Briefs: VU’s Lamunu repeats

Vanguard University senior Claire Lamunu has been named Golden State Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women’s basketball for the second straight time.

Lamunu, a 6-foot-1 post player, averaged 27 points, 16.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.5 blocked shots, while shooting 60% from the field in a pair of wins last week.

Lamunu has produced 16 double-doubles in 18 games, including each of the last nine games. She entered the week leading the NAIA in scoring 24.2 per game and was second in rebounding (14.1).

With a 110-29 win over Saint Katherine on Jan. 11 and a 66-46 GSAC triumph at Arizona Christian on Saturday, Vanguard, now ranked No. 5 in the NAIA, improved to 16-1, 4-0 in conference).

— From staff reports

Seidemann a UCI volunteer assistant

Two-time Olympic gold medalist, Melissa Seidemann, has been added to the UC Irvine women’s water polo coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach, head coach Dan Klatt announced Wednesday.

“We are extremely fortunate to have Melissa as part of the UC Irvine coaching staff,” Klatt said. “Her experiences as an athlete at the highest levels of water polo give her unparalleled knowledge that will enhance the tactical and technical development of the UC Irvine student-athletes.”

Seidemann was a member of the U.S. national team that won back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 2012 and 2016. As a member of the national team, she also won two FINA World Cups (2010 and 2014), the 2015 FINA World Championship, two Pan American Games (2011 and 2015) and six FINA World League Super Finals (2010-12, 2014-16).

“More exciting than the impact Melissa will have on the student-athletes performance in the pool is the example she provides on a daily basis as a strong independent woman with exceptional character,” Klatt said.

She played professionally for Club Natacio Sabadell in Spain from 2013-2014.

A defender, Seidemann graduated from Stanford in 2013 after a decorated collegiate career. In her first year with the Cardinal, she was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Newcomer of the Year as well as first-team All-MPSF and a member of the All-Freshman team. As a senior, she received the 2013 Peter J. Cutino Award given annually to the best male and female water polo player. Seidemann finished her career with four ACWPC first-team All-American honors, a NCAA championship in 2011, and 239 goals which is tied for first all-time at Stanford.

Seidemann will join her sister Natalie who is a junior on the squad.

— From staff reports

UCI boosts radio profile

The UC Irvine men’s basketball team will have nine remaining regular-season games, as well as postseason contests, broadcast on AM830 KLAA, which began Wednesday at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

UCI announced Monday it had reached an agreement with the Los Angeles-based flagship station for Angels baseball and Anaheim Ducks hockey.

The 50,000-watt station also carries a variety of weekly sports programming including Mike & Mike in the morning, the Rich Eisen Show, the Sports Lodge with Roger Lodge, and ESPN sports programming.

The new commercial radio home for UCI men’s basketball, AM830 will carry all regular-season home and away contests that do not conflict with existing Angels or Ducks broadcasts.

UCI (12-9, 5-0 in the Big West Conference) has advanced to postseason tournaments each of the last four seasons and has been Big West Conference regular-season champion two of the past three years. The Anteaters have won 93 games in the past four seasons.

— From staff reports