BYU
BASKETBALL: BYU women's basketball head coach Trent Shippen announced that he has accepted the resignation of assistant coach Tom Gneiting, effective immediately. Gneiting, who has been an assistant under Shippen the past four seasons, will graduate this spring from the school's executive MBA program.
"Tom has been an integral part of our basketball program and the success we've had," Shippen said. "I have known Tom for many years and have enjoyed having him as part of our staff. His contributions will be missed. He has my full support in pursuing his professional goals."
For the past four years, Gneiting has coached the post players, been involved in recruiting, scheduling, scouting, conditioning and also handled all travel arrangements for the team.
BYU/USU
SOFTBALL: Brigham Young snapped up its second double-header win of the season against the Utah State softball team Wednesday at the LaRee and LeGrand Johnson Field in Logan.
The Aggies were shut out 8-0 in the first game and then followed with a 4-1 loss in the second game. Previously this season the Cougars took both games of a double-header with the Aggies down in Provo.
BYU pitcher Maryon DeWitt-Wallentine pitched a two-hit shutout while striking out three batters in the opening game of the afternoon. Aggies recording hits in the game included juniors Breanne Nickle and Heather Curtis.
The Cougars scored one run in the first inning and were held scoreless for the next three innings before exploding in the fifth, knocking in seven runs. Highlights from the inning included a home run by lead-off batter Becca Erickson and a three-RBI triple by Jackie Ellis.
BYU didn't slow down in the second game, scoring three runs in the first inning. With the bases loaded, a Cougar walked to bring Liz Smith home from third. An Aggie error allowed two Cougars to score and put them up 3-0. Another Cougar scored BYU's fourth run of the game in the fourth inning when she reached on a fielder's choice and then came around to steal home.
Utah
SOFTBALL: The first-place Utah women's softball team finally gets to play some home games in the Mountain West Conference with doubleheaders Friday against Colorado State and Saturday against New Mexico at Ute Field.
After playing eight road games, the 5-2-1 Utes are scheduled to play 10 straight home league games before finishing the season May 5 at BYU.
Friday's games against the Rams (6-29, 3-6) start at 1:30 p.m., while Saturday's games with New Mexico (32-17-1, 5-4-1) are scheduled for noon.
SUU
TRACK: Southern Utah University's men's and women's outdoor track and field teams travel to Southern California to compete in three meets this weekend. The T-Birds will compete at the Mt. SAC Relays this Friday-Sunday in Walnut, the Pomona Invitational Friday in Pomona and the Long Beach Invitational Saturday in Long Beach.
WOMEN'S TENNIS: Southern Utah's women's tennis team (8-7, 5-3 Mid-Con) travels to Tulsa, Okla., this weekend for the Mid-Continent Conference Championships, hosted by Oral Roberts University. The T-Birds finished the season in a three-way tie for third place at 5-3 with Youngstown State and IUPUI. SUU was awarded the No. 3 seed in a tiebreak and will face No. 2 Western Illinois Friday at 9 a.m.
UVSC
HALL OF FAME: Former Wolverine basketball player Scott Pace and ex-UVSC women's softball standout Allison Bench Reynolds will be inducted into the college's Hall of Fame at the annual athletic awards banquet Thursday at 7 p.m. at the David O. McKay Events Center.
Pace was a standout basketball player for UVSC in 1979-80 and 1980-81. He is one of only four players to lead the Wolverines in both scoring and assists in the same season, as he averaged 17.9 points and 5.3 assists in 1980-81. Pace is second all-time in the UVSC record book in total assists, with 315. He was also an assistant basketball coach at UVSC for eight years from 1986 to 1994.
Reynolds was a dominant All-America fast-pitch softball player for UVSC in 1986 and 1987. She was a top-flight pitcher, and still holds a number of UVSC single-season and career records. She has the best single-season ERA in school history, with a 0.92 mark, and the top career ERA at 1.11. She won 38 games during her two-year tenure, which ties her for the most wins in school history.
The UVSC Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1998. Other members are: women's administrator Sharon Benson Peterson, baseball coach David Nelson, volleyball/basketball player Stephanie Trane, rodeo star Lewis Feild, basketball coach Duke Reid, basketball player Peter Martin, women's basketball coach Tom Perkins and Wolverine supporter Wilford Clyde.