COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Erin Alexander has been hired as an assistant women’s basketball coach at UC Irvine.

Alexander, a four-time All-Big West Conference selection at UC Santa Barbara, played for the Sparks and Utah Starzz in the WNBA last season. She was the Big West Conference’s player of the year while with the Gauchos in 1997.

NEWSMAKERS LUNCHEON

* Darren and Jenny Wood, a husband-and-wife triathlon team, will be the featured speakers at the Sports Newsmakers Luncheon today at the Arrowhead Pond.

The Woods are part of the Bally Total Fitness U.S. Triathlon Series, which consists of a 12-race schedule that runs through Oct. 10. The competition includes both Olympic and sprint-distance events in swimming, bicycling and running.

The luncheon begins at noon and is open to the public. Tickets are $20 at the door. Reservations are suggested and can be made by calling (714) 758-0222.

WRESTLING

* Northwood High Athletic Director Rick Curtis announced the hiring of Scott Akins as wrestling coach. Akins will also serve as an assistant for both football and track and field. He has coached wrestling at Foothill the past seven seasons.

BASEBALL

* Cal State Fullerton’s Adam Johnson, who suffered a 9-2 loss to Stanford in a first-round game of the College World Series Saturday, has been invited, along with Texas pitcher Phil Seibel (Servite) to try out for a position on the 1999 USA Baseball national team.

Johnson (10-4) is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound sophomore right-hander from San Diego. He was a Collegiate Baseball All-American after recording eight saves in 1998. Seibel, who grew up in Cypress, is a 6-1, 185-pound left-hander. He had five victories and four saves this year, earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors.

Forty-one players have been invited to try out for 22 roster spots. The team will play 33 games, primarily against international competition, across the United States this summer, but none in Southern California. Its season will end Aug. 3-17 in the 65th NBC World Series in Wichita, Kan.

* Senior first baseman Matt Kustura of Mission Viejo, a second-team all-county choice, has signed with Point Loma Nazarene, Diablos Coach Chris Ashbach said. Kustura batted .513 with 10 home runs and 28 runs batted in.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

* Fullerton and El Modena have hired girls’ soccer coaches.The Indians promoted former Mexican national team member Narciso Barquin from the girls’ junior varsity team to the varsity head coaching position, according to Athletic Director Julian Smilowitz. The Vanguards hired Craig Bennett, currently trainer at Chapman and a former Chapman goalkeeper, said Athletic Director Alan Clinton.

TABLE TENNIS

* Yinghua Cheng of Maryland, No. 1 in the nation in men’s over-40 singles, used his victory at last weekend’s Meiklejohn National Senior event in Laguna Woods as a tune up for this weekend Open National, which begins Thursday in Florida.

Cheng swept to victory at Laguna Woods, downing New Yorker Hui Yun Liu in three straight games in their best-of-five final. Ranked among the top two dozen players in the world, Cheng will face some stiff international competition at the Open National, which attracts most of the best players in the world.

Harry Bloom of Laguna Woods, who began playing table tennis when he was 65, won his third National Senior title in the over-80 category, beating neighbor Herb Gilbert in the final.