FIU Panthers Prowl

Diamond promises

FIU's new softball signees:

Marina Carmona, a catcher out of Wellington Palm Beach Central High, hit .384 with 25 RBI as a junior

Gabreilla Spallone, an outfielder out of Palm betto High was a First Team All-Dade player with a .556 average and 31 RBI.

 

Stephanie Texeira was a First Team Miami Herald All-Dade small school player for Gulliver and Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year according to the Orlando Sentinel. She hit .464 with five homers and 33 RBI. Like Spallone, she played club softball with the Miami Stingrays.

And, because Mike Bernal mentioned this on Facebook...

 

Medlock in (for now)

On the weekly Sun Belt coaches conference call, head coach Mario Cristobal said "we forsee him being able to go" as far as starting quarterback Jake Medlock and this week against Louisiana-Monroe.

Medlock left FAU Stadium with his left arm in a sling after getting thrown down on that shoulder in the fourth quarter. He remained in the game until the end. It seems as if every other game, Medlock leaves the field with some part of him dragging. Cristobal thought it was because his season-ending shoulder injury last year prevented Medlock from building physical durability in the offseason.

ULM opened as a five-point favorite at most books and is now up to six.

 

Leonard Sun Belt Special Teams POW, National Kick Returner of Week

Sophomore Richard Leonard set an FIU record -- and gave FIU the lead for good seconds after FAU took its first lead -- with his 100-yard kickoff return Friday night. He also took his only punt return back 13 yards, a good return that was a step from being great. He aveaged 22.7 yards on his other three kickoff returns.

That was good enough for Leonard to be named the Sun Belt's Special Teams Player of the Week. That's the second consecutive game FIU's had a POW, linebacker Jordan Hunt winning the defensive honor two weeks ago.

Full disclosure: the conference polls media and I voted for Leonard. I also voted for Hunt. I have not, however, voted for every FIU player nominated for a Sun Belt POW award. 

Leonard also was named National Kick Returner of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards.