Briefs: UCI men lauded

UC Irvine junior Chris Kearney is the Big West Conference Player of the Year in men’s tennis and UCI’s Trevor Kronemann is Coach of the Year for a second straight season.

Kearney earned first-team recognition in singles and doubles, while Anteaters junior Sam Gould was a first-team honoree in singles.

Senior Stephen Stege, Kearney’s doubles partner, also represents UCI, the two-time conference champion, on the first team.

UCI’s Ryan Cheung, who along with junior Fabian Matthews earned second-team doubles recognition, is the Co-Freshman of the Year.

Matthews, a Corona del Mar High product, captured second-team honors in singles. He was also a first-team singles performer as a sophomore and as a freshman.

Gould, as well as junior partner Steven Henderson, earned second-team recognition in doubles. Gould was a first-team singles performer as a sophomore, when he earned second-team recognition in doubles. He was a first-team doubles honoree as a freshman

Kearney, a transfer from North Carolina, is the Anteaters’ first conference player of the year since Brett Hansen-Dent earned the honor in 1992. In his debut season as an ‘Eater, Kearney posted a 16-7 record in dual matches and is ranked No. 42 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn. in singles.

Kronemann, a former four-time All-American at UCI, has guided the Anteaters to their second straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

UCI (19-7) will face Mississippi (12-9) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on May 13 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on the UCLA campus.

UCI captured its 14th Big West crown by topping Pacific, 4-0, in the title match Sunday at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. UCI was 5-0 in conference regular-season dual matches.

Cheung, as well as Henderson, received honorable mention in singles voting.

— From staff reports

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Misty sprains knee

Misty May-Treanor, a two-time Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist, sprained her MCL in her left knee at the Olympic Bay Sanya Open in China Saturday, but will not need surgery.

May-Treanor’s agent, Thomas McCarthy, told the Associated Press Monday that May-Treanor, a former Newport Harbor High standout, will do physical therapy and “should only be sidelined a couple of weeks.”

The injury forced May-Treanor and teammate Kerri Walsh to withdraw from the Federation Internationale de Volleyball tour event, as they finished fourth.

“Phew … everything OK, just a little sprained MCL. Be back in no time!” May-Treanor posted on Twitter.

In 2008, May-Treanor tore her left Achilles’ tendon while rehearsing for “Dancing with the Stars” after the Beijing Olympics and missed about a year.

April Ross, also a former Newport Harbor standout, finished seventh with her teammate Jen Kessy.

— From staff reports