CHATTER: U.S. SOFTBALL TEAM SELECTS NINE FROM AREA.Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services Three former area high school players and six from UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX were named to the U.S. national softball team that will attempt to win a fifth consecutive Pan American Games Pan American (Sports) Games Quadrennial sports festival. The games, conceived in 1940 as an event for the nations of the Western Hemisphere, were first held in 1951. gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize at Santo Domingo Santo Domingo, pueblo, United States Santo Domingo (sän'tə dəmĭng`gō), pueblo (1990 pop. 2,866), Sandoval co., N central N.Mex., on the Rio Grande; founded c.1700 after earlier pueblos were destroyed by floods. , Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (dəmĭn`ĭkən), republic (2005 est. pop. 8,950,000), 18,700 sq mi (48,442 sq km), West Indies, on the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola. The capital and largest city is Santo Domingo. , in August. Infielder Crystl Bustos (Canyon High) and outfielders Nicole Giordano (Saugus) and Jessica Mendoza Jessica Mendoza (born 11 November 1980) is an American softball player who won a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. She was a four-time first team All-American at Stanford University from 1999-2002. Mendoza was named Softball player of the year in 2006. (Camarillo) were named to the 16-player team. The players who competed for UCLA are pitchers Lisa Fernandez Lisa Fernandez (born February 22, 1971, in New York City) is a renowned softball pitcher of Cuban-Puerto Rican descent who established an Olympic record in softball with 25 strikeouts as a member of the United States Women Olympic Softball Team. and Keira Goerl, catcher Stacey Nuveman Stacey Annette ("Nuvey") Nuveman (born 26 April 1978 in California) is a softball player at the catcher position. She is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and holds the NCAA Division I softball career record for most home runs with 91. , infielders Tairia Mims and Natasha Watley Natasha Watley (born November 27, 1981) is an American professional softball player currently with the USA Softball Women’s National Team.[1] She plays the position of shortstop and first base, and helped her team to win the gold medal for softball at the 2004 and utility player Amanda Freed. USA Softball also named a 16-player Elite Team that will compete in the Canada Cup in July. Mackenzie Vandergeest (Thousand Oaks) and Courtney Dale and Lindsey Klein, who competed at UCLA, were named to the Elite team. ... Westlake quarterbacks coach Darryl Smith was one of 500 recipients of the AFLAC AFLAC American Family Life Assurance Company AFLAC American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus AFLAC Apologies For Lack of Audi Content (Audi listservs) National Assistant Coach of the Year award. Warriors head coach Jim Benkert nominated Smith, who has coached at Westlake for 14 seasons and formerly coached several sports at Crespi of Encino and Calabasas in addition to youth sports. ``There was a criteria that you had to send in for, so many years coaching at different sports, volunteering a big portion of the coaching,'' Benkert said. ``There were 350,000 applicants. He was one of 500 to win.'' Smith, who was presented his award at Westlake's track and field banquet (he coaches the team's throwers) wasn't sure what to expect when told of the honor. ``Knowing Benkert like I do, I hear something about AFLAC and whatever,'' Smith said of the insurance company with a unique advertising slogan. ``I'm thinking Benkert's got a duck and it's going to come up and bite me in the butt or something. I didn't really think a lot about it until my way home when my wife said, `Do you realize out of 350,000, you were in the top 500.' ''... Agoura quarterback Dustin Croick will play football at Iona College in the fall. Croick didn't get much interest from Division I-A schools despite throwing for 2,897 yards and 33 touchdowns last year. He received the most interest from Iona and Valparaiso and chose the Gaels of New Rochelle, N.Y. ``I've been told I'll get a good shot at starting next year,'' Croick said. ``I expected bigger and (Division I-A). But I'm not going to regret anything. I'm going somewhere to play football and that's unbelievable.'' ... Moorpark defensive lineman Joe Wise will walk on at Arizona State, Musketeers coach Tim Lins said. Staff Writer Chris Cocoles contributed to this report. ATHLETES OF THE WEEK Lauren Nydam The Village Christian junior threw a perfect game with 12 strikeouts in a semifinal victory over Paraclete of Lancaster on Tuesday and then led the Crusaders of Sun Valley to the Southern Section Div. V championship Friday, striking out 13 Pasadena Poly batters and allowing just five hits. Trevor Plouffe The Crespi junior threw a complete-game shutout in the Southern Section Div. III championship game Saturday against Harvard-Westlake of Studio City. He struck out six and went 2 for 3 and set the school mark for most victories in a season with 13. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Lauren Nydam (2) Trevor Plouffe |
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