortstop Chelsea Garcia was an All-Big 12 Second team pick last spring.  The latter player entered the season ranked top 20 all-time in school history in homers (ninth, 20), on-base percentage (20th, .360), hits (20th, 142), doubles (21st, 20) and slugging (24th, .468).

Top Cowgirl Players (Notable 2012 Stats)
Tamara Brown, Jr., UT – .435, 10-for-23, 5 RBI, 2 BB

Kelsey Anchors, Sr., OF – .360, 9-for-25, 1 HR

Ari Morrison, So., 2B – .360, 9-for-25, 2 SB

Shelby Davis, Fr., OF – .250, 2-for-8,

Simone Freeman, So., P – 2-2, 1.75, 24 IP, 31 SO, 4 BB, 22 H

Kat Espinosa, Jr., P – 3.39 ERA, 1-2, 20.2 IP, 16 SO, 5 BB, 19 H

UPCOMING OPPONENT SERIES HISTORY
UO’s all-time marks against this weekend’s opponents follows: Cal Poly (4-1), Nebraska  (3-6), New Mexico (7-5), Northwestern (1-4) and Oklahoma State (6-10).

Oregon played one of those teams last year, and topped Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, 8-1, thanks to its 13 hits – two shy of its season high. Then-senior Brittany Rumfelt pitched the opening five innings to earn the win, struck out five, walked two, and allowed three hits. For the game, nine Ducks hit safely, and four rapped multiple hits – Kailee Cuico (2-for-3, 1 RBI), Kaylan Howard (2-for-4, 1 RBI), then-senior Kaitlin Vitek (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Allie Burger (2-for-4).

Results from its all-time meetings with this weekend’s five opponents follow:

vs. Cal Poly (UO leads, 4-1)

3/25/2011 – #15 Oregon    W – 8-1

3/6/2010 – Oregon        W – 2-0

2/9/2008 – #20 Oregon    W – 14-4

2/15/2002 – Cal Poly    L – 5-8

3/25/1995 – Oregon        W – 2-1


vs. Nebraska (Nebraska leads, 6-3)

2/21/2009 – Nebraska    L – 1-3

2/10/2001 – Nebraska (UO #20)    L – 1-2

2/16/2001 – Nebraska    L – 0-7

2/20/2000 – Nebraska    L – 2-6

3/19/1999 – Oregon        W – 7-2

3/25/1995 – Nebraska    L – 0-1

2/19/1989 – Oregon        W – 2-1

3/23/1989 – Oregon        W – 3-1

5/17/1998 – Nebraska^     L – 7-9

 
vs. New Mexico State (UO leads, 7-5)

3/9/2008 – Oregon        W – 2-0

3/9/2007 – #15 Oregon    W – 8-3

2/17/2001 – Oregon        W – 7-6

2/26/2000 – NMSU        L – 1-5

2/28/1998 – Oregon        W – 5-1

3/1/1998 – NMSU        L – 2-6

3/2/1991 – Oregon        W – 8-0

2/18/1989 – Oregon        W – 6-2

3/3/1989 – at NMSU        L – 3-4

3/26/1989 – Oregon        W – 3-0

3/3/1988 – at NMSU        L – 1-2

3/4/1988 – NMSU        L – 1-2

vs. Northwestern (NU leads, 4-1)

2/14/2009 – #11 Northwestern    L – 2-5

2/22/2008 – #2 Northwestern    L – 0-7

3/5/1999 – Northwestern    L – 1-3

3/8/1998 – Northwestern    L – 0-2

3/24/1989 – Oregon        W – 10-0

 
vs. Oklahoma State (Ok.St. leads, 10-6)

2/25/2006 – #22 Oregon    W – 4-2

2/13/2005 – Ok. St. (UO #13)    L – 2-3

5/16/2003 – #11 Ok.St.^ (UO #17)    L – 1-2

5/17/2003 – #17 UO (#11 Ok.St.) W – 7-6

2/13/1999 – Oregon        W – 13-1

3/20/1999 – Oregon        W – 10-2

2/28/1997 – Oklahoma State    L – 3-9

2/17/1995 – Oregon        W – 4-3

3/26/1994 – Oklahoma State    L – 1-4

3/25/1993 – Oklahoma State    L – 2-5

3/20/1992 – Oklahoma State    L – 0-4

3/1/1991 – Oklahoma State    L – 3-8

3/22/1991 – Oklahoma State    L – 1-2

3/2/1989 – Oregon        W – 2-0

3/25/1988 – Oklahoma State    L – 2-4

3/7/1986 – Oklahoma State    L – 1-6

^= NCAA Tournament

 

IN THE POLLS
The Pac-12 continues to confirm its reputation as the Conference of Champions with four teams appearing in the top five in one or both NFCA/USA SB national polls this week – California (1/3), Arizona State (4/4), UCLA (5/7) and Washington (7/5). UO is one of seven league members ranked top 20 nationally this week, and an eighth program (OSU) received votes in the national polls last week.

Glancing at this week’s polls, 12 Duck foes this season were ranked top 25 (USA Softball/ NFCA) – No. 1/3 California, No. 2/2 Alabama, No. 4/4 Arizona State, No. 5/7 UCLA, No. 7/5 Washington, No. 10/9 Baylor, No. 11/11 Missouri, No. 15/14 Stanford, No. 16/15 Arizona, No. -/21 Oklahoma State, No. 22/22 Nebraska and No. 24/- North Carolina.

Three other Duck opponents – BYU, New Mexico and San Diego State – received votes in at least one poll.

Compared to last week, Cal and Florida remained first in the USA Softball and NFCA polls for the second straight weeks respectively. For comparison’s sake, a complete list of the Pac-12′s teams rankings from last week follows: California (3/1), Arizona State (5/6), Arizona (16/16), Stanford (8/12), UCLA (12/8), Washington (7/9) and Oregon (19/19).

Oregon has now been ranked for 30 straight editions by USA Softball and 23 straight polls by the NFCA. UO’s week-by-week USA SB/ NFCA rankings in that stretch follow: 2012 – Preseason 11th/16th, 2/14 19/19, 2/21 21/19. 2011 – Preseason 14th/14th, 2/15 14th/14th, 2/22 13th/13th, 3/2 13th/13th, 3/9 15th/14th, 3/16 16th/15th, 3/23 15th/16th, 3/30 14th/15th, 4/5 15th/16th, 4/12 17th/17th, 4/19 19th/21th, 4/26 16th/19th, 5/3 12th/17th, 5/10 11th/14th, 5/17 11th/12th, 6/15 14th/15th. 2010 – 3/8 25th/-; 3/15 25th/-; 3/22 21st/-; 3/29 21st/ RV; 4/5 17th/ RV; 4/12 17th/23rd; 4/19 18th/20th; 4/26 19th/20th; 5/3 20th/22nd; 5/5 20th/22nd; 5/10 21st-t/22nd; 6/15 14th/14th.

More information on the USA Softball and NFCA polls are available at the http://www.usasoftball.com/news.asp?uid=5398 and http://nfca.org/top25/index.php?cat_id=1 URL addresses.

In January’s preseason national polls, UO was tabbed No. 11 by USA Softball and No. 16 by NFCA – both program bests, respectively. The Pac-12 was again the nation’s top league and featured seven teams ranked top 13 nationally – No. 1 ASU (last year’s national champion), No. 3 California, No. 8 Arizona, No. 9 Stanford, No. 11 Oregon, No. 12 Washington and No. 13 UCLA.

PAC-12 RANKINGS
This week, UO was tied for second in the league in hitting (.373) behind UCLA (.389), stood fourth in slugging (.575) and on-base percentage (.440) and sixth in ERA (2.51). Since Oregon has played only five games, compared with 9-12 games for the remaining eight league teams, its net totals in other categories were hard to compare.

Last year, Oregon comfortably paced the Pac-12 in batters struck out (446), most stolen bases in a game (8 vs. North Texas) and most doubles in a game (a school-record 7 vs. Utah State), while then-senior Brittany Rumfelt and sophomore Kailee Cuico tied for first in the league in relief appearances (21) and most doubles in a game (3), respectively.

Here is a listing of various noteworthy Duck team and individual rankings last year.

 
Individual – Hitting (leader)


Monique Fuiava

Doubles – 7th, 13 (Hansen, Stan., 25)

Slugging – 9th, .643 (Hansen, Stan .797)

Kaylan Howard

Triples – 5th-T, 2 (Reid, Cal, 5)

Alexa Peterson

Hit by pitch – 5th-T, 9 (Wallace, Cal, 18)

Christie Nieto

Hit by pitch – 4th-T, 10 (Wallace, Cal, Stuart, UW, 15)

Courtney Ceo

Stolen Bases – 8th, 14 (Hassman, Stan., 34)

Allie Burger

Stolen Bases – 9th, 12 (Hassman, Stan., 34)

Kelsey Chambers

Home Runs – 8th, 13 (Chambers, Ariz., 20)

Sacrifice Flies – 5th-T, 3 (Parlich, ASU, 5)

Kaitlin Vitek

Sacrifice flies – 2nd-T, 4 (Parlich, ASU, 5)

Samantha Pappas

Stolen Bases – 7th, 15 (Hassman, Stan., 34)

 
Individual – Pitching (leader)


Jessica Moore

Saves – 2nd-T, 3 (Escobedo, ASU, 5)

Games started – 3rd, 33 (Gerhart, Stan., 36)

ERA – 3rd, 1.59 (Henderson, Cal, 0.80)

Opp. Batting – 5th, .197 (Escobedo, ASU, .168)

Strikeouts – 5th, 218 (Henderson, Cal, 302)

SO looking – 5th, 63 (Henderson, Cal, 111)

Wins – 5th-T, 24 (Henderson, Cal, 37)

Innings – 6th, 198.0 (Henderson, Cal, 298.1)

Appearances – 6th, 39 (Henderson, Cal, 46)

Samantha Skillingstad

ERA – 7th, 2.17 (Henderson, Cal, 0.80)

Opp. Batting – 8th, .201 (Escobedo, ASU, .168)

Brittany Rumfelt

Games in Relief – 1st, 21

Opp. Batting – 3rd, .196 (Escobedo, ASU, .168)

Games Finished – 4th, 15 (4 tied, 16)

ERA – 10th, 2.35 (Henderson, Cal, 0.80)

Mikayla Endicott

Games in Relief – 5th-T, 15 (Rumfelt, UO, 21)

 
Team – Hitting (leader)

Sacrifice Bunts – 2nd, 31 (UCLA, 40)

Sacrifice Flies – 3rd, 14 (Stan., 16)

Home Runs – 3rd, 71 (Ariz., 88)

Stolen Bases – 3rd, 66 (Cal 92)

Runs Scored – 5th, 298 (ASU, 477)

Slugging – 5th, .484 (ASU, .539)

Triples – 5th, 6 (Cal, 11)

Total Bases – 5th, 711 (ASU, 927)

Hit by Pitch – 5th-T, 34 (UCLA, 54)

Batting – 6th, .291 (ASU, .339)

Hits – 7th, 428 (ASU, 583)

Doubles – 6th, 58 (Ariz., 83)

Runs Batted In – 6th, 261 (ASU, 449)

On-Base Pct. – 7th, .365 (ASU, .438)

Walks – 7th, 143 (ASU, 299)

Fielding double plays – 3rd, 16 (ASU, 22)

Team Pitching (leader)

Strikeouts – 1st, 446 (ASU, 2nd, 410)

Batters SO looking – 2nd, 117 (Cal, 129)

Wins – 3rd-T, 42 (ASU, 60)

Opp. Batting Avg. – 2nd, .205 (ASU, .197)

Innings pitched – 5th, 378.0 (ASU., 415.2)

Earned run average – 4th, 2.17 (Cal, 1.70)

Saves – 4th-T, 4 (UCLA, 6)

UO ALL-TIME HITTING CHARTS


Allie Burger

Season

Batting – 11th, .387, 2010

Game

*Stolen Bases – 4th-t, 3, vs. Utah State, 3/20/11

RBI – 10th-t, 5, vs. Oregon State, 4/3/10

Courtney Ceo

Game

*Hits – 2nd-t, 4, vs. Arkansas, 2/19/11

Kailee Cuico

Game

*Doubles – 1st-t, 3 vs. Utah State, 3/20/11

Kelsey Chambers

Career

Homers – 7th-t, 26 (6th is 27, 5th is 31, 4th is 33)

RBI – 10th, 100 (9th is 103, 8th is 117, 7th is 119)

Season

*Home Runs – 6th-t, 13, 2011 (4th is 14, 3rd is 15, 2nd is 16)

Game

*Home Runs – 3rd-t, 2, vs. Nevada, 2/22/11

*Home Runs – 3rd-t, 2, vs. #9 Arizona, 4/30/11

Samantha Pappas

Season

RBI – 3rd, 48, 2010

Slugging – 7th, .641, 2010

Total Bases – 7th-t, 107, 2010

Home Runs – 8th-t, 11, 2010

Batting – 12th, .383, 2010

Game

*Stolen Bases – 4th-t, 3, vs. N. Texas, 2/12/11

RBI – 10th-t, 5, 3/26/10

Alexa Peterson

Game

*Home Runs – 3rd-t, 2, vs. Nevada, 2/18/11

UO ALL-TIME PITCHING CHARTS


Jessica Moore

Career

Strikeouts – 2nd, 481 (1st is 584)

Shutouts – 7th, 11 (6th is 12, 5th is 14, 4th is 19)

Wins – 8th, 42 (7th is 47, 5th is 49, 4th is 56)

Appearances – 10th, 86 (9th is 93, 8th is 114)

Season

Strikeouts, 1st, 238, 2010

*Strikeouts – 2nd, 224, 2011 (1st is 238, Moore, 2010)

* Wins – 3rd, 24 (2nd is 25, 1st is 42)

Game

Strikeouts – 3rd, 14, vs. Portland State, 5/6/10

Strikeouts – 4th, 13, vs. No. 3 Arizona, 5/7/10

Strikeouts – 5t, 12, vs. Creighton, 2/12/10

Strikeouts – 5t, 1, vs. Cal Poly, 3/6/10

* Strikeouts – 5t, 12, vs. No. 16 BYU, 2/10/11

* Strikeouts – 11t, 11, vs. No. 19 Texas A&M, 2/25/11

* Strikeouts – 11t, 11, vs. North Carolina, 3/4/11

* Strikeouts – 11th, 11, vs. Fordham, 5/21/11

Strikeouts – 18t, 10, vs. Hawai’i, 2/26/10

Strikeouts – 18t, 10, at PSU, 3/23/10

Strikeouts – 18t, 10, at Oregon State, 4/1/10

Samantha Skillingstad

Career

Strikeouts – 6th, 398 (4th is 435, 3rd is 445)

Appearances – 9t, 93 (8th is 114, 7th is 119)

Shutouts – 11th, 7 (10th is 9, 8th is 10)

Wins – 11th, 32 (9th is 33, 8th is 41)

Season

Strikeouts – 6th, 170, 2009

Game

Strikeouts – 5t, 12, at PSU, 3/23/10

Strikeouts – 11t, 11, vs. N. Dakota, 3/13/10

Strikeouts – 17t, 10, at Stanford, 4/24/09

*=2011 season marks

 

POWER SURGE
With its six homers in its six games in the NCAA Regional and final regular season series vs. then-No. 12 UCLA, UO reset its school season record, thanks to the 71 homers from 12 Duck players. That ratio (1.22 per game) ranked 14th nationally in the country, and improved upon 2010’s total (51) in 57 games by 13 players that ranked fifth-most overall in school history. From a historical standpoint, UO’s former school record (69) came in a 69-game season in 1999 (for a 1.0 per game ratio).

With her five homers the last month of the regular season vs. then-No. 9 Arizona, then-No. 10 Stanford and then-No. 12 UCLA, junior Kelsey Chambers belted a team-leading and career-high 13 homers in 2011 – the sixth-best mark all-time for UO in a season – and her 26 career-wise is tied for seventh all-time for the Ducks. On the career list, junior Samantha Pappas hit 11 homers in 2010 and tied for eighth all-time for UO in a season.

Other Duck returnees that cleared the fences in 2011 include Pappas (8), sophomore Kailee Cuico (7), senior Christie Nieto (6), sophomores Courtney Ceo (5) and Alexa Peterson (5), junior Kaylan Howard (4), senior Lindsey Chambers (3), and juniors Jessica Moore (2) and Allie Burger (1).

Five Ducks connected on grand slams last year:

- then-senior Monique Fuiava in a win at Portland State.

- senior Christie Nieto vs. then-No. 9 Hawai’i as a pinch-hitter.

- junior Samantha Pappas and sophomore Kailee Cuico in separate games vs. UNLV.

- junior Kaylan Howard in a 6-5 win over then-No. 12 UCLA.

In prior years, Fuiava connected on a grand slam as a freshman vs. Cal Poly, and last year a pair of then-freshmen turned the trick – Pappas vs. Idaho State and Kaylan Howard in a NCAA regional win at then-No. 7 Georgia Tech.

AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH
Under head coach Mike White’s tutelage, the Duck pitching staff was on another near season-record pace for strikeouts in 2011 (446, 378.0 innings (1.18 K/Inning)). The current record belonged to the Ducks’ four-person staff from 2010 (470, 381.2 innings (1.23 K/Inning)) that easily topped the former mark (394, 432.2 innings, 57 games) set by White’s former crew in 2004. Here are other notable current and 2010 Duck team rankings compared to the school season record (note: UO has played 56 games so far this year):

Hitting – 2011 Team Stats (2010 / *UO Record (# of games))

Home Runs – 1st, 71 (2010 – 5th, 51 / *old record 1999 – *69(69))

Slugging – 1st, .484 (2010 – 2nd, .460 / *2007 – .482 (59))

Sacrifice Flies – 3rd, 14 (2010 – 2nd, 15; *2007 – 16th (59))

Batting – 5th, .291 (2010 – 2nd, .299 / *2007 -.310 (59))

RBI – 5th, 261 (2010 – 6th, 239 / *1999 – 307 (69))

Total Bases – 4th, 711 (2010 – 5th, 679 / *1999 – *834 (69))

Runs – 5th, 298 (2010 – 8th, 258 / *1998 – 361 (71))

Hits – 11th, 428 (2010 – 9th, 442 (*1989 – 552 (70))

Doubles – 11th-t, 58 (4th-t, 72 / *1999 – 92 (69))

Pitching – 2011 Team Stats (2010 / UO Record (# of games))

Strikeouts – 2nd, 437 (*2010 – 1st, 470 (57))

Saves – 7th-t, 4 (2010 – 3rd, 6 / *2003 – 17 (56))

Opposing Batting – 6th, .205 (2010 – 12th, .236 / *1985 – .176 (50))

Shutouts – 7th-t, 14 (2010 – 6th, 14; *1989 – 27 (70))

 

NATIONAL CRED
Led by its 14th-place national ranking in home runs (1.22 p/g), the Ducks ranked top 50 in six NCAA team categories and top 100 in 14 individual listings at the end of last year. A complete listing is available at the http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/ranksummary?sportCode=WSB URL address, and UO’s top rankings follow:

Duck NCAA Team Rankings (Leader)

Home runs – 14th, 1.22 pg (Florida, 1.80)

Win-Loss Pct. – 25th, 0.724 (ASU, 0.909)

Slugging – 22st, 0.484 (Georgia Tech, 0.589)

ERA – 41st, 2.17 (Houston, 1.35)

Scoring – 54th, 5.14 pg (La.-Lafayette, 7.76)

Batting – 54th, 0.291 (Tennessee, 0.348)

Stolen Bases – 95th, 1.14 pg (Marshall, 2.53)

Double Plays – 112th, 0.28 pg (Radford, 0.64)

Doubles – 187th, 1.00 pg (Delaware State, 2.08)

Triples – 184th, 0.10  pg (Jackson State, 0.422

Fielding Pct. – 196th, 0.952 (Hofstra, 0.985)

Duck NCAA Individual Rankings (Leader)


Monique Fuiava

Doubles – 75th, 0.26  pg (Hansen, Stan., 0.42)

RBI – 110th, 0.83 pg (Christi Orgeron, La.Laf, 1.63)

Kelsey Chambers

Home Runs – 75th, 13 (Nohara, NMSU, 24)

Home Runs – 88th, 0.24 pg (Nohara, NMSU, 0.43)

Sacrifice Flies – 76th, 3.0 (Bush, Florida, 9.0)

Christie Nieto

Hit by Pitch P/G – 75th, 0.19 (Young, LSU, 0.46)

Kaitlin Vitek

Sacrifice Flies – 18th, 4.0 (Bush, Florida, 9.0)

Courtney Ceo

Runs per Game – 146th, 0.75 (Meyers, La.-Laf., 1.24)

Batting Avg – 219th, .356 (Thompson, Brown, .504)

Jessica Moore

Saves – 31st, 3.0 (4 tied,

Victories – 34th, 24 (Henderson, Cal, 40)

ERA – 70th, 1.90 (Jolene Henderson, Cal, 0.95)

Strikeouts – 50th, 224 (Plourde, UMass., 498)

SO per 7 inn. – 67th, 7.6 (Crabtree, Houston, 12.0)

Hits allowed per 7 inn. – 70th, 5.32 (Crabtree, Houston, 2.85)

Shutouts – 66th, 6 (Jolene Henderson, Cal, 18)

Brittany Rumfelt

Saves – 196th, 1 (3 Tied,

 

Sacrifice Flies – 72nd, 3.0 (Bush, Florida, 9.0)

For comparison’s sake to 2010, the Ducks ranked 33rd nationally in batting (.299) and 34th in slugging (.460), and 47th in home runs per game (0.89).

On the individual front in ‘10, outfielder Allie Burger ranked 72nd in batting (.387), and right fielder Samantha Pappas stood 82nd nationally in batting (.383), 88th in RBI (0.84 per game), 90th on-base percentage (.472), 123rd in slugging (.641) and 131st in home runs (11).

Jessica Moore was equally easy to find last season on the final NCAA pitching stat charts in 2010 in strikeouts (36th, 8.7 per 7 inning average), total strikeouts (46th, 238), ERA (52nd, 1.86) and fewest hits allowed (160th, 6.38 per 7 innings). The Sutter, Calif., native ranked 11th nationally in saves (4), and was followed by teammate Brittany Rumfelt (101st-t, 2).

2011 SEASON SCORECARD
Overall last year, Oregon was 16-13 against teams that received NCAA invites with its marks against #1 seed Arizona State (1-2), #2 seed Alabama (0-1), #4 seed Florida (0-2), #7 seed California (0-3), #8 seed Arizona (2-1), #12 seed Washington (1-2), #15 seed Stanford (2-1), #16 seed Texas A&M (1-0), Albany (1-0), BYU (1-0), Fordham (1-0), Illinois State (1-0), Louisiana-Lafayette (1-0), Pacific (1-1), Penn State (1-0) and Portland State (2-0).

Against top-20-ranked teams last year, UO was 12-13 with all of those squads qualifying for the postseason except for 2010 WCWS advancer Hawai’i.

In its six, three-game series in Pac-10 play, UO swept Oregon State, 3-0; topped both then-No. 9 Arizona, then-No. 10 Cardinal and then-No. 12 UCLA, 2-1; went 1-2 vs. a pair of top-10 teams – then-No. 3 Arizona State (W 2-1, L, 2-0, 10-5) and at then-No. 6 Washington (W, 8-0; L, 3-2, 4-2); then dropped all three games at then-No. 13 Cal (5-0, 2-0, 5-2).

In other top-20 tilts, UO opened the year with wins vs. then-No. 16 BYU (5-0) and then-No. 19 Texas A&M (3-2). In Las Vegas the next week, it handed World Series returnee and then-No. 9 Hawai’i its first loss of the season (13-5, 5 innings). Two weeks later in Orlando, it split with then-No. 1 Alabama (10-0 loss, 5 innings) and then-No. 17 Louisiana-Lafayette (5-2 win).

DOUBLE YOUR FUN
The Ducks again sport a pair of twins on their roster in 2012 and both have played key roles for the Ducks the past three seasons.

The identical junior pair of Kelsey Chambers and Lindsey Chambers have combined for 37 homers (28 / 9) in their careers, including 13 and three, respectively, in 2011. They saw the most action among newcomers as freshmen when Kelsey started in right field the first half of ‘09, then started 24 games in the remainder at second base (and had two more at shortstop), while Lindsey’s starts came in the left side of the infield with 18 at third base and 22 at shortstop. As a sophomore in 2010, Kelsey Chambers was tabbed an All- Pac-10 Honorable Mention, and in 2011, ranked sixth all-time in homers hit in a season (13) and seventh career-wise (26).

HOME SWEET HOWE
Sporting a 12-4 home record in 2011, UO ended 15- and 10-game losing streaks to then-No. 12 UCLA and then-No. 10 Stanford in early May, and took each season series for the first time since 2005 and ’07, respectively. In mid-April, UO celebrated its first series sweep of Oregon State since 1994, and third ever. Two weeks before, Oregon’s 2-1 win vs. then-No. 3 ASU in early April marked its seventh top-10 ranked Pac-10 victim at Howe Field the past two years. Earlier this season, UO went 4-0 in non-conference action vs. Weber State (6-1, 6-2) and Utah State (11-3, 9-0).

In 2010, the Ducks went 14-5 in the friendly confines after they rattled off a 12-0 start, then staked at least one win in every home series against the nation’s top conference. Oregon’s perfect early season run included its first-ever sweep of then-No. 13 Cal in April. The following weekend, UO beat its first top-ranked team, then-No. 1 Washington, since 2004, with its 4-0 victory against the returning national player of the year Danielle Lawrie. Oregon’s other league home victories came vs. then-No. 3 Arizona (2-1) in nine innings when Neena Bryant hit a two-run shot off another of the nation’s top pitchers, Kenzie Fowler.

PICKS OF THE PAC-12
The Ducks had three players pick up Pac-12 Player/Pitcher of the Week honors last year – sophomore catcher Alexa Peterson, junior Jessica Moore and then-senior Brittany Rumfelt.

Peterson claimed her first career honor at the end of the regular season for her performance against then-returning national champion and No. 12 UCLA. The team’s season Defensive MVP was the only Duck to hit safely in all three games, and for the weekend paced the team in batting (.714), hits (5) and on-base percentage (.750), and stood second in slugging (.714) and third in total bases (5).

Last March, Moore became the second Duck hurler to stake multiple Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors in her career.

The Sutter, Calif., native went 3-0 in the Libby Matson Tournament in Stockton, Calif. In the four-game tourney, she led UO in wins (3), strikeouts (19), ERA (0.00), innings (16.0) and opponent batting average (.115); and allowed three hits or less in all three of her starts

Rumfelt was honored after the team’s 2-1 weekend vs. 11-time national champion UCLA. The Lakeport, Calif., native made her first career start vs. the Bruins on the team’s pressure-filled Senior Day. She struck out seven in her six innings, and helped Oregon become the second team in 2011 to blank the Bruins in the 5-0 decision. For the weekend, she paced the team in ERA (1.83), wins (1-tied), strikeout-walk ratio (1.83:1) and opposing batting average (.148).

In 2010, Moore picked up her first honor after she helped the team to a 6-0 record vs. Idaho State, Seattle and at Portland State. Altogether that week, Moore went 3-0, averaged more than two strikeouts per inning (29 / 14 innings), and led the team in strikeouts (29), opposing batting average (.082), ERA (0.00), innings (14.0), appearances (3) and starts (2). She also combined with Samantha Skillingstad on a five-inning perfect game in the second Idaho State meeting, also the 18th no-hitter in school history.

The duo are the fourth and fifth Ducks on the current roster to honored (with 2010 honorees Allie Burger and Samantha Pappas), and all-time Oregon has claimed 36 softball POW honors since 1989.

HONOR ROLL
In 2011, eight Ducks were honored to the All-Pac-10 Teams and four enjoyed nods on the NFCA Pacific All-Region squads.

Junior pitcher Jessica Moore became the third Duck pitcher to ever land on the All-Pac-10 First Team, while then-senior first baseman Monique Fuiava received her first All-Pac-10 Second-Team commendation. Four others added honorable mention status – sophomore infielder  Courtney Ceo, junior outfielder Samantha Pappas and then-senior pitcher Brittany Rumfelt and outfielder Kaitlin Vitek.

Ceo and catcher Alexa Peterson were also tabbed to the All-Pac-10 Freshman Team, while utility player Kailee Cuico was an honorable mention.

Regional coaches took similar notice as Moore and Fuiava made their first appearances on the NFCA Pacific All-Region First Team, as did Ceo and Peterson on the Second Team.

Dating back to 1988, UO has now staked 15 first-team and 23 second-team regional-team laurels, and this year’s quartet tied its second-best tally ever (and was one shy of its all-time (5) from 1989). On the All-Pac-10 rolls, Oregon has racked up 19 first-team honors and 35 second-team selections.

Other team-awarded honors went to Fuaiva (Batting Leader, Offensive MVP), Moore (Pitcher of the Year), Peterson (Defensive Player of the Year), and seniors Christie Nieto (Web Gem) and Samantha Skillingstad (Spirit Award).

NEW TO THE FOLD
The Ducks said farewell to five seniors from last season, yet welcome a six-person newcomer class. The group of prep seniors includes pitcher Karissa Hovinga (Ralston, Neb.), outfielders Alyssa Gillespie (Hillsboro, Ore.), Sara Goodrum (Red Mountain, Ariz.) and Janie Takeda (Placentia, Calif.), and infielders Hannah Melick (Auburn, Wash.) and Jamie Rae Sullivan (Huntington Beach, Calif.).

Takeda was an Under Armour Prep All-American in 2011 and four-time all-league pick. Gillespie was the 2011 Oregon Gatorade Player of the Year and four-time all-state choice. Goodrum helped lead her team to state titles the last two years and was a three-year all-state honorable mention. Sullivan was a starter for the Cal Worth Firecrackers 18-U team won the Colorado Fireworks and Canadian Open Junior Olympic U-19 tourneys, and took second in the PGF tournament. Melick was the 2011 South Puget Sound League North Division Player of the Year and paced the league in batting, on-base percentage and slugging. Hovinga is a Canadian National Team member and a three-time, all-state first-team pick for two-time Nebraska state champion Pappillion High School.

SKED CRED
The Ducks will face another grueling regular season slate in 2012 with 33 of its 56 games this spring against 17 returning tournament qualifiers from last year’s NCAA tournament field.

That list includes last year’s national champion Arizona State, five of the remaining seven World Series advancers (Alabama, Baylor, California, Missouri, Oklahoma State), three more Super Regional Advancers (Arizona, Stanford, Washington), four more regional finalists (BYU, Nebraska, San Diego State and UCLA) and four more round of 64 advancers (Fresno State, Illinois State, New Mexico State, Portland State).

Among the team’s 14 other foes this spring, two were NCAA tourney advancers in ’10 – North Carolina and Virginia – while Cal Poly and Purdue advanced to the postseason in ’09.

MOORE LEADS THE WAY
Helping Oregon to wins in all six of her NCAA regional starts the past two seasons, All-Pac-10 First Team honoree and sophomore pitcher Jessica Moore has positioned the Ducks for many of its biggest wins this year, and here are various highlights from last season’s final two months in reverse chronological order.

- Working her first 21-inning stretch in a 48-hour window in 2011, Moore notched all 21 outs in the regional finale vs. Penn State (5/22), struck out five, walked two, gave up four hits and one earned run. After UO scored three runs in the sixth inning to take a 3-1 lead, she got out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the inning’s bottom half with a pair of ground-ball outs, then set PSU down 1-2-3 in the seventh.

- In a NCAA regional second-game dual (5/21) vs. Fordham’s returning first-team All-American Jen Mineau, Moore logged her third one-hit complete game of the season, walked one, and struck out 11 – one off her season high.

- In the NCAA regional opener (5/20) vs. America East champion Albany, her nine strikeouts was her sixth effort of nine K’s or more this season, and she allowed only one walk, five hits and one earned run.

- In her win vs. then-No. 12 UCLA (5/12), Moore struck out 10 – her Pac-10 season high and most career-wise in a seven-inning league tilt. She also got her third save of the season in the 5-0 series clincher and regular season finale (5/14) when she came in with the bases loaded and no outs in the seventh, and got a double play and ground out.

- In her 2-0 shutout of then-No. 10 Stanford (5/7), she struck out eight Cardinal batters – a team then-Pac-10 season high, then got the win in the 4-2 finale (5/8) after she struck out strike out six in the final 3 2/3 innings.

- In her 2-0 first-game shutout of then-No. 9 Arizona (4/29), she four-hit the nation’s ninth-leading hitting team (and added four strikeouts) to become the third Duck to ever beat the eight-time national champions in consecutive seasons.

- In her 2-1 win in the finale vs. then-No. 3 Arizona State (4/10), she one-hit the nation’s leader in hitting (.380) and second in runs per game (8.76).

- She picked up two of the team’s three wins vs. rival Oregon State (4/21, 4/23) in 7-1 and 8-1 wins.

- In the 8-0 series finale vs. then-No. 6 Washington (4/3), she struck out five and allowed five hits in her 6 2/3 innings, and helped UO tie its largest winning margin vs. the returning World Series advancers.

TOP DUCK PROFILE
Third-year head coach Mike White is widely regarded as one of finest-ever U.S. National Team players and pitching mentors. The 2009 International Softball Congress (ISC) Hall of Fame selection, also is well-known in the area as an integral part of two of Oregon’s greatest teams in 2003 and ‘04 and one of the West Coast’s top prep coaches.

Sporting a program-best 67.5 winning percentage as its head coach, White has compiled a 81-39 mark already after leading the Ducks to its first-ever Super Regional trips the last two seasons.

Last spring, UO was similarly tabbed seventh in the league preseason poll. Four months later, it tied for third in the final conference standings (42-16, 11-10) thanks to its best finish since the league expanded to eight teams in 1993.

Last year, Oregon was one of the nation’s hottest teams at the end of the season after it won nine of its last 12 Pac-12 games. In that stretch, the Ducks won their last four league series against then-returning national champion and No. 12 UCLA (2-1), No. 10 Stanford (2-1), at then-returning national runner-up and No. 9 Arizona (2-1), and vs. Oregon State (3-0).

Those Bruins and Cardinal wins ended 15- and 10-game losing streaks for their first wins and series advantages since 2005 and ‘07.

Earlier in the Pac-12 slate, UO’s Civil War sweep of OSU was its third ever and first since 1994; it one-hit then-NCAA batting leader Arizona State, 2-1; and it tied its largest winning margin in the Duck-Husky series with its 8-0 win at then-No. 6 Washington.

In his first year at the helm, Oregon went 36-21 in 2010 – nearly reverse the previous year’s mark (16-34) – and staked its most Pac-10 wins (8) since its 10 in 2003 and ’04. Oregon beat five different Pac-10 teams – No. 1 Washington, No. 3 Arizona, No. 9 Arizona State, No. 13 California (3 times and its first-ever sweep in the series) and OSU (2) – for the first time since topping all seven in ’04.

The Ducks opened the postseason by upsetting then-No. 7 ranked / No. 8 seeded Georgia Tech twice in Atlanta in the regional, and ultimately ended the year ranked 14th nationally in both polls.

In his prior Duck stint as an assistant coach, the Ducks lowered their ERA from 3.01 the season prior to his arrival to 2.12 and 1.68, respectively, while its strikeout totals of 347 and 394 – then the best two in school history – far outdistanced its 223 total from 2002.

His first-year pupils included then-freshman Amy Harris who set a single-season strikeout record (180) his first season, while senior Andrea Vidlund led the nation in saves and set a Pac-10 record (11). The next season, newcomer Ani Nyhus was an All-Pac-10 First Team and NCAA Regional All-Tournament choice and two-time conference pitcher of the week. The junior college transfer notched 20 wins (25-12), rewrote the program’s single-season strikeout record (202) and pitched a no-hitter vs. Utah State. Catcher Jenn Poore was also an All-American and All-Pac-10 Second Team honoree in ’04 and drafted into the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) league.

Since then, he continued to live in Eugene with his family and remained active as an assistant coach for one of the nation’s top programs at Marist High School during the 2008-09 seasons. The program ended 2009 ranked 22nd nationally by USA Today and won consecutive 4A state titles after identical 29-1 seasons. He also coached the Northwest Thunder and Northwest Bullets Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) youth club teams and served as a private instructor for various elite players of all levels.

As a player, the New Zealand native became a U.S. citizen in 1994 and helped the two national teams claim two gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze in his four trips with New Zealand and two with the United States

In 2000, he helped guide the USA to a bronze medal in the World Championships when he went 2-0 with a 0.89 ERA and 19 strikeouts. In 1999, the U.S. won the silver medal at the Pan Am Games, and he was 3-2 with a 0.68 ERA and 35 strikeouts. He also played on three silver medal Pan-American Games teams in 1995, 1999 and 2003.

Among other honors, the multiple Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) MVP pitcher and All-American helped lead teams to five ASA national titles and five ISC World Club Championships, and was the 2002 ASA Player of the Year.

MORE LOVE FOR THE DUCK STAFF
Oregon’s highly-regarded staff also includes three other talented coaches that sport equally impressive playing resumes.

Third-year Duck coach and former UCLA All-American Lisa Dodd has earned similar respect as a Nevada assistant coach after she helped the Wolf Pack to a WAC Conference title, top-20 rankings and NCAA bid in 2008. As a pitcher and infielder, the 2007 NFCA Second-Team All-American starred on Bruin teams that claimed three straight WCWS trips and a Pac-10 title in 2006. She went on to play professionally in Italy in 2007 and ’08, while as a prep she was tabbed the 2003 Gatorade National Prep Player of the Year.

White first shared the field with second-year assistant coach Blake Miller on the U.S. National Team teammate, and the latter has played 15 seasons as a pro player and been a member of U.S. National Teams since 2001. As a collegiate coach the past 11 years, Miller has worked with two All-Americans and nine Academic All-Americans, and guided four teams to regional bids and one Junior College World Series trip. His resume includes stops as a head coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville the past three seasons and at Darton College (2006-07) and as an assistant coach at East Tennessee State (2005), Missouri Western State (2004) and Mesa State (2001-03).

CATCH THE ACTION LIVE
Duck softball fans can track home action this season several ways. For home games, O-Zone subscribers can listen to and watch games online for as little as $9.17 per month (for a 12-month membership), and a link to signing up is available at the www.GoDucks.com multimedia link at the top of each page.

Fans from Duck opponents can catch multiple games online for a $12.95 automatically-renewing monthly membership (and should cancel the membership before the end of the month to prevent the next month’s charge).

Live stats for all home and away contests are available for free via the softball schedule page by clicking on the page icon with the ’1″ in the far right media column.

PAC-12 PRESEASON POLL
In the annual Pacific-12 Conference Softball Coaches Preseason Poll, defending national champion Arizona State topped the rankings and received six of the nine first-place votes. Returning World Series advancer California and Arizona followed in second and third places, and picked up two and one first-place votes, respectively.

The remaining standings for the nine-team league follow: UCLA (fourth), Stanford (fifth), Washington (sixth), Oregon (seventh), Oregon State (eighth) and Utah (ninth).

For comparison’s sake last spring, UO was similarly tabbed seventh in the league preseason poll. Four months later, it tied for third in the final conference standings (42-16, 11-10) thanks to its best finish since the league expanded to eight teams in 1993.

THE ‘CONFERENCE OF CHAMPIONS’
The Pac-12’s moniker is validated by the fact the eight Pac-12 schools have combined to win 24 of the 30 softball NCAA national championships, including the last six by four different teams. This year, the Pac-10 advanced six teams to the 16-team Super Regional level, and two of the eight World Series qualifiers (national champion Arizona State, California).

All-Time NCAA Softball Champions/Runners-up
Year     Champion (Coach)     Score     Runner-Up

1982     UCLA (Sharron Backus)     2-0 (8)     Fresno State

1983     Texas A&M (Bob Brock)     2-0 (12)     CS Fullerton

1984     UCLA (Sharron Backus)     1-0 (13)     Texas A&M

1985     UCLA (Sharron Backus)     2-1 (9)     Nebraska

1986     CS Fullerton (Judi Garman)     3-0      Texas A&M

1987     Texas A&M (Bob Brock)     4-1     UCLA

1988     UCLA (Sharron Backus)     3-0     Fresno State

1989     UCLA (Backus/Enquist)     1-0     Fresno State

1990     UCLA (Backus/Enquist)     2-0     Fresno State

1991     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     5-1     UCLA

1992     UCLA (Backus/Enquist)     2-0     ARI ZONA

1993     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     1-0     UCLA

1994     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     4-0     CS Northridge

1995     UCLA (Sharron Backus)%     4-2     Arizona

1996     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     6-4     Washington

1997     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     10-2     UCLA

1998    Fresno State (Margie Wright)     1-0     Arizona

1999     UCLA (Sue Enquist)     3-2     Washington

2000     Oklahoma (Patty Gasso)     3-1     UCLA

2001     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     1-0     UCLA

2002     California (Diane Ninemire)     6-2     Arizona

2003     UCLA (Sue Enquist)     1-0 (9)     California

2004     UCLA (Sue Enquist)     3-1     California

2005     Michigan (Carol Hutchins)     4-1 (10)^     UCLA

2006     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     5-0^     Northwestern

2007     Arizona (Mike Candrea)     5-0^     Tennessee

2008     Arizona State (Clint Myers)     11-0^     Texas A&M

2009     Washington (Heather Tarr)     5-1 ^    Florida

2010     UCLA (Kelly Inouye-Perez)     5-0^     Arizona

2011    Arizona State (Clint Myers)    7-2^    Florida

^ – Best of three championship series – % – The 1995 title was later vacated by the NCAA.

2012 DUCK GAME-WINNING RBI’S
UC Santa Barbara (2/10) – Kailee Cuico first-inning one-out homer to right field

San Jose State (2/11) – Kelsey Chambers first-inning no-out double to second base

San Diego State (2/12) – Pinch-hitter Hannah Melick, seventh-inning no-out 2-RBI double to left center field

* No GW-RBI

BY PLAYER
Kelsey Chambers – 1
Kailee Cuico – 1
Hannah Melick – 1

2012 OREGON SOFTBALL QUICK FACTS / MEDIA INFORMATION

 


UNIVERSITY INFORMATION
Location: Eugene, Ore.

Enrollment: 20,394

President: Richard Lariviere

Senior Women’s Administrator: Renee Baumgartner

Colors / Nickname: Green and Yellow (Pantone 342 & Yellow)

Nickname: Ducks

Conference: Pacific-10

Home Field (Capacity): Howe Field (3,000)

Department Web site: www.GoDucks.com

Home Game Status Update Line (b/c of weather conflicts): (541) 346-6148

OREGON SOFTBALL HISTORY / INFORMATION
Head Coach: Mike White (81-39, 3nd Season)

Assistant Coaches: Lisa Dodd, Blake Miller

Preseason All-Time Softball Record: 955-847-1 (First Year, 1974)

Postseason Trips: 1976, 80, 89*, 90, 94, 98, 99, 2000, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08, 10, 11

Super Regional Appearances: 2010, 11

Women’s College World Series Appearances*: 1989

All-Americans: 8

2011 Record / Pac-12 Record (Place): 42-16 / 11-10 (3rd-tie)

Letterwinners Returning / Lost: 12 (4 Sr., 4 Jr., 4 So.) / 7

Position Starters Returning / Lost: 7 (5 IF, 2 OF) / 2 (1 IF, 1 OF)

Position Players Returning / Lost: 10 (8 IF, 2 OF) / 5 (4 IF, 1 OF)

Pitchers Returning / Lost: 2 / 2

Top Returnees (2011 Stats)
- Allie Burger (Jr, OF, .273, .373 SLG, 12 SB)

- Courtney Ceo (So., 3B, .356, 64H, 5 HR, 14 SB)

- Kelsey Chambers (Sr., SS, 34 H, 8 2B, 13 HR, 30 RBI, .574 SLG)

- Kailee Cuico (So., UT, .235, 8 2B, 7 HR, 28 RBI, .487 SLG)

- Kaylan Howard (Jr., 2B, .270, 38 H, 4 HR, 15 RBI, .411 SLG)

- Jessica Moore (Jr., P, 24-11, 6 SHO, 224 SO, 100 BB, 206.2 IP)

- Christie Nieto (Sr., UT, .270, 27 H, 6 HR, 24 RBI, .510 SLG)

- Samantha Pappas (Jr, OF, .289, 44 H, 8 HR, 31 RBI, .474, 16 SB)

- Alexa Peterson (So., C, .344, 42 H, 5 HR, 18 RBI, .516 SLG)

Key Losses (2011 Statistics)
- Monique Fuiava (Sr., 1B, .357, 14 2B, 8 HR, 44 RBI),

- Brittany Rumfelt (Sr., P, 6-0, 2.30, 64 IP, 88 SO, 28 BB, 47 H)

Newcomers (6)
- Alyssa Gillespie (Fr., OF, Hillsboro, Ore.)

- Sara Goodrum (Fr., OF, Mesa, Ariz.)

- Karissa Hovinga (Fr., P, Ralston, Neb.)

- Hannah Melick (Fr., IF, Pacific, Wash.)

- Jamie Rae Sullivan (Fr., IF, Huntington Beach, Calif.)

- Janie Takeda (Fr., OF, Placentia, Calif.)

MEDIA SERVICES INFORMATION
Assistant Ath. Director, Media Services: Dave Williford

Assistant (SB Contact): Geoff Thurner, (541) 346-2250

E-mail: gthurner@uoregon.edu

Department web site: www.goducks.com

Address: 2727 Leo Harris Parkway, Eugene, Ore. 97401

Office Phone: 541/346-5488

Office FAX: 541/346-5449

Press Box Phone: 541-346-4497

OREGON SOFTBALL MEDIA
Daily Emerald Student Newspaper: www.dailyemerald.com

Eugene Register Guard: www.registerguard.com

Oregonian: www.oregonlive.com

KEZI-TV (ABC): www.kezi.org

KMTR-TV (NBC): www.kmtr.org

KVAL-TV (CBS): www.kval.org

KUGN-590 AM (Radio): www.kugn.com

Duck News (Online): www.DuckNews.com

MORE ONLINE SOFTBALL INFORMATION
Oregon Softball Twitter: www.twitter.com/OregonSB

NCAA: www.ncaasports.com

NCAA Playing Rules:

http://www.ncaapublications.com/p-4233-2012-2013-womens-softball-rules-2-year-publication.aspx

NCAA Championships Handbooks: http://ncaa.org/wps/portal/ncaahome?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/wps/wcm/connect/ncaa/NCAA/Sports+and+Championship/General+Information/championship+handbooks

NCAA Record Books: http://web1.ncaa.org/web_files/stats/SB_Records/2012/DivI.pdf

Pacific-12 Conference: www.Pac-12.org

National Professional Fastpitch League (NPF): www.profastpitch.com

International Softball Federation: www.internationalsoftball.com

USA Softball:  www.USAsoftball.ccm

National Fastpitch Coaches Association: www.nfca.org

Ultimate College Softball: www.ultimatecollegesoftball.com

 

2012 OREGON SOFTBALL ROSTER / PRONUNCIATIONS

NUMERICAL ROSTER

#  Name  Pos.  B/T  Ht.  Yr.  Hometown (H.S./College)

00    Samantha Pappas    OF    L/R    5-10    Jr.    Las Flores, Calif. (Tesoro)

1       Sara Goodrum    OF     L/L     5-8     Fr.     Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain)

2      Allie Burger    OF    L/R    5-3    Jr.    Spokane, Wash. (Shadle Park)

3      Kaylan Howard    2B    R/R    5-4    Jr.    Riverside, Calif. (Poly)

4    Lauren Kotz    UT    R/R    5-7    So.    Bakersfield, Calif. (Stockdale)

5      Lindsey Chambers    IF    R/R    5-4    Sr.    Concord, Calif. (Clayton Valley)

7      Samantha Skillingstad    RHP    R/R    5-10    Sr.    Spokane, Wash. (Shadle Park)

8      Kelsey Chambers    IF    R/R    5-4    Sr.    Concord, Calif. (Clayton Valley)

9       Alyssa Gillespie    OF     L/R     5-9     Fr.     Hillsboro, Ore. (Glencoe)

10   Karissa Hovinga    RHP     R/R     5-9     Fr.     Ralston, Neb. (Papillion)

12    Jessica Moore    RHP    R/R    5-10    Jr.    Sutter, Calif. (Sutter)

14    Alexa Peterson    C    R/R    5-8    So.    Salem, Ore. (South Salem)

17    Christie Nieto    UT    L/L    5-9    Sr.    Yorba Linda, Calif. (El Dorado)

19   Janie Takeda    OF     L/R     5-7     Fr.     Placentia, Calif. (El Dorado)

20   Jamie Rae Sullivan    IF     R/R     5-9     Fr.     Huntington Beach, Calif. (Marina)

22    Courtney Ceo    IF    L/R    5-8    So.    Meadow Vista, Calif. (Bear River)

24   Hannah Melick    IF     R/R     5-8     Fr.     Pacific, Wash. (Auburn)

33    Kailee Cuico    UT    R/R    5-6    So.    San Pedro, Calif. (San Pedro)

** PRONUNCIATION GUIDE **  Courtney Ceo (SEE-oh), Kailee Cuico (KIE-lee KWEE-co), Sara Goodrum (GOOD-rum), Karissa Hovinga (HOE-vin-gay), Lauren Kotz (COAT-ss), Hannah Melick (MEL-ick), Christie Nieto (knee-ET-oh), Samantha Skillingstad (SKILL-ing-stad), Janie Takeda (tah-KAY-dah).

ALPHABETICAL ROSTER
#  Name  Pos.  B/T  Ht.  Yr.  Hometown (H.S./College)

00    Samantha Pappas    OF    L/R    5-10    Jr.    Las Flores, Calif. (Tesoro)

1       Sara Goodrum    OF     L/L     5-8     Fr.     Mesa, Ariz. (Red Mountain)

2      Allie Burger    OF    L/R    5-3    Jr.    Spokane, Wash. (Shadle Park)

3      Kaylan Howard    2B    R/R    5-4    Jr.    Riverside, Calif. (Riverside Poly)

4    Lauren Kotz    UT    R/R    5-7    So.    Bakersfield, Calif. (Stockdale)

5      Lindsey Chambers    IF    R/R    5-4    Sr.    Concord, Calif. (Clayton Valley)

7      Samantha Skillingstad    RHP    R/R    5-10    Sr.    Spokane, Wash. (Shadle Park)

8      Kelsey Chambers    IF    R/R    5-4    Sr.    Concord, Calif. (Clayton Valley)

9       Alyssa Gillespie    OF     L/R     5-9     Fr.     Hillsboro, Ore. (Glencoe)

10   Karissa Hovinga    RHP     R/R     5-9     Fr.     Ralston, Neb. (Papillion)

12    Jessica Moore    RHP    R/R    5-10    Jr.    Sutter, Calif. (Sutter)

14    Alexa Peterson    C    R/R    5-8    So.    Salem, Ore. (South Salem)

17    Christie Nieto    UT    L/L    5-9    Sr.    Yorba Linda, Calif. (El Dorado)

19   Janie Takeda    OF     L/R     5-7     Fr.     Placentia, Calif. (El Dorado)

20   Jamie Rae Sullivan    IF     R/R     5-9     Fr.     Huntington Beach, Calif. (Marina)

22    Courtney Ceo    IF    L/R    5-8    So.    Meadow Vista, Calif. (Bear River)

24   Hannah Melick    IF     R/R     5-8     Fr.     Pacific, Wash. (Auburn)

33    Kailee Cuico    UT    R/R    5-6    So.    San Pedro, Calif. (San Pedro)

Head Coach: Mike White (3rd Season)

Assistant Coach: Lisa Dodd (3rd Season)

Assistant Coaches: Blake Miller (2nd Season)

Managers: Brennon Clark, Garrett Gilchrist

Athletic Trainers: Brad Kneibel, Clay Jamieson

 
SQUAD BREAKDOWN

 

BY CLASS
Seniors: 4

Juniors: 4

Sophomores: 4

Freshmen: 6

BY STATE
California: 11

Washington: 3

Oregon: 2

Arizona, Nebraska: 1

BY POSITION
Infielders: 8

Outfielders: 5

Pitchers; 3

Catchers: 3

 
AT BAT
Right/Left: 11/7

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS (# of letters): Kelsey Chambers (3), Lindsey Chambers (3), Samantha Skillingstad (3), Allie Burger (2), Kaylan Howard (2), Jessica Moore (2), Samantha Pappas (2), Courtney Ceo (1), Kailee Cuico (1), Lauren Kotz (1), Alexa Peterson (1). Letterwinners Lost (4): Monique Fuiava (4), Ashley Kivett (3), Cortney Kivett (3), Brittany Rumfelt (4), Kaitlin Vitek (4)

 
NATIONAL POLLS (2/21) – Poll #2

 

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25



http://www.usasoftball.com/folders.asp?uid=3208

Rk    Team    Record    Totals    Prev

*1.    California (16)    8-0    494    1

*2.    Alabama (1)    7-0    477    2

3.    Florida (3)    9-0    464    3

*4.    Arizona State    10-2    415    6

*5.    UCLA    10-0    406    8

6.    Oklahoma    6-1    395    4

*7.    Washington    9-0    375    9

8.    Texas    8-0    355    13

9.    Tennessee    6-2    343    7

*10.    Baylor    6-1    310    10

*11.    Missouri    3-1    308    5

12.    Michigan    8-1    273    11

13.    Georgia    8-1    247    14

14.    Texas A&M    8-2    227    15

*15.    Stanford    8-3    210    12

*16.    Arizona    8-3    202    16

17.    Georgia Tech    7-3    156    20

18.    Louisiana-Lafayette     7-0    153    21

19.    Auburn    8-0    115    RV

20.    Louisville    9-0    104    23

>21.    Oregon    3-2    99    19

*22.    Nebraska    8-3    73    22

23.    Houston    7-2    71    17

24.    North  Carolina    7-0    61    25

25.    Florida State    9-0    41    RV

Others Receiving Votes: Hawaii (28); *Oklahoma State (26); South Florida  (20); *BYU (11); *San Diego  State (11); Maryland (10); Syracuse (6); McNeese State (5); Mississippi State (3); Kentucky (2); UMass (2); Arkansas (1); Virginia Tech (1)

New to Poll: Auburn; Florida State

Dropped Out: *Oklahoma State; Kentucky

Parenthesis denotes first place votes.

* Denotes Duck opponents in 2012

 

USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll  



http://nfca.org/top25/index.php?cat_id=1

Rk    Team    Record    Totals    Prev

1    Florida (21)    9-0    733    1

*2    Alabama (4)    7-0    717    2

*3    California (5)    8-0    704    3

*4    Arizona St.    10-2    626    5

*5    Washington    10-0    614    7

6    Oklahoma    6-1    578    4

*7    UCLA    10-0    546    12

8    Texas    8-0    500    13

*9    Baylor    6-1    489    9

10    Tennessee    6-2    478    10

*11    Missouri    3-1    470    6

12    Michigan    8-1    424    11

13    Georgia    8-1    386    14

*14    Stanford    8-3    379    8

*15    Arizona    8-3    307    16

16    Texas A&M    8-2    305    18

17    La.-Lafayette    7-0    241    20

18    Louisville    9-0    201    21

>19    Oregon    3-1    171    19

20    Georgia Tech    7-3    162    23

*21    Oklahoma St.    4-4    150    15

*22    Nebraska    8-3    142    24

23    Houston    7-2    129    17

24    Auburn    7-0    76    RV

24    Hawai‘i    12-0    70    RV

Others Receiving Votes: North Carolina 60, Florida State 42, Kentucky 15, LSU 10, *New Mexico 6, South Florida 6, Maryland 2, Massachusetts 2, Purdue 2, *San Diego St. 2, Syracuse 2, Mississippi St. 1

Dropped Out: No. 22 Kentucky, No. 25 LSU

-The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll is voted on by NCAA Division I head coaches representing each conference. First-place votes are in parentheses.

* Denotes Duck opponents in 2012

 

 
2012 INDIVIDUAL GAME HIGHS

BATTING
At bats:    4 – (9 games )

Runs scored:    3 – Chambers, Kelsey vs UCSB (2/10/12 at Tempe)

    3 – Chambers, Kelsey vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe)

Hits:    4 – Chambers, Kelsey vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe)

RBIs:    5 – Chambers, Kelsey vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe)

Doubles:    1 – (6 games )

Home runs:    1 – (7 games )

Total bases:    8 – Chambers, Kelsey vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe)

Walks:    2 – Peterson, Alexa vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe)

    2 – Chambers, Kelsey vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Strikeouts:    2 – (4 games )

Sac hits:    1 – Takeda, Janie vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

    1 – Howard, Kaylan vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

    1 – Takeda, Janie vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Stolen bases:    1 – (7 games )

Hit by pitch:    1 – Howard, Kaylan vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe)

    1 – Cuico, Kailee vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Caught stealing:    1 – Takeda, Janie vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

Runners LOB:    5 – Howard, Kaylan vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

FIELDING
Putouts:    11 – Cuico, Kailee vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Assists:    8 – Ceo, Courtney vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Errors:    2 – Chambers, Kelsey vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe)

PITCHING
Innings pitched:    7.0 – Moore, Jessica vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe)

    7.0 – Moore, Jessica vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Runs allowed:    5 – Hovinga, Karissa vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

Earned runs:    4 – Hovinga, Karissa vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

Walks allowed:    4 – Moore, Jessica vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe)

    4 – Moore, Jessica vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Strikeouts:    7 – Moore, Jessica vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe)

Hits allowed:    8 – Moore, Jessica vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe)

    8 – Moore, Jessica vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe)

Doubles allowed:    1 – Hovinga, Karissa vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe)

    1 – Hovinga, Karissa vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

    1 – Hovinga, Karissa vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe)

Homers allowed:    2 – Moore, Jessica vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe)

Wild pitches:    2 – Moore, Jessica vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

Hit batters:    2 – Hovinga, Karissa vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe)

 
2012 TEAM GAME HIGHS

HITTING
At bats:    30 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    30 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Runs scored:    10 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Hits:    12 – vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    12 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

RBIs:    9 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    9 – vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Doubles:    2 – vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Home runs:    3 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    3 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Total bases:    21 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    21 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Walks:    5 – vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Strikeouts:    9 – vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Sac hits:    2 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Stolen bases:    4 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Hit by pitch:    1 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    1 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Caught stealing:    1 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Runners LOB:    12 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Hit into DP:    1 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

FIELDING
Putouts:    21 – vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    21 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Assists:    14 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Errors:    4 – vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

DPs turned:    1 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

PITCHING
Innings pitched:    7.0 – vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    7.0 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Runs allowed:    7 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Earned runs:    5 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Walks allowed:    4 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    4 – vs BYU (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    4 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Strikeouts:    8 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Hits allowed:    10 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Doubles allowed:    1 – vs UC Santa Barbara (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    1 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

    1 – vs San Jose State (2/11/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Homers allowed:    2 – vs San Diego State (2/12/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Wild pitches:    2 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

Hit batters:    2 – vs New Mexico (2/10/12 at Tempe, Ariz.)

 
OREGON POSTSEASON APPEARANCES  (* Regional Finalist; **Regional Champion)
(Regional Record: 31-21; Super Regional: 0-4; WCWS: 1-2; AIAW WS: 3-2)

REGIONAL


**1989 (3-1) – No. 5 Regional – Amherst, Mass.

Oregon 2, Massachusetts 0

Connecticut 2, Oregon 1

Oregon 3, Connecticut 2

Oregon 6, Connecticut 0

1990 (0-2) – No. 8 Regional – Columbus, Ohio

Kent State 3, Oregon 0

Ohio State 2, Oregon 0

1994 (2-2) – No. 3 Regional – Fresno, Calif.

Oregon 3, California 2

Fresno State 1, Oregon 0

Oregon 2, California 1 (20 innings)

Fresno State 5, Oregon 0

1998 (2-2) – No. 2 Regional – Lincoln, Neb.

Iowa 5, Oregon 2

Oregon 11, Coastal Carolina 3

Oregon 10, Iowa 9

Nebraska 9, Oregon 7

1999 (1-2) – No. 8 Regional – Chicago, Ill.

Illinois-Chicago 1, Oregon 0

Oregon 6, Texas 0

Michigan State 9, Oregon 1

2000 (2-2) – No. 5 Regional – Baton Rouge, La.

Southern Mississippi 3, Oregon 0

Oregon 4, Northwestern State 1

Oregon 4, Louisiana-Lafayette 3

Southern Mississippi 3, Oregon 1

*2003 (5-2) – No. 6 Regional – Fullerton, Calif.

No. 17 Oregon 10, Penn State 8

No. 11 Oklahoma State 2, No. 17 Oregon 1

No. 17 Oregon 4, San Diego State 1

No. 17 Oregon 2, No. 6 Cal State Fullerton 1

No. 17 Oregon 7, No. 11 Oklahoma St. 6 (12 innings)

No. 17 Oregon 9, No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette 2

No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette 6, No. 17 Oregon 4

*2004 (4-2) – No. 4 Regional – Tallahassee, Fla.

No. 12 Oregon 1, Bethune-Cookman 0

No. 12 Oregon 12, South Florida 0

No. 4 Florida State 5, No. 12 Oregon 4 (12 innings)

Oregon 2, No. 17 South Florida 1

No. 12 Oregon 1, No. 4 Florida State 0

No. 4 Florida State 2, No. 12 Oregon 0

*2005 (2-2) – No. 14 Region – Norman, Okla.

No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette 7, Oregon 5

Oregon 3, Wichita State 2 (8)

Oregon 3, No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette 1

No. 10 Oklahoma 2, Oregon 1

*2007 (2-2) – Columbia, S.C.

No. 20 Oregon 4, Penn State 0

No. 20 Oregon 8, South Carolina 4

South Carolina 2, No. 20 Oregon 0

South Carolina 4, No. 20 Oregon 3

*2008 (2-2) – Norman, Okla.

No. 7 Oklahoma 6, Oregon 0

Oregon 1, Tulsa 0

Oregon 3, Arkansas 0

No. 7 Oklahoma 11, Oregon 0

*2010 (3-0) – Atlanta, Ga.

Oregon 1, Auburn 0

Oregon 11, No. 7 seed Georgia Tech 2 (5)

Oregon 4, Georgia Tech 3 (8)

**2011 (3-0) – University Park, Pa.

Oregon 3, Albany 1

Oregon 2, Fordham 0

Oregon 3, Penn State 1

SUPER REGIONAL


2010 (0-2) – Columbia, Mo.

No. 8 seed Missouri 1, Oregon 0

Missouri 7, Oregon 3

2011 (0-2) – Gainesville, Fla.

No. 4 seed Florida 9, No. 13 seed Oregon 1

Florida, 7, Oregon 0

WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES


1989 (1-2) – Sunnyvale, California

Cal Poly Pomona 1, Oregon 0

Oregon 1, South Carolina 0

Arizona 4, Oregon 0

AIAW WORLD SERIES


1976 (1-2)

Minnesota 5, Oregon 1

Oregon 11, Maryville State 0

Indiana State 14, Oregon 6

1980 (2-2)

Oregon 7, Massachusetts 3

Utah State 5, Oregon 0

Oregon 2, SW Missouri State 1

Western Michigan 1, Oregon 0 (7th Place)

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That couldn’t have summed up Michigan State’s night any better on Wednesday as the No. 6 Spartans went on a 12-0 run in the final three minutes of the game to knock off Minnesota, 66-61, at Williams Arena.

The victory keeps Michigan State (23-5, 12-3 Big Ten) one full game ahead of Ohio State and Michigan.

Brandon Wood scored eight of his 13 points in the final seven minutes to spark Michigan State while Keith Appling his six straight free throws in the final 32 seconds to ice the victory.

Appling finished with 13 points while Draymond Green scored 17 to lead the Spartans.

Austin Hollins scored 17 to lead Minnesota (17-11, 5-10) while Julian Welch and Rodney Williams added 10 points each.

Michigan State led at halftime, 31-30, but Minnesota jumped out quickly in the second half, pushing its lead to 48-39 with 10:25 to play before Michigan State started chipping away.

A steal and dunk by Wood cut the Minnesota lead to 54-52 with 4:50 to play before Minnesota scored four straight. Wood then scored on a runner in the lane and a layup on a break after a steal by Green to get it to 58-56 with 2:30 left in the game.

The Spartans defense then stiffened again, this time with Brandan Kearney forcing Minnesota’s Joe Coleman into a double-dribble.

Green then snuck a layup over the rim to tie the score before he came up with a steal at the other end. Appling was then fouled by Williams and put Michigan State ahead by two with two free throws.

Austin Hollins then air-balled a 3-pointer on Minnesota’s next possession with a hand in face before Appling put the game away at the line.

The first half started well for Michigan State before Minnesota switched its defensive game plan.

The Gophers switched to a zone defense early in the first half and a quick start for the Spartans quickly went cold.

After starting the half with three 3-pointers from Green, the Spartans were forced into taking outside shots and had little success.

Green finished the half 4-for-6 from 3-point range while the rest of the team was just 1-for-10.

The Spartans average just more than 14 3-point attempts and surpassed that in one half. The most they had taken all season was 27 against Texas Southern in the third game of the season.

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Some guys on the team now, like Justin Gilbert, have a chance to make this list if their careers continue on their current paths. But for now, there are no current, 2012 Cowboys on the list.

Here are the 12 best defensive Cowboys in Oklahoma State football history (in no particular order).

Begin Slideshow

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Feb. 22, 2012

USC WWP Weekly Release

THIS WEEK
The No. 2 USC women’s water polo team gets to compete in friendly waters this week before heading south to the UCI Invitational. The Women of Troy (7-1) have their home opener set for Thursday (Feb. 23) at 5 p.m. as USC takes on No. 6 Hawai’i (2-3) in an MPSF clash at McDonald’s Swim Stadium. Then it’s down to Irvine for competition at the annual UCI Invitational, where the Trojans are bracketed with No. 7 host UC Irvine, No. 10 LMU and No. 20 Long Beach State/No. 17 Cal State Northridge. USC opens up against No. 20 Long Beach State at 9 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 25) and will face either the Anteaters or the Lions later in the day. The goal is to get through day one with two wins in order to be in the Sunday (Feb. 26) semifinals at 11:45 a.m. The championship match is set for 5:15 p.m., preceded by a 4 p.m. third-place game.

IN THE RANKINGS
USC opened 2012 tied at No. 3 in the nation alongside UCLA, but moved up to No. 2 on Feb. 8. The Trojans remain at No. 2 once again in this week’s national rankings.

SCOUTING HAWAII
The Rainbow Wahine are 2-3 overall after finishing fifth at the Stanford Invitational in their most recent action. Hawai’i lost 6-5 to UCLA, beat Michigan 7-5 and lost to Cal 8-4 before beating San Jose State 11-7 in the fifth-place game. Emily Scott is the team’s top scorer with eight goals in five games to date. Goalie Serena Reid is averaing 8.2 saves and 7.0 goals-against per game. USC is 33-3 all-time against Hawai’i with an 11-game win streak that includes three wins last season with a 5-4 overtime win in the team’s 2011 MPSF clash.

UCI INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT CENTRAL

SCOUTING THE FIELD
The 16-team tournament includes all top-20 teams this year. USC’s groupmates are No. 20 Long Beach State, No. 10 Loyola Marymount and No. 7 host UC Irvine. The top seed is No. 1 Stanford, followed by the No. 2 Trojans, No. 3 UCLA and No. 4 California as the high seeds in the tourney. The rest of the field outside USC’s group comprises No. 5 Arizona State, No. 6 Hawai’i, No. 8 San Jose State, No. 9 San Dieo State, No. 12 Michigan, No. 13 UC Davis, No. 15 UC Santa Barbara, No. 17 Cal State Northridge and No. 19 UC San Diego.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR
USC finished second at the 2011 UCI Invitational, falling to Stanford 9-6 in the championship game. The Trojans were 6-1 overall, the No. 2 seed and the defending champion at the tourney last year, and opened up with a 14-5 win over UC San Diego and an 11-3 win over San Diego State to reach the semifinals. There, the Trojans edged out UCLA 9-8 to move into the final before falling to the Cardlinal.

LAST WEEK
USC ran its win streak out to five straight with four powerful wins at the Lancer Invitational last week. Led by eight goals apiece from senior Kara-Leigh Huse, sophomore Kaleigh Gilchrist and freshman Savannah Fletcher in the invite, the Women of Troy outscored opponents 71-12. USC opened with a 14-2 win over Pacific before topping Fresno Pacific 27-1. Against host Cal Baptist the next day, USC grabbed a 12-3 win and then rounded out the action with an 18-6 win over Concordia. USC goalies Flora Bolonyai and Morgan Vickers traded duties in goal, with Bolonyai pulling in nine saves vs. Pacific and five against Cal Baptist. Vickers had five against Fresno Pacific and six vs. Concordia. With their respective eight-goal outings, Gilchrist and Fletcher each made serious statements in their young Trojan careers. Just eight games into 2012, Gilchrist now holds a team-high 15 goals to matchthe overall scoring total she posted last year as a freshman. Fletcher, meanwhile, secured herself as the MPSF Newcomer of the Week with her eight-goal effort, which included a four-goal game vs. Pacific.

BACK IN ACTION
USC returns 65 percent of its scoring from last year, including two of its top-three scorers from 2011 in junior Patricia Jancso and senior Nadia Dan, who combined for 83 goals last season. Dan and Jancso both earned All-American honors in 2011 along with sophomore goalie Flora Bolonyai, who anchored the Trojans in every game to the tune of 7.9 saves per game and 6.7 goals-against per game. Along with Bolonyai back in the cage, USC also has 13 players back in the water who tallied at least one goal for the Women of Troy in 2011.

CHAMPIONSHIP BASE
USC is just one season removed from the 2010 national championship year, which eight current players experienced. Seniors Nadia Dan and Kara-Leigh Huse were sophomores in that campaign, and the rest are now juniors, giving Vavic a powerful base of knowledge to tap into as he constructs a a defensive-minded squad to get the Trojans back on top. USC’s top scorer in 2011, Patricia Jancso and fellow junior Dominique Sardo were impact players as freshmen during that 2010 championship run. Constance Hiller, Nicolina McCall, Blair Moody and Chelsea Silvers also got plenty of pool time as freshmen that year and even more last season as sophomores. Now, that pack of upperclassmen are charged with putting that know-how and skill to good use this year.

NEW CREW
USC’s class of newcomers is a powerful group. Jovan Vavic has combined the strength of Eike Daube at two-meters and Monica Vavic as an insightful distributor with scoring ability with the quickness of transfer Olivia Cummins and freshman drivers Michelle Caron and Savannah Fletcher, to set up the Trojans for a youth movement toward success.

SOPHOMORE STRENGTH
Versatility will be an important counter punch for the Trojans, who can now follow up the more experienced defensive system on one end with a blend of offensive strategies going the opposite direction. After all, Vavic also knows he can rely on the sophomore savvy of Kaleigh Gilchrist, Colleen O’Donnell and Madeline Rosenthal, who combined for 35 goals as freshmen. O’Donnell and Rosenthal got extra experience as well as members of the U.S. Junior National Team, along with junior Dominique Sardo, in the fall at the FINA Junior World Championships. Sophomore Jennifer Stiefel also was there, playing for Germany, as well as fellow sophomore Flora Bolonyai, who won silver with Team Hungary.

BRONZE FOR BOLONYAI
Sophomore goalie Flora Bolonyai brings back some hardware from overseas as she now jumps into collegiate waters with her Women of Troy. As the linchpin of the Hungarian National Team’s defense, Bolonyai helped her team to a bronze medal at the European Championships last week in the Netherlands. In doing so, Hungary moves on to fight for a spot in the London Olympic Games with a spot at April’s Olympic Qualification Tournament. Bolonyai started her decorated debut with Hungary’s Senior National Team earlier in the year as she picked up honors as the Best Goalie of the Tournament at the Thetis Cup before moving into this latest major competition with Hungary at the European Championships.

2011 RECAP
After graduating five All-Americans from its 2010 NCAA CHampionship team, the 2011 Trojans finished 19-8 overall and 4-3 in MPSF play with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Tournament. The Women of Troy extended their streak of NCAA appearances to eight straight with 2011′s trip to the tourney. Five Trojans earned All-American honors in 2011 as well, with seniors Joelle Bekhazi and Kristen Dronberger pocketing their third consecutive All-American awards. The decorated duo was joined by three other teammates on the All-American list as well — Flora Bolonyai, Nadia Dan and Patricia Jancso. Jancso, Bekhazi, Dan and Dronberger were USC’s top four scorers, respectively, in 2011. Bolonyai was USC’s wall in the cage, earning herself All-America honors in her first season as a Trojan. USC outscored opponents 280-188 in 2011, averaging 10.3 goals per game offensively and 7.0 goals against per game defensively.

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For the second time in as many weeks, I submit to this readership a statement on behalf of the Interfraternity Council.

Nolan Jackson

This time, however, it is with the heaviest of hearts.

Yesterday evening, our student body suffered the loss of one of its own. Alex Ehr, 19 – diagnosed just six months ago – lost his battle with cancer. By all accounts, Alex possessed considerable presence. His academic and extracurricular merits testify to steadfast leadership and positive ambition. Alex has been recognized as outgoing, devoted, enlightening, and encouraging. His passing is a tragic loss to the Greek community and university student body.

As our Wildcat family copes, I humbly ask three things: 1) That you reach out to Alex’s friends and brothers of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity to embrace and console as they grieve; 2) That, henceforth, you cherish each waking moment, for sudden loss is a reminder of how tragically and decidedly our circumstances can change; and 3) That you continue to celebrate efforts like DanceBlue, and when you dance in just a few days, remember that this year, your support is especially meaningful.

Nolan Jackson is the Interfraternity Council president. Email opinions@kykernel.com.

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Per a recent study on campus, two-thirds of you are not aware that UK still operates four coal-powered boilers in two locations on campus, and even fewer are aware just how antiquated they are.  Even for coal boilers, these things are dinosaurs — they were up and running before the Clean Air Act and were grandfathered in under EPA regulations, meaning that the emissions deemed unacceptable for other power plants are still allowed on campus.

The fact that the university still relies on such outdated technology is nothing short of ridiculous, and it’s past time we recognized the harmful effects this situation has for our campus, community and environment.  A phenomenal new report from Dr. Shannon Bell’s sociology class details some of the harmful effects of these coal-fired power plants: soot collected from on-campus parking garages was found to contain arsenic, cadmium, cobalt and other carcinogens.  Needless to say, this is not good.

While Kentucky is certainly a coal state (one need look no farther than the Wildcat Coal Lodge for proof of coal’s influence on our university), this historical legacy hardly precludes the need for modern-day solutions.  The report suggests a number of steps that the university can take right away to begin addressing these issues, including signing a nationwide pledge to commit to more environmentally friendly policies (which almost 700 other universities have already done) and conducting feasibility studies to look at both alternative energy solutions and funding sources to make them happen.

It’s obviously unrealistic to think that the boilers could be switched off tomorrow, and no one is asking for that.  But the process of finding alternative means for heating our homes and powering our campus is certainly a challenge we’re capable of meeting.  Many schools in our region have already committed to substantially reducing their environmental impact and are leading the move toward a truly sustainable energy future.  The University of Louisville has committed to reach climate neutrality by 2050 and already has stopped burning coal on campus.  Ball State has found affordable ways to introduce geothermal power on campus, substantially reducing their energy consumption.  If UK truly aspires to be a top-flight academic institution, how can we go on ignoring such a fundamental part of our world’s future when other schools in our region have proven that such solutions do exist?

The continued operation of these coal-fired boilers is antithetical to the nature of this university’s mission, which is supposed to be home to some of the brightest minds and most creative thinkers in the state.  Given the overwhelming evidence against coal — the destruction of mountains, the rise of global temperatures, the release of these toxins into our environment — it’s beyond time we begin to consider the alternatives.

Sam Beavin is a chemistry sophomore. Email opinions@kykernel.com.

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To truly understand where Notre Dame needs to improve in 2012, it’s important to look at the 2011 rankings, but it’s also important to read between the numbers, so to speak, and dig deeper into them to see if the Irish truly need to improve in that area.

And improve the Irish must if they hope to be serious BCS contenders in the near future. But again, the key is where, so let’s look at some 2011 rankings, break them down and identify exactly where those efforts of improvement should be centered around.

Begin Slideshow

Feb. 22, 2012

Site: Iowa City, Iowa (Campus Wellness and Recreation Center)
Event: Big Ten Championships (Day 1 of 4)
U-M Team Standing: 1st of 10 teams (80 points) after Day 1
Next U-M Event: Thu-Sat., Feb. 23-25 — at Big Ten Championships (Iowa City, Iowa.) 11 a.m./6:30 p.m. CST

IOWA CITY, Iowa. – The No. 4-ranked University of Michigan men’s swimming and diving team repeated as 200-yard medley relay and 800-yard freestyle relay champion and sits in first place after the first day of competition at the Big Ten Championships on Wednesday evening (Feb. 22) at Iowa’s Campus Wellness and Recreation Center.

The Wolverines began their quest for a 36th Big Ten championship with a win in the 200-yard medley relay with a pool-record 1:25.58, led by sophomore Miguel Ortiz (Tokyo, Japan/St. Mary’s International). He was followed by freshman Richard Funk (Edmonton, Alberta/Stratchcona) and sophomore John Wojciechowski (Scottsdale, Ariz./Phoenix Brophy). Junior Evan Gregg (Blacksburg, Va./Blacksburg) brought home the victory on the sprint freestyle portion with a blistering 45.50 to edge out second-place Penn State by .03 and third-place Ohio State by .04 to tack on 40 points for U-M.

U-M then captured the 800-yard freestyle relay for 12th straight season with a pool-record and nation-best 6:16.26 to seal day one of competition. Senior Dan Madwed (Stamford, Conn./Towson) handled the leadoff leg of competition, while sophomore Michael Wynalda (Wyoming, Mich./Grandville) followed, as Michigan opened up a 1.24-second lead heading into the third leg of the relay. Sophomores Connor Jaeger (Rumson, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven) and Kyle Whitaker (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) held down the third and fourth positions in the relay as U-M won the race by more than eight seconds over second-place Ohio State.

The Wolverines continue with day two of the Big Ten Championships tomorrow (Wednesday, Feb. 23) at Iowa’s Campus Wellness and Recreation Center. Preliminaries begin at 11 a.m. CST, with the finals set to begin at 6:30 p.m. CST.

Team Standings (After Day 1)

 1. MICHIGAN              80
 2. Ohio State            66
 3. Indiana               60
 4. Minnesota             54
 4. Wisconsin             54
 6. Penn State            52
 7. Northwestern          50
 8. Iowa                  48
 9. Purdue                32
10. Michigan State        26

Event Winners/U-M Finishers

200-yard Medley Relay
 1. MICHIGAN 'A'                1:25.58%#
   (Miguel Ortiz, Richard Funk
    John Wojciechowski, Evan Gregg)
  
800-yard Freestyle Relay
 1. MICHIGAN 'A'                6:16.26%*
   (Dan Madwed, Michael Wynalda,
    Connor Jaeger, Kyle Whitaker)
 
* NCAA automatic qualifying time
# NCAA consideration time
% Pool Record

N O T E S

• The Wolverines repeated as 200-yard medley relay champions, winning the race for the third straight season.

• Michigan won its 12th consecutive Big Ten title in the 800-yard freestyle relay. U-M has not lost that relay since 2000. The Wolverines broke Indiana’s Big Ten best string of relay titles with its 11th win in the 800-yard freestyle relay. IU won the 400-yard medley relay from 1967 to 1977.

• Richard Funk, John Wojciechowski and Evan Gregg won their first Big Ten titles as part of the 200-yard medley relay and Michael Wynalda won his first crown as part of the 800-yard freestyle relay.

• Madwed, Jaeger, and Whitaker were all part of the 2011 Big Ten championship 800-freestyle relay.

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Mike Bottom
On day one … “We had in our team meeting the idea that every man does their job. We talk about being a ‘blue cloud,’ in being faceless and going into the competition and getting the job done. It’s a privilege watching what these guys do during the day. Walking down the hallway earlier today there are four or five guys studying in the hallway and downstairs in the library. This team doesn’t only have a job to swim, fast but they also have a job to study. Today we were able to turn in an 800 relay time that is No. 1 in the nation right now. Our 200 relay won even though it was by such a small margin. Tomorrow is another day, and we’re going to talk about getting up and going to work tomorrow.”

Contact: Scott Kemps (734) 763-4423

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Feb. 22, 2012

By Alex Lozier

“We’ve been through so much and seen so much. We have the same chip on our shoulder, and people have the same doubts about both of us. Just to bring this program along like we both have, to see where it’s gone from our freshman year through the last four years; we’re both really proud of it.” - Stu Douglass

On April 16, 2008, John Beilein finalized his first recruiting class as head coach of the University of Michigan men’s basketball team. The three-man class included a pair from the Hoosier State — 6-3 guard Stu Douglass from Carmel and 6-4 guard/forward Zack Novak from Chesterton. Unranked and unknown, the two were viewed as a last resort.

It had been 10 years since Michigan had reached the NCAA Tournament, 10 years since it had won the Big Ten Tournament and 12 years since it had earned a regular-season Big Ten championship. And after a 10-22 record overall and no postseason appearance in Beilein’s inaugural 2007-08 season, the program’s slump had hit an all-time low. No one thought Douglass and Novak were elite enough to deserve a Big Ten scholarship, but they were the best available options; Michigan’s future did not look promising.

Amid the doubts and criticism, Douglass and Novak remained humble but confident. Like most freshmen, the duo knew they would have to fight for playing time against their older, more experienced teammates. It was unclear how much opportunity they would receive to contribute. Yet from day one, they identified the skills they had to offer. In a “Getting to Know the Freshmen” series in 2008, Douglass explained that he was known as a shooter but was working on defense and ball-handling. Novak described his play-hard first mentality, his versatility and his ability to score.

The initial goal was simple — to rebuild the program. “[Coach Beilein] just told us, ‘I need my guys to be able to turn this around,’” said Novak.

But Douglass and Novak were lucky to even be part of the program; there were little expectations for how much they would be able to accomplish. As a team and as individuals they had something to prove.

Just three games into the season, Douglass backed up his words. The freshman knocked down key baskets, including two three-pointers, to pull his team out of a six-point halftime deficit and upset No. 4 UCLA at Madison Square Garden. The performance got Douglass noticed and established his identity as a shooter. But it also marked the first step of the turnaround; Michigan had not beaten a top-five opponent in 11 years.

Two weeks later it was Novak’s turn to steal the shooting spotlight. Trailing midway through the second half, No. 0 hit back-to-back triples, highlighting a 14-point night, to regain the lead and help Michigan knock off Duke in its second victory over the No. 4-ranked team of the season. The pair from Indiana had come to be known as just that — a pair.

“I think a lot of people don’t even know the difference between us half the time,” said Novak, “I get called Stu all the time; he gets called Zack.”

“I’ll never forget the day I airballed a shot and later in the game, Zack caught a pass and they yelled ‘air ball’ at him because they thought it was me,” Douglass added.

Even as their roles on the team grew to differ, their association persisted.

As Big Ten Conference play began, the freshman duo had each earned a place in the starting lineup. Douglass remained in his natural position at the two-guard, while Novak was moved down to the post. It was then that Novak, playing significantly undersized, started to get recognized for his self-described play-hard first mentality, and each of their individual identities began to develop.

Embracing their roles and opportunities to contribute, the freshmen helped the team to a 19-12 record overall and the next step in the program’s turnaround: a bid to the NCAA Tournament after its 10-year absence. The team did not disappoint, upsetting No. 7-seed Clemson before falling to No. 2-seed Oklahoma, which rostered future No. 1 NBA pick Blake Griffin.

The unexpected success of the 2008-09 campaign garnered a preseason No. 15 ranking for Douglass and Novak’s sophomore year. However, the team faltered, finishing with a 15-17 overall record and no appearance in postseason play. The success of the previous season was seen as a fluke, and all of the doubts and criticisms returned even harsher.

Yet the year proved to be a necessary learning experience for Douglass and Novak, as each took on new responsibilities in just their second season. Douglass accepted the task of backing up the point guard position, having never played the role before. While he admits it wasn’t easy switching between the one- and two-guard, experiencing the role of playmaker helped him in his future leadership role on the team.

Novak had a similar but more direct experience with leadership. He embraced the role as co-captain of the team, only the second sophomore in program history to be named so. Novak confessed difficulty in his new responsibility as well; many of his teammates were upperclassmen and guided him the year prior. But these struggles and the disappointment of the season only prepared them for future success.

As the oldest members of the team, Douglass and Novak were named leaders and co-captains for their junior year, strengthening their association. At the same time, however, Beilein’s recruiting classes had become more elite every year, and Douglass and Novak had to continue to fight for playing time.

Riding a six-game losing streak through the middle of Big Ten Conference play, the 2010-11 season was, by all accounts, headed to be another disappointment. On Jan. 27, Michigan headed to East Lansing, where it had been unable to get a victory over the Spartans in the past 11 seasons. The junior captains proved their importance on the team in both their leadership and talent.

Forever associated with the shot of Novak screaming at his teammates during a timeout, Michigan defeated No. 25 MSU when it seemed that only the team itself believed it could. The captains led the team, with a team-high 19 points coming from Novak and the victory-sealing three-pointer by Douglass with 22 seconds remaining in regulation. The pair had made their mark on the next step of the turnaround.

After a 1-6 start in conference games, Douglass and Novak led Michigan to wins in eight of its next 12 games, including a 70-63 victory over Michigan State to sweep the Spartans for the first time in 14 years. After turning their season around, Michigan was rewarded with its second bid to the NCAA Tournament in three years. The captains each scored in double figures in the team’s 75-45 blowout of Tennessee, before Michigan fell just a basket short to No. 1-seeded Duke and of advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.

“I’d go back to the tournament game last year against Duke,” said Novak, when asked about the one thing he would want to change in his career. “I don’t know what I’d do, but just to be that close and not get it done. I don’t know what I’d do differently, but I’m sure I’d find something.”

In their senior season, Douglass and Novak have led Michigan to eight consecutive sellout crowds, its highest national ranking (No. 11 AP) in 15 years, a chance to remain undefeated at home for the first time in 35 years, and a chance to win the Big Ten Conference regular-season championship for the first time in 26 years.

And when Douglass and Novak walk out on the court for their Senior Night before Saturday’s game against Purdue (Feb. 26), they will each do so ranking in the top 10 for both career minutes played and career three-point field goals made.

“To have that when we weren’t supposed to have Big Ten scholarships, weren’t supposed to play, weren’t supposed to start our freshman year, and weren’t supposed to make the tournament — we’ve played throughout our entire career. [It] has been a big accomplishment for us,” expressed Douglass.

Through both their leadership and their work ethic, the pair of unknowns from Beilein’s first Michigan recruiting class achieved that initial goal — to rebuild the program. And for that, Douglass and Novak will always be respected and remembered.

Even after the final chapter of their careers has been written, their legacy will live on through the core values they’ve instilled in their younger teammates — integrity, appreciation, passion, diligence, and unity. Douglass and Novak have been there every step of the way in the program’s turnaround, but just as importantly, the pair has ensured that it will continue to rise even after they are gone.

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By Rachel Sarnovsky

Pinkett

UK’s College of Engineering welcomes Randal Pinkett, winner of season four of NBC’s “The Apprentice,” to speak Friday at the Ralph G. Anderson Building.

“This event is a celebration of the power of communication in engineering. Our engineers are increasingly challenged to communicate in diverse ways,” said Emily
Dotson, associate director of eStudio, the new digital media studio in engineering. “You have to be able to talk about your ideas with different audiences, and to
promote and propagate them in increasingly technologically savvy ways.”

Pinkett graduated from Rutgers University summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering.

“Engineering is stressful, but knowing that Dr. Pinkett was able to be president of NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) and captain of the varsity field and track team while still maintaining a 3.9 GPA in electrical engineering inspires me to push through to earn my degree in engineering,” said Andrea Ramsey, a chemical
engineering senior.

Pinkett went on to receive a Master of Science in computer science from the University of Oxford in England, and then earned a second Master of Science in
electrical engineering, along with a Master of Business Administration and a Ph.D. in media arts and sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“Dr. Pinkett has a very impressive resume. Knowing how scientific-minded most engineers are, I was floored to find out Dr. Pinkett is so well versed in soft
skills,” Ramsey said. “I’m very interested in leadership skills, so I know how important soft skills such as communication and teamwork are in leading a team to
accomplish a goal or task.”

The annual Engineers Week event invites speakers who are notable for their communication and leadership skills.

Ramsey said she is interested in what Pinkett has to teach about leadership, versatility, persistence and the application of an engineering background in the
business world.

“I’m excited for him to come because he’s very accomplished in entrepreneurial aspects and could be a great inspiration and role model,” said Lindsey Gordon, who is
double majoring in biology and psychology.

Understanding failures and successes are a conventional part of being an entrepreneur.

“Even after multiple failed attempts it’s still important to push and move forward with your goal to get to where you want to be,” Gordon said. “Dr. Randal Pinkett
illustrates that anything is possible and everyone can go far with hard work and effort.”

The College of Engineering and the eStudio are proud to bring Pinkett to campus.

“We want students to see real engineers who move roads, mountains or, in Dr. Pinkett’s case, Donald Trump with the power of their well-communicated ideas,” Dotson said.

If you go
What: Randal Pinkett
When: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday
Where: Raymond Student Commons area of the Ralph G. Anderson Building
Admission: Free

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By Rob Ellery

Ratigan

The “30 Million Jobs Tour on The Dylan Ratigan Show” began its college edition at the UK College of Pharmacy Wednesday.

“UK really laid down the mark,” said Steve Friedman, executive producer of “The Dylan Ratigan Show.”  He said, “The challenge is on for Ohio State and the University of Chicago to see if they can top UK.”

Students, faculty and the Wildcat mascot gathered in the atrium of the Bio-Pharmacy building at the College of Pharmacy for the live broadcast from 4 to 5 p.m.

The energetic crowd joined the Wildcat in a C-A-T-S chant for the show.

Ratigan’s first guest was Rebecca Christopher, a recent UK graduate. Christopher discussed how she landed a job with Corning Glass.

“You have to be able to show that you can work with others well,” she said.

Christopher explained that UK was helpful in her job search and advocated the importance of showing a company what you have to offer.

“I sold myself,” she said. “You need to show that although you haven’t done it before, you are capable of doing it.”

Charles Purdy, senior editor of Monster.com, joined Christopher on the show and said that companies hire for what you will be able to do for them in the future.

“My best advice is planning for the long-term future,” he said.

Purdy explained that no one could have predicted having jobs in social media or creating apps 30 years ago.

Ratigan said that his advice for graduates was “very simple.” He advocated the importance of working with others.

“The single most valuable skill is the ability to adapt,” Ratigan said. “You develop this by being forced to solve problems in a group.”

He said students should approach their job searches by asking, “What need can I help fix in this community?”

Michael Bellmore, a social work junior, was pleasantly surprised to find out the show was coming to UK. As a fan of the show, he thought that Lexington was a great choice.

“It shows that Lexington is a very promising city with a lot of booming technology,” he said.

Ratigan was also happy with his stop at UK.

“I loved it,” he said. “I love the sense of community that exists in a place like this.”

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For Stringer, he buried 6-of-12 shots aided by a quartet of three-pointers. It was his highest scoring output since a 20-point performance versus South Alabama back on November 23. The Jackson, Miss., native has reeled off double figures in three of his last four outings.

With the victory, LSU (17-10, 7-6 SEC) has won 10 of its last 15 games with Georgia dating back to the 2000 season. The Tigers also moved into a fourth-place tie with Tennessee in the SEC standings.

Johnny O’Bryant III chipped in 14 points and connected on five of his 10 attempts. He also secured eight rebounds. Justin Hamilton garnered a game-best nine rebounds to go along with seven points, while Ralston Turner added eight points over the final five minutes of the contest.

LSU’s defense held its opponent under the 60-point plateau for the 15th time this season, winning 14 of those contests. The Bulldogs (12-15, 3-10 SEC) were fueled by Gerald Robinson, Jr.’s 17 points. 

The Tigers came out firing on all cylinders and canned six of their first nine shots to race out to a 15-3 advantage with 13:54 remaining in the first half. The Tigers rode O’Bryant III and Stringer to 13 of those points.

With LSU ahead 29-17 with 2:34 left, the Bulldogs reeled off the final six points of the stanza to draw back to 29-23 at halftime.

Georgia continued to chip away and pulled with a single possession on two occasions, the latest at 45-42 with 6:49 left, after a Donte’ Williams traditional three-point play.

The Tigers regained control over the next 2:03 when Stringer and Turner knocked down triples coupled with a pair of Hamilton free throws to surge LSU back ahead, 53-44, at the 4:13 mark.

Georgia ran off a 7-2 mini-spurt to make it 55-51 with 34 seconds to go. However, the Tigers calmly sank their final six free throws, four from Turner, to secure the 61-53 triumph.

LSU returns to the road Saturday at Ole Miss. Tip-off is slated for 12:47 p.m. CT, and the game will be televised on the SEC Network along with ESPN3.com. The LSU Sports Radio Network affiliates (New Country 100.7 FM The Tiger in Baton Rouge) will have the game with Jim Hawthorne, Ricky Blanton and Kevin Ford.

Follow LSU Basketball on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LSUBasketball and on Twitter @LSUBasketball and @LSUCoachJohnson.

LSU v. Georgia Men’s Basketball
February 22, 2012

HEAD COACH TRENT JOHNSON

Opening statement …
“It is a good win and I said this earlier in the week, I think Georgia, with the exception of Kentucky, has probably played the toughest schedule. They got a young group with the exception of (Dustin) Ware and (Gerald) Robinson. They did a lot of good things defensively against us in terms of putting a lot of pressure on our post, making them passers, getting us out of rhythm with their zone and their man. I thought we did a really, really good job of keeping our poise because when the thing got to within three, got to within four, I thought we showed our fragileness a little bit. The guys started losing a little confidence, but then we found our way back. So that is a good win.”

On the team’s free throw shooting …
“I do not know as much as we struggled; and I say that based off of what Chris Bass and Malcolm White shoot from the free throw line. Neither one of them are high volume percentage shooters. I thought the guys that were at the line that are high percentage free throw shooters made them. Chris (Bass) did a good job of hitting the front end of the one-and-one when it got close. Malcolm (White) did a good job of hitting the one that he hit, but for the most part when Andre (Stringer) started having cramps or what he had, we had to play Chris (Bass) and that is probably a bad move on my part. I should have put John Isaac in because he is a pretty good free throw shooter. We wanted to put Chris (Bass) in because we thought he can do a good job defending (Gerald) Robinson so you pick your poison when one of your key guys, who is a good free throw shooter, gets hurt and you have to take him out. In terms of our percentages, Malcolm (White) and Chris (Bass) they work at it, but they are both about 60 percent from the free throw line. Ralston (Turner), we got him to the line and he shoots them well, Justin (Hamilton) at the line shoots them well. That is who you want at the line”

On the team’s growth …
“In terms of growth, I like to use the word improvement … I want to say after we left Charleston we continued to get better. For me, I see them every day, sometimes I am really critical on them. But when Joe Dean Jr., who knows a little bit about basketball or Dino Gaudio from ESPN, who use to coach at Wake, when those guys say your guys have gotten better individually and collectively. Sometimes, as a coach, when you are around them every day you just over analyze it, but I feel we have gotten better. Obviously when look you look at how we take care of the ball now, and obviously when you look at how we feed the post … We are getting better. We are getting better so I am hopeful we will continue.”

LSU PLAYER QUOTES
LSU CENTER JUSTIN HAMILTON

On LSU Missing Free Throws…
“That kind of surprised me. The past couple of days we have been shooting a lot of free throws, and we have been hitting them a lot. Coming into the game, we knew we were going to have to make a few free throws because we knew it was going to be a tight game. At the end, we needed to calm down and just take our time to knock down those free throws.”

On Georgia’s Ability to Put Pressure on LSU’s Offense …
“They did a good job. It seemed every time I had the ball there were a lot of guys around me, so it put me in a tough spot. Credit goes to my teammates though; they did a really good job tonight making the right plays.”

On the Team’s Preparation for this Game vs. Georgia …
“We knew that they ran a lot of similar stuff as us. We knew that we were just going to have to out-execute them … possession-after-possession. We knew they were a physical team; we just had to find a way to win.”

LSU FORWARD JOHNNY O’BRYANT III

On His Performance in the First Half …
“I was being aggressive. They kept the baseline open, so I knew that if I could get to the middle, there wouldn’t be anybody there. They started bringing in two men. They tried to put extra coverage on me to keep me from getting to the baseline.”

On LSU’s Ability to Gain an Early Lead …
“We came out more aggressive than Georgia. We threw the first punches. We were attacking them. Later in the game our shots stopped falling, though. Georgia took advantage of that and made plays that brought them back into the game.”

LSU GUARD ANDRE STRINGER

On the Upcoming Game Against Ole Miss …
“Our team never stopped being aggressive, and it worked out for us tonight. We know that going to Ole Miss is going to be a hostile environment. They are a very good team. They have gotten better throughout the season. I know a lot of their guys are healthy. It is going to be very imperative that we listen to Coach [Johnson] tomorrow, watch film and focus on what we have to do. If we go down there and compete and play defense, I think we will be there in the end.”

Georgia Head Coach Mark Fox

Opening Statement
“It’s hard to win when you don’t come as prepared to play as you need to.  I just felt that we got off to a very poor start, and we played uphill from that point forward.  Certainly they had more free-throw attempts than us, but we have to have a more mature mentality when we come to the gym.”

On the play of Center John Cannon
“John has been practicing really well.  He’s had a real hard time learning the system of play.  It’s been tough for him and he’s made a lot of progress there and I thought tonight he played pretty well.”

On the slow start and the use of some unusual line-ups
“It certainly affected our efficiency offensively because we had so many disjointed lineups in the game.  We obviously had to foul at the end, which makes the free-throw shooting look like even more of a margin.  It’s hard to climb back anywhere when you can’t get to the line.”

On Georgia’s defense on LSU’s Justin Hamilton
“Well, we held him down.  I think our defense was fairly solid.  We didn’t rebound quite as well as we’d like to, but then again, the Achilles heel of our team, we missed some easy shots around the goal.  We’ve got to get to the point where we finish those.”

On the effort in the second half to get back into the game
“We got back in a position to win the game and after a slow start that was the mission.  To get back and have a chance to win it, but they made those back-to-back three’s which really hurt us.  Then we went to man (defense) and picked up a quick foul.  We just had a tough time matching up to their man-to-man.”

On LSU’s Andre Stringer
“You play to the numbers, and tonight he didn’t perform to the numbers.  He shot it a little bit better, a little out of character and you have to give him credit for that.”

GEORGIA PLAYER QUOTES
GUARD GERALD ROBINSON

On his thoughts on the game…
“We started off extremely too slow, digging ourselves into a big hole. It was hard for us to overcome, and we didn’t play with the dedication and determination to overcome that deficit.”

On what he feels the team needs to improve on going forward…
“We just need to play hard. It never should be your effort. We just have to play harder from top-to-bottom and be more competitive. We need to make sure we come out strong and compete the entire game.”

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Tyren Jones, a 5-foot-8, 190-pound running back from Alpharetta, chose the Crimson Tide on Tuesday over offers from Georgia, Auburn, Clemson, Tennessee and Vanderbilt, among others.

Jones, considered by most publications as the state’s top running back, led Class AAAAA in rushing last season after amassing 2,375 yards and 34 touchdowns for state runner-up Walton High School.

Tyren Jones

Alabama also holds a verbal commitment from the state’s top-ranked linebacker — Reuben Foster of Troup County — who the Bulldogs are still actively pursuing.

The Bulldogs are expected to go head-to-head with the Crimson Tide for multiple Peach State prospects, including the nation’s top-rated prospect in Robert Nkemdiche of Grayson, the state’s top-rated defensive tackle in Dooly County’s Montravius Adams and one of the state’s most electrifying running backs in Norcross’ Alvin Kamara.

Without Jones on board, the Bulldogs still have a plethora of targets at running back, including Kamara, Elbert County’s Tyshon Dye, Grayson’s Wayne Gallman and Florida native Greg Bryant.

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The 44 runs for LSU over the opening four games is the most for the Tigers since the 2005 team tallied 46 to start its campaign. The Tigers return to action on Friday at 7 p.m. to begin a three-game series with Appalachian State at Alex Box Stadium.

Six LSU pitchers combined to work the game for the Tigers. The hurlers struck out nine and forced the Cowboys to strand 11 runners.

Freshman left-hander Cody Glenn (1-0) recorded his first career victory as a Tiger. Glenn pitched three innings, allowed three hits, two runs, two earned, two walks and struck out four.

Joe Broussard started the game for LSU, permitted three hits and one run and struck out one in two innings of work.

Five Tigers collected two hits – Austin Nola drove in three and had a double, Grant Dozar hit a solo home run, and Jackson Slaid had a single and a triple to lead LSU.

Nola and Mason Katz are now tied for the team lead with six RBI.

“We started out a little slow at the plate in the first inning, but I was very pleased with the way we swung the bats today,” said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. “We had seven extra-base hits, which was great to see from our offense.”

The Cowboys struck first and got on the board in the top of the second. Broussard hit Nick Eubanks after registering the first out of the frame. Taylor Drake knocked a single up the middle and advanced Eubanks to second. Collin Todd ripped a single between the shortstop and third to load the bags.

Tyler Klouser’s dribbler to the pitcher brought home Eubanks on a fielder’s choice. Broussard forced Andrew Guillotte to fly out to right to strand two runners in scoring position and contain the damage.

The Tigers responded in the bottom of the second. Back to back opposite field singles by Katz and Slaid put runners on first and second. Jones blasted a shot to deep right center that was tracked down, but permitted the both runners to tag up and advance.

Nola stepped up with two runners in scoring position and brought them home on a single up the middle to give LSU its first lead of the game.

Glenn walked the first batter he faced to lead off the third. The Tigers’ defense made a clutch play behind him, turning the team’s first double play on the season. Casey Yocom scooped up the hard hit grounder, flipped it to Nola on second and he tossed it to Katz on first to complete the bang-bang play.

“I thought both Austin Nola and Casey Yocom played great games today, both at the plate and of defense,” Mainieri said. “The double play in the third inning really sparked us early in the game.”

However, Michael Sullivan hit a two-out single under Yocom’s glove at second and Glenn hit Skylar Barrentine to put two on. Eubanks drilled a line drive into the left center gap to plate the runners and put McNeese ahead 3-2. Glenn pitched his way out of the jam and struck out Drake on four pitches.

The top of the order for LSU got things going in the bottom half of the third and sparked the Tigers to grab the lead for good. Hanover smacked a leadoff double to left and scored on Yocom’s double to left.

Rhymes kept the rally going and moved Yocom to third on a base knock to right center. Katz blasted a line drive to the deepest part of the park in straight away center. Yocom reached home safely on the hit, but Rhymes was thrown out at the plate and Katz moved to third on the throw.

Grant Dozar extended the lead for LSU to 5-3 in the bottom half of the fourth when he pulled a two-out dinger into the right field seats.

In the top of the fifth, Nola made a great play at short to register the first out of the frame. He fielded the ball behind the bag at second, spun around and fired a throw to first to beat the runner. Glenn allowed a two-out walk, but struck out two more and posted his second scoreless inning in the process.

Joey Bourgeois stepped into the game in the top of the sixth and kept McNeese off the board. The righty set the Cowboys down in order and recorded the last two outs via strike out to preserve the 5-3 lead.

LSU added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Jones drew a one-out walk, stole second and moved to third on a throwing error. Nola beamed a double to right center, which extended the lead to 6-3. The hit chased McNeese’s Michael Clemmons in the process.

McNeese inserted lefty Tyler Erickson to matchup against Moore, but Moore smacked a single up the middle to move Nola to third. The Cowboys pulled Erickson and replaced him with Caleb Miller after Jared Foster was selected to pinch hit for Dozar.

Foster plated Nola and moved Moore to second on a line drive single just in front of the center fielder. Hanover’s contact back to the pitcher was fielded and misfired to third. Moore and Foster trotted home on the error and Hanover reached second on the fielder’s choice.

LSU 11, McNeese State 4 (Feb 22, 2012 at Baton Rouge, La.)

McNeese State……. 012 000 100  -  4 11  2      (1-2)
LSU…………………… 022 105 10X  – 11 15  0      (4-0)

Pitchers: McNeese State – Sampere,Ryan; McDonald,Tyler(3); Clemons,Michael(4);
Erickson,Tyler(6); Miller,Caleb(6); Williams,Jacob(7) and Weber,Renny.
LSU – Joe Broussard; Cody Glenn(3); Joey Bourgeois(6); Brent Bonvillain(7); Nick Goody(8); Nick Rumbelow(9) and
Tyler Moore; Jordy Snikeris.
Win-Cody Glenn(1-0)  Loss-Sampere,Ryan(0-1)  T-2:38  A-10265
HR LSU – Grant Dozar (1).
Game notes:
Actual Attendance: 4,025
Sampere,R. faced 2 batters in the 3rd.
Erickson,T. faced 1 batter in the 6th.

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An important thing to know before anyone starts filing petitions to get Pittsburgh placed on any future schedule is that WVU does not have an open non-conference date until 2017. 

At this time, WVU has current and future contracts with Maryland, East Carolina, Michigan State, Brigham Young and don’t forget the Florida State game for next season that is rumored to be on the chopping block. Remember that FSU may decide to play the game anyway and if so, WVU will not be able to work with anyone to replace them. I for one would rather keep them on the schedule anyway, and most fans hate that we had to back out of that game instead of another, but the actual costs of dropping the other games was too great.

Maryland will end up being West Virginia’s last regional rivalry on the schedule for the next few seasons, and they have a contract to play WVU each season through 2017.

A home-and-home series I am truly excited about is the scheduling of the Michigan State Spartans. This intriguing setup will put the two teams against each other for the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

The East Carolina Pirates will show back up on the WVU schedule starting in 2013 for the first time since 2009. The Pirates and Mountaineers have played 21 times with WVU, holding an 18-3 edge in the series. The new contract will have ECU and WVU playing from 2013-2018. 

In 2016, Mountaineer fans will be treated to a rare opponent, the BYU Cougars. The Cougars will play West Virginia in FedEx Field in Landover, MD. This game will pay out well over $2 million.

Even after all of the above mentioned opponents, WVU will have work on buying out of games against William & Mary in 2013 and Towson State in 2014. The two games are home games against opponents that are not at all marque events like this coming season’s matchup against James Madison in Landover, MD. (This is marquee simply because of the payout teams will receive, and that it is at an NFL stadium.)

Below is the current picture of what our future non-conference opponents look like. Remember that in the current Big 12 format of 10 teams, we will only get three out-of-conference opponents each season and nine conference games.

2012: Maryland, James Madison*, Marshall

2013: @ Maryland*, East Carolina, Florida State, (William & Mary Should DROP)

2014: @ Maryland, @ East Carolina, Michigan State, (Towson State Should DROP)

2015: Maryland, East Carolina, @ Michigan State

2016: Maryland, @ East Carolina, Brigham Young*

2017: @ Maryland, East Carolina, OPEN DATE

2018: @ East Carolina, OPEN DATE, OPEN DATE

* Indicates the game is set to be played at a neutral site.

As long as the Big 12 stays at 10 teams, which is not likely, the above listed non-conference opponents should be a good list of what we will actually face on the football field. However, we never know what is going to happen do we? It may be wise for the WVU athletic department to wait and see what happens with any future Big 12 expansion before scheduling any of the open dates in 2017 and beyond, yet it would be hard to believe that any team will have fewer than three non-conference opponents.

Read more WVU Football news on BleacherReport.com

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Florida State running back James Wilder, Jr. was arrested on felony charges of battery and resisting arrest, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel.

The 19-year-old was charged with battery on an officer and resisting an officer with violence. A public information release confirming the incident stated that Wilder had been interfering with the arrest of Bianca Camarda, who reports later identified as the tailback’s girlfriend. Wilder reportedly shouted at officers and pushed a deputy before officers regained controlled of the situation and he was arrested.

Wilder, Jr. was one of the top running backs in the country coming out of high school and the headline recruit in the Seminoles class of 2011. The rising sophomore struggled during his first season in Tallahassee however, totaling 160 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries last year.

Florida State starts spring practice on March 19.

Feb. 22, 2012

By Alex Lozier

“We’ve been through so much and seen so much. We have the same chip on our shoulder, and people have the same doubts about both of us. Just to bring this program along like we both have, to see where it’s gone from our freshman year through the last four years; we’re both really proud of it.” - Stu Douglass

On April 16, 2008, John Beilein finalized his first recruiting class as head coach of the University of Michigan men’s basketball team. The three-man class included a pair from the Hoosier State — 6-3 guard Stu Douglass from Carmel and 6-4 guard/forward Zack Novak from Chesterton. Unranked and unknown, the two were viewed as a last resort.

It had been 10 years since Michigan had reached the NCAA Tournament, 10 years since it had won the Big Ten Tournament and 12 years since it had earned a regular-season Big Ten championship. And after a 10-22 record overall and no postseason appearance in Beilein’s inaugural 2007-08 season, the program’s slump had hit an all-time low. No one thought Douglass and Novak were elite enough to deserve a Big Ten scholarship, but they were the best available options; Michigan’s future did not look promising.

Amid the doubts and criticism, Douglass and Novak remained humble but confident. Like most freshmen, the duo knew they would have to fight for playing time against their older, more experienced teammates. It was unclear how much opportunity they would receive to contribute. Yet from day one, they identified the skills they had to offer. In a “Getting to Know the Freshmen” series in 2008, Douglass explained that he was known as a shooter but was working on defense and ball-handling. Novak described his play-hard first mentality, his versatility and his ability to score.

The initial goal was simple — to rebuild the program. “[Coach Beilein] just told us, ‘I need my guys to be able to turn this around,’” said Novak.

But Douglass and Novak were lucky to even be part of the program; there were little expectations for how much they would be able to accomplish. As a team and as individuals they had something to prove.

Just three games into the season, Douglass backed up his words. The freshman knocked down key baskets, including two three-pointers, to pull his team out of a six-point halftime deficit and upset No. 4 UCLA at Madison Square Garden. The performance got Douglass noticed and established his identity as a shooter. But it also marked the first step of the turnaround; Michigan had not beaten a top-five opponent in 11 years.

Two weeks later it was Novak’s turn to steal the shooting spotlight. Trailing midway through the second half, No. 0 hit back-to-back triples, highlighting a 14-point night, to regain the lead and help Michigan knock off Duke in its second victory over the No. 4-ranked team of the season. The pair from Indiana had come to be known as just that — a pair.

“I think a lot of people don’t even know the difference between us half the time,” said Novak, “I get called Stu all the time; he gets called Zack.”

“I’ll never forget the day I airballed a shot and later in the game, Zack caught a pass and they yelled ‘air ball’ at him because they thought it was me,” Douglass added.

Even as their roles on the team grew to differ, their association persisted.

As Big Ten Conference play began, the freshman duo had each earned a place in the starting lineup. Douglass remained in his natural position at the two-guard, while Novak was moved down to the post. It was then that Novak, playing significantly undersized, started to get recognized for his self-described play-hard first mentality, and each of their individual identities began to develop.

Embracing their roles and opportunities to contribute, the freshmen helped the team to a 19-12 record overall and the next step in the program’s turnaround: a bid to the NCAA Tournament after its 10-year absence. The team did not disappoint, upsetting No. 7-seed Clemson before falling to No. 2-seed Oklahoma, which rostered future No. 1 NBA pick Blake Griffin.

The unexpected success of the 2008-09 campaign garnered a preseason No. 15 ranking for Douglass and Novak’s sophomore year. However, the team faltered, finishing with a 15-17 overall record and no appearance in postseason play. The success of the previous season was seen as a fluke, and all of the doubts and criticisms returned even harsher.

Yet the year proved to be a necessary learning experience for Douglass and Novak, as each took on new responsibilities in just their second season. Douglass accepted the task of backing up the point guard position, having never played the role before. While he admits it wasn’t easy switching between the one- and two-guard, experiencing the role of playmaker helped him in his future leadership role on the team.

Novak had a similar but more direct experience with leadership. He embraced the role as co-captain of the team, only the second sophomore in program history to be named so. Novak confessed difficulty in his new responsibility as well; many of his teammates were upperclassmen and guided him the year prior. But these struggles and the disappointment of the season only prepared them for future success.

As the oldest members of the team, Douglass and Novak were named leaders and co-captains for their junior year, strengthening their association. At the same time, however, Beilein’s recruiting classes had become more elite every year, and Douglass and Novak had to continue to fight for playing time.

Riding a six-game losing streak through the middle of Big Ten Conference play, the 2010-11 season was, by all accounts, headed to be another disappointment. On Jan. 27, Michigan headed to East Lansing, where it had been unable to get a victory over the Spartans in the past 11 seasons. The junior captains proved their importance on the team in both their leadership and talent.

Forever associated with the shot of Novak screaming at his teammates during a timeout, Michigan defeated No. 25 MSU when it seemed that only the team itself believed it could. The captains led the team, with a team-high 19 points coming from Novak and the victory-sealing three-pointer by Douglass with 22 seconds remaining in regulation. The pair had made their mark on the next step of the turnaround.

After a 1-6 start in conference games, Douglass and Novak led Michigan to wins in eight of its next 12 games, including a 70-63 victory over Michigan State to sweep the Spartans for the first time in 14 years. After turning their season around, Michigan was rewarded with its second bid to the NCAA Tournament in three years. The captains each scored in double figures in the team’s 75-45 blowout of Tennessee, before Michigan fell just a basket short to No. 1-seeded Duke and of advancing to the Sweet Sixteen.

“I’d go back to the tournament game last year against Duke,” said Novak, when asked about the one thing he would want to change in his career. “I don’t know what I’d do, but just to be that close and not get it done. I don’t know what I’d do differently, but I’m sure I’d find something.”

In their senior season, Douglass and Novak have led Michigan to eight consecutive sellout crowds, its highest national ranking (No. 11 AP) in 15 years, a chance to remain undefeated at home for the first time in 35 years, and a chance to win the Big Ten Conference regular-season championship for the first time in 26 years.

And when Douglass and Novak walk out on the court for their Senior Night before Saturday’s game against Purdue (Feb. 26), they will each do so ranking in the top 10 for both career minutes played and career three-point field goals made.

“To have that when we weren’t supposed to have Big Ten scholarships, weren’t supposed to play, weren’t supposed to start our freshman year, and weren’t supposed to make the tournament — we’ve played throughout our entire career. [It] has been a big accomplishment for us,” expressed Douglass.

Through both their leadership and their work ethic, the pair of unknowns from Beilein’s first Michigan recruiting class achieved that initial goal — to rebuild the program. And for that, Douglass and Novak will always be respected and remembered.

Even after the final chapter of their careers has been written, their legacy will live on through the core values they’ve instilled in their younger teammates — integrity, appreciation, passion, diligence, and unity. Douglass and Novak have been there every step of the way in the program’s turnaround, but just as importantly, the pair has ensured that it will continue to rise even after they are gone.

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Barrett Jones was the team’s MVP in their hearts last year, but it was Trent Richardson that ran away with the recognition and nearly a Heisman Trophy.   

Jones’ value in 2011 was most evident as the team struggled against LSU in November 2011 after he was hurt and stopped moving the ball at will, which it did despite having no touchdowns.

The true MVP isn’t always the guy with gaudy numbers, double-digit touchdowns and triple-digit tackles, but a someone that plays such a crucial part regarding all aspects of the game. 

The MVP is a game-changer, even if they are not always consistent. The MVP comes through when it counts the most. The MVP is the player the team cannot get by without, much like the Indianapolis Colts (perennial Super Bowl contenders for a over a decade) did in 2011 without Peyton Manning.

Tyrann Mathieu was LSU’s MVP in 2011, even though he seemed invisible at times—especially against Alabama. But he provided the momentum changes that his team desperately needed numerous times.

Football is a team game and no program holds true to the word “team” better than Alabama does. There is no room for showboaters at the Capstone.

Here’s a look at who I think are the most likely candidates to be the team’s offensive and defensive MVPs of the year in 2012 in alphabetical order, though some have better chances than others. 

Offense

Demetrius Hart, Running Back, 5’8″, 190 lbs.

Dee Hart has yet to play a single down for the Tide after a torn ACL last summer, but he’s ready to make waves.  

He won’t be the back that the coaches cram between the tackles on every other play, but he’s got a shot a making some very clutch plays, especially on running back screen passes and other receptions out of the backfield. 

What could truly make him the team’s offensive (I consider return duties part of the offense) MVP is his ability to return punts and kicks. I expect him to get substantial return duties and if he makes a few splash plays to save the day he could be the MVP. It’s how the Honey Badger made a name for himself.

Barrett Jones, Left Tackle/Center/Right Guard, 6’5″, 311 lbs.

Heisman finalist Trent Richardson ran behind Barrett Jones as often as possible last year, and his successor Eddie Lacy will look to do the same.

He played left tackle last year out of pure necessity as the Tide had a rookie quarterback in A.J. McCarron. He’ll be back between the tackles in 2012. 

Some believe he’ll be moving back to his original position at right guard, but the team has a glaring hole at center that can only be filled by Jones or an inexperienced underclassman that isn’t nearly as strong as William Vlachos was when he took over at center in 2009. 

Alabama loves to pull their center to the outside on runs and screen passes and Jones can do that better than most linemen in the country, and he can also plow a hole straight through the middle for short-yardage situations that often turn into explosive plays. 

Wherever he plays, Jones will be the Tide’s most important lineman in an offense that will be expected to pick up the slack for a young defense.

Eddie Lacy, Running Back, 6’1″, 220 lbs.

Eddie Lacy is going to be the next starting running back for the Tide, and he’s ideally built to be an every-down back. 

His ridiculous spin move had many wondering if he was better at gaining yardage than Trent Richardson was, but only time will tell if it was a valid idea or not.

‘Bama relies heavily on the run, though not as much as some would think. Nevertheless, Lacy will be expected to grind it out and keep the opposing defense on the field and Tide punter Cody Mandell on the bench.

Under Nick Saban, Alabama has become a team that revolves around their running back. Lacy will be a valuable player for the team, but will he come through when it counts to be the true MVP?

A.J. McCarron, Quarterback, 6’4″, 205 lbs. 

At most schools and in most games, the quarterback is almost always the offensive MVP. Since Saban arrived at Alabama, that has not been the case. 

A.J. McCarron could change that. With a young defense, the Tide may need to play catch up at times against opponents with the leading score.

McCarron proved he was capable of this all year in 2011 and capped it off with his finest performance of the season in the national title game against LSU. 

The days of Alabama having a “game manager” under center may be temporarily over with McCarron at the helm.  

Will he become a gunslinger unlike Brett Favre (the NFL record holder for most career interceptions) and lead his team to victory with minimal turnovers?

He’s looking more and more like Tom Brady every day with his arm and vibrant emotions. 

Kevin Norwood, Wide Receiver, 6’2″, 193 lbs.

With muscle added from another year of training under strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran, Kevin Norwood is very close to having a build very similar to that of two-time Biletnikoff winner Justin Blackmon.

Norwood has already made a name for himself at various times in the past two years, and I believe he’s the most likely candidate to become McCarron’s go-to receiver. 

A.J. McCarron needs a target to make plays at long range, and if Norwood can do that at key moments, he could be that invaluable player the Tide will need next season.

Michael Williams, Tight End, 6’6″, 270 lbs.

If there is one player that can make big impacts all season long and get little recognition, it’s tight end Michael Williams.

He’s not notorious for his receiving ability, but he has a knack for making key catches at the most unexpected moments.

On top of that, he’s a monstrous run-blocker, better than some of the Tide’s starting offensive linemen. 

Williams will need to to step up and haul in passes at key moments, and Eddie Lacy and the running back squad are going to need him to punish defenders and clear paths.

Williams will never get official MVP honors, but he’ll play a bigger part in the team’s offense than most realize.  

Defense

Nico Johnson, Middle Linebacker, 6’3″, 245 lbs.

Johnson will enter the 2012 as the Tide’s most valuable linebacker experience-wise. He will be called upon to maintain the Tide’s trend of having a stud middle linebacker rack up close to 100 tackles.

In the Tide’s system, the linebackers are expected to make all the plays while the defensive linemen manhandle multiple opposing offensive linemen. 

Nico Johnson has a full college career’s worth of experience and if he can live up to the title of “starting middle linebacker at the University of Alabama” he could easily be the Tide’s defensive MVP. 

What could really make him the MVP is the fact that his experience will enable him to be a key leader on the defense. Without a knowledgeable and vocal field general at middle linebacker, the defense collapses. 

Robert Lester, Safety, 6’2″, 210 lbs.

Turnover machine Robert Lester has three primary duties in 2012.

First, he must be a defensive leader. Second, he must make some big plays and create turnovers. Third, and possibly most importantly, he must make certain his new wing man at free safety develops properly for future seasons. 

That man will likely be true freshman Vinnie Sunseri, and under Lester’s tutelage, Vinnie is certain to be a legend in the making.

If Lester can execute all three of those duties to the letter, he’ll be the Tide’s defensive MVP.

DeMarcus Milliner, Cornerback, 6’1″, 196 lbs.

At times, Dee Milliner has seemed overly emotional when he brings the heat, but he will be the Tide’s most important—and most experienced—cornerback in 2012.  

He has had extensive playing time in his first two seasons, and the former 5-star recruit will be needed to become a true playmaker and create his very own “Milliner Island.” 

Every team has a go-to receiver, and if Milliner can shut each and every one of them down throughout the season, he just might be the unsung hero and MVP.

The upcoming cornerbacks are far too inexperienced to carry the team, but Milliner is not.

Jesse Williams, Nose Tackle, 6’4″, 320 lbs.

Jesse Williams played at left defensive end in 2012, but that was due to depth at nose guard and lack thereof at defensive end. 

Make no mistake, Williams will play nose guard next season. He is rumored to be the strongest player on the team now that Josh Chapman and William Vlachos are graduating, and that’s what the Tide needs to anchor their defensive line.

No one, including intriguing prospect Brandon Ivory, is as capable of doing that as well as Williams. 

His job lacks the glamour and bravado of other positions, a fact that is invisible to Williams. 

He will be forced to take on double-teams and avoid the bench like the plague on every single defensive play.  

He has the muscle and the motor to produce, but he will never the recognition deserved unless he blocks two field goals like former Tide nose guard Terrence Cody did.  

Williams’ success can be gauged by how beastly the linebackers perform.  

Read more Alabama Crimson Tide Football news on BleacherReport.com

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UCLA hasn’t been shy about looking at talent from the state of Georgia under new head coach Jim Mora and the Bruins returned to the area for their latest pledge in McDonough (Ga.) running back Keyante Green, who committed to the program Wednesday night.

“I was talking to Coach Mora about everything at UCLA and it is there,” Green told BruinBlitz.com. “He told me that he can see me playing running back at UCLA and that he can see me being a big part of this football team and be able to help out UCLA, so he offered me a scholarship.”

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound back was a top performer during last December’s Rising Seniors Bowl and held offers from schools such as Florida State, South Carolina and Tennessee. Green’s close friend, quarterback Eddie Printz, committed to UCLA last month and can be credited for turning the coaching staff on to him.

“I called Coach Jim Mora on Sunday,” Green said. “I told him that my friend Eddie Printz is already committed to UCLA and he put in a couple of words for me and they saw my highlight.”

The second commit from the Peach state, Green becomes UCLA’s third overall in the class of 2013. The Bruins only signed one running back last month with the 2012 class.

“He has great vision, balance, surprising strength, moves, and instincts,” analyst Tom Lemming said of Green. “He follows his blockers well, can always make the first defender miss, uses the stiff arm to his advantage, and gets a good amount of yardage after initial contact.”

First let’s make a few assumptions.  If they go with four teams, I assume that there will be at least some conference championship requirement.  Most likely seems to be that three of the four qualifying teams would be the three highest ranked conference champions, with the fourth team being the highest ranked team that has not already qualified (be they conference champs or not).  Let’s also assumed a sort of seeding process that would match the highest ranked qualifying team against the lowest ranked team in the first round.
With all that said, here’s how such a proposed system would have looked every year since the BCS began in 1998:

2011-2012
#1 LSU vs #5 Oregon
#2 Alabama* vs #3 Oklahoma State
(#4 Stanford would not qualify, as the at-large bid was filled by #2 Alabama)

2010-2011
#1 Auburn vs #5 Wisconsin
#2 Oregon vs #3 TCU*
(#4 Stanford would not qualify, as the at-large bid was filled by #3 TCU)

2009-2010
#1 Alabama vs #4 TCU*
#2 Texas vs #3 Cincinnati

2008-2009
#1 Oklahoma vs #5 USC
#2 Florida vs #3 Texas*
(#4 Alabama would not qualify, as the at-large bid was filled by #3 Texas)

2007-2008
#1 Ohio State vs #4 Oklahoma*
#2 LSU vs #3 Virginia Tech
(All four teams won their respective conference titles)

2006-2007
#1 Ohio State vs #5 USC
#2 Florida vs #3 Michigan*
(#4 LSU would not qualify, as the at-large bid was filled by #3 Michigan)

2005-2006
#1 USC vs #4 Ohio State*
#2 Texas vs #3 Penn State

2004-2005
#1 USC vs #4 Texas*
#2 Oklahoma vs #3 Auburn

2003-2004
#1 Oklahoma* vs #3 USC
#2 LSU vs #4 Michigan
(Oklahoma lost the Big XII title game to Kansas State, but retained its #1 ranking.  They match up against #3 USC under the assumption that LSU, as the highest ranked conference champion, would receive the top seed)

2002-2003
#1 Miami vs #4 USC*
#2 Ohio State vs #3 Georgia

2001-2002
#1 Miami vs #4 Oregon
#2 Nebraska* vs #3 Colorado

2000-2001
#1 Oklahoma vs #4 Washington*
#2 Florida State vs #3 Miami
(All four teams won their respective conference titles)

1999-2000
#1 Florida State vs #4 Alabama*
#2 Virginia Tech vs #3 Nebraska
(All four teams won their respective conference titles)

1998-1999
#1 Tennessee vs #5 UCLA
#2 Florida State vs #3 Kansas State*
(#4 Ohio State would not qualify, as the at-large bid was filled by #3 Kansas State)

And a few points of interest…

The Big 12 would have led the way with 14 appearances out of a total 56 possible.  Next in line would be the SEC with 12 and the Pac 10 with 11.

The Big 12 is also the most diverse, sending 6 different schools to the hypothetical playoffs.

The school with the most appearances is USC, qualifying for 6 of the 14 years.  Oklahoma had five, while Ohio State and Texas each had four.

Speaking of four, it’s the one place you don’t want to be in the final BCS rankings.  In five separate years the #4 ranked team was left out in the cold…including twice by Stanford over the last two years.

So what does this all mean?  I have no idea.  There appear to be some interesting match ups, and certainly a few fans who’s teams just missed out on the title game would be happy with their new found opportunity.  Just as certainly though, there would be at least as many who were upset that they didn’t make the cut to the final four.  I’m sure that at some point the BCS (or perhaps its replacement) will put together some kind of playoff system.  There’s a lot of money to be made there, and plenty of fans want to see it.  Until that happens, we’ll have to be satisfied with looking back at what might have been.

EUGENE, Ore. – The 20th-ranked University of Oregon women’s golf team heads to New Orleans, La. for their second event of the 2012 spring season in the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate Golf Championship. Play begins Sunday, February 26 at 8:00am (EST) at the par-72 English Turn Golf and Country Club.

    This will be the Ducks’ first time competing in this tournament, a three-day, 54-hole event, hosted by Tulane University. The 15-team field features nine of Golfstat.com’s Top 25 teams, while 12 schools are currently sitting in the top-50. Ryan Herrington of Golf Digest ranked the 2012 Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate as the fourth-best women’s collegiate tournament for the spring season.

    Last year’s champion, USC, as well as two other Pac-12 schools, are among the field. Five other conferences are represented, including the Atlantic Coast Conference, Atlantic Sun Conference, the Big-12, Conference USA, and the Southeastern Conference.

    Seventeen of the country’s top-50 women golfers based on golfstat.com’s scoring averages, including six individuals among the top-20 will contend for the title.

    Oregon looks to build off of last weeks 11th place finish at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge. The Ducks were lead by freshman Cassy Isagawa at 8-over 221, finishing in a tie for 10th place.

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According to the resolution, Commings has agreed to be on six months probation, attend an alcohol and drug education course, participate in an anger management program and perform 25 hours of community service.

Sanders Commings

Commings was arrested on Jan. 21 and charged with domestic violence/simple battery.

According to a copy of the informal resolution obtained by The Red & Black, Commings “engaged in physical abuse, physical intimidation, coercion, and/or other conduct that threatened or endangered the health or safety of another person.”

The resolution states that a violation of probation “will likely result in suspension from the University of Georgia.”

Commings is accused of hitting his girlfriend in downtown Athens.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 22 for charges stemming from the January incident.

Georgia coach Mark Richt has suspended Commings for the first two games of the 2012 season, which will cause him to miss the Sep. 1 game against Buffalo and the Bulldogs’ Southeastern Conference opener against Missouri on Sept. 8.

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Dave Neal and Debbie Antonelli will handle the call on FSN with the game also being streamed outside of SEC markets on ESPN3.com. The LSU Sports Radio Network will carry it on WBRP-FM 107.3 in Baton Rouge and to members of the Geaux Zone on www.LSUsports.net/live.

The five seniors will be honored prior to the game in a special ceremony that gets underway at 7:40 p.m. Forwards LaSondra Barrett, Taylor Turnbow, Swayze Black and Courtney Jones will all play in their final regular season PMAC appearance. Point guard Destini Hughes, despite suffering a season-ending knee injury at Tennessee, continues to serve as an inspiration to the team on and off the floor from practice to the classroom.

“You can’t say enough about these five seniors and it’s been an honor to be their coach for a year,” said LSU head coach Nikki Caldwell. “They continue to bring it together and lead this team in their own respective ways. You can’t ask for a better senior class. I remember when they came to Los Angeles and beat UCLA. You could tell there was greatness in them. It’s been an honor to be their head coach and they will be successful young ladies in their future endeavors.”

The first 3,000 fans in attendance on Thursday receive the 2011-12 set of Lady Tiger trading cards featuring all 13 LSU players, head coach Nikki Caldwell and assistant coaches. Tickets for the game start at $6 for adult general admission and $3 for youth general admission. Tickets are on sale at LSUtix.net and on gameday, the Maravich Center ticket office opens on the upper ramps at 6:30 p.m.

LSU (19-8, 9-5 SEC) has ascended into a four-way tie for third place in the Southeastern Conference standings in the final week of the regular season. A win on Thursday would improve the Lady Tigers’ chances of securing a bye in next week’s SEC Tournament that gets underway on Thursday in Nashville. The top four finishers receive a first round bye.

To do it, LSU will have to take on two of the conference’s elite teams, both of whom are ranked in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. Vanderbilt (20-7, 8-6) faces a quick turnaround after dropping a 71-60 contest at eighth-ranked Kentucky on Monday night. Head coach Melanie Balcomb’s team has led the SEC in field goal percentage and free throw percentage throughout the season.

The teams are meeting for the second time this year. Freshman Kady Schrann erupted for 29 points as Vanderbilt rode a sharp-shooting effort to a 81-72 win in Nashville on Jan. 29. The 81 points were the most allowed by LSU this season.

“We broke down in some defensive assignments there,” said Caldwell. “They were clicking on all cylinders. Vanderbilt has always been a great offensive team. Melanie Balcomb does a great job in getting her teams prepared late in postseason. We have to be able to match that.”

The Lady Tigers have since reclaimed their defensive identity, holding four straight opponents to under 50 points. LSU has held eight SEC opponents to 50 points or less this season, matching a school record set by the 2007-08 Final Four team. During the current five-game winning streak, opponents are shooting only 31.7 percent on LSU.

Barrett is playing perhaps the best basketball of her career. She’s averaging 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game during the win streak. In SEC play, she’s up to third in the league in rebounding with 8.1 boards per contest. For the season, no player in the SEC has shot more (168) or attempted more free throws (123) than Barrett.

“She is coming through in the clutch,” said Caldwell. “She’s been challenged this year to play many positions for us. She’s one of the few players in the country that you could say has played one through five (positions). She’s playing like an All-American – rebounding, defending, scoring and distributing the basketball. Most importantly, she’s being a leader.”

NOTES:
Vanderbilt has won three in a row in the series with LSU’s last win coming on Feb. 18, 2010 in the Maravich Center … The Lady Tigers are 3-0 against ranked teams at home this season … LSU is seeking its 24th 20-win season in the 37-year history of the program … LSU’s official NCAA RPI jumped from No. 34 to No. 26 on Monday … LSU is one win away from its 10th 10-win SEC season.

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The NFL is just around the corner in April and Jeffery is limping to the finish line. He may be panting by the end of the weekend.

With so many Jeffery rumors surfacing recently, you would have thought he was dating Kate Upton. The flavor of the week has been that Alshon has ballooned to almost 250 pounds and will run a 40-yard dash in the 4.8s.

As a result, the nickname “Fat Alshon” has become an Internet celebrity. When you see this photo of Jeffery (far left) from August, you might start inhaling the “Fat Alshon” Kool-Aid, or Krispy Kreme.

Make no mistake. If Jeffery’s weight hinders his performance, his draft stock will fall faster than Enron.

The recent talk about his weight has caught the attention of some NFL draft pundits. ESPN’s Mel Kiper went from having Jeffery on his Big Board to off the board. Ditto for Todd McShay’s Top 32.

These rumors, though, might just be rumors. Scouts Inc. reported a few days ago that contrary to reports, Jeffery was weighing around 220 pounds and planned to run close to a 4.5 40-yard dash. B/R’s Matt Miller has held firm on his high ranking for Jeffery thus far; he stands in the minority that believes the South Carolina wideout is still a top 10 selection.

If the rumors do have substance, there’s a possibility Jeffery decided to bulk up for a position switch. The tight end creating a new paradigm in offensive philosophy, redefining the NFL passing game as we know it. Perhaps Alshon Jeffery wants to be on the cutting edge. Perhaps he wants in.

Perhaps Jeffery saw Rob Gronkowski rise up into the clouds to snag passes. Maybe he watched Gronk and Aaron Hernandez bowl over defenders like bowling pins in New England, or when Vernon Davis and Jimmy Graham put on a touchdown exhibition in the NFC divisional game.

Regardless of his position, Jeffery will have run fast and with authority up until April.

Jeffery’s declining perception, though, could be traced back before this past month. Rewind back to the beginning of his junior campaign last season. Jeffery was poised to challenge Justin Blackmon for wide receiver supremacy on Planet Wide Receiver. 

Alshon showed some of his monster ability here and there. Injuries and attitude issues rendered his season full of hit or miss.

He would have a fantastic game one day at Georgia, but in another, out with a broken hand against Clemson.

One Saturday, he leaped into the clouds and grabbed a Hail Mary pass over five Nebraska defenders. On that same day, he got ejected for punching with a smaller cornerback.

By the end of the year, Blackmon was collecting touchdowns like trading cards, while Jeffery finished sixth in SEC receiving.

Alshon Jeffery had become a moon stuck in Justin Blackmon’s orbit.

Excuses began to surface for Jeffery’s subpar play, and many of these claims have substance. He never had familiarity with his quarterback, catching balls from three different South Carolina passers in 12 games. Defense keyed on him with double teams and made inexperienced passers beat them with someone else.

The lack of production doesn’t squarely fall on Jeffery’s shoulders, but the concerns do not stop with last season’s production alone.

NFL Network’s Mike Mayock cites Jeffery’s inability to separate from defenders will be his Achilles’ Heel on the next level.

Mayock spoke about Jeffery’s need for speed in Indianapolis. “Big and fast is good,” Mayock noted in his conference call. “Big and slow is bad. Bottom line is, he has got to run well.”

For NFL scouts, Jeffery can only take two paths from here.

He can be the next Brandon Marshall; a physical freak, a defensive focus every week and a red-zone threat every time the ball goes his way. A perennial Pro Bowler.

Or he can be Mike Williams. Their career paths have been strikingly similar so far: dazzling potential, an Illustrious college career at a school called USC and weight issues going into the NFL combine.

Williams was drafted in the first round but could not separate from opposing NFL defenders. He was out of the league in five years. Even with a recent comeback in Seattle, Williams has yet to justify his high draft selection.

Therefore, the NFL combine becomes a fork in the road for Alshon Jeffery.

The cameras will surround him once he enters the dome. The bright lights will shine when he steps onto the scale. He will be on live television when he goes up for every ball.

The doubters have stated their case. Your move, Alshon.

Read more South Carolina Football news on BleacherReport.com

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The Heisman-finalist will no doubt be one of the most exciting players to watch at the NFL Combine as his raw speed and strength will be on display for all to see.

And whilst it’s easy to get ahead of ourselves in speculation of what the year ahead contains for Richardson, with a prospect like this, he must be considered a real possibility not just to have a solid first year, but also to take the Rookie of the Year Award.

With all the talk around Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III entering the National Football Year, Richardson must still also be considered a genuine threat for the award as his dominant ground game potentially already places him amongst the leagues best.

You don’t receive comparisons with Minnesota star Adrian Peterson for nothing, who year in and year out boasts terrific numbers for the Vikings. Wherever Richardson lands, many are expecting him to do the same as Peterson has done, and if that’s the case, then Rookie of the Year is certainly not out of the question.

This, after all, is the man that came third in the Heisman Trophy voting—going down to two incredible quarterbacks in Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III.

His 2011 season numbers speak volumes about what has teams so excited about Richardson, who was an integral part of Alabama’s BCS National Championship Title over the top ranked LSU.

Throughout the year, he chalked up 1,679 rushing yards at a phenomenal rate of 5.9 yards per carry. When you throw in his 21 touchdowns also, his season just became incredible.

And when you mix all that in with his 338 receiving yards, you have a man who put up a 2,000-plus season for all-purpose yards that yielded 24 touchdowns and a national title.

It’s easy to see why Trent Richardson is a man in high demand.

Keep in mind, also, that since 1967 running backs have won the Offensive Rookie of the Year on 68 percent of occasions, and since the Pepsi Rookie of the Year started being awarded in 2002, running backs have also won that award three times.

So a strong, versatile, young, athletic and football-ready running back is rightly considered a fairly hot commodity right now in the National Football League—even if it is quarterback focused.

Whilst running backs usually don’t go top 10 in drafts, most are expecting Richardson to defy the logic and potentially go as high as five or six in the draft.

Luck and Griffin will go ahead of him, as will Matt Kalil, but after those picks the Alabama star may very well hear his name called.

Just where Richardson may land is up for a little more debate, as he could find himself at Cleveland, Washington, Tampa or even the Jets—we simply don’t know this as clearly as we do with Luck and Griffin.

But will the draft determine whether or not Trent Richardson can win the Rookie of the Year Award? I guess the truthful answer is both yes and no.

To some extent, wherever he lands won’t stop him from getting the football time and time again. He is definitely strong enough and has enough skill to break tackles, find the open field, chalk up yards and score touchdowns for whatever team he plays.

Whether he’s at Washington or Cleveland won’t change the fact that he will get plenty of carries and he will make those carries reap great rewards for both him and his team—something he will definitely need if he is to take the award.

Having said that though, the team that drafts Richardson can impact his numbers on a variety of levels. Different teams are going to have different offensive lines, which could affect Richardson’s ability to move the chain and chalk up yards.

Different teams also have different schedules, meaning that whether he ends up with a schedule that features poor running defenses or strong running defenses will severely impact his chances.

Which does place him at a disadvantage is that Luck and Griffin, who regardless of the defense, will throw the football and have a chance to shine. Yes, they are also impacted by the offensive line and the wide receivers and the entire offense to be honest, but not to the same extent that Richardson could be.

I mean, what would he have to do to win the Rookie of the Year Award as a running back in this quarterback-dominated league?

In 2003, Domanick Williams of the Houston Texans was the first running back to win Rookie of the Year, and he did so off the back of 1,031 yards at 4.3 yards per carry. This was despite the fact he didn’t rank in the top ten for rushing yards, and only accounted for eight touchdowns.

Then in 2005, another running back won the award; this time it was Tampa Bay star Cadillac Williams, who chalked up 1,178 rushing yards at 4.1 yards per carry. He also didn’t rank in the top ten for total yards, and only scored six touchdowns.

Adrian Peterson in 2007 was the last running back to win the award, as his season with the Minnesota Vikings yielded 1,341 yards at a whopping 5.6 yards per carry. He also notched up 12 touchdowns, and finished second in the league for rushing yards.

From those players we can gather what Richardson would roughly need to achieve to win Rookie of the Year. If he could notch up something around, or above, 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns at 5.0 yards per carry, then he would have to be considered a serious candidate.

It’s also worth noting that out of the three guys mentioned, in the year they won the award, only one finished with a winning record. Thus Richardson’s side may finish 6-10, but this should not take away his chances at the award—even if Luck or Griffin make it to the playoffs.

The Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award is an individual award, not a team one, and although a team’s success will weigh in on the award to some extent, the real focus should be on the numbers that the players put up alone.

And in the end, it may just come down to the big three that we began with—Luck, Griffin and Richardson—though we must not count out players like Morris Claiborne or Janoris Jenkins, with both cornerbacks the favorites to win the award on defense.

You’ve got to think that the 2012 Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award has to come down to one of these five players and if that’s the case, and Richardson has a real shot at winning it.

If he can stay healthy, and put up the numbers suggested before, then there’s no reason why a running back can’t take home the award for the fourth time in nine years.

Even in this league, which we’re continually being told is quarterback dominated, running the football still has it’s time and still has it’s place. It still gives teams yards and points and ultimately, helps teams win football games.

Which, come to think of it, Trent Richardson is also very, very good at doing.

I guess that’s why they call him “The Freak.”

Read more articles by Dan here or follow him on Twitter: @dantalintyre

Read more Alabama Crimson Tide Football news on BleacherReport.com

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Feb. 22, 2012

CORAL GABLES, Fla.–University of Miami Athletics is inviting fans to a football-baseball doubleheader on Sunday, March 4. 

The UM football team will open their second practice of the spring season to all football season ticket holders, baseball season ticket holders and any person who has purchased a ticket to the Canes highly-anticipated baseball game against Florida.
 
Practice starts at 11 a.m. on Greentree Field and will conclude in time for first pitch between the Gators and Canes at 1 p.m.
 
For season ticket holders and fans planning to attend, details for entrance, parking, tickets and concessions can be found below. 
 
How Do I Get In?
All football season ticket holders and anybody that has a ticket to the March 4th baseball game vs. Florida will be allowed into the practice. Football season ticket holders will need to bring their postcard invitation for admittance.
Baseball season ticket holders will need to show their ticket for Sunday’s game for admittance.
 
Any Costs?
Non-football or baseball season-ticket holders may purchase a $10 general admission ticket to the Canes baseball game on March 4 and ALSO gain entry to the practice, while tickets remain.
                                             
Football season ticket holders and Hurricane Club members wishing to attend the Canes baseball game against Florida may purchase a ticket for $5 upon entering the football practice, while tickets remain.
 
Parking
Fans planning to attend “Fan Appreciation Day” may park in the Ponce de Leon parking garage. [Map]
 
Entrance to Practice
All fans will enter through the gate located at the rear of the Ponce de Leon parking garage. Attendants and signs will direct fans to the entrance.
 
Viewing Access
Fans will able to view the practice from three sides of the field. The viewing area will be roped off. For your safety and the safety of the players, please remain in the viewing area at all times. 
 
Concessions
A concessionaire will be on hand with water, soft drinks and ball-game fare for purchase.
 
Video and/or recording devices are NOT permitted during the practice. Coach Golden and his staff appreciate your assistance with this as they prepare for the upcoming 2012 season.

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Feb. 22, 2012

• Sam Mikulak Interview

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Sophomore Sam Mikulak (Corona del Mar, Calif./Corona del Mar) of the University of Michigan men’s gymnastics team earned NCAA Gymnast of the Week for his performance against Ohio State and SUNY-Brockport, which included five event victories and a 90.00 in winning the all-around competition. The award, sponsored by the College Gymnastics Association, is voted on by 17 college varsity coaches, 28 honorary lifetime members and seven club program head coaches.

Mikulak has also been named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week in back-to-back weeks. Against Ohio State and Brockport (Saturday, Feb. 18), Mikulak scored first on high bar (15.40), parallel bars (15.30), vault (15.30), rings (15.10), floor (14.90) and in the all-around (90.00).

The award is his second National Gymnast of the Week award of his career, as he previously collected the award on April 20 of last season after becoming the fourth Wolverine in program history to capture the NCAA all-around title.

The Wolverines compete next on Sunday (Feb. 26) at No. 4 Stanford. The meet will begin at 2 p.m. PST inside Burnham Pavilion in Palo Alto, Calif.

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That came on the heels of Ohio State landing a prized cornerback, its fourth verbal commitment in the 2013 recruiting cycle. Three of those Buckeye pledges are ranked as four-star prospects, the other a five-star.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, remains at one verbal commitment, that of four-star offensive tackle Steve Elmer, who committed in September.

If you’re getting ready to ball up your fist and punch the panic button, however, don’t. Yes, the two Big Ten powers are off to fantastic starts, but …

“At the same time, and not to sound cliché,” 247Sports.com national recruiting analyst Steve Wiltfong began, “it is a marathon and not a sprint.”

Case in point: Notre Dame on Tuesday hit the finish line of the <i>2012</i> recruiting gruel-athon when it received a letter-of-intent from slot wide receiver Davonte’ Neal. Not only did Neal’s recruitment stretch three weeks past the Feb. 1 national signing day, but it also extended four hours past Neal’s originally scheduled press conference.

After you get beyond the strangeness of Neal’s recruitment, though, his signing showed the significance one player can have on a class. Prior to his addition, ND ranked 17th in the 247Sports 2012 rankings. After his letter-of-intent inched its way through the fax machine and into Irish head coach Brian Kelly’s hands, the ND was ranked 12th.

It also proves for the umpteenth-thousandth time that nothing is binding until a player has signed. A former Notre Dame assistant coach, when asked what a verbal commitment means, responded that it means you have a very good chance of signing that player.

Kelly and his staff have lived both sides of that spectrum. Two years ago, it was the Irish doing a lot of the flipping, convincing six players to switch ND’s way after committing elsewhere.

Yes, this year the Irish did turn quarterback Gunner Kiel at the last minute, but they also lost longtime commits Ronald Darby, Deontay Greenberry and Taylor Decker during the stretch run.

“As you saw two years ago and this year, a lot of these guys make late decisions,” Wiltfong said, “even if they’re committed elsewhere.”

So patience must be practiced. But also factor in that the recruiting cycle seems to speed up each year, and in the case of the Midwest, it’s clipping along quite nicely.

Of the 11 players committed to Michigan, 10 are from Big Ten states, including three from Ohio. Three of Ohio State’s commits come from within the Buckeye state.

What that means is that while Urban Meyer appears to be reconstructing the fence former coach Jim Tressel built around the state, Michigan coach (and Ohio native) Brady Hoke found a broken post or two in which he could sneak in.

“Michigan and Ohio State have lot of positive momentum right now,” Wiltfong said. “Michigan won a BCS bowl and Ohio State had a coaching change where they brought in a rock star.”

But?

“Notre Dame had the same positive momentum when they brought in coach Kelly, and you saw that with his first full recruiting class,” Wiltfong said. “And they won their bowl game and you saw what it did.”

Still, some good talent in the Midwest is already theoretically spoken for. Yet Wiltfong said Notre Dame only had targeted two prospects in the state of Michigan — Elmer and quarterback Shane Morris, the latter of whom is a Wolverine commit.

Ohio, however, is loaded, and a good number of those commits have already pledged elsewhere.

Feb. 22, 2012

Site: East Lansing, Mich. (MSU Indoor Tennis Facility)
Score: #11 Michigan 7, Michigan State 0
Records: U-M (6-3, 1-0 Big Ten), Michigan State (6-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Event: Friday, March 2 — at Hawaii (Honolulu, Hawaii), 3 p.m. HST

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The No. 11-ranked University of Michigan women’s tennis team took all six singles matches — five in straight sets — to complete a dominant 7-0 shutout in its Big Ten Conference opener at Michigan State on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 22) at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility.

After quick wins on the No. 1 and No. 2 singles courts, freshman Sarah Lee (Los Angeles, Calif./Campbell Hall HS) clinched the Wolverine win from the No. 3 position, defeating Marina Bohrer, 6-4, 6-4, to remain unbeaten in dual play. Lee trailed in the second set after giving up an early break but broke back to even the score at 4-4 before claiming the final two games to close out the match.

Sophomore Brooke Bolender (Delray Beach, Fla./Kaplan Prep) and freshman Emina Bektas (Indianapolis, Ind./New Braunfels HS) made quick work of their Spartan opponents as the first two off court. Bolender, ranked 56th, went up early breaks in both sets en route to a 6-1, 6-0 win against Olga Chernova, while fifth-ranked Bektas rolled past Nicole Herzog, 6-2, 6-1, at the top spot. Betas extended her win streak to 11 straight matches; like Lee, she is 8-0 in dual-match action.

With the team victory assured, Michigan kept its momentum going at the remaining positions. Sophomore Sam Critser (Mountain View, Calif./Mountain View HS) was victorious in her singles dual debut, securing a 6-4, 6-4 decision over Katarina Lingl at the No. 4 spot. Critser, ranked 62nd, rallied from an early break to claim the first set before going up an immediate break to take the second. With the Wolverine serving for the win, Lingl fought off four match points before Critser ended the match on an overhead winner.

Freshman Kristen Dodge (Barrington, Ill./Barrington HS) and senior Michelle Sulahian (Valley Glen, Mich./Campbell Hall HS) rounded out the singles competition with wins at the No. 5 and No. 6 positions, respectively. Dodge reeled off six straight points in a third-set tiebreaker to beat Julianne Gruber, 6-1, 6-7 (5), 1-0 (3), while Sulahian knocked off Dana Guenter, 6-3, 6-2.

Michigan claimed the doubles point with wins from the No. 1 and No. 2 positions. Bektas and Bolender won the final seven games to dominate in the former, defeating Herzog and Lingl, 8-2. Bektas served out the match, opening the 10th game with back-to-back aces, as the Wolverine duo earned its fifth straight doubles win.

After trading early breaks at the No. 2 position, Sulahian and junior Mimi Nguyen (Long Beach, Calif./Millikan HS) ended on a similar tear, claiming the final four games to defeat Bohrer and Gruber, 8-4, and secure the dual’s initial point.

The Wolverines will hit the road for spring break, traveling to Honolulu, Hawaii, to face Hawaii on Friday, March 2. The match is slated for a 3 p.m. HST start at the UH Tennis Complex.

Following are match-by-match results:

Singles
No. 1 — No. 5 Emina Bektas (U-M) d. Nicole Herzog (MSU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 2 — No. 56 Brooke Bolender (U-M) d. Olga Chernova (MSU), 6-1, 6-0
No. 3 — Sarah Lee (U-M) d. Marina Bohrer (MSU), 6-4, 6-4
No. 4 — No. 62 Sam Critser (U-M) d. Katarina Lingl (MSU), 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 — Kristen Dodge (U-M) d. Julianne Gruber (MSU), 6-1, 6-7 (5), 1-0 (3)
No. 6 — Michelle Sulahian (U-M) d. Dana Guenter (MSU), 6-3, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1 — No. 19 Emina Bektas/Brooke Bolender (U-M) d. Nicole Herzog/Katarina Lingl (MSU), 8-2
No. 2 — No. 59 Mimi Nguyen/Michelle Sulahian (U-M) d. Marina Bohrer/Julianne Gruber (MSU), 8-4
No. 3 — Hilary Hager/Dana Guentert (MSU) d. Kristen Dodge/Sarah Lee (U-M), 8-6

Order of Completion: Singles 2-1-3-4-6-5; Doubles 1-3-2

Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423

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The duo was featured on the second grade float in the parade, as each class decorates and rides in their own floats. The floats paraded through the neighborhoods around the school, they threw beads and candy to those watching.

“This was a great experience to get involved with the local kids,” Logan said. “I enjoyed seeing smiles on their faces while taking in the whole scenery of throwing beads and riding around in the neighborhood. To be involved with the kids at this parade was a great experience, and I look forward to doing this again in the future.”

Loston, a Houston, Texas, native, enjoys participating in Mardi Gras activities and experiencing the culture in Louisiana.

“I liked this event because I never grew up going to Mardi Gras parades,” Loston said. “This is the second year I’ve gone to an elementary school parade, and I really enjoy getting involved in this holiday with the local kids. There are all types of ways to have fun, and these students showed me one of the unique ways to have fun here in Baton Rouge. I really enjoyed my day with the kids.”

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Another big Alabama commit? Another big Alabama commit.

The Crimson Tide picked up Huntsville (Ala.) offensive tackle Grant Hill Wednesday afternoon as the program continues to move aggressively on the recruiting trail.

The 6-foot-6, 315-pounder was already drawing plenty of interest from programs across the country and held scholarship offers from Auburn, Mississippi State and Tennessee. Hill will be sticking close to home however, having visited Tuscaloosa unofficially last weekend.

“I like how professional they handle everything,” Hill told Scout. “They handle everything so well. They have a great program, atmosphere and fans. Everything about the whole program impresses me. The way coach (Nick) Saban handles everything. He knows how to win.”

Hill is versatile enough to play either guard or tackle at the next level and has excellent size already as a rising senior. He becomes the ninth commitment for Alabama’s class of 2013 and second offensive lineman to join the program.

Photo by Joe Boyd

Michigan continues to move quickly in securing commitments in the class of 2013, grabbing a verbal from Columbus (Ohio) wide receiver Jaron Dukes late Wednesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pounder was flying a bit under the radar and only held major offers from Illinois and Toledo. Dukes visited Ann Arbor to see the school about two weeks ago and it appeared only to be a matter of time before he would ultimately commit.

“It went great,” Dukes told Scout about the visit.  “I saw everything… the facilities, academic programs… just everything!  It was everything I expected it to be plus more.  I thought the town was going to be very small, but it’s not that small.  I liked it… I liked it a lot!”

Dukes becomes the 12th commitment for the Wolverines in next year’s class, eight of whom pledged this past weekend, and first wide receiver. He caught 36 passes for 663 yards and seven touchdowns last season as a junior.

The new NCAA legislation allowing schools to offer multiple-year scholarships to athletes only narrowly survived its recent override vote, with only two of the 330 votes cast needing to have swung the other way to have nixed the legislation, despite the support of NCAA president Mark Emmert. The overwhelming majority of support for the override came — as expected — from non-BCS or mid-major schools worried over the potential increase in costs.

But a report in the Chronicle of Higher Education shows that a healthy portion of BCS conference schools also voted for the override. According to this NCAA document obtained by the Chronicle, 30 different current and future BCS members supported the override, including the entire Big 12. The Big 12 was also the only BCS conference that exercised its institutional vote in favor of the override.

The Big Ten was the conference most solidly in opposition to the override, with only Wisconsin voting in favor. Among the other high-profile programs voting against multiple-year scholarships were Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M and USC. After the Big 12, the conference with the most votes in favor of the overrides was the ACC, with five. (The Big East did have six override votes if future members Boise State, Navy and San Diego State are included.)

As for that 30 vote tally, the opinion here is that that’s only slightly fewer than 30 too many. It’s one thing for cash-strapped mid-majors or even BCS schools on a notably tight budget — say, Rutgers or Colorado, both of whom supported to override — to oppose a measure they would struggle to afford, giving more cash-flush schools an instant recruiting advantage. It’s another for programs like the Longhorns, Bayou Bengals, Volunteers and Sooners — all of whom the Chronicle names as four of the 10 wealthiest athletics departments in the country — to attempt to vote it down when they have the kinds of budgets that will barely flinch under the new scholarship burden. The motivation in Austin, Baton Rouge, Knoxville and Norman isn’t that they can’t hand out four-year scholarships, it’s that they simply don’t want to. 

Of course, the legislation doesn’t mean any school — BCS, mid-major, or otherwise — is required to offer multiple-year scholarships. But since that might put the schools that don’t at a recruiting disadvantage against schools that do, the Texases (and USCs, and Alabamas) have tried to prevent anyone from offering them.

In short: because these schools don’t want to promise their athletes a full four-year college education, they’ve decided the athletes at other schools shouldn’t have the benefit of that promise, either. 

A full BCS conference-by-conference breakdown of votes in favor of the override:

ACC: Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia

Big East: Boise State, Cincinnati, Louisville, Navy, Rutgers, San Diego State

Big 12: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, TCU, Texas, West Virginia

Big Ten: Wisconsin

Pac-12: Arizona, Cal, Colorado, USC

SEC: Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, Texas A&M

Keep up with the latest college football news from around the country. From the opening kick of the year all the way through the offseason, CBSSports.com has you covered with this daily newsletter. View a preview.

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Florida State will return 18 starters from the lineup that overcame a 14-0 second-half deficit to defeat Notre Dame 18-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl.  

Jimbo Fisher and his staff reeled in another star-studded recruiting class that should solidify some of the depth issues that plagued the ‘Noles last season.  

With the game against West Virginia originally scheduled for Sept. 8^th officially cancelled, FSU is still searching for a replacement. 

Regardless of who fills that vacancy, FSU will have a tough schedule to navigate in order to claim their first ACC title since 2005.  

However, the 2012 team is loaded and poised to rid themselves of the bad taste that soured their 2011 season. 

Here is one good reason FSU can defeat every opponent in 2012. 

2012 schedule has not been released and dates listed are simply guesses.  

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According to the resolution, Commings has agreed to be on six months probation, attend an alcohol and drug education course, participate in an anger management program and perform 25 hours of community service.

Sanders Commings

Commings was arrested on Jan. 21 and charged with domestic violence/simple battery.

According to a copy of the informal resolution obtained by The Red & Black, Commings “engaged in physical abuse, physical intimidation, coercion, and/or other conduct that threatened or endangered the health or safety of another person.”

The resolution states that a violation of probation “will likely result in suspension from the University of Georgia.”

Commings is accused of hitting his girlfriend in downtown Athens.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on March 22 for charges stemming from the January incident.

Georgia coach Mark Richt has suspended Commings for the first two games of the 2012 season, which will cause him to miss the Sep. 1 game against Buffalo and the Bulldogs’ Southeastern Conference opener against Missouri on Sept. 8.

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NFL Network calls its buildup to the draft the “Path to Primetime.” There are many, many paths, even for players coming out of high-profile programs such as USC.

Mark Sanchez was a top-10 prospect and a top-10 draft pick. Clay Matthews was a barely recruited walk-on who became a first-round pick and All-Pro. Now comes Chris Galippo – a big-time high school recruit who’s just trying to make it.

The USC linebacker out of Servite High is among 300-plus players auditioning for NFL teams at the league’s scouting combine this week in Indianapolis. He is keenly aware of his reality.

“You come into college as a pretty highly touted recruit,” Galippo said. “You’re kind of all about going first round and nothing less.”

And now?

“I just want the opportunity to play,” Galippo said.

NFLDraftScout.com projects Galippo as a fifth- or sixth-round selection. The National Football Post rates him as a free agent.

“If he works out well, I think that puts him as a draftable player,” said an NFL scout who covers the West Coast. “If it ends up being average, he probably goes undrafted.

“Either way, he’ll still have pretty good football makeup to make a team.”

Galippo possesses all the intangibles an NFL team would want: He’s intelligent, studious, hard-working and a vocal leader. Whether his body will hold up to the rigors of pro football at the highest level remains to be seen.

Galippo underwent two back surgeries at USC, costing him a season’s worth of games in 2007 and ’08. He also sat out spring practice last year because of back issues. He then missed a chunk of training camp because of a sprained shoulder.

Those injuries are as big a reason as any that Galippo has gone from star recruit to borderline pro prospect.

“I think it really affected some crucial parts of my development early on in my career,” Galippo said. “When other guys in my class are traveling and playing, competing and training, I’m sitting, having back surgery, coming back, having another back surgery. That was tough.”

Galippo said he felt “great” last month while participating in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in Carson. Like every other prospect at the combine, Galippo will undergo multiple physical examinations this week so NFL teams can find out for themselves.

“We certainly feel he’s going to be seen as perfectly healthy,” said Galippo’s agent, Andrew Kessler of Athletes First in Irvine. “That’s the most important part of the combine for him.”

Galippo should ace the interview portion of the program, although one question could prove tricky: Why were you only a part-time starter your final two seasons at USC?

After starting every game in 2009 under Pete Carroll, Galippo began 2010 as a reserve under Lane Kiffin. Galippo ended up starting seven times, including the final five games.

He entered his senior season as the starting middle linebacker but didn’t finish it that way, yielding to freshman Lamar Dawson for the last four contests.

Kiffin said at the time that the change was based on performance. It isn’t uncommon for a new coach to bench a player he didn’t recruit in favor of one he did.

Galippo is hopeful that NFL teams won’t hold it against him. They should be impressed by the way he handled the situation: Galippo didn’t publicly grip about his demotion, continued to practice hard and remained a core member of USC’s special-teams units.

“Hopefully that will work in my favor,” Galippo said. “But at the end of the day, I know what type of player I am, and hopefully I can show that.”

Contact the writer: mlev@ocregister.com

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Here is what
everyone on the planet seems to know about former Gators running back Chris
Rainey: a) Rainey will be among the fastest – if not the fastest – player at
the NFL combine this week in Indianapolis, and b) he had a much-publicized
incident with a former girlfriend that involved a threatening text message in
September 2010.

Rainey served
a suspension in the middle of his junior season and returned without incident
as a senior, earning team MVP honors and the respect of Florida’s new coaching
staff for the way he approached the game and his positive influence in the
locker room.

With his
career at UF finished, Rainey is now running toward a future in the NFL.

Rainey played
in the Senior Bowl last month, meeting with several different teams and answering
questions about his past, primarily the arrest that continues to be the first
link that pops up on Google when you search “Chris Rainey.”

“They all ask
me about that,’’ Rainey said. “That’s all they want to know in the interviews.”

While the
storyline will be rehashed leading up to the draft whenever Rainey’s name is
involved, it’s one those who know Rainey best put to bed a long time ago.

Rainey certainly
has moved on, sounding very confident on Wednesday that any questions about his
past were answered during team interviews at the Senior Bowl.

“As long as I
prove to them [I can play], that’s all I’ve got to do. I’m good,’’ he said
during a visit back to campus. Rainey has been working out in Orlando since the
Senior Bowl. “You just have to do your thing out there. That’s it. The
interview is going to be basically the same thing as at the Senior Bowl.”

Rainey is
leaving early Thursday morning for Indianapolis and has a busy schedule the
next few days, including more personal interviews.

For a glimpse
at an NFL prospect’s stay at the combine, here is Rainey’s schedule through
Sunday: Thursday – Travel to Indianapolis, registration, hospital
pre-exam and X-rays, orientation and interviews; Friday – measurements,
medical examinations, media session, psychological testing and interviews; Saturday
– NFLPA meeting, psychological testing, interviews; Sunday – On-field
workout (timing, stations, skill drills), departure from Indianapolis.

Rainey is
most looking forward to running the 40-yard dash. That could be his shining
moment.

According to
NFLDraftScout.com, Rainey’s personal-best 40 time is 4.25 seconds, which if he
ran in Indy would be the second-fastest 40 time since the combine went to
electronic timing in 1999.

Tennessee
Titans running back Chris Johnson and former Eastern Kentucky receiver Rondel
Melendez share the fastest 40 (4.24 seconds) in the age of electronic timing at
the combine, so Rainey’s previous best is not only in the same neighborhood but
living next door.

“I’m going to
shock a lot of eyes,” Rainey said playfully of his goal to run a sub-4.2 time
in Indy. “I feel super fast. I’m going for it.”

Regardless of
his 40 time at the combine, Rainey’s combination of speed, versatility and
football instincts have most analysts projected him to go in the top three or
four rounds.

Redskins
coach Mike Shanahan was impressed by Rainey’s football IQ at the Senior Bowl.

“He picked
things up quickly,’’ Shanahan told reporters.

Rainey was
used at slot receiver for the South team and had just one rush for five yards.
However, he returned a punt 17 yards and three kickoffs for 60 yards, showing
the versatility that Florida fans were accustomed to the past four seasons.

Listed at
5-foot-8 and 180 pounds, Rainey isn’t concerned his small stature will
negatively impact his draft status. He has resisted any temptation to get
caught up in what the so-called experts are saying during the countless hours
of analysis leading up to the combine.  

“I try not to
hear anything,’’ he said. “I don’t want worry about nothing because I don’t
want it to get in my head and all that stuff. I just want to focus and just be
ready when it’s time for the draft.”

And if he is
drafted by an NFL team more as a receiver than running back, Rainey is fine
with that prospect. He caught 31 passes last season for the Gators.

“I knew it
was going to happen eventually because I know they definitely love running
backs that have a receiver’s hands,’’ Rainey said. “I was ready for it and
prepared. I’m going to do receiver at Pro Day [at UF in March] but I’m going to
work as a running back in Indy.”

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Rifle: No. 3 WVU Qualifies for NCAAs

By Shannon McNamara for MSNsportsNET.com

February 22, 2012 06:43 PM

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 3-ranked West Virginia University rifle team has earned a bid to the 2012 NCAA Rifle Championships, as announced this evening by the NCAA Rifle Committee.

Ohio State plays host to the championships March 9-10 at the Converse Hall and French Field House, in Columbus, Ohio.

This year’s qualification is the Mountaineers’ (12-2, 5-1 GARC) sixth straight; WVU, the 2009 national champion, will shoot for its nation-best 15th title.

“The team is really happy to qualify for this year’s championships,” says sixth-year coach Jon Hammond. “Now, we can focus 100 percent on getting prepared for the Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) Championships and the national championships.

“One of my big goals was to turn this program in to a consistent, competitive team. Not only do we want to qualify for the championships, but we want to go there, be competitive and give ourselves an opportunity to be the best team that day.”

No. 1 TCU, the 2010 national champion, and No. 2 Kentucky, the defending champion, lead the eight-team field; the Horned Frogs and the Wildcats are the only squads to defeat the Mountaineers this season.

Alaska-Fairbanks, Army, Nevada, UTEP and Jacksonville State round out this year’s field.

The eight teams qualified based on the average of the three highest regular-season aggregate scores with no more than one match at any given site. The average of the three highest scores was added to the aggregate scores from the designated qualifiers to determine the final field.

WVU shot 4697 and finished in second place at last year’s championships; the Wildcats shot 4700 and won their first national championship. The Mountaineers are the defending air rifle champions and have earned the discipline title twice in the last three years.

Individuals selected to participate at the championships will be announced on Thursday.
The Mountaineers are set to shoot for their third straight GARC title this weekend, Feb. 25-26, at the conference championships, in Oxford, Miss.

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Feb. 22, 2012

What’s up everyone?

What a great week! I have so many things to talk about that I’m not sure I will get it all down. BUT … How about two wins over two really good teams AND the crowds were great for both games — even though one was on the road.

When all is said and done in my Michigan career, Saturday’s game against Ohio State will be one of my favorite memories. All the fans showing up at 5 a.m. for ESPN College GameDay, the atmosphere leading up to the game all day and then that game itself. It was and is truly a special moment in my career.

Crisler was so loud that I could not hear anyone talking to me on the bench. Everyone was on the edge of their seats and it was just a great college basketball game. We have a goal of winning a Big Ten championship and the only way to accomplish that was by beating Ohio State at home. We did that.

We couldn’t have done it without our great fans and as I tell everyone — we have as good of a home-court advantage as anyone in the country and that’s a big reason why we haven’t lost there yet.

Now onto a very important matter!

The College GameDay part of the day was very cool to take part in, but I need to clarify some things about who watches what on our DVR from Zack (Novak) and Stu’s (Douglass) “Know Your Teammate” interview.

First of all, I only started watching Gossip Girl my freshman year because Zack told me how good of a show it was. I’ll admit I got hooked for a while, but this year I stopped watching because I lost interest. Zack, HOWEVER, still watches the show weekly and as he said, he is a big Serena van der Woodson fan, but then again who isn’t? The other show we BOTH watch is Keeping up with the Kardashians. I have no comment on that.

I’m sure many of you noticed Zack looked pretty good on College GameDay Saturday morning. Some would say his face was even glowing. Well, the reason his face was glowing was due to the fact that he had a nice little touchup by a makeup artist before he went on TV.

As good of a win Saturday was over the Buckeyes, I’m more impressed with our win Tuesday over Northwestern. All the experts said this was the ultimate let down game and we had no chance of winning. I even had a reporter tell me 10 minutes before the game that we had no shot.

I just smiled because maybe in years past we wouldn’t be able to handle success, but this team has great mental toughness and we are playing for a Big Ten championship! Teams don’t get a chance to compete for a ring every year, so the excuses about being tired and not focused really weren’t an option. We took care of business.

The day before we left for Chicago, Stu said that Northwestern’s arena was small and not that loud. Well he was right about it being small, but it was really loud Tuesday night. However, it was loud with chants of “Let’s Go Blue!”

That is one of the coolest parts of playing for Michigan. We have such passionate fans and they are everywhere. The entire upper deck of the arena was packed wearing Maize and Blue. After the game, we signed autographs like it was a home game. All in all, it was just a special night for our team.

Now we move onto Senior Night Saturday against Purdue which will be very special and emotional for our fans, team, coaches and me. It should be a great crowd as we continue our push to winning a championship.

Oh yea, don’t forget to check out my video feature from Coach Beilein’s TV show.

Keep sending in your questions to askjbart20@gmail.com and I will keep writing back.

Go Blue!

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Feb. 22, 2012

The following is a statement from Vanderbilt Vice Chancellor David Williams:

“We have been informed by the Southeastern Conference that the Atlantic Coast Conference has filed a formal complaint involving Vanderbilt University football on behalf of one of its members. We are complying with SEC and Vanderbilt procedures and are conducting an investigation on the matter.”

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No. 12 and counting. 

Brady Hoke landed another Ohio recruit today, this time from right under the nose of Urban Meyer. 

The Wolverines received a verbal commitment from Jaron Dukes, a 3-star receiver from Columbus (Marion-Franklin). 

At 6’4″, 200 lbs, Dukes brings a very tall target to the Michigan receiving corps. Earlier this month, Duke visited Ann Arbor and liked what he saw. “It went great,” Dukes told scout.com. “I saw everything…the facilities, academic programs, just everything.”

A Michigan fan despite being from Columbus, Dukes has been leaning Michigan’s way for awhile.

The first wide receiver taken in Michigan’s 2013 class, he also had offers from Illinois and Toledo.

Contrary to his three-star rating, Dukes showed some promise during the season.

In a game against rival Trotwood-Madison, Dukes caught seven passes for over 170 yards. His performance came against highly-touted Ohio State commit Cameron Burrows.

For his size, Dukes showed “surprising (4.6) speed,” noted scout.com’s Dave Berk. 

Read more Michigan Wolverines Football news on BleacherReport.com

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Patterson Joins Grid Staff

By Mike Montoro for MSNsportsNET.com

February 22, 2012 02:18 PM

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University football coach Dana Holgorsen has announced that Keith Patterson will join the Mountaineer coaching staff. Holgorsen will announce the coaching responsibilities of his new hires once his staff is complete.

Patterson comes to West Virginia after serving as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Pitt during the 2011 regular season and taking on the added responsibility as the interim head coach for the BBVA Compass Bowl in January.

“Keith has had a lot of successful years coaching at some great programs, both at the college and high school levels,” Holgorsen said. “His years of experience in developing players and defenses will be an invaluable resource to our program, while his background in Texas and Oklahoma will only add to our recruiting efforts ”.

Patterson brings 25 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate levels. At the collegiate level, he has helped lead two programs to seven bowl games, coached 13 all-conference selections, three All-Americans and has sent two players to the National Football League.

“Working at a place like West Virginia University with all of its history and tradition is a great opportunity for me,” Patterson said. “Coming off a conference championship and the Orange Bowl win, it’s an exciting time here, and now we have an even greater opportunity as we head into our first year in the Big 12 Conference. I have great respect for Coach Dana Holgorsen and what he has accomplished, and I appreciate and look forward to being a member of the Mountaineer football staff.”

In 2011, the Pitt defense was ranked No. 3 nationally in sacks (3.31), tied for No. 12 in tackles for loss (98),

No. 14 in defensive third-down efficiency (32.98), No. 21 in rushing defense (116.9), No. 35 in total defense (350.62) and No. 38 in scoring defense (22.4). The Panther defense placed five players on the Big East All-Conference teams and had one earn All-American honors.

Prior to Pitt, Patterson spent eight years at Tulsa, including the final five seasons in which he served as the co-defensive coordinator. He coached the linebackers from 2003-05, 2007-08 and 2010 and the safeties in 2006 and 2009. He was an integral part of the Golden Hurricane’s success during his tenure, helping lead Tulsa to 65 wins, one Conference USA championship, three division championships and six bowl appearances.

In 2010, he helped mold a defense that led the country in interceptions (24) and ranked third in turnovers gained (36). The Hurricane faced No. 24 Hawai’i in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and defeated the Warriors, behind the defense’s six turnover effort, including five interceptions.

His 2008 defense was No. 13 nationally in sacks and No. 37 in rushing defense. In 2006, Tulsa’s defense led Conference USA in total defense and pass defense under Patterson’s guidance. Tulsa was second in scoring defense and third in rush defense. The Hurricane ranked 11th nationally in pass defense and 21st in total defense, allowing only 159.2 passing yards and 296.8 total yards.

In 2005, he was instrumental in helping the Tulsa defensive unit rank among the tops in C-USA and nationally. That year, Tulsa was first in C-USA for takeaways , pass defense and pass defense efficiency; second in total defense and third in scoring defense.

Patterson came to Tulsa with 16 years coaching experience as a high school coach in Oklahoma and Texas. He spent two years (2000 and ‘02) as linebackers, defensive backs and special teams coach at Allen (Texas) High School. He also coached at Allen High School from 1995-96.

Before that, he was the head football coach at Ardmore (Okla.) High School for three seasons (1997-99). At Ardmore, Patterson led his team to the District 5A-1 Championship in 1999, while earning district coach of the year honors.

In 1994, Patterson was the head coach at Edmond Santa Fe (Okla.) High School. Prior to that, he served as defensive secondary coach at Edmond Memorial High School for two seasons (1992-93). He began his high school coaching career in 1988 at Altus (Okla.) High School, where he coached the outside linebackers and defensive backs for four years. He helped lead Altus to a state runner-up finish in Class 4A, while helping Edmond Memorial to a Class 6A runnerup finish in 1993.

He received his bachelor’s degree in health, physical education and recreation from East Central (Okla.) University in 1986. Patterson was a four-year letterman at defensive back at ECU from 1982 through 1985. In 1986, he served as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater. Patterson earned his master’s degree in kinesiology and sport studies in 2003 from Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Patterson, and his wife, Melissa, have two daughters: Fallon and Erin; and stepdaughter, Bretlie and stepson, Kelby.

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At this point, if Auburn wants success Frazier needs to hold the keys to production, not just high hopes and expectations.

When Frazier arrived in the summer of 2011, the Tigers were coming off of the highest point in the programs history since 1957. The Tigers were riding the high of a national championship looking for a new beginning for a position that had been revolutionized overnight.

Cam Newton blasted onto the scene for Auburn against Arkansas State in 2010 passing for 186 yards and rushing for another 171, totaling five touchdowns. Newton had finally shown what the Tigers offense could do with an explosive quarterback and mind magician type coordinator on the Plains.

Newton drove Auburn through tough roads on and off the field to a very hard earned national title and the schools third Heisman Trophy.

The Tigers’ fans needed another Cam.

Along came Frazier. Frazier was a stud signal caller from Arkansas in 2010, accumulating 2,975 passing yards and another 1,164 yards on the ground. He tossed 42 touchdowns as well in his senior season.

Frazier was as elite as they come from high school and Malzahn brought a natural draw to Auburn for Frazier. Much more than a coach solidified the move for Frazier however and as the 2012 season opens under the new guidance of OC Scot Loeffler, Frazier is looking to fulfill his goals as the Tigers starting quarterback.

As a rising sophomore, Frazier isn’t a complete lock to win the starting position. The Tigers also have 2011 starter Clint Moseley still on roster as well as Zeke Pike appearing on campus this spring.

This will be an open battle to the finish and Loeffler is looking for a playmaker to take the reins.

Auburn has faced quarterback controversy often in the past with Kodi Burns and Chris Todd battling in 2009 and as Cam Newton earning the position in 2010. 2011 brought the hodgepodge of ridiculousness that saw Frazier, Moseley, and the recently departed Barrett Trotter all attempt to guide the offense.

At the end of the spring, Auburn needs to have a leader at quarterback as Loeffler will look to offensive leaders to carry over the spring offense implementation to summer workouts.

Scot Loeffler has talked of looking for the “it” factor in recruiting, something that Frazier displayed while he was being recruited.

Even Chris Mortensen is on camera talking about Frazier’s potential impact.

So when does Frazier’s potential turn into production for the Tigers? Last season Frazier was the Tigers third leading rusher compiling 76 total rushes for 327 yards and three touchdowns.

Frazier’s passing statistics were far less impressive as he only managed a 41.7 CMP% last season on a total of 12 throws. Two of the 12 tosses landed in the defenses hands.

Looking at Frazier’s mechanics however there doesn’t appear to be an issue, in fact, he has some great tools that could be developed well by Loeffler.

As the spring practice sessions draw near, the Tigers can’t handle another quarterback controversy.

Under the Malzahn regime it didn’t seem to be a concern and at times the lack of leadership showed.

Auburn needs a leader from the quarterback position and Kiehl Frazier looks to be the best answer at this point. Nothing against Clint Moseley’s attempt to achieve greatness last season, after all he was my choice to start from day one, but he lacked more than offensive line protection.

So does Kiehl Frazier hold the keys to Auburn’s success in 2012 and beyond?

At this point yes.

He is the only viable candidate to become an explosive playmaking quarterback under Loeffler.

Auburn needs a leader to step forward and guide this team to victory, it just may be time for Frazier to shine.

Follow @ianb1448

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Receiver Jaron Dukes, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound junior from Marion-Franklin High in Columbus, Ohio, gave Michigan a commitment Wednesday, Scout.com reported. Dukes visited Michigan on Feb. 10, according to the website.

Michigan now has 12 commitments for 2013.

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