LOCAL NOTES

SWIMMING

UC Irvine opens its swimming season Friday and Saturday at the USC Invitational.

Anteater sophomore Kevin Olson, who finished fifth in 200-meter butterfly and seventh in the 1,650-meter butterfly at the Big West Conference finals last season, and junior Kawika Tarayao, formerly of Corona Del Mar High, who placed in three events at the championships in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter backstroke, are expected to compete.

Sophomore Sara Showalter, who attended University High, is expected to be among the top women on the West Coast in the individual medley and breaststroke. She led the Anteaters last season in the 200 and 400 individual medleys and the 100 and 200 breaststroke events. Katie Ishihara, a sophomore backstroke specialist formerly of Katella High, finished fifth in the Big West last season in the 200 backstroke.

WATER POLO

The UC Irvine men’s team moved up one spot to No. 2 in the nation in this week’s coaches’ top-20 poll. The Anteaters (10-3) have won four in a row, including a 10-9 overtime victory on Tuesday against Long Beach State, which is tied with USC for third in the nation. UCLA is the top-ranked team.

Irvine participates in the Northern California tournament in Stockton this weekend, facing UC Davis in a first-round game at 10:20 a.m. Saturday at Tokay High.

SAILING

UC Irvine sets sail on its 36th season of competition by hosting the Intercollegiate Sloop Pacific Coast Championships off the Balboa Pier Saturday and Sunday at noon. Joining the Anteaters in competition aboard Shields keelboats are expected to be teams from California, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Cal State Maritime Academy and College of Marin.

Irvine sailing teams have won six intercollegiate national championships and numerous Pacific Coast Championships. Forty-three Anteater sailors have earned All-America honors.

BADMINTON

Orange Coast College will add a badminton team to its athletic department this spring, expanding its number of teams to 24.

Barbara Bond, who coaches women’s soccer at OCC, will also coach the badminton program. She has already begun recruiting athletes and hopes to have 15 team members by spring, when the season begins. Todd Aubin will serve as Bond’s assistant.