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CU’s Emma Coburn is the fastest in the world (this year), named Pac-12 Track Athlete Of The Week
Apr 30th
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. –University of Colorado senior Emma Coburn has been named the Pac-12 Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week after clocking the best 3,000-meter steeplechase time in the world this season.
Coburn won the steeplechase at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational on Saturday night with a time of 9:28.26, just two days after running a 4:11.36 1,500 at Drake Relays…over 1,800 miles away. Coburn defeated Brooks’ Jamie Cheever by a narrow margin (9:29.13), but the two blew away the field with the third-place finisher, Weber State’s Amber Henry, finishing in 9:51.55. Prior to Coburn’s run, the top NCAA steeplechase time was 9:50.39, set by Cornell’s Rachel Sorna. Coburn’s 9:28.26 is also the third fastest time in NCAA history and made her the second best performer in the event.
The Crested Butte, Colo. native also did quite well in her 1,500, placing eighth overall. She was the only collegiate runner in a field that included the regaining IAAF 1,500-Meter World Champion and CU volunteer assistant coach Jenny Simpson (who won in 4:03), and other Olympians. Coburn’s time is fifth in the NCAA, but on Friday night it was the fastest in the NCAA.
Both times from the weekend are the best by a Pac-12 runner this season.
The Buffs are gearing up for the Pac-12 Conference Championships in Los Angeles. The combined events portion of the meet will be contested this weekend, May 4-5, and the rest of the meet will be the following weekend, May 11-12. USC is this year’s host.
CU press release
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– Colorado –
Roberson going pro
Apr 28th
By B.G. Brooks, CUBuffs.com Contributing Editor
Junior Andre Roberson, a 6-7 forward who was on the verge of becoming CU’s career rebounding leader, made his decision about midday Sunday and notified CU Coach Tad Boyle.
Roberson was scheduled to announce his intentions at a Friday morning news conference at the Coors Events Center, but he and his family canceled the conference because Roberson apparently was torn between leaving school and turning pro.
He had until 9:59 p.m. MDT Sunday to declare himself eligible for the NBA Draft, which will be conducted on June 27 at the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.
“We support Andre and want what’s best for him and his family,” Boyle said Sunday afternoon. “We wish him the best.”
Roberson leaves CU with most of the school’s rebounding records within his reach and a legitimate chance to likely have put some of those marks out of reach for any future Buff.
The odds favored Roberson becoming CU’s top career rebounder in the first game of what would have been his senior year; he needed 10 rebounds, which would have given him 1,055 – one more than Stephane Pelle (1999-03) – with the remainder of his final season ahead of him.
Nonetheless, in three seasons Roberson left his mark. He was the only CU player with 1,000 points (1,012) and rebounds (1,045), 150 blocks (150) and steals (164), and 100 assists (119). He also was the first Buffs player to lead the team in rebounding, blocked shots and steals for three consecutive seasons.
At the team’s annual banquet earlier this month, Roberson was presented the Stephane Pelle Rebounding Award and earned the Best Defensive Player Award as voted by his teammates. He also was selected as the Pac-12 Conference’s Defensive Player of The Year and was a first-team all-conference pick.
In the Buffs’ school-record third consecutive 20-win season (21-12, 10-8 Pac-12 Conference), Roberson became the first CU player in 22 years to average a double-double (10.9 ppg, 11.2 rpg) in consecutive years. He finished second nationally in rebounding and he leaves CU with a career average just shy of a double-double – 9.6 points, 10.0 rebounds.
What’s to become of the 2013-14 Buffs minus Roberson? He’ll undoubtedly be missed but Boyle believes his team can thrive anyway. At a season-ending wrap-up on April 11, Boyle said his fourth CU squad will “be good with or without him . . . Andre knows we’re going to have a good team next year; it’s not going to be a make-or-break decision for Colorado basketball.”
Before Roberson’s decision, several Internet news outlets projected the Buffs to be in the preseason Top 25 for 2013-14. Among the more reputable, Sports Illustrated had them No. 11, CBSSports.com No. 12, and USA Today No. 16. With Roberson out of the picture, those projections could change. Roberson’s return might have kept the 2013-14 Buffs among the most highly touted preseason teams in school history, but CU isn’t likely to suffer.
Boyle’s roster is far from barren. He gets an immediate frontcourt replacement in 6-8 redshirt freshman Wes Gordon and will count on improved board work from 6-10 Josh Scott and 6-6 Xavier Johnson, both sophomores-to-be. And with the addition of 6-7 redshirt freshman Chris Jenkins and 6-5 Jaron Hopkins, 6-6 Tre’Shaun Fletcher and 6-7 Dustin Thomas – all true freshmen – the Buffs should receive an immediate influx of length and athleticism to help with rebounding and a revamped defensive strategy.
Most draft projections omitted Roberson from the first round, and only first-round selections get guaranteed contracts. However, the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement gives agents the chance to negotiate guaranteed pacts for second-round picks. Yet there are no guarantees Roberson will go in the second round.
A sample of Roberson’s positioning in the Top 100 draft prospects: ESPN.com – 54th overall; CBSSports.com – 54th overall;DraftExpress.com – 57th overall; HoopsWorld.com – 57th overall. If those projections reflect a general consensus among NBA directors of player personnel, Roberson could be a late-second round selection.
At the conclusion of CU’s season, Boyle and Athletic Director Mike Bohn flew to San Antonio to meet with the Roberson family. Boyle also applied to the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee for an evaluation of Roberson’s “draftability.”
The committee is composed of NBA general managers and other team officials who scout college games and players. Two years ago, the committee projected CU sophomore Alec Burks, a 6-6 shooting guard, to be a mid-first round selection if not a potential lottery pick. He was chosen 12th overall by Utah and signed a three-year rookie contract worth $6.3 million.
Boyle contrasted the situations of Burks and Roberson, saying each players’ decision boiled down to “risk/reward,” with not much risk for Burks but significantly more for Roberson. Boyle believes Roberson will polish his offensive game and improve in other facets next season, but the critical question of “where?” won’t be answered until the NBA Draft.
Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU
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CU women’s soccer team undefeated this spring, with style
Apr 25th
The Buffaloes blanked seven opponents, including four new opponents, and tied an in-state rival to earn a 7-0-1 record. Colorado scored 18 goals, while allowing just one, behind soon-to-be senior Anne Stuller’s seven goals and six assists.
“We are very pleased with how the spring season went,” CU head coach Danny Sanchez said. “We stayed healthy and made some nice strides on the field. There is a lot of work to be done this summer, but we are excited for the 2013 season. August 7 can’t come quick enough”
The Buffs began play at Prentup Field against Colorado Cup rivals Denver and Colorado College. After falling 4-1 last season to the Pioneers in the DU Invitational, the Buffs redeemed themselves with a 2-0 victory. The Buffs and CC Tigers have a knack for tying things up, concluding their match in a 1-1 draw. The teams ended in a 0-0 tie last season in the determining game of the Colorado Cup.
Next, the Buffs headed to Denver for the Regis University Tournament. In their first-ever match-up against Division II team Colorado School of Mines, CU came out victorious, winning 4-0. Later that day, the Buffs blanked another in-state foe, defeating the Air Force Academy 2-0.
Colorado continued its winning ways against three new teams at the Colorado Mesa University Tournament in Grand Junction, Colo. The Buffs opened against two Division II schools. They swiftly took down Fort Lewis College 2-0 and Colorado Mesa University 3-0. CU overpowered Southern Utah (Division I) 1-0 in the final game of the tournament.
The Buffs concluded spring play in Boulder against Northern Colorado. CU continued its streak of shutouts, blanking the Bears 3-0.
Eight players scored for the Buffs in spring play, with three more contributing assists. Anne Stuller led the group with 20 points. Soon-to-be sophomore Olivia Pappalardo followed with three goals and two assists. Santa Clara transfer Brooke Rice made a strong first impression, contributing two goals and one assist.
Soon-to-be sophomores Madison Krauser and Heather Ward each added a goal and an assist of their own. Lizzy Herzl, Nikola Machalek and Storie Ledger rounded out the group with a goal apiece. Darcy Jerman, Emily Paxton and Hayley Hughes worked the midfield, each contributing four, two and one assist, respectively.
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Marlee Horn Graduate Assistant SID University of Colorado O: 303.492.7525 C: 719.821.0689 [includeme src="http://c1n.tv/boulder/media/bouldersponsors.html" frameborder="0" width="670" height="300"]
