With a week jam-packed with games and events, there was little break for Sacramento State?s athletes and coaches to actually enjoy their spring break.

There were no foam parties or long trips to San Diego for these Hornets.There probably wasn?t even enough time for family or friends.

But, for their sweat and effort on the playing field and down the sidelines, three Hornet athletes and a coach were recently honored with conference awards, including coach of the year and three player of the week awards.

HUGHES, GYMNASTICS

Sac State?s Kim Hughes was voted the 2002 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation?s Coach of the Year after leading the gymnastics program to the federation?s first ever league championship.

The Hornets registered the second-highest score in the program?s history, 194.900, en route to their third-consecutive league title.

His first two titles came in the Western Independent league.Hughes is no stranger to the individual accolade. He garnered his first Coach of the Year award back in 1984 when Sac State was still a member of the Div. II Northern California Athletic Conference.

In 1999, after his Hornets earned their first ever regional bid, Hughes was voted NCAA Region I Coach of the Year.

NICHOLS, GOLF

After pacing the Sac State women?s golf team to a second-place finish at the Santa Clara Colby Classic, freshman Tracy Nichols was named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Week.

The Colby Classic was held at the Rancho Canada Golf Club in Monterey, Calif.

Nichols, a Rocklin, Calif. native, received the award after shooting eight shots over par for a two-round total of 152 (75-77).

She is the first women?s golfer to receive the award this season.

BIVERT, SOFTBALL

Jillian Bivert literally did it all this past week for Sac State?s softball team, tossing her third shutout of the season against No. 19 ranked University of the Pacific while continuing her torrid pace at the plate.

Her success, however, didn?t go unnoticed. Bivert was recently named the Big West Conference Softball Pitcher of the Week for her seven-inning gem against the Tigers.

She allowed just five hits while notching her fifth win of the season.Though she boasts an impressive 2.23 ERA, it is her batting average that is opening eyes around the league.

Traditionally one of the teams better hitters, Bivert currently leads the Big West in batting with a .366 clip, including eight hits in her last 13 at-bats.

She is among the team leaders in every statistical category, both offensively and defensively.

Against the Tigers, Bivert helped her own cause, bruising the Tiger pitching staff with two base hits. She finished the game 2-of-3.

KIRTMAN, TRACK

Speed kills, just ask those who line up on the blocks along side Sac State?s Myesha Kirtman in the 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles.

En route to setting qualifying marks in the 100-meter and 100-meter hurdles at the Cal State Fullerton Triangular on March 23, Kirtman nabbed the Big Sky Conference Track Athlete of the Week award.

Kirtman has set the bar for her events this season, racing out to the fastest times in both the dash (12.17) and the hurdles (14.18). Her time in the 100 hurdles this season is just shy of her career-best 14.14 established last season during the conference outdoor championships.

Her career-best ranks fifth in program history.

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