Northridge Stays Home in Stocking Its Program : College recruiting: Early signing period begins with commitments from Chatsworth volleyball player and Simi Valley third baseman.

Placing a bit of the future in the hands of athletes with more potential than renown, the Northridge athletic program welcomed two more recruits into the fold on the first day of the NCAA early signing period.

Gene Urcan, a third-team All-City Section volleyball player for Chatsworth High last season, and Tyler Nelson, an unheralded baseball player at Simi Valley High, both accepted scholarship offers Wednesday, the first day high school seniors can sign a letter of intent.

Urcan is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound middle blocker, and Nelson is a 6-2, 185-pound third baseman. Urcan’s specialty is blocking, Nelson’s is hitting. But two common threads led them to Northridge--a chance to attend a school close to home and a belief in the coach who recruited them.

“I’ve talked to a lot of coaches, but I like the way (CSUN Coach) John Price runs his program. I just like the way he is,” Urcan said. “That and it’s a lot better when you have your friends there watching you play. It’s an added confidence boost.”

Urcan helped Chatsworth reach the City 4-A final last season but it was his play for a local club team last summer that caught Price’s attention.

“He’s a good athlete who moves well. He has all the qualities of a big-time player,” Price said. “He’s a great catch for us.”

And yet another local one. Of the 16 players on the CSUN practice roster, 12 are from area schools--including all six probable starters.

“Our goal all along was to get the top local guys and I think Gene should be one of the best players out there this year,” Price said.

Nelson, a right-handed hitter who batted .343 for Simi Valley last season, is projected as a power hitter by CSUN Coach Bill Kernen.

“He can hit and I think he’s going to develop some power for us,” Kernen said.

Nelson will play third base for Simi Valley this spring, but he can also catch and play first base.

Nelson joins pitcher-first baseman Scott Sharts and utility player Andy Hodgins as Simi Valley High products on the Matador roster.