MEN’S SOCCER - Team Hands Down Soccer Skills to Local Kids in Free Clinics

The UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer team has just completed its latest annual free soccer clinics in the community, helping numerous AYSO teams in the Santa Barbara area. Hosting more than 100 clinics in the month of September, the Gaucho men’s soccer team, currently ranked as high as 15th in the nation, spent time with area children, ages 5 to 13, teaching them the fundamentals of the game. The entire men’s soccer squad spent more than 150 hours working with the children, teaching various soccer skills based on the children’s abilities in an effort to reach out to the community, and encourage them to continue playing the game and create a bond with the Gauchos.

WOMEN’S SOCCER - Simon’s Goals Gives No. 23 UCSB 2-1 Big West-Opening Win at UC Riverside

The 23rd-ranked UC Santa Barbara women’s soccer team opened Big West Conference play with a 2-1 win at UC Riverside on Oct. 3. The game-winner came at the 50:24 as sophomore midfielder Jacqui Simon scored from about five yards inside the top of the box after a pass from sophomore forward Kylie McDonald. In the win, the Gauchos (8-4-0 overall, 1-0-0 in the Big West) outshot UCR (5-6-1 overall, 0-1-0 in the Big West) by a 14-15 margin, but the shot on goal difference was far more decisive at 17-8.

BASEBALL - Winter Baseball Camp Slated for November at Uyesaka Stadium

The UC Santa Barbara baseball team will be holding its Fourth Annual Winter Baseball Camp on Nov. 22 and 23 at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. The camp is designed for the high school player who is looking to play at the next level. The camp will include team stretching, batting practice, fielding evaluations, throwing programs for both pitchers and position players, and games. The cost is $300 per camper for all campers in grades 10-12. Instruction will be provided on both days by the Gaucho coaching staff. For more information on the camp, contact Coach Tom Myers at (805) 893-2021 or thomas.myers@athletics.ucsb.edu.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING - Katy Freeman Makes Roster of 2009 World University Games

Swimmer Katy Freeman has been named to the 2009 World University Games roster, USA Swimming announced. Freeman, who is entering her senior year at UCSB, will compete in the swimming competition that will take place July 11-15 in Belgrade, Serbia. The 26 swimmers on the 2009 World University Games team roster were selected based upon their performance at the 2008 USA Swimming U.S. Open Championships. Freeman, who is a 2008-09 team captain, took third-place in the 200-meter breaststroke. She will swim three distances at the World University Games: the 50, 100 and 200 breast events.

MEN’S GOLF - Gauchos Have Third-Place Finish in Season-Opener in Monterey

Junior Matt Grush shot a 2-under par 211 to finish in a tie for third, leading UC Santa Barbara to a third-place team finish at the Saint Mary’s Invitational held at the Poppy Hills Golf Course in Monterey, Calif. The tournament was the season-opener for the Gauchos. After opening the tournament with a first round score of 294, the Gauchos got better each round. In the final 18, Santa Barbara shot 279 to move three schools and into third place. The University of San Francisco won the tournament with an 855, five shots better than Wisconsin and six better than UCSB.

CROSS COUNTRY - Gaucho Women Capture First and Men Take Second at Lagoon Open

The UC Santa Barbara women captured first place at the 2008 season-opening UCSB Lagoon Open on the UCSB campus on Aug. 30. Senior Danielle Domenichelli led the way, finishing the 5-kilometer race in 17:51. On the men’s side, Cal Poly took first with Daniel Gonia leading the way with his top time of 24:23 in the men’s 8-kilometer race. The UCSB women defeated Cal Poly, 26-38 and cross-town foe Westmont, 26-72. The Mustang men locked up first place defeating the Gauchos, 19-42 and Westmont, 19-78.The three-race event began with a community 5K that was won by alumni Ryan Martin with a time of 16:30. Other alumni included Bethany Nickless ’08 in sixth place, Pete Dolan ’82 in eighth, Damian Capozzola ’93 in 10th, Rollie Cavaletto ’65 in 14th and Chris Dean ’93 in 15th.

MEN’S WATER POLO - No. 9 UCSB Outlasts No. 8 UC Irvine to Capture First MPSF Win of 2008

Sophomore Milos Golic scored seven goals to lead No. 9 UC Santa Barbara past eighth-ranked UC Irvine, 14-12, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game at Anteater Pool Oct. 5. Daniel Natalizio added three goals as the Gauchos improved to 8-4 overall and 1-1 in the MPSF. The Gauchos’ largest lead was 13-9 on an extra-man goal by Jesse Tootell with 1:47 remaining in the third quarter. Michael Robinson had 14 saves in goal for UCSB.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL - Gauchos Sweep Past UC Davis

UC Santa Barbara bounced back from its home-opening loss to Pacific with a three-set sweep over Big West foe UC Davis on Oct. 4 at the Thunderdome. The Gauchos defeated the Aggies 25-16, 26-24, 25-11 to earn their first home win of the 2008 season. With the win, UCSB improves to 7-8 on the season and 3-1 in the Big West, marking its best conference start since the 2005 season.

DONATION CAMPAIGN - Men’s Soccer Collecting Goods for Africa Outreach Drive

The UCSB men’s soccer team is beginning a donation drive to collect new or used sporting goods for children in Africa. For the Gauchos’ remaining home games, there will be collection bins set up inside the main entrance at Harder Stadium where fans can donate any type of athletic equipment, clothes and shoes. The remaining men’s soccer home games are Saturday, Nov. 1 vs. UC Irvine and Wednesday, Nov. 5 vs. Cal Poly. From there, the men’s soccer team will ship the equipment, clothes and shoes to Africa to help those less fortunate than ourselves. For more information, call (805) 893-6044. For tickets to any of these UCSB games, please call (805) 893-UCSB or log on to www.UCSBGauchos.com.