Back in Action: Softball Has Sights Set on Success

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—After an incredibly successful and historical 2018 season for the UC Riverside Softball Team, the Highlanders have waited patiently to return to the diamond, flipping their calendars and preparing for an exciting 2019 campaign. "We are so excited to get this season going," Head Coach Nikki Palmer said. "Each...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Women's Volleyball Adds Former National Champion Andy Hein to Coaching Staff

RIVERSIDE, Calif.- The UC Riverside women's volleyball team made a huge addition to its coaching staff on March 4 as the Highlanders announced the hiring of Assistant Coach Andrew Hein. The former national champion and Team USA medalist comes to Riverside with a lengthy coaching and player resume in Southern...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Back in Action: Baseball Optimistic About Season Ahead

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—With a slew of new faces and a strong core of upperclassmen, the UC Riverside baseball team is optimistic about the season ahead. "People will enjoy watching the style of play we have," head coach Troy Percival said. "We've never had as much speed as we do right now...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Back in Camp: Track and Field Excited for Competition to Begin

Whether it's the men or women, indoor or outdoor, UC Riverside Track and Field director Nate Browne is excited for the year ahead. The track and field season officially begins on Friday in the Lumberjack Team Challenge. On the women's side, the team has a lot of fresh, new talent...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Women's Basketball Signs Three Recruits

UC Riverside Highlanders Women's Basketball team has announced the signing of future student-athletes Yohana Ewodo, Georgia Ohiaeri, and Fapou Semebene. "This is one of the best recruiting classes in my time here and we are very excited," said John Margaritis, who is in his 15th season as head coach. Ewodo...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Malou De Kergret Takes on Leadership Role

Forward Malou De Kergret is one-of-a-kind on the UC Riverside women's basketball team this season. She's the only senior. "Something is different about your senior year," De Kergret said. "All seniors from all sports feel it. You know it is your last year and you want to make a difference."...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

2018 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee: 1982 Baseball Team

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—It's a feeling very few people get to experience, but for the 1982 UC Riverside Men's Baseball team, each player is able to call themselves a National Champion. That achievement helped the team become one of the 2018 Athletics Hall of Fame inductees. "Winning the Championship was numbing and...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

2018 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee: David Finley

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—David Finley has visited and played on his fair share of baseball diamonds. However, the one he played on at UC Riverside is still his favorite. "When I played at Riverside, our field was on campus. I've been on a million fields since then and our field is by...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

2018 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee: Larry Cunningham

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—When Larry Cunningham found out a few months ago via phone that he would be a 2018 UC Riverside Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, his first reaction was an unusual one. "I thought someone was prank calling me," Cunningham said with a laugh. "I had no idea. I wasn't...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

2018 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee: Fred Morawczski

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—It's been nearly 50 years since Fred Morawczski finished playing football at UC Riverside, but his memories are as fresh as ever. "The best thing was the comradery and really having a sense of purpose," Morawczski said. "I had great teammates and really inspiring coaches." Morawczski, who is a...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

2018 Athletics Hall of Fame Inductee: Melissa Sanchez

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—When Melissa Sanchez saw the 951 area code pop up on her phone a few months ago, she had a feeling it was someone from UC Riverside. However, she wasn't expecting the news that awaited her. Sanchez, who graduated from UCR in 2006, would be inducted into the 2018...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Men's Soccer Wins First Big West Conference Championship

RIVERSIDE, Calif.—The loud, raucous roars resonated throughout UCR Soccer Stadium Saturday, Nov. 10 as Daniel Castaneda belted the deciding penalty kick past UC Davis goalie Jon Laughlin, giving the Highlanders their first Big West Conference Championship in school history. The second the ball went past Laughlin to give UCR the...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Former Highlanders Pitcher Joe Kelly Helps Red Sox Win World Series

Walk into the UC Riverside Baseball Complex and you immediately notice framed jerseys on the walls of current and former Major League players. One that stood out a little more than the rest on Monday is of Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly. He won a World Series Championship with the...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Athletics Set to Induct 2018 Hall of Fame Class

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The UC Riverside Athletics Department is pleased to announce its 2018 Athletics Hall of Fame inductees. Scheduled to receive the highest honors during the induction ceremony on Nov. 16 at the Historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in downtown Riverside are Larry Cunningham (men's basketball), David Finley...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Focus on the Future: Women's Volleyball

While the UC Riverside women's volleyball team has a solid core of upperclassmen, it will be the seven new additions to the roster that could take the team to the next level in the Big West Conference. "Our freshmen are a really good class," head coach Michelle Patton-Coleman said. "They...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Focus on the Future: Men's Soccer

When a new crop of student-athletes report to camp for the first time, it can be difficult for them to blend in well with the veterans. That hasn't been the case for the UC Riverside men's soccer team. "My new teammates are really the ones that are helping us out...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Focus on the Future: Women's Soccer

As freshman defender Katie Wong stepped onto the field for her first practice as a member of the UC Riverside women's soccer team earlier this month, she noticed some familiar faces. A local student-athlete from Corona, Wong played with forward Leigh Polson, midfielder Jen Barroso and forward Liz Chua on...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics

Back in camp: women's soccer

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — For UC Riverside women's soccer head coach Nat Gonzalez, this season's message is simple. It started all the way back in spring. "The goal in spring was to stop acting like an underdog, to stop going into games hoping we'd win and to understand that one win...

By Quinn Roberts | | Athletics