The second major winter storm in a month invaded Oklahoma Thursday, with the snow and ice playing havoc not only with roads and schools but with sports schedules. UCO was forced to cancel Friday's wrestling showdown with Nebraska-Omaha and Saturday's big basketball doubleheader with Northeastern State has been postponed.
There's probably no way to reschedule the dual with UNO, the Bronchos' biggest rival on the mat in NCAA Division II. Finding another date that fits into both teams' schedule the rest of the way appears unlikely, meaning UCO misses out on a rare home date.
No such problem exists in the basketball postponement, with the teams now set to play Monday night at Hamilton Field House. Monday's games are huge for everybody involved as the Lone Star Conference North Division race heats up.
UCO's women have won three straight to get to 13-5 overall and 4-1 in the league, one game behind NSU in the division standings. UCO's men are on a much bigger roll, having won 12 straight -- the third-longest winning streak in school history -- to get to 16-4 and 5-0 while NSU is also unbeaten in the North at 4-0.
Monday's game will start a busy week for the women, who must play three games in six days now. Home with NSU on Monday, on the road at Texas Woman's on Wednesday and home again Saturday with TWU.
And don't look now, but baseball and softball is set to start next week. Both teams open at home on Feb. 5, with baseball hosting perennial Division II powerhouse Central Missouri and softball entertaining Missouri Western.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
All-Decade Football Team
Time for the last of my Central Oklahoma all-decade teams of the 2000s and we'll finish up with football. Once again, some tough choices here and I'm sure some may disagree with my picks, but here's what I came up with.
I picked 11 players on offense, 11 on defense and four on special teams.
On the defensive line I went with Claude Davis, Danny Nephew, Ryan Cooper and Jermelle Cudjo.
Big Claude played just one year (2000) in this decade, but he was an All-American that season and is the most dominating d-lineman I've seen in 22-plus years of following the Bronchos. Nephew played in 2002-03 and was a two-time All-LSC North Division pick, while Coop had a steady -- and sometimes spectacular -- career from 2000-03. Jermelle finished his four-year tour with UCO last fall as a three-time All-LSC North performer and could often overwhelm an offense with his strength and quickness.
At linebacker we've got K.C. Asiodu, Terry Hardeman and Will Clewis, a superb trio of tacklers who all shared an intense competitive fire on the field.
Asiodu played at UCO just one year, but he made a number of huge plays in 2008 to win LSC North Linebacker of the Year and showed just how good he really is by making the St. Louis Rams roster this past fall. Terry ended his three-year career in 2009 and was the emotional leader of the Broncho defense his final two seasons. Will was an amazing talent who earned All-America recognition both seasons (2006 and '07) at UCO, racking up 230 tackles with 26 for loss in those two years.
Filling out the secondary is Anthony Byrd, Giorgio Durham, Fred Shaw and Brandon Smith.
A.B. (2002-05) started throughout his stellar four-year career and was as consistent a defensive back as I've seen at UCO. Durham just finished his sophomore season for the Bronchos last fall, but he was the LSC North Division Defensive Back of the Year and an All-American after picking off a conference-high eight passes. Shaw (2004-05) was a tremendous athlete, earning All-LSC North honors at defensive back as a junior and then making it as a receiver the following year despite not switching to offense until mid-way through the season. Smith was an excellent cover corner and a two-time All-LSC North selection in 2006 and '07.
On the offensive side we'll also start with the line and taking up my five spots are John Fitzgerald, Dustin Finn, Luke Sapolu, B.J. Bender and Bobby Brooks.
Fitz made it just one year in this decade (2000), but he was an All-American that season for the third straight time in finishing off one of the most decorated careers in school history. Dustin (2005-08) moved from defense to offense after his sophomore year and missed just a handful of snaps his last two seasons, earning LSC North Lineman of the Year accolades as a senior. He also has the distinction of making two all-decade teams as he was also my pick at heavyweight on the wrestling squad. Sapolu was UCO's starting guard in 2008 and switched to center last year, performing well enough to pick up LSC North Lineman of the Year honors in spearheading a prolific offensive attack. B.J. was a three-time All-LSC North peformer during his career from 2000-03, serving as a vocal team leader on UCO's last playoff team in his final season. Brooks (2003-06) earned All-LSC North recognition twice during his productive career.
My receivers are Dee Dee Carter, Zach Edwards and Brandon Whiteley.
Dee Dee (2000-03) burst on the national scene as a sophomore in 2001 when he set a school-record with 1,469 receiving yards in earning All-America honors. A big-play threat throughout his career, he averaged an astounding 19.4 yards a catch for his CAREER and owns school marks for all-time catches (173) and yards (3,357). Edwards caught seemingly every ball that got close to him during his two years (2003-04) with the Bronchos. He set a school record with 79 catches in '04 and had 126 receptions for 1,940 yards in just two years. Brandon (2000-03) was a two-time All-LSC pick at tight end who was a fierce blocker and clutch receiver throughout his career.
In the backfield is Alex Aguilar, Greg Briley and Brandon Noohi.
Aguilar is our blocking back who could also see action at tailback if needed. Alex is one of just four players in school history to earn all-conference honors four times and he was one tough cookie during his time with the Bronchos from 2003-06. Greg is perhaps the most under-rated running back in school history, even though he rolled up 3,263 rushing yards -- third on UCO's career list -- from 1998-01. Not as flashy or as fast or others who have carried the ball for the Bronchos, all Briley did was get the job done. Brandon got the nod at quarterback with his unique run-pass ability as he set nine school records while directing the offense in 2008 and '09. Noohi amassed 5,433 yards total offense in just two years, including 3,301 last fall when he passed for 2,757 and ran for 544.
Rounding out the all-decade team is our special teams unit of Jason Dixon, A.J. Haglund, Brent Ingram and Ryan Gallimore.
Dixon made the squad at punter, though he did those duties just one season while also serving as UCO's place-kicker in 2005-06. Jason had 22 punts downed inside the 20 during his one year as punter and he also made 22 career field goals. A.J. was a no-brainer pick as the kicker after setting school records for single-game (five), season (15) and career (40) field goals during his time from 2001-04. He ranks second in all-time scoring at UCO with 259 points and has been an ultra-successful kicker in the indoor professional ranks since leaving the Bronchos. Brent doubled as a wide receiver and was dangerous running back both punts and kickoffs during his career from 2000-02. Ryan is also a wide receiver of soon note -- having already caught 130 career passes with the 2010 season still to go -- and he can do damage as a kick returner on the side, having scored on a 95-yard runback.
There it is, the all-decade football team. Let the debate begin.
I picked 11 players on offense, 11 on defense and four on special teams.
On the defensive line I went with Claude Davis, Danny Nephew, Ryan Cooper and Jermelle Cudjo.
Big Claude played just one year (2000) in this decade, but he was an All-American that season and is the most dominating d-lineman I've seen in 22-plus years of following the Bronchos. Nephew played in 2002-03 and was a two-time All-LSC North Division pick, while Coop had a steady -- and sometimes spectacular -- career from 2000-03. Jermelle finished his four-year tour with UCO last fall as a three-time All-LSC North performer and could often overwhelm an offense with his strength and quickness.
At linebacker we've got K.C. Asiodu, Terry Hardeman and Will Clewis, a superb trio of tacklers who all shared an intense competitive fire on the field.
Asiodu played at UCO just one year, but he made a number of huge plays in 2008 to win LSC North Linebacker of the Year and showed just how good he really is by making the St. Louis Rams roster this past fall. Terry ended his three-year career in 2009 and was the emotional leader of the Broncho defense his final two seasons. Will was an amazing talent who earned All-America recognition both seasons (2006 and '07) at UCO, racking up 230 tackles with 26 for loss in those two years.
Filling out the secondary is Anthony Byrd, Giorgio Durham, Fred Shaw and Brandon Smith.
A.B. (2002-05) started throughout his stellar four-year career and was as consistent a defensive back as I've seen at UCO. Durham just finished his sophomore season for the Bronchos last fall, but he was the LSC North Division Defensive Back of the Year and an All-American after picking off a conference-high eight passes. Shaw (2004-05) was a tremendous athlete, earning All-LSC North honors at defensive back as a junior and then making it as a receiver the following year despite not switching to offense until mid-way through the season. Smith was an excellent cover corner and a two-time All-LSC North selection in 2006 and '07.
On the offensive side we'll also start with the line and taking up my five spots are John Fitzgerald, Dustin Finn, Luke Sapolu, B.J. Bender and Bobby Brooks.
Fitz made it just one year in this decade (2000), but he was an All-American that season for the third straight time in finishing off one of the most decorated careers in school history. Dustin (2005-08) moved from defense to offense after his sophomore year and missed just a handful of snaps his last two seasons, earning LSC North Lineman of the Year accolades as a senior. He also has the distinction of making two all-decade teams as he was also my pick at heavyweight on the wrestling squad. Sapolu was UCO's starting guard in 2008 and switched to center last year, performing well enough to pick up LSC North Lineman of the Year honors in spearheading a prolific offensive attack. B.J. was a three-time All-LSC North peformer during his career from 2000-03, serving as a vocal team leader on UCO's last playoff team in his final season. Brooks (2003-06) earned All-LSC North recognition twice during his productive career.
My receivers are Dee Dee Carter, Zach Edwards and Brandon Whiteley.
Dee Dee (2000-03) burst on the national scene as a sophomore in 2001 when he set a school-record with 1,469 receiving yards in earning All-America honors. A big-play threat throughout his career, he averaged an astounding 19.4 yards a catch for his CAREER and owns school marks for all-time catches (173) and yards (3,357). Edwards caught seemingly every ball that got close to him during his two years (2003-04) with the Bronchos. He set a school record with 79 catches in '04 and had 126 receptions for 1,940 yards in just two years. Brandon (2000-03) was a two-time All-LSC pick at tight end who was a fierce blocker and clutch receiver throughout his career.
In the backfield is Alex Aguilar, Greg Briley and Brandon Noohi.
Aguilar is our blocking back who could also see action at tailback if needed. Alex is one of just four players in school history to earn all-conference honors four times and he was one tough cookie during his time with the Bronchos from 2003-06. Greg is perhaps the most under-rated running back in school history, even though he rolled up 3,263 rushing yards -- third on UCO's career list -- from 1998-01. Not as flashy or as fast or others who have carried the ball for the Bronchos, all Briley did was get the job done. Brandon got the nod at quarterback with his unique run-pass ability as he set nine school records while directing the offense in 2008 and '09. Noohi amassed 5,433 yards total offense in just two years, including 3,301 last fall when he passed for 2,757 and ran for 544.
Rounding out the all-decade team is our special teams unit of Jason Dixon, A.J. Haglund, Brent Ingram and Ryan Gallimore.
Dixon made the squad at punter, though he did those duties just one season while also serving as UCO's place-kicker in 2005-06. Jason had 22 punts downed inside the 20 during his one year as punter and he also made 22 career field goals. A.J. was a no-brainer pick as the kicker after setting school records for single-game (five), season (15) and career (40) field goals during his time from 2001-04. He ranks second in all-time scoring at UCO with 259 points and has been an ultra-successful kicker in the indoor professional ranks since leaving the Bronchos. Brent doubled as a wide receiver and was dangerous running back both punts and kickoffs during his career from 2000-02. Ryan is also a wide receiver of soon note -- having already caught 130 career passes with the 2010 season still to go -- and he can do damage as a kick returner on the side, having scored on a 95-yard runback.
There it is, the all-decade football team. Let the debate begin.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
All-Decade Soccer Team
Today is the day for the Central Oklahoma all-decade women's soccer team and, man, were there some great candidates to choose from! The Bronchos enjoyed tremendous success in the 2000s, winning six regular season Lone Star Conference championships, five LSC tournament titles and making seven NCAA Division II national tournament appearances.
Some great players had to be left off, but this is a powerful team that has it all -- great scorers, suffocating defenders and excellent passers.
My three forwards are Carmen Davis, Sally Holmes and Kim Brown.
Davis played from 2005-07, earning LSC Offensive Player of the Year and All-America honors as a senior while finishing her career with 26 goals. Holmes was with UCO just one year in this decade, but she was a scoring machine as a senior in 2000 when she punched in a school-record 35 goals while adding 11 assists to garner LSC Offensive Player of the Year and All-Region acclaim. Brown had a remarkable career from 1999-02 as a four-time All-LSC and three-time All-Region performer, setting school marks for career goals (91) and points (209). She was also one of the toughest players I've seen at UCO, leaving a game once to go to the hospital and then coming back to play the second half after having a number of stitches put in her head.
In the midfield is Joy Hagemann, Jeorgia McGinty, Lindsey Hull and Valerie Gutierrez.
Hagemann (2002-05) had an under-appreciated career and was a tremendous field leader for the Bronchos who was an All-Region selection as a senior. McGinty was part of UCO's first-ever team in 1998, played through 2001 and is probably the fastest player I've seen in a Broncho uniform. She really opened things up for UCO with her passing ability, setting school records for single-season (14, twice) and career (48) assists while adding 26 goals. Hull (2003-06) was a two-time All-Region pick who was an All-American in 2005 and she finished her career with 29 goals, 14 assists and 72 points. Gutierrez was a creative offensive threat with great speed who earned first-team All-LSC honors three times from 2000-03 and ranks among the top five in all-time goals (38) and assists (37).
My defenders are Lisa Hansen, Stephanie Gulisao and Alli Miller, a terrific trio who helped shut down countless opponents during their sensational careers.
Hansen (1999-02) was a three-time first-team All-LSC selection who could mark up any team's top offensive player and started UCO's tradition of great fullbacks. Gulisao (2001-04) was one tough cookie and didn't back down from any challenge. She also earned first-team All-LSC honors three times, claiming Defensive Player of the Year acclaim twice, and was an All-American as a senior. Miller ended her career last fall as a a four-time first-team All-LSC pick, nabbing Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. Alli was, simply put, a stud.
At goalkeeper I've got to go with Carly Fischer. A model of consistency throughout her career from 2004-07, Carly finished with a career-record 252 saves, earning All-LSC and All-Region recognition three times.
There it is, the UCO all-decade women's soccer team. Next up is football.
Some great players had to be left off, but this is a powerful team that has it all -- great scorers, suffocating defenders and excellent passers.
My three forwards are Carmen Davis, Sally Holmes and Kim Brown.
Davis played from 2005-07, earning LSC Offensive Player of the Year and All-America honors as a senior while finishing her career with 26 goals. Holmes was with UCO just one year in this decade, but she was a scoring machine as a senior in 2000 when she punched in a school-record 35 goals while adding 11 assists to garner LSC Offensive Player of the Year and All-Region acclaim. Brown had a remarkable career from 1999-02 as a four-time All-LSC and three-time All-Region performer, setting school marks for career goals (91) and points (209). She was also one of the toughest players I've seen at UCO, leaving a game once to go to the hospital and then coming back to play the second half after having a number of stitches put in her head.
In the midfield is Joy Hagemann, Jeorgia McGinty, Lindsey Hull and Valerie Gutierrez.
Hagemann (2002-05) had an under-appreciated career and was a tremendous field leader for the Bronchos who was an All-Region selection as a senior. McGinty was part of UCO's first-ever team in 1998, played through 2001 and is probably the fastest player I've seen in a Broncho uniform. She really opened things up for UCO with her passing ability, setting school records for single-season (14, twice) and career (48) assists while adding 26 goals. Hull (2003-06) was a two-time All-Region pick who was an All-American in 2005 and she finished her career with 29 goals, 14 assists and 72 points. Gutierrez was a creative offensive threat with great speed who earned first-team All-LSC honors three times from 2000-03 and ranks among the top five in all-time goals (38) and assists (37).
My defenders are Lisa Hansen, Stephanie Gulisao and Alli Miller, a terrific trio who helped shut down countless opponents during their sensational careers.
Hansen (1999-02) was a three-time first-team All-LSC selection who could mark up any team's top offensive player and started UCO's tradition of great fullbacks. Gulisao (2001-04) was one tough cookie and didn't back down from any challenge. She also earned first-team All-LSC honors three times, claiming Defensive Player of the Year acclaim twice, and was an All-American as a senior. Miller ended her career last fall as a a four-time first-team All-LSC pick, nabbing Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. Alli was, simply put, a stud.
At goalkeeper I've got to go with Carly Fischer. A model of consistency throughout her career from 2004-07, Carly finished with a career-record 252 saves, earning All-LSC and All-Region recognition three times.
There it is, the UCO all-decade women's soccer team. Next up is football.
Monday, January 11, 2010
All-Decade Volleyball Team
A new week, a new Central Oklahoma all-decade team. Today, it's the volleyball squad of the 2000s.
The majority of this team comes from the early 2000s and five of my seven players actually played together in 2002. And that unit, not coincidently, was on my list of top 10 teams of the decade.
Leading the way and the runaway MVP in my mind is Alma Brahimaj, one of three outside hitters on my team. A four-time first-team All-Lone Star Conference North Division pick from 1999-02, Alma was -- quite simply -- amazing. Just a great, great player who owns school records for single-match (46), single-season (644) and career (2,404) kills, with the all-time mark also an LSC record. She had 600-plus kills in three of our four seasons and also ranks second in career digs at UCO with 1,833.
Another outside hitter who played the same years as Alma is Lexy Fortner. A three-time first-team All-LSC North performer in her own right, Lexy and Alma created quite a pair in spearheading a potent UCO offense and they led the Bronchos to 56 wins and back-to-back LSC North titles their last two years. Lexy finished with 1,555 career kills, fourth on the school's list.
My final outside hitter played only one year for the Bronchos, but what a sensational player Mari Araujo was. A remarkable athlete who could virtually do it all on the court, Mari collected 629 kills and 536 years in leading UCO to a school-record 32 wins and the second round of the national tournament in 2007.
My two middle blockers are Tori Walker and Katy Wallace, who played together a couple of years. Tori was at UCO from 2001-03 and Katy from 1999-02 and both were terrific blockers at the net who also had high attack percentages. Tori was a two-time first-team All-LSC North performer and had 337 career assisted blocks, while Katy earned second-team All-LSC North honors three times and ended with 366 career assisted blocks.
At setter I went with Stacey Meek, who owns school records for single-season (1,660) and career assists (5,604). Another great all-around athlete, Stacey received All-LSC North Division recognition all four years during her stellar stay from 2000-03.
Rounding out the team at libero/defensive specialist is Lacie Allen, who played from 2004-07. Lacie was incredible after being moved to libero her final two years, making some of the most unbelievable digs I've ever seen. She capped her career with a magical senior season, becoming UCO's first-ever NCAA Division II volleyball All-American while collecting a national-record 996 digs and she finished her career with a school- and LSC-record 2,765 digs.
So there it is, my all-decade volleyball team. Coming tomorrow, women's soccer.
The majority of this team comes from the early 2000s and five of my seven players actually played together in 2002. And that unit, not coincidently, was on my list of top 10 teams of the decade.
Leading the way and the runaway MVP in my mind is Alma Brahimaj, one of three outside hitters on my team. A four-time first-team All-Lone Star Conference North Division pick from 1999-02, Alma was -- quite simply -- amazing. Just a great, great player who owns school records for single-match (46), single-season (644) and career (2,404) kills, with the all-time mark also an LSC record. She had 600-plus kills in three of our four seasons and also ranks second in career digs at UCO with 1,833.
Another outside hitter who played the same years as Alma is Lexy Fortner. A three-time first-team All-LSC North performer in her own right, Lexy and Alma created quite a pair in spearheading a potent UCO offense and they led the Bronchos to 56 wins and back-to-back LSC North titles their last two years. Lexy finished with 1,555 career kills, fourth on the school's list.
My final outside hitter played only one year for the Bronchos, but what a sensational player Mari Araujo was. A remarkable athlete who could virtually do it all on the court, Mari collected 629 kills and 536 years in leading UCO to a school-record 32 wins and the second round of the national tournament in 2007.
My two middle blockers are Tori Walker and Katy Wallace, who played together a couple of years. Tori was at UCO from 2001-03 and Katy from 1999-02 and both were terrific blockers at the net who also had high attack percentages. Tori was a two-time first-team All-LSC North performer and had 337 career assisted blocks, while Katy earned second-team All-LSC North honors three times and ended with 366 career assisted blocks.
At setter I went with Stacey Meek, who owns school records for single-season (1,660) and career assists (5,604). Another great all-around athlete, Stacey received All-LSC North Division recognition all four years during her stellar stay from 2000-03.
Rounding out the team at libero/defensive specialist is Lacie Allen, who played from 2004-07. Lacie was incredible after being moved to libero her final two years, making some of the most unbelievable digs I've ever seen. She capped her career with a magical senior season, becoming UCO's first-ever NCAA Division II volleyball All-American while collecting a national-record 996 digs and she finished her career with a school- and LSC-record 2,765 digs.
So there it is, my all-decade volleyball team. Coming tomorrow, women's soccer.
Friday, January 8, 2010
All-Decade Baseball Team
It's time for the UCO all-decade baseball team and what tough choices had to be made for this super squad! The Bronchos won a ton of games in the 2000s while featuring plenty of power-packed lineups along with some great pitching.
First Base - The one position that was seldom filled by the same player more than a year at time during the decade goes to Beau Sullivan, who had 15 homers and 68 RBI in winning Lone Star Conference North Division Player of the Year honors in 2005.
Second Base - Lots of good candidates here, but I went with Matt Wright (2000-01). Excellent defender and a tough out.
Shortstop - Hard to pass up Rothy Briggs and I didn't. A three-year stud for the Bronchos from 2000-02, Rothy made the tough plays look easy in the field while also yielding a mean bat. He batted .365 during his career and ranks second in all-time hits (194) at UCO.
Third Base - Didn't hesitate in going with John Rogers at the hot corner. A rare four-year player for the Bronchos from 2000-03, John was a three-time first-team All-LSC North Division selection and led UCO to 158 wins. He had a .368 career average and owns all-time school records for hits (227), runs (179), doubles (55), RBI (175) and at bats (617).
Outfield - I've got power and speed in the outfield with Bryan Coy, Ray Danzy and Nolan Randolph. An All-American as a senior, Coy (2001-02) was an amazing all-around talent at the plate with his ability to hit the ball out of the park or turn a gapper into a triple and he had a .392 career average. Danzy (2000-01) was also an All-American as a senior, rapping a school-record and NCAA Division II-leading 23 homers his final season. Randolph (2003-04) was a different kind of offensive threat with his base-stealing ability (64 career thefts) and he would definitely be in center with his ability to make plays all over the field.
Catcher - One of the best pure hitters I've seen at UCO will be behind the plate in Miguel Moctezuma, who also had a rifle of an arm. Miguel racked up 185 hits in three years (2006-08) despite playing just a few games in an injury-shortened sophomore season and hit .434 as a junior before leaving school after getting drafted.
Pitcher - I'll go with a three-man rotation of Ricky Belk (2001-02), Kyle Nevels (2003-04) and Jesse McGough (2005-06). Belk had the most dominating season in school history as a junior, going 14-0 in earning first-team All-America honors and he followed with an 11-win campaign his final year. Nevels was a two-time first-team All-LSC North pick and McGough won 18 games during his career.
Designated Hitter - Brandon Bacon saw a lot of action at third base during his two-year career (2006-06), but he also got plenty of time at DH and he's my pick here. The hard-hitting Bacon ranks second in career homes (33) and fifth in career RBI (140) at UCO.
Utility - Two players will fill utility roles, with Breck Draper (2007-08) and Barrett Whitney (2002-03) my picks. Draper played a number of different positions during his two years with the Bronchos -- earning All-America acclaim at catcher as a junior -- and is the best home run hitter in school history with 42 career dingers, slamming 20 as a junior and 22 as a senior. Whitney played first and second base and was a doubles machine, hitting a school-record 32 his final season.
There it is, the UCO all-decade baseball team for the 2000s. Coming next week -- volleyball, soccer and football.
First Base - The one position that was seldom filled by the same player more than a year at time during the decade goes to Beau Sullivan, who had 15 homers and 68 RBI in winning Lone Star Conference North Division Player of the Year honors in 2005.
Second Base - Lots of good candidates here, but I went with Matt Wright (2000-01). Excellent defender and a tough out.
Shortstop - Hard to pass up Rothy Briggs and I didn't. A three-year stud for the Bronchos from 2000-02, Rothy made the tough plays look easy in the field while also yielding a mean bat. He batted .365 during his career and ranks second in all-time hits (194) at UCO.
Third Base - Didn't hesitate in going with John Rogers at the hot corner. A rare four-year player for the Bronchos from 2000-03, John was a three-time first-team All-LSC North Division selection and led UCO to 158 wins. He had a .368 career average and owns all-time school records for hits (227), runs (179), doubles (55), RBI (175) and at bats (617).
Outfield - I've got power and speed in the outfield with Bryan Coy, Ray Danzy and Nolan Randolph. An All-American as a senior, Coy (2001-02) was an amazing all-around talent at the plate with his ability to hit the ball out of the park or turn a gapper into a triple and he had a .392 career average. Danzy (2000-01) was also an All-American as a senior, rapping a school-record and NCAA Division II-leading 23 homers his final season. Randolph (2003-04) was a different kind of offensive threat with his base-stealing ability (64 career thefts) and he would definitely be in center with his ability to make plays all over the field.
Catcher - One of the best pure hitters I've seen at UCO will be behind the plate in Miguel Moctezuma, who also had a rifle of an arm. Miguel racked up 185 hits in three years (2006-08) despite playing just a few games in an injury-shortened sophomore season and hit .434 as a junior before leaving school after getting drafted.
Pitcher - I'll go with a three-man rotation of Ricky Belk (2001-02), Kyle Nevels (2003-04) and Jesse McGough (2005-06). Belk had the most dominating season in school history as a junior, going 14-0 in earning first-team All-America honors and he followed with an 11-win campaign his final year. Nevels was a two-time first-team All-LSC North pick and McGough won 18 games during his career.
Designated Hitter - Brandon Bacon saw a lot of action at third base during his two-year career (2006-06), but he also got plenty of time at DH and he's my pick here. The hard-hitting Bacon ranks second in career homes (33) and fifth in career RBI (140) at UCO.
Utility - Two players will fill utility roles, with Breck Draper (2007-08) and Barrett Whitney (2002-03) my picks. Draper played a number of different positions during his two years with the Bronchos -- earning All-America acclaim at catcher as a junior -- and is the best home run hitter in school history with 42 career dingers, slamming 20 as a junior and 22 as a senior. Whitney played first and second base and was a doubles machine, hitting a school-record 32 his final season.
There it is, the UCO all-decade baseball team for the 2000s. Coming next week -- volleyball, soccer and football.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
All-Decade Softball Team
Okay, when I started this project, the plan was just to do all-decade teams for the winter sports as well as the top 10 teams. But, having heard from several ex-athletes in various sports, I'll forge ahead with my all-decade picks for the rest.
Today we'll go with the all-decade softball team and tomorrow it'll be baseball since those are spring sports coming up soon (well, maybe not if it stays 10-below with the wind chill like it is today!).
So here's my UCO softball team for the 2000s.
Catcher - April Ferrall. The 2003 Lone Star Conference North Division Player of the Year was an offensive force.
First Base - Tough choice, but I'm going with Lauren Moore from the mid-2000s for her defensive prowess.
Second Base - Lindsay Tripp was a four-year starter from 2003-06 and a fine all-around player.
Shortstop - Have to go with Stacy Walden here, another four-year starter from 2004-07 and a two-time first-team All-LSC North Division pick
Third Base - Jodi Craig gets the nod. A serious slugger who ranks second in both career homers (27) and RBI (112), Jodi was a two-time first-team All-South Central Regional selection while playing from 2004-08 with year off for injury.
Outfield - Not sure who would play where, but Meagan Campbell, Julie Cyr and Alley Roberts make up my outfield. The fleet-footed Campbell was a perfect lead-off hitter for the Bronchos during her four-year starting career and she holds career school records for hits (183) and at bats (555). Cyr was a three-year standout and two-time first-team All-LSC North pick in the early 2000s. Roberts could have gone anywhere after a sensational career from 2006-09 that saw her also play catcher, second base and shortstop, but I put her here to get others on the team. Fresh smashed a school-record 34 homers, hit .352 for her career and ranks in the top five in all-time runs (119), hits (179), doubles (32), RBI (109) and at bats (509).
Pitcher - The easiest pick on the team here in Alli Blake, a four-year stud from 2005-08. A.B. won 67 games -- going a phenomenal 20-3 during her fabulous freshman campaign -- and she was the main reason UCO had the success it did during her career. I picked one other pitcher who could be used as either a starter or reliever, with Jennifer Chavira getting the nod despite playing for the Bronchos only one season (2002).
Utility - I went with two utility players and both are seniors for the Bronchos this year -- Molly Shivers and Kelsey Tiger. Molly has won 31 games in the circle and starts in the outfield when not pitching, while Kelsey has started every game (138) the past three years at second base, shortstop and catcher.
No designated player on this squad, with someone already on the team able to be used in that role.
There you have it, the UCO softball all-decade team.
Today we'll go with the all-decade softball team and tomorrow it'll be baseball since those are spring sports coming up soon (well, maybe not if it stays 10-below with the wind chill like it is today!).
So here's my UCO softball team for the 2000s.
Catcher - April Ferrall. The 2003 Lone Star Conference North Division Player of the Year was an offensive force.
First Base - Tough choice, but I'm going with Lauren Moore from the mid-2000s for her defensive prowess.
Second Base - Lindsay Tripp was a four-year starter from 2003-06 and a fine all-around player.
Shortstop - Have to go with Stacy Walden here, another four-year starter from 2004-07 and a two-time first-team All-LSC North Division pick
Third Base - Jodi Craig gets the nod. A serious slugger who ranks second in both career homers (27) and RBI (112), Jodi was a two-time first-team All-South Central Regional selection while playing from 2004-08 with year off for injury.
Outfield - Not sure who would play where, but Meagan Campbell, Julie Cyr and Alley Roberts make up my outfield. The fleet-footed Campbell was a perfect lead-off hitter for the Bronchos during her four-year starting career and she holds career school records for hits (183) and at bats (555). Cyr was a three-year standout and two-time first-team All-LSC North pick in the early 2000s. Roberts could have gone anywhere after a sensational career from 2006-09 that saw her also play catcher, second base and shortstop, but I put her here to get others on the team. Fresh smashed a school-record 34 homers, hit .352 for her career and ranks in the top five in all-time runs (119), hits (179), doubles (32), RBI (109) and at bats (509).
Pitcher - The easiest pick on the team here in Alli Blake, a four-year stud from 2005-08. A.B. won 67 games -- going a phenomenal 20-3 during her fabulous freshman campaign -- and she was the main reason UCO had the success it did during her career. I picked one other pitcher who could be used as either a starter or reliever, with Jennifer Chavira getting the nod despite playing for the Bronchos only one season (2002).
Utility - I went with two utility players and both are seniors for the Bronchos this year -- Molly Shivers and Kelsey Tiger. Molly has won 31 games in the circle and starts in the outfield when not pitching, while Kelsey has started every game (138) the past three years at second base, shortstop and catcher.
No designated player on this squad, with someone already on the team able to be used in that role.
There you have it, the UCO softball all-decade team.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Top 10 Teams of the 2000s
Well, I just thought selecting UCO’s all-decade teams for men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling was tough. That was nothing compared to coming up with a list of the top 10 teams of the 2000s.
It took a lot of thought and I changed my mind on the order several times, but here’s what I came up with on UCO’s best teams of the past decade. And, man, where these teams fun to watch.
1. The 2001-02 wrestling team. What a powerhouse squad this was. The Bronchos rolled through a 15-1 dual season that included a title-winning effort in the Division II National Duals and captured the 13th national championship in school history with a dominating performance. Four individuals -- Matt Dodgen, Cole Province, Shawn Silvis and Muhammed Lawal – claimed national crowns.
2. The 2007-08 men’s basketball team. It was hard to pick this group over two other national championship wrestling teams, but in the end I went with a squad that set a school record for wins (28) and lost a double-overtime thriller in the national tournament quarterfinals. The Bronchos, led by senior star Sam Belt, won the Lone Star Conference North Division and LSC Tournament titles before pulling out a last-second decision in the South Central Regional finals to earn UCO’s first trip to the Elite Eight since 1992.
3. The 2002-03 wrestling team. UCO took a second straight Division II national title – and the 14th in school history – after going 18-1 in duals, setting a school record for wins. Province, Silvis and Mark Dodgen grabbed gold medals to lead the Bronchos.
4. The 2006-07 wrestling team. The Bronchos lost four duals, finishing 15-4, but a stirring national tournament performance resulted in the program’s 15th national crown. Kyle Evans was the lone individual champion, but UCO had four others in the finals – Tyler Zukerman, Jared Henning, Jason Leavitt and Josh LeadingFox.
5. The 2008-09 women’s basketball team. It was a record-setting season for the Bronchos, who were led by super senior leaders Lizzie Brenner and Mallory Markus. UCO set a record for wins (27), won its first outright LSC North Division championship and made it to the Sweet 16 in the national tournament before falling in the South Central Regional finals.
6. The 2002 women’s soccer team. Hard to ignore a team that posted 16 shutouts in 23 games. Sixteen! Lisa Hansen and Stephanie Gulisao led the defense and school career scoring leader Kim Brown paced the offense as the Bronchos went 20-3, winning the regular season and LSC tournament titles before dropping a heartbreaker in the national tournament.
7. The 2005 softball team. UCO won a school-record 44 games behind freshman pitching ace Alli Blake and senior slugger Tommie Mitts, rolled to the LSC North Division crown and then captured the LSC Tournament title before losing out in the regional finals.
8. The 2002 baseball team. The Bronchos overwhelmed teams with a formidable offense led by Bryan Coy, John Rogers, Rothy Briggs and Barrett Whitney in going an amazing 46-10, running away with the LSC North Division title before coming up short in a loaded South Central Regional.
9. The 2004-05 men’s golf team. UCO was a power on the links throughout the 2000s while winning dozens of tournament titles, but this group was the best of the bunch. All-American Todd Dayton led the way as the Bronchos won six tournaments, including the South Central Regional.
10. The 2002 volleyball team. Senior outside hitter Alma Brahimaj was the star, an unstoppable offensive force who led the Bronchos to a 30-7 record, the LSC North Division championship and the program’s first national tournament berth since 1994.
There were plenty of candidates for this list, but these were the best of the best, at least in my opinion. Some may disagree with my choices, or even my order, but that’s what lists are for – to get people talking!
It took a lot of thought and I changed my mind on the order several times, but here’s what I came up with on UCO’s best teams of the past decade. And, man, where these teams fun to watch.
1. The 2001-02 wrestling team. What a powerhouse squad this was. The Bronchos rolled through a 15-1 dual season that included a title-winning effort in the Division II National Duals and captured the 13th national championship in school history with a dominating performance. Four individuals -- Matt Dodgen, Cole Province, Shawn Silvis and Muhammed Lawal – claimed national crowns.
2. The 2007-08 men’s basketball team. It was hard to pick this group over two other national championship wrestling teams, but in the end I went with a squad that set a school record for wins (28) and lost a double-overtime thriller in the national tournament quarterfinals. The Bronchos, led by senior star Sam Belt, won the Lone Star Conference North Division and LSC Tournament titles before pulling out a last-second decision in the South Central Regional finals to earn UCO’s first trip to the Elite Eight since 1992.
3. The 2002-03 wrestling team. UCO took a second straight Division II national title – and the 14th in school history – after going 18-1 in duals, setting a school record for wins. Province, Silvis and Mark Dodgen grabbed gold medals to lead the Bronchos.
4. The 2006-07 wrestling team. The Bronchos lost four duals, finishing 15-4, but a stirring national tournament performance resulted in the program’s 15th national crown. Kyle Evans was the lone individual champion, but UCO had four others in the finals – Tyler Zukerman, Jared Henning, Jason Leavitt and Josh LeadingFox.
5. The 2008-09 women’s basketball team. It was a record-setting season for the Bronchos, who were led by super senior leaders Lizzie Brenner and Mallory Markus. UCO set a record for wins (27), won its first outright LSC North Division championship and made it to the Sweet 16 in the national tournament before falling in the South Central Regional finals.
6. The 2002 women’s soccer team. Hard to ignore a team that posted 16 shutouts in 23 games. Sixteen! Lisa Hansen and Stephanie Gulisao led the defense and school career scoring leader Kim Brown paced the offense as the Bronchos went 20-3, winning the regular season and LSC tournament titles before dropping a heartbreaker in the national tournament.
7. The 2005 softball team. UCO won a school-record 44 games behind freshman pitching ace Alli Blake and senior slugger Tommie Mitts, rolled to the LSC North Division crown and then captured the LSC Tournament title before losing out in the regional finals.
8. The 2002 baseball team. The Bronchos overwhelmed teams with a formidable offense led by Bryan Coy, John Rogers, Rothy Briggs and Barrett Whitney in going an amazing 46-10, running away with the LSC North Division title before coming up short in a loaded South Central Regional.
9. The 2004-05 men’s golf team. UCO was a power on the links throughout the 2000s while winning dozens of tournament titles, but this group was the best of the bunch. All-American Todd Dayton led the way as the Bronchos won six tournaments, including the South Central Regional.
10. The 2002 volleyball team. Senior outside hitter Alma Brahimaj was the star, an unstoppable offensive force who led the Bronchos to a 30-7 record, the LSC North Division championship and the program’s first national tournament berth since 1994.
There were plenty of candidates for this list, but these were the best of the best, at least in my opinion. Some may disagree with my choices, or even my order, but that’s what lists are for – to get people talking!
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