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Issued: December 11, 2007
BLUGOLD ATHLETES TABBED FOR CONFERENCE HONORS
MADISON, Wis. – UW-Eau Claire women’s basketball forward Michelle Burns (Sr.-Eau Claire, Wis./North), men’s hockey goalie Tyler Brigl (So.-Eagan, Minn.), men’s swimmer Ben Macalalad (Fr.-Wausau, Wis./West) and men’s diver Bryan Dykstra (Jr.-Racine, Wis./Horlick) have been named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference players of the week, conference spokesman Matt Stanek has announced. Winning on the road was the Achilles heel of the 2006-07 Blugold women’s basketball team, but senior leadership like that provided by Michelle Burns has helped the Blugolds win their first three conference games, all away from Zorn Arena, this season. The Blugolds were 3-5 in the conference and 4-8 overall while playing on the road last year. This year, the Blugolds are 5-0 overall on the road already and 3-0 in conference road games. In road wins at Platteville and La Crosse, Burns led the way. She scored a season-high 21 at Platteville, hitting 10 of 13 from the field. She was one of five players in double figures against La Crosse with 12 points and also pulled a game-high 11 rebounds to help the Blugolds to a 43-29 advantage in that category. For the week, Burns was 15 of 25 from the field (60%), hit 1 of 4 three-pointers and 2 of 2 from the foul line. She grabbed 13 rebounds with two assists, one block and one steal. For the season, she is second on the team in scoring, second in steals and the team leader in rebounds. She is shooting 49.4% from the field and 80.8% from the foul line. Brigl allowed just three goals in two NCHA road victories at St. Scholastica and Superior this past weekend. Stopped 45 of 48 shots (.937 saves percentage) in those two triumphs after losing a 3-1 non-conference decision to nationally-ranked St. Thomas Wednesday. For the week, Brigl stopped 55 of 61 shots (.901 saves percentage). Three of the six goals he allowed were on the power play. Faced nine power play situations against Superior and gave up a lone goal. St. Scholastica was 1 for 5 with the man advantage. First back-to-back NCHA wins for the Blugolds since they beat the same two opponents, at home, Jan. 16-17, 2004. Macalalad won two close distance races in a dual meet against La Crosse. Beat Karl Richters by 7/10 of a second to win the 1,000 freestyle in 10:21.06. The two beat the rest of the field by 17 seconds. In the 500, beat Michael Beilman by less than a second with a 5:00.99 clocking. Was the only double winner for the Blugolds in the meet. Dykstra easily won both diving events in a dual meet against La Crosse. Scored 293 to win the 1-meter event by 72.65 points. Scored 257.75 to win the 3-meter event by 77.35 points. - KM -
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