Torrance’s Blankinship Selected Division III Volleyball Player of Year

Torrance High senior Kim Blankinship, who led the Tartars to their first Southern Section girls’ volleyball title, has been named Division III player of the year by a coaches’ committee.

South Torrance Coach Guy Takashima, whose team finished second to Torrance in the Pioneer League before reaching the section final and the semifinals of the state tournament, was named Division III coach of the year.

Blankinship, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter, led Torrance in kills and helped the team to its best season ever. The Tartars won the Pioneer League title without losing a game and won the Division III championship with a 15-12, 15-9, 15-7 victory over South. Torrance (22-2) reached the second round of the Division I regional playoffs before losing to eventual state champion Corona Del Mar, 15-10, 6-15, 16-14, 17-15. Blankinship led all players in the match with 35 kills.

Five other South Bay players were named to the All-Division III team. Torrance setter Suzanne Radcliffe and middle blocker Vika Malu were named to the first team, as were South outside hitter Nicole Odom and middle blocker Stephanie Pfau. Torrance outside hitter Tami Bruchard was named to the second team.

Mira Costa’s Tate Medley was named to the All-Division I second team.

Defending champion Peninsula High is the top-seeded girls’ basketball team in the elite Gold Division of the 13th annual Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions starting Saturday.

Peninsula (1-2), the defending State Division I champion, will play Clovis West in the first round Saturday at 9 p.m. at Santa Barbara High. The 15-team Gold Division field also includes second-seeded Brea Olinda, third-seeded Poway and fourth-seeded Thousand Oaks.

The championship game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Santa Barbara High.

Morningside and St. Bernard will compete in the 15-team Green Division. In Saturday’s openers, St. Bernard plays Strathmore at 3:30 p.m. and Morningside meets Lompoc at 12:30 p.m. at San Marcos High.

The Green Division final is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Santa Barbara High.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s basketball team will play host to Biola in a nonconference game at 7:30 tonight in Carson.

It will be the second game between the teams this season. The Toros were defeated by the Eagles, 72-64, in their season opener Dec. 3 in La Mirada.

Dominguez Hills (3-3) has won two of its past three games. Biola is 4-3.

The Toros have been led by senior center Dionne Vanlandingham, who averages 16.7 points and 7.7 rebounds a game. Junior guard Karen Bonde averages 15.5 points and has a team-high 17 three-point baskets. Senior swingman Denise Slater averages 11.7 points and six rebounds.

Loyola Marymount men’s and women’s tennis Coach Jamie Sanchez will direct a tennis camp for children ages 8-16 Monday through Wednesday in El Segundo.

The camp hours will be from 9 a.m. to noon. Instructors will include coaches and players from Loyola and UCLA.

The cost is $55 a person and includes a cap. A family discount is also available.

The event is sponsored by the El Segundo Parks and Recreation Department.

Information: (310) 322-3842.

The 1993 Harbor College baseball school for children ages 8-17 will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 9-10 on the school’s baseball field.

The cost is $60 a person and includes a T-shirt and awards.

Pitching and batting fundamentals will be emphasized.

Information: Tony Bloomfield at (310) 522-8405 or (310) 493-7578.

Former Dodger pitching standout Larry Sherry and former San Diego State and Phoenix Suns basketball player Joel Kramer will be among the athletes and sports figures honored at the third Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame Dinner on Jan. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Westside Jewish Community Center in West Los Angeles.

Tickets are $100, which includes dinner and the induction ceremony.

Information: Eli Sherman at (213) 938-2531.

Registration is under way for the Inglewood Family YMCA’s basketball league for children in grades three through 12 .

The program, which starts in late January, will include games and instruction and will emphasize fundamentals. The deadline for entry is Jan. 16.

Information: Michael Solomon at (310) 671-7615.