UC Irvine’s Brande Is Named MPSF Volleyball Coach of Year

Charlie Brande, who directed the UC Irvine men’s volleyball team to a school-record 14 victories and its first playoff appearance, was named Tuesday the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s coach of the year.

Irvine’s senior outside hitter, Donnie Rafter (Tustin High) was a first-team all-conference selection, as was UCLA junior setter Brandon Taliaferro (San Clemente).

Other first-team members were senior outside hitter George Roumain of Pepperdine, the MPSF player of the year; senior middle blocker Ryan Miller (Brigham Young); junior middle blocker Adam Naeve (UCLA); senior opposite Oswald Antonerri (BYU) and sophomore outside hitter Scott Wong (Pepperdine).

Sophomore middle blocker Matt Prosser (Long Beach State) was a second-team selection, and junior setter Chris Seiffert (Long Beach State/Capistrano Valley) and sophomore outside hitter David McKienzie (Long Beach State/Huntington Beach) were third-team selections. Freshman of the year was outside hitter Brook Billings of USC.

Among those who received honorable mention were sophomore Jim Polster (Long Beach State/Dana Hills), junior Rich Lambourne (BYU/Foothill), senior Robert Schildts (Loyola Marymount/Calvary Chapel), senior Mike Rupp (Irvine) and junior Erick Helenihi (Irvine/Villa Park).

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For the first time, two UCI women tennis players were named first-team All-Big West Conference. Sophomore Darrian Chappell, for the second consecutive year, and freshman Jonni Seymour were named to the seven-woman team.

Together, they comprised one of four first-team doubles choices.

Sophomore Natalie Exon (Woodbridge) was second-team singles, and she and Liz Yim (Laguna Hills) were second-team doubles.

Santa Barbara sophomore Shannon Wilkins (Canyon) was second-team women’s singles, and Cal Poly SLO junior Danielle Brandlin (Los Alamitos) and partner Stephanie Westrich were second-team doubles.

Freshman Susanne Bertel and Coach Maria Mendez, both from Pacific, were player and coach of the year.

On the men’s side, Irvine’s Thomas Bohun was named to the first-team singles squad for the second consecutive year, and Andrew Cheney was a second-team selection.

Cheney and Brett Lucas were named second team in doubles.

Boise State senior Ryan Thompson (Foothill) and partner Cory Dalos, and Cal Poly SLO sophomore Brandon Fallon (Dana Hills) and partner Tony Piccuta were named second-team doubles.

Santa Barbara senior Cory Guy and Boise State junior Leif Meineke were co-players of the year, and New Mexico State’s Don Ball was coach of the year.

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Tony Martinho, who won Southern Section titles in boys’ and girls’ water polo two years ago for Los Alamitos, will coach next season at Long Beach Wilson.

Wilson, a five-time section champion, has won the last three Division I titles and four in the 1990s; Coach Ricardo Azevedo left to take over at Long Beach State.

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Tom Bailey resigned as football coach at Canyon this week after one season, according to Athletic Director Rob Alexander.

The Comanches were 3-7-1 last season but reached the playoffs with a 2-2-1 league record.

He teaches mechanical drawing and physical education and will finish this school year.