Sports News Briefs
Week Ended 24 October 1999
Collected by Kent Larsen

Stories:
LDS Missions still causing confusion over graduation rates
Is Cougar Stadium a 'Cathedral?'

Athletes:
Profile of BYU Volleyball player Caroline Bower
BYU's Nina Puikkonen named MWC player of the week
LDS high school football star plays through father's death
Promising Air Force player Brandon Dart injured again
LDS Couple turned to Utah in spite of BYU background
LDS Cross-Country runner named prep athlete of the week
LDS Bishop seeks to end high school coaching career reviving Granite
LDS Washingtonian chooses to play for BYU

Missions:
ASU player Tanner Shell considering mission
Sophmore forward Dan Stewart returns to Aggie basketball after mission
Utah has two players returning from LDS Missions

Teams:
BYU's women's soccer wins four of first five conference games
Todd Miller leads BYU to sixth-place
BYU's cross country teams perform at pre-NCAA meet in Indianapolis
BYU Rugby beats Weber State
8th ranked Lady Cougars improve to 14-2
BYU 29, UNLV 0
Cougar soccer ends season

LDS Missions still causing confusion over graduation rates

University of Utah basketball coach Rick Majerus again had to deflect criticism of Utah for poor graduation rates. The program gets many LDS players, many of whom do not graduate before the six-year cut-off used by the NCAA for calculating graduation rates.

Majerus calls report on Utah's graduation rate misleading
Milwaukee WI Journal Sentinel 22Oct99 S2
By D. Orlando Ledbetter

Is Cougar Stadium a 'Cathedral?'

Deseret News sports columnist Brad Rock observes that a new book called "Cathedrals of College Football" is out and includes BYU's Cougar Stadium. But Rock says its not a Cathedral at all, but a 'Temple.'

Rock on . . . Touching all the bases
Deseret News 12Oct99 S3
By Brad Rock: Deseret News sports columnist

ATHLETES

Profile of BYU Volleyball player Caroline Bower

Bower, the daughter of a former LDS mission president, has recorded 153 kills, averaging 3.40 kills per game. Coach Elaine Michaelis calls Bower the team leader, "She is the heart and soul of our team out there."

Bower serves it up on and off of court
(BYU) Daily Universe 13Oct99 S2
By Christine Jackson: NewsNet Sports Writer

BYU's Nina Puikkonen named MWC player of the week

Puikkonen was named the Mountain West Conference's women's volleyball player of the week for October 5-10.

Puikkonen wins MWC player of the week
(BYU) Daily Universe 13Oct99 S2
By Christine Jackson: NewsNet Sports Writer

LDS high school football star plays through father's death

A touching article on the emotional impact of the expected death from cancer of Kelly Dee Montgomery, father of Timpanogos High School running back KoDee Montgomery.

A shortened season ó a father and son bid farewell
Deseret News 17Oct99 S2
By Jody Genessy: Deseret News sports writer

Promising Air Force player Brandon Dart injured again

Dart, who has attracted NFL scout attention early in his career, has repeatedly been injured and kept from playing. Now considering ending his career instead of trying to come back, Dart is working through his feelings with the help of the LDS book "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People," given him by his grandmother.

Damaged goods
Deseret News 22Oct99 S2
By Linda Hamilton: Deseret News sports writer

LDS Couple turned to Utah in spite of BYU background

Jennifer Snow-Richards and her husband Lance Richards both ended up playing for the University of Utah, she in volleyball, he in golf, in spite of strong family ties to BYU. Their fathers played golf together at BYU. Her grandfather played tennis at BYU and his uncle played football at BYU.

Family TiesTorn Between Red and Blue
Salt Lake Tribune 13Oct99 S2

LDS Cross-Country runner named prep athlete of the week

Rena Williams of Beaver, Utah was named the Salt Lake Tribune's female prep athlete of the week after she won the region 11 cross country meet, setting a new region record.

The Salt Lake Tribune Female Prep Athlete of the Week
Salt Lake Tribune 19Oct99 S2

LDS Bishop seeks to end high school coaching career reviving Granite

61-year-old coach Tom Larson took on the challenge of reviving Salt Lake's Granite High School football team. Larson, a physics and chemistry teacher, was head coach at Salt Lake's Olympus High School, which was second in the state last year.

Caring Coach Is the Real Football Hero
Salt Lake Tribune 23Oct99 S2
By Tom Wharton: Salt Lake Tribune

LDS Washingtonian chooses to play for BYU

Eddie Keele of Othello, Washington has orally committed to play for BYU next year, bringing the Cougars total of committments to six, including K.C. Bills of Littleton, Colorado; Isiah Joiner of Sealy, Texas; Adam Nelson of Orem, Utah; Mike Marquardt of Vista, California, and Lawrence Cowan of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Mountain West Keeps Hope Alive for 3rd Bowl Game
Salt Lake Tribune 24Oct99 S3
By Michael C. Lews: Salt Lake Tribune

MISSIONS:

ASU player Tanner Shell considering mission

Nearly a year after prep teammate Kenny Crandall left on a mission, Shell said he hasn't decided if he will go on a mission after this season. "It's hard for anyone to get away from basketball like that. It takes a big man to do that. It's a personal choice."

ASU hoops report: ON A MISSION
(Phoenix) AZ Republic 12Oct99 S2
By Richard Obert: The Arizona Republic

Youthful ASU sets sights on postseason
(Tucson) AZ Daily Star 12Oct99 S2
By Kristen Davis: The Arizona Daily Star

Sophmore forward Dan Stewart returns to Aggie basketball after mission

Stewart returns following a two-year mission in Brazil. Prior to his mission, he averaged 1.3 points and 1.3 rebounds per game.

Ags open season with practice
Deseret News 17Oct99 S2

Utah has two players returning from LDS Missions

The University of Utah's men's basketball team has two players returning from LDS missions. Jeff Johnson and Mike Puzey have made the team and are expected to play. However, Utah also lost players from last year's team to LDS missions.

Majerus looks for Miller's replacement in Utah backcourt
U-Wire (Daily Utah Chronicle) 22Oct99 S2
By Sterling Clifford: Daily Utah Chronicle

TEAMS

BYU's women's soccer wins four of first five conference games

BYU's women's soccer team won its first three conference games, but then lost to San Diego State University 2-0. Rebounding, the Lady Cougars then beat Air Force 4-0 on Friday, October 22nd. Their record is now 16-3. The Lady cougars pounded the New Mexico Lobos 4-0 on Friday, October 8th and beat the University of Utah on Saturday, October 9th. They then trounced UNLV 7-0 on Thursday, October 14th before the loss to SDSU on October 16th.

Soccer takes first two conference games
(BYU) Daily Universe 11Oct99 S3

Women's soccer team falls to SDSU for first conference loss of season
(BYU) Daily Universe 18Oct99 S3

Women's soccer shuts out Air Force 4-0
(BYU) Daily Universe 24Oct99 S3

Todd Miller leads BYU to sixth-place

Miller, son of famed PGA golfer Johnny Miller, shot a 64 at the Taylor Made Red River Classic in Dallas, Texas on October 9th to boost BYU's mens team to sixth place from ninth. His brother Andy Miller also shot an impressive round. BYU is ranked 10th in the nation.

Miller shoots a 64; men's golf team finishes sixth
(BYU) Daily Universe 14Oct99 S3
By Kristel Lander: NewsNet Sports Writer

BYU's cross country teams perform at pre-NCAA meet in Indianapolis

BYU's No.3-ranked women's cross country team ended in second place, behind No. 1 Stanford, while the No. 7-ranked men's team finished in eighth place at the meet. A total of 33 teams competed in the meet.

Of 33 teams, BYU women finish second, men finish eighth
(BYU) Daily Universe 18Oct99 S3
By Sam Neff: NewsNet Sports Writer

BYU Rugby beats Weber State

BYU's rugby team rebounded from a loss to Utah State October 9th and beat Weber State 55-5 on October 16th.

Rugby team's confidence restored with 55-5 win over Weber State
(BYU) Daily Universe 18Oct99 S3
By Kevin Franson: NewsNet Sports Writer

8th ranked Lady Cougars improve to 14-2

BYU has won eight matches in a row, defeating first Utah on Friday, October 15th and then Notre Dame on Tuesday, October 19th.

Women's volleyball 13-2 after weekend win over the Utes
(BYU) Daily Universe 18Oct99 S3
By Christine Jackson: NewsNet Sports Writer
Women's volleyball defeats Notre Dame despite slow start
(BYU) Daily Universe 20Sep99 S3
By Christine Jackson: NewsNet Sports Writer

BYU 29, UNLV 0

The Cougar football team shut-out UNLV, improving their record to 6-1 and pushing their standing up to No. 16 in the Associated Press poll.

BYU Football trounces UNLV 29-0
(BYU) Daily Universe 24Oct99 S3
By Beth Palmer: Sports Editor
Cougars end up winners in Vegas
Deseret News 24Oct99 S3
By Dirk Facer: Deseret News Sports Writer

Cougar soccer ends season

BYU's men's soccer team finished their season beating Colorado State 3-0 on Friday, October 22nd. The team is now preparing for the NCAA tournament in November.

Men's soccer beats Colorado State 3-0
(BYU) Daily Universe 24Oct99 S3
By Ryan Hamilton: NewsNew Sports Writer