Colorado University Athletics
Metivier Named CU/Big 12 Athlete Of The Week
February 03, 2005 | General, Track and Field
BOULDER - Senior distance runner Renee Metivier earned CU and Big 12 Athlete of the Week honors after winning the women's 3,000-meter run in an NCAA indoor automatic qualifying time of 9:14.23 at the University of Washington Invitational in Seattle this past Saturday.
The Highland Village, Texas native edged Arizona State's Courtney Inman by .36 seconds for the win. The race was the first for Metivier since her NCAA Cross Country Championship national runner-up finish two months ago. The win gave Metivier bragging rights to the Big 12 Conference's leading time, also good for second in the nation in the event.
Metivier and the rest of the Buffaloes indoor track and field team will be in action this Saturday (Feb. 5) when they travel down to the Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to participate in the Falcon Invitational.
Others nominated for this week's CU athlete of the week award were Erling Christainsen (men's skiing), Lucie Zikova (women's alpine skiing), Peter Bjork (men's tennis), Kendra Strandemo (women's tennis), and Chris Copeland (men's basketball).
Men's Nordic Skiing: Erling Christiansen, Junior, Oslo, Norway
The junior won his second freestyle race in as many weeks as he won the skate at the Denver Invitational at Snow Mountain Ranch, and finished fifth in the 15k classical the very next day. Skiing at his highest elevation (approx. 8,700-feet) this season, he won Friday's freestyle in 24:51.2, edging Utah's Daniel Sonntag (24:53.1) by less than a second. In his sixth top-10 finish a day later, his 43:30.1 effort was just 15 seconds off the winning time, and his finish was his best in the classical discipline so far this year.
Women's Alpine Skiing: Lucie Zikova, Freshman, Prague, Czech Republic
The freshman finished third in the slalom at the Denver Invitational this past week, with a two-run time of 1:31.65. All the while battling respiratory illness, Zikova also finished sixth in the giant slalom to help CU finish fourth overall.
Men's Tennis: Peter Bjork, Sophomore, Huddinge, Sweden
The sophomore won two singles matches and teamed with Marko Bundalo for another pair of wins helping CU to a 1-1 record in men's tennis play. Bjork upset the nation's No. 45-ranked player from Baylor, Matija Zgaga, 7-5, 6-4 to claim CU's lone point against the nation's No. 1-ranked team. Bjork and Bundalo also defeated Baylor's No. 2 duo, 8 3. Earlier in the week, Bjork won his singles match against Denver to improve to 3-1 this spring. Colorado is currently ranked No. 62 nationally.
Women's Tennis: Kendra Strandemo, Senior, San Diego, Calif.
The senior won a pair of matches during the week helping CU to go 1-1. Strandemo remained unbeaten in three matches this spring for her team-best eighth victory this year. Her two wins increase her career win total to 62 becoming the 16th women in school history to win that many matches. CU is 2-1 on the season and is the No. 70th school in the nation.
Men's Basketball: Chris Copeland, Junior, Richmond, Va.
The junior averaged 15.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game helping CU achieve a 1-1 record during the week. Copeland's 12 point, 11 rebound performance against Missouri helped the Buffaloes win their second Big 12 game. It was also his fifth career double-double. Against No.9 Oklahoma State, Copeland scored a team-high 19 points with four 3-pointers in CU's 104-86 loss. Copeland's four treys were a major part of the Buffs ability to set a school record 17 3-pointers.
