Kyle and Spears Named CU Athletes of the Week

BOULDER?Cross Country runner Jordan Kyle (junior) and women’s basketball star Brittany Spears (sophomore), were named University of Colorado Athletes of the Week for the week of November 10-16.  This is Kyle’s third award of the season and of his career,  while this is the first award of the season for Spears and the second of her career.

            Kyle, a Fishers, Ind. (Hamilton Southeastern/Indiana) native led the No. 16 Buffs to their sixth consecutive NCAA Mountain Region title.  This was the fourth straight race that Kyle has led CU.  He finished sixth overall to earn his first All-Mountain Region honor.  He finished the 10k course with a time of 29:52.8.

            Spears, a Pasadena, Calif. (Pasadena/Notre Dame Prep [Mass.]) native, had a game high 23 points in the Buffs season opener against the University of Central Florida.  Her 23 points came one short of her career high 24 last season.  She was 9-17 from the floor and hit three shots from behind the arch.  She also recorded eight rebounds and five steals.  Spears scored 15 of the teams fist 21 points.  Her 18 first half points was a career high.

Others nominated for this week’s award were Casey Crawford (men’s basketball), Shaun Mohler (football), and Laura Thweatt (women’s cross country). 

Men’s Basketball:  Casey Crawford, Sophomore, Overland Park, Kan.

Crawford scored a team high 14 points on 6 for 8 shooting helping Colorado to a 76-56 victory in their season opening victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.  Crawford scored seven points in each half; he also added three assists, two steals and two rebounds in 19 minutes of play.  Crawford played his first game in more than a year after transferring from Wake Forest and due to NCAA rules had to sit out all of last season.  Crawford also shot .750 from the field that included a pair of 3-pointers.  Crawford hit a key 3-pointer in Colorado’s 19-5 run in the first half that led to a 20 point halftime lead of 40-20.

Football:  Shaun Mohler, Junior, Newport Beach, Calif.

Mohler had 12 tackles, 7 of which were solo in the Buffs 30-17 loss to No. 11 Oklahoma State.  Mohler also recorded one third down stop as well as an interception that he took back 16 yards to the OSU 16 yard.  His interception set up a short touchdown drive for the Buffs.

Women’s Cross Country:  Laura Thweatt, Sophomore, Durango, Colo.

Thweatt led the Buffs in her first regional race with a 14th place finish to earn her first all-regional honor.  She recorded a mark of 20:59.7 in the 6k.  This was the first time in Thweatt’s career that she led the Buffs in postseason competition.  The team took fourth overall.