BRIEFLY

Buttitta Named Voice of Pepperdine Basketball

Joe Buttitta, a former baseball player and sports information director at Cal State Northridge, will be the play-by-play announcer for Pepperdine University’s men’s basketball radio broadcasts, the school reported Tuesday.

The former California Angels and KTLA broadcaster will work at least 26 games under Pepperdine’s contract with KWNK-AM (670) of Simi Valley. More games will be added to the package if the Waves advance to postseason play.

The stint will be Buttitta’s second at Pepperdine. He previously broadcast men’s basketball during the mid-1970s.

Buttitta will work without a color commentator at home games. Pepperdine sports information director Mike Zapolski will provide color on the road.

Al Epstein, who worked with KWNK sports director Randy Rosenbloom on high school baseball broadcasts last spring, will be the studio host in the broadcast package. He will provide pregame, halftime and postgame segments.

Broadcasts begin Nov. 22 when the Waves play Kansas in the opening round of the Big Apple Tournament, a preseason National Invitation Tournament series, in Denver.

Valley Golfers Qualify for U.S. Mid-Amateur

Mitch Voges is on the road to recovery.

He’s also on his way to Indian Wells, near Palm Springs, after qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur golf championship Monday at Calabasas Park Country Club.

The Northridge resident, who had been out of golf for nine months, tied for a medal with a two-under par 70.

Voges, 35, was one of five golfers--including Thomas Thornton of Agoura, who shot a 72--to qualify from a field of 122. The national championship will be held Nov. 9-14 at the Vintage Club in Indian Wells. The mid-amateur division is for golfers aged 25 to 55.

Voges first qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur three years ago by winning the qualifying tournament.

“I’m on my way back,” said Voges, a former professional golfer who returned to the game in May after undergoing back surgery last October.

For Voges, the benefits of successful back surgery included more than just qualifying for the tournament.

“I could have done without playing golf again,” he said. “But I couldn’t have done without playing with my children, and I can do that again now.”

Nikchevich Transfers to Loyola Marymount

Chris Nikchevich, a three-year starter at Brigham Young, has transferred to Loyola Marymount.

The Crespi High graduate will sit out this year before completing his senior season for Lions Coach Paul Westhead in 1986-87.

A two-time all-Southern Section selection at Crespi, Nikchevich (6-2, 175) averaged almost eight points a game as a point guard last season.

He joins former Crespi players Hunter Knapp and Mike Yoest in the Loyola program.