Campus notes

BYU

SOFTBALL: No. 25 BYU softball team opens its season Thursday when it heads to Hawaii for the 2006 Paradise Classic.

The Cougars are coming off their best season ever and hope to improve on their 45-15, Mountain West Conference championship season of 2005.

BYU head coach Gordon Eakin says the Cougars are just excited to play outdoors.

"I think we have done all we can practicing indoors," Eakin said. "We are ready and excited to get outdoors and play."

BYU will take on five different opponents in three days with doubleheaders on Thursday and Friday. The Cougars will finish with a single game on Saturday.

BYU will take on Southern Mississippi and Loyola Marymount on Thursday; Texas State and host-school Hawaii on Friday and finish with Texas-Arlington on Saturday.

Utah

BASEBALL: The University of Utah saw its offense get on track in a big way Sunday afternoon at Presley Askew Field. The Utes hit eight home runs and picked up their first victory of the season, 21-9, over New Mexico State. Trailing 4-0, Utah broke out for nine runs in the top of the fourth. John Welsh, Joe Mozeleski and Adam Frank homered. Utah will be back in action at Texas-San Antonio. The Utes and Roadrunners begin a three-game series Friday.

TRACK & FIELD: The University of Utah track and field team got some big performances Saturday at the Mountain States Games. AJ Roby boasted a new personal best and first-place finish in the weight throw (59-03.75). She beat her last mark by approximately four feet. Roby also finished sixth in the shot put (44-.110). Jennifer Cutrer finished seventh in the 60m hurdles (9.24) and also bringing home a personal best in the event preliminaries (9.00). Nicki Hugie finished fourth in the 3000 meters (10:39.80). Others included Amanda Feigt in the long jump (3rd, 19-00.75) and 2nd in the pentathlon (3687 points), and Haley McAllister finished fourth in the long jump (18-06.00). The team will split up again this weekend, with some girls competing in the Iowa State Classic, and others competing in Pocatello at the Idaho State Multiple Duals. Both meets will be held Saturday and Sunday.