COLLEGE NOTEBOOK / JIM LINDGREN : Anderson Runs to Rescue for PLNC

Jim Crakes, the Point Loma Nazarene track and field coach, found himself in a bit of bind recently when he learned that Shawndel Reddic was academically ineligible.

Reddic is the Golden State Athletic Conference champion in the triple jump and 100-meter hurdles and the runner-up in the high jump. Crakes had been counting on her points to help PLNC’s women win the NAIA District III championships early next month.

While Crakes discussed the problem with another coach, the potential solution was eavesdropping from across the room.

It was Shannon Anderson, the Crusaders’ All-Everything.

Anderson, a Crawford High graduate, is always willing to lend a hand . . . or a pair of legs, racket or jump shot. And she has agreed to help out Crakes, probably by running the 10,000- and 5,000-meters in the district meet.

Anderson is the Babe Didrikson of PLNC, having earned 10 letters in four sports for the Crusaders.

She played basketball for four years, earning All-District honors in each. She ran cross-country this fall after competing in track last spring for the first time. And she’s now finishing her fourth season of tennis, probably her third as an All-District player.

Naturally, her track and field specialty is the heptathlon--a combination of seven events--though Crakes said Anderson probably will be limited to the distance events since the heptathlon requires qualifying marks.

Furthermore, Anderson graduated last June with a degree in physical education and has been working on her teaching credential as a student teacher at Mission Bay High School this year.

“She’s a pretty amazing person,” Crakes said.

Anderson’s busy schedule is a carryover from high school, where she earned nine varsity letters before graduating in 1985. She was the player of the year in the City Central League in softball her senior year and a multiple all-league performer in softball, basketball and tennis.

Oh yes. Anderson was also on the yearbook staff at Crawford and played saxophone and violin.

“She was always into something,” said Elaine Anderson, her sister.

“The only thing I missed out on was sleep,” Anderson said. “Actually, I feel guilty about sleeping. I know the body needs it, but . . . “

Anderson is somewhat embarrassed to talk about her achievements and has turned down interviews in the past. But she said that now that she’s nearing the end of her competing days, she wanted to thank her family, coaches and teammates for all their help.

The University of San Diego will play host to the West Coast Conference men’s tennis championships Friday-Sunday. Pepperdine would have to be favored based on its No. 4 national ranking, but USD (21-4) is the defending champion and has not lost at home in over two years.

USD moved up four places in the most recent poll and is at No. 15.

Kirk Stackle, a graduate of Mt. Carmel High, won the 100-meter breaststroke at the NCAA swimming championships in Indianapolis. Stackle, swimming for Texas, also helped win the 400 medley relay and finished second in the 200 breast stroke.

The U.S. International women’s tennis team (15-10) had won four dual matches in a row and 10 of 11 before losing to No. 1-ranked Stanford Monday and No. 4 Cal Tuesday. The Gulls are ranked 20th.

USD’s Rick Doane, a first baseman and graduate of Clairemont High, is leading the Toreros in batting average (.345) and home runs (nine) and is second in runs batted in (33) and runs scored (32).

His home run total improved by three in an 8-7 victory over Pacific Lutheran last week. The third was in the bottom of the ninth with two on and USD trailing by two.