University of North Carolina Athletics
Ackley, Pringle Named Co-Progress Energy Players Of The Week
March 27, 2007 | Women's Basketball
March 27, 2007
Freshman first baseman Dustin Ackley hit .500, scored seven times and drove home nine runs and junior forward LaToya Pringle posted double-doubles in backp-to-back NCAA Tournament wins and are co-Progress Energy Tar Heels of the Week for March 19-25, 2007.
Ackley went 11-for-22 at the plate with team highs of seven runs scored and nine RBI. He had four multi-hit games on the week, including a four-hit effort at Virginia Tech March 23. He homered in the first and second innings and posted career highs of four RBI and four runs scored. Against the Hokies, he went 7-for-15 with five runs scored, two home runs and five RBI. Ackley is riding an 18-game hitting streak, which is the longest by a Tar Heel since 2004, and is batting .485 with 36 RBI through 26 games this season.
Pringle recorded a pair of double-doubles in leading the top-seeded North Carolina women's basketball team into the Elite Eight with wins over Notre Dame and George Washington. Pringle scored 10 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked five shots in the 60-51 second round win over Notre Dame. She added a team-high 16 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots in a 70-56 Sweet 16 win over George Washington. Her four blocks in the GW win give her 116 for the season, a new single-season school record.
Other Nominees:
UNC VARSITY EIGHT
Rowing
The UNC rowing team opened its spring season on Saturday with a sweep of the competition in Washington, D.C. Racing in the Tar Heel varsity eight, which beat Georgetown in its first race and George Washington in its second, were Shannon Wilson (coxswain), Lisy McIntee, Maegan Wareham, Adriann Spinks, Megan McMullin, Mary Sasson, Christin Cotten, Emily Williams and Ruby Woodside.
LISA NORRIS
Softball, Pitcher
Sophomore, Snellville, Ga.
Norris continued her brilliance posting an outstanding 0.33 ERA in picking up three wins on the week and helping Carolina continue its school-record 25-game win streak. Norris pitched 21 innings, including a stellar effort in all 10 frames of a dramatic, come-from-behind victory against Boston College that gave the Tar Heels the series sweep -- their second in a row to start Atlantic Coast Conference play. Norris also got the win in a 1-0 second game of the series, pitching a complete game shutout -- her fourth of the year. She combined with Danielle Spaulding earlier in the week to pitch another shutout as UNC run-ruled the UNC Wilmington Seahawks 10-0 in five innings. She gave up only one earned run in all her action this week, and she collected the biggest hit of the weekend at the plate for UNC, an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh versus Boston College.
CHRISTINE ROBELLA
Gymnastics, All-Around
Senior, Alexandria, Va.
Competing for her last time at home on Friday, March 23, senior Christine Robella had an outstanding Senior Night, capturing first place in the all-around (39.425), uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise. On vault, she tied with teammate Kara Wright for second place. Leading the way on uneven bars, Robella finished with a 9.875, her highest performance of the season. In addition to winning the floor exercise, Robella also tied her season high score on floor exercise (9.900).
CHRIS KEARNEY
Men's Tennis
Freshman
Irvine, Calif.
Freshman Chris Kearney remained undefeated in dual match singles and doubles play this spring as he led the No. 14 Tar Heels to 4-3 road wins at Georgia Tech and Clemson, the first time UNC has won its first two ACC road matches since 1996. Kearney combined with sophomore Taylor Fogleman to win at No. 3 doubles against both Tech and Clemson, in each case providing a victory which was necessary to allowing the Tar Heels to clinch the doubles point in both matches. He and Fogleman are now 13-0 in doubles this spring. Against Georgia Tech, Kearney clinched the victory in singles for the tar Heels as he beat Jordan DeLass in a third set tiebreaker, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1). Kearney defeated No. 112 Ryan Young of Clemson 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 in the UNC win at Clemson. His two singles wins improved him to 12-0 in dual matches this spring and 19-2 overall on the year.
