Loyola Will Fund Women’s Soccer Team

Loyola Marymount will add women’s soccer to its intercollegiate athletic program starting with the 1993-94 season.

The women’s squad will compete in the West Coast Conference, which sponsored its first women’s soccer championship last season. The other teams in the conference will be Santa Clara, Portland, San Francisco, St. Mary’s, San Diego and Gonzaga.

The Lions have already been competing in women’s soccer as a club team. But with the upgrading of the program to intercollegiate status, the school will offer four scholarships this fall.

“We feel women’s soccer is a terrific addition to our athletic program,” Athletic Director Brian Quinn said. “There are a number of outstanding young players in our area and, with one of the nation’s strongest leagues, we feel that we can sponsor a very successful program.”

The school has also announced that the men’s program, which has been competing at the NCAA Division I level without scholarships since its inception, will add scholarships for the first time next season.

Peter Novakovic, who has coached the men’s and women’s teams the past four years, said it is an important step for the men’s program.

“I have always thought that with the proper funding, LMU soccer could be something special,” he said. “Now we will have that opportunity to attract some of the finest student-athletes in the country and truly build an elite program.”

The Loyola Marymount women’s volleyball team has signed four high school players to national letter of intents.

Outside hitters Kim Blankinship of Torrance and Kathleen Bunce of Capistrano Valley Christian, setter-hitter Suzanne Radcliffe of Torrance and middle blocker Tate Medley of Mira Costa will join the Lions in the fall.

Blankinship was named the 1992 Southern Section Division III player of the year and led Torrance to the Division III title. Bunce, who led Capistrano Valley Christian to Division V titles the past two years, was named the 1992 division player of the year for 1992.

Blankinship’s teammate at Torrance, Radcliffe, was a two-time All-Southern Section selection, and Medley was an All-Southern Section second-team choice and made the All-Ocean League squad three times.

The Lions were 22-13 in 1992 and finished second in the West Coast Conference at 10-4.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills men’s basketball team will try to hold onto third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. when it plays host to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo at 7:30 tonight.

On Saturday, the Toros (14-6, 5-4 in CCAA play) will play host to Cal State Bakersfield (21-0, 9-0), the top-ranked team in NCAA Division II. Both games start at 7:30.

Dominguez Hills defeated San Luis Obispo (8-13, 2-7), 68-65, and lost to Bakersfield, 73-69, earlier this season.

The Toros were held to their lowest point total of the season in a 64-51 loss to UC Riverside last week, but bounced back for a 69-66 win over Cal State San Bernardino.

The Dominguez Hills baseball team will put its undefeated record on the line today when it opens a three-game home stand against Cal State Stanislaus.

The teams are scheduled to play a single game at 2:30 p.m. today a doubleheader at noon Saturday.

Dominguez Hills opened with victories over Biola and Southern California College. Pitcher Tom Ball struck out 11 of 16 batters and gave up only one hit in five innings against Biola.

The Loyola Marymount women’s basketball team will play host to Santa Clara today and the University of San Diego Saturday in West Coast Conference games.

The games start at 5:15 p.m.

Loyola (13-7) is in a three-way tie for fourth place in the WCC with St. Mary’s and Pepperdine at 4-4. Santa Clara (11-8, 5-2) leads the conference and San Diego (10-8, 4-3) is third.

The Lions lost to Santa Clara, 67-47, and San Diego, 63-49, in road games last week.

Loyola has been led by junior forward Sheri Brown, who is averaging 16.6 points and 10.2 rebounds, and freshman center Amy Lundquist, who is averaging at 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds.