Former Aztec Raye Among Charger Signees

Former San Diego State wide receiver Jimmy Raye was among five free agents signed by the Chargers on Thursday. The club also released two players.

Joining Raye, who played for the Rams last year, was wide receiver Keith McDonald, who has played three seasons in the NFL after attending San Jose State.

The other three free agents, all rookies, are linebacker Chris Collins (Southern Methodist), guard Donald Walkinshaw (Portland State) and cornerback Wayne Williams (Louisiana State).

Backup quarterback/punter Thomas Bolyard and wide receiver Amod Field were released.

Raye, 5-feet-9, 165 pounds, played quarterback and free safety at Irvine High before heading to SDSU in 1986. He practiced as a defensive back his first year, then switched to wide receiver and H-back.

During his junior year at SDSU, Raye caught 45 passes for 745 yards and four touchdowns and followed that with 62 catches for 697 yards and five touchdowns his senior season, 1990. He also was the Aztecs’ holder on placekicks.

In two games for the Rams, Raye had one catch for 19 yards and two kickoff returns for 57 yards.

Raye’s father, Jimmy, who was a quarterback at Michigan State, was an assistant coach for the Minnesota Vikings last year.

Charger Coach Bobby Ross will hold a three-day mini-camp beginning today at 10:15 a.m. at the San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium practice field. The camp, to include both veterans and rookies, is open to the public.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The University of San Diego unveiled its 1992-93 schedule, highlighted by its annual City Championship showdown with San Diego State, a trip to the Hawaii Tipoff Tournament, a December visit to UCLA and a Midwest trip to Southern Methodist and Oral Roberts after Christmas.

The Toreros open Dec. 1 at the San Diego Sports Arena against SDSU, then travel to Honolulu for the four-team Tipoff Tournament against a field of Hawaii, Tulsa and Cal State Long Beach. After a Dec. 10 game here against the non-Division I College of Notre Dame, the Toreros play at UCLA Dec. 12, then return home to play Colorado State the 19th and Cal State Hayward the 21st. On the 28th, they play at SMU, then continue on to Tulsa to face Oral Roberts on the 30th.

They open the new year at home, playing host to St. Peter’s on Jan. 2, followed by a rematch with Oral Roberts on the 5th.

West Coast Conference play begins Jan. 9 at Santa Clara and continues through Feb. 27. The Toreros finish the regular season March 2 at Cal State Northridge before the WCC Tournament begins March 6 in San Francisco.

Under rules recently passed by the NCAA, practice next season begins Nov. 1 (instead of Oct. 15) and the season can’t begin until Dec. 1, except for exempt tournaments.