DENVER Nevadas Candice Rainwater and Hawaiis Melissa Coogan were named the Western Athletic Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively. This is Rainwaters first honor of the season and the first for the Wolf Pack. It is also Coogans first honor of the season. The 2003 WAC Co-Pitcher of the Year has now earned four WAC Pitcher of the Week honors.
Rainwater, a junior from Dana Point, Calif., was 5-for-11 with four home runs, including a grand slam in game two against Utah Valley State on April 9 to end the game. She also had 12 RBI in leading Nevada to three wins over Utah Valley State. Rainwater now has a .344 BA with six home runs and a team-leading 25 RBI with a team-best (tie) 42 hits.
Coogan, a senior from West Hills, Calif., picked up three wins on the road last week, as the Rainbow Wahine picked up an impressive six WAC wins last week with sweeps of Tulsa and UTEP. Coogan threw 28 scoreless innings and gave up only three runs in 19.2 innings pitched. She also threw two complete game shutouts. The senior ended the long road trip striking out 10 batters. Hawaii had not swept back-to-back WAC series since 2003 and it had not swept back-to-back away WAC series since 1997 when they swept New Mexico and Tulsa.
Other player of the week nominees included: Denise Dahlberg, Hawaii; Ashley Cameron, Louisiana Tech and Jennifer Davis.
Other pitcher of the week nominees included: Jordan McPherson, Nevada.