Nov. 17, 2008

(San Francisco) - For the second time this fall, both the USF men's soccer and volleyball teams have landed a West Coast Conference Player of the Week honor in the same week. Junior forward Conor Chinn (San Diego, Calif.) and sophomore opposite hitter Sarah Mandala (San Dimas, Calif.) were each awarded the honor.

Chinn led the men's soccer team to its third WCC title in five years and a trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 1-1 record, while Mandala led the Dons' volleyball team to a 2-0 weekend and a tie for first place in the conference standings.

Chinn registered four goals in two matches last weekend, including a hat trick Sunday at Loyola Marymount in just 45 minutes of action. Chinn's three goals marked the first time since 2002 that a Don has recorded a hat trick. During the 2002 campaign, Josh Hansen recorded a trio of goals against Saint Mary's on October 18.

Sunday's three goals also propelled Chinn into a tie for 2nd place on the Don's single season goals list, tying him with Alex Nwosu (1977), Dag Olavsen (1978) and Tor Sveen (1982) on the list. The USF single-season all-time scored is Bjorn Tronstad, who scored 29 goals in 1979.

Chinn also extended his WCC record finishing league play with 14 goals and 29 points during conference contests. He has scored a scoring strike in seven straight contests, accounting for 11 goals, including three-game winners, in the span. For his efforts Chin was named the National Player of the Week by Top Drawer Soccer.

Sunday, in a 23-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-17 victory over Saint Mary's, Mandala recorded a career high 28 kills on .535 hitting, while also posting six digs and three blocks. Earlier in the week, the sophomore recorded eight kills, one assist, two digs and three blocks as the Dons' swept then-No. 21 Santa Clara, 26-24, 25-19, 25-17. For the week, Mandala posted 27 kills on .443 hitting with one assist, eight digs and six blocks. With the victories, San Francisco reentered this week's national poll, landing at the No. 25 spot.

It is the second weekly honor of the season and the fourth of the opposite hitter's career. It also marks the third honor for a Don this season. Mandala was named the WCC Player of the Week twice as a freshman in 2007, earning the honor of October 8 and 29, while also earning the honor earlier this season on October 27. In addition to Mandala, earlier this season, senior blocker Carly Babin earned the accolade on October 13.

USF volleyball enters the weekend in search of the WCC title as they wrap-up conference play at Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Currently, San Francisco is tied with No. 17 San Diego for first place in the standings. After winning the WCC and earning the league's automatic bid to the postseason, men's soccer will open NCAA Tournament play Friday against California in Berkeley at 1:30 p.m.