Heinle Chosen Most Valuable Player of Big Sky

Senior center Brian Heinle of Cal State Northridge has been selected most valuable player of the Big Sky Conference by the conference’s nine basketball coaches.

Heinle, who leads the Big Sky in scoring with a 21.1 average, was the only unanimous pick to the 10-player all-conference team.

Other selections for Northridge, the regular-season Big Sky champion, were junior point guard Markus Carr and senior forward Jeff Parris. Carr and Heinle were the only repeat picks.

Northridge guard John Burrell was honorable mention.

Carr was selected Big Sky player of the week after leading the Matadors to victories at Eastern Washington and Portland State.

* Junior forward Mandi Carver of Idaho State has been selected Big Sky women’s most valuable player.

Northridge had no players chosen to the all-conference team, but three Matadors were honorable mention--LaShaunda Fowler, Monica Hernandez and Kristi Rose.

* Dustin Villepigue of Simi Valley High has been selected most valuable player of the Marmonte League.

Villepigue, a 6-foot-9 center who has committed to Gonzaga, averaged 23 points and 12.7 rebounds. He shot a school-record 70.2% from the field for the Pioneers (20-9).

* Andy Gavel has resigned after 16 seasons as coach of the Paraclete boys’ team. The Spirits were 173-188 under Gavel, including 7-15 last season.

Applications for the position will be accepted through March 16. Applicants can reach Athletic Director Margaret Neill at (661) 943-3255, Ext. 115.

CROSS-COUNTRY

* Natalie Stein of North Hollywood High, a two-time City Section champion, has committed to Michigan State.

Stein, who placed fifth in the state Division I final and eighth in the West region championships last year, also took recruiting trips to Vanderbilt, North Carolina and Texas. Her sister Robin is a junior at Michigan State.