OCC’s Fredrickson Commits to Missouri

Tight end Ben Fredrickson, voted most valuable player on the Orange Coast College football team last season, will play at Missouri this fall, Pirate Coach Mike Taylor said Thursday.

Fredrickson finished the 2000 season with 38 catches for 472 yards and his two-year career with 68 catches for 885 yards and nine touchdowns.

Anthony Valanos and Justin Simons also made their college choices, Taylor said. Valanos, who averaged 13 yards per reception, is headed to the University of San Diego, and Simons, who completed 11 passes for 110 yards as a backup quarterback, to Texas A&M; Commerce.

SOCCER

Seven UC Irvine players have been named to the 2000 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Academic men’s soccer team.

To qualify, a student-athlete must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better, be at least a sophomore academically, have completed at least one full academic year at his or her institution and have participated in at least half of that season’s competitions. Anteaters honored are senior goalkeeper Tyler Reid, junior defender Sean Gesell, junior forward Jon Spencer, junior midfielder Saul Wolf (Woodbridge High), sophomore midfielder Brad Aspey, sophomore midfielder Scott Bowman and sophomore midfielder Aaron Colacion (Esperanza).

SWIMMING

Tim Chaix has been named boys’ varsity swimming coach at Corona del Mar High, Athletic Director Jerry Jelnick announced Thursday. Chaix, 26, has been an assistant men’s and women’s swimming coach at the University of Kansas for the last two years. Chaix, who swam at Foothill High and Kansas, has also been a volunteer assistant for the Michigan men’s team and has assisted at Orange Coast College for the last six summers.

HORSE RACING

Los Alamitos Race Course, which switched to daytime racing last weekend for the first time to save electricity, returns to its traditional night racing this weekend.

First post tonight is at 7:15 and Saturday at 6:30.

There will be no racing Sunday but the Cypress venue will remain open for simulcast racing.