Newport Beach resident helps raise money for Wooden Athletic Fund

UCLA alumnus Barry Saywitz played host to the Orange County Bruin Bash at his Newport Beach home on Saturday, helping his alma mater raise more than $54,000 for the Wooden Athletic Fund.

The fund generates financial support to help more than 700 student-athletes at UCLA.

Special guests at the fundraiser included former UCLA standouts, Rafer Johnson, a gold medalist in the decathlon at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Keith Erickson, who won two NCAA men’s basketball titles under Coach John Wooden and went on to play in the NBA, DeShaun Foster, a former NFL running back, Toby Bailey and Tyus Edney, members of UCLA’s last NCAA championship basketball team in 1995, Lisa Longaker, a three-time All-American softball player, who led the Bruins to three straight NCAA titles, Sinjin Smith, who led the UCLA men’s volleyball team to two NCAA titles, Nellie Spicer, a member of the U.S women’s national volleyball team, Kiki Vandeweghe, a former NBA player and general manager, and Jamaal Wilkes, who won four NBA titles, three with the Los Angeles Lakers.

UCLA coaches also attended the event, including men’s basketball coach Ben Howland, who led the Bruins to three straight Final Four appearances from 2006-08, women’s basketball coach Cori Close, head women’s golf coach Carrie Forsythe, and football defensive coordinator Lou Spanos.

— From staff reports