The Top Performers of the Week feature highlights the top athletes of each sport currently in play. Check back each week to see which athletes are standing out in Cougar sports.
Rachel Dyer – Volleyball – Senior – Encinitas, Calif.
Senior middle blocker Rachel Dyer played a phenomenal match at Wyoming to help BYU record a sweep of the Cowgirls to begin MWC play. In three sets, she posted a team-best 10 kills on 12 swings for a .833 hitting percentage. The mark is the second-best BYU tally in the rally-scoring era and is tied for the sixth-best hitting percentage in program history. Dyer also led the Cougars in blocks in both matches on the weekend. She posted a team-best .406 hitting percentage and 1.33 blocks per set in the first weekend of league play. Overall, Dyer paces BYU in hitting efficiency (.341) and is second in blocks (1.07) on the year.
Austin Collie – Football – Junior – El Dorado Hills, Calif.
All-American candidate Austin Collie had eight catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns in just two and a half quarters of play, leading No. 11 BYU to a 44-0 pounding of Wyoming. Collie’s two touchdown passes gives him five on the season and four in the past two games.
Five of Collie’s eight receptions converted first downs for BYU, including four in the second quarter. Up 13 points with 4:36 to play in the second quarter, Collie hauled in a 62-yard touchdown pass from Max Hall to give BYU a 20-0 lead. On the very next BYU possession the two hooked up again, this time for a 7-yard strike to give BYU a comfortable 27-0 halftime lead.
In the second quarter alone Collie had five receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns. He left the game with 6:08 to play in the third quarter and the Cougars leading 41-0. Collie accounted for 122 of the Cougars’ 201 receiving yards in a game where nine BYU receivers caught passes.
Collie is leading the MWC in receptions per game (seventh nationally), second in yards per game (20th nationally), third in touchdowns and sixth in scoring as well as all-purpose yards.
David Nixon – Football – Senior – College Station, Texas
Senior defensive captain David Nixon led a Cougar team that recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time since Sept. 1985.
In just two and a half quarters of play, Nixon was dominating. He tied or led BYU in five defensive categories, including tackles (6), forced fumbles (1), fumble recoveries (1), quarterback hurries (2) and interceptions (1).
With Wyoming driving right before the half, Nixon caused a fumble and recovered the ball on the Wyoming 48 yard line to kill the drive. In the third quarter he intercepted a Karsten Sween pass and returned it 19 yards for a touchdown, giving BYU a 41-0 lead with 8:25 to play in the third.
Nixon is second in the MWC in fumbles forced and eighth in tackles for loss. He was also named MWC Player of the Week.
CJ Santiago – Football – Senior – Honolulu
CJ Santiago had an impressive outing for BYU in its 44-0 triumph over Wyoming. On the day Santiago had seven punts for an average of 46.7 yards per kick, including one for 61 yards — a new season high.
Santiago was key in helping BYU win the field position battle all day. His first three punts were all downed inside the Wyoming 20 yard line — the first at the 11, the second at the 5 and the third at the 4-yard line. The third punt that pinned the Cowboys deep led to a David Nixon interception that was returned 19 yards for a touchdown.
In all, Santiago had four of his seven punts downed inside the Wyoming 20. The other three punts covered 47, 53 and 42 yards.
Santiago was also named MWC Player of the Week.
Angela Wagner – Cross Country – Junior – Xwbryeuib, South Africa
BYU’s Angela Wagner was the 5K winner for the women, clocking a course record of 18:19.
McKinzie Olson – Soccer – Freshman – Cottonwood Heights, Utah
McKinzie Olson notched her second and third shutouts of the season against #19 Miami and Michigan State. Both teams were previously unbeaten. Miami had outscored their opponents 16-1 to open the season, and Michigan State outscored their opponents 27-2 through their eight games before playing the Cougars.
Maggie Yuan -- Golf -- Freshman -- Chengdu, Sichuan, China
Freshman Maggie Yuan gave a solid performance in last week's Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational as she finished even-par in round two after ending round one at +8. She proved her consistency by following the big turnaround with a +3 effort in round three to end the tournament in a tie at No. 35 individually and helping the team to a 10th place finish.