Sports Briefs

The UA's Amy Skieresz, after becoming the first female in NCAA Division I history to win four individual national titles in a single year, was honored last week as the Pacific 10 Conference Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

Skieresz won the 5,000 and the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Outdoor Championships earlier this month in Bloomington, Ind., and she captured two titles at the Pac-10 Championships with victories in the 3,000 and the 5,000 meter races.

Earlier in the school year, Skieresz was the first University of Arizona woman to win an individual title at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. She also won the 5,000 meter title at the NCAA Indoor Championships last March.

UCLA's Mebrahtom Keflezighi was named the male athlete of the year. Keflezighi, a junior, also won the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

UCLA's Jeanette Bolden was named the women's Coach of the Year and USC's Ron Allice was named men's Coach of the Year.

UA Rugby squad wins Las Vegas Tournament

The University of Arizona rugby team won the Las Vegas Midnight Sevens Rugby Tournament last Saturday night with a 40-5 rout of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the final match.

On the way to the finals, Arizona won four matches in a row including wins over USC 34-0; Sacramento State 36-12; Brigham Young 24-10 and an under 23 team from Santa Rosa, Calif.

This year marked the first time Arizona has sent a Seven-A-Side team to this tournament. Seven-A-Side rugby is a variation of rugby as teams are reduced to seven players and the halves last only seven minutes as opposed to 15 on a team and 40 minute halve s in a standard rugby match.

Aldrich qualifies for World Championship Games
University of Arizona freshman Erin Aldrich has earned a place on the U.S. track and field team for the 1997 World Championship Games.

Aldrich secured a spot on the team after placing third in the high jump at the USA Track and Field Championships last weekend in Indianapolis. Aldrich cleared 6 feet, 4 inches, a personal record, during the meet.

The top three finishers in each event last weekend will represent the United States at the World Championship Games during August, in Athens, Greece.

Candrea named Pacific-Region Coach of the Year

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association has named University of Arizona softball coach Mike Candrea Pacific-Region Coach of the Year.

Candrea, 41, led the Wildcats to a fifth NCAA Championship victory.

His name will now be on the ballot for national coach of the year.