The board of the Football Writers Association of America selected the No. 6 Horned Frogs as the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week on Monday, after their 38-7 win at then No. 16 Brigham Young University on Saturday.
Saturday’s game between the Frogs and Cougars was the day’s only match-up to feature two teams ranked in the BCS standings, putting the team into the national spotlight. Director of Athletic Media Relations Mark Cohen said the award does not carry BCS implications.
“It’s a great honor and recognition,” Cohen said. “It’s a nice reward for a great day in Provo, but everything right now is geared toward (TCU’s next opponent) UNLV.”
The Horned Frogs won the team of the week award last season following their win over BYU in Fort Worth.
Cohen said representatives from the Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl and New Mexico Bowl attended Saturday’s game and that a representative from the Allstate Sugar Bowl would be at Amon Carter Stadium this week when the Frogs host UNLV.
“(Bowl representatives) are going to visit places that have teams on the radar,” Cohen said. “But by no means does that guarantee that we’re going somewhere.”
TCU has never played in a BCS game. Last season the Frogs beat Boise State 17-16 in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.
Soccer
A game-winning goal by junior forward Jackie Torda led the Frogs to a 3-2 overtime win against UNLV Friday night at Peter Johann Memorial Field in Las Vegas.
Torda’s second goal of the night came in the 98th minute off of a cross from senior midfielder Michelle Nguyen. Torda also scored in the 36th minute.
Sophomore defender Kaitlyn Shelledy scored the other goal for the Frogs on another assist from Nguyen in the 48th minute, while junior goalkeeper Kelsey Walters saved six shots.
TCU improved its record to 9-8 with the win and is 2-4 in conference play.
The Mountain West Conference honored Torda as its player of the week following the two-goal outing. Torda moved into sixth place on the TCU career goals list with 18.
Swimming
The swimming and diving teams swept their road trip through Colorado with three weekend wins. The women’s team beat Air Force, 169-124, and Northern
Colorado, 188.5-104.5, while the men’s team beat Air Force, 169-125.
The women’s team won half of its events, led by junior Maria Paula Alvarez who won both the 1000-meter and 500-meter freestyle swimming events. Junior Kyle Callens led the men’s diving team, winning the one-meter and three-meter springboards.
Volleyball
The Horned Frogs extended their winning streak to four matches as they topped Wyoming in straight sets (25-20, 25-13, 25-15) Saturday.
The team had 41 kills against the Cowgirls, led by senior Kourtney Edwards’ 11. Defensively, senior Katelyn Blackwood led the Frogs with 13 digs.
Sophomore setter Megan Munce earned Mountain West Conference Player of the Week honors after a pair of strong outings last week against Wyoming and then-No. 25 Colorado State. Against the Cowgirls, Munce totaled 32 assists, eight digs and a conference season-high tying six service aces.
In the match against the Rams, Munce posted her 10th double-double of the season with 29 assists and 10 digs.
Men’s Golf
The team posted a score of 290 in the first round of the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational Sunday to finish day one of the event in second place.
Senior Travis Woolf led the Frogs with a score of 3 under par and a fourth overall individual finish. Stanford led the tournament after one round with a team score of 289.
Men’s Tennis
Junior Christopher Price was the lone Horned Frog to stay alive at the Wilson/ITA Texas Regional Championships Sunday at Texas A&M’s George P. Mitchell Tennis Center.
Price, playing in the consolation bracket, won two matches Saturday, both 6-2, 6-1, to advance to the semifinals of the consolation bracket. Freshman Marius Cirstea and junior Emanuel Brighiu were both eliminated from the tournament Sunday in the quarterfinals.
