BYU Cougars

Athlon Sports continues the release of its preseason Top-25 poll at www.athlonsports.com. No. 14 is being released today, and it's BYU.

Tough life, that Chris Watkins. The BYU soccer coach assisted on an Italian trip with the women's team, then as the head coach of the men's squad went to Fiji.

As a freshman Trent Plaisted wanted to make it to the NBA, he joked, if for no other reason than the leg room on cushy chartered flights.

Nate Austin, a 6-foot-10 center at Lone Peak High, has pledged to sign a letter-of-intent to play college basketball at BYU, according to his coach Quincy Lewis.

Utah took the fifth as in a seed no less than fifth in next week's Mountain West Conference tournament with a 5-3 victory over BYU Thursday night at Franklin Covey Field.

BYU recorded a 3-0 shutout over No. 13 North Carolina. The Cougars (43-18 overall) will face No. 23 Georgia on today at 1 p.m. in the Chapel Hill regional.

Trent Plaisted's decision to hire an agent and forego his final year of eligibility surprised at least one NBA personnel-type, who requested anonymity in exchange for frankness when discussing the situation.

Nate Austin, a 6-foot-10 junior at Lone Peak High in Highland has orally committed to play basketball for BYU, a source close to the coaching staff told The Salt Lake Tribune.

Hot News for QB Jake Heaps

Taysom Hill would be the first to tell you that the more he learns about college football programs, the harder his eventual college decision becomes. For the 6-foot-2, 210-pound quarterback prospect from Highland High School in Pocatello, Idaho, time is starting to shrivel up like an apple sitting in the sun.

Scout’s sixth-ranked safety in the nation and BYU commit Craig Bills has been keeping himself busy in the offseason. He’s also received interest from major Division I colleges that have made an attempt to get their feet in the door.

The BYU men's soccer team will open the regular season with back-to-back home games at Haws Field Friday and Saturday.

The BYU men's track team got off to a fast start during the first two days of competition at the 2008 Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

BYU softball began the NCAA Chapel Hill regional with a 3-0 shut out victory over No. 13 North Carolina.