SportsScope

The UCLA women’s track team, nipped by USC, 69-67, last week, is idle until the May 17 Pepsi Invitational at Drake Stadium.

Bruin sophomore Gail Devers was named athlete of the week in the Pac-West Conference after she scored 21 points in seven events against the Trojans. Devers won the 200 meters in a meet record and NCAA qualifying time of 23.38, and won the 100 (11.41), 100 hurdles (13.30) and the long jump with a personal best of 21-6 3/4. She also finished third in the triple jump (42-6 3/4) and helped the team to season bests in the 400 relay (44.73) and the 1,600 (3:33.48).

Against USC, freshman Choo Choo Knighten had her best meet as a Bruin, upsetting USC’s Gervaise McGraw in winning the 400 in a meet record and NCAA qualifying time of 52.26. She also finished third in the 200 and ran for the winning relay teams.

Bruin Polly Plumer won the 1,500 in a meet record of 9:29.68 and came back 45 minutes later to win the 3,000.

Pepperdine senior outside hitter Steve Friedman, who led the Waves to their second straight NCAA volleyball championship last week as Pepperdine downed USC in a five-game final, was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Other Waves named to the all-tourney team were juniors Matt Rigg, another outside hitter, and Rob Scott, a middle blocker.

The Waves finished the season with a 22-7 record for first-year Coach Rod Wilde, who was named to the post after Marv Dunphy was selected as coach of the U.S. Olympic team.

Besides Friedman, there were three other seniors on this year’s team: middle blockers Mark Arnold and Robert McNutt and outside hitter Ty Kastendiek.