Cal State San Bernardino Head Coach Jeff Oliver concluded a late spring and summer season of recruiting by signing one community college player and two NCAA Division I players to compete for the Coyotes in 2008-09.
All three have the potential to be key contributors as the Coyotes prepare to compete for another California Collegiate Athletic Association title and a shot at regional and national championships.
New to the fold are:
Tavaris Gilbert, a 6-8 post player from Ventura College who started 18 games, averaging 12.5 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and shot 49 percent from the field, 58 percent from three-point range. As a freshman at
Devin Montgomery, a 6-foot point guard who was a starter at
DuBois Williams, a 6-6 guard who is transferring in from St. Mary's College in
"Tavaris brings added depth to our front court," said Oliver. "He's a guy who can score underneath and step out to the three. He will present a difficult matchup for our opponents."
Williams, Oliver said, "is a point guard in a 6-6 body. He has more offensive tools than he has had a chance to display at his other schools. And, he's a tremendous rebounder for a guard."
Oliver previously announced the signings of Larry DeHughes, a 6-4 guard from
Cal State San Bernardino's convincing wins over 2007 national champion Concordia St. Paul and 15th-ranked
The Coyotes, 3-0 on the season, will face another top 25 team - No. 24 BYU-Hawaii - in the third match of the UC San Diego Tritons Tournament this Saturday at RIMAC Arena on UCSD's
CSUSB was also No. 1 in the national poll on Sept. 4, 2007 and stayed there for two weeks before losing to Cal Baptist on the road and dropping to No. 2. The Coyotes were also No.1 in the poll late in the 2004 and 2003 seasons and topped the poll for five weeks in 2002.
The Coyotes' 3-0 sweep of Concordia-St. Paul, ranked No. 1 in the pre-season poll, dropped the Golden Bears into a tie for No. 3 in the poll with
Washburn (
UC San Diego, which posted a 2-1 record in the Coyotes Volleyball Classic last weekend, moved up five spots from No. 22 to No. 17. Cal Poly Pomona, unranked in the pre-season poll, is No. 22 after winning three of four matches at a tournament in
No. Team Record Pts.
1 CSU SAN BERNARDINO 3-0 887
2. Washburn 4-0 850
3 (tie) Concordia St. Paul 3-1 810
Truman State 4-0 810
5.
6. West
7. Grand Valley State 3-1 682
8.
9. Western
10.
11. Hillsdale (3-1); 12.
By Michelle Gardner
Staff Writer
When opportunity knocked, both Sara Rice and Ashtin Hall answered the door. Now the two former Yucaipa High School standouts are starters for a Cal State San Bernardino volleyball team expected to contend for the Division II national championship.
The Coyotes, 27-3 a year ago, open the 2008 campaign this week, hosting a six-team tournament that starts tonight at Coussoulis Arena. The No. 4 Coyotes open against reigning national champion and current No. 1 Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.) at 7:30 p.m.
"We're very excited about our potential," Coach Kim Cherniss says. "We have high expectations. We have a great core of returning players and we have some talented freshmen. Maybe the best class we have had since I've been here."
The veteran cast is bolstered by the two former Citrus Belt League standouts.
Rice, a 6-foot senior middle blocker, arrived in 2005. She had planned to attend Golden West Community College but when Portala George went down with a knee injury, Cherniss needed another backup.
Rice was going to redshirt but when a second middle blocker also sustained a knee injury, that plan changed. She ended up playing a handful of matches which set the stage for a stellar sophomore campaign and second-team All-Conference honors.
Then came an even better junior season in which she earned first-team All-Conference and Pacific West Region honorable mention honors. She was fourth on the team in kills (190) but boasted an impressive attack percentage of .384 as well as a team-high 75 blocks.
"My confidence has just grown each season," said Rice, a 21-year-old business major. "When I played some as a freshman it made me realize I could compete at that level."
A key injury also paved the way for Hall, whose opportunity could not have come in a more pressure-packed situation.
The 5-11 junior outside hitter committed to the Coyotes in November of her senior year of high school. She also considered Division I UC Riverside and NAIA Point Loma but opted for Cal State after touring all three schools and considering the facilities and level of play at each.
She didn't choose Cal State because her former high school teammate was there, but called it an "added bonus."
Hall played little during her true freshman season in 2006. The time she did see came against lesser foes.
Then Lisa Dogonyaro, the lone senior on the squad, sustained a knee injury in the regular season finale at Cal State Los Angeles. Hall went from being a seldom-used sub to a starter on a team with national championship aspirations.
"I remember that match when she got hurt. My whole frame of mind changed," said Hall, 20. "It was definitely very stressful but I tried to take it as a chance to prove myself."
Other teams went right at the untested rookie but Hall was up for the challenge.
"You never know what is going to happen," Cherniss said. "You have to be prepared for that situation and that comes with working hard in practice. It's my job as a coach to see that my players are ready when they're called on."
Hall started 29 of 30 matches as a sophomore and recorded 235 kills, including a career-high 17 in the Pacific Region final against Western Washington. She was rewarded with a spot on the all-conference second team.
The Coyotes will be looking for their sixth conference title in eight years and have advanced to the regional championship match nine straight years. Last year's loss was one of the most disappointing because it came in three straight games on their home floor to a team it had already beaten during the season.
Both players say the Coyotes didn't go into that matchup with the same intensity they would have had the opponent been long-time nemsis UC San Diego, which lost to Western Washington in the semifinal.
"It was a humbling experience," Rice said. "They took advantage of our weaknesses in a way no other team did."
Added Hall: "We have to try and put it aside but at the same time learn from it so we don't make the same mistake again if we're in that position."
Seniors Vanessa Williams (Riverside) and Anne-Marie Hofmans (Glendora) were the catalysts Thursday night for Cal Poly Pomona, which defeated Chaminade 3-0 in the 2008 season opener for the Broncos.
Williams led the Broncos with 11 kills (11-3-18) and had a .444 attack percentage in the 25-19, 28-26, 25-16 victory, while Hofmans added eight kills (8-1-15) with a .467 attack percentage and a team-high 11 digs.
"Annie played the type of match that we've been waiting for in her career,'' Bronco coach Rosie Wegrich said. "She had a sound all-round match and really played a big role in helping us earn a season-opening victory. It was a solid performance all the way around.''
The Broncos fired on all cylinders in the match as they earned a .281 attack percentage (41 kills, 14 errors and 96 total attacks). Seniors Allie Newman (Redlands) and Jenna Young (Arcadia) each had six kills and Young led the Broncos in service aces with three. Senior Rocio Vargas (Baldwin Park) led the Broncos on the block with two solos and four assists. She also had four kills.
The Broncos return to the court this afternoon with a 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) match against No. 14 Nebraska-Kearney, and then face host Brigham Young-Hawaii at 10:30 p.m. On Saturday, they play against Hawaii Pacific to round out the trip to nation's 50th state.
Courtney Lorusso led the Silverswords with 10 kills.
Cal Poly Pomona volleyball standout Allie Newman admits being happy that she wasn't given much of a warning when called on in a critical match late last season. She had just finished warmups and thought she would be taking a seat at the end of the bench like she had for the duration of the season. But then-assistant coach Vinh Nyugen informed her she would be starting.
"I'm glad they didn't tell me before or I would have had way too much time to get nervous," Newman said. "It was better I didn't have time to think about it."
The 5-foot-11 middle blocker delivered 13 kills and 11 block assists, helping the Broncos to a school-record 40 block assists in a five-game upset of nationally ranked UC San Diego.
She also tallied eight kills and 10 block assists in a Pacific Regional semifinal loss to Cal State Los Angeles.
Her showing at the end of the season has set her up for more significant playing time this year, especially with the departure of two other middle blockers -- most notably All-American Antoinette Kathol.
The Broncos open the new season with four matches in Hawaii, the first coming Thursday against Chaminade.
The court time has been a long time coming for the former Redlands East Valley High School and San Bernardino Valley College standout.
"We always knew she could play," veteran Broncos coach Rosie Wegrich said. "It was just a matter of when she would get that chance. She had worked very hard in practice and deserved that opportunity. We're looking forward to bigger things from her this season."
Newman, now 22, has been a later bloomer. She didn't play until her sophomore season in high school after her family moved to Southern California from Pullman, Wash.
"It was my mom and dad that encouraged me to play," she recalled. "We had just moved and they thought it would be a good way to make friends because all the girls on the team seemed nice."
She spent her sophomore year on the junior varsity just learning the basics. She followed that up with two years on the varsity. The idea of playing for a four-year school was appealing but she wasn't quite ready. So she opted for SBVC, then coached by current athletic director Dave Rubio.
Newman was a quick study, earning All-Foothill Conference honors both years there, highlighted by a Most Valuable Player selection in 2004.
"She has a great work ethic and she has athletic ability," Rubio said. "She just needs time to develop. It was the experience and technique, especially her footwork, that were lacking."
The decision on a four-year school was even more of a challenge. The most obvious choice would have been Cal State San Bernardino, Cal Poly's conference rival. Not only does it boast great tradition in the sport but her father, Eric, is a marketing instructor there.
But that's exactly why she chose not to go there.
"I wanted to make my own name somewhere else," she said.
Newman actually recruited the Broncos more than they recruited her. She sent Wegrich a letter and the veteran coach invited her to a tryout which several of Newman's SBVC teammates also attended.
But it hasn't been easy. Newman redshirted her first season because of an elbow injury that later healed without surgery. It turned out being a blessing in disguise.
"I learned a lot by watching," she said. "I don't think I would be playing today if I didn't have that year to watch and learn. And I appreciate playing a lot more now."
She played in 16 matches (39 games total), including the two pivotal ones at the end of the season, totaling 48 kills and 30 total blocks.
She has lofty goals for her final go-round including winning a conference title and dethroning the juggernaut that is Cal State.
"This is it. I want to make it a great year," said Newman, who would like to go into sports marketing. "We have some great new players that have fit right in so I think we can do it."
California Baptist University made two first-half goals stand up for a 2-0 women's soccer exhibition victory over Cal State San Bernardino Thursday at the Lancers' field.
Fabiola DaSilva assisted on both goals for the Lancers as Jacquelyn Witz put CBU up 1-0 in the 16th minute with a shot inside the near post. Lizzy Bendrick converted DaSilva's corner kick into a goal in the 37th minute.
The Coyotes had just two shots on goal, both in the second half. Scoring attempts by freshman Casey Hirsch and junior Ashley Salas were stopped by CBU keeper Brittany Buchanan. Overall, CBU outshot the Coyotes 14-8.
Redshirt freshman Tiffany Mallick and senior Shawna-Rei Kam split time in goal for the Coyotes, each making one save. Only four of CBU's 14 shots were on goal.
CSUSB Head Coach Diego Bocanegra was not disappointed by the score. "The match gave us an opportunity to look at everybody on the team," he said. Twenty Coyotes saw playing time in the match.
The Coyotes complete their pre-season exhibition play on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Coyote Premier Field against Biola University, a 1-0 winner in its season opener earlier this week.
CAL BAPTIST 2, CAL STATE SAN BERNARDINO 0
CSUSB goalie saves: Tiffany Mallick (1); Shawna-Rei Kam (1).
CBU goals: Jacquelyn Witz, Llizzy Bendrick. Assists: Fabiola DaSilva (2). Goalie saves: Brittany Buchanan (2).
Cal State San Bernardino, with six of its top eight players returning to the fold, finds itself ranked No. 4 in NCAA Division II women's volleyball in a pre-season poll conducted by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
The top 25 poll, released today by AVCA, contains four West Coast teams with defending NCAA Pacific Region champion Western Washington listed at No. 10, UC San Diego at No. 22 and
The Coyotes volleyball program has been placed in the top 25 pre-season poll virtually every season since the year 2000 and they usually wind up in or near the top 10 at the end of the season. CSUSB (27-3) wound up No. 9 in the final 2007 season poll.
"It's great to know that we've reached a point where people expect us to be good," said Head Coach Kim Cherniss, starting her 18th season at the helm of the five-time California Collegiate Athletic Association champions.
"However, it's not something that will change what we do to prepare for the season or reset our goals," she added. Those goals are to win the conference first, then win the regional and then the national championship.
One of the Coyotes' other opponents in its Coyote Classic that runs Aug. 28-30 is
The first official poll is due out Sept. 1.
Rank School (1st place votes) Points 2007 record 07 Final Rank
1. Concordia-St. Paul (35) 897 36-4 1
2. Washburn 830 38-4 3
3. Truman 780 36-6 8
4. COYOTES 762 27-3 9
5. West
6. Grand Valley State 716 33-4 7
7.
8.
9.
10. Western Washington (1) 555 26-5 2
11 .Emporia State 498 27-9 15
12 S'West
13 Central
14. Nebraska-Kearney 416 33-5 19
15. Lewis 372 32-4 11
16.
17.
18. Hillsdale 298 26-8 16
19
20 Augustana (SD) 194 19-11 24
21.
22 .UC
23. West Florida 99 26-4 NR
24. Nova Southeastern 81 28-10 NR
25.
Others receiving votes included: Hawaii Pacific, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State
The Coyotes posted a 17-1 CCAA record and advanced to the NCAA Pacific Regional final before finishing the 2007 campaign with a 27-3 overall mark. Cal State San Bernardino received eight of the 11 first-place votes and totaled 96 points.
UC San Diego, which tied for second in the CCAA a year ago with a 13-5 conference mark, was picked to finish second after totaling 83 points and one first-place vote. Cal State L.A. garnered 77 points to finish third, while
The 2008 season will mark the first for
The 2008 campaign is slated to begin the weekend of August 28 with teams competing in tournaments. CCAA play is scheduled to begin Sept. 12-13.
2008 CCAA Women's Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll
Rank -- Team (First place votes) -- Points
1.
2. UC San Diego (1) - 83
3.
4.
5. Cal Poly
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Cal State Dominguez Hills - 19
11.
Cal Poly Pomona head women's soccer coach Isabelle Harvey has named Erin Reinke as Broncos' assistant coach.
"I'm thrilled to be a part of Cal Poly Pomona's women's soccer program,'' Reinke said. "My playing career has reached its end and this is the next challenge. I look forward to doing all I can to help Isabelle build this program to be at its best with quality student-athletes.''
Reinke brings a wealth of playing experiences - both as an amateur and as a professional goalkeeper - into her first season.
She spent 2005 through 2007 playing as an amateur and
professional in the Elite Division for women in Denmark. In that three-year span, she played for four teams including one full season with Fortuna Hjorring - one of the top women's teams in the world. She completed her playing career this past summer with the Ottawa Fury, a member of the USL W-League, who reached the league finals against FC Indiana.
She and Harvey played against each other in college and were teammates on the semipro team Ajax in Southern California, which won national championships from 2001-2004.
Reinke's coaching experience includes a one-year stint as a volunteer coach at Long Beach State. She also coached club soccer in Palos Verdes for three years.
Reinke was the first-ever in-state recruit for Arizona State University and went on to start four seasons for the Sun Devils. In her senior year, Reinke was a member of the 2000 Sun Devils' NCAA postseason team, which lost in the second round to eventual semifinalist Portland. She remains the career leader in saves and shutouts for ASU.
Reinke, a Mesa, Ariz., native, was a member of ASU's Maroon and Gold Scholars twice in her career. She earned her bachelor's of science degree in Sociology from ASU in 2000.
Gene Webster Jr., a junior this fall at Cal State San Bernardino, was simultaneously happy and disappointed about playing one of his best rounds of the year in Monday's 36-hole sectional qualifer for the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship at Glendora Country Club.
Webster, an NCAA all-West Region and all-CCAA conference player this past season for CSUSB, shot a 68 over his final 18 holes after a morning round of 74 to finish at 142 and wound up as the No. 2 alternate out of the sectional.
In order for him to advance to the tournament at Pinehurst, N.C. on Aug. 18-24, both of the two sectional qualifiers who finished four shots ahead of Webster and the No. 1 alternate (Andrew Roque of Fontana) would have to decline the trip.
Chances of that happening, Webster said, were "very unlikely."
"I didn't play well in the morning. I didn't putt very good, but I had it going in the second round," Webster said by phone Wednesday. The San Bernardino resident and Arroyo Valley High School graduate was three under par with three holes remaining. "I felt I had to shoot 66 to have a shot at it. At No. 16 I missed a 12-foot putt for birdie. I birdied No. 17. And, at 18, I had a 10-foot putt that looked like it was good but it did a slow lip-out. That kind of summed up my day."
Summer play has not been kind to Webster. He lost in the first round at the City of Long Beach Match Play tournament and missed the cut in the Long Beach City Amateur.
Next on his agenda is the California State Fair Amateur Tournament in Sacramento over Labor Day weekend. He hopes to qualify for the California State Open at the end of September.
Webster averaged a team-low 73.5 strokes for 34 rounds of golf for CSUSB this past season, helping them finish second in the CCAA conference, fourth in the NCAA West Regional and advance to the NCAA national championship for the third straight year. The Coyotes wound up a disappointing 18th at nationals.
