MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Senior Yutaro Tsukada of the West Virginia University men's soccer team has been named the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week presented by University Apartments.
 
Tsukada had three goals in two matches this past week, including a brace against Georgia State in the Sun Belt Championship quarterfinals. In the regular-season finale against Old Dominion, Tsukada buried a penalty in the 90th minute to lift the Mountaineers to a 2-1 victory over the Monarchs.
 
For the season, Tsukada has eight goals and nine assists, the ninth-most in the nation. Last week, he was named to the All-Sun Belt First Team for the first time in his career.
 
The Tokyo native will be back in action on Wednesday, Nov. 8, with the rest of the Mountaineers against South Carolina in the Sun Belt Championship semifinals. Kickoff from the UCF Soccer Complex in Orlando is set for 7 p.m. ET.
 
This Week in Women's Soccer: West Virginia has completed the 2023 season.
 
Last Week in Women's Soccer: No. 5-seed WVU fell, 3-1, to No. 4-seed Texas in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Big 12 Tournament in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 30 … the Longhorns tallied an early, 3-0 lead in the first half and never backed down … junior forward Dilary Heredia-Beltran put the Mountaineers on the board in the 57th minute, but it wasn't enough as UT advanced and became the eventual tournament champions … Texas outshot West Virginia, 16-9, including 8-2 in shots on goal ... UT earned seven corner kicks, compared to five for the Mountaineers.
 
Notes: The Mountaineers completed their 28th season of competition against Texas last week, finishing the campaign with an overall record of 7-8-4, including a 5-3-2 mark in Big 12 Conference play … the match marked the final collegiate game for seniors Mackenzie Aunkst, Jaydah Bedoya, Kayza Massey, Maya McCutcheon, Maddie Moreau, Lisa Schöppl and Julianne Vallerand … sophomore forward Taylor White led WVU with nine goals and 20 points on the year, while Heredia-Beltran paced the squad with six assists and 38 shots … freshman Jordyn Wilson was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team, earning her first career conference honor and becoming WVU's 21st all-freshman honoree all time.
 
This Week in Men's Soccer: West Virginia plays in the Sun Belt Championship semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 8, against South Carolina … kickoff from the UCF Soccer Complex is set for 7 p.m. ET … should the Mountaineers win on Wednesday, they will advance to the title match either at Marshall or at home against Kentucky on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 1 p.m.
 
Last Week in Men's Soccer: The Mountaineers closed out the regular season with a 2-1 victory over Old Dominion at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium … Carlos Hernando scored his first goal of the season against the Monarchs while Yutaro Tsukada secured the game winner with a penalty kick in the 90th minute … in the Sun Belt quarterfinals against Georgia State, WVU came from behind to win 3-1 … Luke McCormick scored his fifth goal of the season … Tsukada scored the game winner before adding a second goal to give him eight for the season.
 
Notes: The Mountaineers reached the 13-win plateau for the seventh time in program history … WVU jumped back up to No. 2 in the TopDrawerSoccer Top 25 … head coach Dan Stratford is one win away from his 100th for his career … Marcus Caldeira (26, 19th) and Yutaro Tsukada (25, 24th) are one of just three pairs of teammates to be in the top 25 in the country for points scored … the Mountaineers are looking for their first conference title since winning the MAC Tournament in 2019 … Caldeira and Tsukada were both named to the All-Sun Belt First Team, while Luke McCormick, Frederik Jorgensen, and Jackson Lee earned spots on the All-Sun Belt Second Team.
 
This Week in Women's Basketball: West Virginia opens its 2023-24 season with a pair of contests this week … the Mountaineers host Loyola Maryland on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. ET, at the WVU Coliseum … the game will serve as the first of four 50th anniversary celebrations throughout the year … fans also are encouraged to bring toy donations for the annual toy mountain toy drive … on Saturday, Nov. 11, WVU hits the road to face Pitt and renew the Backyard Brawl for the first time since 2018 … tipoff is set for 2 p.m. from the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh.
 
Notes: WVU enters Tuesday's contest with a 1-0 record against the Greyhounds … the two programs last met in 2010 as WVU won, 80-49 … … WVU is 28-19 all-time against the Panthers, including winning five in a row … Tuesday's season opener marks the first in the Mark Kellogg era … WVU returns six student-athletes to the floor this season, including four of five starters from an NCAA Tournament team a season ago … All-Big 12 First-Team and Defensive Team selection JJ Quinerly highlights the returners … she also was named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team and was named to the 2024 Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard of the Year Watchlist … the Mountaineers also add seven newcomers to round out the squad.
 
This Week in Volleyball: West Virginia (9-17, 2-11 Big 12) travels to Lubbock, Texas, on Thursday, Nov. 9, and Friday, Nov. 10, to face Texas Tech … Thursday's match is slated for 7 p.m. ET, followed by a 4 p.m. first serve on Friday.
 
Last Week in Volleyball: The Mountaineers hosted the Texas Longhorns on Nov. 2-Nov. 3 ... Texas took both matches in three sets, leading the program series, 24-0.
 
Notes: Texas Tech is the only team below West Virginia in the Big 12, as the Raiders have only collected one conference win … junior outside hitter Hailey Green ranks 37th in total kills in the nation with 341 … redshirt senior setter Lauren DeLo is tabbed at No. 37 nationally in assists per set with 883.
 
This Week in Cross Country: The Mountaineers head to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, on Friday, Nov. 10 … the women's 6k race is slated for noon ET … the awards ceremony will commence after the finalization of the men's race.
 
Last Week in Cross Country: West Virginia did not compete.
 
Notes: West Virginia ranks third in the Mid-Atlantic Region as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) last week.
 
This Week in Tennis: West Virginia will compete in the Big 12 Individual Championships on Nov. 10-13, in Waco, Texas, to wrap up the fall season. 
 
Last Week in Tennis: The Mountaineers did not compete.
 
Notes: Graduate student Love-Star Alexis competed at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 23 ... Alexis was defeated in the first round of the women's singles tournament.
 
This Week in Swimming and Diving: West Virginia does not compete until it hosts the WVU Invitational on Nov. 16-18, at the Aquatic Center at Mylan Park in Morgantown.
 
Last Week in Swimming and Diving: West Virginia did not compete last week.
 
Notes: By qualifying for the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships on the 3-meter springboard against Cincinnati, Krusinski has now qualified for the NCAA Zone A Diving Championships every year while at West Virginia.
 
This Week in Rowing: West Virginia does not compete this week.
 
Last Week in Rowing: The Mountaineers competed in the Head of the Occoquan Regatta in Fairfax Station, Virginia, on Nov. 4.
 
This Week in Rifle: West Virginia returns to action on Nov. 11-12, when it hosts Air Force, Murray State and Nebraska for the second annual WVU Fall Classic in Morgantown … smallbore will take place on Saturday, Nov. 11, with air rifle on Sunday, Nov. 12 … both days of competition are set to begin at 9 a.m. ET, inside the WVU Shell Building.  
 
Last Week in Rifle: The Mountaineers did not compete.
 
Notes: This season, WVU has defeated six teams ranked inside the top 11 of the CRCA Poll … the Mountaineers hold the highest aggregate (4743.4) and smallbore (2361.6) average in the nation and sit second in air rifle (2381.8) … Tucker's average of 593 in smallbore leads the nation while her aggregate mark of 1189.2 is second-best and her 596.2 in air rifle is eighth … all marks lead WVU.
 
This Week in Wrestling: West Virginia opens its home slate at the WVU Coliseum, as it will host Kent State, Cleveland State and Duke as part of the Mountaineer Quad on Sunday, Nov. 12 … match time is set for 1 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
 
Last Week in Wrestling: WVU captured three individual titles in its season opener at the 2023 Southeast Open on Nov. 4 … junior Jett Strickenberger led the way by winning the 125-pound open title in his WVU debut ... Strickenberger pinned 2022 SE Open champion Kyle Montaperto of Virginia in 3:50, before knocking off 2023 PAC-12 Champion, 2022 All-American and No. 14 Brandon Kaylor of No. 20 Oregon State in the finals … redshirt sophomore Jordan Titus, ranked No. 19 at 141 pounds, completed a 4-0 run to the Mountaineers' second title, outlasting No. 26 Cleveland Belton of OSU to seal a 6-5 decision in the closing seconds of the championship match … redshirt freshman Ian Bush added a 8-5 decision over Morgan State's Kingsley Menifee to claim the crown at 184 pounds within the sophomore/freshman division … thirteen other Mountaineers joined Strickenberger, Titus and Bush in the top six of their respective weight classes, including three runners-up: redshirt senior Michael Wolfgram (HWT), freshmen Ty Watters (149) and Mason Mills (125 – freshman/sophomore division), a pair taking third: senior Peyton Hall (165) and redshirt junior Dennis Robin (184), one placing fourth: senior Jack Blumer took fourth, and five rounding out the top five in fifth:  senior Caleb Dowling (157), redshirt junior Austin Cooley (197), redshirt sophomore Dylan Kohn (184), sophomore Cole Tolley (197 – sophomore/freshman division) and redshirt freshman Leonardo Muzika (HWT – sophomore/freshman division) … redshirt freshman Brian Finnerty (184 – sophomore/freshman division) placed fourth and fifth-year senior Alex Hornfeck (157) secured sixth competing unattached … Watters, Mills, Tolley and freshmen Garhett Dickerson (133), Dom Parker (157), Luke Eschenheimer (174) and Wilson Spires (HWT) all made their first appearances on the mat for West Virginia.
 
Notes: West Virginia began the 2023-24 season with eight Mountaineers ranked nationally by their respective weight classes: Titus (No. 19-141), senior Sam Hillegas (No. 29-149), Dowling (No. 25-157), Hall (No. 14-165), redshirt freshman Brody Conley (No. 31-174), Robin (No. 27-184), Cooley (No. 20-197) and Wolfgram (No. 17-HWT) according to FloWrestling … the Big 12 Championship heads back to the BOK Center in Tulsa for the eighth consecutive year on March 9-10 ... two weeks later, the 2024 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships take over Kansas City, Missouri, from March 21-23 ... Kansas City plays host to the event for the first time since 2003 and second time in history, marking the 11th time the postseason tournament has been held in Missouri.