Morning Links 5/17/12

As we continue to bring updates with conference expansion, life will continue as normal.  However, the links are brought extra early to you today:

Big West Softball All-Conference team is diverse in teams
Here are your players and coaches of the year:
2012 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nikki Armagost, Pacific
2012 PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Justine Vela, UC Davis
2012 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Nicole Matson, Pacific
2012 FRESHMAN FIELD PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Shelby Wisdom, UC Santa Barbara
2012 FRESHMAN PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Justine Vela, UC Davis
2012 COACH OF THE YEAR
Brie Galicinao, UC Santa Barbara

The All-Conference teams are in the link, so be sure to visit there to see if your favorite player made it.

Track and Field Honors start a series of firsts for a couple different programs 
UCD and UCSB who had never won a conference championship before, were rewarded with COY awards for their coaches (and indirectly the staff).


Hawaii may be Boise State's biggest enemy
Now this is stupid for many reason, mainly the fact that UH football has not been extremely competitive with BSU since Colt Brennan left, however, if UH votes "no" to BSU admission to the Big West, that puts Bronco football back into the MWC, where many of the temporary rivals of BSU want them to be.  That being said, how much power the Warriors have in the Big West right now is relative.


Another article about BSU's issues with going to the Big West
This one from KBOI in Boise says that the Broncos have been given a New Member Assessment Tool which is essentially an application form.  Two issues they bring up are travel costs (which I still think is easier than UH's travel costs) and approval from 8 of 10 members.


Mountain West Connection weighs in...
This is not from me, it's from bluesyourdaddy, the BSU writer for MWConnection.  His thoughts are similar to the Hawaii article in the fact that the MWC could be pushing for Hawaii to say no.  It's interesting he brings up the twelfth member choice as Fresno State.  This could be what's really worrying the Big West, though I'm firm in my suspicions that Bakersfield would more likely get the nod as the twelfth member now that they've become more developed and already competes with the rest of the Big West on a regular basis.


Stay tuned for more action and drama!