Davern signs with White Sox

Former UC Irvine pitcher Mike Davern has signed a free-agent contract

with the Chicago White Sox organization.

Davern was tabbed as a College Summer League Top 10 Prospect by

Baseball America after posting a 1.91 ERA with the Wilson Tobs of the

Coastal Plains League this summer.

The right-hander saw limited time on the mound for the Anteaters

in 2002, pitching in four innings and striking out five. He allowed

two runs on six hits for a 4.50 ERA and finished with an 0-1 record

last season.

“I’d like to wish Mike the best of luck,” UCI Coach John Savage.

“He has great potential to succeed at the pro level.”

Salo leaving OCC

Dave Salo will coach one more season of men’s and women’s swimming

at Orange Coast, after having been named aquatics director of Soka

University in Aliso Viejo.

OCC’s co-coach, along with Don Watson, began his newest job

Wednesday at the small four-year liberal arts school.

Salo, head coach of the Irvine Novaquatics swim club, was named to

his position at Soka in July and will has begun recruiting athletes

to compete in the spring of 2005 . The school opened in 2001 with 120

students.

OCC’s women’s swim team won the state championship last spring,

Salo’s third season at the school. He and Watson were then awarded

State Coach of the Year honors.

Salo was an assistant on the United States men’s swim team at this

summer’s world championships.

Jones joins UCI staff

Matt Jones, a former UC Berkeley assistant, has joined the UC

Irvine baseball coaching staff as a volunteer assistant.

Jones began his coaching career as an undergraduate assistant

coach at UC Berkeley from 1997-99. He then served as an assistant

coach in the collegiate summer league with the St. Cloud River Bats

and the Brewster Whitecaps in 1999 and 2000, respectively. He helped

lead both clubs to league titles.

Over the past two summers, Jones managed the Alexandria Beetles,

leading the club to a then-franchise-record 29 wins in 2002. .He was

an associate head coach at Los Medanos Community College in

Pittsburg, Calif., from 1999-2002 and then assumed the head coaching

position. In 2003, he guided the team to its first winning season

(26-18) and first state playoff berth in six years.

“Matt will be a great addition to our staff,” UCI Coach John

Savage said. “He brings a wealth of experience having been a head

coach at a junior college and has a great reputation throughout the

summer collegiate leagues. We are very fortunate to get a guy of his

ability.”

Jones replaces assistant Joe DeMarco who has moved to the private

sector.