LOCAL NOTES

UC Irvine’s Jerry Green was named Big West Conference freshman of the year and Cal State Fullerton junior forward Ike Harmon was selected to the conference’s first team, Commissioner Dennis Farrell announced Tuesday.

Green, a 6-3 guard from Pomona, led the Anteaters in scoring (12.8 average), assists (100) and steals (38). He was the only Anteater to start all 26 games this season and the third player from Irvine to win the honor, joining Kevin Simmons (1995) and Ben McDonald (1981).

Boise State senior swingman Roberto Bergersen, who led the conference in scoring (27.3 average), was selected men’s player of the year. He is joined on the first team by New Mexico State’s Charles Gosa, UC Santa Barbara’s B.J. Bunton, Idaho’s Avery Curry, Pacific’s Jason Williams and Harmon.

Pacific’s Clay McKnight, who played at Mater Dei, received honorable mention, and Santa Barbara’s Bob Williams was named men’s coach of the year.

Irvine placed two players, center Chelsea Mackey and guard Megan Stafford, on the women’s all-conference second team. Fullerton’s center Erin Whiteside received honorable mention.

Santa Barbara’s Erin Buescher, a sophomore guard, was named women’s player of the year after leading the conference in scoring (21.5 average). She is joined on the first team by Gaucho teammates Stacy Clinesmith ad Kristi Rohr, North Texas’ Jalie Mitchell, Idaho’s Alli Nieman and Long Beach State’s Rhonda Smith.

Pacific’s Selena Ho was named freshman of the year, and North Texas’ Tina Slinker was selected women’s coach of the year.

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Vicki Mallett will not return as coach of the Saddleback College women’s basketball team next season, the school announced.

Mallett said in a press release she planned to leave coaching for one year to pursue other opportunities. As Saddleback coach the last two seasons, Mallett compiled a 16-43 record. The Gauchos finished 9-21 this past season.