Ex-Bronco Aide Bollwinkel Returns As Head Cage Coach

Former Cal Poly Pomona assistant basketball coach Dave Bollwinkel, an assistant at San Jose State for the last five years, has been named coach of the Broncos.

The 37-year-old Bollwinkel replaces George Fisher, who resigned after coaching the Broncos to a 32-51 record over three seasons. Pomona was 11-16 overall and 4-10 in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. last season.

Bollwinkel coached at Pomona for one year and at Oregon and Colorado State for two years each. He is regarded as an excellent recruiter and organizer.

“Dave is a known quantity,” said James Bell, Cal Poly vice president for student affairs. “We were pleased with his performance as an assistant coach here and believe he has further polished his skills.”

Bollwinkel was an assistant under Don Hogan during the 1977-78 season when the Broncos finished with a 14-12 overall record and were 7-3 in the CCAA. It was one of Pomona’s best marks in recent years.

The Cal Poly Pomona women’s softball team will try to wrap up a berth in the NCAA Division I playoffs when it plays its final four Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. games this weekend.

The Broncos, ranked No. 12 in the NCAA with a 40-18 record, will host San Jose State in a double-header at 1:30 p.m. Friday and Fresno State in a pair of games at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Pomona entered the week with a 20-9 record in the PCAA, half a game ahead of Long Beach State (19-9) in the race for third place. The top two teams are No. 1-ranked Cal State Fullerton and Fresno State.

The top three teams in the conference are expected to receive berths in the playoffs that start March 15. Teams will be announced Monday.

The Broncos did not help their postseason chances when they were swept by UCLA, 6-0 and 2-1, in non-conference games Monday in Westwood. But Pomona won six of eight games last week.

Pomona has been led by senior pitcher Rhonda Wheatley, who has a 33-16 record with 3 saves and an 0.47 earned-run average. Wheatley has compiled a NCAA-record 137 wins in four years. She has 55 losses and 2 ties.

Junior third baseman Betsy Burr is hitting .303 with 13 runs batted in. Other hitting leaders are center fielder Alison Stowell at .292, first baseman Kandi Burke at .283 and third baseman Dana Ramos at .277.

Burke, a junior from South Hills High in West Covina, is the team’s top power hitter with 5 home runs, 27 runs batted in, 12 doubles and 4 triples.

Cal Poly Pomona women’s tennis Coach Bob Gelfand, who guided the Broncos to their second California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title in four years, has been named conference coach of the year.

The Broncos finished third in NCAA Division II with a 6-3 victory over UC Davis on Tuesday at Cal State Northridge. Pomona, which lost to Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (5-4) in the semifinals Monday, was 19-10 overall and 11-1 in the CCAA.

Pomona placed its top five players on the All-CCAA team: sophomore Xenia Anastasiadou, seniors Chris Ryan, Debbie Jung and Mary Holycross and junior Pat Choomngern.

Edna Olivarez of Cal State Los Angeles, considered the top singles player in Division II, has been named the conference’s most valuable player. Olivarez, a sophomore from the Philippines, is competing in the Division II individual championships through Saturday at Cal State Northridge.

In men’s tennis, Pomona placed sophomore Chico Bonner on the All-CCAA squad. Bonner, a former Damien High standout, will compete in singles in the Division II championships that start Monday at Cal State Northridge. He will also compete in doubles with Dave Beck.

After winning the first Golden West Athletic Conference championship last week, the Azusa Pacific University baseball team has earned the top seed in the NAIA District III playoffs that start today at Azusa.

The Cougars, with a 31-19 record, will face Cal Baptist (16-23) at 2:30 p.m. At 11 a.m. Westmont (24-21) meets Southern California College (19-30).

The double-elimination tournament continues Friday and Saturday, if necessary. The winner will advance to the area playoffs next week at an undetermined site.