Tyreina Henly-HendersonHornet Sports

Winter/Spring Sports Preview

Men’s Basketball

The Hornets began the 2008-09 season with a brand new coaching staff and 12 new players. Head coach and Sac State grad Brian Katz compiled a 435-185 record in 19 years as a junior college coach. Senior guard Loren Leath is one of four players in Sac State’s Div. I history to score more than 1,000 points.

Women’s Basketball

The 2008-09 Hornets return the majority of the team that posted the most road conference victories in program history. Head coach Dan Muscatell returns all five starters, including senior Atty Boyer, an honorable mention all-Big Sky selection.

Gymnastics

Having won six conference championships, the gymnastics team will have the opportunity to win another on their home floor when they host the Western Athletic Conference Championships in March. Head coach Kim Hughes’ team will be led by seniors Marina Borisova and Amber Basgall.

Baseball

The team returns a youthful lineup for 2009 after losing 11 seniors, including three players who were taken in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. The team’s top returner, Tim Wheeler, was a first team all-Western Athletic Conference selection. Head coach John Smith, in his 31st season, looks to compete in a fourth straight WAC Tournament.

Softball

Fresh off a season where it reached the NCAA Regionals and won its firstever Pacific Coast Softball Conference championship, the softball team returns 10 players from last season. Among them are all-region and first team all-conference players Jamie Schloredt and Izmena Cabrera. The team will be led by head coach Kathy Strahan, in her 17th season.

Women’s Track and Field

The Hornets enter both the indoor and outdoor season after winning the team title at both meets last year. They return the majority of the team, including Alicia Truesdale, Renisha Robinson, Morinsola Keshinro, Victoria Humphrey and Ericka Violett, who each won at least one title.

Men’s Track and Field

Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Kathleen Raske’s squad captured the Big Sky indoor championship for the second time in school history last season and nearly captured its first outdoor title. In 2009, Sac State will return jumper Emilio Hernandez, Field Athlete of the Meet at the outdoor championships, and Ronald Brookins, who qualified for the World Junior Championships.

Men’s Tennis

Sac State finished the 2008 season 8–0 in the Big Sky Conference and won the team’s third consecutive conference regular season championship. That included a 10-match winning streak that stretched from March 9 to April 26. They return four players from last season’s lineup, including reigning Big Sky MVP Anton Stryhas.

Women’s Tennis

In 2008, Sac State won its seventhconsecutive Big Sky Conference championship. The team has not lost a conference match since the 2002 season, a span of 52 consecutive victories over Big Sky opposition. Big Sky Coach of the Year Dima Hrynashka will lead a roster that includes twotime conference MVP and 2008 All- American Katrina Zheltova.

Rowing

Winners of two of the last three Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association (WIRA) team titles, Sac State returns six student-athletes from last year’s top boat. Since 2005, Sac State’s varsity eight, second varsity eight and novice eight, posted a 75–10 record in dual meets.

Women’s Golf

Women’s golf entered the fall with just two returning starters, but the freshman class turned out to be one of the best in school history. Returners Brooke Green and Samantha Saffold, and Justine Chen and Julie Shutler earned a second-place finish at the Cal Poly Invitational.

Men’s Golf

The Hornet men’s golf team has already won its league championship under director of golf David Sutherland. The men finished first at the America Sky Tournament for the second time in three years. Senior Scott DeBorba and junior Grant Norton earned all-league honors. —Sports Information