Palmisano Quits UCLA, Transfers to Vanderbilt

UCLA women’s basketball player Michelle Palmisano, a former Thousand Oaks High standout, will transfer to Vanderbilt, Bruin assistant Pam Walker confirmed Wednesday.

The leading scorer in Ventura County girls’ basketball history, Palmisano completed her freshman year at Westwood last month.

She cannot play at the Nashville, Tenn., school next season because of NCAA transfer rules. Palmisano will have two years of eligibility remaining beginning in the 1994 season.

A 5-foot-10 off-guard with the ability to dominate games, Palmisano was a starter for the Bruins during much of her freshman season. She averaged 11.6 points and 2.1 assists.

Walker said she could not comment on Palmisano’s reasons for leaving the Bruin program. Palmisano was unavailable for comment.

Palmisano finished her high school career as the fourth-leading scorer in state history with 2,795 points. She was selected The Times’ Ventura County girls’ player of the year in 1991 and ’92 while leading Thousand Oaks to consecutive Southern Section I-A Division championships.

Golf

Allison Wilson of North Hollywood and Darren Angel of Northridge remained in contention after the second round of the Las Vegas Founders’ Legacy Junior championships at The Legacy Golf Club in Henderson, Nev.

Wilson, a Grant High junior who led the girls’ division after a first round of even par 72, shot 76 in the second round and fell two shots off the 36-hole pace set by Jennie Stine of Scottsdale, Ariz. Elise Kimm, one of Wilson’s former teammates at Grant, shot 77 in the second round and is at 151.

Angel, a junior from Granada Hills High, shot a 73 in the second round that left him at even-par 144, six shots behind Ted Haley of Rye, N.Y., who had rounds of 71 and 67. Angel is tied for fifth with three others.

Taft High teammates Art Weiner and Scott Golditch fell well off the pace in the boys’ division. Weiner shot 77 for a 36-hole total of 150, and Golditch shot 78 and fell to 154. Scott Heyn of Alemany shot 80 and is at 155 and Josh Jacobs of Grant shot 80, leaving him at 158.

Yannick Bibeau of Moorpark fired a three-over 75 in the first round of the Wilson Geneva National junior championships at Geneva National Golf Club in Lake Geneva, Wis. Bibeau, a foreign-exchange student from France who attended Moorpark High last year, trails Jason Buha of Farmington Hills, Mich., by four shots.

Tennis

Alan Belgard, girls’ tennis coach at Arroyo High in El Monte the past year, has been named women’s coach at Pierce College. Belgard replaces Alajandra Ordonez, who resigned in June.

Basketball

College of the Canyons and Saugus High will co-host a 16-team tournament Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Among the entries are Saugus, Canyon, Simi Valley, San Fernando, Cleveland and Muir. Information: Lee Smelser, Canyons men’s coach: 805-259-7800, ext. 200.