Locals set for water polo showcase

Five water polo standouts with ties to the area will be in action this weekend at the Women’s Speedo Top 40 Festival in Los Alamitos.

The two-day tournament features 40 of the top women’s water polo players in the country competing against each other at the USA Water Polo National Training Center. In addition, a 12-team open tournament began Friday to give up-and-coming players exposure to national-level water polo.

Among the players involved are Newport Harbor High senior Leah Robertson and Corona del Mar junior Katie Indvik. Robertson is on the roster for Team Revolution, which includes Newport Beach native Jillian Kraus -- who played at Foothill High. Indvik is on the Team Spectrum roster.

Also scheduled to play are Corona del Mar grad Christina Hewko (now a sophomore at Stanford) and Newport Harbor grad Melissa Wheeler (a freshman at Cal) on Team Splash.

The rosters for the Speedo Top 40 tournament were chosen by the USA Water Polo staff.

UCI sweeps in cross country awards

After winning the Big West Conference title, the UC Irvine women’s cross country team cleaned up in the conference postseason awards.

Amber Steen was named conference Runner of the Year, Laura Olvera was chosen the Freshman of the Year, and Coach Vince O’Boyle was selected conference Coach of the Year.

Steen, a senior from Newport Harbor High, won the conference championship in her first season since transferring from the University of Arizona. Olvera placed second in the meet and has three top-three finishes this season in five races.

O’Boyle got his 12th conference coaching award for women’s cross country, giving him 20 conference honors.

Douglass’ radio debut

UC Irvine men’s basketball coach Pat Douglass’ plan to return the Anteaters to the upper echelon of the Big West Conference will include a weekly radio program.