Sports Briefs

Logsdon named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week

It was a good weekend for Leslie Logsdon, and an even better Monday.

The Munfordville junior and Lady Topper guard was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the week yesterday after two of her best performances of the season.

Logsdon averaged 20 points in the last two Lady Topper games — a 71-43 victory against Louisiana-Lafayette and an 80-54 win over New Mexico State.

She went 7-for-15 from the 3-point range, compiled 11 assists and had four turnovers.

Logsdon is now the second Lady Topper to receive the honor this season. Senior guard Kristina Covington was the season’s first player of the week in November.

Western (10-8, 5-2) will hit the court again at 6 p.m. Thursday in Miami to take on conference-leading Florida International.

— J. Michael Moore

Throwers named performers of the week

Sophomore Raigo Toompu and junior Erin Gruenke were named Sun Belt Conference men’s and women’s indoor track and field performers of the week.

Toompu earned his third weekly honor since coming to the Hill. This award came exactly one year after the first of his career, while the second came during the 2002 outdoor season on May 2. Toompu currently leads the SBC in both the shotput and the 38-pound weight throw.

Gruenke earned the first honor of her career for her league-leading throw of 41-1.25 in the shotput, which she threw during the first meet of the season at the MTSU Invitational. She also holds the conference’s second-best throw of the year at 41-1, which she tossed at the Kentucky Invitational two weeks ago.

— Kyle Hightower

Softball picked to finish third in Sun Belt

The Western softball team was picked to finish third in the Sun Belt Conference for the upcoming year by the league’s coaches Jan. 23.

Defending champion Louisiana-Lafayette is the early front runner after receiving all five first-place votes. The Lady Cajuns, in search of their fourth-straight conference title, were followed by Florida International, Western, MTSU and New Mexico State.

The Hilltoppers enjoyed their most successful season in 2002, amassing a team-record 37 wins while tying with FIU for second place in the SBC with an 8-8 record. Western placed four players on the all-conference team last season, three of whom will be returning this year.

— Kyle Hightower

Youngest Ransdell joins baseball team

Western baseball coach Joel Murrie announced the addition of freshman infielder Matt Ransdell to the Hilltoppers’ roster for the upcoming season.

Ransdell joins the team after spending the fall semester at Clemson University. He is the son of Gary Ransdell, Matt Ransdell is also the brother of former Western player Patrick Ransdell. His mother, Julie, is also a graduate of Western.

— Kyle Hightower