Sports briefs
UVU’s Deadwiler Named GWC Player of the Week
Utah Valley’s Shawn Deadwiler has been selected the Great West Conference Player of the Week after leading the Wolverines to two wins last week. The honor was announced Monday by the conference office.
Deadwiler, a junior from Phoenix, Ariz., scored 23 points to lead UVU to an 86-68 conference win over preseason favorite South Dakota last Thursday. He also posted three rebounds and three assists in the game while connecting on 60 percent (3-of-5) from beyond the arc and 80 percent (8-of-9) from the charity stripe.
On Saturday, Deadwiler scored 11 points and registered two blocks and two assists when the Wolverines defeated Cal State-Bakersfield, 64-63.
For the week, the 6-foot-3 guard averaged 17 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.0 blocked shots, while shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from the three-point line and 87.5 percent from the foul line.
Deadwiler is the third player to receive player of the week honors for the Wolverines. Senior Jordan Swarbrick has received the honor twice and Corey Claitt was tabbed one time.
UVU Picked to Finish Fourth in PCSC Mountain Division
In the 2010 Pacific Coast Softball Conference preseason poll, Utah Valley was selected to finish fourth in the Mountain Division behind Portland State, Seattle and Northern Colorado.
The Wolverines garnered 37 points in the poll. Portland State (72) received all 12 first-place votes, followed by Seattle (50), Northern Colorado (41) and then Utah Valley. Idaho State (34) and Weber State (18) were picked to finish fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Mountain Division.
“It’s understandable where we were picked based on our performance a year ago,” UVU softball coach Todd Fairbourne said. “But I will be very, very disappointed if we don’t finish third or better in the division.”
Sacramento State (68) was tabbed the early favorite to win the Coastal Division followed by Loyola Marymount (53), Saint Mary’s (42), San Diego (39) Bakersfield (34) and Santa Clara (16).
All schools will play a 20-game conference schedule against teams within their own division. The two division winners will meet May 14-15 in the best-of-three PCSC Championship Series at the site of the Coastal Division winner. The winner of the PCSC Championship Series will earn the conference’s automatic NCAA Regional bid.