COLLEGES / IRENE GARCIA : Coach Goes to Aid of War Victims

Peter Novakovic, Loyola Marymount’s energetic men’s and women’s soccer coach, has seen firsthand the victims of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Novakovic, 32, a Croatian-American, spent about three months as a volunteer for a program that has brought 21 war victims to the U.S. for medical treatment.

Novakovic traveled to hospitals throughout Southern California to translate for patients and American doctors.

The United Nations determined who was most in need of medical attention and patients were driven through sniper fire to U.S. military transport planes that brought them to America.

“I saw the horrors of war,” Novakovic said. “Those were pictures and things you see on television. You can’t even describe it.”

One of Novakovic’s cases involved a 38-year-old man who had a severe larynx injury and both legs amputated.

“He was a utility worker who was just trying to restore electrical power and he was hit with shelling,” Novakovic said.

Most victims had limbs amputated and one, a young girl, lost vision in an eye in a grenade blast. All of the victims remain in the Southland with host families while recovering.

Novakovic volunteered two to three times a week and anywhere from one to four hours each day. He keeps in touch with many of the patients.

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Novakovic, a full-time investment banker with Charles Schwab in Century City, also does a weekly segment for a Croatian news and culture show broadcast at 1 p.m. Saturday on KTYM-1460.

During soccer season, Novakovic gets up at 4:45 a.m. to get to his Century City office by 5:30. He leaves work at 1:30 p.m. to start practice at 2 at Loyola.

In a couple of months, his wife, Helene, is due to have the couple’s first child.

“As my wife will put it, she thinks I will keel over and die before the child comes,” Novakovic said, laughing. “My wife looks at me in amazement and frustration every time I come home.”

Novakovic saw his work pay off at last weekend’s Cleveland Classic. The Loyola men’s team beat Central Michigan, 3-2, for its first victory against a Division I opponent since 1989.

Forward Dannel Christian was named to the tournament team and became the first Lion soccer player to be named West Coast Conference player of the week. The senior from Hawaii scored three goals and had an assist at Cleveland.

Christian also became Loyola’s career goal (14) and total points (32) leader.

“We’re in the toughest conference in the nation,” Novakovic said. “Santa Clara has two NCAA championships and we have teams like Portland and San Diego, so for us to have a player of the week is phenomenal.”

The Lions are in last place in the WCC with a 2-6 record. Loyola is at a disadvantage because unlike most teams in the conference, soccer isn’t a fully funded program. The Lions have only 2 1/2 scholarships compared to 10 for fully funded teams.

“I’ve been here when we’ve gone 0-20,” Novakovic said. “I definitely think this program is on an upswing. I’m here to build and solidify and make this a nationally ranked program. I’m going to stay here to see that through.”

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In recent years, the Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s soccer program has lived in the shadow of the successful women’s program, but this season the men are getting their share of notoriety.

The Toros broke into the NCAA Division II top 20 last month at No. 19, but dropped out last week.

But Dominguez Hills impressed voters in a 3-1 loss to UCLA, the fourth-ranked team in Division I, on Saturday at Westwood. The Toros (5-2) are 16th this week.

Dominguez Hills beat defending California Collegiate Athletic Assn. champion Cal State L.A., 3-0, in a league opener Wednesday.

Senior forward Masahiro Fujiki leads the team with 13 points and six goals. Sophomore goalkeeper Kevin Hartman (Peninsula High) is the CCAA’s third-ranked goalkeeper.

Notes

Loyola Marymount junior setter Robin Ortgiesen is on track to break the West Coast Conference career assist record of 4,304 held by St. Mary’s Tracie Hajdukovich. Ortgiesen, a Mira Costa High graduate, is fifth among career assist leaders with 3,790. She leads the league with 617 assists this season. . . . Freshman Heather Farr, who scored Loyola’s first goal as a Division I soccer program, underwent reconstructive knee surgery last week and is lost for the season.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s volleyball team has already won as many games as it did in 1992. The Toros are 7-11 after defeating Azusa Pacific on Tuesday. Last year Dominguez Hills finished 7-29. . . . Dominguez Hills middle blocker Evonne Caouette is second on the school’s career kill list with 672. The record is held by Gale Derricott (708). Caouette, a 5-foot-10 senior, is on pace to become the first Toro to get 100 blocks in a season. She has 72. . . . Loyola’s newly formed athletic support organization will stage a dinner and auction Oct. 9 at the LAX Westin Hotel. Times sports editor Bill Dwyre will be the guest of honor. Information: (310) 338-4513.