Feb. 10, 2009

LAS VEGAS - For the third consecutive year, UNLV won week one's Mountain West Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week honors. Alyssia De La Torre, a junior outfielder from Las Vegas, and Traci Odegard, a sophomore left-handed pitcher from Kirkland, Wash., were selected after their stellar outings this past weekend in helping UNLV to a 3-1 showing in the 2009 Sportco Kick-Off Classic. This is the first time that either have been chosen for the conference's weekly award.

De La Torre hit .538 with seven hits in 13 at-bats. She racked up a 1.231 slugging percentage, aided by four extra-base hits. In the four-game opening weekend, she smashed two home runs, one triple and one double. She scored six times from her leadoff position and knocked in four RBI. On Friday, De La Torre went 3-for-3 vs. Marshall, scoring the first run of the game after leading off with a single. In the following game, vs. Illinois-Chicago, she smashed a leadoff home run and followed that up with another solo shot in the fourth inning, while racking up two runs and two RBI. In a doubleheader vs. Seton Hall on Sunday, she hit .333 with one triple, two walks and one RBI.

Odegard earned two wins in as many starts over the weekend. The sophomore southpaw tossed two complete games and did not allow a single run in either outing. She surrendered only five hits and struck out 13 batters, walking none. Odegard only allowed one runner in each contest to get as far as third base. In a 5.0 inning outing vs. Marshall, she gave up two hits and fanned four, as the Rebels won, 8-0. Against Seton Hall, she gave up three hits in 6.0 innings, while racking up a career-high nine strikeouts to lead UNLV to another 8-0 victory.

De La Torre and Odegard join duos from 2007 (Kendall Fearn and Christie Robinson) and 2008 (Jaci Hull and Stephanie Bregante) in helping UNLV sew up first week honors over the past three seasons.