Sports Briefs
Former Viking signs with Washington Redskins
The Vikings football office announced yesterday that Dan Frantz, who was the 10th best punter among players eligible for last week’s NFL draft according to ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper, has signed a free agent contract with the Washington Redskins.
Frantz ended his Portland State career last fall with eight PSU kicking records. For his career, he had the best field goal percentage, making 63.8 percent of his attempts and the most punts (191), of any Viking kicker.
He holds single-season marks for field goals (15 set in 1999), points (89 set in 1999) and punts (69 set in 1997) and single-game marks for field goals (5 vs. Montana in 1999) and points (15 vs. Montana in 1999). His final school record was set last season when he had a punt oyrds.
Last year, the Vancouver, Wash. native earned first-team All-Big Sky honors at both punter and kicker positions. He was 10-of-16 for field goals in the regular season with a long of 47 yards. Frantz also routinely kicked off through the end zone, preventing opponents from returning kicks. As a punter, he averaged 42.7 yards per kick, the third best average in NCAA Division I-AA. Frantz finished the year first in the Big Sky in punting, third in field goals and seventh in scoring.
IN OTHER VIKING NEWS
Thirteen Vikings earn winter All-Academic Honors
Portland State student-athletes received academic honors last week when the Big Sky Conference released its 2000-01 Winter All-Academic teams.
To be eligible for all-academic honors in the Big Sky Conference, athletes must have participated in at least half of the team’s competitions, have a 3.20 G.P.A. (on a 4.00 scale) for his/her entire collegiate career or for the preceding academic year and they must have completed at least one term at the Big Sky institution that they are attending.
The women’s basketball team had the most Viking athletes on the list with five, led by senior Hiedi Hatcher who received the award for the fourth time in her Portland State career. Other women’s basketball players who were named were Jill Feller, Jane Gowans, Krishelle Jessee and Shannon Thorne.
On the men’s basketball team, Seamus Boxley was named to the All-Academic team. In men’s indoor track, Paul Dzurec, Jeremy Park and James Sattem received the honor and in women’s indoor track, Jamie Breese, Kristen Hall, Brady Lukkari and Kelsey Mazzotta were recipients of the award.
Forty Portland State athletes have now received the Big Sky All-Academic Award during the 2000-01 school year with 27 of the athletes receiving the honor during the fall season.
WRESTLING
Vikings shine at greco-roman University Nationals
The collegiate wrestling season may be over, but that didn’t stop a few Viking wrestlers from putting in some overtime last month at the University Nationals. Zac Enoch had the best showing of the group, placing third in greco-roman at 54 kg (119 pounds). The sophomore from Redmond took a 4-3 decision against Jose Avala Diaz of Puerto Rico in the third-place match. Enoch wore a redshirt this past season, following an impressive 12 wins in his freshman campaign. After wrestling primarily at 133 as a frosh, he will vie for the starter’s spot at 125 this fall.
Another redshirt, freshman Danny Harless, placed sixth in greco at 69 kg (152 pounds).
In the freestyle division, freshman Casey Kotter added to his first-year success, pinning his opponent in the seventh-place match at 54 kg. Kotter’s mat time last season was limited in part because he had senior John Fasana wrestling in front of him at 125 pounds, but he still managed a 10-8 mark with two pins.
