Cal Poly Pomona Athletics

So it was off to Cerritos, one of the state's top community college programs. There he had 52 goals, including a state-leading 27 his sophomore year which helped land him national player of the year honors.

As a junior last year at Cal Poly, Gonzalez led the CCAA, one of the top conferences in the country, in points (33). He also was second in goals (12) and assists (9).

The highlight of the season was a game against Cal State East Bay on Oct. 24 in which Gonzalez had a conference-record 10 points on four goals and two assists. That broke the mark of nine points shared by two players, one of those by teammate Tyler Reinhart in 2009.

The record almost didn't happen though. There were about 20 minutes left and the Broncos were ahead 6-0 when Thompson decided to substitute for Gonzalez. While waiting for a stoppage in play another player went down with an injury. That altered the game plan.

"At that point I had to leave him in because if I didn't we would have been playing a man short," Thompson said. "We had just had several injuries in the course of that game."

Gonzalez got a goal after that to put himself in the conference record books.

He also became just the second Cal Poly player in school history to earn NCAA Division II All-American honors, the other being Thompson's top assistant, Trevor Persson.

It marked the third time Gonzalez had earned All-American honors, the first two coming at Cerritos. One of his goals is to earn that accolade again this season, making for a four-year sweep.

"I think that would be a great accomplishment," he said after a morning practice at Kellogg Field. "I don't know of many players who have done that."

Those around him are not surprised he continues to build on what he did the year before.

"He's the type of player who is very dedicated to his work," Reyes said. "Every year he is out there pushing to get better. Not only is he trying to get better, he is helping the rest of us get better. That's what makes him unique."

All know Gonzalez is likely to draw more attention from defenders this season. But Thompson thinks he has plenty of offensive firepower throughout the lineup with seniors Jonathan Enns and Boris Beta and junior Abraham Gonzalez also among the team's capable goal scorers.

Barring injury most aren't counting on a slip in production from their key player.

"I don't think it's going to matter," Reyes said. "He always finds a way. He's smart and he's fast and you know he is going to score."

"Probably the first two weeks he was yelling at me, telling me to run harder for balls," Taijeron said. "It was a good thing.

"It was constructive criticism."

Betten said Taijeron's raw talent is obvious, including the ability to hit for power and average and cover the outfield, but he also "brings a lot of variables to the table." The coach pointed to a pair of road games - against Cal State Stanislaus in March and Cal State San Bernardino in April - in which Taijeron homered in the ninth inning to give the Broncos a win.

"You'd see time after time he'd come up to the plate in a big situation and he'd at least give us a quality at-bat," Betten said.

For a player from the Division II school to be drafted is not rare, at least recently. Cal Poly pitcher Brad Wilson was drafted in the 33rd round by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 and pitcher Josh Krist went in the 39th round to the Seattle Mariners in 2010.

Taijeron had a good pedigree coming out of Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, which won a CIF championship his senior year of 2007. His father, Manuel, put a batting cage and workout equipment in their backyard to help hone his son's game.

But Taijeron was not drafted and went the junior college route - he spent one year at Grossmont College and another at Southwestern - before transferring to Cal Poly in 2010.

"I just don't think he was given the opportunity," said Betten, who spent the last six years as an assistant coach at UC Riverside. "But his talent is comparable (to a Division I player). Are there some issues with his game? Of course, that's why they're at the college level. Otherwise they'd get drafted out of high school and play in the major leagues."

Taijeron said he had not received a contract offer as of Wednesday afternoon, but his name figures to be on a dotted line soon.

When the next opportunity comes, Taijeron's work ethic will not change.

"I can get a lot better than I am now," he said. "I'm going to keep moving forward and get better."

The school didn't have the time to do a thorough search after Davis resigned, so Bishop, a resident of Corona, was brought in on an interim basis in August.

Before joining the Cal Poly fold, Bishop had two head coaching stints. In her eight seasons as a head coach, four at Azusa Pacific (2003-07), three at Cal Baptist (2007-10) and her first one with the Broncos, the Manteca native owns an overall record of 166-89.

Before her time at APU, Bishop spent three seasons as an assistant coach at San Joaquin Delta Junior College in Stockton and served as a graduate assistant at her alma mater, Tarleton State, in 2000.

The Broncos graduate just two players - leading scorer Reyana Colson and third-leading scorer La'Kenya Simon- West - but will have three starters returning in second-leading scorer Megan Ford, defensive stopper Rosslyn Beard and sharpshooter Sarah Semenero.

"We're looking forward to building on what we did this year," Bishop said. "Of course, without Reyana it will be tough, but we have a lot of players that gained some valuable experience and it will help us moving forward."

Fortugno's teammate Paul Turner placed fourth in the long jump and third in the triple jump and host CMS got third-place finishes from Reny Colton (long jump), Jennifer Tave (5,000 meters) and Kris Brown (5,000). Colton's effort broke the school record.

"It's good to go out there and show all the schools that didn't recruit me," said Fortugno, who was seventh in the 400 at the Division III nationals a year ago. "I also love running the relays. You have to run as a team and I never want to let my other three guys down."

While the showing by Fortugno wasn't totally unexpected, Walkington's effort was a bit more surprising because he missed all of last season with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.

Walkington tied a school record with a throw of 207 feet, seven inches in the Broncos' first meet last month but bettered that in his first throw on Saturday with a mark of 211 feet. His best heave came on his final attempt, which set the stage for Howe throwing two inches farther seconds later.

"I finished second to the defending national champion so I can't be disappointed with that," said Walkington, who competed for UC Davis in 2009. "This shows me that I am on the right track. Given where I was a year ago when I didn't know if I would throw again, I'm very happy."

Colton's best mark in the long jump was 19 feet, six inches. She had four jumps in the meet that bested the school record but the first three were wind-aided and wouldn't have counted as records. Her last counted, though.

"I felt good on the approach and I had good speed," she said. "Then the actual jump didn't feel as good so I was disappointed coming out of the pit. But then my teammates were cheering for me saying it was a very good jump."

"My goal was 19 feet because that sets me apart."

The Cal Poly men's 4 x 400 relay team of Carter Griffin, Corey Arnold, Jake Deavers and Matt Boudreau turned in a victorious effort of 3:12.65. It was the sixth best time in school history but the best showing since 1993.

"It was a great way to end a long weekend," said Broncos coach Troy Johnson, who added that the mark of 3:10.54 set in 1972 was within reach of his current quartet.

The men's 400 boasted the biggest local representation, with Fortugno followed by Griffin and Arnold in fourth and fifth, respectively.

TRACK AND FIELD

The Broncos' Lance Walkington went head-to-head with the nation's best and came away with a new school record during the first day of the Cal-Nevada Invitational.

Saturday's final in the javelin throw featured Walkington and UC San Diego's Nick Howe, the 2010 NCAA Division II national champion in the event. On his three final tosses, Walkington came away with marks of 211 feet, 3 inches, 198-11 and the school-record 222-0. Howe edged his competitor by one inch on the last throw, going 211-3, 197-7 and 222-1.

Entering the day, Walkington's top mark of the 2011 season had come on March 5 at Cal State Fullerton with a distance of 207-7 to match the Broncos' program record.

Cal Poly Women's Postseason Run Halted in Elite Eight
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Ross Martin
March 22, 2011

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Cal Poly Pomona came in with the history. Northwest Missouri State entered with a balanced roster capable of winning a championship.

Pomona's present team simply couldn't match up with the high-powered Bearcats.

Playing in its first-ever Division II quarterfinals, Northwest never trailed, and the Bearcats' four double-digit scorers were better than a similar Broncos quartet in a 78-65 victory Tuesday night at the St. Joseph Civic Arena.

The South Central Region champions easily snuffed out the four-time national champions in a frustrating 40 minutes for the Broncos.

"To be back on the map, it's nice because it hasn't been done in nine years," Cal Poly junior guard Sarah Semenero said. "We fought hard, but we always were a second-half team, and finally it caught up to us. It wasn't enough (tonight)."

With both teams wearing the same primary color, the nearly full 3,800-seat facility looked like an ocean of green, but there was no mistaking which team claimed the majority of fans. Northwest's campus sits just 45 minutes from St. Joseph, and a partisan Bearcats crowd seemingly willed Northwest's offense to life in the first half.

Pomona went scoreless for the first 4:09 of the opening half, yet Northwest built just an 11-2 lead in that span, with junior guard Shelly Martin providing nearly all of the offense. Northwest's "fifth starter" simply kept the scoring column warm for her high-scoring teammates.

After Pomona closed to within 11-10, Northwest responded with a 15-3 run to double up the Broncos, 26-13.

The burst extended to 23-7, and the Bearcats led by as many as 18 in the first half. Martin scored 14 in the first 20 minutes, but Gabby Curtis (8 points), Kyla Roehrig (8) and Gentry Dietz (7) provided the balance the Bearcats have come to expect in their record-setting season.

"We knew they were a well- balanced team," Cal Poly Pomona standout guard Reyana Colson said, "so it wasn't really a surprise that (Martin) stepped out and hit 3s."

Colson shot just 3 of 9 from the field in the first half, and the Broncos trailed by 17 at halftime.

Cal Poly's Women Face Tall Order in Elite Eight
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Sam Robinson
March 21, 2011

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Although No. 23 Cal Poly Pomona boasts the NCAA Division 2 West regional player of the year, tonight's opponent is fueled by balance.

No. 19 Northwest Missouri State (28-4) doesn't have a Reyana Colson-level superstar. Instead, the Bearcats, the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association regular-season and postseason champions, start five scorers who average more than 11 points.

"There's always somebody that steps up on any given night," Northwest senior forward Gentry Dietz said. "We have five people that can score. When people are down, we always have somebody that steps up when needed."

Northwest, playing in its first Elite Eight, and Cal Poly (28-4), seeking its sixth national championship, duel at 6:30 (PDT) tonight at St. Joseph Civic Arena.

The Bearcats claimed their first-ever outright conference title this season and won the South Central region with three double-digit victories in Tahlequah, Okla.

"(I have) a special team; it's a throwback team," Northwest coach Gene Steinmeyer said. "They just want to win. They don't care who gets the credit."

Slashing off-guard Gabby Curtis leads the offense with 17.7 points per game and won conference and regional tournament most outstanding player honors while right-block monster Kyla Roehrig, at 6-foot-5, was the MIAA's defensive player of the year and averages a double-double. Roehrig is one of three Division I transfers as Dietz (Southern Illinois) and point guard Abby Henry (Creighton) joined Northwest three years ago after ACL injuries.

Steinmeyer knew when Roehrig, who played four years of volleyball at the University of Minnesota before coming to Northwest as a volleyball graduate assistant, first practiced with the team in October that something special could be in the cards.

"As soon as I saw Kyla practice, I thought if things fell right we had a chance nationally, but I didn't say it," Steinmeyer said. "I've never said it to this team, but I think they've come to grow on it."

Roehrig and 6-1 Dietz, last season's conference blocks and rebounds leader, form the most menacing post presence Cal Poly has faced. Center Megan Ford stands 6-1, but the Broncos don't start another 6-footer, which spelled doom for the Lone Star Conference teams in Oklahoma against Northwest.

"When (Roehrig's) in the game, it's hard for us to match up against," Pomona interim coach Danelle Bishop said. "I don't think we've seen someone as big as her. We've seen size, but not someone who can do as much as her (with that size). I think we've got a little more athleticism than them. We're going to try to use that to the best of our advantage."

Northwest doesn't prefer to push the tempo like Cal Poly, but Curtis and Henry (14.8 ppg) are two of the best attacking guards in the region.

The Bearcats also figure to have a decisive home-court advantage. Northwest's campus is 45 minutes away and should make dark green the predominant color in the 3,800-seat facility tonight.

The Chase Begins
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Michelle Gardner
March 21, 2011

For the past two years, the Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team watched its men's counterpart march to the NCAA Division II national championship game.

They saw the heartbreak that came with losing the title in overtime in 2009 and witnessed firsthand the jubilation that comes with winning it in 2010.

Now it's the women's turn to experience a title chase. The No. 23 Broncos (28-4) will face No. 19 Northwest Missouri State (27-4) in the NCAA Division II national quarterfinal tonight at 6:30 (PDT) at the St. Joseph Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.

Having watched their peers definitely helps.

"Our girls are friends with the players on the men's team and they talk. I'm sure they have told them what to expect," Cal Poly Pomona interim coach Danelle Bishop said. "They also saw their confidence grow the deeper they got into the playoffs. It has worked the same way with us."

Northwest Missouri, the South Central Region champion, is making its first appearance in the Elite Eight. The Broncos will be making their ninth trip but the first since 2002.

The Broncos, the West Region representative, arrived on Sunday and practiced at the venue on Monday. They attended a banquet honoring the participating teams Monday night.

Players are happy to have been part of restoring the tradition to a program that has won five national titles. In 2010, the Broncos made the playoffs for the first time in five years but lost their regional tournament opener. So this is the most extended run for all the athletes on the team. But they are far from content at having reached the Elite Eight.

"We're all very excited about what we have already accomplished," junior center Megan Ford said. "But we still have more goals and we definitely want to keep winning. We're not just happy to be here."

The Bearcats have won 22 of their past 24 games. They will boast a size advantage, starting 6-foot-4 Kyla Roehrig and 6-1 Gentry Dietz with two other 6-footers coming off the bench.

Ford is the only player on the Broncos that can go toe-to-toe in the paint with those players. The Broncos have two other 6-footers coming off the bench but one plays only sparingly.

If the outcome comes down to contributions from the bench, Bishop said her team has the advantage. Northwest relies on six players and no one after that averages more than two or three points.

The Broncos have La'Kenya Simon-West, one of just two seniors on the squad, coming off the bench and averaging 10.1 points and 4.7 rebounds.

"They have five starters averaging double figures but they aren't very deep. They have very little after that. We're hoping to take advantage there," she said.

Bishop and the Broncos say a turning point in their season came when they were sitting atop the CCAA and West Region and they suffered back-to-back losses to Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State San Bernardino in the next to last week of the regular season.

That served as a wakeup call and the Broncos have been stellar since, winning the CCAA postseason tournament and the West Region tournament in impressive fashion.

"That was a reminder that we can be beaten," said senior guard Reyana Colson, the nation's second-leading scorer. "We know if we lose now, it's all over. There are no more second chances."

"That happened at a good time for us," Ford said. "Early enough that we could still regroup and get our focus back."

Bishop senses that her team is taking things in stride.

"It might be different when we get out there to play but they're pretty composed," she said. "But they're prepared and as ready as they can be."

Game of Horse
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Michelle Gardner
March 20, 2011

Megan Ford wasn't sure she wanted to play college basketball. She got scholarship offers from Cal State Bakersfield and UC Davis, neither of which really interested her.

Then Cal Poly Pomona came into the picture. The school's storied tradition in the sport wasn't the pivotal factor. The fact that it's an agricultural school and she could bring her horse were the selling points.

It has turned out to be the perfect fit for the 6-foot-1 junior center who has helped the Broncos to a berth in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time since 2002. No. 23 Cal Poly (28-4) will square off against No. 19 Northwest Missouri State (27-4) in a quarterfinal on Tuesday at the St. Joseph Civic Arena in St. Joseph, Mo.

For Ford, 20, horses are as important a part of her life as basketball and school. She has two, one named Tyler who is boarded at Cal Poly, and another named Dallas who remains at the family home in Newhall.

"I have been into horses all of my life," she said before an afternoon practice last week at Kellogg Gymnasium. "I did rodeos when I was younger and my family is into horses. It's my therapy when I get stressed out by school or basketball."

Ford's path to Cal Poly was aided by Russ Davis, her coach with the California Swish Basketball Club and the head coach at Vanguard University who was a friend of then-Cal Poly coach Scott Davis (no relation).

Duke Wins Matchup of Champions
ESPN.com - Associated Press
November 4, 2010

DURHAM, N.C. -- Kyle Singler scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half and No. 1 Duke beat Cal Poly Pomona 81-60 on Thursday night in an exhibition matchup of reigning national champions from different divisions.

Miles Plumlee added 14 points and freshman Kyrie Irving had 13 for the Blue Devils, who say they plan to play at a faster pace this season. They shot 48 percent, forced 21 turnovers, led by 31 points and outscored the Broncos 34-10 during the first 11 minutes of the second half.

Nolan Smith scored 12 points, and Mason Plumlee added 11 points and 12 rebounds for Duke.

The Blue Devils led 39-33 at halftime but turned up the pressure and held Cal Poly Pomona to three field goals during the game-breaking run.

That burst was marked by consecutive alley-oop dunks by Ryan Kelly and Smith. Irving capped it with a layup, making it 73-43 with 8:42 left. Andre Dawkins then gave Duke its largest lead a minute later when his layup stretched it to 76-45.

Tobias Jahn scored 15 points and gave the Broncos their only lead with a layup off the opening tip. Dwayne Fells had 12 and Matt Rosser added 10.

The game was billed as "Champs vs. Champs" because it matched the reigning champions from Division I and Division II. Duke beat Butler last April for its fourth national championship, while Cal Poly Pomona claimed its first lower-level crown by topping Indiana, Pa.

Cal Poly Pomona Students Pile into Student Center to Watch Broncos Play Duke
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Canan Tasci
November 4, 2010

POMONA - Biology tests or budget cuts were the last thing on the minds of hundreds of Cal Poly Pomona students as their men's basketball team took on Duke University on Thursday.

The NCAA Division II champion Broncos faced the defending NCAA Division I champion Blue Devils in an exhibition game at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.

Although Cal Poly trailed most of the game, and eventually lost, 81-60, Cal Poly students piled into the campus Bronco Student Center to watch a live video feed of the game.

"It turned out better than I expected and a little better than most people expected," said Elbert Wyche, a third-year Cal Poly student.

"Even though we lost, we had a chance to play such a high quality team and that really puts our name out there."

The campus athletics department and Associated Students Inc. co-hosted the viewing party in the student center that drew about 150 students. The event was designed to encourage Bronco spirit, pride and sportsmanship.

"We want to get people excited about what's happening on and off our campus and inspire them," said Maria-Lisa Flemington.

Flemington said if students are more involved in their campus there is a greater level of retention with those students and a higher graduation rate.

Students came prepared to cheer their Broncos. They shook pom poms, waved green foam fingers and even chanted, "Let's go Broncos. Let's go."

"Even though we're known as a commuter campus a lot of people would say school spirit would run low, but I think it's the exact opposite," Wyche said. "School spirit always runs high here and this game was just an exclamation point to that."

Cal Poly President Michael Ortiz and his wife, Betty, were at the game in Durham showing off their campus pride by wearing Bronco gear and 'Champs vs. Champs' ballcaps.

"We were working hard to let people know who we are," Oritz said.

From inside the the Cameron stadium, Ortiz said the game was exciting, especially the first half.

"I think the really important thing was that the guys never quit playing. Even when they were behind they never stopped. They gave it 100 percent all the time," he said.

Cal Poly won the Division II championship last season with a 65-53 victory over Indiana (Pa.). Duke amassed a 35-5 record en route to capturing the Division I title with a 61-59 win over Butler in Indianapolis.

Entering the 2010-11 campaign, Duke earned the No. 1 spot in the USA Today/ESPN preseason coaches poll. The Broncos are ranked first in the Division II Bulletin preseason poll.

The Blue Devils beat Butler in Indianapolis to win the national title. The Broncos also caught a sort of Hoosier hysteria, defeating Indiana (Pa.) last March in the biggest game in school history.

Beyond that, there are not many similarities between the defending Division I and Division II men's basketball champions, who will meet at 4 p.m. PDT Thursday at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium.

"They probably have four or five NBA players," Kamansky said. "We don't have too many of those walking around."

Not to fret, Broncos fans. It's just an exhibition.

But the outcome is as predictable as Mike Krzyzewski's hair.

Duke has already played one exhibition, thumping Division II stalwart St. Augustine's by the gulp-inducing score of 141-68. Cal Poly Pomona players know they could be next.

"It's a little intimidating," Broncos forward Donnelle Booker admitted. "You don't want to get handed an 80-point loss."

At least Duke was nice enough to pick up the tab for Cal Poly Pomona's travel expenses.

The Blue Devils have made a habit of scheduling the defending Division II champions in recent years, beating Barton College by 61 points in 2007 and Findlay by 36 last season.

Regular-season games between the defending Division I and II champions are rare. According to research conducted by the Cal Poly Pomona sports information office, the only meeting came when Ohio State defeated Evansville, 86-59, on Jan. 9, 1961.

Kamansky is glad this game won't count, considering the talent Duke has amassed. Joining preseason All-American Kyle Singler and veteran guard Nolan Smith are highly touted freshman Kyrie Irving and impact transfer Seth Curry.

"This could be one of the better teams they've had in a long, long time," Kamansky said of the Blue Devils, the preseason No. 1 team in both the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today coaches polls.

With three returning starters from the team that won a school-record 28 games, Cal Poly Pomona is ranked No. 1 by the National Assn. of Basketball Coaches. Not that any such ranking will help the Broncos endure what is widely considered the most hostile environment in college basketball.

"The Cameron Crazies are going to be hawking us, Googling everything they can find about us," Booker said.

Is there any reason for Booker to worry?

"I'm sure they'll find some stuff," he said.

Pomona's Striker is a Real Force
ESPN Los Angeles
By Scott French
October 29, 2010

Cal Poly Pomona's Luis Gonzalez was unstoppable in a 7-0 romp over Cal State East Bay last Sunday, totaling 10 points -- on four goals and two assists -- to set a California Collegiate Athletic Conference record.

It made for a five-goal, three-assist week for the junior forward from Millikan High School in Long Beach -- our Player of the Week -- who also had a goal and assist in a 2-1 victory Friday over UC San Diego. The Broncos (9-6-1 overall, 7-6-1 CCAA) need victories this weekend at Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State L.A. -- and help elsewhere -- to claim a berth in the CCAA tournament, which begins next Friday.

The four goals tied a CCAA record set last year by teammate Tyler Reinhart.

Gonzalez, who leads Pomona with 11 goals and seven assists, is a two-time junior college All-American who scored 51 goals in two seasons at Cerritos College and led the Falcons to the this year as the reigning national junior college Player of the Year. Gonzalez, who scored 51 goals with 35 assists in two seasons at Cerritos College (leading the Falcons to the 2008 state JC title). He was the NSCAA's JC Division III Player of the Year in 2009.

Cal Poly Pomona Excited to Play Duke
ESPN.com
By Diamond Leung
September 7, 2010

Duke released its schedule last week with the highlight of the non-conference slate being a rematch against Butler in December. But there is only one game the Blue Devils will play that pits national champions against national champions.

Duke will face defending Division II champion Cal Poly Pomona on Nov. 4 in an exhibition game, and wouldn't you know it? The Southern California program is bringing its own Coach K to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

"What an absolute thrill for our players, coaches, staff and university," Cal Poly Pomona coach Greg Kamansky said in a statement. "We'll have an opportunity to savor the successes last season by playing against a program that represents the very best that our sport has to offer. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we look forward to the challenge of playing against a talented team that should be the preseason top-ranked team in the country and coached by one of basketball's true icons and ambassadors."

Cal Poly Pomona is the third defending Division II champion in the past four years that Duke has scheduled for exhibitions, as coach Mike Krzyzewski has said he likes the idea of playing good teams in the lower division to prepare for the season.

The Broncos are so excited about this one that they've created numerous ticket packages surrounding the game, including one for $7,500 they're calling "The Ultimate College Basketball Experience" that gets you two tickets to sit on the team's bench during the game and locker room access along with three nights of hotel accommodations.

Of course, it's going to be quite a memorable experience for Cal Poly Pomona's players as well.

"The (Cameron Crazies) will read up on the bios and razz us a little bit," Cal Poly Pomona spokesman Mark Reinhiller said, adding that the Broncos will be able to lay claim to something not many other lower division college basketball players can.

"We played against the national champs."

Cal Poly Pomona Wins NCAA Division II Basketball Title
Los Angeles Times
By Brian Lester
March 27, 2010

For Cal Poly Pomona, this season's NCAA Division II championship run was as much about winning a national title as it was about redemption.

One year after losing on a three-pointer in overtime against Findlay (Ohio) in the title game, the Broncos rose to the top of the Division II basketball world and erased that heartbreak with a 65-53 victory over Indiana (Pa.) on a magical Saturday afternoon at the MassMutual Center.

Just before the clock struck zero, the Broncos (28-6) began celebrating their title and the completion of a remarkable journey to the championship.

Senior guard Austin Swift, the most outstanding player of the Elite Eight, said he could breathe a sigh of relief once the buzzer sounded.

"It feels good to come back and get the win after a heartbreaking loss last year," said Swift, the net hanging around his neck in the post-game press conference. "We fought hard and put it all out there on the floor. There was no denying us tonight."

From start to finish, the Broncos were the better team. They shot 53.2% (25 of 47) from the field and used a balanced attack to secure the victory against the second-ranked Crimson Hawks (33-3).

Donnelle Booker, injured all of last season, led the Broncos in scoring with 13 points and grabbed five rebounds.

Swift and Dahir Nasser, the only two seniors on the roster, added 12 points apiece. Tobias Jahn made all three of his shots from the field and scored 10 points.

"Indiana is a great team, but our kids played super tonight," Cal Poly Coach Greg Kamansky said. "Our will power was tremendous. We probably played the best we have played all year. The ghost of last year will never haunt us again."

Cal Poly came out playing an aggressive zone defense, guarding the dangerous Indiana shooters on the outside and not allowing passes to get into the post.

Nasser took care of the scoring for the Broncos, hitting back-to-back jumpers near the free-throw line before Booker drove into the lane for a layup and a 6-0 lead. The quick start forced the Crimson Hawks to burn a timeout.

It didn't help.

Cal Poly held the upper hand throughout the first half, building a double-digit lead and refusing to let the explosive Crimson Hawks offense get untracked.

The Broncos, though, were on a roll offensively. They shot 53% in the first half and helped their cause with five three-pointers that staked them to a 35-25 lead at halftime.

Indiana shot only 28.8% in the first half and only stayed in the game because it was able to go 10 of 12 from the free-throw line.

But the Broncos never let their lead slip below 10 points in the second half as they finished off the stunning upset.

Indiana finished the game shooting 30.2% (16 of 53) from the field, the fourth lowest in Elite Eight history, and was paced by the 12-point effort of Darryl Webb. Akida McLain added 10 points.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Nasser was already in front of the camera near center court, shouting with joy and wearing a wide smile.

"I was definitely in the moment," Nasser said. "I just sat there on the court after the game and enjoyed watching everyone celebrate. I've been waiting for this since last year. I wanted to savor every minute of it."

Unranked Cal Poly Pomona Earns Spot in Division II Title Game
Associated Press
By Brian Lester
March 27, 2010

Larry Gordon had 20 points and 11 rebounds and Cal Poly Pomona withstood a late Augusta State rally for a 74-70 win and a spot in the NCAA Division II championship game.

Trying to become the first unranked team to win the Division II title since North Alabama in 1979, the Broncos (25-7) earned a spot in Saturday's title game.

They will play Findlay (Ohio) (35-0), which beat Central Missouri, 67-65, in Thursday's other semifinal game.

Tobias Jahn, Walter Thompson and Robert Summers scored 11 points each for Cal Poly Pomona, which had a 36-31 rebounding edge despite the presence of Garret Siler, Augusta State's 7-foot senior.

Siler scored 17 points and had nine rebounds. Fred Brathwaite led the Jaguars (30-5), who had won 16 straight, with 21 points.

Augusta State lost to Winona (Minn.) State in the 2008 championship game.

Trailing 61-50 with six minutes to play, Augusta State briefly took the lead when Daniel Dixon's three-pointer made it 66-65 with 3:16 left. The teams exchanged baskets before Jahn, a 6-foot-9 sophomore from Germany, scored to give Cal Poly Pomona the lead for good at 69-68 with 1:35 left.

The Broncos led 31-27 at halftime. Augusta State made four of five three-pointers during its comeback surge, but was only five for 21 for the game.

Cal Poly Pomona Rests Championship Hopes on Defense
Los Angeles Times
By Brian Lester
March 26, 2010

Flashy basketball, scoring plays that make the highlight reel, isn't the style of choice for Cal Poly Pomona's men's basketball team.

Defense is what Cal Poly prides itself on, and it's the reason the Broncos are one win away from their first national championship.

Cal Poly (27-6) plays second-ranked Indiana (Pa.), which is 33-2, at 10 a.m. PDT Saturday in the NCAA Division II title game at the MassMutual Center.

The game will be televised live on CBS, and the unranked Broncos hope to redeem themselves after losing, 56-53 in overtime, to Findlay (Ohio) in the 2009 national final.

"We do have confidence in our ability to play defense," Cal Poly Coach Greg Kamansky said. "But IUP has a lot of weapons."

The Broncos have been waiting a year for another chance. They thought about their final-game loss to the No. 1-ranked Findlay deep into the off-season, unable to shake the memory of the three-point basket that beat them as time expired.

Senior guard Dahir Nasser was guarding Tyler Evans when he hit the shot that broke the Broncos' hearts.

"We have all the motivation we need for this game," Nasser said. "We know what it is like to come so close and lose. It took me a long time to get over last year. But now we have another chance to win a championship. It's a great feeling."

IUP, which hails from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, has a 15-game winning streak. In two games here, the Crimson Hawks are averaging 78.1 points and allowing 64.5 in wins over Valdosta (Ga.) State, 80-64, and St. Cloud (Minn.) State, 76-60.

Senior guard Thomas Young is averaging 16.3 points a game this season and is among five Indiana players averaging at least nine points.

Indiana has had five players score at least 10 points in each of this week's games.

Balance is something the Crimson Hawks are counting on against the defensive-minded Broncos.

"The key to our consistency is that we can afford to have one or two players have an off game. We know someone else will step up," IUP head Coach Joe Lombardi said. "Our depth has been big for us all year."

Only senior guard Austin Swift arrived here averaging more than 10 points a game for Cal Poly. He is scoring about 13 points per game this season and had a total of 35 in wins over St. Joseph's (69-48) and Bentley (71-63).

The Broncos are shooting 50% as a team and averaging about 64 points while giving up a little more than 56 a game.

Kamansky credits the high shooting percentage to waiting for the right shot.

In the end, though, it will be the Broncos' defense that will make or break their title hopes.

"We pride ourselves on playing great defense," Swift said. "It's all about buckling down and not letting the opponent hit big shots. I know a lot of people are surprised that we are back, but we felt like we had a chance to play for a championship if we played our kind of basketball."

Cal Poly Pomona Starts Fast to Reach Semifinals
Los Angeles Times
By Brian Lester
March 25, 2010

Cal Poly Pomona's Austin Swift walked off the floor of the MassMutual Center with his heart broken the last time he played here at the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.

The Broncos, stung by an overtime loss to Findlay in the 2009 national final, blasted St. Joseph's College (Ind.), 69-48, Wednesday night in a national quarterfinal.

Cal Poly moves on to play Bentley (26-6) of Waltham, Mass., on Thursday night in a semifinal featuring unranked teams. A spot in Saturday's nationally televised championship game will be on the line.

"Losing last year was a key motivating factor for us," Swift said. "Dahir [Nasser] and I stayed over the summer and worked hard to get back to this point. We don't want to come up short again."

Cal Poly left little doubt about the outcome of this game. The Broncos (26-6) opened with a commanding 28-7 lead, forcing the Pumas (20-12) to take bad shots and scoring easy baskets off turnovers.

The Broncos, who shot 52.7% overall from the field and had 36 points in the paint, went into halftime with a 36-14 lead and made the second half little more than a formality.

They forced St. Joseph's to shoot 28.3% (15 of 53) from the field.

"It's the best defense we have seen all year," Pumas Coach Richard Davis said. "You can't simulate that kind of defensive effort in practice."

Cal Poly Pomona is in Hunt for Title
Los Angeles Times
By Mike Hiserman
March 23, 2010

In the 52 seasons of basketball Cal Poly Pomona played before Greg Kamansky became coach, the Broncos played in the NCAA postseason three times. In his 10 seasons, they've made it six times.

Pomona will make its fourth appearance in eight years in the quarterfinals of the Division II men's tournament when it meets St. Joseph's of Indiana on Wednesday at 3 p.m. at MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass.

The Broncos (25-6) have won 18 of their last 19 games and advanced out of the West Regional by making a season-high 10 three-point baskets to defeat Brigham Young Hawaii, 78-75.

Senior guard Austin Swift led Pomona in that game with 19 points, including five in the final minute and a half, and his 13.1 scoring average is best on a team where seven players average between 20.3 and 31.1 minutes and 13.1 and 4.9 points per game.

In St. Joseph's, the Broncos are meeting a team that has been living on the edge. The Pumas (23-9) advanced into the playoffs despite losing their last two regular-season games. They were seeded eighth — last — in the Midwest Regional, but won three consecutive games by a total of five points.

St. Joseph's defeated Kentucky Wesleyan, 72-70; Grand Valley (Mich.) State, 78-76, in overtime, and Quincy (Ill.) College, 104-103, in triple overtime.

Freshman guard Dayvon Sloan scored 45 points for St. Joseph's against Quincy, upping his season average to 11.6. But the hero in all three victories was sophomore guard Phillip Collins, who made the winning basket in each game.

Of the eight teams still in contention — St. Cloud (Minn.) State, Midwestern (Texas) State, Indiana (Pa.), Valdosta (Ga.) State, Bentley (Mass.) and Augusta (Ga.) State are the others — none has won a national title. However, Pomona played for one just last year, losing to Findlay (Ohio), 56-53, in overtime.

"When you look at what St. Joseph's has done, going to Kentucky Wesleyan and winning three straight games as an eight seed, is a big deal," Kamansky said. "They have our respect."

Broncos Going for First Title
Los Angeles Times
By Brian Lester
March 6, 2010

The Broncos are on a mission to win an NCAA Division II national championship, and they moved within 40 minutes of that goal with a 71-63 victory over Bentley in a riveting national semifinal at the MassMutual Center late Thursday night.

Cal Poly (27-6) will play No. 2 Indiana (Pa.) in the championship game at 10 a.m. PDT Saturday. It will be televised live on CBS.

The unranked Broncos will be gunning for their first national title. A year ago, they lost, 56-53, in overtime to Findlay (Ohio) in the championship game.

"This is a credit to our entire team," senior guard Dahir Nasser said. "We had to work together all year to make this work. It means everything to us that we are playing for a championship."

Cal Poly shifted the momentum of this tight battle by relying on another stellar defensive effort. The Broncos are giving up just 56.1 points per game and held the Falcons to 13 points in the final 10 minutes.

The score was tied at 50-50 before the Broncos turned up the pressure and took the firepower away from a talented Bentley offense that included Division II National Player of the Year Jason Westrol.

The Broncos, who set a school record for wins in a season, held the Falcons (26-7) to three field goals in the final 6:45 of the game.

The Broncos got a huge lift from senior guard Austin Swift, who poured in 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Nasser and Tobias Jahn scored 11 points apiece. Mitchel Anderson added 10 points.

John Scolinos Dies at 91; Cal Poly Pomona Baseball Coach
Los Angeles Times
By Keith Thursby
November 9, 2009

John Scolinos, who won three Division II national championships as Cal Poly Pomona's baseball coach, died Saturday of age-related causes, a school official said. He was 91.

He died Saturday of age-related causes, a school official said.

Scolinos became head coach at Pomona in 1962 and turned the program into a powerhouse, winning Division II national championships in 1976, 1980 and 1983. He also won six California College Athletic Assn. championships and was named Division II coach of the year three times.

He also coached 14 seasons (1946-1960) at Pepperdine and retired in 1991 with a combined 1,198 victories. Scolinos was inducted into the American Assn. of Collegiate Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1974.

"Coach Scolinos left a legacy that probably will never be matched," said Pomona Coach Mike Ashman, who also played for him.

Scolinos was born March 28, 1918, in Los Angeles and graduated from Manual Arts High in 1937, where he played football because the school didn't have a baseball team.

He played semipro baseball during the summer and was signed by the St. Louis Browns, playing in the minor leagues before World War II started. He served in the Army Air Forces from 1942-1945.

"The war didn't keep me out of the big leagues," he told The Times in 1976. "I wasn't consistent enough with the bat to have made it. I learned a lot about the game that helped me when I started coaching."

Scolinos earned a bachelor's degree in education from Pepperdine and a master's in education from USC.

In 1984, Scolinos was pitching coach for the U.S. Olympic baseball team coached by USC baseball Coach Rod Dedeaux, a longtime friend and coaching adversary.

"The good thing about coaching in a college atmosphere, a good atmosphere like this, is that it's constantly changing," Scolinos told The Times in 1987. "The kids keep it interesting. Every season is like a new life cycle."

He is survived by his wife, Helen, and daughter, Violet.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m Nov. 16 at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 1324 S. Normandie Ave., Los Angeles.

Scolinos' Influence Felt by All He Touched
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Louis Brewster
November 9, 2009

John Scolinos was a quiet man with a soft smile and a lasting legacy. He was a baseball coach with an old-school approach that proved to be successful because of the way he treated his players.

Scolinos passed away early Saturday at the age of 91. Nearly half his life was spent in the Cal Poly Pomona dugout, but his influence reached much farther than that.

That influence resonates today, 18 years after Scolinos hung up his spikes. Dennis Rogers, head coach at Riverside Community College, and Cal State San Bernardino head coach Don Parnell coached under Scolinos at Pomona, and Rogers played there.

Mike Ashman, the Broncos' current coach, also played for Scolinos.

There aren't many remaining in coaching circles who can say that. Dominic Copas, the newly named coach at Los Osos High School, can trace his coaching roots to Scolinos. He played under the late Howard Lowder at Chaffey College, who was another Scolinos disciple.

In the long run, that was what made Scolinos great. In an opinion shared by many, Scolinos' greatest joy was the success enjoyed by his players and their contributions to society. That was more important than wins or losses.

However, one cannot overlook his success on the field: three national championships, nearly 1,200 intercollegiate victories and serving as a coach on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team which reached the gold-medal game. Also not to be ignored was his service to his country, which probably derailed a professional baseball career.

His loss was our gain. He guided generations and instilled values that are the cornerstone of individual success.

Hopefully, somewhere in the pipeline, there may be a coach who will enjoy the success as John Scolinos did. That would have put a smile on his face, and ours as well. ...

Cal Poly Pomona Loses in Overtime in Division II Title Game
Los Angeles Times
By William Bendetson
March 29, 2009

Sometimes it takes a miracle. Unfortunately for the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos, they were on the wrong end of a miracle Saturday in the NCAA Division II men's basketball championship game as they lost to Findlay (Ohio), 56-53, in overtime on a last-second step-back three-pointer at the buzzer by Tyler Evans.

After trailing, 30-20, at the half and 36-22 with just over 16 minutes remaining in the second half, the Broncos went on a 13-0 run in 8 minutes 22 seconds to cut the Oilers' lead to 36-35. That set up an exhilarating finish at the Mass Mutual Center.

The Broncos knew it would be a challenge to play the Oilers, who were ranked No. 1 nationally all season and came in with a 35-0 record. Pomona was seeking to become the first unranked team since North Alabama in 1979 to win a Division II championship. It was the Broncos' third appearance in the Elite Eight in the last seven years, more than any team in the tournament, and their fourth appearance overall.

Broncos guard Walter Thompson made a three-pointer with 7:08 to play to tie the score at 38. Larry Gordon's three-pointer on the Broncos' next possession gave them a 41-40 lead. Pomona center Tobias Jahn made one of two free throws to tie it, 42-42, with 1:42 remaining, a score that held up until the end of regulation.

The Broncos had two chances to win it on their final possession. Austin Swift missed a three-point attempt and Thomson grabbed the rebound, but his jumper was short and the game went into overtime.

A three-point play by Gordon gave the Broncos a 51-48 lead three minutes into overtime. The Oilers went on 5-0 run to take a 53-51 lead with 24 seconds remaining before Gordon's basket tied it with 53 seconds left.

S.C. Alum Austin Swift Steers Cal Poly Pomona Basketball Team into Final Four
Santa Cruz Sentinel
March 26, 2009

Austin Swift proved he can win championships when he helped the Santa Cruz High boys basketball team seize the state title in 2005. Now, Swift is on the verge of another title.

On Wednesday, Swift's Cal Poly-Pomona team defeated Southwest Minnesota State 79-74 to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA Division II tournament. The Broncos will play Augusta [Ga.] State, a 70-62 winner over Christian Brothers, today at 3 p.m. PDT at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., where the Elite Eight games were also held. The winner will meet either Central Missouri or Findlay in the 10 a.m. final, which will be televised on CBS.

In his Elite Eight game, Swift scored nine points and had three rebounds and one steal during 35 minutes of play.

Cal Poly-Pomona overcame a 33-29 halftime deficit with a 9-2 run at the onset of the second period that afforded the Broncos a 38-35 lead with 17:22 remaining. Southwest Minnesota State then responded with eight of the ensuing 11 points during the next two minutes to go back up by two, 43-41.

However, Tobias Jahn scored three straight baskets and Walter Thompson put the final touches on the 8-0 run with a jump shot. The end result was a 49-43 Cal Poly-Pomona advantage with 12:12 remaining.

The Broncos never trailed again.

"The game was typical of how we were playing over the last couple of months," Cal Poly-Pomona coach Greg Kamansky said in a release. "We weren't in sync early, but in the second half we rebounded very well and our free throws were critical. We made the plays we needed to make, and that was the difference."

Broncos Learn How the Other Half Lives
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
By Paul Oberjuerge
November 2, 2006

LOS ANGELES - UCLA gave them a handful of tickets, a block up in the rafters.

Traffic on the way to Westwood was horrible. A couple of rooter buses barely made tipoff; the band didn't.

UCLA romped, 73-43.

And Cal Poly Pomona had a grand old time.

"In D2, you don't get many chances to play the Pac-10, especially somebody like UCLA," Broncos sophomore forward Larry Gordon said. "It was worth it. Definitely."

It was "only" an exhibition, but it was something of a celebration for Cal Poly Pomona and its basketball program.

A NCAA Division II school with negligible recognition west of Kellogg Hill was in Pauley Pavilion for the first time. Playing the 2006 NCAA tournament runners-up. With John Wooden and Jordan Farmar in the audience.

And 11 NCAA title banners hanging from the ceiling.

"This is a grand stage," said Brian Swanson, Cal Poly Pomona athletic director. "But those were our kids out there, and they'll be able to say they played at Pauley Pavilion and matched up with the best."

Certainly, it wasn't a competition of equals. UCLA is ranked No.5 in the nation in the coaches preseason poll. Cal Poly Pomona won't be in the top five of the Division II poll.

The Broncos gave up several inches, 15-20 pounds and scads of notoriety at every position.

Yet they had their moments.

Zorn was Southern California College Division player of the year in 1973, when he passed for 2,367 yards and 16 touchdowns for a 4-6-1 Broncos team.

Zorn became the expansion Seattle Seahawks' first superstar (1976-1984) and now is quarterbacks coach for the Super Bowl-bound NFC champions. Zorn gets much of the credit for the development of Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck.

Zorn holds the Cal Poly Pomona record for total offense (5,314 yards), a mark we can safely assume will never be broken - unless the Broncos resume fielding football teams.

Gabriel quarterbacked the Rams for 11 seasons, through 1972, and was MVP of the NFL in 1969. He was Cal Poly Pomona's coach from 1980-82, but not even his name recognition could save the program from extinction.

Glenn Shenker, Cal Poly Pomona associate athletic director, met Zorn when the left-handed QB was inducted into the school's athletic Hall of Fame, in 1987. He also remembers Zorn turning up to support the Broncos for their game at Puget Sound in 1982, in the middle of the NFL season.

Other Broncos who played in the NFL: Linebacker David Grayson (Browns, Chargers), defensive back J.C. Pearson (Chiefs, Vikings), punter Joe Prokop (Jets, etc.) and linebacker Al Smith (Oilers).

Smith was the last Bronco to play in the NFL; his career ended in 1996.

Cal Poly Pomona's football schedule, in 1974: Fresno State, Southern Utah, San Francisco State, Sacramento State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cal State L.A., UC Riverside, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Cal State Hayward.

Of those 11 schools, only Fresno, Southern Utah, Sacramento and SLO still field football teams. Because, in part, of the expense of football as well as the scourge of Title IX.

Another Cal Poly Pomona alumni: Jasen Powell, a onetime Broncos basketball standout, is in his sixth season as head trainer for the Clippers.

"Every game we play this year, I just think it's one less game with her," the Cal Poly Pomona women's soccer coach said with a sad tone in his voice. "It's going to be very, very difficult without her."

She is Ruth Van't Land-Parkes, the premier women's soccer player in NCAA Division II and one of the nation's best collegiate players regardless of division.

She is also the reason Cal Poly Pomona is a soccer power, only five years after going 3-14. In their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance last year, the Broncos reached the title match.

Now a senior, Van't Land-Parkes is closing the books on a remarkable career at Pomona. She only hopes the final chapter will include a national championship.

"I think we have the talent to do it," she said. "It's about getting together as a team."

From the moment she arrived at Pomona, Van't Land-Parkes has been a dominating force. In 71 matches, she has scored 66 goals and recorded 27 assists. She has destroyed all previous scoring marks at the school.

Many of those goals have come in prime moments. Last year, she scored the only goals in two four-overtime battles against Cal State Dominguez Hills that gave the Broncos the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. and NCAA Far West Region championships.

In all, she had seven game-winning goals. She beat Texas A&M-Commerce in double overtime to get the Broncos to the national semifinals.

The honors came pouring in soon after. NCAA Division II Player of the Year. CCAA Player of the Year. First-team all-conference, Far West Region and All-American. CCAA Female Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year.

And yet, it all seems lost on the standout striker.

"I can't honestly tell you how many goals or how many assists I have," she said. "Every so often someone comes up to me and tells me how many I have. I guess it's kind of cool."

Sonoma State Coach Luke Oberkirch remembers how Van't Land-Parkes dealt the Cossacks their first loss of the 1998 season after 20 consecutive victories.

"I wouldn't say I enjoy that she's going to finally graduate," Oberkirch said. "On a professional level, maybe, but personally, I just enjoy watching her play. You want to face her. Not only her but you also want to beat Pomona.

"I remember in '97, we didn't know anything about her. She scored two or three goals against us."

Belk is Named Baseball Coach at Cal Poly
Los Angeles Times
August 29, 1991

Chuck Belk, who served as an assistant to former Cal Poly Pomona Coach John Scolinos for the past nine years, has been named interim baseball coach at the school.

Scolinos retired last month after coaching for 44 years, including the past 30 at Pomona. He is fourth on all-time NCAA list for coaching victories.

Belk, who played for Cal Poly's 1976 NCAA Division II championship team, previously coached at Pomona College in 1980 before joining the Bronco staff.

"I have tremendous respect for Coach Scolinos and hope to maintain not only the standard of baseball but the philosophies and ideals that (Scolinos) has built the program on for the past 30 years," Belk said.

Said Athletic Director Karen Miller: "This will be an easy transition for Chuck because he is so familiar with our system and is well acquainted with our incoming student-athletes. We know that he will do a fine job this season."

After 30 Years at Cal Poly Pomona, Baseball Coach Scolinos to Retire
Los Angeles Times
July 27, 1991

John Scolinos of Cal Poly Pomona, the winningest baseball coach in NCAA Division II history and the fourth-winningest in all divisions, has announced his retirement, effective Sept. 1.

In 44 years of coaching, the last 30 at Cal Poly Pomona, Scolinos won 1,198 games. Only Rod Dedeaux, who retired as USC's coach after the 1986 season with 1,332 victories; Clint Gustafson of Texas, with 1,241, and Ron Fraser of Miami, with 1,216, have won more.

Scolinos' Bronco teams won seven California Collegiate Athletic Assn. titles and the NCAA Division II World Series three times--in 1976, '80 and '83. In his 14 years at Pepperdine, the Waves won 376 games and qualified for the NCAA tournament four times.

In 1974, Scolinos was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the American Assn. of Collegiate Baseball Coaches. He was named NCAA Division II coach of the year three times. In 1983, Collegiate Baseball named him coach of the decade for the 1970s. In 1987, he was honored by the American Baseball Coaches Assn., which presented him with its highest honor, the Lefty Gomez Award.

In 1984, Scolinos was the pitching coach of the U.S. Olympic team, working with such future major leaguers as Bobby Witt, Scott Bankhead, Bill Swift and Don August.

Among the Broncos who played for Scolinos and continued on to the majors are Wayne Gross, Mitchell Page, Alan Fowlkes and Darrell Miller.

Cal Poly Pomona Women Becoming a Track Force
Los Angeles Times
By Mitch Polin
April 14, 1988

It couldn't be said that the women's track program at Cal Poly Pomona has been struggling in recent years.

Then again, the Broncos haven't been perennial championship contenders in the National Collegiate Athletic Assn.'s Division II, either.

Over the last four seasons, Pomona has finished in the top 10 at the Division II national meet three times, including a distant fifth-place showing in 1986. In John Turek's seven seasons as coach, the Broncos have never finished worse than 15th in the national meet.

The Broncos, however, have never had the depth to challenge perennial powers such as Abilene Christian, which has won the last three Division II titles, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, last year's runner-up, for the top spot.

But there are indications that Pomona's fortunes are about to change for the better.

Just ask Turek.

"I think we'll definitely be in the top five this year and we're only going to get better," he said. "I think it's realistic to expect a national championship in the next two or three years."

Pretty big words, but Turek appears to be on sound ground.

The Broncos, for instance, do not have a senior on their 24-woman roster. There are 5 juniors, 8 sophomores and 11 freshmen.

"Talk about being optimistic!" Turek says. "You can't help it when you think about numbers like those."

The coach draws his optimism from more than sheer numbers, though.

Turek also has outstanding talent, primarily the sophomore trio of Brandi Gail in the shotput and discus, Durelle Schimek in the heptathlon and Lana Cantrell in the sprints and hurdles.

Gail is ranked among the Division II leaders with bests of 49 feet 4 inches in the shot and 161-5 in the discus. Schimek is near the top in the heptathlon at 5,143 points, the javelin at 158-2 and the high jump at 5-10, and Cantrell is one of the best in the 100-meter dash at 11.98 seconds and the 100-meter hurdles at 13.82.

Highly promising athletes include freshman sprinter-hurdler Doris Williams, freshman middle distance runner Kristin Harkins and sophomore Kimber Reed in the high jump and javelin. It's a far cry from the way things were when Turek started the program in 1980.

"There were only five athletes and only one good one," he recalled. "The program didn't have much money, and it was basically a part-time position. I had to build it year by year.

"But I never put any limits on myself or the program. My coach always called me an overachiever, anyway."

Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State L.A. Look to Improve as Conference Baseball Starts
Los Angeles Times
March 12, 1987

Neither Cal Poly Pomona nor Cal State Los Angeles baseball teams have been impressive in non-conference games against mostly NCAA Division I opponents, but their fortunes could change with the start of California Collegiate Athletic Assn. play this week.

Pomona, which began the week with a 9-10 record, plays host to Cal State Northridge at 2:30 p.m. today and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a single game at 2:30 p.m. Friday and a double-header at noon Saturday.

Los Angeles, which was 9-12-1 at the start of the week, plays host to UC Riverside at 2:30 p.m. Friday and defending conference champion Cal State Dominguez Hills in a double-header at noon Saturday.

Pomona, which finished second in the conference last season and is considered a strong title contender, is solid on offense with seniors like first baseman Tom Weeks, catcher David Schuster and designated hitter Jim Gomez.

Weeks, one of the top power hitters in the conference, has six home runs and 23 runs batted in and is batting .290, Gomez is hitting .410 and Schuster .327.

The Broncos have received strong front-line pitching from senior left-handers Tom Gorman and Charles Webb. Gorman, a former Covina High standout, has a 4-2 record and 2.54 earned-run average and Webb is 3-1 with a 3.34 ERA.

Los Angeles also has a top hitting squad led by junior outfielder Shaun Doyle, a former Diamond Bar High player who is batting .333 with a team high of six doubles, and sophomore second baseman/outfielder Brad Mengel, who is hitting .327.

The Golden Eagles, who may have the youngest team in the conference, have also received solid pitching from sophomores Bill Bene and Aaron Moore. Bene is 2-2 with a 2.74 ERA and Moore is 2-3 and has a 3.38 ERA.

Cal Poly Pomona women's softball team, tied for fifth with Louisiana Tech in NCAA Division I, will attempt to remain undefeated in Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. play when it is host to San Diego State in a double-header at 1:30 p.m. today.

It will be Pomona's first game at Bronco Field, the school's new softball stadium. The Broncos, who are 2-0 in the PCAA and 15-2 overall, will play host to United States International University in a non-conference double-header at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Broncos' Hopes High for NCAA Cross-Country Title
Los Angeles Times
November 20, 1986

After his team's selection to compete in the NCAA Division II Men's 10-K Cross-Country Championships at 8:45 a.m. Saturday at Lake Perris State Recreation Area, Cal Poly Pomona Coach Jim Sackett has reason for optimism.

For one thing, the meet should mark the return of senior Abel Mota, one of the team's top runners. Mota, who had pneumonia, has not competed since Oct. 11.

The Broncos, making their fourth straight appearance in the championships, finished fourth in the NCAA West Regional meet two weeks ago, but Sackett expects a stronger performance in the 17-team national meet.

"The favorites are South Dakota State, Edinboro (Pa.) State and Keene (N.H.) State," Sackett said. "After that it is probably a tossup."

Pomona's top runner should be junior Eddie Toro, who placed fourth over the same 10-K course in 32:09 at the regionals. Other top runners for the Broncos are former Charter Oak High standout David Loud, Angel Roman, Paul Gianetto, Shawn Sinclair, Kent Lawrence and Mike Parker.

Neither Cal State Los Angeles nor Cal Poly Pomona qualified as a team for the NCAA Division II Women's 5-K Cross-Country Championships at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lake Perris State Recreation Area, but schools will have excellent individuals competing.

Cal State will be represented by former San Gabriel High standout Sylvia Mosqueda, who finished third in the West Regionals in 17:11 two weeks ago. It will be the first appearance in the nationals for the junior, who won the 1985 state community college cross-country championship for East Los Angeles College.

Pomona also has a strong contender in senior Joann Howard, a Division II All-American who is making her third straight appearance in the national meet. Howard finished eighth in the regional in 17:34.

"She had her school record time of 17:06.4 earlier this season at the Riverside Invitational, but the nationals course is much tougher," Coach John Turek said. "We are hoping for the best for her."

Cal Poly Pomona, two-time defending NCAA Division II women's basketball champion, opens its bid for another title in the Lions Club Classic Tournament on Friday and Saturday at Kellogg Gym in Pomona.

CSUN Wins 3rd Straight Soccer Title by Beating Cal Poly Pomona
Los Angeles Times
By Steve Elling
November 6, 1986

At this time of year, when the playoffs are near, the Cal State Northridge soccer team is typically found tuning up for its annual postseason assault on the rest of Division II.

And while Wednesday night's 3-2 victory over Cal Poly Pomona was no exception, there were several added incentives for the playoff-bound Matadors.

"These guys are the only team in the league--in fact the only team all year--that we haven't scored on," Matador Coach Marwan Ass'ad said. Two weeks ago, CSUN tied the Broncos, 0-0. "And they are the only team in the league that we haven't beaten."

And if retribution wasn't enough, there was also the matter of clinching the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title for the third straight year, or senior forward John Tronson's attempt to shatter the CSUN record for career goals and points scored--or even the team's 12-game unbeaten streak.

"And our seniors want to try to finish league undefeated, too," Ass'ad added.

Two hours later, the Matadors had achieved most of their goals, plus a few others in the win over Pomona before a crowd of 1,500.

"This is our best team ever," Ass'ad said. "We've been playing together for so long. We should finish undefeated, and that would be great."

But Ass'ad's third CCAA championship in four years as coach of the Matadors was not without its anxious moments: The Broncos apparently had a few incentives too.

Pomona's zone defense, which had given the Matadors so much trouble in the first matchup, again gave CSUN fits in the first half. But the Matadors' Joey Kirk finally scored late in the first period, ending a 143-minute drought for CSUN against the Broncos this year.

Kirk gave CSUN a 1-0 lead at the 33:16 mark, scoring after a header by Tronson missed. The half ended with the Matadors ahead, 1-0.

Rodney Batt gave CSUN a 2-0 lead midway through the second period on a 20-yard shot past Bronco goal keeper Tony Rieger. Batt took possession of the ball at midfield and outsprinted several Pomona defenders for the score.

Frank Cubillos scored CSUN's final goal with six minutes left, giving the Matadors a 3-0 lead.

CSUN goal keeper Mike Caputo held the Broncos scoreless until just under five minutes remaining in the game, when Cal Poly's Ken Coffey scored a pair of late goals to make it close.

But the Matadors blanked Johnny Lima, the CCAA's leading scorer, holding him to just one attempt on goal.

The win was Northridge's 27th in 29 home games and the 13 in a row without a loss, tying a CSUN record.

And even though all the objectives on the Matador wish list weren't reached, they still have one more game in which Tronson can break goal and point marks. The Matadors will host Bakersfield in the league finale on Sunday, and the Roadrunners are last in CCAA standings.

"I'd like to see him break it in the playoffs, but I'm sure the fans would like to see him do it here on Sunday," Ass'ad said.

Even if Tronson can't erase the marks Sunday, Ass'ad said he may get another chance at home when the playoffs begin a week from Sunday.

"Since we are one of the top four teams, we will probably get a bye in the first round," Ass'ad said. "But we will probably host our first-round game."

And gracious hosts they aren't.

There is No Bucking These Broncos
Los Angeles Times
By Mitch Polin
March 29, 1986

"Our first (in 1982) was an extremely good shooting team led by Lisa Ulmer, Carol Welch, Jackie White, Diane Looker and Jeannette Tjaarda. Our second (1985) was virtually a slow-down, patient type of team led by Vickie Mitchell, Janine Phillips, Sheri Jennum and Kelley Fraser. And this year's team was a quick-running type of team."

The coach said quickness made the difference this season.

"This team had great quickness and the ability to pass very well," she said. "I haven't had those qualities in a lot of teams."

The leader was Mitchell, a 6-0 senior center who was named Division II player of the year by the Women's Basketball Coaches Assn. Mitchell, who averaged a team-high 15 points and 11.2 rebounds and led in steals (127) and shooting percentage (53.4%), will be honored at a breakfast in Lexington, Ky., on Saturday.

Mitchell finished her four years as the career leader in rebounds for the school and the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. with 1,202.

"Her statistics in four years are not the most fantastic thing you've ever seen," May said. "But she has meant so much more to the program. If I would have played her 40 minutes a game, her stats would have been a lot more impressive."

Mitchell's importance may have been most noticeable in Pomona's 70-63 win over North Dakota State in the championship game, when she played only 17 minutes because of foul trouble but finished with 14 points.

"When she was in there we were a different team," May said. "We were blowing them away, and when she went out they got back in it."

With Mitchell on the bench, the Broncos relied on the scoring and rebounding of 5-10 junior forward Debra Larsen, who finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Larsen, named the most valuable player of the tournament, may have saved her best for Pomona's last two games, when she totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds.

"She came into her own in the tournament," May said.

Are the Broncos Too Good for Division II
Los Angeles Times
By Mitch Polin
March 29, 1986

Winning national basketball titles may become routine for the Cal Poly Pomona women.

Another year, another title.

Last week the Broncos won their second straight NCAA Division II crown. Kingpins of Division II in the 1980s, they have made the division finals in four of the last five years and won three titles.

Maybe they're just having one of those decades.

Or is the Bronco basketball program outgrowing Division II?

Coach Darlene May said she doesn't think so.

Matter of Money

While some opponents may be wishing that the Broncos would move up to Division I, May said the chance of that is slim.

"It's just a question of money," May said. "We just don't have it. We've had success against Division I teams, but I think that in the long run we would just get swallowed up (financially)."

May, whose team has won 35 straight games against Division II competition, prefers being a Division II powerhouse instead of a face in the crowd in Division I.

"Why not be the big fish in a small pond?" May said. "Who wants to be a small fish and get eaten?"

May does not mind being in Division II as long as she can recruit the type of players she has won in the past.

"As long as we can recruit that borderline (Division I) athlete who wants to play for a national champion and be an All-American (at any level), I think we can continue to be strong at this level," she said.

May Land Star Center

That has not been a problem for May, who has received a verbal commitment from promising 6-1 center Nikky Bracken of Compton for next season and is hoping to land three other players.

But that's next year. May is still thinking about this season.

The fact that the Broncos won another title will not go down as the surprise of the year, since Pomona was ranked No. 1 in Division II all season.

But May wasn't about to say ho-hum.

"It's a great feeling any time you win a title," she said. "It's what we've been working for all year."

May, who has produced a Division II-record mark of 312-78 (.800), said that all of her championship teams have been different.

"Our first (in 1982) was an extremely good shooting team led by Lisa Ulmer, Carol Welch, Jackie White, Diane Looker and Jeannette Tjaarda. Our second (1985) was virtually a slow-down, patient type of team led by Vickie Mitchell, Janine Phillips, Sheri Jennum and Kelley Fraser. And this year's team was a quick-running type of team."