THIS WEEK IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST
BYU and UNLV will represent the Mountain West Conference in the 2005 NCAA Softball Championship. This marks the third time in league history that two teams from the MWC were selected. The Cougars earned the automatic bid to the championship with their 2-0 win over the Rebels at last week's Mountain West Conference Softball Championship in San Diego. UNLV received its first at-large bid as members of the Mountain West Conference after finishing the regular season with a 43-17 record.
The Cougars (44-12) were placed in Region No. 2 at Bulldog Diamond on the campus of Fresno State in Fresno, Calif., and will start off with second-seeded and No. 2-ranked California (46-11) on Thursday, May 19.
UNLV will compete in Region No. 7 at Easton Stadium on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif. The Rebels will open with Cal State Fullerton (28-19) on May 20.
NCAA POSTSEASON NOTES
BYU and UNLV will represent the Mountain West Conference in the 2005 NCAA Softball Championship. This marks the third time in league history that two teams from the MWC were selected. The Cougars earned the automatic bid to the championship with their 2-0 win over the Rebels in last week's Mountain West Conference Softball Championship in San Diego. UNLV received its first at-large bid as members of the Mountain West Conference after finishing the regular season with a 43-17 record.
The Cougars (44-12) were placed in Region No. 2 at Bulldog Diamond on the campus of Fresno State in Fresno, Calif., and will start off with second-seeded and No. 2-ranked California (46-11) at 8:30 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 19. The other opening day game in Fresno will be site host and 15th-ranked Fresno State (41-10) vs. No. 24 Long Beach State (39-14) at 6 p.m.
UNLV will compete in Region No. 7 at Easton Stadium on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, Calif. The Rebels will open with Cal State Fullerton (28-19) at noon PT on Friday, May 20. The second game pits host and 12th-ranked UCLA (30-16) vs. Loyola Marymount (34-18) at 2:30 p.m.
MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE VS. 2005 NCAA FIELD
The Mountain West Conference went 21-44-0 (.323) this season vs. institutions in the 2005 NCAA Tournament field. The most notable of the 21 victories were UNLV's wins over then-No. 14 Washington, then No. 18 Fresno State and then 21st-ranked Oregon, and San Diego State's two wins over then 20th-ranked Long Beach State.
BYU WINS MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT
BYU won its second Mountain West Conference Tournament crown after defeating UNLV, 2-0, in the championship final. Freshman pitcher Daniella Urincho hurled a four hit, complete game shutout for the Cougars, striking out four in the process.
With the win, the Cougars joined Utah as the only MWC teams to win the conference tournament title more than once. The Utes have won the tournament crown three times (2000, 2002 and 2004). Four of the six MWC championship games have been decided by two runs or less. Utah holds the largest margin of victory in a title game with its 8-1 win over San Diego State in 2002.
BYU also won the MWC regular season crown with a record of 16-2-0. The Cougars became the third No. 1 seed to win a MWC tournament crown. BYU's last MWC Tournament title cames as a No. 1 seed in 2001.
2005 ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Champion BYU placed five players on the MWC All-Tournament team. Freshman pitcher Daniella Urincho won the MVP award while teammate Paige Paramore (Jr., DP) was voted Designated Player of the tournament. Juniors Iantea Le'i (Jr., 1B) and Summer Tobias (Jr., P), and sophomore Jodi Norton (So., SS) round out the BYU selections. UNLV garnered three selections to the all-tournament team (freshman Marissa Nichols, junior Maggie Livreri and senior Jacque Kerrigan), while Colorado State freshman Lauren Cusick and New Mexico senior Ashley Perkins also were selected to the all-tournament team.
