CSUN NOTEBOOK: HAY'S SHOTMAKING IMPROVING AT RIGHT TIME.

Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer

Manny Hays was thankful for a bogey. He made a 15-foot putt to save bogey on the first hole of a 36-hole day.

At the same hole - No. 15 - in the second round, Hays, a Cal State Northridge senior, used his 3-iron and holed out from 210 feet for an eagle.

Hays went on to finish tied for third in the individual standings in the Grand Canyon (Arizona) Thunderbird Invitational last week in a powerful field of who's who in college golf. He shot 69-71-68-208 to get his game back on track.

``It's funny how things turned around,'' Hays said. ``I haven't been playing well this season, not well for me. It's been a combination of everything. I went to a long putter last week and putted really well.

``Pretty much all year, my iron play has been pretty well. But I started hitting my irons really well at (Arizona State) and made a lot of birdie putts.''

Hays hopes for continued success when the Matadors compete in the Big Sky Golf Championship, which begins today at Valley View Golf Course in Layton, Utah.

CSUN is the defending Big Sky champion but has lost three seniors from last year's team. If the Matadors are to advance to regionals, they'll have to win the conference. Hays and junior Lance Dombroski, who tied for the win at the LMU Farmer John Classic Tournament in the fall, will have to play their best and hope their younger and more inexperienced teammates can match that effort.

``There's no real clear-cut favorite in the Big Sky, to be honest with you,'' CSUN coach Jim Bracken said. ``I consider Sacramento State the favorite going in maybe because they're the most consistent. Manny is playing well and Lance is playing solid, but we need the other guys to step up and rise to the occasion.''

--CSUN hoops awards: Senior center Brian Heinle and point guard Markus Carr, who led the Matadors to their first NCAA Tournament appearance, were named the co-Most Valuable Players for the men's basketball team at Sunday's awards banquet. Other awards included: Scholar Athlete (John Burrell), Best Defensive Player (Carl Holmes), Most Inspirational (Lionel Benjamin), Most Improved (Marco McCain), Most Assists (Markus Carr), Chairman of the Boards (Heinle) and the Pete Cassidy Coach's Award (Holmes).

--Teeing off: The CSUN women's golf team has signed Adrienne Cipparone (Poway High) and Emma Wahlgren (Hersby High, Sweden) to letters-ontent and Chris Rulfs (Desert Mountain of Scottsdale, Ariz.) signed with the men's team.

--Academic honors: The following winter-sports athletes were named to the Big Sky Conference All-Academic team: Jennifer Shetters, women's basketball; George Wymenga, David Malonson, Robert Kasper, Nick Hamlin, Craig Hall, Mary Alessi, Amanda Anderson, Marisol Barajas, Jennifer Capehart, Joy Finch, Rosanna Krikendall, Lisa Rugenstein, Marilyn Smith, Carol Stevenson, Stephanie Werth and Georgia Wilkins, indoor track and field.

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MANNY HAYS

CSUN senior will help lead the men's golf team at the Big Sky championship starting today.