Pirates garner ranking

The Orange Coast College football team is ranked No. 17 in Southern California in the preseason poll conducted by the state coaches assn.

Coach Mike Taylor’s Pirates, 4-6 in 2008, open the season Sept. 5 at Santa Monica College at 6 p.m.

Six teams on OCC’s schedule this season are also in the Top 20 in SoCal, including Southern Conference rivals Fullerton (No. 4), Palomar (No. 5), Saddleback (No. 6), Grossmont (No. 9) and Santa Ana (No. 11).

Golden West (No. 19) is the other ranked team on the OCC schedule.

— From staff reports

Pair of alums on UCI staff

UC Irvine alumni Dreason Barry and Genai Kerr will assist fifth-year head coach Marc Hunt on the Anteaters men’s water polo coaching staff this season.

Barry, a three-time All-American for UCI, will serve as assistant coach. He scored 212 goals at UCI from 2001-05. He was a finalist for the Peter J. Cutino Award as a senior and has played for the U.S. national team.

“We are very fortunate to add Dreason to our team,” Hunt said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to several of our skill positions. He understands developmental coaching, and will immediately contribute to the Anteaters’ future success.”

Kerr, a member of the U.S. national team and a 2004 Olympian, will serve as volunteer assistant. He earned All-American honors as a goalie in 1998 when he made 231 saves in 22 starts for the ’Eaters.

“Genai will have an instant impact in strengthening our goalie corps,” Hunt said. “I know our goalies are excited to be working with him, as would any goalie coming up in the college ranks. His strong positive influence will not only be great for our team, but for UCI as a whole.”

The Anteaters open the regular season Sept. 12.

— From staff reports

UCI academic honors

The 2009 Academic All-Big West Conference honors for spring sports included 23 UC Irvine student-athletes.

Representing the conference champion and one-time top-ranked baseball team were senior Matt DuFour and juniors Francis Larson and Jeff Cusick.

Men’s tennis players Khunpol Issara and Guatam Vaidyanathan, both sophomores, as well as junior Zac Tsai were honored.

Senior Ali Borowicz and sophomore Miranda Young, a Corona del Mar High product, made the grade.

Senior Kelly Hall and junior Ryan Hershey represented the men’s track and field team.

From the women’s track and field squad, seniors Jenny Lee, Natasha Wardley, and Sharitie Williams; juniors Lauren Collins, Kristi Fryer, and Lauren Wilson; and sophomores Madeline Leduc, Fritzie Mercado and Vanessa Vaughan are honorees.

Seniors Sarah Frost and Jenée Walsh, as well as sophomores Cortney Collyer and Lauren Davis, were recognized from the women’s water polo team.

— From staff reports

Four ’Eaters lauded

Four UC Irvine women’s water polo players have been named to the Assn. of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-Academic team for 2008-09.

Sarah Frost and Janée Walsh who were both seniors, were recognized, as were Cortney Collyer and Lauren Davis, both of whom were sophomores last season.

Walsh had 27 goals, while Davis led the team with 105 saves.

Collyer (27 goals) and Walsh (one goal) also helped the Anteaters finish 23-9 and win the Big West Conference Tournament championship.

Frost earned the honor all four years of her career and Collyer was twice selected on the All-Academic team.

— From staff reports