April 21, 2008

Spokane, Wash. - Ryan Wiegand, first baseman for Gonzaga University, has been named the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office Monday. Wiegand shares the honor with James Meador of the University of San Diego.

Wiegand earned the honor after leading the Bulldogs (23-16, 4-5 WCC) to a 5-0 record last week. The native of San Diego, Calif. hit .429, going 9-for-21 with three home runs, seven runs batted in and four runs scored. Wiegand posted three multiple-hit games, including a three hit efforts against the University of Washington on Tuesday. In the game against the Huskies, Wiegand went 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored.

For the season, the junior boasts a .357 average and leads GU with 60 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, nine home runs and 48 runs batted in. He is in the verge of busting into both the single season and career season record books for Gonzaga, as he is just shy of the single season list for doubles, home runs and runs batted in. He currently ranks ninth on the career doubles list with 44 and is six RBI shy of entering the career runs batted in list.

Wiegand shares the weekly accolade with Meador, who went 7-for-16 to hit .438 with one home run and eight RBI.

The honor is the second of Wiegand's career and the fourth time this season a Bulldog has been awarded a weekly league accolade. Grant Kveder and Marcus McKimmy were named the WCC Players of the Week for the weeks of March 17 and 24 respectively, while Cody Martin was named the WCC Co-Pitcher of the Week last week. McKimmy was also named the conference Player of the Month for the month of March. Wiegand previously earned a WCC Player of the Week accolade on April 23, 2007.

Gonzaga will take the field Tuesday as they travel to Pullman to continue a four-game season series with Washington State University. The Bulldogs will then return home Wednesday to face Lewis-Clark State College before resuming league play at Saint Mary's College Friday.