Tuesday, June 01, 2010

Daniel Draper Selected  ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— Junior Daniel Draper (Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty HS) from the Eastern New Mexico University men’s track & field team has been selected as the ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week for his performance in the javelin throw last Saturday.

Draper became the second javelin thrower to qualify for the NCAA Championships and the first since Zach Gerleve, in 2007. Entering the competition ranked 15th in the country, Draper’s 187’ throw earned him 11th place at the championships, the highest finish for Eastern in any event at the National Championships.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Martinez and Reid Selected  ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University track & field teams turned in a strong performance last week at the University of the Incarnate Word Last Chance Meet, held in San Antonio, Texas. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Pedro Martinez (men’s track & field) and Nicole Reid (women’s track & field).

Pedro Martinez (Fr., Keller, Texas/Fossil Ridge HS) took first place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Incarnate Word Last Chance Meet, with a time of 9:51.50.

Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Incarnate Word Last Chance Meet, finishing with a time of 11:31.08.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Squire and Reid Selected  ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University track & field teams turned in a strong performance last weekend at the Lone Star Conference Championships, held in San Angelo, Texas. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Bill Squire (men’s track & field) and Nicole Reid (women’s track & field).

Bill Squire (So., Hagerman, N.M./Hagerman HS) won the Lone Star Conference championship in the shot put, with a toss of 53'-1.75"; and took second place in the hammer throw, with a distance of 166'-02". At the championship meet, he compiled 18 points for the Greyhounds in those two events.

Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) finished with a team-high 20 points last weekend at the Lone Star Conference championship. She took second place in both the 3,000-meter steeplechase and 5,000-meter run. Reid completed the steeplechase with a team-record time of 11:30.04 and finished the 5,000-meter run in 18:39.99.  She also placed sixth in the 1,500-meter run, with a time of 4:57.27.3.

Monday, May 03, 2010

Crouse, Lale, Draper and Reid Selected  ENMUSports.com
Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University softball team concluded its season with a win for the fifth straight year, while the track team turned ina strong performance in Abilene, Texas. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Kimberly Crouse (softball), Amanda Lale (softball), Daniel Draper (men’s track & field and Nicole Reid (women’s track & field).

Kimberly Crouse (Sr., P, Round Rock, Texas/Hill College/Round Rock HS) split a pair of games against Texas Woman's University last week, striking out 21 batters and walking just three over 18 innings. On Saturday, she tossed 173 pitches, fanned a career-best 16 batters and allowed just three earned runs in an 11-inning loss. On Sunday, she concluded her career at ENMU with a victory over the Pioneers, striking out five and walking none.

Amanda Lale (Fr., DH/1B, Mesquite, Texas/Horn HS) batted .455 against Texas Woman's last week and drove in a team-best four runs. In Sunday's win, she hit two-for-three and hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to give Eastern a 4-3 lead.

Daniel Draper (Jr., Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty HS) tossed the javelin a distance of 193'-1" to turn in a first-place finish at the Abilene Christian/Oliver Jackson Open. The throw was his second best of the season and marked the second time he surpassed a throw of 190' this year.

Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) turned in an ENMU record time of 4:55.93 in the women's 1,500-meter run to place fifth at the Abilene Christian-Oliver Jackson Open. She had previously set the ENMU record for the 1,500-meter run of 5:07.05, exactly one month ago, at the McMurry Relays.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Crouse, Wolfe, Draper and Reid Selected  ENMUSports.com
Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University softball team picked up wins over NM Highlands and Abilene Christian, while the baseball team picked up a win at West Texas A&M. Numerous records fell for the track and field team as they travelled to Tempe, Ariz., for the Sun Devil Open.. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Kimberly Crouse (softball), Mitch Wolfe (baseball), Daniel Draper (men’s track & field and Nicole Reid (women’s track & field).

Last week, Kimberly Crouse (Sr., P, Round Rock, Texas/Hill College/Round Rock HS) posted a 2-1 record with a .175 earned run average, with wins over Abilene Christian and New Mexico Highlands. Her 3-2 win at Abilene Christian on Saturday was Eastern's first road victory in the LSC South Division since last February, snapping a 13-game skid in those games. Over Crouse's 20 innings last week, she struck out 17 batters, while walking just two and allowed just three extra base hits, all being doubles.

Mitch Wolfe (So., 1B/DH, Litchfield Park, Ariz./Agua Fria HS) hit safely in all four games at West Texas A&M last weekend, including a two-for-three performance with one run scored and three runs batted in during the third game of the series.

Daniel Draper (Jr., Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty HS) provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the javelin at the Arizona State Sun Devil Open. He placed second in the event with a throw of 199’-4”.

Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) set team records in both the 800-meter run and 3,000-meter steeplechase, finishing with times of 2:25.24 and 11:48.86. Her 3000-meter steeplechase time earned her a second place finish in the event at the ASU Sun Devil Open.

Monday, April 19, 2010
Crouse and Wagner Selected  ENMUSports.com
Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University softball team won three of their five games last week, including a 5-0 shutout of 17th-ranked West Texas A&M. The baseball team remains in contention for the Lone Star Conference tournament, despite a tough weekend in Tahlequah, Okla. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Kimberly Crouse (softball) and Ethan Wagner (baseball).

Kimberly Crouse (Sr., P, Round Rock, Texas/Hill College/Round Rock HS) pitched in all but one of the Zias five games last week, winning two games and earning a save, while limiting the opposition to a .203 batting average. She allowed one run in picking up a win over Oklahoma Panhandle, and scattered two hits over three shutout innings to earn the save in the second game against OPSU. On Sunday, she scattered three hits and struck out six batters to snap17th-ranked West Texas A&M's six-game winning streak, handing them just their fourth shutout loss of the season. On Monday, Crouse limited WTAMU to five hits and struck out five batters. She also batted .438 for the week with two doubles and two runs batted in.

Ethan Wagner (Sr., RF, San Antonio, Texas/Cisco JC/Churchill HS) hit safely in three of five games last week, including a three-for-four performance in the second game  at Northeastern State. His two runs batted in at NSU marked the 15th consecutive LSC series in which he has driven in at least one run.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Wolfe, Quiñones, Squire and Draper Selected
ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team posted their first series win over Central Oklahoma since 1997, while the track and field team continued the rewrite the team record book at two different meets. The Zia softball team played split a pair of games against Texas-Permian Basin. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Mitch Wolfe (baseball), Rebecca Quiñones (softball), Bill Squire (men’s track & field) and Samantha Draper (women’s track & field).

Mitch Wolfe (Jr., 1B/DH, Litchfield Park, Ariz./Agua Fria HS) turned in a stellar week for the Hounds, leading them to their first series win over Central Oklahoma since 1997. He hit safely in all four games, including a 3-4 performance in the opener with two home runs and six runs batted in. The contest marked the first two-homer game for ENMU this season. Wolfe doubled in the second game and drove in two runs in the finale.

Rebecca Quiñones (Sr., 2B, Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert HS) batted .500 over two games at University of Texas of the Permian Basin last week, posting a 1.000 slugging percentage. In the first game, her first-inning, two-run homer gave the Zias the lead. She also staked ENMU to a lead in the second game, with a first-inning RBI double.

Bill Squire (So., Hagerman, N.M./ Hagerman HS) set an ENMU record in the hammer throw at Texas Tech, provisionally qualifying for next month’s NCAA Championships with a toss of 180’-8”. The performance claimed second place for Squire in the event, while he also took fourth in the shot put and seventh in the discus.

At the Texas Tech Invitational, Samantha Draper (Jr., Escalon, Calif./Modesto JC/Escalon HS) set an ENMU record, placing 15th in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:28.

Sunday, April 04, 2010

Cotten, Lale, Smith and Reid Selected
ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team split their series at East Central, while the track and field team continued the rewrite the team record book. The Zia softball team played in a pair of one-run games at Tarleton State. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Justin Cotten (baseball), Amanda Lale (softball), Brian Smith (men’s track & field) and Nicole Reid (women’s track & field).

Justin Cotten (Jr., RHP, Dallas, Texas/Eastfield College/Trinity Christian HS) pitched a complete-game shutout at East Central on Saturday, striking out a career-high eight batters, while scattering eight hits. The performance marked the third complete game of his career and was his first shutout.

Amanda Lale (Fr., P/DP, Mesquite, Texas/Horn HS) batted a team-high .636 against Tarleton State, registering the first three multiple-hit games of her career. In the second game of the series, she batted three-for-four with a double and two runs batted in.

Brian Smith (Jr., Midland, Texas/Midland Lee HS) set an ENMU record at the McMurry Relays, finishing third overall in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 10.59. The time would have met the standards for provisional NCAA Championship qualifications, had there not been excessively windy conditions. Smith also completed the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.45.

At the McMurry Relays, Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) set ENMU records in both the 1,500-meter run and 3,000-meter steeplechase. She placed third in both events, with a finishing time of 5:07.05 in the 1,500m and 12:10.51 in the steeplechase.

Sunday, March 29, 2010

Johnson and Mayo Otis Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team split a key Lone Star Conference series with Southwestern Oklahoma State, while the softball team earned hard fought wins against Adams State and Southwestern Oklahoma State. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Jereme Johnson (baseball) and Alex Mayo Otis (softball).

Jereme Johnson (Sr., LF, Roswell, N.M./NMJC/Goddard HS) turned in a strong week, hitting safely in all four games against Southwestern Oklahoma State, with an extra base hit in three of the four contests. In the third game, he batted three-for-three with a double, a run batted in and a run scored. His single in the first inning staked the Hounds to a 1-0 lead. For the week, he posted a .909 slugging percentage.

Alex Mayo Otis (Sr., RF/DH, Phoenix, Ariz./St. Mary’s HS) turned in a strong week for the Zias, hitting safely in seven of the team's eight games, with multiple hits in five contests. On Saturday, she turned in a career-game against Northeastern State, batting four-for-five with two home runs, including a grand slam, two doubles and eight total runs batted in. Her second home run of that game was Mayo Otis' 246 career hit, breaking the previous career record at ENMU, set in 2002 by Rachel Mohler.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Aguirre and Wagner Selected ENMUSports.com

Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team picked up its 18th last at bat win of the last two seasons on Friday, picking up a win over 11th-ranked Abilene Christian. The Zia softball team also worked some late-game magic, walking off with their first-ever win over St. Edwards. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Ethan Wagner (baseball) and Josette Aguirre (softball).

Ethan Wagner (Sr., RF/DH/San Antonio, Texas/Cisco JC/Churchull HS) registered team-highs in hitting (.462), slugging (.692) and runs batted in (4), during the Greyhounds series at Abilene Christian. During Sunday's three games, which lasted nearly nine hours, he posted a .462 batting average, with a hit in all three games. In the series finale, he hit three-for-four.

Josette Aguirre (Jr., CF, Moriarty, N.M./Moriarty HS) hit safely in all four games last week, including a two-for-three performance with a double and a run batted in against St. Edwards. In the second game, her leadoff double helped set up the game-winning home run. In the first game against SEU, she made two plays in the fifth inning, including firing a strike to third for a double play, keeping the contest tied.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Wagner, Mayo Otis, Squire, and Reid Selected
ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team continued their strong start, picking up three wins and rallying from an eight-run deficit at Angelo State. The track and field team set numerous team records at Tarleton State, while the softball team made a strong showing in their conference-opening series. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Ethan Wagner (baseball), Alex Mayo Otis (softball), Bill Squire (men’s track & field) and Nicole Reid (women’s track & field).

Ethan Wagner (Sr., RF/DH/San Antonio, Texas/Cisco JC/Churchull HS) batted .619 for the week with a home run, three doubles and six runs batted in as the Hounds defeated University of the Southwest and split a four-game series against Angelo State. Against the Rams, he hit .706, striking out just twice in 17 at bats and hit a perfect five-for-five with runners in scoring position. In the third game of the series, he batted three-for-three with a home run, a double and three runs batted in over the final three innings as ENMU rallied from an eight-run deficit for a 14-10 win.

Alex Mayo Otis (Sr., RF, Phoenix, Ariz./St. Mary’s HS) extended her hitting streak to nine straight games, hitting .636 against Texas A&M-Kingsville. She hit a career-best four-for-four in the second game of the series, scoring both of the Zias runs in the contest.

Bill Squire (So., T, Hagerman, N.M./Hagerman HS) overcame windy conditions at the Tarleton State Relays to win the hammer throw with an ENMU-record toss of 174'-4.51". His throw was nearly 20 feet farther than the runner up in the event. Squire also tied for third in the discus throw.

At the Tarleton Relays, Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) placed 12th in the 1,500-meter run, in an ENMU record time of 5:07.78. She also placed seventh in the 800-meter run.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Eaton and Cruickshank Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team picked up a split with 22nd-ranked New Mexico Highlands, while the softball tem registered their first-ever win over Washburn. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Chris Eaton (baseball) and Kristen Cruickshank (softball).

Chris Eaton (Jr., 2B, Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola HS) hit safely in five of six games last week and in all five starts. In the Greyhounds' season-opening win against Texas A&M-Kingsville, he batted three-for-four, scored three runs, drove in four runs and cracked his first home run of the season. For the week, he batted .400 with a .600 slugging percentage.

Kristen Cruickshank (Sr., P/1B, Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley HS) hit safely in all four games, last week, extending her hitting streak to seven consecutive games. On Saturday, she picked up the Zias first-ever win over Washburn, striking out four batters and driving in two runs with a triple.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Marshall, O’Neal and Cruce Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team continued their strong start, picking up their first series win over Tarleton State since 2005, while the basketball teams turned in a strong finish to their seasons. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Jimmie Marshall (men’s basketball), Vanessa O’Neal (women’s basketball) and Sean Cruce (baseball).

Jimmie Marshall (Sr., G, Milwaukee, Wis./Iowa Lakes CC) helped the Greyhounds to win their final two games of the season and record season sweeps against Abilene Christian and Texas A&M-Kingsville. Four times, ACU tie the game in the second half and on three of those occasions, Marshall either scored or had an assist on the Hound’s go-ahead basket. He finished that game with 16 points, 10 assists and two steals. On Saturday, he dished out five assists and scored six points to close out his career.

Vanessa O’Neal (Jr., G, Clovis, N.M./ Clovis HS) recorded six steals over the Zias final two games and fell just one point shy of her career high, pouring in 16 points in Eastern’s 75-61 season-ending win over Lone Star Conference tournament participant, Texas A&M-Kingsville. For the week, she shot .833 from the free throw line, including 8-10 against the Javelinas.

Sean Cruce (Sr., 3B, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) turned in a stellar performance for the Greyhounds as they picked up a Lone Star Conference series over Tarleton State. He hit .545 for the series with five runs batted in, five walks and no strike outs. Over the first two games, he reached base in eight of his nine plate appearances, had a sacrifice bunt and a walk-off single in the series opener. In the series finale, he tied the game with an infield single in the eighth. Cruce also played error free a tthird base in 14 defensive opportunities.

Monday, February 22, 2010

Clay, Darby, Smith and Cruickshank and Selected
ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team continued their strong start, splitting a four-game series at 19th-ranked Cameron, while the softball team make a strong showing with a pair of hard fought wins in Oklahoma. The basketball teams turned in strong performances at Angelo State. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Cat Clay (women’s basketball), Equs Darby (men’s basketball), Anthony Smith (baseball) and Kristen Cruickshank (softball).

Cat Clay (Jr., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) poured in 18 points at Angelo State to move into 16th place on the ENMU career-scoring list with a total of 884. She shot .429 from three-point range in the game and hit seven-for-eight from the free-throw line.

Equs Darby (Sr., F, Lake City S.C./Feather River CC) hit seven of his nine shots to score 16 points against Angelo State. He registered a .778 shooting percentage for the game and blocked a career-high three shots.

Anthony Smith (Jr., RHP, 29 Palms, Calif./Cal-State Stanislaus) held 19th-ranked Cameron scoreless over 4.1 innings, limiting the Aggies to two singles and a .143 batting average. He picked up two saves during the series, helping the Greyhounds earn a crucial split in a Lone Star Conference road series.

Kristen Cruickshank (Sr., P/1B/Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley HS) hit safely in four of Eastern's five games, including two multiple-hit games. In Saturday's win over Northeastern State, she hit three-for-seven with two runs scored and six runs batted in. In the 12th inning of that game, she snapped a 9-all tie with a three-run homer. She also appeared in four games as a pitcher, striking out nine batters over 12 innings.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

O’Neal, Darby, Wagner and Anderson and Selected
ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team made their home debut in grad fashion, posting their first series win over Southeastern Oklahoma State since 2005, while the women’s basketball team completed a season-sweep over Midwestern State for the first time since the 2004-05 season. The men’s basketball team had tough contests against the two top teams in the LSC South, while the softball team played one of the top teams in the NAIA. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Vanessa O’Neal (women’s basketball), Equs Darby (men’s basketball), Ethan Wagner (baseball) and Michelle Anderson (softball).

Vanessa O'Neal's (Jr., G, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) defensive performance led the Zias to a season sweep of Midwestern State, limiting the Mustangs to just 49 points and a 27.4 shooting percentage. She grabbed a pair of steals in the game after posting a four-steal, 10-point performance against Tarleton State.

Equs Darby (Sr., F, Lake City S.C./Feather River CC) recorded the third double double of his career with a 17-point, 12-rebound performance at sixth-ranked Midwestern State, shooting .583 from the floor. Earlier in the week, he shot .400 against Tarleton State in a five-point, four-rebound performance.

Ethan Wagner (Sr., RF, San Antonio, Texas/Cisco JC/Churchill HS) batted .333 with a team-high six runs batted in, to lead the Greyhounds to a 3-1 series win over Southeastern Oklahoma State. He hit safely in all four games over the weekend, recording two multiple-hit games.

Michelle Anderson (Sr., C/3B, Sierra Vista, Ariz./Buena HS) paced ENMU offensively against NAIA powerhouse, Lubbock Christian, batting .583 with two doubles. She recorded three multiple-hit games, including a three-for-four outing in the series finale.

Monday, February 08, 2010

Jefferson, Fifer, Cruickshank and Cotten and Selected
ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams just finished a tough rivalry week with two games apiece against West Texas A&M, while the baseball and softball teams managed to open their season, despite weather delays. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Tyler Jefferson (men’s basketball), Til-Lois Fifer (women’s basketball), Kristen Cruickshank (softball) and Justin Cotton (baseball).

Tyler Jefferson's (Jr., F, Fort Worth, Texas/Tyler JC) performance helped the Greyhounds to split with West Texas A&M and remain in contention for a berth in the upcoming Lone Star Conference tournament. Over the week, he stepped to the free throw line 27 times, connecting on 81.5 percent from the charity stripe. Over the final 10 minutes of regulation of the two games, he hit scored 16 points, hitting 10 free throws and a .750 shooting percentage from the floor.

Til-Lois Fifer (Jr., F, Tulia, Texas/Tulia HS) averaged nine points and 4.5 rebounds over two games against eighth-ranked West Texas A&M. She also hit on 71.4 percent of her 14 attempts from the free throw line.

Kristen Cruickshank (Sr., P, Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley HS) tossed 28.1 of the Zia's 44 innings last week, posting wins over New Mexico Highlands, Texas A&M-Intenational and Cameron. For the week, she limited the opposition to a .271 batting average, struck out 14 and walked just eight. She also helped her cause at the plate, batting .300 with two doubles and five runs batted in.

Justin Cotten (Jr., P, Dallas, Texas/Easfield HS/Trinity Christian HS) limited New Mexico Highlands to two runs on five hits over four innings. He allowed no walks and struck out seven batters.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Nelson and Altheide Selected as ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.—The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams continued their LSC South schedules last week, with both the Zias and Greyhounds dropping last-minute heartbreakers to Angelo State. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Reggie Nelson (men’s basketball) and Hannah Altheide (women’s basketball).

Reggie Nelson (Jr., G, Tyler, Texas/Tyler JC) recorded the Greyhounds' first 30-point game since Justin Redman Trotter accomplished the feat two seasons ago at West Texas A&M. He finished with a career-best 31 points, connecting on eight of his 17 shots from the floor and an incredible 13 of his 14 attempts from the free throw line. Nelson also dished out five assists, while committing just one turnover. His performance helped ENMU rally from a 13-point deficit and seize a lead late in the game

Hannah Altheide (Jr., F, El Paso, Texas/Chapin HS) exploded for a career-best 13 points against Angelo State, connecting on four of her five three-point attempts.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Clay and Nelson Selected as ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.—The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams continued their LSC South schedules last week, with the Zias snapping a 15-game skid in the division with a victory over Midwestern State, while the Hounds played a tight home contest against MSU in front of the largest home crowd of the season. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Cat Clay (women’s basketball) and Reggie Nelson.

Cat Clay (Jr., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) turned in a stellar week for the Zias, averaging 14 points per game and connecting on nearly 45 percent of her three-point tries. Midway through her 17-point outburst against Midwestern State, she moved into 19th place on the Zia career scoring list. She also contributed on the defensive side of the floor, with 11 rebounds, five steals and two blocked shots.

Reggie Nelson (Jr., G, Tyler, Texas/Tyler JC) paced the Hounds last week in LSC south games against Tarleton State and #11 Midwestern State, with 10 points and four rebounds per game. He scored nine of his 13 points against the Mustangs during a key second half run, which saw Eastern rally from a 14-point deficit to tie the game.
Saturday, January 16, 2010

Reid and Clay Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University men’ basketball team is 2-0 in the Lone Star Conference South Division for the first time since the 2006-07 season and the women’s team played a pair of tough opponents in conference play as well last week. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Victor Reid (men’s basketball) and Cat Clay (women’s basketball).

Victor Reid (Jr., F, El Paso, Texas/Cochise CC) shot .542 from the field and averaged 16.5 points per game, enabling the Hounds to snap a 24-game LSC South Division skid, including 12 straight road games. He scored 20 points and grabbed seven boards against Abilene Christian and followed with 13 points and eight boards at Texas A&M-Kingsville. Reid's performance allowed the Hounds to snap the Javelinas' 13-game home winnings streak.

Cat Clay (Jr., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) connected on 50 percent of her shots from the field, leading the Zias with 15 points per game against Lone Star Conference South Division opponents, Abilene Christian and Texas A&M-Kingsville. Against ACU, she scored 17 points and dished out four assists.

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Nelson and Northcutt Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams concluded Lone Star Conference crossover play last week, with tough games at Central Oklahoma and Northeastern State, as they prepare to open division play. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Reggie Nelson (men’s basketball) and Tori Northcutt (women’s basketball).

Reggie Nelson (Jr., G, Tyler, Texas/Tyler JC) turned in a 13-point, five assist, five rebound performance at Central Oklahoma and followed with a 17-point outing at Northeastern State. For the week, hit shot 90 percent from the free throw line and averaged 15 points.

Tori Northcutt (Jr., G, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) averaged 11 points and 4.5 assists last week and connected on seven of her eight attempts from the free throw line. At Central Oklahoma, she registered 10 points, three steals, four assists and five rebounds. She followed by shooting 80 percent from the floor at Northeastern State to finish with 12 points.

Monday, January 04, 2010

Jefferson and Fifer Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams played tough competition to open the new year, with the Hounds visiting NCAA Division I Brigham Young and hosting Fort Lewis. The Zias hosted seventh-ranked Fort Lewis College. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Tyler Jefferson (men’s basketball) and Til-Lois Fifer (women’s basketball).

Tyler Jefferson (Jr., F, Fort Worth, Texas/Tyler JC) averaged 11.5 points against NCAA Division I Brigham Young University and Fort Lewis College, recording multiple steals in both contests. He shot .714 from the field against FLC and had six rebounds against the Cougars.

Til-Lois Fifer (Jr., F, Tulia, Texas/Tulia HS) scored nine points against seventh-ranked Fort Lewis, dished out three assists and went five-for-seven from the free throw line.

Monday, December 21, 2009

Clay and Marshall Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in strong performance at last week, with the Zias picking up wins over New Mexico Highlands and Texas Woman’s, while the Greyhounds played a tight game against Texas A&M-Commerce. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Jimmie Marshall (men’s basketball) and Cat Clay (women’s basketball).

Cat Clay’s (Jr., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) performance last week led the Zias to a pair of wins over three games. She averaged 16.7 points and connected on all but one of her 12 free throw attempts. Against Texas A&M-Commerce, Clay registered her second double double of the season, with 22 points and 11 rebounds, including a go-ahead jumper with nine seconds left in the game. Against Texas Woman's, she scored 13 points, hitting the game-winning three-point basket with four seconds left. Earlier in the week, Clay had 15 points in a win at New Mexico Highlands.

Jimmie Marshall (Sr., G, Milwaukee, Wis./Iowa Lakes CC) recorded a career-high five steals against Texas A&M-Commerce, marking the fourth game this season with at least three steals. He also finished with three defensive rebounds and tied for the team lead with 11 points.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Jefferson and Clay Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in strong performance at Cameron last Saturday, with the Zias picking up a win and the Hounds dropping a tightly contested game. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Tyler Jefferson (men’s basketball) and Cat Clay (women’s basketball).

Tyler Jefferson (Jr., F, Fort Worth, Texas/Tyler JC) accounted for 40 percent of the Greyhounds points against Cameron University, pouring in a game-high 22 points and grabbing nine boards to just miss his third double double in the last four games. He connected on 61.5 percent of his shots from the field and went six-for-eight from the free throw line. During a late-game 8-3 run, which the Hounds pulled to within two points, he had four points over a 30 second span.

Cat Clay (Jr., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) paced the Zias with a 22-point performance, leading ENMU to a 79-74 win at Cameron. She connected on seven of her nine attempts from the free throw line and hit five three-pointers. The performance marked the third time this season Clay has reached the 20-point plateau.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Nelson and Northcutt Selected as ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.—The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams opened their Lone Star Conference crossover schedules last week, with tough contests against Southeastern Oklahoma State and East Central. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Reggie Nelson (men’s basketball and Tori Northcutt (women’s basketball).

Reggie Nelson (Jr., G, Tyler, Texas/Tyler JC) paced the Hounds last week in LSC crossover games against Southeastern Oklahoma and East Central, pouring in 22.5 points per game and hitting 50 percent of his 20 three-point attempts. Against ECU, he scored a career-high 27 points and had three assists, four steals and six rebounds.

Tori Northcutt (Jr., G, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) had three steals against both Southeastern Oklahoma State and East Central along with seven rebounds for the week. She dished out 14 assists, while committing only six turnovers and shot .750 from the free throw line.

 Monday, November 30, 2009

Jefferson and Clay Selected ENMUSports.com
Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball in a strong week, with the Greyhounds picking up two wins and the Zias earning a hard fought win over the defending RMAC champions. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Tyler Jefferson (men’s basketball) and Cat Clay (women’s basketball).

Tyler Jefferson (Jr., F, Fort Worth, Texas/Tyler JC) averaged 12.5 points and eight boards in victories over Lubbock Christian and Western State. At LCU, he poured in 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Jefferson followed with a 12-point, seven-rebound outing against Western State.

Cat Clay (Jr., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) averaged .500 from the field and was even better from three-point range, connecting on .533 of her attempts. In the Zias win over two-time defending RMAC champion, Colorado State-Pueblo, she hit five treys, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal.


Saturday, November 21, 2009

Reid and Clay Selected as ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

Portales, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams opened their seasons last week, with the Greyhounds splitting a pair of games with cross-state rival Western New Mexico, while the Zias played an extremely difficult schedule as well. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Victor Reid and Cat Clay.

Victor Reid (Jr., G, El Paso, Texas/Cochise CC) paced the Greyhounds with 13.5 points and 6.5 boards in their season-opening series against cross-state rival Western New Mexico. He connected on five of his 10 attempts from the field, last Tuesday, scoring 17 points and grabbing six rebounds to lead Eastern to an 83-68 win. For the week, he connected on nine of his 11 attempts from the free throw line.

Cat Clay (Jr., G, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) averaged 16.7 points per game in the Zias opening three contests of the season, reaching the 20-point mark and hitting six treys against both New Mexico Highlands and Missouri Southern State. In the season opener against NMHU, she shot 60 percent from outside the three-point arc, scoring a team-high 24 points.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Wood, Dimitroff, James, Kogo, Reid, and Murphy
Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University athletic teams turned in a strong week, with the football team rallying for another season-ending win, while the cross country teams closed what may have been the best season in team history. The volleyball team picked up the first road win in Las Vegas since the 2003 season, while men’s soccer closed out the best season in team history. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Wesley Wood and Derek Dimitroff (football), Michael James (men’s soccer), Richard Kogo (men’s cross country), Nicole Reid (women’s cross country) and Caitlin Murphy (volleyball).

Wesley Wood (Fr., QB, Muleshoe, Texas/Muleshoe HS) entered the season finale late in the fourth quarter and completed five of his seven pass attempts for 101 yards and a touchdown as well as a two-point conversion. On the game-winning drive, he connected on three of his four attempts for 88 yards, including a 51-yard strike to Matt Handler (So., WR, Argyle, Texas/Argyle HS) and an eight-yard touchdown pass to Darian Dale (So., WR, Bay City, Texas/Bay City HS). Derek Dimitroff (Sr., LB, Ft. Sumner, N.M./NMMI/Ft. Sumner HS) turned in a strong game against Incarnate Word, making 10 tackles, including three for a loss, a sack and recovering a fumble.

Michael James' (Sr., D, Dallas, Texas/Bishop Lynch HS) concluded his career with the Greyhounds having played in 44 matches and scored seven goals with four assists. In 2009, the Hounds won a team-record 11 matches.

Richard Kogo (Jr., Eldoret, Kenya/West Texas CC) turned in a 34th place finish at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships, finishing the 10k run with a time of 32:54.01. His performance led Eastern to a ninth-place finish at the meet, eight slots better than last season's 17th-place finish. Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) turned in a 36th place finish at the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championships, finishing the 6k run with a season-best time of 23:16.68.

Caitlin Murphy (Sr., L, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) averaged 4.56 digs per set and posting a strong .981 reception percentage as the Zias split matches at New Mexico Highlands and #5 West Texas A&M. On Tuesday, she recorded 18 digs and a career-high six service aces, lifting ENMU to its first win at Highlands since the 2003 season.

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Harp, Zamora, James, Lawrence, and Ovalle
Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University athletic teams turned in a strong week, with the soccer teams both getting dramatic goals from seniors in one-goal wins. The football team turned in a strong effort against 13th ranked Midwestern State, while several young players continue to emerge for the volleyball team. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were J.J. Harp and Edward Zamora (football), Michael James (men’s soccer), Samantha Lawrence (women’s soccer) and Rocio Ovalle (volleyball).

J.J. Harp (So., QB, Argyle, Texas/Argyle HS) registered his fifth 400-yard passing day of the season, connecting on 42 of his 63 attempts for 431 yards and two touchdown passes. He is just two touchdown passes shy of tying the ENMU single-season record. Edward Zamora (Sr., OLB, San Antonio, Texas/NMMI/Taft HS) turned in a strong game against Midwestern State, making 14 tackles, applying pressure to the quarterback and forcing a fumble early in the second quarter.

Michael James' (Sr., D, Dallas, Texas/Bishop Lynch HS) presence on defense helped ENMU limited the opposition to just 13 shots per game last week, with just a total of seven on goal. He netted the game-tying goal with three seconds remaining at St. Mary's, leading to an overtime victory.

Samantha Lawrence (Sr., F, Roswell, N.M./Goddard HS) concluded her ENMU soccer career by scoring the 13th game-winning goal of her career in a 1-0 win at Northeastern State. She ends her four-year career at Eastern holding nearly every offensive career record. Prior to Lawrence's goal, the Zias had never won in Tahlequah, Okla.

Rocio Ovalle (Fr., OH, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) paced the Zias last week with 3.17 kills per set, including a career-best 12 kills at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Mills, Stevens, Lozano, Reed, Caldwell, Sjue, and Murphy
Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University athletic teams turned in a strong week, with the men’s cross country team recording the best finish in team history, placing third at the Lone Star Conference championships, while the Zias improved on last year’s performance with a seventh-place finish. The football team came within a touchdown of 14th-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville, and the women’s soccer team defeated Abilene Christian, the top team in the LSC, Abilene Christian. The volleyball team took sets from East Central and Southeastern Oklahoma, while men’s soccer faced Midwestern State, one of the toughest teams in the country. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Stefan Mills and Tillman Stevens (football), Jacob Lozano (cross country), Nicole Reid (cross country), Alistair Caldwell (men’s soccer), Jordan Sjue (women’s soccer) and Caitlin Murphy (volleyball).

Stefan Mills (Fr., RB, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) became the Greyhounds first 100-yard rusher this season, helping Eastern stay within striking distance of 14th-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville. He finished with career-highs in carries (27), rushing yards (100) and touchdowns (2). Tillman Stevens (Jr., DB, Baytown, Texas/Sterling HS) turned in a strong game at Kingsville, recovering a fumble and blocking a punt in addition to making five tackles. 

Jacob Lozano's (Fr., Hobbs, N.M./Hobbs HS) 11th place finish at the Lone Star Conference championships paced the Greyhounds to the best finish at the meet in school history. He crossed the finish line of the 8k race with a time of 26:27 to place 11th out of the 69 competitors.

Nicole Reid (So., Pueblo, Colo./East HS)  placed 15th at the LSC Championships, completing the 6k run with a time of 25:00.4. Her performance led the Zias to a seventh-place finish at the event.

Alistair Caldwell (Fr., GK, Kilmarnock, Scotland/Grange Academy) made a career-high eight saves, helping to limit #2 Midwestern State to two goals..

Jordan Sjue (Sr., D, Los Lunas, N.M./Los Lunas HS) tallied the game-winning goal on Friday as the Zias picked up a win over Abilene Christian, the top team in the Lone Star Conference.

Caitlin Murphy (Sr., L, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) averaged an astounding 6.88 digs per set last week and posted a .970 reception percentage over two matches, committing just two errors in a team-high 67 attempts. She had 29 digs and was perfect in 29 reception attempts against East Central and followed with a 26-dig performance in the home finale against Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University athletic teams turned in a strong week, with the men’s soccer team picking up their tenth win of the season, while the football team controlled the opening half against #13 Tarleton State. Women’s soccer dropped a tightly contested game against nationally-ranked Midwestern State, while volleyball played tough competition in the conference. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Arvin Jackson and Rodney Mitchell (football), Alistair Caldwell (men’s soccer), Michelle Sumner (women’s soccer) and Caitlin Murphy (volleyball).

Arvin Jackson (So. WR, Houston, Texas/Westside HS) hauled in 13 passes for 81 yards against 13th ranked Tarleton State, falling just one catch shy of the team record.. Rodney Mitchell (Jr., CB, Sarasota, Fla./NMMI/Palmetto HS) was involved in two turnovers against TSU, intercepting his seventh pass of the season in the second quarter and forcing a fumble, which he recovered in the third quarter. Mitchell also broke up a career-high five passes and made six tackles, including four solo stops. He leads the LSC in interceptions and pass break ups and entered the week tied for fifth in Division II in interceptions..

Alistair Caldwell (Fr., GK, Kilmarnock, Scotland/Grange Academy) made seven saves to preserve Eastern's 3-0 victory of the season and improved to 5-2-2 on the season with three shutouts.

Michelle Sumner (Sr., D, Los Lunas, N.M./Los Lunas HS) played a strong defensive game for the Zia soccer team, helping to shut 22nd ranked Midwestern State out during the first half and limiting the Mustangs to just three shots on goal in the contest.

Caitlin Murphy (Sr., L, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) averaged 5.33 digs per set, including 19 against Cameron University. For the week, she posted a .969 reception percentage with just one error.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Preston, Mitchell, Cardenas, Rodrigues, and King
Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University athletic teams turned in a strong week, with the men’s soccer team picking up a win and a tie, while the football team made a strong showing in the Wagon Wheel game. Women’s soccer made a delayed trip to Texas, and the volleyball team picked up a win at Oklahoma Panhandle. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Dominic Preston and Rodney Mitchell (football), Sierra Cardenas (women’s soccer), Emerson Rodrigues (men’s soccer) Jessica King (volleyball).

Dominic Preston (So., WR, College, Station, Texas/A&M Consolidated HS) posted the first multiple-touchdown game of his career against West Texas A&M. He caught seven passes for 81 yards, with both touchdowns coming in the fourth quarter, when the Hounds were attempting to come from behind.. Rodney Mitchell (Jr., CB, Sarasota, Fla./NMMI/Palmetto HS) blocked a punt in the first quarter against West Texas A&M, setting up a field goal which staked the Greyhounds to a 10-7 lead. In the second quarter, after the Buffaloes took a 14-10 lead, he stopped a potential scoring drive by recording his sixth interception of the season, at the ENMU goal line. Mitchell finished the contest with six solo tackles. .

Sierra Cardenas (So., GK< Wheat Ridge, Colo./Wheat Ridge HS) made 11 saves against Texas Woman's and Texas A&M-Commerce over the weekend, holding TAMU-Commerce scoreless through regulation.

Emerson Rodrigues (Jr., F, Natal, RN, Brazil/Colegio Objectivo Potiguar) made all three of his shots on goal count last week, scoring Eastern's only goal in a 1-1 tie at Hardin-Simmons and twice more in ENMU's 3-0 win at Adams State. His final goal of the week snapped a tie for the Greyhounds career goal-scoring lead, moving Rodrigues into first place in that category.

Jessica King (Las Cruces, N.M./Oñate HS) led the Zias last week in kills (27) and blocks (10). She turned in a 14-kill, six block performance in Tuesday's win at Oklahoma Panhandle, hitting .476 for the match. She had seven kills and a service ace against Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Preston, Uland, Thurman, Stewart, Kogo and Reid
Selected ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University athletic teams turned in a strong week, with the women’s soccer team splitting a pair of Lone Star Conference matches, while the cross country teams turned in stellar performances at Oklahoma State. The men’s soccer team picked dropped a LSC match against 16th ranked West Texas A&M, while the football team fell to Angelo State. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week were Dominic Preston and Nathan Uland (football), Danielle Thurman (women’s soccer), Michael Stewart (men’s soccer) Richard Kogo (men’s cross country) and Nicole Reid (women’s cross country.

Dominic Preston (So., WR, College, Station, Texas/A&M Consolidated HS) posted career highs in receptions (13) and yardage (167), including a 36-yard catch against Angelo State. Nathan Uland (Jr., LB, Denton, Texas/Ryan HS) made a career-high 20 tackles against Angelo State, including two for a loss of two yards. .

Danielle Thurman (So., MF, Albuquerque, N.M./Del Norte HS) netted the overtime game-winning goal for the Zias in their victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Michael Stewart (Fr., D, Katy, Texas/Cinco Ranch HS) played strong defense for the Greyhound soccer team at 16th ranked West Texas A&M last Wednesday.

 Richard Kogo (Jr., Eldoret, Kenya/West Texas CC) registered his third top-ten finish of the season, placing eighth in the 8k run at the Oklahoma State University Jamboree, running a season-best 25:45.40. His performance led the Greyhounds to a first-place finish in the team standings.

For the fourth time in four meets, Nicole Reid (Jr., Pueblo, Colo./East HS) was Eastern's top finisher. She ran a season-best 20:06.30 at the Oklahoma State University Jamboree, placing 33rd overall. Reid's performance led the Zias to a 15th place finish.

Monday, September 28, 2009

PORTALES, N.M.— Last week, the Eastern New Mexico University baseball team turned in a huge performance in splitting a four-game Lone Star Conference series with ninth ranked Angelo State, propelling head coach Phil Clabaugh to his 500th career victory, last Friday.  The softball team earned a 6-1 victory over Texas A&M-International. Seth Clabaugh and Freddy Carmona shared ENMUSPorts.com Student Athletes of the week for the baseball team, while Rebecca Quiñones was the Player of the week for softball..


Freddy Carmona (Sr., C, San Antonio, Texas/Ranger/William H. Taft HS) batted .571, helping the Greyhounds to earn a split in a crucial Lone Star Conference series against ninth ranked Angelo State. In both victories, he turned in identical performances, hitting two-for-four with one run batted in. In the series finale, he batted three-for-three with four RBIs, including a game-tying, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning. Seth Clabaugh (Sr., P/DH/1B, Portales, N.M./Portales HS) scattered five hits over 5.2 innings, keeping the offense of ninth ranked Angelo State in check, allowing the Greyhounds to stay within striking distance. In the bottom of the ninth inning of Friday's series opener, hit walk-off RBI single up the middle plated the game-winning run, propelling his father, head coach Phil Clabaugh to his 500th career win. For the series, he batted .429 with two doubles and two RBIs.


Rebecca Quiñones (Jr., 2B, Gilbert, Ariz./Gilbert HS) hit safely in all four of the Zias games last week, cracking two doubles and a three-run homer in the series finale against Tarleton State. In Eastern's victory over Texas A&M-International, she batted two-for-three with a double and a run scored.


Sunday, March 15, 2009



Doughty and Thompson Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— Last week, the Eastern New Mexico University baseball team picked up a Lone Star Conference series win at Kingsville, while the softball team picked up a sweep of University of the Southwest and played a LSC South series against top-ranked Angelo State. The ENMUSPorts.com Student Athletes of the week were Tyler Doughty (baseball) and Laura Thompson (softball).


Laura Thompson (Towcester, Northants, England/Vernon College/Sponne School) batted .500 over five games last week with a .722 slugging percentage, six runs scored and four runs batted in. She hit safely in all five games, including three contests against top ranked Angelo State.

 

Tyler Doughty (Sr., RHP, Pampa, Texas/Frank Phillips/Pampa HS entered the series finale against Texas A&M-Kingsville in the fifth inning, facing a 2-1 deficit. Over the final four innings, he faced just two batters over the minimum, holding the Javelinas to one unearned run on three hits, struck out three and did not issue a walk.


Sunday, March 08, 2009



Crouse and Wagner Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— Last week, the Eastern New Mexico University baseball team earned a hard-fought split with at Tarleton State, while the softball team picked up victories over New Mexico Highlands and 24th ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville. The ENMUSPorts.com Student Athletes of the week were Ethan Wagner (baseball)and Kimberly Crouse (softball)


Kimberly Crouse (Jr., P, Round Rock, Texas/Hill College/Round Rock HS) posted a 1.94 earned run average over 8 innings last week, allowing just five earned runs and fanning 12 batters, while allowing no walks. In her victory against 24th ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville, she allowed just two singles and struck out four batters. For the week, she batted .308 with a double, triple, two RBIs and drew two walks.

 

Ethan Wagner (Jr., San Antonio, Texas, , N.M., Cisco JC/Churchull HS) hit three home runs and drove in nine RBIs in a four-game split at Tarleton State. In the series finale, he batted three-for-four with three runs scored, five RBIs and two homers in a 12-10 victory. He hit safely in all four games and is currently on a ten-game hitting streak.



Monday, March 2, 2009


Mayo Otis, Orsak, Clay and Wilson Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week



PORTALES, N.M.— Last week was a strong one for the Eastern New Mexico University athletic teams as the baseball team split with 11th ranked Cameron University and the softball team posted three wins in five games. The basketball teams closed out their seasons with hard fought contests against Abilene Christian. The ENMUSPorts.com Student Athletes of the week were Evan Orsak (baseball), Alex Mayo Otis (softball), Cat Clay (women’s basketball) and Brandon Wilson (men’s basketball).


Alex Mayo Otis (Jr., RF, Phoenix, Ariz./St. Mary’s HS) batted .500 over five games last week, with a .778 slugging percentage, which included two triples and a double. She hit safely in all five games, notching multiple hits in three contests. Her top performance came in Friday's victory at Texas Woman's, when she batted three-for-four, scored a run and drove in a run. Mayo Otis is currently on a 15-game hitting streak, the longest for any Zia since Kristina Goodman set the record with a 23-game stretch in the 2006 season.

 

Evan Orsak (Sr., RHP, Andrews, Texas/Andrews HS) made two appearances in Eastern's four-game series againth 11th ranked Cameron, limiting the Aggies to no runs on three hits over six innings. On Saturday, he proivded four innings of scoreless relief if the series finale, limiting CU to two hits as the Greyhounds rallied from a 5-2 deficit for a 6-5 victory. Orsak has 12 consecutive scoreless innings of relief and has not given up a run since the season opener on February 1, 2009.

 

Cat Clay (So., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) hit .500 from beyond the arc and .556 overall from the floor, pouring in 14 points against Abilene Christian. In 30 minutes, she dished out three assists and grabbed two steals, while committing just two turnovers.

 

Brandon Wilson (Jr., F, Dallas, Texas/Jacksonville College/W.H. Adamson HS) turned in one of his best games of the season against Abilene Christian, pouring in 17 points and registering two steals.


Monday, February 23, 2009

Davis, Johnson, Grant and King Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball season is winding down, with the Greyhounds and Zias preparing for their season finale this week. The softball team is coming off their fourth straight victory, while the baseball team is looking to rebound from a series loss in Durant, Okla. The ENMUSPorts.com Student Athletes of the week were Jeremy Johnson (baseball), Samantha Davis (softball), Karen Grant (women’s basketball) and Aaron King (men’s basketball).


Samantha Davis (Fr., C, Farmington, N.M./Farmington HS) turned in a stellar week behind the plate for the Zias, batting .800 with five runs batted in, a 2.200 slugging percentage and .833 on-base percentage. Three of her four hits went for extra bases with the first two home runs of her career. Against University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Davis turned in a three-for-three performance with three runs scored, five RBI, a double and two homers.

 

Jeremy Johnson (Jr., CF, Roswell, N.M./New Mexico JC/Roswell HS) batted .533 with a sizzling .800 slugging percentage over a four-game LSC Series at Southeastern Oklahoma State. He hit safely in all four contests, including three multiple-hit games. Johnson's top performance of the series was a three-for-five performance with two Runs batted in and a homerun in the second game.

 

Karen Grant (Fr., G, Lubbock, Texas/ Estacado HS) averaged 7.5 points and hit 45.5 percent from the floor, including an 11-point, two-assist performance in Lone Star Conference South Division action against Texas A&M-Kingsville.

 

Aaron King (Los Angeles, Calif./Cerritos CC/Mayfair HS) averaged 15.5 points per game, converted on 50 percent of his shots from the floor and 54.5 percent of his three-point attempts against LSC South opponents, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State. Against ASU, he hit four-for-six from behind the three-point arc, and led the Hounds with a 20-point performance.



Monday, February 15, 2009

 Carmona, Cruickshank, Clark and Wafer Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University winter and spring teams faced tough competition last week, with the basketball teams playing Tarleton and Midwestern, while the baseball team hosted Northeastern State. The softball team traveled to Phoenix, Ariz. For the Schutt Sports Leadoff Classic The ENMUSPorts.com Student Athletes of the week were Freddy Carmona (baseball), Kristen Cruickshank (softball), Lace Clark (women’s basketball) and Dannon Wafer (men’s basketball).


Kristen Cruickshank (Jr., 1B/P, Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley HS) turned in a prolific week at the plate in the Schutt Sports Leadoff Classic, batting .563 with six home runs including a walk-off blast and 16 runs batted in. He slugging percentage over the five games was a blistering 1.526 with seven extra base hits in 19 at bats. She also posted a 3.00 earned run average on the mound and posted a 2-0 record with 11 strike outs and just four walks over 15 innings.


After batting .208 over the first six games of the season, Freddy Carmona (Sr., C, San Antonio, Texas/William H. Taft HS) got his bat going, hitting .615 in Eastern's conference opening series against Northeastern State, scoring seven runs, driving in three runs, cracking two doubles, drawing three walks and recording one sacrifice hit. He also led the team in slugging (.769) and on-base percentage (.688). Carmona hit safely in all four games, including back-to-back three-for-three performances with two runs scored in each of the two games. His performance helped the Hounds to win three of the four games in the series.

 

Lace Clark (Fr., G, Keene, Texas/ Keene HS) averaged 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds against Lone Star Conference opponents, Tarleton State and Midwestern State. She reached double figures in both contests, scoring 11 points against TSU and 10 against MSU. For the week, she connected on five three-point attempts.


Dannon Wafer (Jr., G, Galveston, Texas, Trinity Valley CC/Galveston Ball HS) averaged 12 points, five rebounds, 2.5 assists and three assists in a week that saw the Greyhounds play at Tarleton and against Midwestern State. On Saturday, he connected on all five of his attempts from the floor and seven of his 10 shots from the free throw line, pouring in 17 points, grabbing seven rebounds, dishing out four assists and grabbing four steals against MSU.


Monday, February 9, 2009

Vendrely, Cruickshank, Clay and Darby Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University winter and spring teams faced tough competition last week, with the basketball teams playing West Texas A&M twice, while the baseball team hosted NAIA powerhouse, Wayland Baptist. The softball team earned extra inning victories over Incarnate Word and St. Leo. The ENMUSPorts.com Student Athletes of the week were Paden Vendrely (baseball), Kristen Cruickshank (softball), Cat Clay (women’s basketball) and Equs Darby (men’s basketball).


Kristen Cruickshank (Jr., 1B/P, Glendale, Ariz./Deer Valley HS)batted .500 at the highly competitive St. Mary's Classic, including a three-for-five performance with six runs batted in, a double and a homer in a 9-7 win over Incarnate Word. She hit safely in four out of the five contests, registering four multiple-hit games. On the mound, she recorded a 1-1 record with nine strike outs.

Paden Vendrely (Jr., C/DH, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) batted .833 (5-for-6) in last weekend’s doubleheader against Wayland Baptist, drove in five runs and hit a home run. His slugging percentage for the two games was a blistering 1.333. Vendrely’s performance lifted the Hounds to a doubleheader split with the Pioneers.

Cat Clay (So., F, Deming, N.M./ Deming HS) averaged 12.5 points and hit 42 percent from the floor, including a seven-for-14 performance from beyond the arc.

Equs Darby (Jr., F, Lake City, S.C./Feather River CC/Lake City HS) averaged eight points per game and connected on 47.1 percent of his shot from the floor against. He also dished out four assists and grabbed a pair of steals.


Monday, February 2, 2009

Northcutt, Wafer and Aragon Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in strong performances last week, despite dropping hard fought decisions against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State. Tori Northcutt (women’s basketball) and Dannon Wafer (men’s basketball) were selected as ENMUSports.com Student-Athletes of the Week for the second consecutive week, while Matthew Aragon (baseball) turned in a strong performance for the baseball team in their first week of action


Tori Northcutt (So., F, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) played all 80 minutes over contests against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State, hitting nine of 11 shots from the free throw line, averaging 10.5 points, 7.5 boards and six assists. She shot 50 percent from the floor against Kingsville and hit six of her seven attempts from the free-throw line.

Dannon Wafer (Jr., G, Galveston, Texas, Trinity Valley CC/Galveston Ball HS) averaged 13.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game in LSC South contests against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Angelo State. Against the Rams, he nearly posted a double double in the first half, finishing the game with 13 points, 12 boards, three assists and a blocked shot. He also had 14 points against the Javelinas.


Matthew Aragon (Sr., RHP, Albuquerque, Texas/Del Norte HS) turned in a stellar performance in his debut on the mound for the Greyhounds in their victory over Sul Ross. He allowed just three hits over seven innings, fanning seven batters and issuing just one walk. Aragon’s performance helped the Greyhound pitching staff post back-to-back shutouts for the first time since February 10, 2001.


Sunday, January 25, 2009

Northcutt and Wafer Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in strong performances last week, despite dropping hard fought decisions against Tarleton State and Midwestern State. The ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards went to Tori Northcutt (women’s basketball) and Dannon Wafer (men’s basketball).

Tori Northcutt (So., F, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS) shot .714 from the floor, averaging 9.5 points and 5.5 assists per game. Against Tarleton State, she poured in 10 points, dished out five assists and grabbed six boards. Northcutt hit five of her seven attempts from the free throw line in the contest. On Saturday at Midwestern State, she scored nine points, dished out six assists and hit two of her three attempts from the three-point arc.


Dannon Wafer (Jr., G, Galveston, Texas, Trinity Valley CC/Galveston Ball HS) averaged eight points and six rebounds over a pair games. At Midwestern State, he grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass and dished out three assists. Wafer recorded eight points in both games and shot .500 from the floor for the week.


Sunday, January 18, 2009


Clay and Marshall Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in strong performances last week, despite dropping hard fought decisions at Abilene Christian. The ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards went to Vanessa Cat Clay (women’s basketball) and Jimmie Marshall (men’s basketball).


Cat Clay (So., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) shot .545 from outside the three-point arc at Abilene Christian, scoring 21 points and grabbing six rebounds without committing a turnover in 32 minutes of play. She also shot 75 percent from the free throw line.

Jimmie Marshall (Jr., G, Milwaukee, Wis., Iowa Lakes CC/Milwaukee Madison Univ. High School) poured in 10 points and dished out five assists in a tight game at Abilene Christian. He connected on five of his nine field goal attempts. Marshall's 10 points was nearly double his 6.1 points per game average, and he contributed on the defensive side of the court as well, with three steals.


January 11, 2008



O’Neal and King Selected as ENMUSports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in strong performances last week, despite dropping hard fought decisions to Texas A&M-Commerce and Texas Woman’s University. The ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards went to Vanessa O'Neal (women’s basketball) and Aaron King (men’s basketball).


Vanessa O'Neal (So., G, Clovis, N.M./Clovis HS averaged 10.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in road contests against Lone Star Conference North Division opponents, Texas A&M-Commerce and Texas Woman's. On Saturday, she notched the first double double of her career, scoring 17 points grabbing 12 boards, and four steals, all career highs.


Aaron King (Jr., G, Los Angeles, Calif./Cerritos CC/Mayfair HS) scored a team-high 17 points at Texas A&M-Commerce, helping the Hounds pull within seven points several times after trailing by 16 points. The junior guard connected on a team-high three three-point baskets, including two within a 13-second span with less than 3:40 remaining in the game.


Monday, January 05, 2009

Clay and Darby Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in strong New Year’s performances, with the Zias splitting four games, including two Lone Star Conference crossovers, while the Greyhounds posted a 2-1 record. The ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards went to Cat Clay (women’s basketball) and Equs Darby (men’s basketball).


Cat Clay's (So., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) 18.3 points per game average helped the Zias split four games, including an 18-point outburst in a hard fought loss to 11-1 St. Mary's. On Monday night, she scored 13 points, connecting on 42.9 percent of her three-point attempts to lead Eastern to a victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Equs Darby (Jr., F, Lake City, S.C./Feather River CC/Lake City HS) shot 64.3 percent over three games, in which the Hounds posted a 2-1 record. He poured in 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, going six-for-six from the free throw line as Eastern closed 2008 with a victory over Lubbock Christian. He grabbed eight boards on Saturday as the Hounds defeated Cameron in LSC crossover action and scored a career-high 23 points, hitting 10 of his 12 attempts from the floor in a tight loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State.


Sunday, December 21, 2008

Wafer and Fifer Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week


PORTALES, N.M.—Dannon Wafer (men’s basketball) earned his third selection as ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week for his strong play at the St. Mary’s University River City Classic, while Til-Lois Fifer (women’s basketball) picked up her second selection of the season, for her performance in the Zias’ victory over New Mexico Highlands.


Dannon Wafer (Jr., F, Galveston, Texas/Trinity Valley CC/Galveston Ball HS) averaged 11.5 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, connecting on a blistering 78.6 percent of his attempts from the field. He notched his third double double of the season against Arkansas Tech, pouring in 16 points and grabbing 10 boards.


Til-Lois Fifer's (So., F, Tulia, Texas/Tulia HS) double double led the Zias to a 79-64 win over New Mexico Highlands last week. She connected on 54.5 percent of her shots to finish with 18 points and 15 rebounds.


Sunday, December 14, 2008


Fifer and Darby Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams turned in a busy weekend, with the Zias splitting a pair of Lone Star Conference crossover games, while the Greyhounds suffered a pair of two-point heartbreaking losses. The ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards went to Til-Lois Fifer (women’s basketball) and Equs Darby (men’s basketball).


Til-Lois Fifer (So., F, Tulia, Texas/Tulia HS) averaged 12 points per contests as the Zias split a pair of games on back-to-back days. On Sunday, she grabbed seven rebounds and poured in a career-high 19 points, helping Eastern snap a four-game losing streak in a 58-52 win at East Central..


In just 36 minutes over a two day span, Equs Darby (Jr., F, Lake City, S.C./Feather River CC/Lake City HS) registered a team-best 25 points, a .600 field goal percentage and 10 rebounds. He connected on all six of his free throws and the only three-point shot he took. On Saturday, he poured in 15 points, five rebounds and two steals against Southeastern Oklahoma, scoring seven of the game's final 11 points. On Sunday, he turned in a 10 point effort against East Central with five rebounds.



Sunday, December 07, 2008


Marshall and Bible Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards for last week went to Kara Bible (women’s basketball) and Dannon Wafer (men’s basketball).


Jimmie Marshall (Milwaukee, Wisc./Iowa Lakes CC/Milwaukee Madison Univ. High School) averaged nine points, three steals, three rebounds and two assists in games against Northeastern State and sixth ranked Central Oklahoma last week. Against UCO, he had a career-high 12 points and three steals.

Kara Bible (So., C, Albuquerque, N.M./Cibola HS) averaged a team-best eight rebounds per game along with 7.7 points. She grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds in the Zia’s match up with defending Conference USA champion, Texas-El Paso and had a strong nine-point, seven rebound outing against 11th ranked Central Oklahoma..


Monday, December 01, 2008

Wafer and Clay Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams combined for a 5-0 record last week, with the ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards going to Cat Clay (women’s basketball) and Dannon Wafer (men’s basketball). The men’s team picked up two home victories, while the women’s team won all three games on their trip to Puerto Rico.


Dannon Wafer's (Jr., G, Galveston, Texas/Trinity Valley CC/Galveston Ball HS) performance last week lifted the Greyhounds to victories over University of the Southwest and previously undefeated New Mexico Highlands. He recorded his second double double (16 points, 12 rebounds) of the season against 3-0 Highlands, a team that had not previously trailed in the second half this season, connecting on 75 percent of his eight attempts from the free throw line.


Cat Clay (So., G, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) averaged a team-best 15.6 points per game on Eastern's trip to Puerto Rico, scoring 20 points and grabbing eight boards in a victory over Inter American-San German. Her performance helped the Zias top 90 points in all three games and post their first five-game win streak since the second half of the 2003-04 season.


Sunday, November 23, 2008

Clark and Wafer Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University basketball teams continued the non-conference portion of their schedules last week, with the ENMUSports.com Student-Athlete of the Week awards going to Lace Clark (women’s basketball) and Dannon Wafer (men’s basketball).


Lace Clark’s (Fr., F, Keene, Texas/Keene HS) performance helped the Zias to win games against Texas-Permian Basin and American University-Bayamon. She poured in 13 points against UTPB and 10 more against Bayamon, grabbing seven boards in each game. For the week, she averaged 11.5 points, seven rebounds and posted a .471 shooting percentage. Clark’s efforts have helped the Zias open their season by winning three of their first four games.


Dannon Wafer (Jr., G, Galveston, Texas/Trinity Valley CC/Galveston Ball HS) recorded his first double-double from the Hounds on Friday against Western New Mexico, hitting for 11 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. For the week, he posted a .467 shooting percentage, while averaging eight points and 6.5 rebounds.


Sunday, November 16, 2008

Franklin and Clay Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— With the beginning of November, the fall sports have ended and the Eastern New Mexico University men’s and women’s basketball teams have tipped off their seasons. The ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week awards go to Kelvin Franklin (men’s basketball) and Cat Clay (women’s basketball).


Kelvin Franklin (Jr., G, Aurora, Colo./Western Nebraska JC) paced the Greyhounds in their season opener at New Mexico Highlands, pouring in 18 points and hitting a perfect seven-for-seven from the free-throw line. Franklin and the Hounds will continue their season on Monday, when they host Emporia State.


Cat Clay (So., F, Deming, N.M./Deming HS) led the Zias with 12 points, hitting four of her six attempts from beyond the three-point line. The Zias will continue their road trip on Monday, visiting New Mexico Highlands.


Sunday, November 9, 2008

Banyard, Wilson, Horak, Manzanares and King
Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— Last Saturday, all of the ENMU Fall teams concluded their seasons. This weeks’ selections have made significant contributions both in the record books and on the field, with the ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week awards going to Joseph Banyard (football), Kyle Wilson (football), Peter Horak (men’s soccer), Gilbert Manzanares (men's cross country and Jessica King (volleyball).


Banyard rushed for a career-high 131 yards and three touchdowns, while Kyle Wilson had 3.4 sacks with 4.5 tackles for a loss, as The Greyhound football team snapped a 7-all second quarter tie against a tough Oklahoma Panhandle defense and pulled away for a 59-13 victory to close the season.


Horak played the final 134:21 of the season in net for the Hounds as Eastern closed their season against 24th ranked West Texas A&M and top ranked Midwestern State.


Manzanres was the top ENMU finisher at Saturday's NCAA Division II South Central Regional Championship, held in San Antonio, Texas. He placed 79th in the 10k run.


King hit .337 over the week with 25 kills, including 13 kills in the season finale against Texas A&M-Kingsville.



Sunday, November 02, 2008

Harp, Lawrence, James and Murphy
Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— With the fall season winding down, numerous changes have occurred in the team record books. This weeks’ selections have made significant contributions both in the record books and on the field, with the ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week awards going to J.J. Harp (football), Samantha Lawrence (women’s soccer), Michael James (men’s soccer), and Caitlin Murphy (volleyball).


J.J. Harp (Fr., QB, Argyle, Texas/Argyle HS) set new Greyhound single-game records for completions (37) and pass attempts (70) in Eastern’s Lone Star Conference South Division finale at Midwestern State. In passing for 303 yards, he became the first ENMU quarterback since Mike Scott on October 21, 1989 to throw for at least 300 yards in a game. In tossing two touchdown passes, he has recorded multiple touchdown passes in four straight games.


Samantha Lawrence (Jr., F, Roswell, N.M./Goddard HS) continued her prolific season, shattering the team record for game-winning goals in a season with her seventh, lifting the Zias to a 2-1 overtime victory at Angelo State. She has shattered nearly every ENMU offensive record this season.

Michael James (Sr., D, Gloucester, England (Bishop Lynch High School) netted the game winner on Sunday, as the Greyhounds picked up a 2-1 victory at St. Mary’s.

Caitlin Murphy (Jr., L, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) recorded 52 digs over the week, becoming just the third player in ENMU history to reach 600 digs in a season and the first in 19 years. She had 24 digs against East Central and two service aces against regionally ranked Southeastern Oklahoma State.


Sunday, October 26, 2008


Stevens, Nylaan, Monarrez and Weitz, Robertson and Martin Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University fall teams turned in strong performances last week, with the ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week awards going to Tillman Stevens, Jr. (football), Samantha Lawrence (women’s soccer), Artur Oliveira (men’s soccer), Megan Weitz (volleyball), Logan Robertson (men’s cross country) and Jerri Martin (women’s cross country).


Tillman Stevens Jr. (So., DB, Baytown, Texas/Sterling HS) made a team-best six unassisted tackles against regionally-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville, had an interception and a quarterback pressure. His performance helped the defense to force four turnovers, record three sacks and four QB hurries.


Christie Nylaan (So., D, Keller, Teas/Keller HS) netted her third goal of the season, giving the Zias trimming the Zia’s deficit to one goal against Midwestern State with 1:23 remaining in the team’s lone game of the week.

Gerardo Monarrez (So., F, Sunland Park, N.M./Santa Teresa) netted the first game-winning goal of the season, lifting the Greyhound soccer team to a 1-0 road victory over Midwestern State. The goal was his second of the season.

Megan Weitz (Sr., MB, Richland, Wash/Columbia Basin CC/Richland HS) posted a team-best .357 attack percentage, finishing the week with 26 kills over 10 sets along with six blocks. On Tuesday, she hit .458 with 13 kills and just two attack errors against nationally ranked and once defeated Lubbock Christian. Weitz hit .235 and .333 against Cameron and Midwestern State respectively.


Logan Robertson (So., Monroe, Wisc./Monroe HS) was the Greyhounds top finisher at the Lone Star Conference men’s cross country championships, finishing the 7,700-meter run in 26:01.


Jerri Martin (Fr., Midland, Texas/Midland HS) was the first Zia runner to cross the finish line at the LSC Championships, completing the 6k run in 26:29.

Sunday, October 19, 2008


Banyard, Lawrence, Oliveira and Murphy
Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University fall teams turned in strong performances last week, with the ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week awards going to Joseph Banyard (football), Samantha Lawrence (women’s soccer), Artur Oliveira (men’s soccer), and Caitlin Murphy (volleyball).


Joseph Banyard (So., RB, Sweetwater, Texas/TCU/Sweetwater HS) turned in his best performance of the season, gaining 8.3 yards per carry for a total of 91 yards against 17th ranked Tarleton State, the 15th best rushing defense in the country. In the first quarter, he broke through the line for a season-best 50-yard run, just five yards shy of the longest run given up by the TSU defense this season.


Samantha Lawrence (Jr., F, Roswell, N.M./Goddard HS) netted her 14th goal of the season, giving the Zias an early lead against Texas A&M-Commerce. Six of her nine shots over the two games last week were on goal.

Artur Oliveira (Jr., MF, Natal, RN, Brazil/Colegio Imaculata Conceilao) netted his first goal of the season, 21 minutes into Eastern's contest against Incarnate Word, tying the game at 1-1. UIW entered the contest ranked third in the South Central Region, while Eastern was tied for seventh in the latest NSCAA poll.

Caitlin Murphy (Jr., L, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) Caitlin Murphy continued her string of strong defensive performances for the Zias last week, averaging more than six digs per set and posting a service reception percentage of .945 with just five errors in 91 opportunities. In 24 serves, she had one service ace and no errors. The junior libero currently ranks second in the Lone Star Conference in digs per set and 15th nationally in the NCAA Division II.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Perez, Cunningham, Garcia, Murphy, Robertson and Gamiz
Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University fall teams turned in strong performances last week, with the ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week awards going to Allen Perez (football), Alicia Cunningham (women’s soccer), Odilon Garcia (men’s soccer), Caitlin Murphy (volleyball), Logan Robertson (men’s cross country) and Yared Gamiz (women’s cross country).


Allen Perez (Sr., LB, Roswell, N.M./Roswell HS) recorded career highs in both tackles (12) and interceptions (2) against fourth ranked West Texas A&M. Perez's two interceptions, with one going for a 23-yard touchdown fueled Eastern's comeback attempt, with the team scoring 27 unanswered points, and was just the first game this season in which WTAMU quarterback Keith Null tossed more than one interception.


Alicia Cunningham (So., F, Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) netted the first game-winning goal of her career, lifting the Zias to their first road victory of the season, a 1-0 win at Southwestern Oklahoma State. For the week, she had a .500 shot percentage.


Odilon Garcia (Fr., MF, Ogden, Utah/Ben Lomond HS) netted the double-overtime, game-winning goal in Eastern's first victory over West Texas A&M last Wednesday. He had two shots in the game. The goal was his second of the season.


Caitlin Murphy (Jr., L, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) recorded an incredible .986 service reception percentage for the week, with just one error in 71 total attempts. She finished with 51 digs over three matches with 21 against Texas A&M-Commerce.

Logan Robertson (So., Monroe, Wis./Monroe HS) led the Greyhounds for the third time in four meets, turning in a fifth place finish in the 8k run at Texas-Permian Basin. His performance helped the Greyhounds place second at the meet, 60 points ahead of the third place finisher.

For the second time this season, Yared Gamiz (Fr., Midland, Texas/Midland HS) paced the Zias, turning in an 11th place performance in the 5k run at UTPB and finishing with a time of 23:20.90. Her effort helped Eastern to place second in the team standings



Sunday, September 28, 2008


Green, Sumner, James, and Valdez-Kent Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University fall teams turned in strong performances last week, with the ENMUSports.com Student Athlete of the Week awards going to Ronald Green (football), Michelle Sumner (women’s soccer), Michael James (men’s soccer) and Veronica Valdez-Kent (volleyball).


Ronald Green (Sr., NT, Lakeland, Fla./Miss. Valley State/Blake HS) turned in an outstanding week on the defensive line for the Greyhounds in their Lone Star Conference game at Angelo State. Not only did he make 11 tackles including 3.5 for a loss (19 yards), 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, but his presence allowed Texavier Henry (Jr., LB, Pearland, Texas/Pearland HS) and Jeremy Hibbler (Sr., DB, Canyon, Texas/Canyon HS) to make 14 and 12 tackles respectively. Green currently leads the Hounds in sacks (3.5) and is ranked in several statistical categories in the conference,


Michelle Sumner (Sr., D, Los Lunas, N.M./Los Lunas HS) from the women’s soccer tallied her second goal of the season last Friday against Northeastern State and her defensive efforts on Sunday helped the Zias limit East Central to just four shots on goal.


Michael James (Sr., D, Gloucester, England /Bishop Lynch HS) scored his third goal of the season against Texas A&M-International, heading a ball out of a crowd in front of the Dustdevil’s net to give Eastern a 1-0 lead late in the opening half.


Veronica Valdez-Kent (So., OH, Canyon, Texas/Canyon HS) played strong both offensively and defensively for the Zias. Overall, she had team highs in kills (30) and attack percentage (.208). In a four-set victory over Texas A&M-International, she paced the squad with 18 kills and a .333 attack percentage.



Sunday, September 28, 2008


Harp, Lawrence, Rodrigues, Robertson, and Murphy Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University fall teams turned in a strong week, with men’s soccer team posting a 1-1 record including a win over a tough Mesa State team. The women’s soccer team won both of their games and Volleyball picked up a hard fought win over Wayland Baptist. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week are J.J. Harp (football), Samantha Lawrence (women’s soccer), Emerson Rodrigues (men’s soccer), and Caitlin Murphy (volleyball).


In his first collegiate start, ENMU quarterback J.J. Harp (Fr., Flower Mound, Texas/Argyle HS) not only tied a school record for completions, he accomplished the feat against Abilene Christian, the fourth ranked team in the country. Harp got off to a quick start, completing five of his first six passes, leading Eastern to five first downs on their first two possessions. In the second quarter, he showed poise, leading a 16-play, 76-yard touchdown drive, and he followed in the third quarter with a 12-play, 53 yard drive resulting in a field goal. During the game, he completed passes to 10 different receivers, with four players catching five or more passes.


Samantha Lawrence (Jr., F, Roswell, N.M./Goddard HS) from the women’s soccer currently has a seven-game goal-scoring streak, finding the back of the opposition’s net a single-season record 12 times over that span. Last week, she became the first player in ENMU history to net multiple hat tricks in the same season, moved up on several single-season and career lists.


Emerson Rodrigues (Natal, RN, Brazil/Colegio Objectivo Potiguar) continued his prolific season for the Hounds netting two goals against Mesa State, including the game-winner. So far this season, he has seven goals including two game-winning goals and has scored in four of the Greyhounds' seven games this season.


Caitlin Murphy (JR., L, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) continued her to play outstanding defense for the Zias last week, registering 6.36 digs per set over three matches, more that a full dig per set above her season average of 5.16. She also paced Eastern with four service aces and had a .944 reception percentage in 72 opportunities. AS the Zias rallied from a two sets to one deficit to defeat Wayland Baptist, Murphy kept ENMU in the match with four service aces, a .963 service reception percentage and a career-high 37 digs.


Sunday, September 21, 2008



Hibbler, Lawrence, Horak, Robertson, Martin and King Selected ENMUsports.com
Athletes of the Week



PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University fall teams turned in a strong week, with men’s soccer team posting a 1-0-2 record including a win and tie in Southwest Soccer Conference action. The women’s soccer team split their two games and the cross country teams both placed seventh at Texas Tech. The ENMUSports.com Student Athletes of the Week are Jeremy Hibbler (football), Samantha Lawrence (women’s soccer), Peter Horak (men’s soccer), Jessica King (volleyball), Jerri Martin (women’s cross country) and Logan Robertson (men’s cross country).


Jeremy Hibbler (Sr., DB, Canyon, Texas/Texas HS) from the football team paced the Hounds’ defense last week at Texas A&M-Commerce, making 13 total tackles including nine solo stops with one for a loss and forced a fumble. Through four games, He leads the team with 56 tackles including 22 solos with an interception, a forced fumble, a blocked kick and three passes broken up.


Samantha Lawrence (Jr., F, Roswell, N.M./Goddard HS) from the women’s soccer currently has a five-game goal-scoring streak, finding the back of the opposition’s net seven times over that span. Last week, she scored twice, including her third game-winner of the season, in a 1-0 victory over Northwestern Oklahoma State. She leads the team with seven goals this season and her 22 career goals trails only Megan Dozier’s 33, scored from the 2003 season through the 2006 season.


Peter Horak (So., GK, Española, N.M./Los Alamos HS) posted two shutouts last week, including contests against a tough Texas-Permian Basin team and in the SSC opener against Missouri Southern. On Sunday, his shutout lifted the Greyhounds to their first ever victory over Northeastern State. Over the three games, he posted a 0.64 goals against average.


Jessica King (Fr., MB, Las Cruces, N.M./Oñate HS) continued to emerge as an offensive weapon for the Zias, topping her season averages of 1.57 kills per set and a .147 attack percentage with 2.33 kills per set and a .353 attack percentage in last week’s match at New Mexico Highlands.


Yared Gamiz was the top finisher for the women’s cross country team, for the third straight week, placing 43rd in the 5k run at the Texas Tech Jackrabbit Open with a time of 22:48.11. Logan Robertson (So., Monroe, Wisc/Monroe HS) from the men’s cross country team led the Greyhounds for the second time in three invitationals, placing 43rd in the 8k run at the Texas Tech Jackrabbit Open with a time of 28:11.32

Sunday, September 14, 2008


Koch, Uland and Elizondo Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— Three teams were in action last week for Eastern New Mexico University Athletics and the selections for ENMUSports.com Athlete of the Week were Nathan Uland (Jr., LB Denton, Texas/Ryan HS), Andrea Elizondo (Fr., MF, El Paso, Texas/Eastwood HS) and Sarah Koch (Fr., OH, Rio Rancho, N.M./Rio Rancho HS).

Uland, a linebacker from the ENMU football team. reached career-highs in total tackles (14) and solo tackles (6) against Southeastern Oklahoma State. He also foiled SOSU's final drive of the first half by recovering a fumble in the Greyhound end zone for a touchback.

Elizondo, a midfielder from the women’s soccer team, netted her second and third goals of her career last week, and had an assist on Samantha Lawrence's game-winning goal. She scored twice on her three shots on goal. Her performance propelled the Zias to a 6-2 win over Wayland Baptist.

Koch, an outside hitter from the Zia volleyball team, turned in one of her best weeks so far in a Zia uniform, posting a .225 attack percentage and an .800 receiving percentage along with five total blocks and 46 kills. Her performance improved as the week continued, with her registering a team-best 2.62 kills and a .375 attack percentage in victories over East Central and Grand Canyon.



Sunday, September 07, 2008


Baker, Green, Poku, Lawrence, Rodrigues, Vanderploeg, Martin and Baiywo Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week

PORTALES, N.M.— The Eastern New Mexico University fall teams turned in a stellar week, with the football team defeating Southwestern Oklahoma, volleyball picking up two wins at the Cal State Monterey Bay tournament, women’s soccer picking up two wins, men’s soccer splitting two games and the cross country teams both placing fourth at Abilene Christian.


Cory Baker (So., QB, La Vernia, Texas/La Vernia HS), Ronald Green (Sr., DT, Lakeland, Fla./Blake HS/Mississippi Valley State) and Jessie Poku (Jr., WR, Murphy, Texas/Richardson HS) all share football honors this week for their contributions to the Hounds’ bounce-back 37-24 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State Baker’s 34-for-46 passing performance came within inches of the Hounds’ record book, falling just two completions short of the ENMU single-game record, while his three touchdown passes was a feat last accomplished during the 1998 season. Green turned in another strong performance, anchoring the defense at nose tackle, and finishing with six tackles, three tackles for a loss including two sacks, a quarterback hurry and a pass broken up. Poku became the first ENMU receiver in at least a decade to reach double figures in receptions in a game, finishing with 10 receptions for 124 yards and a 40-yard touchdown catch.


Samantha Lawrence (Jr., F, Roswell, N.M./Goddard HS) from the women’s soccer team showed that she knows where the back of the opponent’s net is, scoring three times in a 3-2 victory over Colorado Christian. She also scored a single goal against College of the Southwest. Lawrence now stands in third place on the Zias’ career points list with 39, trailing Anna Funck for second place by just two points. She also moved past Funck into second on the career goals list, and now has 19 after two full seasons and five games.


Emerson Rodrigues (Fr., F, Natal, RN, Brazil/Colegio Objectivo Potiguar) from the men’s soccer team scored twice on Sunday, propelling the Hounds to their first win of the season, a 3-0 shutout of Colorado Christian.


Nicole Vanderploeg’s (Sr., OH, Poway, Calif./NMMI/Poway HS) performance both offensively and defensively helped to propel the Zia volleyball team to a pair of wins at the Cal State-Monterey Bay tournament. She tied for the team lead in digs with 34, recorded an .885 reception percentage along with 26 kills and two service aces. The Zias opened tournament play with a three-set sweep of William Jessup before defeating Cal State-Stanislaus in four sets.


Jerri Martin (Jr., Gallup, N.M./Gallup HS) was the top finisher for the women’s cross country team, placing 16th at Abilene Christian with a three-mile time of 20:58.06, almost three minutes better than her time from last week. Kennedy Baiywo (Sr., Eldoret, Kenya/Samoei HS) from the men’s cross country team crossed the finish line of the four-mile run at the 22:49.22 mark, almost five minutes better than his time (27:38.60) from the TTU/WBU Triangular.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Hibbler, Robertson, Martin, Murphy and Nylaan Selected ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week to open 2008 Fall Seasons


PORTALES, N.M.— The fall sports seasons at Eastern New Mexico University last Thursday and the quintet of Jeremy Hibbler (Sr., FB, Amarillo, Texas/West Texas A&M/Amarillo HS), Logan Robertson (So., MCC, Monore, Wis./Morgan HS), Jerri Martin (Jr., WCC, Gallup. N.M./Gallup HS), Caitlin Murphy (Jr., VB, Amarillo, Texas/Tascosa HS) and Christie Nylaan (So., WS, Keller, Texas/Keller HS) have been selected as the ENMUsports.com Athletes of the Week.


Hibbler, a defensive back on the football team, recorded 14 tackles in the season opener at Southern Nazarene with three solo stops, an interception and a pass breakup. His performance helped to limit a Southern Nazarene offense that was on the field for 41:11 of the game to just 16 points.


Robertson and Martin were the top finishers for the Greyhound and Zia cross country teams at the Texas Tech/Wayland Baptist Triangular. Robertson placed 17th in the four-mile run at 25:20.20, while Martin came in 15th in the three-mile run in 22:53.40.


Murphy, a libero on the Zia volleyball team, averaged a team best 4.71 digs per game (66 total) over the weekend's four matches. In 100 total attempts, she posted a .930 service reception percentage with just seven errors. She also recorded two service ages, and five assists. She recorded at least 13 digs in all four matches, including 19-dig performances against Missouri Southern State and Rollins College.


Nylaan, a defender on the Zia soccer team scored the team’s first goal of the season and the first overall of her career against Dixie State. The goal came 19:38 into the first half and gave ENMU a 1-0 lead in the game.