Athletic Referendum Passes at Northridge

A student referendum to permanently reinstate four men’s sports at Cal State Northridge passed by about a 10 to 1 margin, although approximately only 1,200 students voted, Jon Hatemi, Associated Students vice president, said on Thursday.

“We didn’t expect many more students to vote than that,” Hatemi said. “This is the biggest fall election turnout here in 15 years, except for 1994 when students were voting on a fee.”

Hatemi, an ardent supporter of reinstating baseball, volleyball, soccer and swimming, was given an honorary baseball jersey and sweatshirt with the number 4 by Matador baseball players this week.

The number symbolizes the four sports that were cut by administrators in June and later reinstated for one year thanks to a $586,000 bailout from state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley).

Student leaders will begin a campaign to collect 10,000 student signatures that support keeping the teams, Hatemi said.

On Tuesday, Hatemi and Associated Students President Brad Marsh vowed to withhold $1.6 million in student funding of athletics unless the sports are kept.

SOCCER

Knighted: Wes Smith has been named boys’ soccer coach at L.A. Baptist, replacing Gary Farajian, who resigned at the end of last season, Knight Athletic Director Maury Neville said.

BASEBALL

Star search: The Lancaster JetHawks will play host to the 1998 California League all-star game on June 16.

The start time has yet to be announced for the game, which will pit the Freeway Division all-stars against the Valley Division all-stars for the first time.

COACHING CHANGES

Full-scale: Four on-campus coaches have replaced their walk-on predecessors at Hueneme, part of the school’s continued push to make full-time hires in its athletic program, Viking Athletic Director Jim Lane said.

Mitch Ruiz, formerly a boys’ assistant at Carpinteria, has been named girls’ basketball coach, replacing Don Montgomery.

Rogelio Juarez has replaced Jorge Brescia as boys’ soccer coach and Shirley Huckelberry has replaced Cuba Cabrera as girls’ soccer coach. Brescia and Cabrera were walk-on coaches who resigned after last season. In wrestling, Juan Flores, an assistant with the program last year, has switched positions with former head coach Andy Gibson.

Mary Klemm has replaced Al Walker as the girls’ basketball coach at Rio Mesa High. Klemm, the girls’ junior varsity coach last year, is a 1988 graduate of Buena and played college basketball for Arizona.

GOLF

Sanday in second: Jeff Sanday of South Pasadena, a former Cal State Northridge golfer, shot a three-under-par 69 Thursday in the third round of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament at Crystalaire Country Club in Llano and is in second place heading into today’s final round.

Sanday has a three-round total of 12-under-par 204 and trails leader Chris Riley of Las Vegas by six strokes. Brad Gallagher of Valencia is third after a third-round 70 brought his total to nine-under. Chris Zambri of Camarillo is tied for fourth at eight-under, John Johnson of Ventura is at six-under and Jason Gore of Valencia is tied for 13th at five-under par.