SPORTS BRIEFS : 20 Former 49er Football Players Sign at Other Schools

Twenty former Cal State Long Beach football players have signed to play at other schools next season.

They are offensive lineman Xzavia Atkins, running back Troy Thompson and defensive tackle Jermaine Williams, Louisville; punter Philip Essner and wide receiver Andre Green, Eastern Michigan; defensive lineman Dan Ledieff and offensive lineman Russell Robertson, Nevada; defensive lineman Bascom Mellon and quarterback Tyson Stull, New Mexico; offensive lineman Joe Smigiel and defensive lineman Chris Stetz, Arizona; running back Terrell Davis, Georgia; defensive back Bryan Duplesis, New Mexico State; offensive lineman Shane Hudson, Oklahoma State; defensive back Shawn Lawson, Baylor; quarterback Mike McCoy, Utah; offensive lineman Dan Weldon, Pacific; defensive back Chad Wilson, Miami; tight end Jeff Williamson, Cal State Fullerton, and linebacker Derrick Davis, Idaho.

Because Long Beach dropped its football program, none of the players will be required to sit out a year.

Long Beach players scored a rare double last week when they had a hand in Big West Conference player-of-the-week awards.

The men’s winner was Bryon Russell, a 6-foot-7 forward who scored 47 points, grabbed 23 rebounds and had six assists as the 49ers (10-5 overall, 4-2 in league play) defeated Fresno State, 80-72, and Utah State, 87-72.

Senior guard Trise Jackson, who averaged 21.7 points as the 49ers (11-3, 5-0) won three conference games, shared the women’s award with Cal State Fullerton’s Claudette Jackson.

Cerritos College volleyball Coach Jeanine Prindle has been appointed interim dean of health, physical education and recreation as well as interim athletic director at the school.

She replaces Richard Juliano, who retired Dec. 31. Prindle, a former student at Cerritos, was the women’s basketball coach from 1979 to 1983. She has coached volleyball for the last 16 years.

Her volleyball teams have a 210-81 record and have won five South Coast Conference championships.

Alex Henderson has resigned as football coach at Rio Hondo College, said Dean of Physical Education Eliie Bewley.

Henderson, who cited personal reasons for stepping down, was 2-18 in two seasons.

Three Bellflower youth football teams have been honored by the City Council for winning divisional championships in Orange County Junior All-American Football.

The Mavericks, coached by Paul Garrison, defeated Paramount, 38-27, in the Clinic Division title game to complete a 12-0 season.

Coach Dan Underwood led the Broncos to the Pee Wee championship and an 11-1 record. The Broncos defeated the Carson Bulls, 28-0, in the title game.

The Colts, coached by Mike Carpenter, repeated as Midget Division champions and extended their winning streak to 24 games with a 21-14 victory over the Garden Grove Rams.

Long Beach opens its baseball season Feb. 3 by playing host to Loyola Marymount at 2 p.m.

On Feb. 4, the 49ers play at Chapman College, followed by a three-game series against St. Mary’s Feb. 7-8.

Long Beach is ranked as high as fifth in preseason polls.

The Cerritos men’s basketball team is ranked No. 1 among community college teams in the state. Long Beach City College is No. 5.