College Football Performance Awards announced BYU senior Kyle Van Noy as a member of its 2013 CFPA Defensive Awards Watch List this week.

Van Noy was the 2012 CFPA Linebacker Trophy winner and 2012 CFPA National Defensive Performer of the Year.

“Congratulations to CFPA winner Kyle Van Noy on earning a spot on the 2013 CFPA Defensive Awards Watch List,” said CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith. “Van Noy will play an important role for BYU in 2013.”

Van Noy is one of six featured CFPA winners on the cover of the 2013 CFPA Watch List along with Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina), AJ McCarron (Alabama), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M), Marqise Lee (USC) and Braxton Miller (Ohio State).

Two BYU Cougars have earned CFPA honors: Van Noy (LB) and current Baltimore Ravens star Dennis Pitta (TE), who won the 2009 CFPA Elite Tight End Trophy.

BYU's Cody Hoffman and Kaneakua Friel were previously named to the 2013 CFPA Offensive Awards Watch List.

All CFPA recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. All players are eligible for awards at their respective positions; players are not preemptively eliminated from consideration. More than 130 CFPA recipients have signed professional contracts, and twenty-one have been first-round NFL Draft selections.

For more information on CFPA, visit the Official CFPA Website.

College Football Performance Awards announced Cody Hoffman and Kaneakua Friel as members of its 2013 CFPA Offensive Awards Watch List this week. Hoffman earned a spot on the 2013 CFPA Wide Receiver Trophy Watch list while Friel earned a spot on the 2013 CFPA Tight End Trophy Watch List.

“Congratulations to wide receiver Cody Hoffman and tight end Kaneakua Friel on earning spots on the 2013 CFPA Offensive Awards Watch List,” said CFPA Executive Director Brad Smith. “Hoffman and Friel give head coach Bronco Mendenhall’s passing offense strength for 2013.”

Hoffman, a Phil Steele Preseason All-American for 2013, was an SI.com All-America honorable mention last season. The senior led BYU in all receiving categories with 100 receptions, 1,248 yards and 11 touchdowns. His 100 receptions and 1,248 yards are both second most in a single season in school history.

Friel started all 13 games of 2012 and finished second on the team with five touchdown receptions. The senior was named the FBS Independent Offensive Player of the Week and CFPA National Tight End of the Week for the week of Sept. 3.

Last season, BYU star Kyle Van Noy earned the 2012 CFPA Linebacker Trophy and 2012 CFPA National Defensive Performer of the Year Trophy. Former BYU tight end Dennis Pitta earned the 2009 CFPA Elite Tight End Trophy.

Returning linebacker Van Noy joins fellow CFPA winners Jadeveon Clowney, AJ McCarron, Johnny Manziel, Marqise Lee and Braxton Miller as one of six featured players on the cover of the 2013 CFPA Watch List.

All CFPA recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. All players are eligible for awards at their respective positions; players are not preemptively eliminated from consideration. More than 130 CFPA recipients have signed professional contracts, and twenty-one have been first-round NFL Draft selections.

For more information on CFPA, visit the Official CFPA Website.

Who We Played in the NCAA’s

The BYU softball team was defeated by No. 3 Oregon and No. 25 Wisconsin in the Eugene Regional. Oregon went on to the Super Regional and was upset at home by Nebraska, who made its first visit to the World Series since 2002. Tennessee was the only team in the eight-team series that BYU played during the season. BYU lost its matchup with the Vols 6-3 in its first preseason tournament of the year. Tennessee went on to play in its first Championship series since 2007. The Vols fell in two straight to the Oklahoma Sooners and have yet to claim an NCAA title.

Missions

Anna Hudson, a sophomore catcher, will leave July 17 to serve in the Utah Salt Lake City mission. She is the first active softball player to serve a mission since the program started in 2000.

“I decided that I wanted to serve a mission after the announcement of the age change,” said Hudson. “I always wanted to go but wasn’t sure when. After the announcement I felt like it was the right time to go. I’m super excited to share the gospel with lots of people. I’m also excited to be a part of something that isn’t purely for me, but is for others. “

Marriage

Lacey Millett will join the two current married players on the team in Ashlee Robinson and Jenna Goar on August 24^th as she ties the knot with former BYU swimmer Daniel Hofstedt. Lacey and Daniel will be getting married in the Sacramento temple.

Changing Conferences

After three years in three different conferences, the BYU softball team will finally make a home in the WCC for the 2014 season. It will join former PCSC foes Loyola Marymount, Santa Clara, Saint Mary’s, San Diego, UVU and CSU Bakersfield. Pacific will also be joining the conference in its first year with a softball program. UVU and CSU Bakersfield will be affiliate members of the conference as both teams will lose a spot in the PCSC, which dissolved following the conclusion of this year’s season. The following is a look at the BYU softball history in conferences.

Overall/League                     Conference                            Titles               Member

371-160/117-39                  Mountain West                      Five                 2003-2011

45-15/15-4                          Western Athletic                    One                 2012

33-25/19-5                          Pacific Coast Softball            One                  2013

-                                          West Coast                             -                      2014

National Attention

Ashley Thompson, an incoming freshman for the 2014 season and Washington pitcher, is creating quite the national buzz for her performance this year. Thompson is already the holder of Washington’s record for home runs in a single season (23 in 2012) and career and also holds the state record in RBI. In addition, Thompson threw six-straight no-hitters during her senior season and had seven altogether. Both are believed to be state records and her streak of no-hitters ranks third all-time in the country. Thompson helped lead Connell High School to its third state championship, going a perfect 27-0 to end her high school career. 

TUCKETT AND PULLINS BILLBOARD: With the home season now over, advertising banners were pulled from the outfield wall of Larry H. Miller Field. However, the banner of Glen Tuckett and Gary Pullins remains visible. That banner was unveiled last month when their jerseys, No. 20 and No. 1, were retired.

FORMER PLAYERS AT TUCKETT-PULLINS EVENT: Among the former Cougars in attendance at last month’s jersey-retiring festivities during the San Francisco series were the following: Tim Anderson, Dick Belliston, Lee Berge, Bob Burch, Dick Clark, Tom Fife, Dane Iorg, Jim Kimmel, Dennis Lamb, Bob Noel and Mike Staffieri who along with Pullins played for Coach Tuckett; and Keith Harrison, Nate Hyde, Sean McNaughton, Kelly Shepherd and Coach Mike Littlewood who played for Coach Pullins.

UPSETTING NO. 13 ASU: What a fun atmosphere it was at Arizona State in BYU’s 8-3 upset over the No. 13 Sun Devils. Among the 2,957 spectators were 88 BYU fans through the sales efforts of Keaton Cenatiempo’s mother. Another Cougar in attendance that night in Tempe was former BYU baseball coach and athletic director Glen Tuckett who enjoyed the company of his former players Mike Elmer, Dennis Lamb and former Cougar cager Veryl Law. Tuckett also was in town for the high school graduation of one of his grandsons.

WIVES’ CAR POOL: While many of the Cougars were flying to Stockton, Calif., for last month’s West Coast Conference Baseball Tournament, several of the players’ wives carpooled, driving I-80 en route to California. The drivers/riders were Deidre Miller, Ali Whitney, Madison Dennis and Merilee Speigner. One wife who didn’t drive was Alexis Brugman because she is expecting a baby this September.

EARTHQUAKE DURING WCC OPENING GAME:  BYU joined San Diego, San Francisco and Gonzaga playing at Banner Island Ballpark, home to the Single A Stockton Ports. Among the Ports opponents are the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. However, there was a real earthquake mid-way through BYU’s opening Thursday game against San Diego, registering 5.7 on the Richter Scale at 8:47 p.m., 25 miles southwest of Susanville, Calif., just over 200 miles away from Stockton. While many did not feel the quake during the game, Jaycob Brugman recalled hearing a fan comment about it after his at bat.  Most BYU players were unaware of the quake until Saturday morning when they read about it in newspapers at the Sacramento Airport.

FLYING AROUND:  Returning home early from Stockton after being eliminated from the West Coast Conference Tournament was a challenge on Memorial Day weekend. No single flight could accommodate the BYU entourage of over 30 travelers, so coaches scrambled and divided the team into four groups. One group flew to Seattle, another to Portland, another to Las Vegas and another to Phoenix, all routing towards Salt Lake City where the Cougars boarded a bus to Provo and listened to Jacob Hannemann’s pre-recorded interview on KSL Radio. Another impressive airport drill happened earlier in the week as the team flew out of Phoenix to Sacramento. After leaving their Phoenix hotel in the wee hours of the morning, the bus driver parked at the wrong terminal where the Cougars had to quickly reload bags and get back on the bus for the right terminal.

SPECIAL GUEST AT BANNER ISLAND BALLPARK: Theo Epstein, President of Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs, was in the stands at Banner Island Ballpark for part of Friday’s action at the WCC Tournament, watching San Diego’s All-American Kris Bryant with a keen eye.

FORMER BYU ATHLETE FROM STOCKTON: Among the former BYU athletes who are from Stockton, Calif., is Paul Mendenhall, father of current football coach Bronco Mendenhall and former Cougar gridder Matt Mendenhall.

COUGAR TWEET: Last week we Tweeted the following: BSB | We believe in vicarious work. Good luck San Diego, San Francisco, LSU & Arizona State this weekend.

HANNEMANN AND THE DRAFT: BYU freshman outfielder Jacob Hannemann flew the last week of May to workouts in Seattle, Chicago (Cubs), Oakland and Los Angeles (Dodgers) in preparation for the June 6-8 Major League Baseball Draft. He also took a train from Chicago to workout for the Milwaukee Brewers.

WEDDINGS: Less than a week after the season finished, junior designated hitter Bret Lopez got married to Taryn Roberts. Next to get married are first baseman Cody Shepherd on June 29 to Lindsey Horton and pitcher Jeff Barker on July 27 to Kylie Richmond.

MATTHEW NEIL: Former BYU pitcher Matthew Neil was called up to the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs (Miami) last month.

LITTLEWOOD’S VACATION: BYU coach Mike Littlewood is taking a few days of vacation to watch his son Marcus play for the Clinton LumberKings (Seattle).  The Cougar mentor will watch games in Illinois and Wisconsin.

KNEE SURGERY: Hayden Nielsen played through a knee injury the last several weeks of the season and will be having surgery this month. He should be ready to pursue baseball later in the summer.

AWAITING MISSION CALL: Freshman infielder Nate Favero is awaiting a mission call.

SUMMER PLAYING ASSIGNMENTS: Jeff Barker - Conejo Oaks, Kelton Caldwell - DC Grays, Jacob Hannemann (depending on draft) Orleans (Cape Cod League), Trace Hansen - Bisbee Ironman, Bryan Heward (SLCC Transfer) - Bisbee Ironmen, Andy Isom - Saskatoon Yellow Jackets, Adam Law (depending on draft) Holyoke Blue Sox and Chunner Nyberg - DC Grays.

PAST TOP 10 ROUND DRAFTS:  Here BYU's Top 10 round draft picks:

Athletes and coaches from BYU Athletics descended on St. George, Utah, Saturday for the first-ever Cougar Fan Fest. Two more Cougar Fan Fest events will be held in northern Utah tonight and tomorrow. The event in Spanish Fork begins at 6 p.m. MDT Tuesday at the Spanish Fork Sports Complex, and the event in Sandy begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Amphitheater Park.

Football players and coaches—including Kyle Van Noy, Taysom Hill, Mark Atuaia and Robert Anae—were in attendance on Saturday, signing autographs and taking photos with fans. The football team was joined by representatives from the men’s basketball team, women’s basketball team, women’s soccer team, men’s and women’s volleyball teams and cheer squad. Cosmo also made an appearance.

Fans gathered for pictures in BYU football helmets, pads and jerseys. The event also included bounce houses and athletic activities for kids.

For more information, check out the official release.

BYU All-American linebacker Kyle Van Noy is garnering attention not only locally and nationally but also on the other side of the Atlantic. Having caught the eyes of TV viewers in the UK with his performance in the 2012 Poinsettia Bowl, Van Noy is featured this week in a sports podcast based out of Scotland. 

Van Noy joins hosts Colan Lamont and Jonathon Moar in a nearly 30-minute podcast with the v2Journal, discussing a wide range of topics from independence to his development as a player under Bronco Mendenhall to his thoughts on playing in intimidating road environments.  He discusses last year's BYU season, the NFL Draft, and what he is doing to get ready for his senior year. He talks about his friend, Ziggy Ansah, and what he's like away from the football field, and gives his thoughts on how successful he will be with the Detroit Lions.

Select the following link to listen to the v2Journal podcast with KVN.

Brandon Davies has been running through drills and strength and agility tests the last two days at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. Davies' official measurements are listed below and his results from the strength and agility testing will be posted when they are made available. The interview below was taped and posted by @SLCDunk

Davies' measurements from the NBA Combine

• Height w/o shoes: 6-8.5
• Height w/shoes: 6-10.25
• Weight: 241.8
• Wingspan: 7-1.5
• Reach: 9-0.5
• Body fat: 8.6
• Hand length: 9
• Hand width: 11

Over the past two weeks since Ziggy Ansah was picked in the first round of the NFL Draft, a sampling of links to articles, interviews, videos and photos have been posted on this blog about Ziggy's draft experience. Here are links to go back and see more on The Buzz on Ziggy and More Ziggy!

Also, check out the BYU Cougars YouTube page to see many other BYU videos, including this one offering Coach Mendenhall's take on the NFL Draft experience from an exclusive interview in New York the morning after the first round.  

"It was an amazing experience," BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall said. "...To see him stand on the stage in front of the world and be one of the top selected football players in this year's draft...if the story ended there it would be a great story, but I think there's going to be maybe an even more compelling one that happens from here on out."

RECRUITING: Last month during the week break from play as BYU’s team prepared for final exams, BYU coach Mike Littlewood flew to Southern California on a recruiting trip and his assistants were in New York, Arizona and Las Vegas.

TUCKETT & PULLINS: Being honored during the St. Mary’s series on May 11 at Larry H. Miller Field are former BYU baseball coaches Glen Tuckett and Gary Pullins. Last month when the Cougars played at Santa Clara, Tuckett and former players Tom Fife, Jeff Bills and Jim Englehardt took in the BYU ball games, an Oakland A’s game and dined together.

ANOTHER MISSION CALL: Last month BYU played at Gonzaga in Spokane, Wash., where at least one Cougar took more than usual notice of the surrounding community. Freshman pitcher Keaton Cenatiempo got his mission call to Spokane, Wash.

SECOND FIRESIDE: Following the 8-3 opening victory at Loyola Marymount, BYU’s baseball team changed into shirts and ties, busing to the nearby North Torrance Stake Center to hold a fireside in a chapel that overflowed into the cultural hall with former BYU All-American Murphy Su'a in attendance.

Jaycob Brugman got a gasp from the youth in the congregation when he told them he was one of 130 Mormons at his high school. He tried to further clarify that worked out to a percentage of .04. He quoted an epitaph from Jackie Robinson, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on others lives." Brugman spoke about not being afraid to live the Gospel. He talked of the difference of going to Prom with Mormon friends vs. his non-Mormon friends and how that led him to BYU. At BYU he met the “love of my life, got married in the temple and started my own family.”

Marc Oslund used a slide show to illustrate his talk. He told of the difference in his life before and after his conversion. He had a big crush on Rachel Carter whom is “the greatest blessing. She is much easier to live with than my missionary companion 24-7.” He showed a picture of his long hair as a high school quarterback. He told of how he was kicked out of the choir as a missionary in North Carolina by Brother Thomas who said, “Because you just can’t sing.” He talked of North Carolina basketball player Stilman White, who was impressed by the spirit he felt when he was asked by convert Will to baptize him. White, a Tar heel guard was encouraged by Oslund’s example and is now serving a mission to Ogden, Utah. Oslund encouraged the youth to commit to live the Gospel.

Coach Mike Littlewood also used some photos to illustrate his talk, which centered on a 1 ½-hour hike he took with his daughter Mica in 103-degree temperature up Angels Landing in Southern Utah. Mica had to hold on to the chain as she climbed the spine of Angels Landing, which he likened to clinging to the word of God and to be a light unto people.

Assistant coach Brent Haring conducted a question-answer session after those talks. Those questions from the congregation were: How many Eagle Scouts are on the team? Who had served missions? Why would a player would choose college over being drafted? Who is the oldest and youngest player on the team? Why hold firesides like this one and the one in Louisiana? The answer to the latter question centered around the spiritual aspects being a key factor and that “any time you give of yourself you become a better person.” Haring continued, answering a question about the difference in coaching at BYU compared to other schools. Haring told of how he coached at Harding College run by the Church of Christ. He told the difference being the players at BYU know who they are and what they want out of life.

VANCE ON TV: Last month former BYU coach Vance Law debuted twice, first as a TV color analyst and second as a manager for the Chicago White Sox AA Birmingham Barons. The TV gig was the first of five dates Law joins Steve Klauke on the KJZZ telecasts for the Salt Lake Bees. The other dates are May 16 at 6:30 p.m., and June 1, July 5 and August 1 all at 7 p.m. Law subbed as manager for one week for the Barons while the regular manager Julio Vinas took time off for the planned baby delivery of Julio Vinas, Jr. Vance's son Andrew was in attendance at the BYU games at Loyola Marymount University and did color analysis on the radio for the Cougars' 3-2 victory. Former BYU baseball infielder Cameron Coughlan did the color commentary for games one and three at LMU.

MILLER CLAN: Earlier this month BYU pitcher Adam Miller, one of 11 siblings from Yucaipa, Calif., had around 20 of the Miller clan attend the Cougar-Lion Saturday game at Loyola Marymount University. Included in that group was Miller’s wife Deidre, who surprised him by showing up the day before that game.

AFTER LMU SERIES: Several of the BYU baseball team changed clothes quickly after game three of the LMU series and reboarded the bus to watch the Cougar men’s volleyball team play in the NCAA championship at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion . That wasn’t a first visit for BYU coach Mike Littlewood who has refereed several basketball games in Pauley Pavilion.

MAY MARRIAGE: Junior designated hitter Bret Lopez is scheduled to be married on May 29.