12/21/06  Rebels defeat #14 Western Washington

The Dixie State College Rebels(7-5) welcomed the #14 ranked Western Washington University in style on Thursday evening. Dixie State won 77-63. The Rebels were led by Liz Lewis' 15 points, Tiara Bowman 14 and Jessica Carvers's 13 points. The Vikings commited a season high 35 turnovers and lost back to back games for the first time since 2002.

12/18/06  Lady Griffins sweep Rebels

Three Griffins scored over 20 points as Westminster College was able to overcome a nine-point halftime deficit to beat Dixie State College 82-73 Monday night in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Westminster moves to 10-4 overall with the win.

Shannon Evans and Elisa Leader lead all scorers with 22 points each for the Grifins while Janae Hirschi added 21. Evans also added nine assists while Hirschi grabbed eight rebounds.

12/16/06  SWAC Basketball Standings

12/16/06  Rebels defeat Cal Baptist

The Dixie State College Women 's Basketball team defeated Cal Baptist University 81-59. The Rebels avenged their 81-76 loss one week ago in Southern California. Cal Baptist closed out the first half on a 9-0 and led 34-30. The Rebels opened up the second half with a run of their own, out scoring the Lancers 30-7 and never looked back.  Dixie State was led by Tiara Bowman's 6 three pointers and she finished with 28 points.

12/16/06  Streaking Griffins wins fourth straight

Westminster College finished a back-to-back matchup with Johnson & Wales University with a 94-29 victory Saturday afternoon in Denver, Colo. For the second-straight night, Mara Hoskins lead the Lady Griffins with 20 points while Elisa Leader chipped in 14 as Westminster improved their record to 9-4.

12/15/06  Griffins roll in Denver

Westminster College Women's Basketball improved to 8-4 overall with a 88-43 win over Johnson & Wales University Friday night in Denver, Colo.  The Griffins, who were able to rest their starters most of the night, were lead by 15 points from Mara Hoskins while BreAnne Haslam chipped in with her best game of the year with 12 points and six rebounds.

12/13/06  SLCC ranked 17th, CSI ranked 20th in NJCAA poll

Salt Lake Community College moved up four places to 17th in the NJCAA Division I basketball poll.  College of Southern Idaho dropped seven places to 20th.   Click here to see the entire poll.

12/13/06  Passey named SWAC player of the week

Salt Lake Community College forward Amy Passey was named Scenic West Athletic Conference Co-Player of the Week on Tuesday.   Passey, a 5-10 sophomore from Idaho Falls, ID, led the Bruins (8-1, 2-0 SWAC) to two victories over the Snow College Badgers in the opening weekend of conference play.  In the Bruins 78-62 victory over the Badgers on Friday night, Passey had 14 rebounds and scored 14 points. In Saturday's 76-56 victory, she added 10 points and 6 rebounds.  For the week Passey had 20 rebounds, six of those on the offensive side and shot 50.0 percent from the field (8-16) and was 6-for-8 from the free throw line (.750).

12/09/06  Utah Valley State nets road win at Weber State

Robyn Fairbanks had another big game, scoring 32 points as Utah Valley State increased its school record win streak to seven games with a 68-60 win at Weber State on Saturday. Utah Valley (9-1) continued its school record start as well and improved to 2-0 on the road after winning just once on the road in the school's first three NCAA seasons

Fairbanks came into the game second in the nation in scoring an upped her average to 24.1 points after shooting 14-for-20 from the field. Sandy Marvin scored 21 for the Wolverines as the two sophomores combined to score 53 of UV's 68 points.

Weber State (4-5) was led in scoring by Sara Tuomi's 18 points and Chelsey Warburton's 13. 

12/09/06  Free Throws Boost Utah Women over Arizona

The University of Utah women's basketball team was 25-of-31 from the free-throw line in Saturday afternoon's contest against Arizona. The Utes needed nearly every one of those freebies, pulling out a 66-60 victory over the Wildcats at the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

12/09/06  BYU wins battle down low vs. Cal State Northridge

BYU (6-3) held off a physical Cal Northridge (3-7) team to win 55-48.

Mallary Gillespie lead all scorers with 14 points, and the team had 24 points in the paint as opposed to 8 for the Matadors. Jennie Keele and Melinda Johnsen both dished six assists, and Lauren Riley pulled down 13 boards, a new season high for her.

12/09/06  Pacific comes back upsets  SUU

Jake Kelly scored seven of her 11 points and Tyler Moran had seven of her 14 in the second half as Pacific erased a six-point halftime deficit to come back and upset Southern Utah, 62-60, Saturday night.

Pacific’s efforts ruined a career night for Thunderbird Guard Heather Hillock, who scored a career-best 20 points after hitting 6-of-12 shots overall and 5-of-10 from 3-point range. Cash Connors chipped in 17 for the Thunderbirds.

12/07/06  UVSC tops SUU

Southern Utah’s Anne Westwood scored a career-high 24 points but her efforts weren’t enough as Utah Valley State evened the series between the two programs at two games apiece Thursday night with a 74-63 triumph at the McKay Center.

UVSC’s Robyn Fairbanks offset Westwood’s performance with 25 points of her own, to go with a game-high 11 rebounds as the Wolverines improved to 8-1 on the season while the Thunderbirds dropped to 2-7.

12/07/06  Wildcats drop third straight game

The Weber State women's basketball team lost their third straight game with a 62-57 defeat Thursday night at UC Santa Barbara. WSU now drops to 4-4 on the season after a 4-1 start.

12/06/06  BYU defeat New Mexico State

BYU (5-3) beat New Mexico State University (3-6) with a score of 60-43 in their first meeting since 1990. It was a memorable game for BYU senior center Dani Kubik Wright who posted her third career double double, her first of the season. She led all scorers with 16 points and pulled down 11 boards. She had help from junior guard Mallary Gillespie.

Gillespie had the difficult task of keeping NMSU guard Sherell Neal in check. She has averaged 16.8 points a game and Gillespie answered the call by keeping her below the average at 13. On offense Gillespie out did her counterpart by scoring 14 points for the Cougars.

12/06/06  Aggies clawed by Bobcats

Getting outscored 29-10 at the free throw line, Utah State's women's basketball team was clawed by the Bobcats of Montana State, 71-53, Wednesday night at MSU's Worthington Arena. Utah State lost its third in a row in falling to 2-5 on the season, and the Aggies are now 2-7 all-time vs. the Bobcats. Montana State evens its record at 4-4 as the Bobcats are on an alternating loss-win pattern.

Sophomore guard Danyelle Snelgro led the Aggies with 16 points, along with tying a career-high by swiping four steals. Sophomore forward Lindsey Freeze was the only other USU player in double-figures with 10 points off the bench.

Montana State was led by Whitney Connolly, who single-handedly outscored Utah State at the free throw line, shooting 12-15 and had just four points from the field for 16 points and posted a double-double with 12 rebounds. Rebecca Mercer was the only other Bobcat in double-digits with 13 points.

12/04/06  Utes down USC

The University of Utah women's basketball team built a 23-point lead over Southern California early in the second half Monday night at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The Utes then held off a furious Trojan rally and escaped with a 70-66 victory.

12/04/06  Aggies topped by Montana

Trailing from start to finish, Utah State's women's basketball team lost to Montana, 86-56, Monday night at UM's Dahlberg Arena. The Aggies fall to 2-4 on the year, while the Lady Griz improve to 6-1, including 5-0 at home and on a nine-game home winning streak.

Junior guard Taylor Richards led Utah State with 14 points, while sophomore guard Danyelle Snelgro netted 13 points, all in the second half.

Montana was led by Mandy Morales with 24 points and nine assists, one of three Lady Griz players in double-digit scoring.

12/02/06  Hartford upsets Cougars

The University of Hartford Hawks upset the No. 22 Cougars Saturday afternoon, 60-43, as shooting woes and Hawk defense held the Cougars to their lowest scoring game of the season.

The Cougars had 20 turnovers in the game to the Hawks' 16. BYU shot 33 percent from the field (16-49) and 28 percent from three-point-land (5-18). Dani Wright was the Cougars' leading scorer with 16 points, seven for seven from the field, and the only Cougar to reach double figures.

12/02/06  Southern Utah defeats UNLV

The Southern Utah Thunderbirds picked up their second win agains UNLV finishing 56-52 with help from Emily Mothershed who came hot off the bench racking up 14 points and five boards to move the Thunderbirds to 2-5 on the season; while the UNLV Rebels drop 2-4.

 The ‘Birds jumped to a quick 10-0 lead and keep the lead to the break a 30-24. The Rebels tied it up at 35 seven minutes into the second half. The score kept with in four points difference for the next seven minutes till the Rebels took the lead (44-45) for the first time, which was short lived when Silvia Da Silva hit a 15-footer. The Rebels tied it up again at 50 with a minute thirty left on the clock. Da Silva sealed the victory for Southern Utah with another 15-foot jumper and four big shots from the line to end the game. Da Silva ended the game with 10 points, two boards, and two assists. Anne Westwood finished with five points and eight boards along with Erin EcClean who put eight on the scoreboard. The Rebels put up a good fight from Sequoia Holmes who ended the game with 22 points and six rebounds along with her teammate Shamela Hampton who put up 12 points and eight boards.

12/02/06  Second half comeback falls short for Wildcats

They made a second half comeback but it wasn't enough as the Weber State women's basketball team lost 69-65 Saturday afternoon at the Dee Events Center. The loss is the second straight for Weber State and drops them to 4-3 on the season.
Junior Sara Tuomi finished with 14 points for the Wildcats.

12/01/06  Ute women top Long Beach State

12/01/06  Rebel women lose to Westminster

Alicia Haberle scored 18 points and Shannon Evans added 16 as Westminster survived a 11-3 Dixie State run in the final minute to beat the Rebels 76-74 Friday night. The Griffins (7-4) led 73-63 after Janae Hirschi's basket with a little over one minute left in the game.

Janae Hirschi and Elise Leader each had 14 points to give the Griffins four players in double figures. Evans, Haberle and Hirschi led them in rebounding with eight apiece. Dixie State also had four in double figures. Chelsey Robinson had 12, Lacey Christensen 11 and Maggie Apt 10 behind Jessica Carver's 13.

11/30/06  November 2006 Archives

11/30/06  Lady Rebels hand Mesa State first loss

Dixie State's Chelsea Robinson hit back-to-back 3-pointers with three minutes left to ignite an 8-0 run and propel DSC to a 74-66 home win over "rival" Mesa State College Thursday in women's basketball action.

11/29/06  Utah rolls over Weber State

The University of Utah women's basketball team put together its most complete outing of the season Wednesday night, hammering Weber State College 77-43 at the Dee Events Center.

11/29/06  Utah State drops contest to Pacific

Utah State's women's basketball team trailed the entire first half, scored late in the half to take a lead into halftime, but could not maintain the momentum down the stretch as the Aggies fell to former Big West foe Pacific, 56-49, Wednesday night at Pacific's Alex G. Spanos Center at Stockton, Calif. Utah State is 2-3 on the season, as the Aggies continue their alternating loss-win pattern. Pacific snaps its two-game losing streak and improving to 2-3 as well.

Junior guard Taylor Richards led Utah State with 19 points, hitting a season-high three three-pointers, tying her career-high. Senior guard Brittany Phillips added 13 points, netting a season-high two three-pointers. Five-foot-five senior guard Camille Brox led the Aggies with seven rebounds, while 5-4 Richards added six rebounds.

11/29/06  Fairbanks, Marvin lead UVSC to win over Boise State

Robyn Fairbanks set a school record by pulling down 20 rebounds while Sandy Marvin had a career-high 28 points including a perfect 13-for-13 at the foul line and 3-for-3 behind the three-point arc. Fairbanks led Utah Valley with 29 points.

11/29/06  Cougar women defeat Harvard

No. 23 BYU defeated Harvard easily, 66-51, Wednesday evening in Massachusetts as four different Cougars scored in double digits. With the win BYU jumps to 4-2 on the season, while the Crimson falls to 0-5.

Dani Kubik Wright led the Cougars with 14 points, while Cassie King chipped in a career high 11 points. Mallary Gillespie and Haley Hall also scored 10 points apiece. King led BYU with a career high six rebounds.

11/29/06  Northern Arizona keeps Southern Utah winless on the road

Julie Stradling scored a season-high 17 points and pulled down seven rebounds but her efforts were not enough as Northern Arizona kept Southern Utah’s women winless on the road this season with a 63-44 victory. SUU dropped to 1-5 overall and 0-4 on the road while NAU improved to 4-3 with the win.

11/26/06  CSI 13th and Salt Lake CC 23rd in latest NJCAA National Poll

 LINK:   November 26, 2006 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Poll

11/25/06  Second half dooms Utah women

The University of Utah women's basketball team dropped a 50-44 decision to the host Oregon Ducks Saturday in the consolation game of the Oregon Thanksgiving Duck Invitational.  Joh-Teena Felipe was the only Utah player in double-figures scoring 13 points. 

11/25/06  SLCC sweeps two

SLCC women defeated Northwest College 80-49 in Friday nigh action.  Amy  Passey led all scorers with 21 while pulling down 8 boards. Michelle Pace  sank 11 points and grabbed 4 boards.   SLCC avenged their only defeat of the season with a Saturday 75-55 win over Casper College.  Michelle Pace  led all players with 16 points and 9 rebounds. Breanne Law poured in 12 points while sophomore teammate Shordy Mulford  put in 10 points

11/25/06  Snow splits at SLCC tournament

Friday's game had Snow downing Casper 70-53 behind Lindsie Wilson's 16 points.   On Saturday Northwest College defeated Snow 55-48.  Lindsie Wilson once again led Snow with 16 points.

11/25/06  CSI wins two at Wolverton Challenge

CSI defeated Phoenix College 83-63 in game one of the Wolverton Challenge.  CSI was led by Whitney Thompson's perfect shooting night (6-6 from field, 2-2 from line).  Maria  Moore added 15 points and 7 rebounds in the win.   In the tourney finale, CSI defeated Yakima College 72-62.  CSI was led by Brittany Moore's 21 points (5-7 from 3) and Maria Moore's double double (19 points 14 rebounds).

11/25/06  T-Birds break through with win over Southern Virginia

Southern Utah head women’s basketball coach Steve Hodson picked up his first collegiate coaching victory Saturday night as his Thunderbirds ended a four-game, season-opening slide with a 67-59 triumph over Southern Virginia at the Centrum Arena. The win moved SUU to 1-4 on the year, while the Knights remained winless at 0-7.

Anne Westwood posted her first double-double of the year with a career-high tying 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting and a game-high 11 rebounds. Meanwhile Julie Stradling flirted with a triple-double as she tallied 11 points with nine boards and a career-high eight assists.

11/25/06  Wildcats blow out Idaho

The Weber State women's basketball team rebounded from their first loss of the season with a dominating 98-57 win over Idaho Saturday night in the consolation game of the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational in Fort Collins, Colorado.  The 41 point win moves the Wildcats to 4-1 on the season, matching their best five game start in school history. Weber State never trailed in the game and jumped out to an 11-2 lead.  They led 27-25 with 6:33 to play in the first half when they closed the first half on a 22-2 run to take a 49-27 lead at the break. The second half was also all Weber State and the 'Cats led by as many as 43 points before settling in for the 41 point win.  

Once again leading the way for the Wildcats was junior Sara Tuomi who finished with 18 points and five rebounds.  She was 6-9 from the field, including 2-2 from three-point land but she did miss her first free throw of the season.  Tuomi is now 27-28 from the line this season.  She had made 30 straight free throws before the miss. 

11/25/06  Wolverines cap perfect week with win over New Mexico State

Robyn Fairbanks scored a career-high 33 points to go along with 14 rebounds as Utah Valley State capped off a perfect Thanksgiving weekend with a 79-72 win over New Mexico State on Saturday.  Sandy Marvin had 18 points and five assists while Asumi Nakayama set a school record with 11 assists along with four steals.

11/25/06  Rebels lose to Mesa State

Allison Pierkarski scored 18 points while Cassie Hutton and Brittany Fowler added 10 apiece to lead Mesa State (4-0) to a 66-59 win over Dixie State (3-2.  Tiara Bowman came off the bench to lead the Rebels with 18 points. Jessica Carver and Chelsey Robinson each added 10 points.

11/25/06  Lady Griffins fall to Eastern Oregon

Westminster College Women's Basketball lost to Eastern Oregon University, 68-64, on a neutral floor Saturday afternoon. The Griffins lost to the Mountaineers for the second time this season as EOU got 23 points from Emily Weaver. For Westminster, Elisa Leader continued her high scoring with 23 points while Janae Hirschi added 12 points and four rebounds

11/24/06  Ute women fall to Pittsburgh

The University of Utah women's basketball team suffered through a more-than five-minute scoring drought Friday night against the University of Pittsburgh. The Panthers' Shavonte Zellous took advantage of the scoring drought and led her squad to a 59-51 victory in the first round of the Duck Invitational at McArthur Court.

Shavonte Zellous finished with a game-high 28 points for Pittsburgh. Morgan Warburton scored 23 points to lead Utah and was the only Ute in double figures. She also grabbed a game-high six rebounds.

11/24/06  Wolverines with big win over Southern Virginia

The Utah Valley State women's basketball team is off to the best start in the school's NCAA history after rolling past Southern Virginia 84-57 on Friday, to move to 4-1 on the young season.

Robyn Fairbanks finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, hitting 10-for-13 from the floor, all in just 15 minutes of action. Lauren Smith set new career highs with nine points and eight rebounds in 20 minutes. Sandy Marvin had 11 points and six assists. Kendra Romito had a double double for Southern Virginia with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

11/24/06  T-Birds drop home opener to San Diego State

Southern Utah was held without a field goal over the final 9:45 of the game as San Diego State rallied to defeat the Thunderbirds, 55-52, in SUU’s home opener Friday night in the Centrum Arena. SUU remained winless on the year at 0-4, which marked program’s worst start since a nine-game slide to open the 1990-91 season, while the Aztecs improved to 2-3.

The T-Bird's Julie Stradling scored 11 of her team-high 15 points in the first half, while  Erin McClean chipped in 12.  Meanwhile Anne Westwood grabbed a game and career-high 14 rebounds as SUU outrebounded the Aztecs 39-36. SUU also won the turnover battle for the first time this year as the T-Birds committed 17 miscues, including just four in the second half, to 20 total Aztec mistakes.

Three Aztecs scored in double figures, led by Quenese Davis with a game-high 18 points, while Eveland and Lauren Hoisington poured in 11 points apiece off the bench.
 

11/24/06  Wildcats pick up first loss in overtime

The Wildcat women’s basketball team suffered their first loss of the season Friday night as they fell 72-70 in overtime to Western Carolina in the first round of the Coors Rocky Mountain Invitational in Fort Collins, Colorado.  The loss drops the ‘Cats to 3-1 on the season.

Sara Tuomi continued her strong start to the season as she finished with 25 points, before fouling out.  It is the third time in four games she has scored at least 20 points. She also had five rebounds and was 1-1 from the free throw line and is 23-23 from the line this season and has made 28 straight free throws.  She was 10-15 from the field, including 4-5 from three-point land.    

WSU also got strong play out of Chelsey Warburton who made five three-pointers and scored a season-high 21 points to go along with six assists, while playing a career-best 43 minutes.  She tied the school record with 15 three-point attempts. Shantee Releford ended the game with 11 points and a career-high 17 rebounds and tied her career-high with five blocked shots.

The Wildcats out shot Western Carolina 42 percent to 35 percent but the Catamounts won the rebounding battle 51-42 and had 22 offensive rebounds, which they converted into 22 second chance points.  WSU also committed 18 turnovers, which WCU turned into 21 points.   

11/24/06  Dixie State tops Western State

The Dixie State College women's basketball team traveled to the Holiday Inn Thanksgiving tournament hosted by Mesa State College and today defeated Western State College 78-65. The Rebels received a first half spark from Chelsea Robinson, she scored 13 points to the get Rebels within one point at the half. Trailing 41-40 at the half, the Rebels Tiarra Bowman netted 11 points and kept Dixie State in the game.

11/24/06  Lady Griffins sweep 'Yotes

Westminster College beat Albertson College 69-53 in Caldwell, Idaho, to complete the season sweep. The Griffins improved to 5-3 overall with the win.

Elisa Leader lead all scorers with 22 points while Alicia Haberle scored 16. Whitney Clark scored 17 to lead the 'Yotes.

11/22/06  CSI 13th and Salt Lake CC 18th in latest NJCAA National Poll

 LINK:   November 22, 2006 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball Poll

11/22/06  Cougars tame Broncos remain perfect at home

The No. 22 BYU women's basketball team sought redemption against Santa Clara Wednesday night at the Marriott Center after two tough road losses, defeating the Broncos 77-63.

The Broncos put up a good fight, but in the end they were not able to withstand the Cougar onslaught as Shawnee Slade recorded her second double double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead all scores in the game.
 

11/22/06  Wolverines win big over San Diego State

Robyn Fairbanks had 17 points and 13 rebounds as Utah Valley State built a big lead by half time and cruised to a 75-44 win over San Diego State, moving the Wolverines to 3-1 on the year and equaling the best start in the school's four-year NCAA history. The win avenges a 91-45 loss at the hands of the Aztecs (1-3) during the 2004-05 season, a 77-point turnaround from that game. It's also Utah Valley State's first win over a Mountain West opponent after losing the first six against schools from that conference.

"The job we did defensively really set the tone," said head coach Cathy Nixon. "We also did a really good job in limiting their second chance points. If we defend and take care of the ball, we feel like we can contend with people."

Fairbanks did her damage in just 24 minutes of play as every Wolverine played at least nine minutes. Sandy Marvin had 12 points and six assists for Utah Valley while Ashley Grimm tied her career high with 11 and Asumi Nakayama had 10. Lauren Hoisington led San Diego State with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

11/22/06  BYU signs six prep players

Utah standout Megan Marks, from Bingham High School, Keilani Moeaki, from Warrenville, Ill., Mindy Nielson from Centennial, Colo., along with Jazmine Foreman, Coriann Wood, and Stephanie Buhler, all from the Pacific Northwest are the six women's basketball players to sign letters of intent to play at BYU beginning the 2007-08 season. "We're very excited about the recruiting class we will have for the 2007-08 season," said head coach Jeff Judkins.

Marks, a 6-2 forward, shoots 42 percent from the field and 63 percent at the free throw line while averaging 4.0 rebounds per game. Last year she was First Team All-State and Region III MVP. Her sophomore season she was named Second Team All-State and is a two-year team captain. This year she's a Preseason McDonald's All-America. "Megan is one of the best players coming out of Utah. She's got versatility, can post up, and shoot from outside," comments Judkins. "She's got great height and shot blocking abilities and she understands our team concept."

Moeaki, who plays at Wheaton Warrenville South HS, is another excellent post coach Judkins is excited to have on the team. During her freshman and sophomore seasons, she was the team's co-MVP and was the leader in both points and rebounds. Her team competed in the Benet-Naperville Tournament two years in a row, where she was named to the All-Tournament Team both years and was co-MVP as a sophomore. She's also a three-time All-Area Honoree. . "She's a great inside player, she can drive to the basket, is an aggressive shooter, is very strong and an excellent rebounder."

Nielson,  a 5-10 guard/forward who plays at Regis Jesuit High School and averages 16.5 points per game has been twice named Second Team All-Conference, and is a McDonald's All-America honoree. In her sophomore season her team finished third in the state championships and third in the Continental League. Last year, the team picked up league champs honors and was runners-up in the state championships. Coach Judkins says her defensive skills are like those of his two best defenders on this year's team. "She's athletic, great around the basket and one of our best defenders," said Judkins. "We liken her defensive abilities to those of Jennie Keele and Melinda Johnsen. Mindy is a versatile player who will play the two or three position for us."

From the Pacific Northwest, the Cougars will bring in three perimeter players in Jazmine Foreman from Vancouver, Wash., and Hudson's Bay HS; Coriann Wood, a 6-1 forward from Othello, Wash.; and Stephanie Buhler a 6-0 forward who hails from Portland, Ore., and Oregon City HS. "These players come from different parts of the country and we feel that with them we can reach our goals that we have set for this basketball program, Judkins added."

 "We anticipate that Jasmine will play the point guard position for us. She has quickness, can penetrate, is a good ball handler, and an excellent outside shooter. She'll be great for us on fast breaks." Foreman is averaging 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game and is an 80 percent free-throw shooter. Last season she was named First Team All-League and was an All-Region Honorable Mention, team captain and team MVP. During her sophomore year she picked up All-League Honorable Mention honors.

Wood, a three-sport standout from the Tri-Cities area and Connell HS, is receiving great praises from coach Judkins and is being compared to Utah's Kim Smith. She's averaging 13. 1 points and 7.0 boards a game while shooting 53 percent from the field and 82 percent from the free throw line. "Coriann will be able to play at three different positions for us and her playing and skill ability is very similar to that of Utah's Kim Smith. She can post up, rebound, is a good shooter and she understands the game very well."

Buhler, a 6-0 forward who preps at Oregon City HS, rounds out the 2007-08 class of incoming freshmen for BYU. She was on the 2005 Energy Classic All-Tournament Team and MVV, has been named Oregonian Athlete of the Week, and has garnered All-State and All-League Honorable Mention awards. Last season her team was league champs and finished second in state. During her sophomore year the team was league champs and finished third in the state championships. Judkins is excited to have an outside shooter like her in his program. "Stephanie is and will be one of our best outside shooters. She's long and lanky and can play either the two or three position and will allow us the ability to spread the defense."

"We feel its one of the best classes we've signed since taking over the program. These are players that will fill major roles void by this year's senior class," added Judkins.
 

11/21/06  Wildcats defeat the Aggies 72-55

Sara Tuomi posted a career-high and led the Wildcats to something they haven't done in 12 seasons.  The Wildcats beat in-state rival Utah State 72-55 Tuesday night in Logan and jumped out to a 3-0 start on the season for the first time since 1994.  Tuomi posted a career 26 points and continued her solid play in the first part of the season.

11/21/06  WSU Women Signs Four New Players

Weber State women's basketball head coach Carla Taylor has announced the signing of four new players to compete with the Wildcats next season. The Wildcats have signed Kristin McComas, Karlee Weight, Caela Mohre, and Emily Thatcher to National Letters of Intent to join Weber State.

Kristin McComas is a 5-8 shooting guard from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She comes to Weber State from Nathan Hale High School in Milwaukee. She led the team in assists and three-point field goal percentage at Nathan Hale, while averaging 12 points a game. She was a First Team All-Greater Metro Conference selection last season. McComas also shot 72 percent from the free throw line.

Karlee Weight is a 6-1 center and joins Weber State from Timpview High School in Springville, Utah. Weight is an McDonald's All-American Team nominee for 2007 for the state of Utah. She has averaged 10 points, five rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1 steal per game at Timpview. She earned Honorable Mention 2005-06 All-Valley Team honors and was named one of Utah Valley's Top Post Players in 2005-06 by the Deseret Morning News. Weight has a 3.96 GPA and is a Member of the National Honor Roll. She has been a member of the Salt Lake Metro Club Team since 2004.

Caela Mohre comes to Weber State from Edon High School in Blakeslee, Ohio. She is a 5-6 point guard and is a three-year letter winner at Edon High. She has been named to the Buckeye Border All-Conference First Team in each of the last two seasons and to the District VIII First Team both seasons. As a junior she averaged 15 points, four assists, and three rebounds a game. She holds the Edon school record for points in a game with 30 and also is a three-time letter winner in track and volleyball.

Emily Thatcher joins Weber State from Las Cruses, New Mexico where she attended Mayfield High School. She is a 6-1 post player and was voted to the All-District First Team as a junior. She was co-captain of the team and helped lead the team to the second place in the 5A New Mexico State Basketball Championships. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and also earned high school letters in track and field.
 

11/21/06  Lady Rebels rally in 2nd half to defeat Fort Lewis

Less than a week after making history with their first road win as an NCAA institution, Dixie State's women made history again. Jessica Carver scored 24 points and grabbed five rebounds while Liz Lewis had 11 points and seven rebounds as the Rebels beat Fort Lewis College 63-51 Tuesday night. The win was the first at home for Dixie State (2-1).

11/21/06  Cowgirl basketball signs two

University of Wyoming Cowgirl head basketball coach Joe Legerski today announced the signing of two student-athletes to attend the University of Wyoming beginning in the fall of 2007. "We are pleased with the addition of Hillary Carlson and Irena Vankova to the Wyoming basketball program," said Legerski. "They both bring a great deal of size and skill which will help with the continuing growth of our program."

Hillary Carlson, 6-3, Forward/Center, Cheyenne, Wyo. (Cheyenne Central HS):
A three-time All-Conference and All-State selection while attending Cheyenne Central High School. As a junior, she helped her team to a first place finish at the regional tournament and the state runner-up spot. During her sophomore year, the team finished second at the regional tournament, but came away with Class 4A State Title. She was coached in high school by Chad Whitworth. A four-year letterwinner in basketball, she also excelled in volleyball. She earned All-Conference and All-State honors three times during her career, while helping her team to a third place finish as a sophomore, a fifth place finish her junior year and a Wyoming State Championship in 2006. They also finished first at the regional tournament this past year as well. "Hillary was a highly sought after recruit, who wanted to continue her career at Wyoming" said Legerski. "We expect her to come in right away and make a contribution to the program."

Irena Vankova, 6-3, Forward/Center, Prague, Czech Republic (Catalina Foothills HS):
Attended high school in Tucson, Arizona her senior year as an exchange student. Vankova was a team captain on her basketball team. She was coached by Laura Siemens. Also lettered in volleyball and track. She was a member of the Czech Republic Junior Basketball team that finished sixth at the European Championships. "Irena will add depth to our inside game, and will have the opportunity to come in and adjust to the college game."

11/20/06  T-Birds turned back at Portland 64-52

Three Pilots scored in double figures to help lead Portland to a 64-52 home victory over Southern Utah Monday night at the Chiles Center. The Thunderbirds (0-3) dropped their third-straight to open the regular season, while UP improved to 3-1 on the year. The Pilots led virtually wire-to-wire, taking early control of the game by outscoring SUU 25-7 through the first 14 minutes of play, including 13-straight points in one stretch as Portland held the Thunderbirds without a point for over six minutes, en route to a 35-19 lead at the half

SUU got balanced scoring from its starting unit as Julie Stradling led SUU with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while Erin McClean chipped in nine points, and Anne Westwood and Charmaine Piula poured in eight points apiece.
 

11/18/06  SLCC defeats Phoenix College

The latest Bruin bashing was given to the Phoenix College Bears courtesy of SLCC’s own Michelle Pace (freshman, Holladay, UT) and company. The Olympus High School phenom recorded her first collegiate double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds while setting the pace for the 93-36 win over Phoenix.

Keshia Catten (freshman, Murray, UT) shared the hot hand with Pace as she shot 50% from three point range and tallied 16 points on the night. SLCC was strong in the post with sophomores Atta Diabate (Mali, Africa) and Breanne Law (Boise, ID) contributing 13 and 11 points respectively. Diabate also pulled down 9 boards. Rounding out the Bruin’s effort against the Bears was Krista Farr (freshman, Riverdale, UT) with 11 points.

For the second straight game, every Salt Lake player that entered into the game contributed in the scoring column. SLCC out-rebounded Phoenix 60-33 and shot a solid 51% from the field.

11/18/06  Lady Griffins split at Lewis-Clark invitational

Westminster College (4-3) got its fourth win of the year against Evergreen State College at the Lewis-Clark Invitational this past weekend in Lewiston, ID. 

The Griffins exploded to a 33-13 halftime lead holding the Geoducks to 18% shooting during that time.  Evergreen State fought back in the 2nd half but eventually fell 58-43. Elisa Leader led all scorers with 20 points and teammate Janae Hirschi had 18 points and 7 rebounds.

Eastern Oregon University defeated Westminster 81-66 during the first game of the Lewis-Clark Invitational Friday in Lewiston, ID. With 9 minutes remaining in the game, Westminster held a 6 point advantage but EOU went on a 24-3 run to finish the contest.  EOU sharp shooter Christie Weaver nailed 7-12 shots from 3 point range and finished with a game high 37 points. Sophomore point guard Shannon Evans led the Griffins with 23 points. 

11/18/06  T-Birds struggle at Portland State 77-48

Portland State used a big second-half run en route to a decisive 77-48 triumph over Southern Utah Saturday afternoon at the Stott Center. The loss dropped the Thunderbirds to 0-2 on the young season, while the Vikings picked up their first win of the year to move to 1-2. Erin McClean led all scorers with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including a 3-for-4 effort from the perimeter
 

11/18/06  Lady Rebels lose to Dominican

Dixie State women's coach Angela Kristensen couldn't find many positives in the Rebels' 74-55 loss to Dominican University of California Saturday. Alisha Flaaten led Dominican (3-3) with 20 points while Olivia Williams had 19. Chelsea Robinson led DSC (1-1) with 12 points. Tiara Bowman added nine. Maggie Apt had eight rebounds

11/18/06  CSI sweeps 3 at Casper Tournament

CSI defeated Dawson CC 92-40 in the first game of the tournament.  Anita Burdick, Kali Hess and Tera Tremayne all had 11 points to lead the scoring.  Game 2 found CSI defeating Miles City CC 65-59. Maria Moore had 24 points to lead the Lady Eagles, Brittany Moore added 13 points and 9 rebounds.   The final game found CSI defeating tourney host Casper College 61-42.  Maria Moore led the scoring with 20 points  followed by Brittany Moore's 13 points.

11/17/06  Richards, Brown lead Utah State to thrilling 85-83 win over Idaho State

Junior guard Taylor Richards hit two free throws with 2.9 seconds remaining to capture a thrilling 85-83 win for the Utah State women's basketball team over Idaho State Friday night at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Richards was one of three Aggies to post career-highs, netting a team-high 26 points. The victory snapped Utah State's seven-game losing streak overall dating back to last season, improving to 1-1 on the young season, and was the Aggies' first home-opening win since 1984, a span of five seasons, as the women's basketball program was discontinued after the 1987 season before being reinstated for the 2003-04 season.Idaho State falls to 0-2 on the year. It was Utah State's second win in a row over Idaho State at Logan and the Aggies now lead the series, 13-9.
 

Richards was followed by junior forward Jamelah Brown with a career-high 18 points, while sophomore forward Lindsey Freeze tallied a career-high 17 points. Senior guard Brittany Phillips added 14 points and pulled down a team-high six rebounds. Idaho State was led by Natalie Doma's career-high 33 points, including 25 in the second half, nearly single handedly leading the Bengals back from a 41-33 Utah State halftime lead. Andrea Lightfoot tallied 25 points, while Devin Diehl added 16 points.

11/17/06  Cats' improve to 2-0 with win over Northern Iowa

The Weber State women's basketball team won their second game in as many tries with a 69-58 win over Northern Iowa Friday night at the Dee Events Center.

Junior Sara Tuomi led WSU for the second straight game with her second double-double of the season. The Billings, Montana native finished with 18 points and ten rebounds and was a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line. Along with Tuomi and Rayback, two other players scored in double figures. Laura Porter had 12 points, six assists, five rebounds, and four steals on the night, and Tashina Taylor had 10 points and six rebounds. Tara King had 28 points for Northern Iowa.
 

11/17/06  Ute Women Survive UVSC in Double Overtime

The University of Utah women's basketball team needed two overtimes to get by Utah Valley State at the McKay Event Center Friday night, 70-68. The Utes got seven points from Morgan Warburton in the second overtime and watched as UVSC had a three-point attempt rattle in and out at the buzzer.

Utah (1-2) built a six-point advantage over the first four minutes of the second extra session. Warburton scored the Utes' first four points in the second OT, sandwiched around an Ashley Grimm free throw for UVSC (2-1). That put Utah on top 60-57 with three minutes remaining. A Hennasea Tokumura) layup gave the Utes a five-point lead, 62-57, with 2:34 remaining. UVSC's Sandy Marvin hit a pair of free throws, but Utah countered with a single free throw from Heidi Carlsen  and a pair at the charity stripe from Kalee Whipple  to make it 65-59 with just more than one minute remaining.

The Wolverines' Asumi Nakayama hit a three-pointer to pull UVSC back within three, 65-62. Warburton and Tokumura then went 2-of-4 combined at the line to put the Utes back up by five, 67-62, with 30 seconds leff. But Nakayama hit another long three-pointer and pulled the Wolverines back within two. Warburton hit two more free throws for Utah at the 23-second mark to make it 69-65. Julie McMurray then hit another trey for Utah Valley State, pulling her team within one, 69-68. With 10 seconds remaining, Carlsen converted one free throw to give the Utes a two-point advantage, 70-68. UVSC went the length of the floor and got McMurray a three-point opportunity that hit the front iron, then the back iron, before rattling out just before the buzzer.

Warburton led all scorers with a career-high 25 points. She was 8-of-15 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three-point range and 7-of-8 at the free-throw line. Whipple was Utah's only other double-figure scorer. She tallied her first career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Jessica Perry  grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds. The Utes out-rebounded UVSC 55-43.

UVSC was paced by 18 points from Marvin. Hollie Beaman tacked on 11, while Rebekah Peterson scored 10 points off the bench for the Wolverines.

Dixie State's women's basketball team didn't waste any time claiming its history first NCAA Division II win. Tiara Bowman scored 18 points to lead the Rebels to a 75-72 win over Cal State-Monterey Bay Friday night. Liz Lewis had 16 points. Jessica Carver, added 15.and Chelsea Robinson had 10 points.

11/16/06  Pair of post players sign NLI's with Idaho State

Idaho State women's basketball coach Jon Newlee has announced the signing of Ali Sisel and Cara Lambert to National Letters of Intent. Sisel, from Luxemburg, Wisconsin and Lambert, from Broomfield, Colorado, will join the Bengals for the 2007-08 academic year. "Both of these players will give us a lot of size on the post," Newlee said. "We've added a lot of size to our team. Both Ali and Cara bring a lot of athleticism to the team. They will add some toughness to our post."

Sisel, a 6-3 post player, is currently a senior at Luxemburg-Casco High School. The Wisconsin native averaged 10.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game during her junior campaign for LCHS. Sisel also shot an impressive 54 percent from the field and collected 33 blocks as a junior. She helped lead the Spartans to a regional championship, and was named to the All-Conference team. "Ali brings a lot of good size and athleticism to the team," Newlee said. "She is big and strong inside. Ali can run the floor and she defends the block well. She can also step out and shoot the ball and has a nice touch around the basket. Ali is filling a need for us by bringing a toughness that we are lacking right now."

Lambert, a 6-2 forward, is currently a senior at Horizon High School in Broomfield, Colorado. She averaged 9.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game last year as a junior. She led her team to a state championship appearance and was named to the All-Conference team. "Cara is extremely strong and is very aggressive," Newlee said. "She does a good job of running the floor. She is a hard-nosed player who isn't afraid to mix it up inside. She's feisty and has a tremendous love of the game."

11/16/06  Cougs can't overcome Tough Baylor Pressure

The Cougars' run in the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament came to an end Wednesday evening, as No.16 Baylor defeated No. 18 BYU, 84-58.
Three Cougars scored in double figures. Kubik Wright netted 17 points, while Jennie Keele and Shawnee Slade and 12 and 11 points, respectively. Slade's 11 points is a career high for her. Kubik, Keele and Slade also posted five rebounds apiece.

Jenna Galloway, a 5-11 forward out of Spokane, Wash., has been a three-year varsity starter at Ferris High School going into her senior season. She was named all-league honorable mention as a junior, and also named her team’s Most Valuable Offensive player. Galloway averaged 12 points per game, seven rebounds per game, 2.5 assists per game and 1.5 steals per game in 2005-06. She has also played for three years with the AAU club the Spokane Stars. “Jenna is a big guard who brings us perimeter shooting and is strong off the dribble,” said Kelly. “What I like about Jenna is that she plays so hard whether she’s on offense or defense. She’s just a very hard-working athlete.”

As a junior at Diamond Ranch High School, Dy averaged 10 points, 4.5 assists, 2.6 steals and 2.0 rebounds per game. In addition, she shot 48 percent from the field and 36 percent from three-point range. The Panthers finished the 2005-06 campaign with a 29-5 overall record and a 10-0 Mount Baldy League mark. “Eliza is very skilled offensively and distributes the ball exceptionally well,” Binford said. “She understands the game and she knows how to win. She will help fill the void left by Alyssa Nelson.” Dy led Diamond Ranch to the C.I.F. championship and garnered All-C.I.F. First-Team honors, as well as, all-league and All-Inland Valley kudos. In addition, she was named the team’s offensive player of the year, and earned the school’s coaches award.

11/13/06  Hurricane's Barrett signs with Dixie State College

Brandi Barrett, a 6-foot-1 center, averaged 10 points and 10 rebounds a game as the Tigers finished with a 12-9 record and placed third in Region 9. Barrett has a grade point average of 3.99 on a 4.0 scale.   Barrett played club basketball this past spring/summer with the Salt Lake Metro club basketball team.

11/13/06  Ute Women Drop 61-55 Decision to Fresno State

The University of Utah women's basketball team is 0-2 to begin a season for the first time since 1993. The Utes dropped a 61-55 decision to Fresno State in their home opener Monday night at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Utah had better numbers than the Bulldogs in almost every phase of the game, but one -- turnovers. The Utes turned the ball over 23 times, giving Fresno State too many opportunities down the stretch.

Morgan Warburton  scored a team-high 18 points for Utah, including 3-of-4 from behind the three-point arc. Joh-Teena Filipe finished with 12 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Halie Sawyer  tallied nine points, as did Heidi Carlsen. Fresno State was paced by Chantella Perera, who scored a game-high 23 points and was 11-of-12 from the free-throw line.

11/12/06  Eastern Washington signs three players

Julie Piper of Roseburg, Ore., has signed a letter of intent to attend Eastern Washington University and play for the women's basketball squad, head coach Wendy Schuller announced on Sunday (Nov. 12). The Eagles earlier in the week signed Brittany Fiske and Kyla Evans. All three players will become Eagles in 2007-08.

Piper, a 6-0 forward, was named all-league as a junior, averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Roseburg High School player also played for the Oregon Selects summer team. Piper succeeds on the soccer field, as well, earning league MVP honors her junior campaign. The squad recently finished off an impressive showing in the state tournament, advancing to the round of 16."I am excited to have a player of Julie's physical ability in our program," Schuller said. "She is gifted in her athleticism and in her ability to learn things quickly. She should be a special player for the Eagles.

Brittany Fiske, a 5-10 guard from Berthoud High School in Loveland, Colo., and Kyla Evans, a 5-11 guard from Brewster High School in Brewster, Wash., will begin playing for Eastern in 2007-08. The pair signed on the first day of the NCAA early signing period.

Fiske was named all-conference and all-area on three occasions each and achieved all-state recognition as a junior. That same season, she surpassed the 1,000-point milestone while averaging 16 points per game and eight rebounds per contest. She also played for the Boulder Rockies."Brittany is a splendid athlete," Schuller said. "Her skills range from perimeter-range shooting to rebounding, so she has the ability to play anywhere on the floor. She will fit in well with our up-tempo and high-pressure style."

Evans has been named All-Caribou League all three years she has played so far and earned league MVP honors and first team all-state accolades as a junior. She averaged 21 points and nine rebounds per game that season. Her summer team was the Tri-City Packers. "Kyla is a great shooter from long range," Schuller said. "She reminds me a lot of Stephanie Ulmer in her ability to shoot the ball quickly and accurately. Kyla also has a great understanding of the game, which enhances her ability to handle and pass the basketball."

11/11/06   CEU goes 1-2 at Coke Classic

CEU defeated Sheridan College 68-59 in the opening game of the Coke Clasic.  CEU was led by Haley Rogers' 18 points.  Game 2 found  nationally ranked Central Arizona defeating CEU 82-55.  Staci Little led the lady Eagles with 13 points and 9 rebounds.  In the final game, Casper College defeated CEU 81-63.  Mallory Holm had 11 points in the losing effort, Staci Little added 11 points and 9 rebounds.

11/11/06   CSI goes 2-1 at Coke Classic

CSI defeated Casper College 89-51 in the first game of the Coke Classic.  CSI was led by Brittany Moore's 16 points and Maria Moore's 12 points and 8 assists.  In game 2,  CSI defeated Sheridan College 98-80 behind Maria Moore's 25 points, 9 assists and 7 steals.  Brittany Moore added 16 points.   Game 3 of the classic found Central Arizona defeating CSI 81-79.  Maria Moore had 36 points (7-9 from 3) and 11 rebounds in the losing effort.

11/11/06   Lady Griffins improve to 3-2 at Holiday Classic

Westminster College Women's Basketball hosted their annual Holiday Inn Fall Classic this past weekend with two wins in three games.

In the first contest, Concordia University led by 9 late in the game only to have Westminster cut the lead to 2 with 30 seconds left.  The Griffins then missed a 3 to go ahead and eventually had to foul, losing 77-69.The Griffins put four players into double figures.  Alicia Haberle led all scorers with 17 points followed by Shannon Evans with 15, Elisa Leader with 13 and Jordan Eckman with 10.

The following night Westminster faced Albertson College.  Shannon Evans was held scoreless in the first half only to explode for 17 in the second including 4 of 5 shooting from behind the arc.  Her 3 pointer with 27 seconds remaining proved to be the game winner for the Griffins.  Westminster shot 10-16 from the 3 point line which helped secure the 73-71 victory.

In the tournament finale, Westminster played Georgia native Berry College.  The Griffins started fast and led 45-29 at the half.  Berry would respond to the deficit and Westminster had to hold off a late rally to win 81-71.Elisa Leader led all scorers with 23 points.  Mara Hosk