Jan. 14, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

MERIWEATHER, BIRCH SWEEP HONORS FOR PIRATES
Park University basketball players Jon Meriweather and Ashley Birch were named NAIA Division I Independent men's and women's basketball players of the week Monday, as voted upon by coaches from NAIA Independent institutions.

Meriweather, a 6-foot-8 forward from Kansas City, Mo., earned his second-straight award after averaging 21.3 points and 10.0 rebounds per game in three contests last week for the Pirates. Park's men (10-9) took down Judson 84-77 early in the week before falling to both Bellevue (double-overtime) and Ozarks 83-78 in consecutive games.

Meriweather started the week with 25 points and nine boards in the win over Judson, also blocking two shots and finishing 11-of-13 from the floor in the win. He followed it with 12 points and five rebounds in a loss at nationally ranked Bellevue in double overtime, a game in which he also had four blocked shots.

He finished the week 16-of-27 from the floor, 59.3 percent. Against College of the Ozarks, Meriweather netted 27 points and completed a double-double with 16 rebounds. He had three blocks in the loss to the No. 14 Bobcats.

Birch, a 5-6 senior from Kansas City, Kan., averaged 18.5 points per game and six rebounds in wins over Judson and Peru State last week, but her most impressive number came in takeaways, where she averaged 7.5 steals per game.

Birch opened the week with 10 points and five boards against Judson, also swiping four steals in a 68-42 rout of the Eagles. She followed it with 27 points, seven rebounds and 11 steals against Peru State, missing a triple-double by three boards. She finished the week 57.1 percent from the floor on 16-of-28 shooting.

MOUNTAIN STATE REMAINS NO. 1 IN MEN'S POLL
Mountain State remained No. 1 in the NAIA Division I Men's Basketball Top 25 Coaches poll released last week, and the Cougars should stay atop the poll on its release Wednesday by the NAIA national office in Kansas City.

Park received 10 points in the men's poll to finish in the No. 33 position, while Brescia was awarded 38 points and finished just outside the Top 25 at No. 27. The poll's next release is slated for Wednesday.

Mountain State has been No. 1 since the first regular season men's poll of the season, displacing defending national champion Oklahoma City in early December. Last season, MSU and Park represented the independent region in the men's national tournament, while Brescia appeared on the women's side.