UCI polo ranked 12th in nation

The UC Irvine women’s water polo team has been ranked 12th in the

nation by the Collegiate Coaches Water Polo Poll. Coach Julie Swail’s

Anteaters finished last season ranked 14th in the country. Teams in

the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation make up 10 of the top 13 teams

in the country, with top-ranked Stanford, leading the way.

UCI, which will face 14 schools ranked in the preseason top 20

this year, will open the 2003 season Sunday at the university of

Redlands Invite.

* The UCI women’s indoor track and field team opens its season

facing Northern Arizona and Fresno State at the NAU Skydome in

Flagstaff, Ariz. Saturday.

* The UCI men’s golf team begins its spring schedule in the Ping

Arizona Intercollegiate tournament at Arizona National in Tucson

Monday and Tuesday. Coach Paul Smolinski’s Anteaters ended their

five-tournament fall schedule with one first-place finish, a pair of

seconds and a fourth-place showing.

* The UCI baseball team will host Fresno State in the Anteaters’

season opener Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Anteater Ballpark. Coach John

Savage’s Anteaters, who finished fourth in the Big West Conference

last season (33-26, 14-10), was picked to finish third in the 2003

coaches’ preseason poll.

Savage will utilize a handful of pitchers in the season opener

against Fresno State with sophomore Brett Smith expected to make the

start.

-- by Steve Virgen