State budget cuts strike down 5 UC Irvine sports

UC Irvine announced today it was "discontinuing" five sports -- men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's rowing, and sailing -- to cut costs.

And we can expect to learn about similar plans at colleges, junior colleges and high schools across the state in coming months as schools struggle with reductions in state funding.

Irvine expects to save about $1 million with this move and other adjustments being made to its athletic program's operating expenses.

"I was hoping to avoid discontinuing any of our sports programs, but the intercollegiate athletics department is not immune to the cuts that are occurring in the state and on our campus," Irvine Athletic Director Mike Izzi said in a statement released by the school. "The impact this has on these coaches and student-athletes is something that none of us wishes to see, but the reality is that this type of move is unavoidable with the financial challenges that we face."

Irvine will honor its scholarship commitments to student-athletes from the affected sports during the 2009-10 academic year, the school said.

-- Mike Hiserman 

UCLA, UC Irvine bring home NCAA championships

A pair of NCAA championship trophies are coming to Southern California.

The UCLA women's water polo team upset rival USC, 5-4, to win its fifth straight NCAA title and 11th overall. The Bruins own a collective 104 NCAA team titles, tops in the nation. It was the last game for coach Adam Krikorian, who will become the U.S. Women's Water Polo National Team coach. He will also continue serving as a coach for the UCLA men's team.

UC Irvine also won a national title by beating USC last weekend, with the Anteaters' 3-2 victory earning their second NCAA title in men's volleyball in the last three years. In all sports, UC Irvine has now collected 26 NCAA titles.

--Adam Rose

Top photo: The UCLA women's water polo national celebrates its national championship. Credit: Jamie Schwaberow / NCAA Photography

Bottom photo: The UC Irvine men's volleyball team celebrates its national championship. Credit: George Frey / Associated Press

Mike Gillespie returns to USC with Irvine

Drama in college baseball, usually reserved for the playoffs and College World Series, goes local tonight when 10th-ranked UC Irvine visits USC.

It's another homecoming for Irvine Coach Mike Gillespie, who in 20 seasons at USC guided the Trojans to 15 playoff appearances, four World Series and the 1998 national title. Gillespie, however, was forced out after the 2006 season and replaced by Chad Kreuter, his son-in-law.

Irvine hired Gillespie before the 2008 season, and he led the Anteaters to a Super Regional appearance and a 42-18 record. Among those victories was an 11-3 win over the Trojans at USC's Dedeaux Field.

Irvine is 7-4 this season, USC 4-6.

Gillespie has a 812-493-2 career record. Kreuter, who played 17 years in the major leagues, is 59-63 in two-plus seasons with the Trojans.

-- Gary Klein

Photo: Mike Gillespie, UC Irvine baseball coach. Credit: Nati Harnik/Associated Press

UC Irvine gets 'black' on track

UC Irvine's marketing department seemed headed toward a UCLA moment (come on down, Fresno State football fans -- watch your team beat ours). Instead, they may be trend-setters.

The Anteaters were playing Cal State Northridge, the Big West Conference leader, Wednesday night. A light bulb clicked on in the marketing department and students were encouraged to wear all black for a "Black-Out Night."

Hardly original, but there was one problem. Northridge's road uniforms are black, so the Matadors came out of the locker room and saw what must have looked like 2,500 hometown fans. That the Anteaters managed to upset Northridge prevented a red-faced moment for the marketing folks. It also might be the next home-field ploy.

Imagine, UCLA fans dressed in cardinal and gold with two fingers (yes two) in the air as the Trojans take the field at the Rose Bowl. Or Ohio State supporters singing "Hail to the Victors" with beer-hall gusto at the Horseshoe. Or Cal fans adding the Stanford mascot to the list of trees they want to protect.

Stranger things have happened. After all, Notre Dame won a bowl game this year.

-- Chris Foster

Kobe Bryant likes the UC Irvine Anteaters! Huh?

Kobe Bryant can opt out of his contract! The sky is falling, Lakers fans.

Kobe will go to play in Greece for enough to keep knee-deep in feta for life! Wait, no, Kobe will sign with the Clippers to fulfill his lifelong dream of being injured in the first year of a multimillion-dollar contract.

Even better, Kobe will sign with Orlando, just as soon as Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill complete the purchase of the Magic, because of his deep, personal friendship with Shaq.

But one thing no one has considered is Kobe leaving the game to take a full-time job promoting UC Irvine basketball. You read that right ... UC Irvine.

He seems to already be testing those waters by doing the intro to the Anteaters' video that was shown at their Midnight Madness practice. Now if UC Irvine can only come up with about $136-million over six years....

-- Chris Foster

Photo: Kobe Bryant on the Midnight Madness video. Credit: UC Irvine

Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount turn tables on USC, UCLA

Tommy Hawkins was the master of ceremonies at the Wooden Tip-Off annual college basketball coaches luncheon today at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Hawkins thanked Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount for buying two tables, as well as Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Northridge supporters who bought tables. No thanks extended to anyone from UCLA or USC for buying tables. I guess they don't have the big boosters at those schools.

-- Diane Pucin

UC Irvine sends athletes to "The Little Dance"

Some local universities market their teams by running ads in out-of-town newspapers to attract the opposing team's fans. Others just post videos that highlight their athletes other "skills."

UC Irvine is welcoming back students with a Soul Train-esque music video, starring many of its athletes singing and dancing to Earth, Wind and Fire's "September." Don't miss water polo player Greg Enloe and his fish-out-of-water dance moves.

-- Chris Foster