Aubray Zell Wins Third WAC Player of the Week Honor

The Boise State softball pitcher is making a bid for all-conference honors.  Today, the WAC office announced that Zell was its Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season.  Zell had two complete game victories over powerful Hawai'i in Honolulu over the weekend, posting a 0.50 ERA.


Zell and the Broncos have complete control of their destiny in the WAC.  Behind #25 Fresno State by just one game and New Mexico State by two games, Boise State hosts Fresno this weekend for three games and travels to Las Cruces for three games with New Mexico State.  Win them all and the Broncos are champs.

Schedule for Women's WAC Tennis Tournament

The women's tournament, keep in mind, gets underway one day earlier than the men's.  It starts Thursday.


Boise State gets the #1 seed and a first-round bye.  They will meet the winner of the Utah State-San Jose State match Thursday at 2:30 at the Appleton Center.

Thursday, April 28
Women's #8 (Utah State) vs. #9 (San Jose State)  -  9:00 a.m. - Appleton Tennis Center (ATC)
Women's #4 (Idaho) vs. #5 (New Mexico State)  -  9:00 a.m. - Julia Davis Park (JDP)
Women's #3 (Nevada) vs. #6 (Hawai'i)  -  12:00 p.m. - Julia Davis Park (JDP)
Women's #2 (Fresno State) vs. #7 (San Jose State)  -  12:00 p.m. - Appleton Tennis Center (ATC)
Women's Winner #8/9 vs. #1 (Boise State) - 2:30 p.m. - Appleton Tennis Center (ATC)

Friday, April 29
Women's semi-final -  Winner #3/6 vs. Winner #2/7 - 12:00 p.m. - ATC
Women's semi-final -  Winner #4/5 vs. Winner #1/8-9 - 3:00 p.m. - ATC
                               

Saturday, April 30

Women's Championship Match  -  10:00 a.m. - ATC 

Schedule for Men's WAC Tennis Tournament

Friday, April 29:
Men's #3 (Idaho) vs. #6 (Utah State)  -  12:00 p.m. - Julia Davis Park

Men's #4 (Boise State) vs. #5 (Hawai'i)  -  3:00 p.m. - JDP        

                           

Saturday, April 30Men's semi-final  -  Winner #3/6 vs. #2 New Mexico State  -  1:00 p.m. - Appleton Tennis Center
Men's semi-final  -  Winner #4/5 vs. #1 Fresno State  -    4:00 p.m. - ATC

Sunday, May 1Men's Championship Match - 12:00 p.m. - ATC

Up-To-the-Minute WAC Commissioner's Cup Standings

In this case, literally.  The last regular season matches have just been completed and, as shown in the other post, points awarded for the regular season in both men's and women's tennis.  I don't believe the WAC site posts the points on their page until the tournament is over, but you now know what the standings are without having to wait!


1.  Boise State 74.25
2.  Utah State 61.60
3.  Fresno State 54.00
4.  New Mexico State 53.50
5.  Idaho 48.25
6.  Nevada 46.50
7.  Hawai'i 41.00
8.  San Jose State 38.00
9.  Louisiana Tech 34.00


As mentioned in my Cup projections post last week, I am now forecasting Fresno State to finish with about 89 points.  That is going to be about the limit for them because they are projected to be near the top in most of the remaining sports (they can't get much higher).  As soon as Boise State tops that estimated total (and I will continue to revise projections as is necessary and will be able to provide a concrete number very soon), they will clinch the Cup.  At this time, I don't see any other league school challenging for the title.

New Points Awarded For WAC Commissioner's Cup

With the conclusion of the regular season for men's and women's tennis, points have been awarded for the WAC Commissioner's Cup.  The points for tennis are split with half going to the regular season and half to the tournament coming up in Boise.


Here is how it breaks down:


Men's Tennis:
1.  Fresno State 3.5
2.  Idaho 2.75
2.  New Mexico State 2.75
4.  Boise State 2
5.  Utah State 1.25
5.  Hawai'i 1.25
7.  Nevada 1 (awarded the full points for last place since they aren't in tournament)


Women's Tennis:
1.  Fresno State 4.5
2.  Boise State 3.75
2.  Nevada 3.75
4.  Idaho 3
5.  New Mexico State 2.5
6.  Hawai'i 2
7.  San Jose State 1.5
8.  Louisiana Tech 1
9.  Utah State .5

Boise State Tennis Team Loses to Arizona

The Broncos fell again to Arizona 4-2 this morning.  Their play in Las Cruces appears to have knocked them out of the NCAA Tournament unless they are able to win the WAC.


The men's WAC tourney gets underway Friday in Boise.

Boise State Beats Hawai'i 3-2 to Sweep Series

Boise State and Hawai'i each have a hit through an inning and a half.  Hawai'i got a leadoff single in their half.  Boise State won the first two games so Hawai'i is trying to salvage one.


Hawai'i takes a 2-0 lead, both runs earned but as a result of two Bronco errors in the inning.  Boise State has mounted a bit of a comeback in the fourth.  Allie Crump singled and Devon Bridges walked.  After a Capobianco strikeout, Kelly Sweeney doubled in Crump and Bridges is on third with one out.  Vanessa Alvarez did her job, pinch-hitting for catcher Megan Harvey.  She send a bly ball deep enough to score bridges and the game is knotted at two.


Crump's single in the fifth scored Holly Bourke with the game-winner.

Boise State Beats Hawai'i 7-4

I have heard local Boise media people say that Boise State had no chance to win the WAC because of teams like Fresno State and Hawai'i.


Well, Boise State is on the islands at the moment.  Last night, the Broncos won 2-1 in a pitcher's dual.  Tonight, Boise State leads Hawai'i 7-4.  The game is in the bottom of the seventh.


And the game is over, and once again, you heard the final score on this blog before any other site anywhere, radio, television, newspaper or internet.  Broncos win 7-4.


Here's how they did it.  With two outs, Kelly Sweeney's single to left center scored Vanessa Alvarez for a 1-0 Bronco lead in the second.  Kellie Caplan's single then scored Sweeney, who had advanced to second.


Boise State added two runs in the fourth.  Mackenzie Whyte walked, setting up freshman sensation Devon Bridges.  Guess what?  Bridges did it again, a two-run shot that gave Boise State a 4-0 lead.  Boise State would tack on two more runs in the fifth and they would prove to be important ones.  Pitcher Allie Crump singled, and for the second consecutive game, Christina Capobianco sent a two-run blast deep over the fence.  


Hawa'ii got two runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the bottom in the sixth to make it a 6-4 game.  Tazz Weatherly's walk with the bases loaded gave the Broncos an insurance run in their half of the seventh and Lela Work came in and saved the game for Boise State, pitching the last two innings.  


By the way, these two wins are the first two in program history over the mighty Rainbow Wahine, and even better, it was at their place.  I've been saying it all year and I'll repeat it--I believe this team can make a solid run at a championship, either in the regular season, the postseason, or both.  


They are about to play the second game of the doubleheader and last of the three-game set.  New Mexico State and Fresno State both continued to win today so the Broncos must do the same.  Boise State hosts #25 Fresno State next weekend and plays at New Mexico State the following weekend so they control their own destiny.

Sexton a Double Winner at Oregon Relays

Chase Sexton has won again at the Oregon Relays, this time in the shot put. Sexton, who won the discus last night, threw the shot 53-feet, 3.5 inches to take first.

And once again, this news was brought to you first in Idaho by this blog.

Nelson, Kraychir Finish 2-3 in Collegiate Hammer at Oregon Relays

Boise State juniors Alex Nelson and Trevor Kraychir have finished 2-3 out of the collegiate competitors in the hammer throw at the Oregon Relays in Eugene.

Nelson posted a mark of 203-10 while Kraychir recorded a 196-05.  Oregon's Jordan Stray (210-10) was the top collegiate competitor.  Two professionals finished 1-2 today.

Sexton Wins Discus at Oregon Relays

Boise State's Chase Sexton went into famous University of Oregon and captured the discus title at the Oregon Relays taking place this weekend in Eugene.

Sexton threw the disc 173-feet to take first place; Oregon's Randall Horn was third with a mark of 158-11. 

Bronco Men's Tennis Team Could Finish 4th in WAC

With two WAC matches remaining in the regular season, Boise State's proud tennis team could be seeded fourth in the upcoming tournament.  Idaho is currently 3-2, having lost to New Mexico State.  The Aggies are also 3-2 and both have matches against Nevada today.  Nevada is 0-4 and the odds highly favor wins by Idaho and New Mexico State.

If that happens, Fresno State (6-0) will be the #1 seed, followed by New Mexico State, Idaho, Boise State (3-3), Hawai'i and Utah State (2-4, but Hawai'i getting the #5 seed) and Nevada at 0-6.

Broncos Top Hawai'i 2-1 To Open Series

There are still two games left in their series, but Boise State was able to strike the first blow.

Christina Capobianco launched a two-run home run in the fifth inning to propel Boise State to a 2-1 victory over Hawai'i in the opening game of their three-game set in Honolulu.  Aubray Zell pitched another masterpiece in holding down the hot Hawai'i bats to preserve the victory.

Stephanie Ricketts of Hawai'i also pitched a gem, facing the minimum number of batters through four.  But a one-out walk to Devon Bridges set the stage for Capobianco's blast, her fifth of the season.  Bridges has now reached base safely in 32 consecutive games.  Boise State loaded the bases following the home run but stranded them all.

Zell handled Hawai'i until the sixth when Hawai'i (30-14, 8-5 in the WAC) cashed in on an error and left the tying run at second.  Aubray is 11-2 on the season, having defeated all seven WAC opponents in her career.

Boise State advanced to 27-15 and 10-3 in conference.  The Lady Broncos are the seventh team in WAC history to win 10 conference games twice in its first three seasons in the conference and the first to accomplish the feat in its first three years as a program.  Boise State and Hawai'i meet tonight in a doubleheader, with games at 8 and 10 p.m. Mountain Time.

Boise State Football Team Ranked #5 by ESPN

Boise State was ranked #5 by ESPN on the network's College Football Live show.  Oklahoma was rated as the best team with Alabama #2, Oregon #3 and LSU #4.  


Boise State was ranked #5 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll and got as high as #2 before the traditional drop when the college football elite get nervous that the Broncos are getting too close to a championship game.


Boise State meets a vastly-improved Georgia team September 3 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game to open the 2011 season.

Seeds 2-6 Up in the Air for WAC Men's Tennis

On the heels of Boise State's loss to New Mexico State tonight, the WAC standings are up in the air.  The tournament field is now set with Nevada being officially eliminated as the Pack will finish seventh.  We also know that Fresno State will be the #1 seed.  


Other than that, it's now up in the air.  Boise State finishes the season 3-3 and can be passed by New Mexico State (2-2) for third place if the Aggies win tomorrow and Sunday.  Utah State and Hawai'i can finish no higher than fourth but could be lower depending on what New Mexico State does.  


We'll now have to wait until Sunday to get the seedings for the upcoming WAC Tournament in Boise that starts Friday.

Bronco Men Lose To New Mexico State

Boise State has lost to New Mexico State 4-2 in men's tennis.  The match won't affect the WAC standings, but it's a bit of an eye-opener for Bronco fans who just a few short years ago were celebrating their third straight WAC title.  Boise State will finish the regular season 3-3 and third place in the WAC.

Bronco Women Host Hawai'i

They won't be able to enter the Western Athletic Conference Tournament as the #1 seed, but Boise State still has plenty to play for this Sunday when they host Hawai'i.

In fact, a loss could send the Lady Broncos tumbling to #4 in the conference standings, which not impacts them but the entire school as it tries to win the WAC Commissioner's Cup.  Boise State hosts the tournament beginning next Thursday and the team certainly wants to clinch the #2 seed.  Plus, they will want to end the regular season on a winning note for seniors Lauren Megale and Stephanie Jaspar. 

Admission is free and action gets underway at noon at the Appleton Center.

Boise State Shuts Out Nevada 4-0

Boise State blanked Nevada this morning 4-0 in men's tennis at Las Cruces, New Mexico.

The Bronco won all three doubles matches and then captured three singles matches to earn the victory and move their season record to 14-12, 3-2 in the Western Athletic Conference.   



No. 50 Boise State vs. Nevada
April 22, 2011, at Las Cruces, N.M.


Boise State 4, Nevada 0

 Singles competition
1. Andy Bettles (Boise State) def. Wessiem Derbel (NEV) 6-4, 6-3
2.  Scotty Sears (Boise State) def. Krsitian Kuharszky (NEV) 6-4, 6-1
3. Filipp Pogostkin (Boise State) vs. Victor Ouvrard (NEV) 7-6 (4), 2-0, unfinished
4. Nathan Sereke (Boise State) vs. Quentin Mege (NEV) 6-4, 5-3, unfinished
5. Eric Sheldon (Boise State) def. Kyle Walker (NEV) 6-1, 7-5
6. Michael Gilland (Boise State) vs. Nathan Reix (NEV) 7-6 (5), 3-2, unfinished

 Doubles competition
1. Jeff Mullen/Nathan Sereke (Boise State) def. Kristian Kuharszky/Victor Ouvrard (NEV) 8-4
2. Andy Bettles/Filipp Pogostkin (Biuse State) def. Wessiem Derbel/Quentin Mege (NEV) 8-7
3. Michael Gilliand/Scotty Sears (Boise State) def. Nathan Reix/Kyle Walker (NEV) 8-6

Boise State Wants Nick Patti as Quarterback

When Eagle High School's Tanner Mangum chose to go to BYU, I didn't worry; I knew Coach Petersen and his staff would get someone better.  Now comes word that Boise State has offered Nick Patti of Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando.  One has to wonder if he wasn't the first choice anyway because, according to Patti, Coach Pete told him that he was the only quarterback the Broncos would offer.


Patti is 5'11, 195 and led his team to a 14-1 record last year, losing only in the Florida State Championship.  He carries a 3.50 G.P.A. into his senior year.  Patti threw for over 2,000 yards and rushed for 500 (he runs a 4.5 40) as a junior.  He had Kellen Moore-like numbers with 37 touchdowns against only four intercepts.  He understands the game very well, excels at reading opposing defenses, and can make any throw he needs to.
I'll have more info, including videos that you can take a look at soon.

Honors Continue for Boise State's Creative Writing Professors

Members of Boise State's faculty in Creative Writing and the Master of Fine Arts program at the university continue to set the pace in Idaho and beyond.

Brady Udall's novel, "The Lonely Polygamist" was named the #1 work by Entertainment Weekly, and made national top 10 fiction lists at Publisher's Weekly (#9) and Amazon.com (#10).  "The MS of My Kin", the latest work from Boise State's Janet Holmes, was a 2009 bestseller for international publisher Shearsman and for Small Press Distribution.  Mitch Wieland's 2009 book "God's Dogs" was named Idaho Book of the Year, was a John Gardner Fiction Book Award finalist and a selectee for the "Best of the West" prize anthology.

Also, a new collection by Martin Corless-Smith, "English Fragments:  A Brief History of the Soul," led Boston Review poetry editor Timothy Donnelly to name Corless-Smith as one of his six favorite contemporary poets.  Visiting Boise State professor Anthony Doerr's latest book, "Memory Wall," was named one of the best of 2010 by the Boston Globe (#3), the Oregonian (#6) and Amazon.com (#9) as well as being a New York Times Notable Book and winner of the $20,000 Story Prize.