Three former Bruins made appearances for the United States in
the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Carlos Bocanegra, Jimmy Conrad
and Eddie Lewis all started in the U.S.’s final game against
Ghana where the American side eventually fell 2-1 and was
eliminated from the tournament. Conrad and Bocanegra both turned in
strong defensive performances despite the eventual result, and
Lewis gave the team its best chance to tie up the game in the 66th
minute with a cross to the head of Brian Mcbride that went off the
post.
DIRECTORS’ CUP: After winning two
national titles in the 2005-2006 school year, UCLA captured second
place in the annual Directors’ Cup Competition. The Bruins
finished second to Stanford, who has won the Cup 12 years in a row.
The competition takes place every year and is presented by the
National Associate of Collegiate Athletic Directors, USA Today and
the U.S. Sports Academy. The Bruins improved from third place
finishes in both 2003-2004 and 2004-2005. Along with the titles in
men’s volleyball and women’s water polo, UCLA reached
the championship game in both women’s soccer and men’s
basketball. Overall, 16 Bruin teams placed in the Top 20 in NCAA
competition, and UCLA captured seven conference titles.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: The UCLA women’s volleyball team is
currently competing and sightseeing during its European summer
tour. The Bruins defeated the Slovenian National team last Monday
in five games and then headed to Italy, where they will spend the
remainder of their 10-day tour. On Wednesday, the Bruins defeated
Teodora in only three games and are set to return to the states on
Tuesday, June 27 to begin summer training thereafter.
BASEBALL: UCLA baseball’s Brandon
Crawford was selected to try out for the 2006 USA Baseball Team
Trials for a shot at joining the 22-man National Team. Crawford was
an honorable mention All-Pac 10 selection as a freshman this year
for the Bruins. The shortstop ended the season batting .316, with
eight home runs and 30 RBI. The baseball team bears good news in
recruiting as well. Coach John Savage signed Matthew Drummond, a
left-handed pitcher, for the 2007 season. Drummond will join a
class of eight others, headlined by pitcher Charles Brewer.
Drummond, out of Paso Robles, went 10-1 with a 2.10 ERA and 91
strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings in the 2006 season.
TRACK AND FIELD: Monique Henderson placed third
in the 400 meters final with a time of 50.71 seconds at the USA
Track and Field National Championships in Indianapolis, Ind., on
Saturday. Dawn Harper placed seventh in the 100m hurdles with a
time of 13.02 seconds and Sheena Johnson placed second in the 400m
finals on Sunday. Freshman Lauren Jirges finished 14th overall in
the 1500m junior competition, running a time of 4:45.93. Former
Bruins Suzy Powell and Amy Acuff also had a good showing at the
championships. Powell placed second in discus competition with a
toss of 192-6 and Acuff took second in high jump with a jump of
6-3.50.
MEN’S GOLF: Derek Freeman, a former
all-conference golfer at the University of Oklahoma, was hired as a
men’s golf assistant coach. Freeman spent last season as an
assistant coach at his alma mater after working as the head coach
of the women’s program at Oklahoma City University for two
years. He guided OCU to 15 total tournament titles and the NAIA
women’s title in 2005.
WOMEN’S GOLF: Freshman Tiffany Joh won
the 30th Annual U.S. Women’s Amateur Publinks Championship on
Sunday in Pueblo, Colo., by defeating 14-year-old Kimberly Kim of
Hawaii.
Compiled by Bruin Sports senior staff.