Varsity Sports: Sanni Named Athlete of the Week
January 14, 2008 02:58 PM | General
January 14, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va.- Senior center Olayinka Sanni has been named West Virginia University’s athlete of the week after her performance in WVU’s two games last week.
Sanni posted a team-high 12 points and grabbed five boards in the Mountaineers’ loss at No. 1 Connecticut on Jan. 9.
The Chicago Heights, Ill., native then followed that up with another double-figure game against No. 14 Notre Dame in the WVU Coliseum. Sanni scored 15 points and had six rebounds in a 56-50 win over the Irish. It was the second ever win over Notre Dame in school history and it was WVU’s seventh win over a ranked program under Mike Carey.
This Week in Women’s Basketball
The Mountaineers return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m., when they take on Marquette at the WVU Coliseum … the game will be broadcast on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
Last Week in Women’s Basketball
The No. 16 Mountaineers went 1-1 last week … freshman Maya Moore scored 25 points and center Tina Charles added 18 points as No. 1 Connecticut cruised to an 84-48 victory over No. 16 West Virginia on Jan. 9, at Gampel Pavilion … center Olayinka Sanni led West Virginia’s effort with 12 points, while Sparkle Davis added 11 points … WVU then defeated BIG EAST rival Notre Dame 56-50 on Jan. 13, at the WVU Coliseum … WVU held the Irish to just 11 first half points, which set a Notre Dame team record for fewest points in a half breaking the previous low of 12 set in 1981 against Virginia … the Mountaineers led 31-11 at the break … the point total also tied a Mountaineer record for the fewest allowed in a half with UNC Greensboro who also netted just 11 in 2004 … the Mountaineers never trailed in the game but found themselves with just a one point lead with 1:22 to go … West Virginia then responded down the stretch going 10-of-10 from the free throw, including six by senior LaQuita Owens, to seal the victory … senior guard Meg Bulger led all scorers with 17 points and a career-best four blocks … Sanni scored 15 points while junior Ashley Powell grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds … Charel Allen paced the Irish with 11 points … WVU held Notre Dame to just 24.5% shooing including 17.9% in the first half … the Mountaineers forced 18 Irish turnovers.
Notes & Quotes
With the win over Notre Dame, West Virginia improves to 12-3 and 2-1 in conference play … the Irish fall to 13-3 and 1-1 in league play … WVU has now won 18 of its last 19 home games … the win was the second ever over Notre Dame in school history and it was WVU’s seventh win over a ranked program under Mike Carey.
This Week in Swimming and Diving
The West Virginia University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will close out the regular season as they travel to South Bend, Ind., to compete in the Shamrock Invitational on Jan. 25 -26, at the Rolfs Aquatic Center ... meet time is set to begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25.
Last Week in Swimming and Diving
The Mountaineers fell to BIG EAST rival Pitt at the WVU Natatorium on Saturday, Jan. 12 ... the men’s team fell 131-110, while the women’s team fell 124-119.
Notes & Quotes
The WVU men’s swimming and diving teams are 6-7, 2-2 on the season, while the women’s side is 8-4, 2-2, with one regular season meet left ... senior Nick Delic and sophomore Michael Walker led the men’s side capturing two first place finishes a piece ... Delic took first in the 50 free (21.03) and the 100 (45.57), while Walker captured wins in 200 IM (1:51.33) and in the 200 back (1:52.46) ... on the women’s side sophomores Morgan Callaway and Kayla Andrews also captured two wins a piece ... Callaway posted wins in the 200 free (1:15.69) and the 200 back (2:02.63), while Andrews took first in the 50 free (23.82) and in the 100 free (50.67) ... Lindsay Largo and sophomore Justin Galbreath, both took first in the 1000 free ... Largo finished with a time of 10.11.79, while Galbreath finished in 9:34.82 ... in the 200 breast event, senior Kevin Donohue captured a first place finish in his last home meet, with a time of 2:01.15 ... sophomore Kitti Veisz also won the 200 breast in record setting fashion as she broke the Natatorium record, with a time of 2:18.67... the previous record of 2:20.33 was set in 1997 ... the Mountaineers also did well in the relay events posting wins in the men’s 400 free relay (3:07.69) and in the women’s 400 medley relay (3:53.19).
In diving, sophomore Ashley Malik took first in the women’s 1 mtr dive with a score of 228 ... Malik also place second in the 3 mtr dive with a score of 219.14, while senior Erica Pfeifer followed in third with 213.44 points.
This Week in Women's Track
WVU is idle this week … WVU returns to action on Jan. 25-26, at the Penn State Invitational in University Park, Pa.
Last Week in Women's Track
WVU’s 4x1 mile relay took first place at the Penn State Relays on Jan. 12, at the Horace Ashenfelter III Indoor Track in University Park, Pa. … the unit comprised of junior Karly Hamric, sophomore Clara Grandt, freshman Ahna Lewis and sophomore Keri Bland crossed the line in 20:20.38 to set an indoor school record … the Mountaineer relay beat out Penn State’s second place relay team of Claire Percival, Kathryn Fitzgerald, Cheryl Spring and Jessica Babcock at 20:25.92 … WVU had several other outstanding performances on the afternoon … Natasha Redman placed third in the high jump at 5-foot-7 … Brittany Hohn took seventh in the 55-meter dash, running a 7.40-second time in the finals … true freshman Chelsea Carrier picked up an ECAC qualifying time in the 55-meter hurdles at 8.09 to place third in the finals ... West Virginia’s 4x200-meter relay of April Rotilio, Hohn, Jordann Mitchell and Carrier would take second behind Penn State at 1:42.90.
Notes & Quotes
“After three weeks away from campus we all cross our fingers with the first meet back. We have emerged from this meet without injury and produced some good results in the process. We are not where we need to be for the BIG EAST meet, but we showed how we are progressing.” – Head Coach Sean Cleary
This Week in Rifle
The rifle team will host two-time defending champion NCAA Alaska-Fairbanks on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 8 a.m.
Last Week in Rifle
The rifle team opened the second portion of its season when the Mountaineers defeated Nebraska on Saturday, Jan. 12, by a score of 4615-4599 ... WVU shot a 2297 in smallbore and a 2318 in air rifle … the win was the first over the Cornhuskers since 2003 … the squad is now 4-2.
Notes & Quotes
Freshman shooter Brandi Eskew shot a record breaking 589 in air rifle against Nebraska breaking the air rifle record set at 587 on Nov. 14, 2004 … Eskew ended the match with a total of 1163 points … freshman Andy Lamson shot a season and collegiate high of 578 in smallbore to take third place in the meet, behind Nebraska’s Kristen Weiss and WVU’s Tommy Santelli … Santelli led the Mountaineers in the event with a score of 579 … senior Natasha Dinsmore’s 566 score in smallbore was a personal best, while junior Paul Miller again tied his personal best in the event with a 570.
“This was a great win for us and a great start to the semester. The match was close after smallbore and we held it together in air rifle. Brandi (Eskew) did really well and it was nice to beat a team that we haven’t beaten in five years.” - Head Coach Jon Hammond
This Week in Wrestling
The West Virginia University wrestling team is off until their first home meet of the season on Thursday, Jan. 24, in an EWL opener against Clarion at 7:30 p.m. in the Coliseum … the Mountaineers will follow with another meet on Friday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the Coliseum against Bloomsburg.
Last Week in Wrestling
Senior Jared Villers was the only Mountaineer wrestler to record two wins as WVU competed in the prestigious NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals on Saturday, Jan. 12, at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa … WVU was defeated during the morning session by No. 5 ranked Minnesota, 32-9, and then fell to Ohio State in the afternoon session, 29-9 … the 0-2 start eliminated WVU from the National Duals, which has carried a reputation for being the most competitive duals tournament in collegiate wrestling.
Notes & Quotes
Villers started his perfect day by defeating Minnesota’s Justin Bronson in a 7-4 decision … the 197-pounder followed with a come-from-behind victory over Ohio State’s John Weakly, 8-6 … the two quality victories gives Villers a four-match winning streak and extends his overall record to 10-2, including a perfect 6-0 in dual meets … WVU won a total of six matches in the two meets combined, all by decisions … the Mountaineers were without two-time All-American Brandon Rader, who is most likely out for the season with a knee injury.
“This is the best of the best out here and you have to approach it that way. It’s not a loss to me but as a team it’s a loss because I would’ve liked to wrestle some other teams.” -Jared Villers
This Week in Gymnastics
West Virginia (1-4) travels to take on Maryland on Friday, Jan. 18, in College Park, Md., at 7 p.m.
Last Week in Gymnastics
No. 22 WVU took third in a tri-meet with No. 9 Michigan and No. 14 Arkansas in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Jan. 11 … WVU tallied 190.3 points, while the Wolverines won the meet, topping the Gym’Backs 196.075-195.25 … the Mountaineers had one of their better events of the night on floor in the third rotation … junior Mehgan Morris and sophomore Shelly Purkat tied for the team high with 9.775s … senior Katie McGregor hit her floor routine to earn a 9.65 average score from the judges … West Virginia’s best effort of the night came on vault, its final event … freshman Emily Kerwin earned a career-high 9.725 before Amy Bieski hit for a 9.8 … Chelsi Tabor added another solid vault with a 9.7 before senior Jaime Gold finished the event with a 9.75 … WVU finished with 48.5 points on vault … Bieski’s vault of 9.8 took fourth individually, while Morris tied teammate Purkat for sixth place on floor.
Notes & Quotes
Villers started his perfect day by defeating Minnesota’s Justin Bronson in a 7-4 decision … the 197-pounder followed with a come-from-behind victory over Ohio State’s John Weakly, 8-6 … the two quality victories gives Villers a four-match winning streak and extends his overall record to 10-2, including a perfect 6-0 in dual meets … WVU won a total of six matches in the two meets combined, all by decisions … the Mountaineers were without two-time All-American Brandon Rader, who is most likely out for the season with a knee injury.
The Mountaineers’ all-time record against Arkansas falls to 2-3 … WVU also falls to 4-14 all-time against Michigan … freshman Jessica Young hit her first collegiate bar routine for a score of 9.625.
