Roundup: UW hoops' Mercedes Wetmore on to softball
With the women’s basketball season over in Seattle, it’s time to head back to #TheBellWell and salute the engine of women’s basketball, Mercedes Wetmore. The senior has seen her last action on the collegiate hardwood, but you can still catch her on the UW softball team (catch, softball – get it? What a pun).
No surprise here: Chiney Ogwumike is one of five finalists for the John R. Wooden Award. Joining her for a shot at the honor are Baylor’s Odyssey Sims, Notre Dame’s Kayla McBride, UConn’s Breanna Stewart and Maryland’s Alyssa Thomas.
He received some interest from Cal, but Larry Krystkowiak is getting a new five-year contract at Utah. Although it’s not quite official yet, Tony Jones reports that the terms were agreed to a few weeks back.
Gabriel Baumgaertner of Sports Illustrated has some thoughts on the newly retired Mike Montgomery, writing that Montgomery provided many great West Coast basketball moments before retiring.
Watch the McDonald’s All-American Game last night? If you did, then you saw future Wildcat Stanley Johnson do work for the West team, handing out the game-winning assist in a 105-102 triumph. Fresh off winning a state championship with Mater Dei, Johnson continues to win ‘em all. Teams he plays on are 36-0 this year.
Arizona State wrestling coach Shawn Charles has resigned. He coached two national champions in 2011 with Anthony Robles at 125 and Bubba Jenkins at 157.
John Canzano caught up with Washington State football coach Mike Leach, and I assume you would like to read about Leach’s walking habits and proclivity for throwing snowballs. Also, Ernie Kent was introduced as Washington State’s new basketball coach Wednesday, and the former Pac-12 Networks analyst said he will miss his “makeup gal.”
From a couple of days ago: UCLA defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes will miss the remainder of spring ball with a broken foot. Mora said the DE will be good to go for the summer.
Irv Moss of the Denver Post tells us that Sefo Liufau and the receivers are building rapport during spring practice. That’s key with Paul Richardson moving on to the NFL.
Everyone talks about how crucial it is for teammates to get along, but chemistry is just as important for Oregon football coaches, too.
Granted an extra season, Michael Doctor wants to bring back Linebacker U to Corvallis.
For even more spring football news, let’s head on over to Troy, where George Farmer is looking good in his comeback. The wide receiver suffered a knee injury a year ago in spring ball and had to redshirt 2013.