Wednesday, Dec. 4

Saluki defense frustrates Murray State

Late in the first half, SIU senior guard Kent Williams was scrambling around trying to find someone to pass to while keeping the Murray State defender from taking the ball away.
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Pride and prejudice

Everyone talked about it, but at the same time did not.

It was obvious and out in the open but officially in the closet.
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These women can excite

Forget the 1-2 record, with any luck they will equal it out 2-2 after tonight's game at Tennessee State.
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Sports flash

Two weeks after the SIU football team completed its best season since 1999, the Salukis were honored with several postseason awards.

Junior running back Muhammad Abdulqaadir was named the Gateway Conference Newcomer of the Year and redshirt freshman quarterback Joel Sambursky earned Freshman of the Year honors.

It was the first time in conference history that a school had swept the two awards in a season.

Joining the pair on the All-Newcomer Team were junior wide receiver Courtney Abbott and freshman linebacker Royal Whitaker.

Abdulqaadir was also named First-Team All-Gateway along with sophomore safety Alexis Moreland. Senior center Mike Fritzler earned second-team honors.

Sambursky, Abbott and sophomore offensive tackle Brian Akins all were named honorable mention.

A trio of Saluki seniors were also named to the Gateway All-Academic team. Offensive guard Matt Anderson, defensive tackle Matt Scheffler and place-kicker Scott Everhart were all named to the second team.

Athletic Department announces scholarship recipients

The SIU Athletic Department announced last week the recipients of 15 endowed and three non-endowed scholarships for the 2002-2003 school year. Through the scholarships, 19 student-athletes will have a part or all of their athletic scholarship paid for.

The recipients from the golf team are Alison Hiller (Charlotte West Scholarship), Sara Pate and Stephanie Pate (SIU Women's Golf Team Scholarship), Jennifer Schutt (FMGR Golf Scholarship), Jason Furlow and Amy Rankin (Ken Davis Memorial Golf Scholarship) and Furlow and Brad Dunker (Clyde Webb SISGA Scholarship).

From the football team, winners were Stanley Bryant (Kenny and Lisa Troutt Scholarship), Brad Brachear (Williams and Laverne O'Brien Scholarship), Joel Sambursky (R.B. and T.A. Newton Scholarship) and Bilal Rashid (Wrophas and Diane Meeks Scholarship).

Baseball team winners are Marshall Tucker (Saluki Booster Club Scholarship) and Eric Haberer (H. Mundo Baseball Award). Swimming team award winners include Ashley MacCurdy (Saluki Booster Club Scholarship) and Brigitta Olson (R.B. and T.A. Newton Scholarship).

From the men's basketball team, awards went to Kent Williams (Emma and Earl Tally Fund) and Jermaine Dearman (Semour Bryson Men's Basketball Scholarship). The final two awards went to the volleyball team's Britten Follett (Silkworm Saluki Futures Scholarship) and tennis player Tana Trapani (Shirley Davis West Award).

Women's swimming and diving adds National Champion Diver

Nadine Shawah, a junior college national champion diver, has committed to join the SIU women's swimming and diving team for next season.

Shawah, a native of Valrico, Fla., comes to SIU from Indian River Community College where she was the 3-meter title winner and runner-up in the 1-meter diving event at the 2002 National Junior College Athletic Association championships.

The Durant High School (Plant City, Fla.) graduate was a four-time NJCAA All-American during her two seasons at Indian River.

Shawah joins Rachel Winius as signed recruits for the Salukis for next season.

Korver named MVC Player of the Week

For the second time in the past three weeks, Creighton forward Kyle Korver has been named the State Farm/ Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball Player of the Week.

In wins over Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis and Notre Dame, Korver shot 55.6 percent from the field and 63.2 percent from beyond the three-point arc and averaged 22.0 points and 5.5 rebounds en route to being named the most valuable player at the Guardians Classic.

For the season, Korver has hit 23 of 34 three-point attempts for a remarkable 68 percent and has helped lead the Bluejays to a 4-0 start.