Sports Briefs

Fairbanks Named Honorable Mention AP All-American

Utah Valley University senior Robyn Fairbanks has received honorable mention All-America recognition by the Associated Press, it was announced on Tuesday. It’s the second consecutive year that she has garnered the honor.

Fairbanks, who also earned honorable mention All-American status by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) as a sophomore, recently capped her basketball career with her third consecutive Division I Independent Player of the Year award. She is one of 47 players recognized in 2008-09 by the Associated Press.

Fairbanks will finish second in the country with an average 26.0 points per game. She also ranks fifth in field goal percentage at 60.8 percent and 11th with 10.7 rebounds per game. Fairbanks scored in double figures 103 times in 110 career games.

The now three-time All-American became the 20th player in NCAA D-I history to record 2,500 points and 1,000 rebounds after leading Utah Valley to a 17-10 mark, its best record in school history.

HONORABLE MENTION

Whitney Boddie, Auburn; Jessica Breland, North Carolina; Sha Brooks, Florida; Kristi Cirone, Illinois State; Robyn Fairbanks, Utah Valley; Rachele Fitz, Marist; Megan Frazee, Liberty; Danielle Gant, Texas A&M; Alexis Gray-Lawson, California; Allison Hightower, LSU; Ify Ibekwe, Arizona; Briann January, Arizona State; Laura Kurz, Villanova; Shalee Lehning, Kansas State; Lyndra Littles, Virginia; Rashanda McCants, North Carolina; Danielle McCray, Kansas; Mandy Morales, Montana; Deirdre Naughton, DePaul; Ashley Paris, Oklahoma; Ta’Shia Phillips, Xavier; Tracy Pontius, Bowling Green; Andrea Riley, Oklahoma State; Danielle Robinson, Oklahoma; Takia Starks, Texas A&M; Morgan Warburton, Utah; Jennifer Warkenthien, South Dakota State; Courtney Vandersloot, Gonzaga; Danielle Wilson, Baylor; Christina Wirth, Vanderbilt; Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, Purdue; Monica Wright, Virginia.

Smith Named GWC Pitcher of the Week

Utah Valley junior right-hander Justin Smith has been named the Great West Conference Pitcher of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Smith struck out a career-high 11 batters in 7.0 innings of work in the Wolverines’ 5-4 win over Nevada on Saturday.

Smith allowed two runs on five hits, lasting into the eighth inning against the Wolf Pack. He also threw 2/3 of an inning in relief at BYU last Tuesday, picking up both outs via strikeout. It’s the second time this year that Smith has earned the award.