UCI's spring intercollegiate athletics teams score big
Irvine, Calif., April 14, 2009 - UC Irvine’s intercollegiate athletic program is enjoying a phenomenal level of success this spring with three of its teams ranked in the nation’s top 10 this week.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Irvine, Calif., April 14, 2009 - UC Irvine’s intercollegiate athletic program is enjoying a phenomenal level of success this spring with three of its teams ranked in the nation’s top 10 this week.
Coach John Speraw’s men’s volleyball squad regained the No. 1 national ranking this week after sweeping former No. 1 Pepperdine in three games Saturday, April 11, before a season-high 2,587 fans at the Bren Events Center.
The Anteaters, 22-4 overall and 17-3 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, travel to No. 4 Stanford Friday, April 17, and Pacific Saturday, April 18, to end the regular season schedule. The MPSF Tournament begins Sunday, April 25.
Coach Mike Gillespie’s Anteater baseball team, following a three-game sweep of Long Beach State over the weekend, ascended to No. 3 in this week’s Baseball America poll, tying the program’s highest ranking since moving to NCAA Division I 31 years ago.
UCI, 22-9 overall and 8-1 in the Big West Conference entering the week, travels to UC Riverside for a conference series Friday through Sunday, April 17-19, after playing two non-conference contests earlier in the week.
Coach Dan Klatt’s women’s water polo team travels to Long Beach State for a 7 p.m. game Thursday, April 16, and ends regular season play hosting Cal State Northridge at noon Saturday, April 18.
The Anteaters, ranked ninth in the nation, are 19-8 overall and 3-0 in the Big West. The conference tournament is Saturday through Monday, April 24-26, in Stockton.
Coach Julie Brooks’ women’s golf team competes in the Big West Conference Championship Monday and Tuesday, April 20-21, at the San Luis Obispo Country Club.
UCI, which has won the last four conference titles, has seven top-five showings in seven tournaments this season. Senior Jane Chin is ranked seventh nationally and the team 28th by Golfweek.
Coach Paul Smolinski’s men’s golf squad, ranked 52nd by Golfweek, competes in the U.S. Intercollegiate Saturday and Sunday, April 18-19, at the Stanford University Golf Course before journeying to San Luis Obispo for the Big West Championship Monday and Tuesday, April 20-21.
UCI has won the last two conference titles and has competed in seven of the past eight NCAA regionals.
Coach Mike Edles’ women’s tennis team, ranked 59th by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, is seeded No. 2 for the Big West Conference Championship and opens against UC Davis at 9 a.m. Friday, April 17, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The Anteaters are 14-7 overall and posted a 7-1 record in the Big West season.
Coach Trevor Kronemann’s Anteater men’s tennis team also is seeded second for the Big West Championship and has an automatic berth in the semifinals, where UCI will face the winner of Cal Poly/UC Riverside at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 18, in Indian Wells.
In men’s and women’s track & field, UCI has seven student-athletes who have qualified for the NCAA West Regional at Eugene, Ore., Friday and Saturday, May 29-30.
Coach Vince O’Boyle’s women’s team won the title of last Friday’s Big West Challenge Cup.
School records have been set this season by Lauren Collins ( high jump and heptathlon ), Alisha Misiaita ( shot put ) and Lauren Chramosta ( steeplechase ).
On the men’s side, Julian Eison tied the No. 2 all-time UCI mark in the high jump, Matt Lahti has the third-best career mark in the hammer throw and Charles Jock the No. 4 time in the 800 meters.
UCI hosts the Big West Conference Multi-Event Championships Friday and Saturday, May 8-9 and the Big West Track & Field Championships Friday and Saturday, May 15-16 at Anteater Stadium.
About the University of California, Irvine: UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Founded in 1965, UCI is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,200 staff. The top employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.
News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. Use of this line is available for a fee to radio news programs/stations that wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.
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