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Show J st on rr . ^ - - . ; • !. .! ,•! • • f ••= •• 1 ' * ^ - U ~ ? 1 i ^ - V - ; "V.-"1 Benson paces UVU baseball team And apparently better than all 13 of his older siblings - Benson Sports writer is the only one to play at the colhris Benson batted at a lege level. .336 clip last year as a Salt Lake Community Colsophomore. That season lege offered Benson a full ride, also featured a 17-game hitting and he initially accepted. Luckily streak and 38 RBI. for the Wolverines, it wasn't the So how does he evaluate him- right fit. self in the past compared to now? "When I went with [SLCC], 'The past couple years I I just didn't feel comfortable," didn't really work as hard as I Benson said. "I just felt like I did this year,'* Benson said. "This needed to go somewhere else. year I just wanted to step it up." Just had that feeling." Really? Coaching had a lot to do with Then again, the numbers that feeling. Benson lauds UVU don't lie. Going into last Friday's coach Eric Madsen for helping game against North Dakota, Benenhance his game without changson was hitting aridiculous.485 ing it. and had 29 RBI with the season "He doesn't change the way I hardly halfway completed. play," Benson said. "He just has Benson, in turn, has played a those suggestions here and there big role for the Wolverines. He that help me get better at my leads the team in every batting game." category except home runs. Madsen and UVU are reapThe desire to improve, as ing the benefits, as Benson has well as the results, from others' helped lead the Wolverines to example isn't a revelation for second place in the Great West Benson. The youngest of 14 chilConference thus far, with region dren, Benson played soccer and play just commencing last week. baseball with an older brother. Benson said it's "surreal" to Baseball held the greater appeal help establish the Wolverines as in the end. a legit baseball program on the "It was my first season of Division I level. Little League baseball," Benson At the same time, Benson is said. "I just thought it was more establishing himself as a big-time fun than any other sport." player, although he admits taking Benson paused and added, his game to the pros could be a u laughing, And I was better at it long and hard road. 1 than any other sport. ' MATT PETERSON C > • • UVU junior Chris Benson is batting a team high .485 with 29 RBI to lead the Wolverines. Allyce Jones and Ben Kjar awarded KIRA TERRY Asst. Sports editor UVUSA held the fifteenth annual Wolverine Achievement Awards on April 7 and among those awarded were two of UVU's athletes. Allyce Jones, a UVU volleyball player, was awarded Female Athlete of the Year and Ben Kjar, a UVU wrestler, was awarded Male Athlete of the Year. An emotional Jones thanked family members for their support over the many years and praised the Utah Valley volleyball program. "If any of you have been to a game or been around it (UVU volleyball) there's something else about that program that not only athletes feel, but the people that are watching feel it too," said Jones. Jones concluded her acceptance speech by UVU rnniMni saying, "Sam, Lacey and Scott have been coaches that have not only made me a better player, but a better person. I wouldn't be here without my wonderful teammates, that's one thing that's great about playing in athletics you not only have teammates, you have friends fora lifetime." An excited and energetic Kjar began by telling the audience, "It's incredible to be part of UVU, to bleed green and to be Wolverine." Kjar continued by talking about what UVU athletics is to him. Kjar concluded with a vision for his final year at UVU. "With the coaches that we have, with the support from you, with incredible staff behind us, I know that we can achieve everything that we have up to this point and the dreams and the goals that we have in the future." Director of Athletics Mike Jacobsen and As- I IUI 1UI Jl I PULL mi i r r c nc inpun . LULLCOL UI iuni iu nocm i I T P U D p m pixin u ui\Ci i, u i rii i c r.i i. ni iu n DAVE 1BA/UVU Review Junior Ben Kjar (wrestling) and senior Allyce Jones (volleyball) were awarded as Male and Female Athletes of the year at UVU. sistant Athletics Director Nate Mathis presented Jones with her award and Associate Director of Athletics Dr. DJ Smith and Megan Kennedy presented Kjar with his award. Brook Salcido and • Katey Turner with UVU Soccer were also finalists for Female Athlete of the Year and Jace Brinkerhoff i us juh-i. nr M L I_I oaccopi I "TRH En. UTRM G PR UI GLUHLL with UVU Baseball and Jacob Buhler with UVU men's cross-country and track werefinalistsfor Male Athlete of the Year. RPML IC HURSDRy, RPRIL 15 raori/ I l\l ILI I RT PIT. SRC RELRy5 i IQI IMI I T ro» ir iuni-1 iu i, LfiLir. Pn TI iccnpu ppon o MATT BEAUDIN Spoils editor Robbie Russell's renowned penalty kick that sent his teammates gallivanting around Qwest Field in celebration of winning the MLS Cup has been replayed in the minds of RSL fans for months now. And, with the 2010 season now underway, the Claretand-Cobalt is looking to defend its title as MLS Cup champions. However, defense of that title won't be easy, as RSL lost two main contributors from last season's roster, Yura Movsisyan and Clint Mathis. Both players were loaded with experience and will be missed this season. Real Salt Lake will also have to figure out how to win games on the road. A 3-0 win over San Jose to open the 2010 season in California is a nice start, but consistency on the road is what coach Jason Kries expects — and what it'll take to return to the promised land of soccer in the United States. Sure things for the team from Salt Lake include winning in the friendly confines of Rio Tinto Stadium and making a run in the playoffs despite its seed. In last year's playoff push, RSL was the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, yet rode the momentum of •. its first-round win all the way to ;: the title. : RSL's core is intact from the ;championship team, including :; Javiar Morales, Robbie Findley "; and Kyle Beckerman. With Beck-: erman in the midfield distributing-: the ball, Morales and Findley will fill the net. Jamison Olave anchors the defense and Nick Rimando's play in goal can't be underestimated. RSL will be there at the end of the season, and, if road wins come more frequently, home-field advantage could be the difference as RSL makes its run in pursuit of the repeat. Joinjtie staff of ^ UVUReview in SC 220 meeting Mondays at 4pm in SC 105. _!!_! ILULILL H P I M L II RSL set to defend title Toon/ I l\l ILI I RT HT. 5RC RELRyS I IOI NI IT r o i IC till ILI I U I , LI ILir. OTI ipnou DOOM in I I 1 U I \ U I 1.1, I I I l \ l l _ I I FRiDRy. RPRIL IG Tnori o r NnoTucDN m i n I ini MI IT roi !C I I I I (UK I I ICI\I I LULU. WIIUI iLl I , LI 11-11 . cpcp cu mi n j o m Ul\CCl_l I, L U L U , L I .11. I l \ l IUI |