Peirsol finds himself at the No. 1 school

In the most recent edition of Sports Illustrated, the magazine

ranked all 324 Division I athletic programs and came up with

America’s best sports colleges. The results provided a timely

opportunity to provide a who’s-who of the Newport-Mesa alumni.

Guess who’s at No. 1? Former Newport Harbor High swimming phenom

Aaron Peirsol chose the right school. The University of Texas is No.

1.

Corona del Mar is well-represented at the university that came in

second: Stanford. The Cardinal includes CdM products Kevin Hansen

(men’s volleyball), Jamie Brownell (women’s volleyball) and Marcello

Pantuliano is on the men’s water polo team, which is ranked No. 1 in

the nation and is coached by former CdM head man John Vargas.

Last week, UCLA, which is ranked No. 11 in SI, faced off against

its rival USC, ranked No. 21 in the magazine, in men’s water polo.

The Trojans, who include Newport Harbor product Robert Weiner,

defeated the Bruins, who include Newport Habor product Peter Belden

and CdM products Michael March and Garrett Bowlus. USC scored the

go-ahead goal with 1:05 left in the second overtime and the Trojans

went on to win, 10-8, in front of 500 at USC.

On Friday night, the USC women’s volleyball team, which is No. 1

in the nation, rallied to defeated fourth-ranked Stanford in a

five-game match, a 23-30, 30-27, 28-30, 30-25, 24-22 win in front of

3,937 at Maples Pavilion. Former Newport Harbor standout April Ross,

a junior outside hitter, led the Trojans with 19 kills. USC battled

back from a 14-11 deficit in the final game and won, 24-22. The match

lasted two hours and 37 minutes.

* UC Irvine ranked 199 in Sports Illustrated’s report. The

magazine credited two straight 20-win season by Coach Pat Douglass

men’s basketball team, two players drafted from Coach John Savage’s

baseball team and ex-Anteaters: Greg Louganis and Brady Anderson.

Other Big West Conference schools ranked were Cal State Fullerton

(No. 103), Long Beach State (107) and Pacific (120).

Scott Boras, the baseball super-agent and Newport Beach resident,

was credited for Pacific’s ranking, as he is an alumn of the Tigers.

If SI does these rankings two years from now, UCI could very well

be higher than the three Big West schools ahead of the Anteaters. As

it stands right now, I don’t agree with Sports Illustrated and Phil

Taylor. Irvine should be ranked higher than Fullerton, the Beach and

Pacific, because the Anteaters excel in more sports than the other

three.

* If you’re wondering, Fresno State, the alma mater of yours

truly, ranked 71st. The Bulldogs defeated Colorado State, No. 22 in

the nation, 32-30, in college football Friday night.

* In other college news:

Jennifer Geisbauer, a freshman on the Vanguard University women’s

volleyball team, has been named Lion of the Week. Geisbauer led the

Lions in three statistical categories last week, and she led Vanguard

to an upset over Christian Heritage, which ranked No. 25 in the NAIA.

She hammered 13 kills in the four game match, including the final two

points of the fourth game to cap the 3-1 victory. She also led the

team with eight service aces and regirstered four block assists.

Geisbauer leads the team with 114 kills and 27 block assists in 14

matches.

“Jennifer was recruited to the Vanguard volleyball program to make

an immediate impact,” Lions Caoch Erikka Gulbranson said. “She has

daily exceeded our expectations and continues to dominate as a highly

effective attacker and blocker.”

* Vince Strang, a former Orange Coast College wide receiver,

scored on a 55-yard touchdown reception to help lead California to a

34-27 upset over No. 12 Washington Saturday.

Strang, who finished with 64 yards and the TD on two catches,

scored with six minutes left in the first half and gave the Bears a

21-13 lead. His 55-yard TD reception was thrown by quarterback Kyle

Boller.

Strang was a member of the 2000 OCC football team that won a share

of the Mission Conference Central Division title. Cal tight end

Brandon Hall was also on the Pirates 2000 team. They both played for

Coast Coach Mike Taylor last year, as well.

Newport Harbor High product Chris Manderino, Cal’s starting

fullback, contributed four yards on one carry and solid blocking.