Briefs: UCI’s Smolinski named Big West Coach of the Year in men’s golf

UC Irvine’s Paul Smolinski has been named 2015 Big West Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Anteaters to the league title.

This is the eighth time Smolinski has earned the award, the most by any Big West coach in men’s golf. He also received the honor in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010.

Smolinski, in his 17th season as UCI’s head coach, guided the ‘Eaters to the program’s seventh conference title in the past 15 years. UCI won this year’s Big West Tournament at the San Luis Obispo Country Club April 26-28.

Senior Pete Fernandez was named to the All-Big West First Team for the second straight year after earning second-team honors his first two collegiate seasons.

Fernandez, who leads UCI with a 71.50 average, has four top-10 finishes and a pair of top-20s this season. He shot a 63 in the first round and was medalist at the Del Walker Intercollegiate in March, leading to Big West Golfer of the Month honors.

Fernandez, who finished second at the 2015 Big West Championship, has recorded 18 top-10 finishes in his career.

Junior Jacob Schulze and freshman David Kim were named to the All-Big West Second Team.

Kim is second on the team with a 72.83 average and has two top-10 showings and another two top-20s. He was 15th at the Big West Championship and had finishes of fifth at the Jones Invitational and sixth at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic.

Schulze has a 72.90 average with a top finish of third at the Big West Championship, and he also has posted three top-20 showings this season.

Forty-one of Smolinski’s UCI players have earned All-Big West honors over the past 12 years.

UCI has won three tournaments this season and has registered seven top-four showings.

The ‘Eaters will be competing in the NCAA Regionals for the 13th time in program history at The Rawls Course in Lubbock, Texas, May 14-16.

— From staff reports

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UCI’s Hiura lauded

UC Irvine freshman outfielder Keston Hiura, who had four game-winning runs batted in in four victories last week, has been named Big West Conference Player of the Week in baseball.

It’s the second conference player of the week recognition this year for Hiura, who had eight RBIs on six hits in nonconference action against San Diego and Minnesota.

In the opener of a three-game series at Minnesota on Friday, he posted his second consecutive two-RBI game, including the go-ahead run with two outs in the ninth.

His clutch hitting continued Saturday with a pair of doubles. His ground-rule double in the 12th was the difference in a 6-5 triumph.

Hiura added two RBIs on Sunday and is batting .339 with 60 hits and a Big West-leading 45 RBIs. He leads the ‘Eaters with 16 doubles and also has five home runs and has 33 runs.

— From staff reports

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‘Eaters sweep Big West weekly awards

UC Irvine swept the Big West Conference Athlete of the Week awards as Lloyd Sicard (track) and Mason Miller (field) earned the honors.

Sicard broke the school record in winning the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.79 seconds at the adidas/Steve Scott Invitational last Saturday. The sophomore eclipsed the previous UCI record of 13.80 that was set 32 years ago by Stan Longino in 1983.

Sicard’s time ranks No. 1 in the Big West and 10th in the West Region this season. He finished third in the 400-meter hurdles Saturday with a season-best time of 51.77 and he also ran the second leg of UCI’s 4x400 relay that posted a season-best time of 3:13.51.

This is Sicard’s third Big West weekly award of the season.

Miller set a new UCI record in the shot put for the third time in the past two weeks with a mark of 60-6 last Saturday.

The Anteater senior was the top collegiate finisher and fourth overall in the event as he broke his previous mark of 58-10 1/4 that he set at the Beach Invitational April 18.

With his mark of 60-6, Miller currently ranks No. 2 in the Big West and 20th in the West Region this season. This is the first time in his career that Miller has earned the Big West’s weekly honor.

— From staff reports

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UCI’s Cheng earns Big West weekly honor

UC Irvine sophomore Ariel Cheng has been named the Big West Conference Field Athlete of the Week following her performance in the adidas/Steve Scott Invitational May 1.

She recorded a career-best mark of 12-10 3/4 in the pole vault to improve on her No. 2 mark in UCI history. Cheng finished fourth of 35 competitors in the event.

Her mark currently ranks second in the Big West this season as she is closing in on the school record of 13-2 1/4 set by Erin Curtis in 2003.

This is Cheng’s first Big West Athlete of the Week honor.

— From staff reports