SCC Relay to Compete at NAIA Meet

Although it’s early in the season for Southern California College’s track and field team, the Vanguards will take only their second relay team to the NAIA indoor national championships in Lincoln, Neb., today through Saturday.

The SCC women’s 1,600-meter relay team--Isis Gonzalez, Aimee Buxman, Maribel Delgado and Autumn Puro--qualified by posting a time of 4 minutes 4.7 seconds Feb. 21 at the Pomona-Pitzer meet.

Gonzalez also qualified for the indoor nationals in the 200 with a time of 25.63 seconds at the Pomona-Pitzer meet. However, Gonzalez will concentrate on the relay.

“We finished seventh in the 3,200 relay in ‘96,” SCC Coach Bryan Wilkins said. “We’re hoping to crack the top six and make All-American.”

Also at the Pomona-Pitzer meet, high jumper Brian Carlson won his event, clearing 6 feet 8 inches. His brother, Kevin, holds the school record at 7-3.

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Top 25: The SCC women’s basketball team moved back into the NAIA national rankings, claiming the No. 25 slot. It is the second time in school history the Vanguards have been ranked.

SCC fell out of the top 25 after losing to Division III power UC San Diego.

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Honors and records: SCC forward Kristi Wright was named Golden State Athletic Conference player of the week, averaging 21 points, eight rebounds and three assists in two victories over Fresno Pacific and Concordia. SCC will be top-seeded for the GSAC tournament, which begins next week.

Concordia point guard Josh Giles scored a career-high 36 points and tied a school record for three-pointers in a game, making seven, in a 104-73 loss to Cal Baptist Tuesday. Giles made seven of 12 from three-point range. Concordia’s Tarik James made seven three-pointers against Point Loma Nazarene in the ‘95-96 season.

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Diamond notes: Rain postponed the beginning of Chapman’s softball season until last weekend, and the Panthers scored 16 runs in a doubleheader sweep of UC Riverside. Chapman’s Stephanie Carew, who led the nation in home runs last season, hit two homers in the doubleheader.

Concordia’s baseball team took advantage of seven errors and 10 walks to hand Chapman its first loss, 8-2, Feb. 18. Chad Smith hit his second home run in the victory for the Eagles.

Chapman followed that loss with a doubleheader split with UC San Diego. Chapman won the second game, 10-3, led by a grand slam by Robert O’Brien--who has 11 RBIs in the first seven games. Starter Rich Torres improved to 2-0, allowing one run in five innings.