Bear receives volleyball honor

Things couldn't get much better these days for University of Northern Colorado middle blocker Allison Raguse.

Not only was Raguse, a UNC junior, named the Big Sky Volleyball Player of the Week, she was also tabbed by Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.com) as one of the top 10 performers nationally after her MVP honors at the La Salle Tournament this week.

Raguse's team is also off to the best start (4-0) of any program in UNC history since the move to Division I. It is also the best start for the program since it began 10-0 in 2002.

"I think it is real exciting," Raguse said. "Since I have been here, we have never even won our first game. So to win the first four games is really cool for me and for all of us."

A big reason for that success is Raguse, who totaled 45 kills in the tournament and had a .552 hitting percentage.

Raguse, a Lincoln, Neb., native, picked up where she left off last season when she was a second-team all-Big Sky performer who led the team in aces (25), solo blocks (12) and attack percentage (.249).

Raguse said she is playing even smarter this season.

"I am just not making silly errors when I don't need to," Raguse said.

More volleyball: Senior Lauren Carter moved into UNC's top 10 all-time in assists during the Bears' victory against Villanova in the season-opener. She enters this weekend's action with 1,151 total assists, which has her in sole possession of ninth on the all-time list.

Soccer: Raguse is not the only player to earn Big Sky Conference Player of the Week honors this week. UNC goalkeeper Kirstin Salminen earned the same honor in women's soccer. The freshman goalkeeper allowed only one goal in 180 minutes this past weekend as the Bears beat rival Wyoming (1-0) and lost to San Francisco (1-0). She recorded six saves against Wyoming to give the Bears their first-ever victory against the Cowboys.

Wrestling: UNC's two-time national qualifier Tony Mustari is ranked No. 14 in Win Magazine's preseason Division I rankings at 125 pounds. Mustari is ranked 16th by d1collegewrestling.net.

Mustari made it to the third round of consolations as a sophomore last season at the NCAA Division I championships and qualified for the Olympic Trials this past summer in Greco-Roman wrestling.

Men's basketball: UNC's program is starting to gain some national recognition. On ESPN.com's Big Sky Shootaround, the Bears were mentioned under the heading Five Things to Watch in 2008-09 after coach Tad Boyle's crew tripled its win total from the previous season.

Matt Schuman covers the University of Northern Colorado for the Tribune.He can be reached at
mschuman@greeleytribune.com