UConn fantasy mid-season report

By: Kevin Duffy

Posted: 10/7/08

For those of you who missed the first two editions of The Daily Campus this year, you missed the annual UConn Fantasy Draft. Using a scoring system (right) that encompasses all fall UConn sports, I locked myself in my room on Aug. 25 and analyzed the stats of every athlete on campus. On Aug. 27, I emerged from my quarters - tired, hungry and pale - with projected stats for every player. Here was my projected top five:

1. O'Brian White, men's soccer

2. Lauren Aird, field hockey

3. Tyler Lorenzen, football

4. Annie Luhrsen, volleyball

5. Lindsey Leck, field hockey

Now that we're about halfway through the fall season, let's get into the top performers, biggest surprises, biggest letdowns, and players to watch for the remainder of the year.

Top Performers

1. Donald Brown,

junior, football

184 points

Preseason rank: 7

The nation's leading rusher is just 20 fantasy points away from eclipsing O'Brian White's total of 204 points from last season, which made him the runaway No. 1 fantasy player of 2007. Everyone knew Brown was good, but I don't think anyone knew he was this good. He shows no signs of slowing down and should easily finish as the top fantasy performer at UConn and perhaps the entire country.

2. Lauren Aird,

senior, field hockey

114 points

Preseason rank: 2

Sure, Aird is trailing Brown by 70 points, but she's had an incredible season. Thanks largely in part to six game-winning goals, Aird has established herself as a premier fantasy option.

3. Annie Luhrsen,

freshman, volleyball

89 points

Preseason rank: 4

The banner signee in coach Holly Strauss' nationally-acclaimed 2008 recruiting class has not disappointed one bit. Luhrsen ranks No. 7 in the Big East in assists (10.19 per game) and has led the Huskies to an impressive 11-6 start.

4. Lindsey Leck,

senior, field hockey

86 points

Preseason rank: 5

Leck has taken a backseat to Aird and her late-game heroics but she's still scored seven goals and dished out five assists for the Huskies. Leck is one of the most dependable fantasy players on campus.

5. Melissa Gonzalez, sophomore, field hockey

66 points

Preaseason rank: 8

Leck and Aird are set to graduate in the spring. Right now, Brown looks like a second-round pick in the NFL Draft. The mass exodus of UConn fantasy stars could clear the way for Gonzalez to become the preseason No. 1 next year.

Biggest surprise:

Lawrence Wilson, sophomore, football

43 points

Wilson's nose for the ball (three interceptions, one touchdown, one fumble recovery) has helped him outscore quarterback Tyler Lorenzen and do-it-all cornerback Darius Butler, who's received the most hype of any defensive player on campus.

Honorable mention:

Joe Goldstein, junior, men's tennis

60 points

Preseason rank: NR

Goldstein has emerged from the shadow of teammate Joey Michaels and taken a firm grasp on the No. 1 singles role. He's won three matches in that position and is certainly a candidate for UConn's most improved fall athlete.

Biggest Letdown:

O'Brian White, senior, men's soccer

50 points

Preseason rank: 1

So he's on pace for about 100 points. By no means is that bad, but it's not even half his total from last season. After scoring a nation-leading 23 goals last year, White - and the entire UConn offense for that matter - has stumbled out of the gate.

Honorable mention:

Andre Dixon, junior, football

0 points

Preseason rank: 11

Dixon has as many rushing yards this season as defensive end Marcus Campbell - four. He had a sprained ankle in the beginning of the season, but no one really knows if he's still being bothered by it or if he really was passed by freshman Jordan Todman on the depth chart.

Kate Seabaugh, junior, volleyball

24 points

Preseason rank: 19

Seabaugh, one of UConn volleyball's lone veterans, ranks No. 7 on her own team in fantasy points. However, Seabaugh's puzzling statistical struggles serve as a friendly reminder for all of us: Sometimes the biggest contributions don't show up in the box score.

Players to Watch in the Second Half of the Season

Zach Frazer, sophomore, football

10 points

Preseason rank: NR

Frazer has struggled a bit in his first two games, but he's shown some flashes of brilliance as well. Given the fact that Lorenzen finished as the No. 3 fantasy player in 2007, it's not unrealistic to expect Frazer to crack the top ten before the season is over.

Rebecca Murray, sophomore, volleyball

40 points

Preseason rank: 9

Murray was selected in the first round mostly on potential. She hasn't stepped up as the Huskies' go-to offensive option - UConn has four players averaging between two and three kills per game - but she has the length and athleticism to be a First Team All-Big East performer. It's only a matter of time before Murray establishes herself as a dominant force.

Kevin.R.Duffy@UConn.edu