OCR Text |
Show UNIVERSITY JOURNAL SPORTS IPA,E6 MONDAY, MAY 17, 1999 Dilvidson racks up accolades Ben Davidson, a veteran athletic trainer at SUU, has been named by the National Athletic Trainers' Association as one of 12 recipients nationwide of its "Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award." Davidson has served for 20 years teaching and working with athletes in the SUU athletic department. He was honored earlier this month during the association's national convention in Kansas City, Kan . "Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award recipients are the role models for the future leaders of our profession," Jack Baynes, chair of the NATA's Honors and Awards Committee, said. Prior to joining the faculty and athletic staff at SUU, Davidson spent six years as an athletic trainer at Weber State University. He has given extensive volunteer service to athletes at all levels of athletic competency. He has spent part of two summers as a trainer and acting head trainer at the U.S. Olympic Training Center at Squaw Valley, Calif. Other volunteer work includes helping at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at Salt Lake City and at the Olympic Sports Festival in Baton Rouge, La. For the past 17 years, he has worked as a test site administrator for the NATA's Board of Certification. SUU hurler is Houston pick I SUU pitcher Nick Roberts was taken in the seventh round by the Houston Astros int eh Major League Baseball amateur draft June 2. Roberts was the first Utah prospect taken on the first day of selections. He was rated as the numberone amateur prospect in the state heading into the draft, according to Baseball America Magazine. Roberts, (6-1, 190, RHP) was 10-14 in two seasons as a Thunderbird, with a 7.30 ERA and 168 strikeouts-second-best strikeout total in school history-in 178 2/3 innings. This past season, he was 3-7 with' a 6.52 ERA and a school-record 91 strikeouts in 89.2 innings. His biggest win of his career came in a 10-6 upset victory against the Wildcats and first-ever series win over a PAC-10 school. 'The biggest thing we looked at from Nick was his easy motion and arm action," said former SUU coach and current HouS1on scout Jeff Scholzen, who recruited Roberts to SUU from Dixie College in 1997. "He throws effortlessly with a fastball between 88-93 mph, which leads to no arm problems.• "His curveball went form a college curveball to a big-league slider,~ Scholzen continued. "He has beaten some big-time Division I programs and it has translated into a pro career." Roberts becomes the second-highest draft pick in the history of the school. Former catcher Mike Ryser was the highest pick ever in SUU history, taken in the sixth round by the Oakland Athletics in 1987. Summer Games draws to close When the race was over, she said this was an unrealistic goal. Unrealistic or not, Olsen not only finished the race, but won a silver medal with a time of 3:59.45. With all the pomp and ceremony of the Olympic Games, the "My husband was so supportive and that helped me 1999 Utah Summer Games got under way. As thousands watched Natalie Gibson, Southern Utah University's first allsucceed," Olsen said. "That made me want to do really well." American trackster, ran the dedicatory first lap around the Olsen said it was surprising to see the number of people who newly finished track at Eccles Coliseum. showed up at 6:30 a.m. to watch and support the athletes. The American Legion presented the American flag, a symbol For 1O years, the Bolen family has been traveling south from. of freedom to refugees from Uganda, Kosovo and Serbia. Springville just to watch and participate in the Games. This Natalie Williams administered the Athlete's Oath and Atlanta year, between four members of the family, they were able to Falcons running back Jamal Anderson ran from the north end take home a total of 12 medals. of the track, around the south curve then up on the stage Having been a spectator for seven of the last 10 years, carrying the Summer Games torch. Anderson commended the Patrice Bolen competed with her daughters and she won gold medals in shot put, javelin, discus and high jump. athletes for participating in the games. He also credited his NI got tired of juS1 sitting in the stands and watching my childhood coaches for teaching him the honor of being an athlete. After Anderson tossed footballs to the crowd, he left daughters compete," said Bolen. the stage to light the Utah Summer Games Flame. The Bolen has three daughters who also enjoy competing in the opening ceremony came to an exciting close as fireworks lite games. Bolen's 17-year-old coach and daughter, Tracee, the night sky with a dazzling display of color. captured a silver in the discus and a bronze in the javelin. For some, this was the first time competing while others have. The other two running members of the Bolen team, Missy been participating in the games for years. and twin sister Mindy, a sophomore at SUU, took home gold in Amateur T riathlete Colleen Olsen, a junior political science the 4x 100-meter with the help of Alyson Strait and Jenifer major from Cedar City, works out almost every day at the Spirit Aycock. Mindy also won a gold in the 100 meter, and a silver in Fitness Club in order to stay in shape. A few of Olsen's friends javelin. Missy was able to get a bronze in the 200 meter and a started talking about getting involved.in the Summer Games. bronze in the javelin. Olsen thought it was a good way to stay in shape, but did not 'The competition is excellent, it is really good for everybody, really decide to compete until early April. good clean competition," said Mindy. Like Olsen, Mindy thinks Olsen said she had never competed in any type of race at all this is a grea1 way to get in shape and meet some lofty goals, and just wanted to have fun. After two and a half months of and make new friends. rigorous training and lot of support from her family and Bolen said this is a great opportunity for families to do things friends, Olsen ran the Triathlon. together, it also gives the average person, the non-athlete, a al set a goal of finishing the race in three hours,n said Olsen. chance to compete. 1• BY JERRY CURTIS a SU trackster gains All-America status Southern Utah University's Natalie Gibson placed seventh in the women's 400-meter hurdles final at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Boise, Idaho. earlier this month. Gibson crossed the line with a time of 58.38 seconds. By reaching the 400-meter hurdle final, Gibson earned firstteam All-America honors, becoming the first Thunderbird to do so in track and field. The senior from Castle Dale, (Emery HS), entered the season ranked in the top-1 O nationally in the 400-meter hurdles and qualified for the NCAA meet by running the 18thbeS1 time in the nation April 16 (57.78), at the Pomona-Pitzer invitational in Claremont, Calif. The time broke her own shcool record by just under one second and was the fastest time recorded in the Mid-Continent Conference this season. Gibson finished second in the 400-meter hurdles at the Mid-Con Championships in May.. 'The key thing is that it tias been a long road not only for our program, but for Natalie to reach this point," Head Coach Eric Houle said. "Natalie has set the groundwork for future AllAmerica performances. Jt can be done." "I met my goals this season and worked hard to get here," Gibson said. "I got to the finals and finished seventh, making the four years of hard work pay off. This has been real rewarding." The Utah Summer Games honored Gibson by having her run the first lap around the newly finished track. |