Torres Wins Athlete of Week
BOULDER- Jorge Torres became just the second Buffalo of all time to win three individual Big 12 Conference championships in the fall, earning himself Athlete of the Week honors for the third time this season. Adam Goucher won Big Eight and 12 titles in 1995, 1997 and 1998.
At the 2,500 meter mark of Saturday's race Torres began to pull away from the pack and finished the race with a 16-second cushion over all other opponents. Torres set his third course record in as many races when he covered the 8k A.J. Gustin Golf Course in 23:32. His twin brother Ed Torres and freshman Billy Nelson were behind within the rest of the pack.
The third-ranked Colorado men's and women's cross country teams won their seventh and sixth Big 12 Conference championships respectively. Colorado's men's team total of 25 points was the third-lowest total in the Big 12 annuals and 65 points ahead of the runner-up Texas.
Others nominated for this week's award were Donald Strickland (football), Molly Austin (women's cross country), Erin Kerr (women's golf) and Elizabeth Gower (volleyball).
FOOTBALL: Donald Strickland, Senior, San Francisco, Calif. Donald Strickland led the defense this past weekend as the Buffaloes suffered a disappointing 27-11 loss to No. 1 Oklahoma. Strickland led the defense with 15 total tackles, 10 solo tackles, one tackle for loss, one third down stop and one pass broken up. Colorado is now 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Molly Austin, Junior, Littleton, Colo. Molly Austin became just the second CU woman to successfully defend her Big 12 cross country title when she bettered the A.J. Gustin Golf Course 6k mark in 20:26. She follows in the footsteps of Kara Grgas-Wheeler who won back-to-back crowns in 1999 and 2000. she pace the CU women to their sixth team crown, fourth consecutive, with a surprising 73 point margin over 11th ranked Missouri.
WOMEN'S GOLF: Erin Kerr, Senior, Phoenix, Ariz. Erin Kerr shot a 54-hole 221, just seven strokes off medallist pace, for a share of fourth and paced the Buffs to a ninth-place finish at the Landfall Tradition Women's Golf Championship in Wilmington, North Carolina. It was Kerr's third consecutive top-five tournament finish, as she was the individual runner-up at both the Heather Farr Memorial and Pioneer Highlands Ranch Invitational.
VOLLEYBALL: Elizabeth Gower, Senior, Naperville, Ill. Elizabeth Gower was the lone bright spot for the Buffs this past week. The senior setter recorded her ninth career triple-double, her first of the season, against Texas A&M when she tallied 11 kills, 49 assists and 12 digs in the match. She is the CU career leader in triple-doubles. Colorado is now 11-12 and 5-8 in the Big 12 after going 0-2 last week.
Compiled by: Brendan Cavanaugh, Sports Information, Studnet Assistant