Best of the Broncos: highlights from 2008-2009 sports year
By Margo Consul, Jackson Morgus, Nick Pinkerton and Gabe Taylor
Fall Sports
Volleyball
The No. 25 Broncos finished the season 18-10 overall and 8-6 in the West Coast Conference. Appearing in their 11th straight NCAA tournament, Santa Clara pulled off a thrilling upset of No. 13 Kansas State before losing to 2006 National Champion University of Washington. Head coach Jon Wallace became the third coach in WCC volleyball history to reach 100 league wins with the Broncos 3-2 win over Pepperdine. Senior Anna Cmaylo became the fifth athlete in Santa Clara history to earn All American honors three times.
Men's Soccer
The men's soccer team finished the 2008 season 4-9-7 overall and 2-5-5 in WCC play. An overtime win over Portland marked the high point for the Broncos this season. Senior captain Jide Ogunbiyi was named to the All-WCC First Team and was drafted 18th overall by the New York Red Bulls in the MLS draft. Four other Broncos earned WCC honors. Freshman Connor Mitchell led the team in points with 9, including 3 goals.
Women's Soccer
The season outcome for the women's soccer team, a 4-12-4 record, did not match their No. 22 national ranking. Junior captain Katherine Reynolds was named All-WCC First Team. She led Santa Clara in points with 10, including 3 goals and 4 assists. Reynolds was also selected to the United States U-23 National Team. Kendra Perry, Maxine Goynes, Meagan McCray, Hayley Siegel, Margueritte Aozasa, and Bianca Henninger all received WCC honors.
Men's Water Polo
Santa Clara finished ranked No. 15 nationally and placed fourth in the Western Water Polo Association. They finished 16-13 overall and 10-6 in the WWPA. In the WWPA tournament, the Broncos beat University of Redlands but fell to No. 11 UC Davis 8-6. Redshirt junior Jack Wall was named to the WWPA First Team. Junior Liam Farrell, redshirt senior Chris Parolin, and freshman James Case also received WWPA honors. Santa Clara beat UC Davis for the first time in five seasons on September 28.
Cross Country
At the NCAA West Regional, the women's team placed 19th and the men's team placed tied for 21st. Senior Veronica Vazquez's time of 21:36.62 was the second best placement ever for a Santa Clara women's runner. Sophomore Robert Reid set the pace for the men's team. Both teams were honored as 2008 NCAA Division I U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic teams.
Winter Sports
Men's Basketball
Santa Clara finished 16-17 overall and 7-7 in the WCC in head coach Kerry Keating's second year. Their season ended in the conference semi-finals when they were routed by Gonzaga 94-59. The Broncos had hoped to avenge a 81-73 home loss against their hated rival, a game that was affected by unsportsmanlike fan behavior. WCC Player of the Year John Bryant led the nation with six games of at least 20 points and 20 rebounds, total rebounds, and double-doubles. Freshman Kevin Foster, James Rahon, and Mark Trasolini broke or tied 10 Santa Clara records.
Women's Basketball
The Broncos won just four games overall, their first win coming during their last home game of the season. They steamrolled St. Mary's in the first round of the WCC tournament 82-55 but lost in the quarterfinals to Loyola Marymount 71-60. Senior bioengineering major Elizabeth Doran was named to ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII First Team and Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Women's Scholar-Athlete Team. Sophomore Lena Gipson led the team in scoring at 13.6 points per game and rebounds per game with 9.9.
Women's Water Polo
The women's water polo team made it to the final round of the WWPA for the first time in the program's history. Santa Clara beat No. 6 seed Colorado State 8-5 and No. 2 seed CSU Bakersfield 10-9 to make it the championship match, where they fell 8-4 to seven-time WWPA Champion, the No. 11 Loyola Marymount Lions. Three players were named to WWPA All-Tournament teams: senior Claire Linney, senior Amy Lamb, and junior Meg Zimmerman.
Men's Tennis
Despite finishing last in the WCC this season, three Santa Clara men's tennis players were named to the All-WCC Men's Tennis Team. The Broncos ended the regular season with a team record of 4-11 and were winless in four conference matches . Senior Kenzo Hirakawa-Wong led the team with a 11-8 record. Hirakawa-Wong, junior Jay Wong, and freshman Kyle Danden received All-WCC honors.
Women's Tennis
The women's tennis team finished seventh in the WCC, with a conference record of 2-3 and an overall 8-10 record. Throughout all the ups-and-downs, senior Stephanie Galainena, junior Ashley Pane, and freshmen Kacie Wagner and Kimmi Cox sparked the team, earning them All-WCC Honorable Mention. They will look to take their young team and build for the future.
Spring Sports
Men's Golf
Despite an up and down season, the Men's Golf Team finished fifth at the WCC Championships. All-WCC First Team freshman Cory Mehl turned in his best performance of the season at the WCC Championships, shooting 3-under par to finish 4th in the field. Junior Jimmy Cacho earned All-WCC Honorable Mention, turning in three top-10 finishes on the season.
Women's Golf
It was a historic season for the Santa Clara women's golf team. Sophomore Miki Ueoka made Bronco history as the first Santa Clara women's golfer to compete in the Women's D-1 NCAA Regional Tournament. Ueoka made All-WCC First Team, and freshmen Meghan Kari and Tammy Surtees were named Honorable Mention. The team turned in a respectable third place finish at the WCC championships.Head coach Polly Schulze's squad finished tied for first at the Bronco Fall Invitational and won the Sacramento State Invitational.
Men's Crew
Men's crew won the Open Four and the Lightweight Four at the Pacific Coast Rowing Championships. Their Second Varsity Eight boat won the Petite Finals at the Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association Championships.
Women's Crew
The women's crew team also had its moments of success this season. At the WIRA Championships, the Novice Eight boat placed second, and the Lightweight Eight boat placed third. Senior Heather Lynch was named to the All-WCC Rowing Team.
Track and Field:
Senior Whitney Porter won the 5000m event at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a time of 17:35.42. Sophomore Kazimir Brown finished in 4th place with a time of 12.19 in the 100m finals at the Brutus Hamilton Invitational. Sophomore Robbie Reid led the men, shattering the school 1500m record with a time of 3.54.16.
Baseball
The baseball finished 19-34 overall and last place in WCC play at 6-15. The Broncos offense was anchored by junior Geoff Klein , who led the starting lineup with a .379 batting average and 56 runs batted in. Junior Nate Garcia led all starting pitchers with a 7-5 record and a 4.33 earned run average. Klein earned All-WCC First Team honors, and four other players earned WCC honors as well. Star catcher and All-American Tommy Medica was hampered by a shoulder injury, keeping him out of the lineup for 44 games. Klein replaced Medica behind the plate.
Softball
Santa Clara softball finished last in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference at 1-19 and 6-49 overall. Freshman outfielder Briana Knight led all batters with a .261 average and 6 home runs in head coach Lisa Mize's first full year. Knight and junior infielder Megan Smith were awarded 2009 All-PCSC Honorable Mention. Team captain Noelani Ho'opi'i missed a month of play with a fractured finger.
Contact the sports staff at (408) 551-1918 or sports@thesantaclara.com.
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