CSU’s Barnes leads player of week roundup
Colorado State middle blocker Mekana Barnes was named the Mountain West Conference volleyball player of the week for the second straight time, right after being named the national player of the week by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Barnes was the most valuable player of the Hilton Classic Tournament after leading all players in hitting percentage (.544), kills (52) and blocks (21) in CSU wins over Colorado, Miami (Ohio) and Winthrop.
Colorado Mines’ Craig Thompson, from Highlands Ranch High School, was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s soccer offensive player of the week after scoring two game-winning goals.
Regis goalkeeper Trevor Steege (Longmont) received the RMAC defensive award after posting back-to-back shutouts, including one against Division II No. 1-ranked Fort Lewis.
CSU-Pueblo’s Robin Hayes (Rangeview) received the RMAC women’s offensive award after scoring eight goals in three wins for the ThunderWolves.
Fort Lewis goalkeeper Bree Baker (Cañon City) received the RMAC defensive award after shutting out Regis and allowing only one goal against defending NCAA champion Metro State.
Colorado Christian’s Jon Klingensmith (Cherry Creek) is the RMAC men’s golfer of the week for being the medalist at the Regis/Colorado Mines Fall Invitational in his first college competition.
Hastings (Neb.) College’s Brian Eicher (Broomfield) is the Great Plains Athletic Conference men’s cross country co-runner of the week after placing second at the Dakota Wesleyan Invitational.
Culpepper, Ritzenhein bid for Olympics
Former CU track stars Alan Culpepper and Dathan Ritzenhein made their bids to compete for the U.S. Olympic team in the 2008 Beijing Games official Thursday by filing the paperwork to run the Olympic team trials marathon in New York City on Nov. 3.
Also filing was Meb Keflezighi, the silver medalist in the marathon at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Culpepper won the 2004 U.S. trials by outsprinting Keflezighi in the final stretch.
