Sprints
Short takes from ASU’s sports teams

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
ASU’s women’s basketball team hosted the Hoops for Health Classic on Dec. 18 at Chase Field in Phoenix, taking on the Texas Tech Lady Raiders.

Besides offering spectators a competitive, action-filled basketball game, the event was promoted as an opportunity to raise health awareness. A health expo was held around the stadium’s concourse and on the field prior to the game. The game was the second outdoor college basketball game played at Chase Field, the first being a “Hoops for the Cure Classic” game, a fundraising event for breast cancer research, treatment, and education, played in December 2000.

Head Coach Charli Turner Thorne said this season’s game and expo was successful because its broader focus brought fans and health providers together.

“This year we [focused] on helping families make healthy choices by connecting with local health agencies to create awareness and provide educational information to the community,” said Turner Thorne.


WOMEN'S SOCCER
ASUs women’s soccer played host to America’s neighbors from the south Oct. 1 when they took on the Mexico’s Women’s National Team, which is ranked No. 26 in the world, in front of a record crowd of 2,136 fans at Sun Devil Soccer Stadium in Tempe.

At least one ASU player knew the competition well. Christine Nieva, a sophomore midfielder/forward for the Sun Devils, played with the Mexican organization on several occasions, most recently at the World Championships in Moscow last summer.

During the first half of play the Mexican team fired eight shots, but senior goalkeeper Kim Bingham stopped all of them. Coming back from intermission, both teams picked up the pace but the Women’s National Team scored three goals in the second-half of play, defeating the Sun Devil’s 3-0.

MEN’S GOLF
Former ASU golfer Phil Mickelson donated $50,000 in September to ASU’s Golf: For Business and Life program. The program is part of the PGA’s Play Golf America campaign and is designed to teach and improve the golf skills of college juniors, seniors and graduate students through instruction provided by PGA professionals.

The program educates students, regardless of their major, on how golf can be used as a business tool as they enter into the professional world. Local business leaders are also asked to address students on how golf has enhanced their businesses. Since the program was established by the PGA of America on behalf of U.S. Ryder Cup team players in 1999, Mickelson, captain of the 2006 team, has donated $230,000 to ASU's Golf: For Business & Life program.

“The PGA Foundation’s Golf: For Business & Life program is an outstanding way to help grow the game and at the same time introduce or reinforce an important asset for young businessmen and women. I’m happy to be able to support it,” said Mickelson.