Eric Richter, a 6-foot-4, 315-pound offensive guard from Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif., signed a national letter of intent Wednesday with Colorado. Richter, 19, is expected to enroll at CU in January and participate in spring drills. He will have two years of eligibility.
Junior college players who will be early enrollees can sign in December. High school seniors must wait until national signing day, Feb. 3. Saddleback went 16-6 in Richter’s two seasons. According to Internet recruiting sites, Richter picked CU over San Diego State.
Richter is a former standout at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo. His cousin Ian Kennedy was recently traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks from the New York Yankees in the deal that sent Curtis Granderson to New York. Kennedy, a right-handed pitcher, was the 21st pick in the 2006 baseball draft.
Three sign football letters with Wyoming.
The Wyoming football team added three junior college transfers after they signed letters of intent, coach Dave Christensen said. They are: wide receivers DeJay Lester, 6-2, 200 pounds, and Mazi Ogbonna, 6-1, 195, both from Snow College in Ephraim, Utah; and Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College offensive lineman Nick Puetz, 6-4, 305.
X Games adds new events at Buttermilk.
There will be two new events at the Winter X Games this year at Buttermilk in Aspen: skiing superpipe high air and snowmobile knock out. The skiing high air will have six skiers going in a 30-minute session for the highest air in the superpipe. Snowmobile knock out will be based on distance.
There will be six riders, and the scoring will be on distance traveled from the takeoff ramp to the landing. Each round, the rider with the lowest distance is eliminated.
ESPN officials also announced they will add 9 1/2 hours of broadcast for the games, which are Jan. 28-31. The games will be aired live on ESPN and ESPN2.
Landeros makes U.S. sled hockey team.
Nikko Landeros, a former Berthoud High School wrestler who lost his legs in a highly publicized automobile accident in January 2007, was named to the U.S. Paralympic sled hockey team to compete at the Vancouver Games in March.
Landeros was changing a flat tire nearly three years ago when he was struck by another Berthoud student’s car. He is one of six rookies on the 15-player team.
“Trimming this roster from 18 to 15 was extremely difficult,” said Ray Maluta, coach of the team since 2008. “We’re confident that the group we’re bringing to Vancouver gives us the best chance to take home gold.”
The U.S. team captured bronze at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, and won gold at the 2002 Paralympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
Barringer gets inaugural Bowerman honor.
University of Colorado long-distance running star Jenny Barringer has earned another trophy after receiving the inaugural Bowerman award.
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association created the Bowerman to recognize the most outstanding collegiate women’s track and field athlete. It is named in honor of track and field pioneer Bill Bowerman.
Barringer set six NCAA records during the 2009 season, and also set seven CU records. She won two Big 12 titles and two NCAA championships.
Eagles douse Thunder.
The Colorado Eagles scored seven consecutive goals to rout the Wichita Thunder 8-2 in a Central Hockey League game in Loveland. Kevin Ulanski had four assists.
