April 13, 2009

IRVINE, Calif. --- UC Irvine's intercollegiate athletics 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 night 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 night and Pacific Saturday evening to end the regular-season schedule. The MPSF Tournament begins April 25.

Coach Mike Gillespie's Anteater baseball team, following a three-game sweep of Long Beach State over the weekend, has 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 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 7:00 game Thursday night, then ends regular-season play hosting Cal State Northridge Saturday at noon.

The Anteaters, ranked ninth in the nation, are 19-8 overall and 3-0 in the Big West. The conference tournament is April 24-26 in Stockton.

Coach Julie Brooks' women's golf team competes in the Big West Conference Championship next 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 at the Stanford University Golf Course before journeying to San Luis Obispo for the Big West Championship next Monday and Tuesday.

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 Friday morning at 9:00 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 is also 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 Saturday morning at 9:00 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., 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 May 8-9 and the Big West Track & Field Championships May 15-16 at Anteater Stadium.