Colorado University Athletics
Colorado's Harrison and Schjellerud Tie for Athlete of the Week
February 24, 2004 | General, Men's Basketball, Skiing
BOULDER-- It takes two. Colorado men's basketball center David Harrison, and ski team's Tor Erik Schjellerud have tied for this week's CU Athlete of the Week honors for their performances, which helped guide the Buffs to a 2-0 run in basketball, and a second place finish for this past weekend's ski meet in Eldora.
Arriving on the CU campus in January, nordic skier Schjellerud has wasted no time vying for a spot on the NCAA Championship roster. Hailing from Norway, the 6-1 junior won the men's 10K classical, and finished second in the 15K freestyle after skating three laps around the 5K course in 36:45.8 to help give CU a second place finish at it its own invitational over the weekend.
With ten inches of new snow and clear skies on Friday, Schjellerud claimed the 10K classic for the host school, as CU posted seven top-10 finishes, giving the Buffaloes a second place standing after the first day of their own 12th annual CU/Laura Sharpe Flood Memorial Invitational at Eldora Mountain Resort. Schjellerud's win was the first for the January transfer who had a pair of runner-up, a third and fourth place finishes entering the Buffs' home meet. He covered the 10K course in 26:04.6 to finish a comfortable 30 seconds ahead of New Mexico's Geir-Endre Rogan (26:34.4) and Utah's Henning Dybendal (26:37.3), claiming "Today was my day and next week we don't know."
The ten teams participating this past weekend will turn right around, and compete in the NCAA West Regional, set for Friday and Saturday (February 27-28) in Crested Butte. Two weeks later (March 10-13), the NCAA Championships will be held both at the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort and Auburn Ski Club in the Lake Tahoe area.
Buff fans should be on the lookout for this 24-year-old newcomer after coming into CU with an outstanding campaign, which includes skiing for the Vind IL club team for 20 years (1984-2004), and finishing 34th/40th in the 2003 World Cup Competition, 15th at the Norwegian Championship, and holding six top 25 finishes (and three top 20 efforts) in the Norwegian Cup Races.
Harrison has also earned CU Athlete of the Week honors for his performances in the Buffs last two conference games against Texas Tech, and Kansas State. The 7-0 Nashville, Tenn., native led CU with a game-high 24 points, 10 rebounds, and seven blocks against then-No. 22/23 ranked Texas Tech. His seven blocks tie the school record for blocks by a junior.
Against the Wildcats, Harrison notched another double-double for the week with 13 points and 10 boards. It is his 10th double this season, and the 23rd of his career, which ranks 10th in the Jumbo Dozen. Over the past three years, Harrison has either shared or topped every Colorado blocked shots record. Kansas State was also his 11th game with 10 or more rebounds this season (26 career), and fourth 20 point game in 2003-04 (14 career).
Other nominees for this week's award are: Tera Bjorklund (women's basketball), Kristy Randono (women's tennis), and Kane Webber (Golf).
Women's Basketball: Tera Bjorklund, had an impressive week averaging 18.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg as she became Colorado's second all-time leading scorer, passing the legendary Shelley Sheetz in the win over Oklahoma State with 1,791 points. First at Oklahoma on Wednesday, she had a near-perfect game shooting, going 8-9 from the floor and was a perfect 3-3 from the free throw line with three rejections, good for 19 points in 39 minutes of playing time. Then on Saturday vs. Oklahoma State she scored 19 points and pulled down 14 rebounds, just one off her career high of 15 for her fourth double-double of the season. For the week she shot 65% from the floor, recorded five blocked shots (2.5 per game) and four assists in 74 minutes of playing time, sitting just six minutes between the two games.
Golf: Kane Webber tied for 13th in the Joihn Burns Intercollegiate with three identical rounds of 70 for a 210 total, helping CU tie for 9th overall in the 20 team field.
Women's Tennis: Kristy Randono clinched CU's match over Missouri with a three-set win at No.6 singles, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. The Buffaloes (4-3, 2-1), ranked No. 57 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll upset the previously unbeaten and No. 40 Tigers, 4-3. Randono, a sophomore from Colorado Springs, Colo. improved to 3-1 at No. 6 singles with the win.
