SPORTS
By Barry Faulkner | May 4, 2013
LOS ANGELES - Thundering chants of U-C-I and B-Y-U perhaps might have faded under a more resonant echoes of Dy-Nas-Ty Saturday night as the UC Irvine men's volleyball team earned its second straight NCAA championship and its fourth in seven seasons. The No. 2-seeded Anteaters (25-7), who had lost their first two meetings to the top-seeded Cougars (26-5) this season, exploded for a 25-23, 25-22, 26-24 victory in the title match in front of 6,295 at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, as well as a national television audience on ESPNU.
SPORTS
By Barry Faulkner | May 3, 2013
With the possible exception of the Olympic Games, it can be argued that there is no bigger stage for a men's volleyball player than the NCAA Championship. UC Irvine (24-7), which battles BYU (26-4) in the NCAA title match on Saturday at 6 p.m. at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, is making its fourth appearance in seven seasons under what first-year Anteaters Coach David Kniffin calls "the big lights. " Remarkably, UCI has won each of its three previous trips to the championship match (2012, 2009 and 2007)
SPORTS
May 3, 2013
UC Irvine women's golfers Michelle Park and Luciane Lee have been selected to participate as individuals in the NCAA West Regional, May 9-11 at the Stanford Golf Course. Park, a senior, has posted four top-10 finishes this season and leads UCI with a 75.33 scoring average. Lee, a freshman, has a 76.05 scoring average. She was second at the Fresno State tournament and third at the Juli Inkster Invitational. The top eight teams and top two individuals from three total regional sites will advance to the championship finals, May 21-24 at the University of Georgia Golf Course.
SPORTS
May 3, 2013
UC Irvine senior Kristina Smith has been named Big West Conference Player of the Year in women's tennis. Smith, who was named first-team all-conference in singles and doubles, is UCI's first Player of the Year since 2005. She has twice been named first-team All-Big West in singles. Smith teams with junior Franziska Goettschling to earn her doubles recognition. Smith received honorable mention in all-conference doubles voting all three of her previous seasons. In addition, Marivick Mamiit is a second-team honoree in singles, while Anteaters head man Mike Edles shares Coach of the Year recognition.
SPORTS
By Barry Faulkner | May 2, 2013
LOS ANGELES - Loyola of Chicago was the first first-time participant in the four-team NCAA men's volleyball championship since UC Irvine had that distinction in 2006. A lot has obviously changed for the Anteaters since that time, as they moved within one victory of their fourth national championship with a 26-24, 25-18, 29-27 semifinal win over the upstart Ramblers on Thursday at Pauley Pavilion. No. 2-seeded UCI (24-7) looked every bit the perennial power on Thursday, hitting .500 as a team for only the second time this season and bearing down late in the first and third sets to complete their fifth sweep in their last seven matches and win their fourth straight NCAA semifinal.
SPORTS
By Barry Faulkner | April 19, 2013
Chris Austin has already made volleyball history. But that he will likely be considered less icon than iconoclast bothers him little. The first African-American setter to guide an NCAA men's title winner last year, Austin is in position to duplicate his journey from virtual volleyball oblivion to the biggest stage the collegiate game has to offer. But while he appreciates the novelty of his unlikely ascension, he is hardly conflicted about accepting credit. If one is curious about his talent, one need merely ask the 6-foot-3 UC Irvine senior.
SPORTS
April 19, 2013
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD Mt. SAC Relays WALNUT - Senior Sam Hyams had the top showing for UC Irvine Thursday on the first day of the 55th annual Mt. SAC Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut. Hyams finished ninth in his section and 25th overall of 132 total runners in the1500 meters with a season-best time of 3:49.01. Tommy Newton-Neal recorded a time of 3:56.62, Andrew Snyder 3:57.14 and Amir Shirif 4:01.23. UCI has student-athletes competing in the Mt. SAC Relays and at the Beach Invitational (at Cerritos College)
SPORTS
By Barry Faulkner | April 10, 2013
IRVINE - First-year coach David Kniffin has said all season that his UC Irvine men's volleyball team has been searching for its identity. But maybe what it needed instead was a little attitude. Playing with a revamped lineup that did not include the team's assist leader (Daniel Stork), total blocks leader (Collin Mehring) and it's No. 2 and No. 4 kill producers (Jeremy Dejno and Connor Hughes, respectively), the Anteaters swept visiting Cal State Northridge on Tuesday to close out Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play.
SPORTS
By Matt Szabo | April 6, 2013
IRVINE - Growing up, Kaleigh Gilchrist always was known as the two-sport star. She was a surfer, and she was a water polo player. She was great with a board and a big wave, or with a No. 15 cap on her dome in the pool. Gilchrist, the former Newport Harbor High standout, still has a passion for both sports. But right now in her life, water polo reigns supreme. The decision may not have been easy, but the USC women's water polo team is certainly reaping the benefits. Gilchrist is a junior co-captain on the top-ranked team in the country.
SPORTS
By David Carrillo Peñaloza | April 5, 2013
IRVINE - Hawaii traveled all the way to UC Irvine and all it collected through 8 1/3 innings on Friday was one hit. And it was an infield single in the first inning. The Rainbows left most of their offensive back on the islands. Andrew Thurman quieted the Rainbows' bats for most of the night, helping the Anteaters to a 4-1 win, their first victory in Big West Conference play. "It was a spectacular performance by Thurman," UCI Coach Mike Gillespie said of his junior, who struck out eight and allowed three hits and no walks in 8 2/3 innings.