University of North Carolina Athletics
O'Reilly And Gayle Named Progress Energy Performers Of The Week
December 4, 2006 | Women's Soccer
Dec. 4, 2006
Heather O'Reilly and Robyn Gayle earned Most Outstanding Offensive and Defensive Player awards in leading the Carolina women's soccer to its 19th national championship and the Progress Energy Performers of the Week for November 27-December 3, 2006.
Heather O'Reilly
Women's Soccer
Senior
East Brunswick, N.J.
O'Reilly had two goals and an assist in wins over UCLA 2-0 and Notre Dame 2-1, leading the Tar Heels to the 2006 NCAA championship. In the process she was named the Most Valuable Offensive Performer of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in her career. She also captured the award as a freshman in 2003. O'Reilly finished her career with 15 NCAA goals, tying her for third place in NCAA history and leaving her just one short of the school record.
Robyn Gayle
Women's Soccer
Junior
Mississauga, Ontario
Gayle moved into the starting center back position in UNC's famed flat back three defense for the College Cup after second-team All-America Jessica Maxwell broke her ankle in the NCAA quarterfinals. Gayle led the defensive corps to an outstanding performance in the College Cup, limiting UCLA and Notre Dame, two of the nation's most explosive offensive teams, to only one goal and to a total of 19 shots in the two games.
Other nominees:
WRESTLING
Dennis Drury
Redshirt Freshman, 197 pounds
Jenkintown, Pa.
After an 0-5 start to the season against very tough competition, North Carolina redshirt freshman Dennis Drury won five straight bouts to earn a spot in the 197-pound final and a runner-up finish at Sunday's Nittany Lion Open. Drury posted a pair of shutouts, a 13-2 major decision over Pittsburgh's A.J. Hunte and a pin of Eric Shaw of Bloomsburg to reach the semis. There, he scored an 8-5 decision over Penn State's Chad Unger before falling 13-2 in the final to the Nittany Lions' Phil Davis, who is ranked No. 1 nationally at 197. Drury is now 5-6 on the young season with five losses to top-14 ranked opponents.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Wayne Ellington
Freshman, Guard
Wynnewood, Pa.
Ellington scored 19 points in Carolina's win over Ohio State, the top-ranked team in the nation in the coaches poll, and had a UNC-high 17 points in win over Kentucky. He made three three-pointers in each game. Ellington scored 17 of his 19 points against the Buckeyes in the second half. Hit back-to-back threes as Carolina rallied from 10 down to win. Shot 13 of 27 from the floor (6 of 16 3FG) in the two games.
