Brigham Young

ATHLETICS: Brigham Young University has named Gaye Merrill its director of sports medicine, Tom Holmoe, director of athletics said Friday. Merrill replaces George Curtis, who retired earlier this year after more than 20 years at BYU.

Merrill has been an athletic trainer at BYU since 1981. She received her bachelor's degree from BYU in 1978 and later earned a master's degree in athletic training from Indiana University. In her new assignment, Merrill will oversee seven full-time athletic trainers, seven graduate assistants and numerous student trainers.

VOLLEYBALL: Former BYU All-American player Nina Puikkonen Mortensen has been named volunteer assistant coach on the BYU women's volleyball coaching staff, coach Jason Watson announced Friday.

A native of Murray, Mortensen comes to BYU from UVSC where she was an assistant coach for two years.

Utah

FOOTBALL: The University of Utah ticket office will put single game tickets on sale starting Aug. 8, Starting this year, all seats to the Utes' six home games will be reserved seating. Current season ticket-holders and University of Utah Crimson Club members will be able to purchase single-game tickets starting on Aug 1.

SOCCER: Whitney Dorsey of the University of Utah women's soccer team has helped lead the Colorado Rush Nike under-19 squad to the cusp of a national championship.

Dorsey, a Wheat Ridge, Colo., native who begins her sophomore season with the Utes in a few weeks, will play for the Rush in the 2005 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, July 27-31 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.

The tournament consists of four regional champions in each age group (under-14 through under-19 boys and girls). The teams will play round robin matches in their respective age groups, with the Rush facing the Stars of Massachusetts, the Carmel United Commotion from Indiana and the Dallas Texans Red 86. The two teams with the most points at the conclusion of play on July 29 will meet for the national championship on July 31.

Dorsey played in all 22 games and started 14 as a midfielder for the Utes last season.

VOLLEYBALL: It may be the offseason but many University of Utah volleyball players are priming for the 2005 season by taking part in the Global Challenge at the Intermountain Volleyball Association Training Center next week.