This weekend, Nike will stage an intriguing human experiment with the hopes of breaking the two-hour barrier for the marathon. Using a combination of advanced running apparel and an army of pacers on a 2.4-kilometer loop at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza complex just outside of Milan, Italy, the sportswear giant looks to shave two minutes and 27 seconds off the fastest recorded time ever run by a man.
Dennis Kimetto currently owns the world record with his 2:02:57 victory at the 2014 Berlin Marathon. He is an Adidas athlete and has struggled with injuries in the past two years, so no sub-two hour marathon attempt has been tied to him, but his sponsor is working on its own sub-two shoe after having outfitted the last four world record holders.
Nike has taken the largest step forward in the sub-two arms (and footwear) race by staging the attempt under its own parameters and enlisting Eliud Kipchoge, Lelisa Desisa and Zersenay Tadese tackle one of the biggest queries of elite running.
The athletes have been in Monza since about Monday morning. A photo leaked on Twitter of one of the strategists explaining the pacing plan for 18 runners�which includes Olympic medalist Bernard Lagat and elites from the renowned Nike Bowerman Track Club�and it appears there will be runners alternating segments while remaining six at a time on the course with the three stars.
Social media posts out of Monza have the pacers and their agents targeting the attempt on Saturday, May 6, which would be the 63rd anniversary of Roger Bannister breaking the four-minute mile. A window from May 6 to 8 has been set by Nike to select the day with the most favorable weather.
Here�s a look at the r�sum�s and credentials for the three protagonists of the attempt:
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?Eliud Kipchoge
Age: 32 Country: Kenya Personal Bests: 2:03:05, 2016 London Marathon Accolades: 2016 Olympic marathon gold medalist, 2008 Olympic 5,000-meter silver medalist, 2004 Olympic 5,000-meter bronze medalist, four-time world championship medalist (includes cross country and indoors), 2014 Chicago Marathon champion, 2015 Berlin Marathon champion, 2015 and 2016 London Marathon champion
Kipchoge enters the attempt as arguably one of the greatest marathoners in history. His personal best of 2:03:05 is the fourth-fastest time over 26.2 in history and the third-fastest over a standard course. By running in Nike�s Breaking2 project, we didn�t get to see Kipchoge try to win is third consecutive London Marathon or a clash between him and 2:03:03 man Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia. Kipchoge has proven he can win so Nike recruited him to go for time while probably also throwing him a large check to pass on appearance fees and potential prize money. Kipchoge was also the first of the three selected runners to receive the Zoom Vaporfly Elite shoes that will be worn in the attempt. He�s been instrumental in the company�s tailoring of the footwear to meet his needs and performance.
According to early reports out of Kenya, Kipchoge followed most of his regular training that made him successful in his marathon career thus far. He�s won seven of his eight career marathons and in the one that he didn�t win, he finished second to Kenyan Wilson Kipsang, who won in a then-world record time of 2:03:23.
LetsRun.com paid a visit to Kipchoge and filmed one of his workouts back in March
Kipchoge ran 59:17 in Monza seven weeks ago, when Nike staged an unofficial half-marathon to show off its new shoes. He told Runner�s World that it was about a 60% effort on his part.
Pacing is going to be critical in the attempt and it would be a bad sign for Kipchoge and the leaders to cross the half-marathon mark in over 60 minutes. Kimetto�s world record has an outlier of a 14:09 split at 35-kilometers, which is a large part why he negative split in the race and why attempts to go out hard and hang on haven�t worked as well. Sports scientist Ross Tucker noted on Twitter that 14:13 per 5K is the pace for a sub-two yet a 14:14 has happened only 10 times in fastest 90 marathon winners in history. It�s a tall order for Kipchoge but of the three, he�s the most probably to come the closest to under two-hours� yet that could still be a high-2:01 or low-2:02.
?Zersenay Tadese
Age: 35 Country: Eritrea Personal Bests: 58:23 for the half marathon (WR), 2:10:41 for the marathon (2012 London Marathon) Accolades: Half marathon world record holder, 2004 10,000-meter Olympic bronze medalist, 2009 10,000-meter World Championship silver medalist, five-time World Half Marathon Championship gold medalist, seven-time World Cross Country Championship medalist
The marathon has not been good for Tadese. Asking him to cut more than 10 minutes off his personal best sounds like a lot even for special shoes. He is probably the most unlikely of the group to be the one to break two-hours for the marathon but could be serving as an unofficial pacer to stick with Kipchoge and Desisa for as long as possible. In his attempt to debut at the 26.2 distance, Tadese dropped out of the 2009 London Marathon at about 35K. He finished the race in 2010 with a disappointing 2:12:03. His personal best remains 2:10:41 from the 2012 London Marathon, which put him at a distant 14th place. His last attempt at 26.2 came in 2014 and was another DNF but this time in Chicago and just after the half. Nike hasn�t affirmed it, but Tadese essentially serves as the best pacer (one with world record credentials) for Kipchoge and Desisa for maybe 25K to 30K. Tadese ran 59:41 behind Kipchoge in the Monza test run.
Lelisa Desisa
Age: 27 Country: Ethiopia Personal Best: 2:04:45, 2013 Dubai Marathon Accolades: Three-time Boston Marathon champion, 2013 World Half Marathon Championship silver medalist
Desisa has competed in 11 marathons since he started contesting the 26.2 distance in 2013. His first one at the 2013 Dubai Marathon was a 2:04:45 victory and it remains his fastest. His next-fastest was a 2:05:52 at the 2015 Dubai Marathon, but those are the only two occasions in which he�s run under 2:06. His most recent run resulted in a DNF at the 2016 New York City Marathon and so his other completed marathons have been tactical or unpaced affairs that have resulted in podium finishes or victories on the marathon majors circuit. Desisa struggled in the test run in March and fell off the sub-two pace less than halfway through and finished in 62:55, If he could somehow find that 2013 marathon form, he would hang late into the attempt with Kipchoge and maybe serve as a pacer through 35K. That�s a big �if� though.
Given that we didn�t see any official races from these three runners ahead of the attempt, it�s really hard to assess their fitness and come up with any percentage of a chance. There�s the mental factor that comes with having run 17 laps around the course. There�s also the element of fueling and hydration that takes place within the body. Weather is another uncontrollable variable. Nike got the attention it wanted while also remaining secretive on a lot of details up until the week of the attempt. With millions watching, it�s on three men to deliver in the ultimate race against the clock.
Looking to take your burpees to the next level? If you’ve mastered this basic go-to fitness move, you have to try this challenging new version demoed by Nike trainers Kirsty Godso and Lauren Williams, AKA the “Pyro Girls,” on Instagram this week.
What makes their burpee upgrade so hot? “It challenges core and shoulder stability and strength differently from a regular burpee,” explains Williams. “You have to balance the explosiveness of the tuck with shoulder stability and core strength so you can do the move with control and grace.”
Up for the challenge? Here’s how to do it: Start with your feet hip-width apart. Then place both hands on ground and jump both feet back, going into a plank. Jump both legs up into the air while bending knees to bring feet toward butt (think donkey kick). Hop legs back out to a plank, and then jump feet in toward your hands. As you stand, explode up, bringing knees into chest. Land softly, and then immediately repeat the entire sequence. If you’re feeling extra cool, grab a buddy and try doing this move in tandem like Godso and Williams.
Yep, it’s just as intense as you think. (We know, we tried it!) Need a modification? Williams suggests just jumping your feet back up to your hands instead of attempting the full-blown donkey kick.
Upper back pain is a common spinal disorder, which causes pain and discomfort. Joint dysfunction and muscle irritation can be the common cause of this problem. Sometimes injuries can cause upper back pain.
A fracture of vertebrae, poor posture, and pressure on spinal nerves can be the causes of upper back pain. Many people suffer from the back ache especially upper back pain or thoracic spine. It can be chronic and very uncomfortable as it is associated with multiple ligaments, tendons and nerves in upper back.
When any of these associated ligaments or tendons becomes inflamed or irritated, it may result upper back pain. This can disrupts the life of many people but relief can be found through exercise and natural remedies. Some common symptoms of upper back pain include anxiety, depression, fatigue, headache, morning stiffness, neck pain, shoulder pain, redness, warmth or swelling of the back, stress, insomnia and much more. There are many ways to relieve upper back pain and promote spinal health:
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Steps to Relieve Back Pain & Other Symptoms
Take rest: You should take a break if your back hurt a lot. You can return to your activities after taking break for few minutes. You should also avoid the things like carrying heavy weight and many more that make your pain worse.
Use ice pack or a heating pad: Heat can be helpful in reducing muscle stiffness and back ache. Ice is also equally effective in reducing swelling and pain. You can switch back or forth between cold or heat unit you find what makes you feel better.
Exercise: There are so many exercises that help strengthen your muscles in stomach, shoulder and back. These muscles mainly help support your spine and improve your spinal health. Strong muscles of back help reduce pain, improve body posture, keep your body in balance and decrease chances of injuries.
Practice good posture: Sometimes stress on your back muscles may be the main cause of upper back ache and poor posture may be the reason of stress on back.
Eat nutritious food: Healthy eating habits, plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet may help prevent backache. Calcium is an essential nutrient that strengthens your bones and muscles.
Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is very significant in maintaining elasticity of soft tissues and fluidity in joints.
Take Orthoxil Plus capsules and oil: Orthoxil Plus capsule is highly beneficial and effective remedy for upper back pain. It possesses herbal and natural ingredients which helps repair damages. These pills work effectively promote healthy spine. The pure and natural ingredients check osteoporosis, progression of arthritis, and disc degeneration and many more issues. These capsules improve overall health and reverse ill effects of bone disorders, nutritional deficiencies, medical conditions that deplete muscles, ligaments, discs and bones. You can also use Orthoxil Plus oil to massage the affected area. You can take few drops of this oil to massage the painful area. It helps get rid of pain and improve your spinal health.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Preventing Spinal Degeneration
As we age, it’s natural for the spine, as well as the other complex structures of the spine, to begin degenerating. Without the proper care, however, the overall health and wellness of the spine can develop complications, such as degenerative disc disease, among others, which could potentially lead to back pain and other painful symptoms. Chiropractic care is a common alternative treatment option utilized to maintain and improve spine health.
Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Alexander Jimenez reveals what the popping sound is during a spinal adjustment.
Chiropractic Care &�Back Pain
Has this happened to you? You are at the chiropractor getting treatment for your own back pain, and during a spinal adjustment, a sizable popping sound is heard by you. It seems somewhat alarming, does not it? Rest assured, though: That pop within a chiropractic spinal adjustment is totally ordinary.
During a back adjustment, your back experiences rapid, mild stretching of the spinal joint, which means you may hear a snapping or popping sound. This really is brought on by little pockets of air or bubbles, which are in the fluid that surrounds your joints. When joint tissues are extended throughout a chiropractic adjustment, the pockets of atmosphere “pop,” which creates that cracking sound you hear.
Following this treatment, you could feel in your back for more movement. But, the muscles may still be raw and tight.
Your chiropractor might also incorporate other chiropractic care treatments like muscle therapy. You must notice more back pain relief with each session.
Your chiropractor could also advocate preventive care, including specific exercises, and he/she might give you ergonomic tips on the best way to accurately bend and lift, in addition to how to take good care of your back while at your desk (if you work in a office). Doing specific exercises and maintaining good posture might help keep movement that is healthy in your back.
Is Chiropractic Care Right For You?
It is crucial that you consider that chiropractic care is not a cure all for all conditions that are back. Some backbone conditions that cause back pain may require a combination of treatments, or other treatments, for example surgery and drugs.
But in the event you have a condition that causes pain back and you need to test a non-operative treatment, chiropractic care can be an excellent treatment choice for you personally. But remember, you need to not be alarmed by a popping noise during a spinal adjustment�it’s ordinary in chiropractic care.
Chiropractic care is an alternative treatment option you may want to consider for degenerative disc disease, or DDD.
The first steps a chiropractor will take to treat degenerative disc disease involves carefully diagnosing a disc-related complication. Back pain is a main symptom of DDD and 3 main causes are looked at by the chiropractor.
Degeneration in the spinal joints might be disturbing the mechanisms of the spine.
Thinning and degenerative discs might be bulging and putting pressure on spinal nerves.
Spinal stenosis can cause back pain and leg pain.
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Diagnosing Degenerative Disc Disease
At your first exam, you�ll go throughout your past medical history with the chiropractor and he/she will discover areas of restricted joint motion, disc injury, muscle spasms and ligament injury by performing a few easy tests.
Your chiropractor will even look at how you walk as well as your entire posture and movement capabilities. Those details will help them understand your body mechanics and how your spine moves.
You may also need an imaging test, like an x-ray or MRI.
After the assessment, the chiropractor will diagnose your condition and create a treatment strategy to reduce back pain and other symptoms of DDD.
Chiropractic Treatments for DDD
The goal of chiropractic care for DDD would be to enhance joint mechanics by reducing inflammation and improving spinal motion. The chiropractor could also focus on enhancing the function of the intervertebral discs�but that if you do not have disc degeneration that is innovative.
To help treat your degenerative disc disease symptoms, your chiropractor may use spinal manipulation, also called spinal adjustment. There are multiple kinds of spinal manipulation. Some common ones are:
Particular spinal manipulation: Your chiropractor will identify the joints which might be restricted or those that reveal unusual motion. He/she will work to restore movement to the joints using a gentle thrusting technique.
flexion-distraction technique: This kind of spinal manipulation uses a gentle, non-thrusting technique; it�s normally used to treat spinal stenosis and herniated discs.
Device-assisted manipulation: This technique works on the handheld device. Without thrusting directly to the spine, the chiropractor applies mild force.
Manual therapy can also be utilized to greatly help treat degenerative disc disease symptoms. Examples of manual therapy techniques are:
trigger point treatment: Tight painful points are identified by the chiropractor and gets direct pressure on those points to alleviate stress.
manual joint stretching and resistance techniques: Your chiropractor may use any of these methods to relieve pain and also other DDD symptoms.
instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy: An example of this type of manual therapy is the Graston technique, which uses an instrument to reduce pain and other symptoms.
In addition to spinal manipulation and manual therapy techniques, your chiropractor may use other kinds of therapy to help reduce inflammation caused by degenerative disc disease. Examples are:
interferential electrical stimulation: A low frequency electrical current can be used to stimulate your muscles to lessen inflammation.
ultrasound: Ultrasound will help reduce pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms by sending sound waves deep into your muscle tissues. This creates a mild heat that improves circulation.
Your chiropractor could also urge therapeutic exercises, which may help augment your other treatments. With chiropractic care, prevention is essential, and remedial exercises can prevent your DDD symptoms.
Benefits of Chiropractic for Degenerative Disc Disease
Your chiropractor will work hard to treat your degenerative disc disease and address your DDD symptoms all. But chiropractors treat the �whole individual��not only your symptoms that are particular. Your chiropractor may prepare you on stress management, nutrition, and lifestyle goals in addition to treating your degenerative disc disorder symptoms.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
Medical researchers have discovered a naturally occurring compound the human body produces that can speed DNA repair, combat disease, and may turn back the clock on aging.
The compound — called NAD+, which is present in all cells — plays a key role in regulating protein interactions that control DNA repair.
An international group of scientists predicts the team’s discovery of NAD+ will lead to a new drug to reverse aging, speed DNA repair, and even keep astronauts healthy on long space flights.
A leading member of research team — geneticist Dr. David Sinclair, whose team is based at Harvard Medical School and the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia — said the first human trials of a therapy based on the compound will begin within six months.
Twenty-five volunteers will be injected with a substance to verify its health and longevity benefits. If the trial turns out successfully, larger scale human trials will be conducted in the United States, Australia, and possibly other countries.
“Then we really get serious,” Sinclair tells Newsmax Health.
NAD+ is what’s known as a metabolite — a substance naturally found in our bodies which are vital for metabolism. It is present in all cells and plays a key role as a regulator in protein-to-protein interactions controlling DNA repair.
Sinclair’s laboratory research involved using NMN — a NAD+ precursor or “booster” — which the team has shown is successful in improving cells’ ability to repair DNA damage caused by radiation exposure (including sunlight) and old age.
The team’s lab work found that mice, injected with NMN, appeared more youthful — at the cellular level — in a variety of standard biological tests.
“The cells of the old mice were indistinguishable from the young mice after just one week of treatment,” Sinclair says.
“This is the closest we’ve come to a safe and effective anti-aging drug that’s perhaps only three to five years away from being on the market, if the [human] trials go well.”
The research project has come to the attention of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which has asked to be kept fully briefed on progress because of the possibility of using the substance to keep its astronauts healthy during long space missions, which can speed up aging processes.
Another group that stands to benefit: Survivors of childhood cancers.
According to Dr. Lindsay Wu, a University of New South Wales-based member of the research team, 96 percent of childhood cancer survivors suffer a chronic disease by age 45.
These include cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and various cancers unrelated to their childhood cancers.
“All of this adds up to the fact they have accelerated aging — which is devastating,” Wu says. “It would be great to do something about that — and we believe we can with this molecule.”
For the past four years, Sinclair, Wu, and others on the research team have been working with biomedical companies with the aim of making NMN into a drug substance that can be used on patients. It will act by boosting the effectiveness of the body’s own NAD+.
The research was reported in a recent issue of the journal Science.
As well as delaying the onset of visible signs of aging, Sinclair believes the compound could have a great “impact on health and longevity.”
“We took mice that were 20 months old, which is equivalent to a 60- [to] 70 year-old human and we gave them NMN and we found that . . . many aspects of aging were reversed,” Sinclair notes.
“Their DNA repair activities went up to youthful levels and they were more resistant to radiation and should therefore be more protected against cancer and aging itself.”
People with celiac disease have to avoid most grains, but oats may be an exception that’s safe, according to a recent research review, so long as the oats are uncontaminated by traces of other grains.
More studies are needed to see whether so-called pure oats available in the real world don’t provoke celiac symptoms. If proven safe, oats could provide celiac sufferers some of the benefits of eating grains that they miss out on following a gluten-free diet, researchers say.
“Oats, compared to other cereals, are a source of good quality proteins, vitamins and minerals and they improve palatability and the texture of gluten-free food,” said study coauthor Dr. Elena F. Verdu.
“For a person diagnosed with celiac disease, adding oats to a gluten-free diet could not only increase food options but also help them follow a better gluten-free diet and have a higher quality of life,” said Verdu, a gastroenterology researcher at the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects roughly one of every 100 people in the U.S. For sufferers, consuming even trace amounts of the gluten protein in wheat, barley and rye can trigger an immune response that damages the intestines. Over time, this immune attack can lead to malnutrition, osteoporosis, chronic inflammation and a variety of other problems.
People with celiac disease are also at heightened risk of heart disease and some recent research suggests that might be in part because avoiding gluten causes them to miss out on the heart-protective benefits of eating whole grains.
Oats don’t contain the same celiac-provoking protein found in other grains, the study team writes in the journal Gastroenterology. However, Verdu told Reuters Health, issues have been raised regarding potential adverse reactions to oats by celiac patients, and this has reduced the enthusiasm of adding oats to the gluten-free diet in many cases.
“The first study suggesting that oats may be harmful for patients with celiac disease was published more than 50 years ago. Since then, the addition of oats to a gluten-free diet has remained clouded in controversy,” she said in an email.
For this reason, the review team decided to evaluate the existing evidence. They re-analyzed data from 28 previous studies that included oats in gluten-free diets for people with celiac disease. Eight of the studies were controlled clinical trials; the rest were observational.
The researchers looked at any negative effects on symptoms or blood tests for up to one year of oat consumption.
“In our study, we found no evidence that addition of oats to a gluten-free diet affects symptoms or activates celiac disease. However, it is very important to stress that there were few studies in some of the analyses, the quality of the studies was low and most of them were conducted outside of North America,” Verdu said.
Although the consensus is that pure oats are safe for most patients with celiac disease, contamination with other cereal sources that may contain gluten needs to be avoided, Verdu added.
“The purity of oats will depend on the country of origin and local regulations, and this is why we were surprised to see that most recommendations in North America are still based on studies performed in Europe,” she said.
“Patients who follow a gluten-free diet are sometimes able to consume small quantities of gluten-free oats without adverse reaction,” said Hannah Swartz, a clinical dietitian at Montefiore Medical Center in New York who wasn’t involved in the study.
“Patients who have the most success with including oats in their diet ensure the oats are certified gluten free, and wait one or more years after following a gluten free diet to ensure that gut inflammation has subsided,” she said.
“Patients with celiac disease must first ensure that the oats they are adding are certified gluten free oats. Regular oats used in products that are labeled ‘gluten free’ such as some mainstream cereals are not recommended for patients with celiac disease as there remains the possibility of cross contamination with gluten containing grains during the processing of the oats,” she said.
IRVING, Texas-� For their efforts toward a championship season, the No. 48�UTEP men�s golf team racked up top honors and more in Conference USA awards, including Golfer of the Year and Coach of the Year.
Frederik Dreier, who was the reigning Player of the Year, won the honor again while head coach Scott Lieberwirth earned his first C-USA Coach of the Year.
Dreier and sophomore transfer Aaron Terrazas earned First Team C-USA recognition while junior Charles Corner earned a spot on the Second Team list. The awards are determined by the most recent Golfstat rankings.
All, plus Nicklas Pihl and Andreas Sorensen, were part of the conference championship team that brought UTEP its first Conference USA title and only the second title in program history. The other was a Western Athletic Conference Championship in 1985.
Dreier became the first player in program history and only the third player in Conference USA history to earn back-to-back Player of the Year honors. UAB�s Chris Devlin won it in 1999-2000 and Graeme McDowell earned it again for the Blazers in 2001-2002.
�As a goal, I wanted to win the conference Player of the Year again, it was always in the back of my head, but I never thought about it while I was on the golf course,� Dreier said. �I was just trying to play my game. If my played my best, I knew I could do it again. I was just trying to stick to my golf game and if that was enough then that would be good.�
The�ability to lead was what Lieberwirth spoke�on with Dreier.
�His [Dreier]�leadership the past couple of years has been right up there among the best student-athlete leaders that I�ve been around,� Lieberwirth said. �He�s a great student, great player and a great person too. All of those things are what we�re going to miss about Freddie. There�s not too many players that you�re that sad to see go after four years because its time, but he�s going to be a guy that I�ll defiantly miss being around. He�s meant a lot to this team, to me, and to this program. �
The senior was a staple in the Miners� line up since his sophomore year, leading the team in top-10 finishes (7) while compiling a 71.3 stroke average this season. He finished in a tie for seventh during the match play portion of the C-USA Championships and defeated his Charlotte opponent, John Gough 2UP in the championship match play.
�I was very honored to win it [Player of the Year]�last year, but to win it back-to-back is very special,� Dreier said. �I�ve been practicing hard and fighting hard this year so I�m very happy that it paid off in the end.�It�s been a very special year for the team, but to round it out with a conference championship, was very special.�I�m very happy with what I�ve accomplished as an individual but also with what the team has accomplished.�
Sixth-year head coach Scott Lieberwirth was honored with his first C-USA Coach of the Year award and his sixth overall. He was a five-time WAC�Coach of the Year during his eight-year tenure at NM State prior to UTEP.
�It�s special,� Lieberwirth said of the recognition. �This is a great team that we have and it�s always an honor to be recognized by your peers and receive an award like this, but there are no �Coaches of the Year� awards without having good players. A lot of this goes back to them [players], they�ve done such a great job of working very hard and performing at a very high level.
�These awards are defiantly nice from an individual standpoint but we always do preach that we�re looking for team accolades. I consider this a team award as much as anything. These guys [players] did a lot of the legwork in order for this to happen.�
With Lieberwirth at the helm of the program, the Miners won three team titles in the fall season�to add to the one team title won in 2015. Before that, the program�had not won a tournament title since 2005.
�I�m so happy for Coach Lieberwirth,� Dreier said. �I know how much he wants his team to do well, in school,�on the golf�course and in our personal life, so he is helping us a lot and is very deserving of that award. He has been great for us this year, all of the guys are really close to him and he�s a great guy as well. There are so many good things to say about him but I�m really happy for him.�
Terrazas, who transferred from Oklahoma and joined the Miners in the spring, earned first team honors after a stellar spring season that saw him as UTEP�s top finisher two times. The sophomore finished at the top of the UTEP scorecard at the John Burns Intercollegiate with 1-over 217 (74-71-72) and then tied with Dreier as the top finisher at the Lone Star Invitational. He finished in the top-50 at the Conference USA Championships at 35th with 4-over�220 (73-73-74) and defeated his Southern Miss opponent, Tyler Young, 1UP in the semifinal match play.
Corner�s breakout season began this spring, where he notched five top-50 finishes, and added�four top-10 finishes.The junior topped his regular season run with a sixth-place finish during the stroke play portion of the conference championships with 3-over 219 (73-70-76), leading the team, and defeated both his match play opponents. His clutch 1UP�finish against Southern Miss�s�Matt Lorenz helped secure UTEP�s victory in the semifinals.�Corner was also�the top UTEP finisher at the prestigious Western Intercollegiate, edging into the top-10 with 2-over 212 (72-69-71) that earned him a Conference USA Player of the Week honor the week of April 12.
The Miners won the automatic bid to the NCAA Regional tournament beginning May 15, where�81 teams and 45 individuals will be selected to compete in the six NCAA Men�s Regional Championship sites.
�I�m just excited for this group to get this championship,� Lieberwirth said. �We�re solely focused on doing what we can to continue our season as long as we can, meaning getting through the Regional and into the National Championship.�
2016-17 CONFERENCE USA MEN�S GOLF AWARDS
Golfer of the Year: Frederik Dreier, UTEP
Freshman of the Year: Ilari Saulo, Middle Tennessee
The UTEP softball team will host defending Conference USA Champions Florida Atlantic on Senior Weekend (May 6-7).
The Miners (11-34, 5-16 C-USA) and Owls (33-18, 13-8 C-USA) will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 3 p.m., whileSunday’s Senior Day contest will start at 1 p.m. at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex.
Seniors Kaitlin Fifield (El Paso), Taylor Grohmann (El Paso), Miranda Gutierrez (Chino Hills, Calif.), Erika Harrawood (El Paso) and Kiki Pepi (San Diego, Calif.) will be honored immediately following Sunday’s contest.
As part of the Senior Day festivities, the fathers of each senior will throw out the first pitch.
SENIOR SENDOFF
Kaitlin Fifield (Chapin High School), Taylor Grohmann (Americas High School) and Erika Harrawood (Franklin High School) all played their high school softball in El Paso and have donned the Orange and Blue colors for four years.
Kiki Pepi joined the program prior to the 2015 season as she transferred from Oregon State, while Miranda Gutierrez was no stranger to the Sun City as she joined the program prior to 2016 from El Paso Community College. Fifield ranks tied no. 3 in program history in wins (24), while ranking high in multiple pitching categories in the school’s record books.
Harrawood, who came into her senior season winless and recently tallied a career-high seven strikeouts at UAB, has won a trio of contests and notched a save at rival NM State in 2017. Grohmann has won eight games in her career which included a 5-3 mark in 2016. Pepi provided a big bat for the Miners during her three seasons and is one RBI short of joining the 100-RBI club.
Gutierrez didn’t see much playing time in her two seasons, but she was one of the vocal leaders in the dugout while being a tremendous teammate along the way.
ALL-TIME SERIES VERSUS FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Florida Atlantic is 3-0 against UTEP as the two programs met in Boca Raton in 2014. The Owls took the first two contests 7-0 and 2-0 on April 18. The two schools then battled it out the next day in an 11-inning affair with FAU coming out on top 4-3.
Then-sophomore Kawehiokalani Netane connected on a three-run home run in the third that gave her squad a 3-2 lead. The Owls scored a pair in the first, another run in the bottom third to tie the contest and a walk-off single in the 11th frame.
SCOUTING FLORIDA ATLANTIC
The Owls are 33-18 overall and 13-8 in Conference USA action after sweeping UTSA in Boca Raton. The Owls outscored the Roadrunners 10-5 in the series, winning by the scores of 1-0, 3-0, and 6-5. FAU will also play a pair at NM State on May 4 before heading to El Paso. The Owls are hitting .264 as a team and ranks second in C-USA with 103 stolen bases.
The Owls are also one of 12 national programs to hit triple digit numbers in stolen bags. Emily Lochten has been locked in as she ranks fifth in C-USA in hitting (.406), while leading the way in home runs (17), slugging (.855) and on-base percentage (.543). She ranks seventh in RBI (37) and is tied for the league lead with 48 runs. Lochten ranks no. 8 in hits (56), fourth in stolen bases (34) and second in walks (42).
Delaney Rickey has been productive as she has tallied 28 RBI and has stolen nine bases. Mia Olson (21), Tatum Buckley (18), Alex Miller (18) and Lauren Whitt (10) have each hit the double-digit RBI mark in 2017. Olson has connected on four home runs. Madisyn Palmer leads the team in stolen bases (38), while ranking second in hitting (.318) and runs scored (35).
The FAU pitching staff ranks second in the league in ERA (1.89). Opponents are hitting .253 in 352.1 innings pitched. Buckley (9-6) leads the staff in ERA (1.87) and has struck out 48 batters in 108.1 innings of work with only 18 walks. Amanda Wilson (14-9) leads the team in wins and has fashioned a 1.89 ERA in a team leading 159.2 frames. She’s added a team-high 62 Ks and has walked 45 batters.
LAST WEEK
UTEP fell in all three contests at UAB April 29-30. The Miners lost the first game 3-1 as Courtney Clayton singled in Cortney Smith. In the second game, Erika Harrawood tallied a career-best seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. After five scoreless innings, the Blazers scored three runs in the sixth to pull away late from the Miners in game two.
In the rain-shortened series finale, UAB scored five first-inning runs and claimed a 5-0 victory (5). Brianna Red singled and drew a walk in the contest. Red started all three games during the weekend, producing a .333 average, a walk and sacrifice bunt. Defensively, she recorded three putouts and a pair of assists.
PLAYER SPOTLIGHT FROM LAST WEEK
Cortney Smith hit .667 (4-for-6) during the weekend at UAB. Smith registered a .750 on-base percentage with perfect slugging (1.000). Defensively, the sophomore shortstop tallied three putouts and five assists with no errors. Smith opened the series with a 1-for-2 performance, including a double in the sixth inning in which she crossed the dish.
Smith also walked in the first inning. In game two, Smith went 2-for-3 for her 11th multiple-hit game of 2017. Smith connected on her second double of the day and team-leading ninth of the season. Smith opened the contest with a single. In a shortened game on Sunday due to heavy rainfall, Smith went 1-for-1, while drawing a walk.
Smith is currently leading the Miners in hitting with a .353 average and has the second-most assists (83) on the squad.
K-ZONE
Erika Harrawood registered a career-high seven strikeouts at UAB in game two this past weekend, surpassing her previous high of six Ks at UTSA in 2015. Harrawood threw a solid outing, going 6.0 frames and allowing six hits in a 3-0 loss. Harrawood leads the staff in Ks (46) in 89.2 innings of work.
#TURNUP
UTEP recorded its 28th double play of the season at UAB, ranking first in Conference USA in that department. The Miners rank second in the nation in double plays per game (.62) behind Auburn (.84). The Miners are also tied third nationally with UT Arlington and UC Riverside in double plays (28). Campbell has turned 30 while Auburn leads the way with 43.
FIELDING DOUBLE PLAYS
UTEP has three players ranked in the top 10 in Conference USA in double plays. Taylor Sargent (13) is tied third with Stephani Texeira (FIU), Karlee Jensen (LA Tech), Katie Smith (LA Tech) and Lauren Whitt (FAU). Courtney Clayton (12) is ranked tied no. 8 with Pauline Tufi (LA Tech) and Danii Fernandez (UAB). Cortney Smith (11) is ranked no. 11.
SECOND MOST DOULBE PLAYS
UTEP’s 28 double plays turned in 2017 is already the second most turned in program history. Last season’s squad turned a program-best 30 double plays. In fact, since Tobin Echo-Hawk arrived to UTEP, the Miners have turned 97 doubles plays in 204 games (.48 per game). The 2007 squad turned 21, while 19 double plays were turned during the 2005 season. The previous four seasons (2010-13), 46 double plays were turned.
BAT GIRLS
UTEP is hitting .295 to rank tied third with Charlotte in Conference USA and no. 68 nationally, while it would rank the third best average in program history if the season ended today. UTEP hit .307 in 2016 and .303 in 2007. UTEP’s slugging (.407) ranks sixth, while its hits (357) rank sixth. Marshall leads C-USA in batting (.320), while UTSA leads with 415 hits.
UTEP RANKINGS IN C-USA ONLY GAMES
The Miners rank fourth in batting average (.298) and third in hits (167) in Conference USA games only. UTEP ranks seventh in runs scored (77), while its on-base percentage (.363) and RBI (74) ranks sixth. UTEP ranks fourth in slugging (.389). LA Tech leads the way in runs scored (112) and RBI (105). Marshall and LA Tech are each hitting .302, while UTSA leads with 197 hits.
EXTRA BASE HITS
The Miners rank fourth in Conference USA with 10 triples and tied sixth with 52 doubles. The Miners rank fourth in C-USA and no. 56 nationally with .22 triples per game.
Binghamton leads the nation with .48 triples per game, while Southeast Missouri State and Florida State leads the nation with 21 triples. Marshall, Southern Miss and LA Tech are tied for the lead league with 12 triples. LA Tech leads the way in C-USA with 77 doubles.
5 IN THE TOP 25
UTEP has five players ranked in the top 25 in Conference USA in batting. Cortney Smith (.353) ranks 12th, Kaitlin Ryder (.346) ranks 15th, Taylor Sargent (.344) ranks 16th, Kiki Pepi (.333) ranks 18th, and Courtney Clayton (.313) ranks no. 23. UTEP has the most players in the top 25, while Marshall, Charlotte, North Texas and FIU each have three. Middle Tennessee, Florida Atlantic and UTSA each have two. LA Tech and Southern Miss each have one.
RACKING UP HITS
The Miners have collected 357 hits, ranking seventh in Conference USA. UTEP’s 17 hits at UTSA (April 1) are tied for the most during the Tobin Echo-Hawk era, as 17 hits were recorded against Incarnate Word on Feb. 11, 2016. The 17 knocks are tied for eighth on the all-time list. Last season, the Miners set a single-season record with 451 knocks.
MORE ON THE HIT PARADE
UTEP has recorded 10-plus hit games 79 times during the Tobin Echo-Hawk era. The previous four seasons, the Miners tallied 10-plus hits in 50 contests. Since Echo-Hawk took the helm at UTEP, the Miners are hitting .297 (1,626-5,482), while the previous four years saw a .268 average (1,462-5,462). The Miners have connected on 15-plus hits in 14 different contests from 2014-17 and eight different times from 2010-13. The most hits recorded the last eight seasons were 24 at Brown on March 3, 2012 – tied most in program history.
Freshman Emmanuel Korir earned a spot in the Men�s Watch List for The Bowerman Award.
The mid-distance runner is one of 10 men earning recognition on the list. Previously, Korir took up residence in the �Also Receiving Votes� section. This is the Iten, Kenya, native�s first out door recognition.
Korir gives UTEP its 17th Watch List mention in program history � which is the seventh most by a men�s program in the Bowerman Watch List history.
Korir turned at the UTEP Invitational when he clocked a time of 44.78 in the 400m on April 22. Less than one week later, Korir challenged Donavan Brazier�s year-old collegiate record at 800 meters. Korir negative split the race at the Brutus Hamilton Challenge in Berkley, Calif., and crossed the finish line in 1:43.73.
The Miners will be hosting Conference USA Championships on May 11-14 at Kidd Field. For ticket information please call, 915-747-5234.
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