Alumni Notebook: Manuel earns 3 victories at NCAA championships
By Brian Hamilton, brianh@theunion.com
» More from Brian Hamilton
12:01 a.m. PT Mar 24, 2008
Here's a look at how some athletes with local ties fared recently at the college level:
WRESTLING
Luke Manuel (Nevada Union, '06); Purdue University - Competing in the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Manuel posted a 3-2 record in the 165-pound bracket as a freshman.
After dropping a 4-2 decision to third-seeded Nick Marable of Missouri, Manuel reeled off three straight victories. He beat Wisconsin's Jake Donar 6-5 and West Virginia's Donald Jones 4-0.
Manuel then won the first of two overtime matches by edging Edinboro's Jarrod King for the win, based on riding time after a scoreless tie.
Manuel deep run in the tournament came to an end in his second straight overtime match, this time a 3-1 loss to 10th seed Mike Cannon of American University.
Manuel took third place at the Big Ten Championships, earning an automatic trip to nationals. He finished his first college campaign with a 29-9 record.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Meaghan Noud (Bear River, '03); University of California, San Diego - Noud wrapped up her senior season for the Tritons on March 15 in a 76-67 loss to second-ranked Seattle Pacific in the West Region Semifinal of the NCAA Division II tournament.
Noud had 18 points in the loss, including two 3-pointers. Her season total of 84 3-pointers is a new UCSD single-season record and California Collegiate Athletic Association record.
On the year, Noud led the team in scoring with a 16.9 point per game average.
UCSD closed the season with a 25-10 record.
TRACK & FIELD
Rachel Welz (Bear River, '07); California State University, Sacramento - Welz cleared 5 feet 1 3/4 inches to finish sixth in high jump at Saturday's Hornet Invitational hosted by Sacramento State. The freshman also took 15th in the javelin (85'8") and 16th place in the long jump (16' 1 1/2").
Nicole Jackson (Bear River, '07); California State University, Sacramento - Jackson, a freshman, finished seventh in the Women's 400-meter hurdles (1:05.30) Saturday at the Hornet Invite.
Steven Conrad (Nevada Union, '04); University of California, Berkeley - Conrad finished 26th in the Men's 100 meters (11.34 seconds) at Saturday's Hornet Invitational.
BASEBALL
Josh Roenicke (Nevada Union, '01); (Cincinnati Reds) - Roenicke saw action in just one of Cincy's six games over the past week, but the former Nevada Union and UCLA star still has not surrendered a single run in Major League Baseball's spring training.
On St. Patrick's Day, Roenicke pitched one inning of action in a 5-3 win over the Detroit Tigers. Roenicke got himself into a bit of a jam, giving up a pair of two-out walks and a single before escaping the inning without giving up a run. He also had two strikeouts in the appearance, his fifth this spring with the big league club.
In addition to his 0.00 earned run average, Roenicke has totaled six strikeouts and three walks, while allowing three hits in five innings of work.
Peter Ruiz (Nevada Union, '05); Santa Barbara City College - Ruiz drew the loss in a 14-8 defeat to L.A. Valley in the Channel Coast Tournament Tuesday. On the season, Ruiz owns a 3-4 record with a 4.04 ERA and has struck out 35 and walked 21 in 42 1/3 innings.
Chris Brown (Nevada Union, '03); Tabor College (Hillsboro, Kan.) - Brown, a senior catcher, had a big week in a stretch that saw Tabor post a 3-3 record, including two doubleheader days. Brown went a combined 9-for-17 with 8 RBIs, three doubles and a home run for the Blue Jays.
Ryan Giacomini (Bear River, '06); Feather River Junior College - Giacomini went 0-for-3 with a run scored in a 13-4 win over Redwoods on March 17.
Giacomini is hitting .257 with six doubles, six stolen bases and 19 RBIs on the season for Feather River, which owns an 11-14 record.
A.J. Nuñez (Bear River, '07); Cosumnes River College - Nuñez is hitting .293 in 20 games this season, 19 of which he was a starter as a freshman. Nuñez also has two home runs and 12 RBIs for Cosumnes River.
Mat Miraldi (Bear River, '06); Cosumnes River College - Miraldi has a .179 batting average and 11 RBIs in 20 games started this year for Cosumnes River College, which owns an 11-9 this season.
Miraldi ranks third in runs scored with 14 and has three doubles, two home runs and six stolen bases on the season.
Nic Gauldin (Nevada Union, '06); Yuba Community College - Nic Gauldin leads Yuba College with a .429 on base average and 16 runs scored. He also ranks fourth in batting average with a .290 mark to go along with five doubles for the 9-13 49ers.
On the mound, Gauldin has two wins and a team-leading 17 strikeouts.
Josh Gauldin (Nevada Union, '05); Yuba Community College - Josh Gauldin is hitting .278 with 5 RBIs and a home run this season for the 49ers.
Darrel Smeltzley (Nevada Union, '06); Yuba Community College - Smeltzley is hitting .231 with 2 RBIs for Yuba College.
Dan Graning (Nevada Union, '06); Yuba Community College - Graning has a .156 batting average with 4 RBIs on the season.
Have we missed anyone? If you know of a college/professional athlete with local ties, please contact Brian Hamilton via e-mail at bhamilton@theunion.com or by phone at 477-4240.
