April 2, 2003
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Leighann Burke and Shaun Guice have been named March Athletes of the Month.
Burke, a senior pitcher from Lafayette, Ind., has recorded three one-hitters and one no-hitter so far this season. She has also pitched nine complete games, including six shutouts. The lefty, who was named Big Ten pitcher of the week March 24, leads the Big Ten Conference in wins and has set school records in career strikeouts (482), saves (12), innings pitched (591), and shutouts (19) in recent weeks. Burke also entered the career top five in complete games (34).
Guice, a senior high jumper from Lima, Ohio, became the first male Purdue track & field athlete to achieve All-America honors in four consecutive seasons after he reached a height of 2.17-meters (7 feet, 1.5 inches) in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. The mark tied him for third place with N.C. State's Jesse Williams. His leap increased the Boilermakers point total to 10.5, which placed them 19th of 63 teams, the highest ever for a Purdue men's track & field squad. The senior also placed second in the high jump (2.14m, 7-1/4) at the Big Ten Championships, leading the Boilermakers to a third-place showing.
The Purdue softball team continues its season with Friday and Saturday meetings with conference foe Wisconsin, before facing Minnesota in a Sunday doubleheader. Game times are set for 3 p.m., noon and 11 a.m. Guice and selected members of the men's and women's track teams will be in action at the Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, Thursday through Saturday. The remainder of the squads will compete in the Ohio State Relays in Columbus on Saturday.
The Athlete of the Month awards are sponsored by WLFI-TV and Twin City Dodge-Chrysler.