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Show Stay UVU sport UVU's Nakayama grateful for opportunity MAKING HEADLINES Dawson prefers to wear Cubs hat in Hall of Fame Andrea Dawson, who spent the first 10 seasons of his career in Montreal, wanted his plaque to feature a Cubs hat. He played six seasons with the Cubs, beginning with his MVP year in 1987. Dawson said he was disappointed that the Hall of Fame decided his plaque in Cooperstown, N.Y., will feature a Montreal Expos hat, but Dawson plans to acknowledge Chicago Cubs fans during his induction speech in July. Courtesy of flikr.com Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas suspended for season. Arenas suspended for remainder of season The Washington Wizards took a hit when both Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton were suspended for the remainder of the 2010 NBA season. The suspension stems from an altercation that took place on Dec. 21 involving firearms. After a gambling debt caused the two players to pull the weapons on each other inside the Wizards locker room, NBA commissioner David Stern dished out the suspension. Tough week of competition DAVE IBA/UVU Review Senior Asumi Nakayama directs her teammates in a recent home game for the Wolverines. Senior point guard soon to wrap career at UVU Coach Cathy Nixon didn't waste any time putting her on the Asst. Sports editor floor. She played in all 28 games Four years ago, the Utah as a freshman and started 19 of Valley women's basketball team them. As a sophomore, she played gained a new point guard from in all 28 games starting five and as nearly 1,100 miles away. Utah a junior started all 27 games. Valley's Asumi Nakayama came Over the next two seasons she all the way from Saitama, Japan to would finish her junior season not play as a Wolverine. only with a team championship Despite another offer to stay in behind her, but also being ranked Japan to play basketball, Nakaya- i seventh nationally and first among ma chose Utah Valley because of the opportunities it held for her. "I all independent players in assists could learn English, the basketball per game. It is now her senior season as is awesome and of course Amera Wolverine and she remarks, "I ica is great," she said. "I really couldn't say anything more than appreciated those opportunities thank you for everything." and that's why I decided to come Despite English being a strughere." gle for Nakayama, there never She started playing basketseemed to be a language barrier ball 14 years ago when she was between her and her coaches in third grade and played all the or teammates. "Everyone's so way through junior high and high nice. Even when I couldn't speak school before making her UVU English well or communicate well debut in 2006 as a freshman. KIRA TERRY they always helped me," she said. She has also had to conquer the balance between school and basketball during the last four years because back home in Japan the focus, once in college, is different for students. "In Japan, after we enter college we don't have to study, we can just focus on basketball. Here we have to do both - academics and basketball so that balance was hard for me," she said. She is set to graduate this semester in communication with an emphasis in public relations. As far as post-graduation plans go, she will return to her home country and would like to pursue a career in television sports reporting. Aside from all the basketball that Nakayama plays, she enjoys golf, movies and hanging out with her teammates. UVUSCHEDULE Feb1-6 Thursday, Feb 4 Friday, Feb 5 Men's Basketball vs. Texas-Pan American McKay Center 7:05 p.m. Wrestling vs. Boise State Orem, Utah 7:00 p.m. Women's Basketball vs. Texas-Pan American McKay Center 3:00 p.m. Track at Mountain States Games Pocatello, Idaho MATTBEAUDIN Sports editor It's a rare occurrence at Utah Valley - so rare in fact that it has never happened before. The number one wrestling team in the nation, the Iowa Hawkeyes, will make the trek west to ,take on the Wolverines in Vernal, Utah on Feb. 6. The Hawkeyes are two-time defending NCAA champions, allowing UVU a tremendous opportunity to make some noise in the world of wrestling. Not only will the Wolverines have the privilege of taking on one top-ten team in Iowa, but another comes to town on Feb. 5 in Boise State. The eighth ranked Broncos will grapple with the Wolverines right here in Saturday, Feb 6 Men's Basketball vs. Houston Baptist McKay Center 7:05 p.m. Women's Basketball vs. Houston Baptist McKay Center, Utah 4:30 p.m. Wrestling vs. Iowa '' Vernal, Utah (Uintah HS) 7:00 p.m Orem, affording UVU with another chance at an upset. The Wolverines will be led by 125-pounder Ben Kjar who is ranked 13th in the nation in his weight class and bolsters a record of 21-6 on the season. However, contrary to the outsider view, wrestling is very much a team sport and others will be expected to step up in order to ensure the Wolverines' success. Chances like this don't come around too often, taking on two top-ten teams on back-to-back nights, and while UVU will look to knock off these highly touted programs, there is much experience to be gained from competing against the best. However, moral victories aren't to be had by coach Greg Williams'and the rest of the Wolverines; they will be wrestling to win. UVU has enjoyed a very successful season and will continue to taste that success as they take on these two tough teams. |