Oct. 2, 2007
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - San Diego State's Brad Byrns (Alamo, Calif./Monte Vista HS) has been named the Pac-10 Player of the Week, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced Tuesday. It is the first career weekly award for the redshirt freshman and second consecutive for the Aztecs after sophomore Jamel Wallace was honored last Tuesday.
Byrns earned his fourth shutout in five games in SDSU's 0-0, double-overtime tie versus No. 25 UC Irvine on Saturday. Byrns, who played all 110 minutes in net, made four saves, including a diving stop to his right on a sure Anteater goal in the 12th minute.
Byrns was vocal from the back throughout the match and did a tremendous job controlling the penalty box by coming off his line and punching balls out of danger, including many long throws by an UC Irvine defender.
Byrns has been instrumental in helping San Diego State to its season-long five-game unbeaten streak, where he is 4-0-1 with 0.18 goals against average and .929 save percentage over the stretch.
Byrns, who took over for two-time All-American and three-year starter Tally Hall, is 4-1-2 on the season with a 0.65 goals against average (25th in the nation) and 81.5 save percentage.
San Diego State will open its Pac-10 schedule with a game against No. 14 UCLA at 2 p.m. Saturday. There will be a special halftime ceremony honoring the Aztecs' 1987 NCAA runner-up squad with the annual alumni game slated for 11 a.m. Sunday.