SouthtownStar Athletes on Campus: Finucane makes splash at University of San Diego

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Francesca Finucane, a Stagg graduate, prepares to race for the University of San Diego. | Supplied photo

University of San Diego junior swimmer Francesca Finucane was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Athlete of the Week for the period ending Jan. 25 for her efforts in the Toreros’ meet victory.

The Palos Park resident won three individual events and was part of four winning relays in helping USD to victory in the Beach Cup against in-state rivals Fresno State, Loyola Marymount, and Pepperdine.

Finucane, who prepped at Stagg, captured the top spot in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4 minutes, 59.45 seconds, then went on to take first in the 200 free (1:52.52) and 100 free (52.61). She swam her team’s second-fastest time (1:55.73) as the third leg in the 800 free relay that took first.

As the lead leg in the 200 free relay, Finucane posted a 24.46 50-yard split that helped her relay finish with a top time of 1:37.06.

Finucane rallied her 400 medley relay to victory with a 51.85 freestyle split that was a full two seconds faster than any other freestyle leg in that event. Finally, she helped USD wrap up its final relay victory as the leadoff in the 400 free relay, where she clocked a 100-yard split of 52.76 that was the fastest leadoff leg of that event by over a second.

Super Cooper

Seton Academy graduate D.J. Cooper was named the Mid-American Conference’s Men’s Basketball East Division Player of the Week for the period ending Dec. 12.

Cooper, who plays for Ohio University, scored 18 points to lead the Bobcats and also contributed five rebounds and four assists in a two-point win at Oakland, snapping the Golden Grizzlies’ 11-game home winning streak.

Cooper, a junior guard, topped that performance when he had 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for his first career triple-double as Ohio eased to a 72-54 victory over Portland. Cooper also added five steals as the Bobcats improved to 7-1 for the first time since the 1969-70 season.

He also gained notice from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which announced he is one of 20 finalists for the 2012 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award.

The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in college basketball. An original list of 60-plus candidates was trimmed by a Hall of Fame-appointed, nationally-based committee to 20 student-athletes.

The 20 finalists will be narrowed to 10 this month and to five by early March. The final five players in contention for the award will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2012 Bob Cousy Award will be awarded at the Hall of Fame’s Class Announcement on April 2 in New Orleans as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.