June 2008 Archives

The University of Redlands football team is No. 22 in USA Today Sports Weekly's Preseason Poll for NCAA Division III programs. Redlands is the only team from the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) to be included on the poll. In addition, the Bulldogs join the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (TX) as the only schools from the western part of the United States.

Last season, Redlands went 8-2 overall, which included an exciting 24-12 road-victory over Whitworth University. In addition, the Bulldogs captured a share of the conference title with a 5-1 SCIAC mark, earning the program's 28th championship in school history. In addition, the football team advanced onto the NCAA playoffs for the fifth time.

During the 2007 campaign, Bulldog football gained 14 players on the All-SCIAC teams, including the Offensive Player of the Year in upcoming senior quarterback Dan Selway (Villa Park, CA). In addition, Redlands looks forward to the return of upcoming senior defensive linemen Gavril Gabriel (Downey, CA) and Brock Arndt (Valencia, CA), who earned d3football.com All-West Region Second Team honors. Most recently, Gavril landed on the Consensus Draft Services Division III Preseason All-American Second Team for Defense.

Overall, the Bulldogs return eight offensive and eight defensive starters for the 2008 season.

Four-time All-GSAC Steve Goins inked a free agent deal with the San Diego Padres organization earlier this week. After going undrafted in the MLB First-Year Player Draft two weeks ago, Goins was enrolled at Riverside Community College, taking lab courses needed so he could begin work on becoming a physician's assistant as well as working part-time. Baseball was just a memory. Monday afternoon, however, CBU head coach Gary Adcock received a call from a scout in the Padres organization inquiring about Goins. Adcock quickly and frantically called Goins to notify him that the organization needed another pitcher. "I was in my first class on the first day of class when I happened to turn my phone on," said Goins. "There were all these missed calls and texts from my family, Gary and the scout. I stepped outside to check my messages, came back in, packed my stuff up and left right then and there. I was definitely excited and had to work hard to quickly change my plans." Goins quit his job, put school on hold and headed out Tuesday for Peoria, Ariz., and the Arizona (Rookie) League. Shortly after arriving, he threw his first bullpen session Wednesday and all signs point to his first professional appearance sometime this weekend. "It feels good to be a part of the sport again," said Goins. "I'm just taking it one day at a time and seeing where this might lead." One of the finest players in the history of the program, Goins just completed a remarkable four-year career. During his career on the mound, Goins was 26-10 with a 3.17 ERA. In 300.2 career innings, he had 295 strikeouts. He tossed 10 complete games and five shutouts and also collected three saves. He won a career-high eight games and had a career-low 2.58 ERA as a 2008 senior. Goins also hit .354 with a program-record 62 doubles to go along with 134 runs, 137 RBIs and 12 home runs. This past season, Goins hit .391 with 15 doubles and four home runs. He never hit worse than .317 and never had fewer than 54 hits and 14 doubles in any one season. He will only pitch for the Padres. "This is a great opportunity for Steve," said Adcock. "He is very deserving and it will be exciting to see what type of pitcher he can become since he is able to just focus on pitching and not having to worry about playing on the infield or hitting."

Rialto native Damein White admits he had ulterior motives for taking up track. He liked the fact that it could pay for his education if he were good. But there was something he liked even better.

"My friends told me it was a good way to get girls," he said with a chuckle.

While that may have been the impetus to get started, White, a junior at Cal State Los Angeles, has quickly risen through the ranks to earn a place in the 200-meter dash at the United States Olympic Trials, which start today and run through July 6 in Eugene, Ore.

Not bad for a guy that only took up the sport when he started college three years ago.

"It was a chance to better myself," he said. "If they're going to pay me to go school, why not do it?"

White spent his freshman year at Garey High School, but transferred to Rialto the following year when his family moved from Pomona to San Bernardino. He excelled in football, playing tight end on the same team with Ryan Grice-Mullen, who went on to star as a wide receiver at the University of Hawaii.

College was not originally in White's plans. After finishing high school he got a job making decent money and even moved out on his own.

It was close friend and Rialto teammate Francis Nunez that convinced him to come with him to a track practice at Riverside Community College, where Nunez was competing.

Then-coach Aaron Goodman remembers Nunez bringing his friend.

"He (Nunez) said he had this friend that wanted to try out with us," Goodman recalled. "I didn't think anything of it at the time because we have guys come in here all the time and we never turn them away. He didn't have any technique but he had potential."

White spent that year working on the technical aspects of the sport, since he was just a rookie. The Tigers had several sprint specialists so his contribution came on relays.

The following year Goodman went over to Long Beach City as sprint coach, with White and Nunez following him. The move paid off, as White won a state championship in the 200 meters and placed third in the 400. Being a quick study helped.

"A lot of guys come to college and they think they know everything," he said. "I had never competed before so I knew I didn't know anything. I really listened to what my coaches told me, let it sink in and went out and did it."

Some Division I schools were interested, including Arizona State. But White, 22, chose to stay closer to home and go to Cal State Los Angeles along with Nunez.

It helped that Goodman had a strong working relationship with Eagles coach Christopher Asher, who has many of the same philosophies.

"I wasn't taken in by the whole Division I thing," White said. "You can run fast anywhere."

White's showing with the Eagles this season put him on the map. He took first in the 100 and 200 and ran the second leg of a winning 4x100 relay at the CCAA championships.

His time of 20.55 in the 200 was a personal best and met the provisional qualifying standard for the upcoming trials. It also ranked him first nationally among Division II athletes.

At the Division II nationals at Cal Poly Pomona, White finished second in the 200 and sixth in the 100, both won by junior Dennis Boone of St. Augustine. The relay team, which also included Nunez, placed third with a school record time of 40 seconds flat.

He didn't take any time off after that meet, shifting his focus to the trials. Asher isn't worried about having two big meets so close together.

"We have really been working him more toward this one any way," Asher said. "Division I athletes have it tougher because they only have 10 days between the two. He has had five weeks."

White admits he is still new enough in the sport that gets excited about his surroundings. He is a big fan of  Tyson Gay, the top American and world record holder in the 200.

"I'll probably be the only guy out there racing against him, then asking for his autograph," White said.

Coincidentally, White's specialty comes up July 4.

"I plan on providing the fireworks," he laughed.

White's future appears to be bright. He has achieved good results in a short time even though he admits he doesn't like lifting weightsa distaste for weightlifting and he isn't good about watchingis lax about his diet.

Asher would also like to see him start running the 400 meters, something Goodman has always pushed as well.

All know that this likely won't be his first Olympic trials. He could have at least two more after this.

"There is still a lot he doesn't know. But he's getting there," Asher said. "Male runners don't usually reach their peak till at least their mid 20's. And he still is relatively new to the sport. He has great potential. This is just the start for him. He can go as far in this sports as he wants to go."

San Bernardino Valley College stayed close to home in selecting the next coach for its marquee athletic program as Quincy Brewer has been named men's basketball coach.

Brewer, 34, spent last season as an assistant to Gerry Wright. He is the program's fourth coach in as many years. The past three coaches were once assistants in the program.

Brewer is an Inland Empire product. He graduated from Riverside North High School in 1992 and later came back to get his start in coaching at Riverside Ramona High School after finishing college.

He has a bachelor's degree in social work and master's degrees in education and physical education.

"I grew up here and I like this area," Brewer said. "This job doesn't have to be the stepping stone for anything else for me."

Brewer's appointment was finalized at the monthly Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday although word of his selection has been circulating for several weeks.

Wright, then an assistant, took over the program in December of 2006 when Derrick Pugh was let go only minutes before the team was leaving for an afternoon game. Wright did an admirable job and led the team to a Foothill Conference title, earning conference coach of the year honors in the process.

The team settled for fourth in 2007-08, missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. But that is deceiving. The Wolverines finished 13-15 overall and a respectable 9-5 in conference and were part of a four-way tie for first on the final day of the season.

Wright was not retained because his master's degree is in education and the position is full-time, based out of the physical education department which requires a master's in that area.

The two boast contrasting styles.

"He's the guy that's cool as ice and I'm the guy that's fiery hot," Brewer said. "One isn't better than the other. We're just different."

While his demeanor may be different, Brewer said one thing that has been a trademark of the program will not be altered.

"All the coaches here have done a good job of advancing players and that will not change," Brewer said. "Our goal is always an education. It's nice to win games but it's about getting guys to the next level."

Before arriving on the SBVC campus, Brewer spent three seasons as the coach at Ramona where he directed the Rams to an overall mark of 71-16, with a pair of league titles.

That record is noteworthy because the Rams won just three games the year before Brewer took over. The team made the playoffs all three seasons, reaching the CIF quarterfinals in 2005 and the semifinals in 2007, the best playoff run for the Rams in three decades.

As a player, Brewer helped the Riverside North Huskies to a pair of appearances in the CIF finals.

He went on to Arizona State, where he was a three-year starter. The Sun Devils advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 his junior year. After college, he played professionally in six countries.

Athletic Director Dave Rubio was pleased with the pool of 24 applicants. The school interviewed five before deciding on Brewer.

"He gave a great interview, by far better than anyone else. He was well prepared and had all the right answers," Rubio said. "He also has great work ethic and will run a disciplined program."

In addition to coaching with the Wolverines, Brewer runs the NextLevel basketball training company. He and his wife, Berenice, live in Riverside. They have three children -- Kenneth, Andrea and Brianna.

Mississippi Braves right-hander Thomas Hanson didn't exactly get off to a good start in his outing Wednesday against the Birmingham Barons.

Hanson, a graduate of Redlands East Valley High School and Riverside Community College, issued two walks, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch in the first inning. But he regrouped quite nicely. In fact Hanson ended up throwing the first no-hitter in the history of the Double-A Southern League franchise, striking out a career-high 14 in a 6-0 victory.

"I felt really good in the bullpen warming up," he said. "I was pumped, maybe a little too pumped. I just tried to calm myself down and just attack the strike zone the way I normally do."

Hanson, 21, said it was his first no-hitter since Little League. He came close last year at Low-A Rome where he had a no-hitter broken up in the seventh.

A more casual approach this time helped.

"I tried not to think about it as much," he said. "It is hard not to think about it. last year I kept sitting there thinking `I hope they don't get a hit.' This time I just tried to focus on what I had to do to get guys out."

Hanson said Birmingham, an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, had two hard hit balls, one coming on the last out of the game when Ricardo Nanita lined out to centerfielder Jordan Shafer.

"He got good wood on it. Squared up pretty good," he said. "Fortunately it was right at someone."

With the win Hanson improved to 4-3 on the season with a 4.32 earned run average in nine starts. He has 49 strikeouts in 50 innings. Take out one bad outing in which he allowed eight earned runs and his ERA is a nifty 3.02.

Hanson, a 22nd round draft pick, started the season with the Braves affiliate in Myrtle Beach, S.C., of the High-A Carolina League but earned a promotion after going 3-1 with 49 strikeouts in 40 innings and an 0.90 ERA in seven starts there.

 

Thomas Hanson hadn't thrown a no-hitter since Little League. But that all changed Wednesday night when Hanson, a graduate of Redlands East Valley High School and Riverside Community College, did exactly that in leading the Double-A Mississippi Braves to a 6-0 win over the Birmingham Barons in Southern League play.

Hanson, a 21-year-old right-hander, struck out a career-high 14 in the win over the Barons, a minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. It was an even more impressive outing given the way the game started. In the first inning Hanson walked two, hit one and threw a wild pitch.

A visit from pitching coach Derek Botelho gave the hurler a chance to catch his breath and he wasn't challenged again.

The gem was even more special because his father, stepmother and two of his three sisters were in town visiting.

On the season Hanson improved to 4-3 with an ERA of 4.32. That is a bit deceiving because in his second outing after being promoted from High-A Myrtle Beach Hanson gave up eight runs. Throw out that game and is ERA is an even-more-solid 3.02.

Not bad for a 22nd round draft choice with barely two years of minor league experience.

The Fresno State Bulldogs completed a Cinderella season Wednesday night, beating the other Bulldogs- the Georgia Bulldogs - 6-1 at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha to clinch an improbable College World Series championship. It was the first championship in the history of the program out of a men's sport.

Fresno fought off elimination time and time again. They were only the fourth seed in what was probably the toughest regional and emerged as the lowest seeded team to ever go on and win the title.

Local product Erik Wetzel had a big hand in that championship. The junior second baseman out of Don Lugo High School went 14-for-32 in seven games with 11 runs scored and five RBI.

Now he will have the tough decision of whether to return for a senior season to help defend that title or turn pro. He was drafted in the 13th round by the Colorado Rockies earlier this month.

Two other locals also factored for their teams. Norco product Toby Gerhart went 4-for-14
for the Stanford Cardinal who went 2-2 in the event. He had three hits including a home run in a 16-5 thrashing of perennial title contender Florida State.

Junior first baseman Matt Clark went 2-for-8 with three walks in three games for LSU. Both of the hits for the Etiwanda High School graduate were home runs. He ended up with 28 on the season, leading the country in that category. He too was drafted, in the 12th round by the San Diego Padres.

It was an exciting event and the showing by the local players made it all the more memorable.

UC Riverside Head Men's Soccer Coach Junior Gonzalez today announced the hiring of Peter Boyer as the team's new assistant coach. Boyer will work primarily with the team's goalkeepers in addition to playing a vital role in the development of the Highlanders' field players.

 

"Peter is a great addition to our program," said Gonzalez. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to coaching collegiate student athletes that compliments the rest of the coaching staff's perfectly."

Boyer comes to the Highlanders staff after two years with the University of Redlands where he worked primarily with the defenders and goalkeepers. He also earned his maser of arts in counseling while at Redlands through the School of Education.

Prior to joining the Bulldogs staff, Boyer was the assistant men's soccer coach for the United States Military Academy (ARMY) during the 2005 season. A New Jersey native, Boyer graduated from Drew University (Madison, NJ) with a degree in political science. He also competed on the Rangers men's basketball and men's soccer teams during his undergraduate career.

During his four years on the pitch, Boyer helped the team reach the 2003 NCAA Championship game while earning NSCAA All-American First Team honors. As the team's top goalkeeper, he also gained NSCAA All-Region honors during his junior and senior seasons. To wrap up his career, he was named Freedom Conference Player of the Year in 2003.

Following graduation, Boyer stepped into the coaching ranks by serving as the assistant boys' varsity soccer and basketball coach at his alma mater of Dwight-Englewood School.

Junior colleges are good for a lot of reasons. Some students aren't ready to move away to a four-year school. Many need help academically and a two-year school makes for an easier transition.

And athletics also prove to be a good stepping stone. Few programs do as good a job moving their players along as the Mt. SAC women's basketball program led by San Bernardino native Larua Beeman and her top assistant Brian Crichlow.

Not only do the Mounties advance their players, they win too. How about three straight state titles and four in the last five years!

And it isn't just the marquee players moving on, it is the role players and reserves also getting a chance to continue their careers.

Three players are headed to Division I schools - Jazlyn Davis (Arizona State), Etiwanda High graduate Safiyha Brown (Long Beach State) and Kendra Calvin (Cal). ZsaZsa Lawson (BYU-Hawaii) and Janae White (San Francisco School of the Arts) are going the Division II rout.

The lone sophomore yet to decide is 6-3 Carmen Deal. Academics are the likely issue here because she would have been snatched up by a Division I long ago had that not been the case.

But the Mounties track record is good. And it keeps getting better.

The University of Redlands finished 30th out of 430 Division III colleges in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of America (NACDA) U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup.

 

This honor is presented annually by NACDA and USA Today to the nation's best
overall collegiate athletics programs in each division as well as the NAIA.

Williams College (Mass.) was the winner in Division III. Redlands chalked up 438.5 points to finish 30th in the standings. It was the highest finish of any Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) school.

The University of La Verne came in 73rd, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges took 81st and Pomona-Pitzer Colleges 98th. In addition, the Bulldogs surpassed various schools from the West Coast, including Whitworth University (41st), the University of Puget Sound (59th),
Linfield College (68th), and UC Santa Cruz (75th).


"We earn points and remain competitive because of the quality of our programs across the board," Director of Athletics Jeff Martinez said. "This is a great tribute to our student-athletes, coaches, and support staff, who work diligently to help make us the best we can be
every day."

This is the fifth straight season Redlands has been in the top 30. The Bulldogs' best finish came in 2004-05, when they earned 458.5 points for 16th place.

Two baseball standouts from Victor Valley College have decided their next move.

Sophomore shortstop and pitcher Blane Lloyd (Granite Hills HS) is headed to Division II Cal State Dominguez Hills while freshman outfielder Derek Richie (Silverado HS) is headed to La Sierra.

Both were second-team All-Foothill Conference selections the past season.
Rams coach Bob Smith said Richie is also considering playing basketball.

The duo helped the Rams improve over the past season, going from three wins in 2007 to 10 this season. 

Three more members of the state championship basketball team from
Citrus College have decided on four-year colleges, bringing the Owls
total of players moving on to eight.

The trio recently deciding includes Ayala graduate Jeremy Smith,
Virgil Buensuceso and Montclair High product Nate Richardson. Smith
will attend Division II West Georgia while Buensuceso is headed to
Division II Brigham Young-Hawaii and Richardson to NAIA Rocky
Mountain College.

Smith played just one year at Citrus after transferring from Sonoma
State. He averaged 5.3 points but started the team's last 15 games
and was noted as its defensive stopper.

Richardson averaged 4.4 points for the Owls, who went 35-1 and
routinely used 14 players.

Those three follow earlier signees Buchi Awaji (Kansas State), A.J.
Gasporra (Texas-San Antonio), Ralph Monday (Northeastern Oklahoma),
Darren Moore (UC Irvine) and Richard Frohlich (Texas-San Antonio).

The surprising Fresno State Bulldogs rolled on in the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, edging North Carolina 5-3 Tuesday.

Don Lugo alum Erik Wetzel was a big contributor, going 3-for-5, highlighted by a run-scoring single in the eighth inning. The junior second baseman also stole a base.

Fresno next plays on Thursday against the winner of Wednesday's loser' bracket game between No. 1 Miami (Fla.) and Stanford.

The College Baseball World Series usually provides some dramatic moments. This year it should be no surprise that Louisiana State has provided the most thrilling finish thus far.

The Tigers have a whopping 30 come from behind victories this season, the most recent coming Monday when they pushed across four runs in the ninth to defeat Rice 6-5 in an elimination game at Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium.

The big blow in the uprising was a three-run double off the wall by Blake Dean.

Etiwanda graduate Matt Clark went 0-for-3 in the contest but did slug his 27th home run of the season Sunday in an 8-4 loss to North Carolina that put the Tigers in the loser's bracket. He had been tied for first with Georgia's Gordon Beckham, whose team is still alive in the tournament too.

Fresno State, which includes local product Erik Wetzel, is playing right now. He is off to a good start with a double in his first plate appearance against North Carolina in a winner's bracket game. Fresno is the lowest seeded team to ever make the eight-team field.

And Stanford, with Norco's Toby Gerhart, is also still alive. So it has been a good event thus far for the Inland Empire reps.

San Bernardino Valley College soccer standout Gemma Gastro (Yucaipa HS) is headed to La Sierra University on an academic scholarship.

She is two-time All-Foothill Conference selection with three goals and six assists in her career. She spent 2006 as a midfielder but anchored the defense the past season, helping the Wolverines to their first playoff win in school history.

She is the third player from the team to move on to a four-year college following Kalee Lopez (Grambling) and Megan Dias (Cal State Los Angeles).

Norco High product Toby Gerhart is off to a good start at the College Baseball World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.

Gerhart and the Stanford Cardinal opened play with a 16-5 win over Florida State Saturday afternoon. He went 3-4 with a home run and scored three runs.

The game was not as easy as the scored indicates. It was tied 5-all heading into the ninth when Stanford erupted for 11 runs in the top of the ninth. Gerhart hit twice in the inning, singling his first time up and walking what seemed like an hour later.

The inning could have been even bigger if one can believe that. After Gerhart singled and to put runners on first and second with no outs, the next Cardinal lined a ball down the rightfield line that kicked up chalk, only to be ruled foul by the umpire.

Maybe it was poetic justice. But FSU shortstop Tony Delmonica, who was drafted by the Dodgers, booted what should have been a double play ball seconds later. He had another error later in the inning to compound the problem for the Seminoles.

Hopefully the locals will keep up the good work today as Etiwanda graduate Matt Clark and the LSU Tigers play today - as does Don Lugo product Erik Wetzel and the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Two athletes with local ties came up short in their quests for titles at the NCAA Division I track and field championships at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

UC Riverside sophomore Brenda Martinez finished 14th in the 1,500 meters on Saturday with a time of 4:24.99. She was as close as fourth place through the first two laps but couldn't stay with the lead group of runners that pulled away from the pack.

Martinez, a graduate of Rancho Cucamonga High School, is just the third athlete from the school to qualify for the meet since it moved to the division I level.

The event was won by Hannah England of Florida State with a meet record 4:06.19.

USC red-shirt junior Corey White, a transfer from the University of Redlands who won the Division III national title in 2006, ended up second in the javelin with a best throw of 255 feet, two inches.

He was the first Trojan to place at the NCAA Championships in the javelin since Nils Fearnley also placed second in 1995. White's throw was the farthest ever by a Trojan in the javelin competition at the NCAA finals, topping Jan Sikorsky's mark of 249-4 set in 1962.

The Cal State Fullerton volleyball team announced Tuesday that Vinh Nguyen has been hired as an assistant coach replacing Traci Dahl who vacated her spot to become head coach at Indiana State.

Nguyen comes to Fullerton with an extensive coaching resume that dates back more than 20 years. For the past 12 season, Nguyen, has been an assistant coach at Cal Poly Pomona where he helped Head Coach Rosie Wegrich lift the Broncos to six seasons with at least 18 wins and a program-best 24-3 mark in 2005. That same year, Pomona won its first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) championship since 1990.

Nguyen was the Broncos summer camp director for the past nine years and taught as a kinesiology professor on campus as well.

In 2007, Nguyen was hired by the USA Men's National Team as an assistant coach to help the team prepare for its run at World League, Pan-Am Cup, Americas Cup and Norceca Cup championships, which resulted in two gold medals, a silver and a bronze.

Prior to his work at Cal Poly Pomona, Nguyen coached at five Southern California high schools (Hoover, San Gabriel, Arcadia, Alhambra and La Habra) and worked with the San Gabriel, Magnum and Power Volleyball Clubs.

In 1996, Nguyen co-founded the Top Gun Volleyball Club, one of Southern California's most respected youth volleyball programs which has trained more than 800 athletes since its inception.

In 2005, under the guidance of USA Volleyball, Nguyen was named head coach and led the Southern California Youth National Team to a sixth-place finish in the USA High Performance Championships in Austin, Texas. A year later, his Top Gun 18 Red club team won a gold medal at the USA Junior Olympic Invitational in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Nguyen played at Mt. San Antonio College and Long Beach City College before transferring into the Big West Conference with Long Beach State. He finished his schooling and graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 2000 with a degree in kinesiology.

Three local players will be competing on teams in the College Baseball World Series which starts Saturday at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb..

Leading the way is junior first baseman Matt Clark, a graduate of Etiwanda High School and Riverside Community College who stars for Louisiana State (48-17). He hit .347 with 55 runs, 17 doubles, 26 home runs and 61 RBI. That home run total ties him for first
nationally. He also has a .781 slugging percentage and a .996 fielding percentage with just two errors in 472 chances.

He was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 12th round but has to wait until after his college career is through to sign.

Junior Erik Wetzel, out of Don Lugo High school, headlines the effort of the Fresno State Bulldogs (42-29), who upset Arizona State in Super Regional play. He is batting .361 with 90 runs, 18 doubles, six home runs and 36 RBI and has a .496 slugging percentage and a .996 fielding percentage.

He too was drafted - by the Colorado Rockies in the 13th round.

Norco High alum Toby Gerhart has seen more limited action at Stanford. He is hitting .234, having played in 52 games, 25 as a starter. He has 24 runs scored, 19 RBI and six home runs.

Opening round games on will pit Miami against Georgia, LSU
against North Carolina, Stanford against Florida State and Fresno
State against Rice.

Stay tuned!

USC junior Corey White was named the United States Track and
Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) West Region Male
Field Athlete of the Year on Monday.

White, who will be competing this week as one of the favorites in the
javelin at the NCAA Track and Field Championships held in Des Moines,
Iowa, had an outstanding first season for the Trojans.

After transferring from the University of Redlands and redshirting
last season, White immediately made an impact on the USC program by
recording the third-farthest throw in school history in his first
competition as a Trojan and then the second-farthest throw at the
Trojan Invitational on March 22.

He then set the school javelin record with a throw of 256-10 (78.29m)
in winning the title at the 2008 Texas Relays, more than 12 feet
farther than Nils Fearnley's USC record set in 1995. White then
bettered that mark with a throw of 267-10 (81.65m) to win the javelin
at Mt. SAC on April 20.

So far this posteason, White has won the javelin competition at the
Pac-10 Championships with a throw of 241-8 (73.66m) and at the NCAA
West Regional with a throw of 241-11 (73.73m), a new West Regional
Record.

Seven volleyball players from Southern California, six of whom competed in the Foothill Conference, will be taking their games to a little-known town in Oklahoma in the fall.

The contingent headed to Bacone College in Muskogee, Okla. is headed by Chaffey College libero Emilie Shewmaker and Citrus College setter Janelle Martinez who are close friends.

Rounding out the group are outside hitter Riley Collins of conference champion College of the Desert and outside hitter Dorinda Cherry, outside hitter Amy Mulcock, rightside hitter Jewel Robinson and middle blocker Kami Speir, all out of Mt. San Jacinto.

The fact that eight athletes from the area are headed to a town of 38,000 located a half hour out of Tulsa didn't happen by accident.

The Bacone program is directed by Indio native Bianca Oakley, who played volleyball and softball at Desert, continued her playing career at Bacone and just completed her first year as head coach.

"She wanted to recruit a lot of California players," said Shewmaker, who has visited the school twice. "It should be fun with all of us going out there together."

Shewmaker said had talked to Collins at some tournaments but didn't know any of the girls from Mt. San Jacinto until meeting one of them on her first visit. Now she is trying to arrange a beach day for the eight to get together before they head off to college.

"It would be nice to get to know each other a little bit before we get there," she said.

Shewmaker (Don Lugo) played in 61 games and recorded 294 digs for the Panthers, who finished 6-12 overall and 5-7 in Foothill Conference play.

Martinez, a native of Rancho Cucamonga who played at South Hills High School, chalked up 478 assists in 52 games for an average of 9.19 per game for the Owls (10-15, 4-6), who were fourth in the Western States Conference South Division.

Here it is mid June and San Bernardino Valley College still has not named a men's basketball coach. That formality was supposed to be taken care of today at the monthy meeting of the school's Board of Trustees but that regular meeting has been pushed back two weeks.

Before the season was even over Gerry Wright was told he was not getting the nod yet the process has dragged on.

School administrators aren't making it easy on whoever steps in. Recruiting must be done and kids want to know who their coach is going to be. And there aren't many quality players still available this late in the process.

Who ever gets the nod will be the school's fourth coach in as many years. The most likely successor is Quincy Brewer, Wright's assistant last year. The school's trend in that stretch has been to elevate the assistant rather than to go outside and that appointment would follow suit.

SBVC is also looking for a women's softball coach. although there isn't quite the sense of urgency since that season doesn't start until February. That search is still in the early stages.

Women's soccer coach Kristin Hauge took over that program last season when the previous coach bailed in Ocotober. She did an admirable job. If it weren't for her the school probably would not have been able to field a team.

Track and Field competitors Joaquin Ortiz and Jasmine Winn have been named the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Male and Female Athletes of the Month for May at Cal Poly Pomona.

            The awards are voted upon by the student-based Bronco Athletics Association.

            Ortiz, who competed in the 800 meters, qualified for the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships that was hosted by Cal Poly Pomona in May. The Woodland native ran a personal-best 1 minute and 52.27 qualifying time at the Occidental Relays on May 10. He then ran 1:52.31 in a qualifying heat at the NCAAs. He did not race in the finals.

            For the season, Ortiz dropped his personal best time in the 800 by more than two seconds in a little more than a month.

            Winn, a junior from Pomona, became the only Bronco athlete - male or female -  this year to earn all-American honors. She finished third in the long jump at the NCAA meet. She jumped 18 feet, 7 inches. She held the nation's best jump for roughly a month and a half this season when she jumped 19-3 ½ at Cal State Los Angeles on March 1.

 

Chaffey College. She is a 2004 graduate of San Bernardino High School and one of nine children in her family.

.

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Former Pomona-Pitzer track and cross country standout Will Leer is living in Eugene, Ore. running professionally.

Over the weekend he competed in the prestigious Prefontaine Classic in Eugene and finished ninth in the mile (3:58.16). The event was won by Shedrack Korir of Kenya in 3:50.49.

Leer graduated from Pomona-Pitzer in 2007 after winning the NCAA Division III national title in the 800 and 1,500 meters.

Freshman defensive lineman Fred Solaita of San Bernardino Valley College has signed with NAIA Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo.

The 6-foot-1, 265-pounder played six games in 2007, recording 10 tackles and two sacks.

Missouri Valley College, located about 90 miles east of Kansas City, MVC plays in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. In the 2007-2008 season the Vikings went 8-2 and were one game away from the NAIA title game.

Peoria, Ariz., on Saturday.

, Fla., a rookie league club later this week.

State Monterey Bay on April 6. He was honored as a CCAA conference pitcher of the week.

City College earning all-conference honors. He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005 but did not sign.

Christian High School in Santa Clara, his hometown, graduating in 2003. He signed with San Jose State. After one year with the Spartans he transferred to San Jose City College.

Dustin Birosak may not have gotten drafted, but the 6-foot-2 left-hander is starting a professional career any way. He signed with the Seattle Mariners as a free agent after the completion of the draft.

Birosak spent last season at Division II Cal State Los Angeles, helping the Eagles to a 29-22 record that included a 23-12 mark in CCAA play. He appeared in 14 games, starting nine of those, He went 3-2 with an ERA of 6.47 but struck out 56 hitters in 57 innings.

Birosak attended Fullerton College for his first two years, then transferred to Cal State Fullerton where he helped the Titans earn a spot in the College World Series.

Cal State Dominguez Hills' junior shortstop Cody Puckett led a group of nine California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) players that were selected on Day 2 of the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft that concluded on Friday.

Puckett was an eighth round pick (239th overall) of the Cincinnati Reds. Sonoma State, which captured the CCAA Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II Championships, had a conference-high four players selected. Seawolves who had their names called were Travis Babin (New York Mets - 16th round), Konrad Thieme (Florida Marlins - 23rd round), Kevin Asselin (Chicago White Sox - 30th round) and Matt Means (San Diego - 37th round).

The list of CCAA players drafted also included Cal State Stanislaus' Marquis Fleming (Tampa Bay - 24th round); Cal State L.A.'s Henry Contreras (Seattle - 24th round), Chico State's Kyle Woodruff (San Francisco - 27th round) and Cal State San Bernardino's Matt Long (Tampa Bay - 34th round).

The following are capsules on each player taken Friday:

Cody Puckett, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Jr., SS (Cincinnati Reds; 8th round; 239th overall): Puckett was a first team All-CCAA selection after batting .337 with 17 home runs, 49 RBI and conference-leading totals of 61 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. The Toros' shortstop also ranked second in the CCAA in home runs and walks (42), and tied for second in total bases (130). He was sixth in slugging percentage (.644) and eighth in on-base percentage (.462).

Travis Babin, Sonoma State, Jr., RHP (New York Mets; 16th round; 494th overall): Babin played a utility role for the Seawolves as he saw time on the mound and as an infielder. He batted .329 with six home runs and 20 RBI. Babin was named the CCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player after batting .428 (6-for-14) with four runs scored, six RBI and three home runs in three games. All six of his home runs came during the postseason. On the mound, Babin posted a 4-0 record, 4.25 ERA, and a team-high four saves in 29.2 innings. He had 33 strikeouts and limited opponents to a .277 average.

Konrad Thieme, Sonoma State, Sr., C (Florida Marlins; 23rd round; 688th overall): Thieme garnered second team All-American honors and was a first team All-CCAA and All-West Region selection after batting .317 with team-high totals of 19 home runs, 64 RBI and 15 doubles. He led the CCAA in home runs and was second in RBI and slugging percentage (.710). Thieme's 19 home runs in 2008 rank fourth on Sonoma State's single-season list and 27 career round trippers are fourth all-time in Seawolves history.

Marquis Fleming, Cal State Stanislaus, Sr., RHP (Tampa Bay Rays; 24th round; 713th overall): Fleming turned in an outstanding senior campaign as he was named both CCAA and West Region Pitcher of the Year after posting an 11-5 record, 2.50 ERA and eight complete games. He logged 115 innings, struck out a single-season school-record 118 and walked just 45 while limiting the opposition to a .187 average. Fleming led the CCAA in innings pitched, opponents' batting average and strikeouts. He was named CCAA Pitcher of the Week five times.

Henry Contreras, Cal State L.A., Sr., C (Seattle Mariners; 24th round; 732nd overall): Contreras batted .310 with three home runs and 28 RBI while playing in 50 games as a senior this past season. He also scored 25 runs for the Golden Eagles.

Kyle Woodruff, Chico State, Sr., RHP (San Francisco Giants; 27th round; 807th overall): Woodruff compiled an 8-4 record, 5.85 ERA and five saves in two seasons at Chico State. He went 1-3 with a 6.13 ERA while appearing in 18 games and starting four. Woodruff worked 47 innings, struck out 42 and walked 11. As a junior, he went 7-1 with a 5.67 ERA while making 16 starts and logging 73 innings.

Kevin Asselin, Sonoma State, Sr., RHP (Chicago White Sox; 30th round; 900th): Asselin earned second team All-CCAA and All-West Region honors after posting a 9-3 record and 3.55 ERA. He ranked third on the Seawolves with 75 strikeouts and led the club with three complete games. In two seasons at Sonoma State, Asselin went 11-5.

Matt Long, Cal State San Bernardino, Sr., RHP (Tampa Bay Rays; 34th round; 1,013th overall): Long posted a 6-7 record and 3.13 ERA as a senior in 2008. He pitched 100 2/3 innings, struck out 117 and walked 40 while starting 15 games and crafting three complete games. Long ranked second in the CCAA in strikeouts, fourth in innings pitched and fifth in opponents' batting average (.233).

Matt Means, Sonoma State, Sr., LHP (San Diego Padres; 37th round; 1,125th overall): Means was named first team All-American, All-West Region and All-CCAA. He registered a 10-2 record and 1.85 ERA while starting 17 games as a senior. Means struck out 93 in 102 innings pitched. He led the CCAA in ERA, was third in opponents' batting average (.223), innings pitched, strikeouts and tied for third in wins. He concluded his four-year Sonoma State career with a 15-9.

Cal State Dominguez Hills shortstop Cody Puckett (Apple Valley, CA/Hesperia HS), arguably one of the most dangerous offensive players in the CCAA this season, this morning received the call that all little leaguers dream of when they first pick up a ball and a bat ... the call that he was drafted with the seventh pick in the eighth round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft, making him the 239th pick overall and first amongst all West Region players chosen.

    "When they called me this morning I was actually playing video games," begins the 2008 1st-Team All-CCAA honoree.  "After the call I went straight to my computer to check the internet to make sure it was real, and then I had to buy a bunch of Reds gear.  It really hasn't hit me yet, but I think that later tonight when I am celebrating, I will feel it."

    The Apple Valley, CA native was an offensive force for the Toros this season, leading the CCAA at the end of the regular season in home runs (17), stolen bases (26), total bases (130), runs scored (61), walks (42), and steal attempts (29), while finishing in the top 10 in assists (158), RBIs (49), slugging percentage (.644), at bats (202), on-base percentage (.462), and hits (68).

    Despite being overlooked for all the all-region teams, Puckett, the first player drafted amongst the entire West Region (CCAA, GNAC, PacWest), follows former Toros Mateo Marquez (2007, 47th round - St. Louis Cardinals) and Ryan Owen (2006, 16th round - Tampa Bay Rays) in the current streak of Toros drafted.

    "I am really excited for him because is something that he has really worked hard for," begins CSUDH baseball head coach Murphy Su'a.  "Going inside the top 10 is a big honor and being number 239 out of tens of thousands of hopefuls across the country is amazing, and he deserves it.  I think with his talent he is going to prove that he may have been deserving of a higher draft pick, but regardless of when he was taken I think he is going to play this game for a long time.  He came to us as an outfielder/pitcher, and I believe that he could be one of the premier outfielders at the pro level with all the tools he has."

    Still waiting for all the details and to sign his contract later tonight, it looks like Puckett will report to the Billings Mustangs in Billings, MT, which is the Reds' minor league affiliate.  The Mustang roster already is familiar with the CCAA with first baseman Eli Rimes (Sonoma State, 2007, 25th round) and pitcher Anthony Romero (Cal Poly Pomona, 2007, non-drafted free agent) already there.

    Overall the draft was a bright spot for the CCAA with nine players being selected in Travis Babin (Sonoma State - 16th - Mets), Konrad Thieme (Sonoma State - 23rd - Marlins), Marquis Fleming (Cal State Stanislaus - 24th - Rays), Henry Contreras (Cal State L.A. - 24th - Mariners), Kyle Woodriff (Chico State - 27th - Giants), Kevin Asselin (Sonoma State - 30th - White Sox), Matt Long (San Bernardino - 34th - Rays), Matt Means (Sonoma State - 37th - Padres).

  

 

Cal State Monterey Bay. He had three complete games.

River College following a freshman season at UC Davis. The Woodland, Calif. resident is a 2002 graduate of Woodland High School where he played baseball and football.

for his shot at pro baseball.

San Bernardino.

resident who played for Norco High School and Cal Baptist University before transferring to Cal State for her junior year in 2006-07 played in all 69 games for CSUSB, batting .335 on the season with three homers and 30 runs batted in. She hit .349 in 30 CCAA contests.

University at the regional and hit .454 (five for 11) in the tournament with four RBI.

,  had a strong finish to his 2007-08 season with the golf team. After finishing 11th at the CCAA conference tournament, Webster shot a four-under-par total of 212, including a second round 67, to wind up second in the NCAA West-Northwest Super Regional, missing medalist honors by one shot. He was the West Region medalist in 2007 as a freshman.

businessman. He succeeds Brendza, the president for the past two years. Brendza was presented an engraved gavel and stand by Athletic Director Dr. Kevin Hatcher in recognition of his service to the board.

It was announced earlier today that senior Natalie Calderon (Pasadena, CA) and graduate student Fritz Nugent (Tinley Park, IL) landed on the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District First Team for Track & Field and Cross Country.

 

Calderon recently graduated from the University of Redlands with a 3.797 cumulative GPA as a Communicative Disorders major.  This season, she helped the Bulldog women's track & field team win the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship for the first time since 1978.  T

his Dean's List member alone accounted for 68 of Redlands' 131 points by winning the Triple Jump, Long Jump, 100m Dash, 200m Dash, and 100m Hurdles, and contributing to the first-place showing of the 4x400m Relay and the second-place finish of the 4x100m Relay. 

She was named the SCIAC Track & Field Female Athlete of the Year for the second-consecutive season and later was crowned the Redlands Frank Serrao Senior Female Student-Athlete of the Year.  In addition to owning the school records in the Long Jump and Triple Jump, she won the 2008 NCAA Championships in both events, earning back-to-back titles in the Long Jump.  Last season, she earned CoSIDA Academic All-District and All-American honors.

 

Nugent earns his fifth CoSIDA Academic award of his career, which includes three All-District and two All-American honors.  He currently holds a 3.95 cumulative GPA through the School of Education, in which he is pursuing a Master of Arts in Higher Education. 

 In 2006, he completed his Bachelor of Arts with a 3.66 GPA as a Studio Arts major.  This season, he helped the Bulldog men take second in the conference by earning All-SCIAC honors in the 400m Hurdles, High Jump, Long Jump and as a member of the 4x100m Relay. 

He captured the second NCAA Championship of his career by winning the Long Jump with a leap of 23' 6 ¾".  Last season, he won the NCAA Decathlon Championship with a school-record total of 7,199 points.

 

Both of these student-athletes have applied for the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

 

The members of CoSIDA nominate and vote on the Academic All-District teams, with the First Team honorees moving onto the national ballot for possible Academic All-American recognition.

 

Whoops, not so fast.

Cal State San Bernardino will have to stop celebrating its
third-place finish in the CCAA Commisioner's Cup All-Sports race. The
Coyotes actually finished fourth, which ties its best finish ever.
That was the same spot the school finished in last year.

Cal State was third in the original tabulations released by the CCAA
office last week. But an error in the point totals was discovered and
reported to the office by Cal State Los Angeles which benefits,
swapping places with San Bernardino in the final tally.

But it wasn't the Coyotes finish that tipped off the Eagles,
according to a school spokesman. It was Cal Poly Pomona's
questionable fifth place. The Broncos best was a second in volleyball
and the basketball teams were eight and seventh which totaled 15
without even counting any other sports.

The new standings help Sonoma State which moves up from sixth to
fifth. Cal Poly falls from fifth to seventh.

Other places remain unchanged with UC San Diego and Chico State 1-2.
The eight through 11th spots were also the same.

- Michelle Gardner

The official tally is in. Cal State San Bernardino has finished third in the CCAA Commissioner's Cup All-Sports race for the 2007-2008 school year. It is the best finish for the school in the three years in which the award has been given.

UC San Diego and Chico State finished first and second respectively.

But Cal State's finish is impressive, given its limited resources.

Those top two schools should dominate. Chico State, along with Humboldt State, are true college towns. There are no Division I schools to contend with and both have the community support and booster backing others in the conference can not match.

They are not located in major metropolitan communities where attention is focused soley on professional teams. So they have local media ready to elaborate on their every move.

San Diego is the lone Division II program in the country that does not offer scholarships. But the Tritons can recruit to one of the nicest areas in all of California. The school offers every sport too so it can pick and choose which finishes it wants to count when it comes to the all-sports race.

Cal State boasted the expected first-place finishes in volleyball and men's baketball. But credit for the overall showing must go to the most improved teams it offers- softball, women's basketball and women's soccer. The softball team improved from sixth to third and basketball went from fourth to second.

Women's soccer was ninth, but that was still two sports better than last year when the Coyotes were dead last. Coach Diego Bocanegra, who just finished his first year, appears to have that program on the same path Tacy Duncan took the softball program down in her first year.

New athletic director Kevin Hatcher, who took over on Nov. 1, has some innovative ideas that could possibly help the school take the next step to where it can compete with the perennial powers in the future.

 

Cal State San Bernardino posted its best finish ever with a third-place showing in the CCAA Commissioner's Cup All-Sports competition for the 2007-08 school year.

UC San Diego won for the third straight year with 18.5 with Chico State second (20) and the Coyotes third (23.5). Cal Poly Pomona was fifth (29.5), just a half-point behind Cal State Los Angeles (29).

"We're thrilled with third, but there's no reason we can't compete for first," said Coyotes athletic director Kevin Hatcher, who took over Nov. 1.

The finish by Cal State was bolstered by an improved showing in women's sports. The Coyotes were first in volleyball and improved from fourth to second in basketball, sixth to third in softball and 11th to ninth in soccer.

On the men's side Cal State tied for first in basketball and placed third in golf.

Cal Poly's best finishes were second places in volleyball and women's tennis.

Here are the final standings:

 

1. UC San Diego  18.5

2. Chico State 20

3. Cal State San Bernardino 23.5

4. Cal State Los Angeles 29

5. Cal Poly Pomona 29.5

6. Sonoma State 32.5

7. Humboldt State 36.5

8. Cal State Stanislaus 39

9. Cal State Dominguez Hills 44

10. San Francisco State 49.5

Cal State Monterey Bay 51

 

 

Victor Valley College has named former Hesperia High School coach Michael Stewart its women's basketball coach. He replaces Lana Tomlin, who headed the program for two years.

"I am going to make a commitment of being here at least five years," said Stewart, 41. "My expectations are always going to be high. My priority right now is going out to the schools here because there is talent here."

The Rams were just 5-50 overall and 1-29 in Foothill Conference play under Tomlin, who resigned for job and family reasons.

The program was already struggling when she took over, going 8-20 overall and 2-12 in conference play under previous coach Stacia Rustad in 2005-06.

Stewart also previously coached the boys varsity team at Victor Valley High School and says his roots in the community have already made a difference.

"I've been here since 1972. My dad umpired in the Pac-10 and has done a lot of clinics and I have worked with him. So I think word has gotten out," he said. "They have only carried eight or nine players in the past but we're going to have a full squad and I have been pleased with how I have been received so far."

Stewart has been employed with the Hesperia Unified School District but that will end later this month. He and his family are in the process of opening a sports memorabilia shop in Victorville not far from the college.

But bringing back a competitive team is his main goal.

"We're going to do what it takes to get back on track," he said.

Also, Rams Athletic Director Jaye Tashima said the school is suspending the track program. The coach had resigned and she was going to have to look for another one anyway.

"The budget is really tight," she said. "We have to do it to save some of the other programs."

 

Sophomore catcher Nicky Neumann of the University of Redlands has been named to the Easton All-American second team.

She is in select company as the team is made up of players from Division I, II, III and NAIA schools. Neumann, the SCIAC Player of the Year, was one of just three Division III players named.

Neumann led the Bulldogs to their fourth consecutive SCIAC championship and NCAA appearance. Earlier she earned first-team recognition from National Fast-pitch Coaches Association.

During the 2008 campaign, Neumann led the Bulldogs in most offensive categories, hitting .407 with 68 hits, 40 runs scored, 15 doubles, and six home runs. She also tallied four triples and 28 RBI and struck out only twice.

On defense, she boasted a fielding percentage of .977 with a team-leading 254 putouts to go along with 46 assists and picked off 18 would-be base-stealers.

Alex Caldera is just a year removed from Chaffey College where he garnered Foothill Conference Pitcher of the Year honors. Now he is working his way up the minor league ladder.

Caldera, 22, is spending his first full minor league season with the Kansas City Royals Low-A affiliate in Burlington (Iowa) of the Midwest League. Overall he has turned in a solid performance. In 11 starts he is 3-4 with a 3.60 ERA that includes 17 walks, 68 hits and 26 earned runs allowed with 60 strikeouts in 65 innings.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander had his best game and worst game all in the same week. He was masterful in a win over Quad Cities, a Cardinals affiliate, pitching seven scoreless innings in which he allowed just two hits.

Then Monday he gave up 14 hits and nine earned runs in four-plus innings against the Clinton Lumberkings, a Rangers affiliate. He isn't the first to have a bad game against that foe. The Lumberkings boast a 39-14 overall record, best in all the minor leagues so far this season.

After being drafted last year Caldera went to the Royals rookie-level affiliate of the Appalachian League. So he is holding his own after a significant jump. If Caldera keeps with the strong showing, the next logical step would be to the High-A affiliate at Wilmington of the Carolina League.

The Major League Baseball amateur free agent draft gets underway Thursday, with professional organizations able to pluck talent from high schools, junior colleges and four-year universities nationwide.

There is some talent at the high school level locally, but there aren't likely to be many area college players waiting by the phone or monitoring the progress of the draft on the internet.

Both San Bernardino Valley College coach Bill Mierzwik and Chaffey coach Jeff Harlow say they aren't expecting any players from their teams to be chosen. And for the Panthers that will break a streak of five straight years in which at least one player has been chosen.

Mierzwik said scouts have even told him that, as a whole, the draft pool on the junior college level, is thinner than it has been in years past.

The scenario is much the same at the four-year level. Cal Poly Pomona veteran coach Mike Ashman doesn't expect any of the Broncos to go.

Cal State San Bernardino coach Don Parnell said the only players from his team that stand a chance would be pitcher Matt Long and outfielder Johnnie Haas but even those are a reach.

Parnell said Haas, a native of Victorville, has drawn some interest but that fades when scouts are told he is a little older than the average player because he spent two years of his college career doing missionary work.

Division III teams rarely have players drafted.

So this year it will be up to the high schoolers to carry the banner for the local area.

The UCLA baseball team was eliminated from postseason play with a 5-4
loss to host Cal State Fullerton in the deciding game of the regional
tournament Saturday.

The Bruins finished the season 33-27 with a couple of locals
contributing to the success.

Junior infielder Jermaine Curtis, out of A.B. Miller, hit .306 and
was one of just two players who started all 60 games. He had 18
doubles, two triples, two home runs, 26 RBI and 45 runs scored with
42 walks. He had an on-base percentage of .426.

Junior catcher Ryan Babineau, out of Etiwanda, excelled behind the
plate with a fielding percentage of .991. He had just three errors in
298 chances.

At the plate he hit .247 with 25 runs, eight doubles and 25 RBI in 44
games, 40 of them starts.

Two sophomores who helped Chaffey College to a 30-9 record and its third straight Foothill Conference title have decided the next step of their college careers.

First-team all-conference infielder Ryan Delgado is headed to NAIA contender Azusa Pacific University while second-team pitcher Andrew Steinmeyer will play at Biola, also an NAIA institution.

Delgado, who prepped at Damien High School, batted .329 with 11 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs and 43 RBI. He boasted a slugging percentage of .657 and an on-base percentage of .430. The highlight was a grand slam home run in a playoff game against local rival Riverside Community College.

Steinmeyer, a left-hander out of Corona High School, went 5-1 with a 3.86 ERA and batting average against of .228. He pitched 44 and a third innings, allowing 37 hits, 19 earned runs and 29 strikeouts with 13 walks.

- Michelle Gardner

Head Coach Tom Finwall faces the task of finding talented replacements for two all-Americans who completed their collegiate eligibility in the 2008 season, leading CSUSB to a 20-17 record and a fifth-place finish in the 12-member Western Water Polo Association.

As he prepares for the 2009 season, Finwall must replace two-time all-American Freyja Berg, who has been nominated for a third all-America award after leading the nation in scoring this season with 110 goals and setting CSUSB career records for scoring, assists and steals.

CSUSB also loses the services of 2007 all-American Sabrina Marquez who set a new team single-season record for assists in 2008 in addition to scoring more than 130 goals in her two seasons with the Coyotes. Starters Cheryl Salazar, Italia Iossif and Ashley Hays also concluded their collegiate careers in 2008.

However, six recruits have signed national letters of intent to play for CSUSB in 2008-09:
 

• Marilyn Doughty, who helped Chaffey College to a 27-15 record and third place in the South Coast Conference and third place in the Southern California Regional Tournament this season. Doughty had 39 goals, 34 assists and a conference-leading 113 steals for the Panthers earning second-team all-conference honors. She played her high school polo at Centennial in Corona.
• Emily Hove, an all-Ivy League player and Female Athlete of the Year at John W. North HS in Riverside. She scored 102 goals with 38 steals and 36 assists at her two-meter position for the Huskies..
• Misty Vu, also an all-Ivy League first-team player for North HS.
• Taylor Vermillion, who led Arroyo Valley HS in San Bernardino to the San Andreas League title (8-0) and was the team MVP.
• Sara Kelley, a second-team all-CIF selection from Jurupa Valley HS in Riverside who earned all-league honors and was the team's defensive MVP.
• Katelyn Jessen of Tracy HS in Northern California, the team's most improved player in 2007.

Signing conference letters of intent were Danica Vera of Cajon HS in San Bernardino, a first-team all-San Andreas League pick, captain and team MVP; Hannah Wohlk of La Sierra HS in Riverside; Erika Estrada of Chaffey HS in Ontario and Shelly Kocher of Jurupa Valley HS.

Kayla Barrow, a third-team all-CIF selection from Santiago HS in Corona, has made a non-binding verbal commitment to attend CSUSB. She helped Santiago win the Mountain View League at 10-0 and go 20-6 overall and finish as the CIF Division 5 runnerup.

Finwall has a handful of players returning for 2008-09 including Bryanna Burns, voted to the WWPA all-freshman team and one of the nation's leaders in saves by a goalkeeper with 325; Kaitlin Hartman (48 goals, 41 assists); and Aimee Salcido (16 goals, 25 steals).

 

 

Palm Desert, earned all-CCAA first-team honors all four years at CSUSB and was the conference's most valuable player as a sophomore. She set team single-season and career records for victories at No. 1 singles.

, an outstanding player at Martin Luther King High School as a junior and ranked among the top players in junior age-group rankings in the region and in the nation.

, member of the Redlands High School tennis team and a partner with Paloma Vazquez on the Citrus Belt League champion doubles team that advanced to the CIF Southern Section semifinals in 2007.

View Independent Study High School her senior year while she concentrated on national junior tournaments.

said, Haack went 33-0 in regular season competition for Martin Luther King, winning the Ivy League title and voted the Ivy League MVP and her team's MVP.

High School before transferring to Redlands High School. She was initially paired at No. 1 doubles with Holly DiMichelle but then captured the CBL doubles title in 2007 with Vazquez as RHS won its fourth straight league team championship. She was named to the all-CBL first-team.

UC Riverside sophomore Brenda Martinez of Rancho Cucamonga broke the
school record in the 1,500 meters on Saturday at the NCAA Division I West
Regional hosted by Cal State Northridge, finishing third in the event
and advancing to the NCAA national meet in the process.

Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa will host the 28th annual
Women's Division I Outdoor Track And Field Championships from June
11-14.

Martinez ran a 4:17.09, bettering her own record set earlier this
season. The Highlanders placed 16th as a team, with contributions
from other locals.

Lisa Lopez, out of Hesperia High School, placed eighth in the 1,500
(4:26.37). Danielle Evansm, out of Diamond Ranch, was 12th in the 800
meters (2;10.28) and Cristina Olivas, out of Bloomington, was 33rd in
tghe 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:03.59).

"This season has been a tremendous step forward for our track and
field program," said Highlanders Head Coach Irv Ray of his squads
which sent a school record 13 athletes to Regionals. "I couldn't be
more proud of the effort our athletes put forth this year and the
progress we've made, and we're extremely excited about Brenda's
chances at the NCAAs next week."