University of North Carolina Athletics
O'Donnell Named Progress Energy Performer Of The Week
October 12, 2009 | Field Hockey
Oct. 12, 2009
Goalie Brianna O'Donnell led the Carolina field hockey team to wins over oston College and Duke to earn Progress Energy Tar Heel of the Week honors for October 5-11, 2009. A senior from Collegeville, Pa., O'Donnell stepped into a starting role for the first time this season. She made five saves as UNC beat Boston College 4-0 at home for its ninth consecutive shutout, equal to the Atlantic Coast Conference record. Then she made four saves as Carolina won 2-1 at Duke in its closest contest since the first game of the season. O'Donnell has allowed just one goal this season in playing 385 minutes for a goals-against average of 0.18. She came into the weekend with three saves on the season, but added nine more over the course of the two games and now has 12 on the year for a save percentage of .923.
Other nominees:
QUAN STURDIVANT
Football
Junior, Linebacker
Oakboro, N.C.
Sturdivant had five tackles, 1.5 tackles for losses, forced a fumble and scored on a 49-yard fumble return. The 49-yard return was the fifth-longest fumble return for a touchdown in school history. It is the second career defensive touchdown for Sturdivant who also scored on an interception return vs. Notre Dame in 2008. Sturdivant leads the Tar Heels with 39 tackles.
RANEE PREMJI
Women's Soccer
Freshman Midfielder
Calgary, Alberta
Freshman midfielder Ranee Premji earned her first career start for Coach Anson Dorrance's Tar Heel women's soccer team, played a career high 53 minutes while recording a quartet of assists to power the Tar Heels to a 5-0 ACC victory over arch rival NC State. Premji took the spot in the lineup normally played by Olympian Tobin Heath who is nursing an injury. Her first assist, on a goal by Courtney Jones and second on a goal by Meghan Klingenberg, in the eight minutes of action helped jump start a Tar Heel offense that had struggled lately offensively, scoring two or less goals in seven of its past eight matches. She went on to record two more assists in the second half of the win. The four assists were one short of the school record set by Kacey White against Pepperdine in 2005.
CARLY SMITH
Women's Swimming
Freshman Backstroker
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Freshman Carly Smith, a Chapel Hill native, made her collegiate debut a memorable one as she won both backstroke events in Minges Coliseum pool record times while the Tar Heels beat homestanding East Carolina 183-105. Smith not only saw on two winning relays, she also swam on UNC's victorious medley relay team. Her time in the 100-yard backstroke was less then one-tenth of a second of moving her into UNC's all-time Top 10 in that event.
RYLAND JONES
Men's Diving
Freshman Diver
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Competing in his inaugural meet as a Tar Heel, Ryland Jones swept both the one- and three-meterevents in his debut performance as the UNC men blasted East Carolina 187-105 in dual meet action in Greenville, N.C. Jones dove for Lawrence at North Carolina Aquatic Club but saw his first action as a Tar Heel in the meet. He beat fellow teammate and 2009 NCAA qualifier David Solarz in both events.
BRENNAN BOYAJIAN
Men's Tennis
Sophomore
Weston Fla.
Boyajian played his best tennis in a Tar Heel uniform to date as he stormed through five impressive wins to reach the Final 16 of the 2009 ITA DiNovo All-America Championships at Tulsa, Okla. Boyajian was seed in the qualifying stage of the tournament where he ran off three successive wins to qualify for the main draw of singles. Unseeded in the qualifying stage, oyajian beat No. 20 Emmanu Brighiu of TCU in straight sets to begin his run through the tourney. He came from a set down to beat Andrew Weber of Hawaii in the third round before pulling off a major upset of fourth-ranked Nate Schugg of Georgia in the fourth round.
HEATHER BROOKS
Volleyball
Senior, Middle Blocker
East Lansing, Mich.
Heather Brooks, AVCA All-America, led North Carolina this past weekend over Virginia 3-0 and in a tough 3-2 loss to Virginia Tech, both matches on the road. Brooks registered 24 kills in two matches and notched a .467 hitting percentage, committing only three attack errors.The All-ACC performer's eight blocks in two matches to reach 50 blocks on the year. Brooks' effort allowed her to surpass 700 career kills and 400 career blocks, to record 710 kills and 405 blocks in her career. The senior leads the team in kills, blocks and hitting percentage as Carolina prepares for a showdown with ACC leader Duke next Friday, prior with Late Night with Roy, showcasing the men's and women's basketball teams.
CATHERINE O'DONNELL
Women's Golf
Sophomore
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Catherine O'Donnell tied for ninth place at the Tar Heel Invitational. O'Donnell fired a one-under-par 71 in the final round to finish with a one-over 217 total. She carded an even-par 72 in the first round followed by a two-over 74 in the second round. O'Donnell led the Tar Heels to an 11th place finish. Carolina carded an 890 total after posting rounds of 296-296-298. The Tar Heels final tournament of the fall campaign will be The Landfall Tradition-Fall Preview to be played Oct. 23-25 in Wilmington, N.C.
MICHAEL FARFAN
Men's Soccer
Junior, Midfielder
Wildomar, Calif.
Junior midfielder Michael Farfan tallied a four-point week for No. 2 North Carolina, as the Tar Heels defeated Liberty and tied at No. 6 Wake Forest. Farfan set up Billy Schuler's game-winner against the Flames when he beat three defenders and sent a cross to far post for the 75th-minute goal Tuesday. Friday in Winston-Salem, Farfan assisted on Alex Dixon?s score two minutes in and then buried a penalty kick in the 57th minute in the 2-2 draw. Farfan leads Carolina with five goals and 13 points.
