Hood’s Situation Could Affect Irvine’s Recruiting Plans

UC Irvine men’s basketball Coach Pat Douglass wouldn’t come right out and say it, but many of his players believe that junior guard Mike Hood will ask for a medical redshirt.

Hood, a transfer from Southern Idaho Community College, has played in three games and has made one of five field-goal attempts.

Douglass said Hood has been bothered by sore knees, a condition that apparently has plagued him for much of his career. Douglass would not say whether he or his staff knew about the affliction before signing Hood last spring, but acknowledged that Hood has had the problem for some time.

“Right now, he’s out indefinitely,” Douglass said.

Hood, who did not play in the Anteaters’ 65-60 loss to UCLA on Saturday, would become the team’s third redshirt. Matt Okoro, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward formerly of Buena Park High, and Colgate transfer Jordan Harris, a 6-5 junior forward, are the others.

If Hood retains two years of eligibility, it could affect the way Irvine recruits. The Anteaters lose senior point guard Malachi Edmond, but have signed guards DeVaughn Peace of Torrance Bishop Montgomery High and Ross Schraeder of Denver East High. Schraeder has said he believes he will redshirt next season.

NCAA rules prohibit coaches from talking about potential recruits before they are signed, but the Anteaters need to find a ball-handling swingman like Ocean View’s Torin Beeler, who visited Irvine this fall, and someone to fill the power-forward slot that will be vacated by senior Ben Jones.

SABO MOVES UP

Megan Sabo completed her junior season with the Cal State Fullerton women’s volleyball team ranked third in kills and second in digs among the Titans’ career leaders.

Sabo, who played at Mater Dei, has 1,069 kills. Susan Herman holds the Titan career record with 1,534 from 1986 to ’89.

Sabo’s 919 career digs rank behind Stephanie Scofield’s 1,393 from 1988-91.

“She had a fabulous year,” Titan Coach Mary Ellen Murchison said. “She’s going to get better and better. She was one of the best left-side hitters in the [Big West] conference.”

Sabo led the Titans with averages of 4.04 kills and 3.82 digs this past season. She was chosen to the All-Big West second team.

The Titans finished the season with a 9-20 record, 3-13 in the conference.

TITANS ADD PITCHER

The Cal State Fullerton baseball team has added another pitcher to its roster before the start of preseason practice Jan. 2.

Randy Tymchak will join the Titans after pitching at El Camino College last season. He was at Baylor for one season before transferring.

“He had to take one more class at El Camino this fall to satisfy our entrance requirements,” Titan assistant coach Dave Serrano said. “He’ll give us another quality pitcher for the coming season.”

NOTABLE

UCI is 8-21 in men’s basketball against Pacific 10 opponents, 2-3 versus UCLA. . . . The Concordia men’s basketball team (5-3) has won five straight games. . . . Several UC Irvine swimmers turned in season bests at last week’s dual meet with visiting Cal Baptist. They include Michael McKeehan in the men’s 200-yard backstroke (2:00.77), James Sutandyo in the men’s 1,000-yard freestyle (9:58.26), Jayme Yahr in the women’s 200-yard freestyle (1:58.27), Emily Mullen in the women’s 200-yard butterfly (2:13.03) and Jennifer Hurckes in the women’s 100-yard freestyle (55.51). . . . Sara Struhs, a junior midfielder for the Chapman women’s soccer team, was chosen to the National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America second team, the first time in 10 years a Panther has been honored. Chapman also landed five players on the All-West Region team, most in school history. Struhs and senior defender Lehua Simmons were first-team selections. Senior defender Kristie Hoback, senior goalie Kim Rudloff and junior forward Hannah Moore were second-team choices. Chapman (17-5) went to the round of 16 in the Division III playoffs.

Staff writer Lon Eubanks contributed to this story.