Loyola Names Boyd-Wright as Assistant Women’s Coach

Shannon Boyd-Wright, a four-year letter winner at Pepperdine and an assistant at Cal State Northridge last season, has joined the Loyola Marymount women’s basketball staff as a full-time assistant.

Boyd-Wright, 25, was a team captain at Pepperdine, a three-year starter at guard and twice named team defensive player of the year. She graduated in 1988 with a degree in nutritional sciences. Her main responsibilities with be in working with the backcourt. She replaces Brett Marches, who left the staff after one season.

Coach Todd Corman’s staff will be filled out by Lynn Flanagan, who will begin her first season as a graduate assistant. She played for the Lions last season and finished her career as the school’s career-scoring leader among women.

Ricardo Aburto has been named women’s soccer coach at Harbor College and is seeking players for the fall season.

Aburto, a Redondo Beach resident and a graduate of Redondo High and UC Santa Barbara, has coached the Torrance United Youth Club to state and national titles. He also serves on the board of the South Bay American Youth Soccer Organization and plays in a South Bay adult league. He will be assisted by Jack Daugherty, who is commissioner of Manhattan Beach AYSO, and Rudy Echeverria, who also plays in a South Bay adult league and is a veteran youth soccer coach.

Practices are held from 2 to 4 p.m. daily at Harbor’s softball field. The team, which competes in the Western State Conference, plays its first exhibition Sept. 10. It will open the season by playing host to Cypress College at 3 p.m. on Sept. 17. Information: (213) 518-1000, ext. 359, or (213) 374-8837.

The Galleria at South Bay will be the site for the Reebok National Aerobic Championship today through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the first level.

The event will feature competition for men and women and will qualify individuals, mixed pairs and three-member teams for the Southwest regionals of the national finals. The current national aerobic champions will also perform their routines throughout the weekend at the Redondo Beach mall. Information: (213) 371-7546.

Kelcie Banks will fight Fidel Avendano in the final of a lightweight tournament on Monday at the Forum.

Banks, a former world amateur champion, is 18-1-1 with 11 knockouts. Avendano is 31-1 with 21 knockouts. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds.

In a scheduled 12-round co-feature for the International Boxing Council continental super bantamweight title, Rudy Zavala opposes Virgilio Openio. Zavala is 11-0 with nine knockouts and Openio is 17-2-4 with nine knockouts.

The card begins at 7 p.m.