March 15, 2004

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - UNLV senior left fielder Bridget Byrne was named the Mountain West Conference Softball Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Byrne, a Las Vegas product from Silverado High School, hit an amazing .632 (12-for-19) for the week and led the Rebels to a 4-1 record and tournament title at the UNLV Tournament II. She hit safely in all five of the Rebels' games and scored in four of them.

Also among her accomplishments for the week was her first career triple, which led to key score in the Rebels' 6-1 victory over Long Island.

For the season, Byrne leads the MWC with 42 hits and ranks among the league leaders in hitting with a .438 batting average. She is currently in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak.

The award marks the first ever in the senior's career. A former walk-on, Byrne has started 154 onsecutive games in left field for UNLV and leads the team in several offensive categories.

Byrne and the Rebels continue their 2004 season this week in Fullerton, Calif., where they will compete in the Kia Classic from March 17-21.