Colorado University Athletics
Soccer's Thais Named Athlete of the Week
November 05, 2003 | General, Soccer
BOULDER-- Junior midfielder Jen Thais has been named the Big 12 Conference's offensive player of the week and now CU's athlete of the week.Â
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Seventeen minutes into Colorado's contest against Nebraska, Thais scored her fourth goal of the season from 30-yards out to make the game even, 1-1. Just 95 seconds later the game-winning goal was scored when Thais knocked the ball to Freshman Katie Griffin. Thais shot 50 percent, scoring on one of her two shots in the coldest game in Colorado's history.
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She began her career at CU as the team's leading scorer with three goals, an assist, and seven points in the 2001 season. Also as a freshman Thais was one of three Buffs to start all 16 games. In her sophomore year she was named 2002 Academic All-Big 12 and in the spring of 2003 Thais received the honor of McCallister Scholar Athlete.
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Others nominated for this week's award are Dathan Ritzenhein (men's cross-country), Natalie Florence (women's cross-country), and J.J. Billingsley (football).
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MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Dathan Ritzenhein, Sophomore, Rockford, Mich.
After finishing second in this race two years ago, Dathan Ritzenhein won his first Big 12 Conference title when he covered the 8k Barton Creek Lakeside Golf Course in the winning time of 24 minutes, 11 seconds, a comfortable 14 seconds ahead of the race's runner-up. Â With the win, he extended CU's streak of individual men's titles to seven.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Natalie Florence, Junior, Lawerenceville, Ga.
In just 21 minutes, 25 seconds, Natalie Florence won her first collegiate race and first Big 12 Conference title when she blistered the 6k Barton Creek Lakeside Golf Course in Austin, Texas Friday. Â She finished nine seconds ahead of teammate and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year Renee Metivier (21:34).
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FOOTBALL: J.J. Billingsley, Sophomore, Aurora, Colo.
Safety J.J. Billingsley made his first two career interceptions in the first three and a half minutes of the game- doubling CU's total on the season coming into the game. Throughout the first eight games, Colorado had just two interceptions; which was vying to be fewest in the first nine games of a season ever at Colorado before Billingsley's two early thefts. He also recorded a quarterback hurry, six tackles, and five solo tackles.
