Official Athletic Site of UC Irvine Anteaters

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Sat July 05, 2008

 

2006-07 UC Irvine Intercollegiate Athletics Highlights
ANTEATERS WIN DIVISION I-AAA ALL-SPORTS TROPHY

UC Irvine capitalized on strong showings by its spring sports teams to win the Athletic Directors Association Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy for the first time. The annual national award is given to the best all-around sports program in Division I-AAA (non-football schools).

Coach John Speraw's men's volleyball team won the program's first national title with a 3-1 victory over IPFW in the NCAA Championship final at Ohio State University as senior Matt Webber was named the tournament MVP. The title capped a 29-5 season marking the most wins in school history. The squad was honored at a White House reception in June.

The baseball team captivated the nation with a thrilling run in the postseason. Coach Dave Serrano's Anteaters won the Round Rock Regional, defeating Texas twice, and then captured the Wichita Super Regional with a two-game sweep of Wichita State. UCI advanced for the first time to the Division I College World Series in Omaha, Neb., and finished third with a 2-2 record, posting extra-inning wins over Cal State Fullerton and Arizona State. Serrano was named the National Coach of the Year by Baseball America.

UCI's sailing program finished fourth at the Coed National Championship and sixth at the Women's National Championship.

The men's and women's golf teams each won Big West Conference titles and advanced to NCAA West Regional play. Coach Julie Brooks' women's squad placed fifth at the regional and went on to finish 19th at the NCAA Finals in Daytona Beach, Fla. Coach Paul Smolinski's men's team, making the program's sixth trip in the last seven years to the NCAA West Regional, finished 22nd.

Coach Mike Edles led the women's tennis team to the Big West Conference regular-season title with a 7-0 mark and the Anteaters advanced to the NCAA Championship for the first time in program history. Edles was named the West Region Coach of the Year.

The men's swimming and diving team won the Big West Conference Championship and set 11 school records during the season. Eric Reilly, Dan Simonsen, Randall Tom and Eddie Erazo competed at the NCAA Championships and combined to earn 32 team points, giving UCI a 25th-place national finish, second-highest in school history. Tom was named the Big West Athlete of the Year and Brian Pajer was selected Big West Coach of the Year.

In women's swimming, junior Chelsea Nagata earned All-America honors as she finished eighth in the 100-yard butterfly at the NCAA Championships. Freshman Lyndsay DePaul was named Big West Conference Athlete of the Year after winning three individual events and competing on a first-place relay at the conference meet.

Eight UCI student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Track & Field West Regional and three advanced to the NCAA Championship. Sophomore Lauren Collins finished 14th in the heptathlon at the national meet. The Big West Conference champion in the heptathlon set three school records during the season.

The men's soccer team was 13-4-3 overall and was ranked as high as No. 7 nationally and first in the Far West Region during the season. Senior Brad Evans was named third team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and College Soccer News. Evans, the Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Year, was named to the NSCAA All-Far West Region first team for the second straight season. Sophomore Matt Murphy was named Big West Midfielder of the Year, senior Kenny Schoeni was co-Big West Goalkeeper of the Year and George Kuntz was selected Big West and NSCAA Far West Region Coach of the Year.

Four men's basketball players received All-Big West Conference recognition, including point guard Michael Hunter, who was named to the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-America team.

Women's basketball player Angie Ned was named Big West Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season and was a second team All-Big West selection

The university had 163 student-athletes honored as Big West Scholar-Athletes, bringing UCI's total to 2,894 since 1983. For the year, UCI had 12 All-Americans, 86 all-conference honorees and 61 selections to academic all-conference teams. UCI won four conference titles (men's swimming and diving, men's golf, women's golf and women's tennis), and had five Conference Coaches of the Year and three Conference Athletes of the Year.

Men's volleyball player Jayson Jablonsky was recognized as the University's Lauds & Laurels Outstanding Senior Athlete.

Submitted by Bob Olson, Stacey Shackleford, Fumi Kimura and Erik Wirtanen
UC Irvine Athletic Communications (July 2007)

Honors

Conference Player of the Year
Randall Tom - Men's Swimming
Lyndsay DePaul - Women's Swimming
Brian Edick - Men's Golf

Conference Coach of the Year
George Kuntz - Men's Soccer
Brian Pajer - Men's Swimming & Diving
Julie Brooks - Women's Golf
Paul Smolinski - Men's Golf
Mike Edles - Women's Tennis

Conference Freshman of the Year
Patty Chawalitmetha - Women's Golf
John Chin - Men's Golf

National Coach of the Year
Dave Serrano - Baseball

Regional Coach of the Year
George Kuntz - Men's Soccer
Mike Edles - Women's Tennis

All-Americans
Brad Evans - Men's Soccer - Third Team
Colin Mello - Men's Water Polo - Second Team
Chelsea Nagata - Women's Swimming
Jayson Jablonsky - Men's Volleyball - Second Team
David Smith - Men's Volleyball - First Team
Brian Thornton - Men's Volleyball - Second Team
Matt Webber - Men's Volleyball - Second Team
Robyn Kaake - Women's Water Polo - Honorable Mention
Frank Tybor - Sailing
Whitney Loufek - Sailing
Selanee Henderson - Women's Golf - Honorable Mention
Scott Gorgen - Baseball - Third Team

All-Region
Laura Olvera - Women's Cross Country
Sara Mickelson - Women's Cross Country
Brad Evans - Men's Soccer

NCAA All-Tournament
Matt Webber (MVP) - Men's Volleyball
Brian Thornton - Men's Volleyball
David Smith - Men's Volleyball
Jayson Jablonsky - Men's Volleyball

College World Series All-Tournament
Bryan Petersen - Baseball

NCAA Regional All-Tournament
Taylor Holiday (MVP) - Baseball
Scott Gorgen - Baseball
Wes Etheridge - Baseball
Cody Cipriano - Baseball
Aaron Lowenstein - Baseball
Ollie Linton - Baseball

Big West Offensive Player of the Year
Brad Evans - Men's Soccer

Big West Midfielder of the Year
Matt Murphy - Men's Soccer

Big West Goalkeeper of the Year
Kenny Schoeni - Men's Soccer

Big West Defensive Player of the Year
Angie Ned - Women's Basketball

UCI/Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year
Chelsea Nagata - Women's Swimming
Ricky Barnes - Men's Track & Field

Lauds & Laurels Outstanding Senior Athlete
Jayson Jablonsky - Men's Volleyball

ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American
Brian Edick - Men's Golf (District VIII At-large First Team)

2005-06 UC Irvine Intercollegiate Athletics Highlights

2004-05 UC Irvine Intercollegiate Athletics Highlights

2003-04 UC Irvine Intercollegiate Athletics Highlights

2002-03 UC Irvine Intercollegiate Athletics Highlights

2001-02 UC Irvine Intercollegiate Athletics Highlights

 

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