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Show SPORTS WWW.UVUREVIEW.COM VOLUME LI • ISSUE 33 JUNE 6, 2011 Benson dreaming big Baseball star set to declare for MLB draft By CASEY HALL Sports Writer Wolverines look to enter WAC By MATT PETERSEN Sports Editor They won five conference championships this past academic year. Their facilities are expanding. They boast All-Americans in basketball and wrestling, respectively. Simply put, UVU Athletics is a whale in the pond that is the Great West. No longer content beating up on the Dakotas (among others) every year, UVU is eager to spread its athletic wings by hooking up with the Western Athletic Conference. It's a move UVU Director of Athletics Michael Jacobsen calls the "natural thing." Whether the WAC feels the same, however, won't be known until June 16. "For us to be able to get into the WAC would be huge," Jacobsen said. "Huge for our community, for our university and for our student athletes. We'd bring quite a bit to the conference. It wouldn't just be all what they can do for us, it'd be what we can do for them, also." But it's that last caveat that has WAC member schools such as Utah State hesitating to throw support UVU's way. While sports such as baseball, basketball and wrestling have flourished, the fact remains football is a school's biggest selling point. Unfortunately for Utah Valley, it's something they're not in position to buy. "In our economy, in the climate and all that's going on today, to start a program from scratch would take a huge commitment from our community and our students," Jacobsen said. Throw university officials into that group as well. Jacobsen has pushed for football his entire 27-year tenure at UVU, only to see "the powers that be" keep it from happening. He cited the considerable start-up cost, along with the delayed profits, as the biggest obstacles — which in turn have combined to form UVU's biggest obstacle in joining a well-known conference. "There's no question [our lack of football is] a hindrance for us getting into a conference," Jacobsen said. It's a hindrance that could prove deadly. The Great West Conference is losing North Dakota and South Dakota after next season, leaving the conference in a tenuous position beyond 2013. The conditions leave UVU hoping the WAC will open its arms. Jacobsen rebuffed rumors that Utah State is actively against their inclusion, but admits USU's support would dispel the need for hope altogether. "The thing I do know for sure is if Utah State would support us in getting into the WAC, we would get in," Jacobsen said. "They're very powerful." A position UVU hopes to attain for itself, pending the WAC's June 16 decision. CONTACT: MITCHELL CROGHAN/UVU ATHLETICS After batting .400 or better over the last two seasons, Chris Benson is ready to see how his game translates in the major leagues. Wolverine baseball star center fielder Chris Benson had another solid performance in the Great West Conference Championship. Now he eyes a greater prize: a chance to play in the big leagues. Benson will again declare for the Major League Baseball draft. The draft is something Benson is no stranger to after last season, when he declared for the draft with no potential teams courting him. After not being picked up by a team last season he came back for one more title run. "I just let it go and focused on being a leader for my team" Benson said. Benson was named the GWC tournament MVP after going 4-for-4 at the plate and knocking in three RBIs. Benson hit a fourth-inning double, then stole third to provide the spark for the Wolverines to win 5-1 over Houston Baptist. Benson's remarkable career started as a freshman in 2006. That year he was third among all Division I players in batting. Benson also was named second team All-Independent, finishing the season with 69 hits and 22 multi-hit games. After serving an LDS mission in Argentina, Benson returned to the Wolverines for his sophomore season. He began the season with a 17-game hitting streak and started 52 of the 53 games the Wolverines played that season. Benson became only the third player in UVU Baseball history to hit for the entire cycle. Benson's junior season was his strongest one yet. He hit a freakish .408 and led the team in home runs with 14. Benson racked up 195 total bases with 107 hits while slugging .744, second in team history and sixth in the nation during the 2010 season. Benson was also named ABCA All-Region second team. His on-field contributions helped UVU to lead the nation in batting with a .372 average and 840 hits. The road to the big leagues isn't paved in gold. Although Benson has a strong feeling he will be drafted, there is no guarantee. After the 2010 season, Benson felt his performance would speak for itself. When the last pick in the 50th round of the Major League Baseball draft, Benson was still on the board. "It was very frustrating" Benson said. "Many teams are drafting players as young as they can to begin developing them" he said. After last year's draft let him down, Benson has a better shot this year. He has spoken to a scout for the Milwaukee Brewers, and also has received a letter of interest from the Toronto Blue Jays. The draft will run June 6-8 at Secaucus, NJ. CROSSE: the stick used by lacrosse players, headed with a loose string net used to catch, scoop and handle the ball CREASE: A circle around the goal with a radius of nine feet into which only defensive players may enter. DAWN BENTLEY/PHOTOGRAPHER CLAMP: A face-off maneuver executed by quickly pushing the back of the stick on top of the ball. Attackman Jordan Gerber led the Wolverines in goals scored this season (2.7 per game). EXTRA MAN OFFENSE (EMO): A man advantage that results from a time-serving penalty Locally formed, nationally feared Rodeo heads to nationals Student-formed lacrosse club makes nationals for second straight year By MATT PETERSEN Sports Editor Even as basketball and baseball strive to catch the nation's eye, the men's lacrosse club team has already beat them to it. Repeatedly. The No. 12 Wolverines made their second consecutive appearance in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division II National Championships, falling to eventual champion Davenport in the first round. "I'd probably rate our season as a seven or an eight," midfielder Jonothon Andrews said. "With everything we learned this year, with all our newcomers, it turned out alright." Despite their club team status, the Wolverines have taken full advantage of a continual talent pool, as well as a more open-minded league. With the NCAA hesitant to reward a successful team in what they deem a weak Great West Conference, UVU team sports such as basketball and baseball struggle for consideration to national tournaments. Lacrosse, however, continues to reap the benefits of its Division II status. The Wolverines entered the 2010 nationals as a No. 3 seed, advancing all the way the title game before losing to St. Thomas. LACROSSE B2 Editor: Matt Petersen E: petersensports@gmail.com By GANT STOKES Sports Writer The rodeo club will be heading to Casper Wyoming to compete in the Colligiate National Finals Rodeo (CNFR). The competition will begin on June 12th and run through the 18th at the Casper Events Center. Over 400 riders and ropers representing over 100 universities will be present for what the CNFR calls the 'Rose Bowl' of college rodeo. The team has grown a lot this year to make it to this point. Team coach Shane Draper has been particularly proud of the team's mental toughness this year, as well as the team's ability to let the past stay in the past and move on to the next ride. "They have hit bumps in the road and didn't stew on them," Draper said. This mental toughness has given the team high hopes for this year's CNFR competition. "Of the six guys we're taking I think each one of them has the ability to win a championship," said Draper. The team is taking six riders who will compete in six different events. Caleb Bennett (Bare Back Riding), Brock Winn (Saddle bronc riding), Luke Pulham (calf roping), Ryley Johnson (steer wrestling), Ben Carson (steer wrestling), and Chris Roundy (bull riding) will all compete for the Wolverines. Each of them qualified in their respective competitions and as a team, placing second in the Rocky Mountain region. Regional foe College of Southern Idaho is the topranked team both in region and the nation. UVU is currently ranked sixth. The team is also looking forward to next season. There will be many new strong additions to the team, especially on the women's side. "Our women's team will be as strong as our men's team this next year", Draper said. The team will be excited to compete at this year's finals and return next year with a solid base, ready to make another run to Casper for CNFR 2012. Designer: Eric Gonzalez E: gonzamatic@gmail.com mM• ■ |