UCLA guards join 30 others in running for women’s
basketball’s player of the year UCLA’s Nikki
Blue and Noelle Quinn sit in elite company. The guards were
recently named among the top-30 mid-season candidates for the
Naismith Trophy given to the women’s basketball’s
player of the year. Stanford’s Candice Wiggins was the lone
other Pac-10 player on the list. Blue, a native of Bakersfield,
Calif., has had solid numbers since the beginning of the season.
The junior currently averages 16.1 points, 6.0 assists, 5.1
rebounds and 3.3 steals per game. She ranks fourth in the Pac-10 in
scoring, second in assists and steals, and 16th in rebounding. In
the last six games, she has scored at least 20 points, and earlier
this season became the 20th player to score 1,000 career points.
Blue’s counterpart, Quinn, was having a sensational year
before a knee injury she sustained on Jan. 16 against Arizona set
her back more than six weeks. Before the sophomore went down with
the injury she averaged 16.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and
3.25 steals per game. Despite missing much of the season, she has
captured Pac-10 Player of the Week honors three times.
BASEBALL: Tuesday’s UCLA baseball game against UC
Riverside was among the casualties of the bad weather. The game was
rained out and will be rescheduled for Tuesday, May 24 at 6 p.m.
This marked the third consecutive game for the Bruins that has
either been delayed or postponed due to weather issues.
FOOTBALL: UCLA coach Karl Dorrell promoted assistant coach Eric
Bieniemy to recruiting coordinator on Tuesday. Bieniemy, who has
served as the Bruins’ running backs coach the last two years,
has had recruiting responsibilities the past couple years. He
replaces Don Johnson, who was hired last week by the Chicago Bears.
He will continue to coach the running backs. Bieniemy is part of
the Bruin coaching staff that will hold a free coaching clinic for
high school coaches this Saturday.
SOFTBALL: Following a 16 strikeout, one-hit shutout last week
against Georgia, UCLA freshman Anjelica Selden was named the Pac-10
Pitcher of the Week. During the game, she allowed only three
base-runners to get on. Selden continues to dominate, striking out
79 batters while just walking two in 40 innings, resulting in a
perfect 5-0 record.
Compiled by Bruin Sports senior staff.