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Show The king of the diamond Softball team hosts home-run derby ByCANDICESANDNESS staff writer Fouls, line drives and pop flys weren't good enough to win Monday. Home runs were the answer in thefirst-everhome-run derby put on by the USU softball team. Fifty-three participants—the majority students—responded to the invitation of free hot dogs and other prizes by paying a dollar to try to be named home-run king. "It's a gathering we all like to do," said USU junior first baseman Aubrie Stroman. "It was an opportunity for fans to be involved in the sport that we all love to play." The derby gave an opportunity for fans to meet USU softball team members and to promote awareness for USU's 2008 home opener against the University of Utah Wednesday, Stroman said. USU head softball coach Candi Letts said the fan-player interaction increased support for the team. "It was a really a good thing to get fans out there wild and crazy and enjoying it," Letts said. "It gave fans a chance to interact with the team, and they got to know the team more on a personal level." The first 50 participants received afreehot dog and five swings at bat per round. A B O V E , D A V I D HOLE tries unsuccessful!/ to hit a home run Monday at the USU Softball team's home-run derby. USU senior Taylor Bodily, right, won the derby, with the winning hit landing on 800 East. TYLER LARSON photos Verlin begins with Vandals By SAMMY HISLOP sports editor Some might wonder why a person would willingly take a job that would make themselves an opponent in the Spectrum. That's what former Aggie assistant men's basketball coach Don Verlin did. Monday he was named head coach at the University of Idaho—a school in the Western Athletic Conference the Aggies play twice each year. Verlin, however, said Tuesday night he is grateful for a chance to be a head coach, and knows very well what he is getting into. "It's going to be awful going to the Spectrum," Verlin said by phone from Moscow, Idaho. "What are we now there? 142-127 That's not good for anybody." The Vandals fired George Pfeifer, their head basketball coach for the past two seasons, March 18. Pfeifer was 12-48 in two seasons. (1 See DON, page 10 The derby consisted of three rounds. The first round had six batters advance to the second round: USU seniors Taylor Bodily, Toby Pykles, Broc Neagle, sophomores Taylore Mackay, Jake Fagan and Matt Sonnenburg. One home run hit over the fence was required to participate in the next round. Taylor Bodily, a Freemont, Calif., native majoring in interdisciplinary studies, hit two home runs in the first round to advance to the second round and eventually to thefinalround with Neagle, a Farmington, Utah, native, majoring in information systems. In the third round, Neagle smacked three home runs out offiveswings, while Bodily only hit one. But by that point, both hitters totaledfivehome runs from all rounds combined. Thus, the derby resulted in a tie-breaker face-off. In the tie-breaker, a onepitch hit was given to each hitter, and whoever had the home run off the single hit won. Bodily did just that, with his winning hit soaring onto nearby 800 East. Bodily said he did not expect to win. "I feel great," Bodily explained. "It was a lifelong BY USU ATHLETICS Utah State will hold its annual men's basketball banquet on Tuesday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m., at the Copper Mill Restaurant in downtown Logan. The cost of the event is $22 per person. Head coach Stew Morrill will address the audience regarding the 2007-08 season, the team will honor its award winners, and a highlight video will be shown. Utah State advanced to its ninth straight postseason this year as it participated in the National Invitation Tournament. The Aggies finished the year with a 24-11 record after winning a share of its first-ever Western Athletic Conference regular season championship. USU is also one of just three teams in the nation to win at least 23 games in each of the last nine seasons. Anyone interested in attending the banquet should contact the USU Athletics Department at (435) 797-1850. •I See DERBY, page 9 It takes a village to raise this bracket, and Davidson to ruin it I 'll never give birth to a kid. Don't have the equipment—hips too slender to be considered child bearing, an extremely narrow birth canal, etc.—or a high enough pain threshold for that gig. But I have filled out several NCAA Tournament brackets, and I assume the process is pretty comparable—except without the whole "Alien"meets-cheap-smut scene in the delivery room. For those of you who've never been through this bracketology process, I've prepared a little video—put on the imagining cap, you're going to have to turn my words into moving pictures— that will take us step-by-step through the life cycle of a bracket and the proud parent who asexually reproduces to make it come alive. It will be just like freshman health class, except without all the acne, the lack of confidence in one's ability to speak without sounding like a squeaky toy and strange tinglings about the opposite sex that are hallmarks of mid-to-late puberty. Imagine this done by a monotone-science-movievoice-over-guy voice: The life cycle of an NCAA Tournament bracket is a strange, touching and often heartbreaking roller coaster. From excited conception in the middle of March to the growing pains of the First and Second Rounds, the pain and happiness of the Sweet 16 to the untimely end sometime in early April. Though it is but a flash on the retina of time, a sea monkey in the great ocean of existence, the life cycle of the bracket is an important one, especially for the parents—often unemployed males of the humanoid species. Like many reproductive acts, the conception of a bracket is a moment filled with elation, excitement, vigor and light-headedness. Although it shares many qualities with human sexuality, it d See BRACKET, page 10 Women's soccer loads up roster for 2008 BySETH R.HAWKINS editor in chief Following the graduation of three seniors and the loss of four other players from last season's team, the USU soccer team signed nine players, said head coach Heather Cairns. The 2008 signees at the forward position are Brittney Boyack from Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas, Nev., Shantel Flanary from Lone Peak High School in Highland, Utah, Marissa Sanchez from TWin Falls High School in TWin Falls, Idaho, and Danielle Shorts from Highland High School in Gilbert, Ariz. At defender, the incoming freshmen will be Megan Rhoads from Brighton High School in Sandy, Utah, Summer Tillotson from Alta High School in Sandy, Utah, and Lexi Veneble from 2008 USU WOMEN'S SOCCER SIGNING CLASS BRrrrNEY BOYACK F LAS VEGAS, NEVADA (SPRJNG VALLEY HS) F HIGHLAND, UTAH (LONE PEAK HS) M o m MERRILL GK BOUNTIFUL, UTAH (BOUNTIFUL HS) MEGAN RHOADS D SANDY, UTAH (BRIGHTON HS) CHANDRA SALMON M PROVO, UTAH (PROVO HS) MARISSA SANCHEZ F TWINS FALLS, IDAHO (TWINS FALLS DANIELLE SHORTS F GILBERT, ARIZONA (HIGHLAND HS) SUMMER TILLOTSON D SANDY, UTAH (ALTA HS) LEXI VENABLE D LAYTON, UTAH (NORTHRIDGE HS) SHANTEL FLANARY Northridge High School in Layton, Utah. Also part of the signing class is midfielder Chandra Salmon from Provo High School, and goalkeeper Molli Merrill from Bountiful High School. "It's a signing class that we're really pleased with," Cairns said. "We have commitments from players that will give depth to each position on the field. We feel like it's really going to add to the depth of TouchBase Banquet for USU men's basketball Akwenye top WAC athlete BY USU ATHLETICS Dasheek Akwenye has been named the Western Athletic Conference Men's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week, announced by the conference office Monday for the week of March 17-23. Akwenye, a senior from Windhoek, Nambia, (Centaurus HS), clocked an NCAA regional qualifying time of 47.24 in the 400meter dash at the Arizona Willie Williams Classic in Tucson, Ariz, on Saturday, good for third-place and ninth all-time in Utah State history. He also holds the No. 5 spot on the USU bests list with a 46.68 clocking last year. Akwenye also anchored the 4xl00-meter relay that finished second with a time of 41.35 and was also 15th in the 200-meter dash. Dorius top USU athlete for the week BY USU ATHLETICS HS) our team in general. Whenever you get deeper, it's a great position to be in as a coach. Competition for playing time and starting position is going to be tough. That only serves to make our team better." In addition to the already large signing class, Cairns said she is currently working with two other potential signees that would fill midfielder \1 See SOCCER, page 10 USU JUNIOR MIDFIELDER LACEY CHRISTENSON goes after the ball during a game in 2007. The Aggies have signed nine players for the 2008 season. Head coach Heather Cairns said two more signees are in the works. DEBRA HAWKINS photo Utah State women's track and field athlete Stacie Dorius has been named the America First Credit Union Utah State Student-Athlete of the Week for the period ending on Sunday, March 23, it was announced on Monday. The award is voted on by a state media panel. Dorius, a senior from Layton, Utah, won the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Arizona-hosted Willie Williams Classic with an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 10:46.61, which is also the third-fastest time in school history. Dorius is the defending outdoor WAC Champion in the steeplechase as well as the 3,000meter run. |