Category Archives: Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

Top 10 jobs by local college coaches

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As always it was a banner year for local college programs. None won a national title but there were many in the running. Today’s countdown, the top 10 coaching jobs of the school year. Heavy emphasis placed on teams that won conference titles or were close.

10. Kristin Dowling, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women’s basketball

Gets major props for how far her team came in the course of a season. She got the job so late admissions were closed so she was left with whatever players remained. She had to get a tennis player and another who had never played before just to round out a roster of eight. The Athenas lost a lot of games early but were competitive by the end of the season. Can’t imagine how well she will do given a full year and chance to recruit.

9. Kristen Hauge, San Bernardino Valley College women’s soccer

The Wolverines (14-3-5) regained their Foothill Conference title and did so with a freshmen-laden roster. Some of the sophomores she did have, were ones with limited experience. Some minor injuries along the way also proved problematic but the Wolverines made their usual run deep into the playoffs. She also plays a difficult schedule and does a wonderful job of moving players on to the next level.

8. Bill Mierzwik, San Bernardino Valley College baseball

The Wolverines won their first Foothill Conference title since 2004 and they did it without a Pitcher of the Year or Player of the Year as those went to athletes from other schools. He might have been higher on the list it weren’t for a quicker than expected departure from the playoffs.

7. Chris Krich, University of La Verne football

The Leopards went 4-5, which was a repeat of the previous season. But it was a much better looking and more competitive 4-5. Let’s not forget how bad this program was when he took over three years ago. Numbers were down, interest was down. This should be the year the Leopards really turn the corner and make a significant impact.

6. Ben Cooper, Chaffey College men’s soccer

The Panthers went 16-5-2 overall, won the Foothill Conference and won three playoff games before falling to favored Golden West 3-1. The Panthers did it without a what you would call a “dominant” player. This is definitely a program on the rise.

5. Greg Kamansky, Cal Poly Pomona men’s basketball

Another one that is going to be on the list every year. The Broncos (28-3) won what is one of the toughest conferences in the country by a whopping four games and they advanced to the West Regional semifinal. Kamansky did it with two experienced players in Mitchel Anderson and Terrence Drisdom. After that, Kamansky had a bunch of unproven role players. Yet the beat goes on for the Broncos.

4. Frank Pericolosi, Pomona-Pitzer baseball

The Sagehens (29-16) finished second in the SCIAC to Cal Lutheran and were given at at-large berth in the NCAA Division III regional. We have come to expect good things from the Sagehens because they have always delivered. But this year’s team  exceeded expectations. Pericolosi lost three pitchers and a catcher for a good portion of the year with injuries. One of the pitchers also plays first so it was like losing two players. Let’s not forget the high academic standards which  can make it tough to contend. Bonus points for playing a strong schedule that included three games against No. 1 Linfield (Ore.)

3. Laurie Nevarez, University of Redlands softball

The Bulldogs lost their All-American and career home run leader Amanda Lievanos to a knee injury before the season started and they didn’t have an experienced pitcher after workhorse Kayla Uphold. Still the Bulldogs won a ninth straight SCIAC title and came within one game of playing for the regional final and their 36 wins equals a program record.

2. Kim Cherniss, Cal State San Bernardino volleyball

Yes, she could collect a Coach of the Year honor pretty much every year. But this year was one of her best jobs. Maybe the Coyotes didn’t make it to nationals like they had done the previous four seasons but they did make it to the West region final, despite having graduated seven seniors. So this year’s run came with a senior setter and a boatload of freshmen yet the still won the CCAA by three games. If someone else didn’t win this year, they may never win. An absolute travesty that a coach with a sub-.500 record got Coach of the Year honors this season in the CCAA

1. Jeff Klein, Chaffey College men’s basketball

The Panthers (27-7) had the best season in school history, making it all the way to the state title game before falling to Mt. SAC 102-88. Most impressive was an 87-85 win over previously unbeaten San Francisco in the state semifinal. The Panthers had a solid, united core of sophomores that were the foundation for that success. They played hard, they played together, played with poise and were not in awe of their surroundings no matter what the situation. That’s a reflection of the coach and his staff.

Jeff Klein

 

CMS tennis coach sends message

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The Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men’s tennis team is ranked No. 1 in the country. All indicators were pointing to this finally being the year the Stags get over the hump and win that elusive national title.

Then a funny thing happened on the way to that championship tournament in Kalamazoo, Mich. Sophomore Warren Wood, the team’s No. 1 player, was left home for something coach Paul Settles called an “internal team matter.”

Whoops!

That has to be a tough call for a coach whose team is so close to the ultimate reward. Give him credit for having the guts to do it. You would like to think they all would make the same call. But that is not the case.

Who knows what Wood did? But it doesn’t matter. Star athletes get star treatment too much of the time. It’s nice to know some coaches still have standards.

If any team has the depth to still pull this off, it’s the Stags (28-3), Claremont native Alex Lane has been playing No. 4 all year. Two years ago he was playing No. 1. That’s how deep this team is.

The team got behind on Monday, trailing Middlebury 2-1 after doubles. But the first four singles matches completed all went the Stags way. They won 5-2. Now it’s on to the semifinal on Tuesday. Settles has already sent a message. If his team pulls it off and wins it all anyway. Well. now that’s REALLY sending a message.

 

All-SCIAC baseball players honored

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Player of the Year: Jake Petersen, JR, California Lutheran

Pitcher of the Year: Aaron Roth, JR, California Lutheran

Newcomer of the Year: Jake Petersen, JR, California Lutheran

All-SCIAC First Team

1B: Nick Boggan, SR, California Lutheran

2B: Jason Henning, SR, University of Redlands

3B: Nicho DellaValle, JR, California Lutheran

SS: Logan Allen, SR, Occidental

SS Jordan Dresner, SO, University of Redlands

SS Trevor Koons, SR, California Lutheran

C: Sean McMillan, SO, University of Redlands

OF: Nick Gentili, SR, Pomona-Pitzer

OF: Erik Munzer, SR, Pomona-Pitzer

OF: Alex Scheiwe, JR, University of Redlands

P: Jake Bruml, SO, Pomona-Pitzer

P: Scott Hong, SR, Occidental

P: Kevin Knight, SR, University of La Verne

All-SCIAC Second Team

1B: Mark Saatzer, JR, Chapman

2B: Garrett Smith, SR, California Lutheran

3B: Julian Barzilli, JR, Whittier

SS: George Hanna, JR, University of LaVerne

C: Spencer DuBois, SO, California Lutheran

DH: Johnathan Brooks, SO, Occidental

OF: Connor Battaglia, JR, Chapman

P: Kyle Hart, SR, University of Redlands

P: Tyler Hebda, JR, California Lutheran

P: Scott Peters, SO, California Lutheran

P: Taber Watson, JR, Chapman

UT: Simon Rosenbaum, FR, Pomona-Pitzer

UT: Eliot Smith, SR, University of Redlands

All-SCIAC softball honors announced

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SCIAC honors have been announced in softball and it is Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a conference-best seven players recognized. The University of Redlands finished first in the regular season but it was CMS winning the post-season tournamentr.

Here’s the full list:

Player of the Year: Kayla Uphold, SR – University of Redlands

Rookie of the Year: Katie Savard, FR – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

All-SCIAC First Team

P – Natalie Both, FR – Chapman

P – Hayley Schultz, SO – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

C – Samantha Mellano, SO – Whittier

1B- Raven Freret, JR – University of La Verne

2B – Harmony Palmer, SR – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

SS – Danielle Vela, SO – University of La Verne

3B – Mercedez Cundiff, SO – Whittier

OF – Jenny Richards, SR – Chapman

OF – Jacqueline Shimamoto, JR – Occidental

OF – Sarah Beeman, SR – University of Redlands

DP – Nikoli Sharp, SO – University of Redlands

UTKaty Kibbe, FR – University of La Verne

At-Large – Marie Bradvica, SO – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

All-SCIAC Second Team

P – Brittany Vacura, SR – Occidental

P – Cassie Oregel, SO – Chapman

C – Shannon Tinsley, SR – California Lutheran

1B – Caitlyn Hynes, JR – Pomona-Pitzer

2B – Alexandra Flores, SO – Whittier

SS – Jordan Learn, JR –Whittier

3B – Candice Nunez, JR – University of La Verne

OF – Tara Robinson, FR – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

OF – Kerry Peterson, SR – Chapman

OF – AJ Carrasco, FR – University of Redlands

DP – Mikayla O’Neal, FR – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps          

UT – Shonna Christianson, SO – California Lutheran

At-Large – Megan Latta, JR – Claremont-Mudd-Scripps

Two locals garner SCIAC honor

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Athletes from two area SCIAC schools earned top honors for their performance in the last week.

Senior sprinter Vainayaki Sivaji of the University of Redlands track & field program garnered her first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Week honor.

Sivaji captured three SCIAC titles and contributed to a record-setting relay during the recent SCIAC Track & Field Championships.  In the 400 Meters, she uncorked a new school-record time of 55.70 to take first place, while in the 200 Meters, she ran another career-best mark of 25.10 seconds to capture the gold and the third-fastest time in school history.  Her 400 Meters time is the fourth-fastest mark in the NCAA Division III this season, while the 200 Meters time is the 14th fastest.

She garnered her third championship as a member of the 4×400 Relay, which completed the race five seconds faster than the competition in a time of 3:53.93.  In addition, the Bulldog foursome boasts the 13th-fastset time among the NCAA Division III this season.  Additionally, Sivaji anchored the 4×100 Relay that clocked in a new school-record time of 48.30 for second place at the meet.

Junior golfer Brad Shigezawa of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges was named the SCIAC Male Athlete of the Week.

Shigezawa won the SCIAC Championships by three strokes with a 54-hole total of 212 (-4). He was one shot down after 36 holes and tied for the low round of the tournament on the final 18 with a 68. He was one of only three players to break par.

Shigezawa also won SCIAC #1 (69) and SCIAC #2 (149).

 

Redlands, CMS in DIII Top 25

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NFCA Division III Top 25 poll – April 24, 2013

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Poll is voted on by eight NCAA Division III head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. 2013 records are shown. First place votes are in parentheses.

Rank Team Record Points Previous
1 Montclair State (5) 33-1 195 1
Texas-Tyler (3) 38-2 195 2
3 Salisbury 32-2 183 4
4 Trine 29-3 174 5
5 Emory 39-3 169 3
6 Linfield 36-6 159 7
7 Tufts 28-3 148 6
8 Redlands 32-8 144 8
9 Rowan 32-4 137 11
10 Coe 28-4 128 13
11 St. Thomas (Minnesota) 23-5 111 15
12 East Texas Baptist 30-10 108 14
13 Wisconsin-Whitewater 22-3 94 10
14 Central (Iowa) 26-7 91 19
15 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 29-11 79 17
16 Christopher Newport 32-11 76 21
17 Virginia Wesleyan 34-6 71 22
18 Illinois Wesleyan 26-7 70
19 Lynchburg 30-9 56 16
20 Texas Lutheran 32-8 38 24
21 Carthage 21-7 27 25
22 Randolph-Macon 33-7 26
23 Wisconsin-Eau Claire 18-3 24
24 Luther 23-7 22 9
25 North Central (Illinois) 27-3 18 18

Others receiving votes:

Lebanon Valley (16), Simpson (13), Roanoke (10), Capital (6), Wesleyan (4), Eastern Connecticut (3), John Carroll (2), Utica (2) and Penn State Berks (1).

Dropped out:

The team experiencing the largest drop in this week’s poll was Roanoke (29-10) who fell from No. 12 last week to receiving just 10 points this week to land unranked. Previously ranked No. 20 the College of New Jersey and No. 23, Chapman fell in the poll to be unranked this week as well.

U of Redlands softball team gearing up for stretch run

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Vicki King unleashed a two-RBI single in the top of the 10th, propelling the Bulldogs to a 3-0 win (photo credit: Hugh Rose).

The University of Redlands softball team moved up to No. 7 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Poll.  Redlands (27-7) remains the highest of three Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) programs to be included among the nation’s top 25.

The strength of the conference in the sport is apparent with  Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (22-10) and Chapman (22-8) also making the cut at No. 18 and 21 respectively.

The Bulldogs have six games left – doubleheaders against Cal Lutheran, Chapman and CMS. And CMS also has a doubleheader with Chapman. So all the contenders are playing each other.

Of course the regular season is just for bragging rights. It is the four-team SCIAC tournament that decides the automatic qualifier. But the conference does have a good history of advancing a second, and even a third team.

This year all three of those teams should advance to regional play.

CMS golfer earns weekly honor

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Claremont-Mudd-Scripps junior golfer Bradley Shigezawa has been selected as the SCIAC Male Athlete of the Week for the week of March 11.

Shigezawa finished tied for first at the Collegiate Invitational in Jekyll Island, Ga. It is the third time that a CMS spring student-athlete has been named Athlete of the Week this season and first male student-athlete to be selected.

Shigezawa shot a 1-over 217 for the three-day tournament at the par-72 Pine Lakes Golf Course. The Honolulu, Hawaii native shot rounds of 71, 72 and 74.

His first round score of 1-under, 71 was the third lowest score of the weekend out of a field of 150 golfers. Shigezawa has had the top score for CMS in each of its three tournaments this spring.

 

CMS athlete gets weekly nod

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Just days after pitching a complete-game shutout in a 6-0 win over preseason NAIA No. 1 Cal State San Marcos on Saturday, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps sophomore Hayley Schultz has been named the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Female Athlete of the Week for the week of Feb. 4 – Feb. 10.

This is the first SCIAC Athlete of the Week selection for Schultz.

The Los Angeles native allowed just five hits and struck out one without yielding a walk. Schultz is just the second pitcher to shut out the Cougars in their last 67 games. She also recorded five assists in the game.

Schultz is 2-1 overall with a 1.17 ERA in 2013 and has held opponents scoreless in two of her first three outings this season. As a freshman in 2012, Schultz was named SCIAC Newcomer of the Year and second team All-West Region by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

CMS, Pomona-Pitzer rivalry full of fun and intensity

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I had Wednesday off and entertainment options were few. I could have stayed home and watched American Idol but wasn’t excited about seeing Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj go at each other.

So I headed over to Ducey Gymnasium, just a few miles from home, for the men’s basketball game between Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Pomona-Pitzer. I had always heard good things about the rivalry and never had the opportunity to take in a game with the majority of my game nights spent at Cal Poly Pomona or Cal State San Bernardino.

I arrived at 6:45 p.m., 45 minutes before tip-off, only to find a crowd of 100 or so in line waiting for the doors to open. I was able to find my way in before the crowd. Moments later people flooded in. By 7 p.m. it was standing room only – even that was hard to come by.

The CMS student side filled up fastest with all wearing either their gold or garnet T-shirts. Yes there were the obligatory men with the letters S-T-A-G-S printed on their bare chests. But we also had a guy in a skin tight gold leotard, with us those of us as the scorer’s table guessing he was supposed to be an Oscar’s statue. The leotard left little to the imagination. There was another guy dressed similarly in green. Not quite sure what  he was supposed to be.

The Pomona-Pitzer folks in the balcony also had their lively moments despite being outnumbered by quite a bit. The rooting sections took turns with chants during pregame warm-up. Only here would winning the jump ball warrant a standing ovation.

Both teams had trouble scoring early but Sagehens coach Charlie Katsiaficas says that often happens, with the teams taking a few minutes to settle into the rhythm of the game.

One thing struck me. It was so loud from start to finish I can’t see how the players could hear instructions being shouted from their coaches.

The other thing I noticed . . the lack of whistles early. It wasn’t until the 12:15 mark that the first personal foul was called. The referees pretty much let them play all night.

Games between the two usually go down to the wire but this time the Sagehens couldn’t get over the hump and the Stags won 65-58 behind a career night from Jack Grodahl who had 28 points, 20 of those in the first half.

It was unlike anything I had seen at a college event in my decade in Southern California.Real true passion from both sides. Nowhere else can there be two campuses so close together athletes from one have to walk through the other to get to practice.

I have heard its like that in other sports too but the fact that basketball is in an enclosed venue where the crowd is right on the court adds to the atmosphere. Both schools have good history in the sport too so they’re usually playing for more than bragging rights.

All in all a fun night out!

http://photos.dailybulletin.com/2013/01/claremont-mudd-scripps-takes-a-win-over-pomona-pitzer/