WSU’s Williams named Big Sky player of week

OGDEN — Weber State kick returner Abraham Williams was named the Big Sky Conference’s special teams player of the week for his 105-yard kickoff return touchdown against Central Washington in the Wildcats’ opener.

It was Williams’ fifth career kick-return touchdown, all of which have been 100-plus yards and all came within his last nine games.

Last season Williams, a junior from Salt Lake City, was a consensus All-American after leading the country at 37.4 yards per return. He was the only player in all divisions of the NCAA to have more than two kickoff return touchdowns last season.

Williams is currently first in WSU history in career kickoff return average at 39.0 per return.

— Brett Hein, Standard-Examiner

BYU soccer reaches No. 1 for first time

PROVO — For the first time in program history, the BYU women’s soccer team is ranked No. 1.

The Cougars reached No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches poll after adding two more wins to their undefeated 6-0 record. Previously, the highest BYU ranking was No. 2 following the 2021 NCAA championship match.

BYU hosted former No. 1 UCLA on Aug. 31 in front of 5,209 fans, besting the Bruins 3-1 courtesy of goals by Ellie Walbruch, Rachel McCarthy and Erin Bailey. The Cougars also took down cross-town rival Utah Valley 6-1 on Sept. 2.

The Cougars will travel to the University of Utah on Saturday for their final non-conference game before beginning Big 12 competition on Sept. 14, hosting TCU.

— Brenna Seeman, BYU Athletics

Judkins returns to University of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY — Jeff Judkins, the former University of Utah player and coach — and longtime BYU head women’s basketball coach — is returning to his alma mater.

Utah announced head women’s basketball coach Lynne Roberts has hired Judkins as an assistant coach over player development and as a program ambassador.

Judkins will “work closely on the court with players for individual skill development and team defense,” a release from the school said. He will also “be a liaison with the community, fans and LDS Institute on campus.”

Judkins was BYU women’s basketball head coach for 21 seasons, the program’s all-time winningest coach, with a record of 454-204. Before that, he was a men’s basketball assistant coach at Utah from 1989-99.

He played for the Utes from 1974-78, is the program’s No. 7 all-time leading scorer, and was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 1978 NBA Draft.

— Brett Hein, Standard-Examiner

KJZZ to broadcast four USU football games

LOGAN — Utah State football announced that KJZZ 14 will broadcast four USU home games over the air in Utah.

The four games to air on TV are:

– Sept. 9 vs. Idaho State, 6 p.m.

– Sept. 23 vs. James Madison, 6 p.m.

– Oct. 7 vs. Colorado State, 6 p.m.

– Nov. 11 vs. Nevada, 1 p.m.

The broadcast team will feature KUTV veteran sports anchor Dave Fox as the play-by-play announcer, former BYU running back Alema Harrington as the color commentator and former Utah quarterback Frank Dolce as the sideline reporter.

KJZZ can be seen over-the-air on channel 14, HD Comcast channel 657, Direct TV channel 14, and Dish channel 14.

— Wade Denniston, USU Athletics

Utah AD Harlan named to CFP committee

IRVING, Texas — Utah Director of Athletics Mark Harlan was appointed Monday to the College Football Playoff (CFP) Selection Committee, CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock announced. Harlan, in his sixth year as athletics director at Utah, will serve on the committee for the 2023 season.

The CFP selection committee is responsible for selecting the top four teams in the playoff and assigning them to semifinal games, as well as ranking the other top 25 teams. The committee meets in-person beginning Monday, Oct. 30, and produces a ranking of the top 25 teams each week leading up to its final selections on Dec. 3.

— Paul Kirk, Utah Athletics

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