GO RUNNERS!

Roadrunners clinch Big West golf title

The women's golf team has captured its first ever Big West Conference Tournament title.

The Roadrunners won the title in April by 55 shots, the third largest margin in the tournament's history.

The team was led by A.J. Eathorne, who finished four strokes ahead of teammate Sarah Comstock, who took second place. With a final round score of 74, Eathorne became the first NMSU women's golfer to win medalist honors at the Big West Conference championships.

"It was fun to watch Sarah and A.J. battle it out for the individual title," said Coach Jackie Booth. "Before the tournament began, we set a goal to win by 25 shots. I guess we underestimated ourselves."

The victory became the first Roadrunner team title since the High Country Championships in 1990.

The Roadrunners also brought home individual awards. Eathorne was named Big West Conference Player of the Year, while Comstock, Kate Dunn and Rachel Duncan were named to the first team All-Big West. Booth was named Big West Conference Coach of the Year for the third time in her career.

Beth Cox

Softball victorious but denied NCAA bid

The NMSU softball team had a successful 1997 season as players recorded the second greatest number of victories in school history with 33, and its 21 conference wins was the most ever by any Roadrunner softball team.

Despite the winnings, the NCAA denied the team a regional bid for the second season in a row. The Roadrunners completed the 1997 season with a 33-22 overall record and 21-11 mark and second place finish in the Big West Conference.

"I'm not really sure what it comes down to anymore," said head coach Roy Gamez. "We were told last year, after we were passed over for a regional bid, that our schedule was not strong enough. We made the adjustments to play higher quality teams this season, and did very well against them. It's just a shame because the best 32 teams in the country will not be represented in this year's tournament."

NMSU Sports Information

Presley Askew Field, home of NMSU baseball and softball, boasts a new attraction: lights. The Aggies hosted rival University of New Mexico on Feb. 21, the first game with lights. The new lights are expected to increase attendance and benefit recruiting efforts. The new lights are part of a plan to renovate the entire complex with new dugouts, bleachers, locker rooms and concession stands.

Aggie fans, get ready for football action

With 14 returning starters and 41 returning lettermen, the NMSU Aggies will play their first home game against Cal State Northridge at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 3.

It will be the first Aggie football season for new head coach Tony Samuel. With the hiring of Samuel and a new staff of assistants, Aggie fans can expect some changes in the team's offensive and defensive strategies this fall.

The coach wants wins, but emphasizes the thin line between winning and a well-played game. "The great players look at their performance, how they performed, how hard they played. The rest usually takes care of itself," Samuel said.

The Aggies will take on rival University of New Mexico at 6:05 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at UNM. NMSU's home season will begin at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, when the Aggies take on Cal State Northridge at Aggie Memorial Stadium. The Aggies will then travel to El Paso to battle the UTEP Miners at 6:35 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27.

Highlights of the NMSU football program will be featured in the September issue of Aggie Panorama.

Beth Cox

Maxwell selected in WNBA draft

Anita Maxwell, '96, former three-time Big West Conference Player of the Year, was selected by the Cleveland Rockers of the new Women's National Basketball Association.

Maxwell, 23, a native of Dallas, was scheduled to begin pre-season camp in Cleveland on May 20.

She is the all-time leading scorer in Big West Conference as well as in NMSU history. She netted 2,601 points in her four-year career with the Roadrunners. Maxwell, who played in 119 collegiate games, averaged 21.9 points per game at NMSU. She also grabbed 1,189 rebounds and 337 steals in her career. Maxwell became the first player on record in NCAA Division 1 basketball history to register over 2,500 points, collect 1,000 rebounds and record 300 steals.

After graduation, Maxwell played one year for Asa Jerusalem in the Israeli Pro League. She averaged nearly 20 points and 10 rebounds a game while competing against other teams from Israel, France, Germany and Turkey.

NMSU Sports Information