Three dominant Utes honored by MWC

Kim Turner

Volleyball

For the ninth time in her prolific career with the U volleyball team, senior middle blocker Kim Turner was named Mountain West Player of the Week after a strong three-match showing over the weekend.

Turner was named MVP of the Utah Hampton Inn Classic after leading the Utes to a 3-0 performance with wins over Washington State, Utah Valley State College and No. 18 Missouri.

This was the third consecutive year she was named the tourney’s MVP.

In 11 games over those three matches, Turner averaged 3.55 kills, 2.82 digs and 1.82 blocks per game. She came away with a triple-double in the team’s win over the Cougars, notching 15 kills, 15 digs and 11 blocks.

Against Mizzou, she was nearly flawless, hitting for .579 with 12 kills.

Turner is the consensus pick to win MWC Player of the Year honors for the second-straight year.

Chris Bellamy

Lauren Field

Soccer

Lauren Field was named the MWC’s Offensive Soccer Player of the Week after scoring a hat trick against Baylor on Sunday. Field scored all three Ute goals on Sunday, including the game tying goal from 40 yards out and the game-winning goal in overtime.

Coach Rich Manning was very impressed with her performance.

“Last night was one of those performances where a single player was the difference, and Lauren was the difference,” he said. “It was one of those performances where she takes the team on her back.”

Field is a junior from High Point, N.C., who has battled back from an offseason heart condition. There was some concern that she wouldn’t be able to play at all this year, but she has started every game and has scored four goals.

Matthew Ouellette

Brandon Warfield

Football

After another amazing rushing performance in front of his family against Texas A&M, U running back Brandon Warfield was the MWC Co-Offensive Player of the Week for a second-straight time.

Warfield rushed 36 times for 181 yards and scored three touchdowns. His rushing total was the third-best performance of his career.

The second half was where Warfield really shined and carried the Utes back into the contest.

He only garnered 40 yards in the first half, but then blew up after the break, scoring all three of his touchdowns in the second half.

Warfield is averaging 177 yards a game, which ranks fourth in the nation.

With running back Marty Johnson out for another game, Warfield will take the overwhelming majority of the carries this week against California as well.

Asad Kudiya