Each week, The Daily News' sports crew picks its PPQ - the play, player and quote of the week.
But it doesn't stop there. With the help of our online voters, the weekly fan choice is also featured.
This week's best:
Player of the Week
Jarrod Jones, men's basketball — The sophomore center followed up his 2008-09 Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year campaign by scoring a team-best 19 points with six rebounds in the Cardinals' 88-78 season-opening win on Saturday vs. Valparaiso University. Jones was one of six Cardinals with double-digit scoring totals, joined by forwards Malik Perry and Terrence Watson and guards Brawley Chisholm, Randy Davis and Jauwan Scaife.
Play of the Week
Ali Bishel, cross country — Crossing the finish line at the 21:07.07 mark of Saturday's 2009 Great Lakes Regional, the redshirt junior Bishel placed seventh and earned one of the region's four automatic bids into the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championships on Nov. 23 at Indiana State University.
Quote of the Week
"I call [MiQuale Lewis] Stuart Little because he's so small. But he gets the job done. [Four] weeks ago Stuie went for 300 yards and [Cory Sykes] had 200. I called Eddie and told him ‘them boys are killing.'" — Ron Dayne, former NFL and Heisman-winning tailback at the University at Wisconsin where BSU offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner was his backup.
Fan Choice
Ali Bishel, cross country — With 36 votes and 47 percent of the poll, Bishel ran away the 10th fan choice vote of the year. After runners from Michigan, Indiana and Michigan State, Bishel was the top individual remaining in the field of Saturday's Great Lakes Regional in Indianapolis, where she placed seventh and earned the first of four automatic bids into the NCAA Cross Country Championships on Nov. 23. The NCAAs are ran in Terre Haute, where Bishel won the Indiana Intercollegiates Women's Big Race earlier this season.
To vote in next week's poll, check out Monday's online edition of The Ball State Daily News.
Read More
Turning the Tides: How Ryleigh Skaggs is changing Wes-Del girls' basketball
By Logan Connor / 12 minutes agoHead coach Ryleigh Skaggs is looking to turn the narrative on Wes-Del girls’ basketball
Cardinals survive five-set marathon against Central Michigan, advance to MAC Championship Final
By Daniel Kehn / 10 hours agoBall State advances to the MAC Championship with a five-set marathon victory over Central Michigan
Ball State women’s basketball falls to No. 16 UNC in the Battle 4 Atlantis
By Elijah Poe / 12 hours ago“I'm really glad that I was able to come back in time to play because we're not going to get this moment back,” senior Madelyn Bischoff said about the 63-52 loss to No. 16 North Carolina. “Even though we didn't win, I do think that this is really going to help us in the long run.”
