College Sports

Goodbye and hello

MARK SAXON, OCREGISTER.COM — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:56:17 +0000

For the few hardy, dedicated souls who followed our USC blogging on the college sports site, we have great news. You will be getting beefed-up blogging of both USC and UCLA. What’s more, they have their very own dedicated blogs now.

Please stop by and check out the material in our UCLA and USC blogs starting Monday morning.

Basketball schedule is out

MARK SAXON, OCREGISTER.COM — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:45:15 +0000

UCLA likely will play non-conference basketball games in New York’s Madison Square Garden, at Austin, Texas and vs. Notre Dame at Pauley Pavilion next season. Those are the highlights of the tentative 2008-09 schedule, which the school released Friday.
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Recruiting attrition

MARK SAXON, OCREGISTER.COM — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:19:42 +0000

New UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel has built a reputation as one of the top recruiters in the nation, but his team has had some problems keeping high-schoolers recently, perhaps due to uncertainty about defensive coordinator Dwayne Walker’s long-term prospects. Before UCLA hired Neuheisel, Walker had interviewed for the job and many people expect him to be a head coach somewhere else next year. If you’ll recall, Walker got a lot of the credit for the Bruins’ biggest victory in ages _ the 13-9 dismantling of rival USC two season ago.

The latest 2009 recruit to change his mind about the Bruins is San Fernando Valley defensive back Marvin Pollard: http://rivals100.rivals.com/content.asp?cid=824588.

Sheller has surgery

MARK SAXON, OCREGISTER.COM — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:02:23 +0000

UCLA offensive tackle Sean Sheller underwent surgery on his left knee Tuesday at UCLA Medical Center. Sheller, a redshirt sophomore, will miss the upcoming season as he rehabilitates after surgery. Sheller was expected to start for the Bruins before he injured his knee in an off-road vehicle accident June 20.Doctors arthroscopically repaired a torn medial collateral ligament and some meniscal cartilage.

Howland, UCLA agree on contract

DAVID BEAN, OCREGISTER.COM — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:54:28 +0000

UCLA MEDIA RELEASE

UCLA and men’s basketball coach Ben Howland have agreed on a seven-year contract, athletic director Dan Guerrero announced Tuesday.

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Sheller out for season

ROBERT KUWADA/OCREGISTER.COM — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:06:08 +0000

UCLA redshirt sophomore Sean Sheller, who was projected as the Bruins’ starter at right tackle, will miss the 2008 season because of knee and ankle injuries sustained Friday in a motor vehicle accident.

An MRI showed that Sheller’s left knee sustained a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament and the medial collateral ligament. Surgery to reconstruct the ACL and repair the MCL will be scheduled at a later date. His left ankle also sustained a wound which is being treated on a daily basis to prevent infection.

”Our hearts go out to Sean and his family,” Coach Rick Neuheisel said, in a statement from the athletic department. ”The young man is devastated. I am confident that his surgery will go well and he will come back better than ever.”

Not surprising, Akognon to return to Cal State Fullerton

JANIS CARR, OCREGISTER.COM — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:42:38 +0000

So Josh Akognon is returning to Cal State Fullerton for his senior season. Because he didn’t retain an agent, the guard was able to withdraw from the NBA Draft without hurting his eligibilty and hence, was allowed to return to school.

Yet is anyone really surprised? Akognon averaged 20.2 points last season and helped the Titans reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 30 years. A spectacular season for many, but his numbers didn’t put him on any NBA predraft lists.

Akognon was not predicted to be either a first or second round pick, according to numerous publications and websites. Another standout season could put him on the 2009 lists.

JANIS CARR/The Register
Then again, by waiting another year, Akognon could boost his stock with another standout season.

Powell leaving UCLA track program

ROBERT KUWADA/OCREGISTER.COM — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:08:39 +0000

Mike Powell is stepping down as the jumps coach at UCLA after three years with the Bruins, to continue his involvement with the IAAF, where he serves as an ambassador to the sport.

As an ambassador, Powell attends track meets and press conferences, as well as meet with sponsors, host clinics and do whatever he can to represent and promote the sport of track and field. The world record holder in the long jump also will continue to coach a handful of professional athletes in the jumps.

During his tenure as men’s and women’s jumps coach, Powell coached one NCAA champion (Rhonda Watkins) and multiple athletes to Pac-10, West Region and All-American honors.

Watkins won the 2007 NCAA indoor and outdoor long jump crowns, as well as several Pac-10 and West Region individual titles.

Powell earned West Region Coach of the Year honors for the women’s jumps in 2007.

Mbah a Moute to remain in draft

ROBERT KUWADA/OCREGISTER.COM — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:03:02 +0000

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who started in three Final Fours for UCLA, has decided to remain in the NBA draft, hire an agent and will bypass a senior season with the Bruins.

“Luc had a great career at UCLA, and I’m really proud of everything he helped our team accomplish during his tenure as a player at UCLA,” Coach Ben Howland said.

“He was the freshman of the year in the conference, won three Pac-10 titles and started in three Final Fours, but, more than anything, he is a winner.”

Quinn eighth in pole vault final

ROBERT KUWADA/OCREGISTER.COM — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 06:19:52 +0000

A head wind made for a difficult day for pole vaulters on Friday at the NCAA championships at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa. Only seven of the 15 vaulters to advance to the finals could clear 17 2 1/2 inches, the height they needed to clear to qualify two days earlier.

UCLA redshirt freshman Johnny Quinn (St. Margaret’s High) finished in a tie for eighth place, clearing 16 8 3/4, to earn the Bruins one-half point and earn All-American honors.

Dustin Deleo (Los Alamitos), who had the second best pole vault mark in the nation this season, also cleared 16 8 3/4, but finished 13th on more misses.

Maston Wallace, a freshman from Texas, won the competition at only 17 6 1/2.