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Higgins, Spears Named Athletes of the Week

Jan 19, 2011

BOULDER - CU men's basketball guard Cory Higgins (senior) and CU women's basketball guard/forward Brittany Spears (senior) both received recognition for their athletic accomplishments the week of January 10-16.

Higgins, a Danville, Calif. (Monte Vista) native, averaged 16 points with 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists, helping Colorado to a pair of victories to remain unbeaten in Big 12 play at 3-0. While Higgins scored only nine points in CU's upset over No. 21/20 Kansas State (74-66), he tallied a game-high 23 points in the Buffs' come-from-behind 75-71 win at home against Oklahoma State on Jan. 15. Higgins also tallied three3-pointers against the Cowboys and was 5-for-9 shooting from the field.

The 6-foot-5 guard, and son of former NBA player Rod Higgins, earned his 13th CU Athlete of the Week Award.

Spears, originally from Pasadena, Calif. (Notre Dame Prep), compiled two double-doubles this week, her fifth and sixth of the season and 27th and 28th of her career. With just seven healthy players for Saturday's game against No. 17/16 Iowa State, Spears put up 18 points, 12 rebounds and five steals. For the week, Spears averaged 17.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 4.0 steals.

Also nominated for this week's award were Vegard Kjoelhamar (men's skiing) and Eliska Hajkova (women's skiing).

Men's Skiing: Vegard Kjoelhamar, Sr., Jar, Akershus, Norway

Kjoelhamar won his fourth race as a collegian, taking first in the men's 10K freestyle race at the Montana State Invitational on Saturday. The following day, Kjoelhamar placed second in the 20K classic race. It was his third win in freestyle action and the two races mark his ninth and 10th career podium appearances. Kjoelhamar helped the Buffs to a team victory for the first complete team invitational of the 2011 season.

Women's Skiing: Eliska Hajkova, Jr., Jablonec, Czech Republic

Hajkova took second place in both the women's 5K freestyle and 15K classical races at the Montana State Invitational over the weekend. It marked her ninth podium appearance in just her 14th career race at CU with six of those nine appearances coming with a runner-up performance.