BYU campus briefs

MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD: After improving on a number of marks at the Robison Invitational last weekend, BYU leaped eight spots in the USTFCCCA national rankings to move into 13th on Tuesday.

BYU moved from 21st in the nation into the 13th spot with 137.46 points, just behind Mississippi State and ahead of South Carolina. It's the first time in 2010 the men's team has cracked the top 15 in 2010.

BYU is also the top ranked team in the Mountain West Conference.

The Cougars' throwers led the way for BYU this past weekend. Leif Arrhenius moved into the top ten nationally in both the discus and the shot put, currently at fifth in the discus and ninth in the shot put.

Daniel Lawson currently 26th nationally in the shot put as Arrhenius and Lawson are 1-2 in the MWC in the event.

BYU also has three of the top 15 javelin throwers in the country. Sean Richardson is fifth with a distance of 235 feet, 8 inches while Blaine Baker is currently 12th and Chris Reno at 13th nationally. The trio sit atop the MWC rankings.

Rich Nelson is fourth in the nation in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, joining pole vaulter Chris Little in sixth place as two more Cougars in the top ten nationally in their respective events.

In distance running, Nathan Ogden is 18th in the country in the 10,000-meter run and 25th in the 5,000 meters.

BYU will next compete in the Tri-Meet held at Robison track and field complex this weekend, April 30-May 1. The MWC Championships will be held May 12-15 in Albuquerque, New Mexico while NCAA competition begins May 27 in Austin, Texas.

MEN'S TENNIS: BYU men's tennis players earned honors from the Mountain West Conference Wednesday at the tournament banquet in Las Vegas. Juniors Thomas Shubert and Evan Urbina were both named to the All-MWC singles team.

Shubert received one MWC Men's Tennis Player of the Week award this season. He has compiled a 29-11 record so far, competing mostly at the No. 1 position for the Cougars. Shubert went 3-2 against MWC opponents and upset No. 42 George Coupland from Mississippi State earlier this year. Shubert was also honored as an All-MWC doubles team selection with partner Cassidy Mears.

Urbina joined his classmate on the All-MWC singles team. This is the second year in a row the junior has been named to the conference first team. He tallied a 5-3 record against MWC players and a 26-11 overall record. Urbina was named player of the week three times this season.

BYU will begin tournament play Friday against the winner of the TCU/Utah match, which will be played Thursday at 10 a.m. MT. All matches will be played at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas.

WOMEN'S TENNIS: Sophomore McCall Jones earned the Mountain West Conference's highest award Wednesday night. Jones was selected as the MWC Player of the Year at the conference tournament banquet at UNLV.

Jones owned a 29-7 record through the regular season. She was undefeated against MWC opponents while playing at the No. 1 position. Jones defeated six ranked opponents in the spring and is currently the No. 40th-ranked player in the nation. She was also recognized by the conference April 21 as MWC Women's Tennis Player of the Week. In addition to being named Player of the Year, Jones was also selected to the All-MWC singles team and doubles team with Megan Price.

Kristina Doerr was also named to the All-MWC singles team. It was the third honor for the senior, who went 17-14 in the regular season and 5-3 against MWC players.

BYU will begin play in the tournament Thursday against fifth-seeded San Diego State. The match begins at 1:30 p.m. MT at the Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas.