Insley Making Noise of His Own at Nevada

A year ago, Geoff Noisy was the marquee receiver at Nevada.

Noisy, who played at Irvine High, set an NCAA Division I-A record with 295 catches for his college career.

Now another former Orange County player--Trevor Insley--has picked up where Noisy left off as the Wolf Pack’s top passing target.

“I was always the second receiver before,” said Insley, who played in high school at San Clemente. “So I’m excited about being the go-to guy this season. I’m enjoying that role.”

Insley has made the most of the opportunity. He caught 44 passes for 600 yards in the Wolf Pack’s first three games this season, making him the national leader in receptions, and caught 12 more passes for 205 yards Saturday against Fresno State.

The fast start has made Insley a threat to break Noisy’s school career receiving yardage record (4,249), and has him on a pace to challenge several NCAA records, including the one set last year by Noisy. The NCAA career yardage record is 4,518 set by Marcus Harris of Wyoming in 1993-96. Insley has 3,750 yards, and has moved up to eighth on the NCAA career list.

Noisy had 1,184 yards last season, but Insley had 1,151 yards in 27 fewer catches. Insley’s average of 104 yards a game ranked ninth nationally.

“The offense here is a receiver’s dream,” Insley said. “That’s one of the reasons receivers have done well here. That was the difference in me deciding to come to school here.”

Insley said he quickly found a good friend in Noisy when he arrived in Reno.

“Both of us being from Orange County probably helped the relationship,” Insley said. “We had a lot in common, even though we hadn’t known each other before. He sort of took me under his wing my freshman year. He was a sophomore, but he had redshirted a year, and he gave me a lot of pointers that first year that helped me a lot.”

Insley earned a spot in the starting lineup as a freshman.

“Getting the chance to play that first year helped me a lot,” Insley said. “I might not have had that opportunity if I’d gone to one of the bigger schools.”

Insley played primarily as a slot back his first three seasons before becoming the primary wide receiver this season.

Nevada Coach Jeff Tisdel has moved Insley around among the receiving positions at times this season in an attempt to keep defenders from keying on him. “That’s helped because the defense can’t be sure where I’m going to line up,” Insley said.

The Wolf Pack has been passing about 60% of the time this season. “Our philosophy is that the defense knows we’re going to pass, but they still have to stop us,” Insley said.

WAITING GAME

Michael Jones, who broke the Orange County career rushing record playing for Laguna Hills High in 1997, is having to bide his time this season as a sophomore running back at Idaho State.

Jones hasn’t played in Idaho State’s first three games and isn’t among the team’s top four running backs. Idaho State has one of the top running backs in Division I-AA in Nick Whitworth, averaging 185 yards a game this season. The Bengals normally use only one running back in an offense geared for passing.

Idaho State plays at Cal State Northridge Saturday, but Jones isn’t expected to be on the traveling squad.

Jones went to Idaho State under Proposition 48 guidelines, and couldn’t play or practice with the team last year as a freshman because of those restrictions.

Jones ran for 7,190 yards and 91 touchdowns at Laguna Hills.

NOTEWORTHY

Redshirt freshman Nick Ellis has had a good start with the top-ranked Stanford water polo team. Ellis, who played at Foothill High, was in goal last weekend when Stanford defeated USC, the defending NCAA champion, 11-10, in the Southern California tournament at USC. Ellis was named to the all-tournament first team. He had 44 saves in Stanford’s victories over Long Beach State, UC San Diego, UCLA and USC. . . .

Freshman midfielder Ali Fennell, who played at Mater Dei, scored two goals to lead the ninth-ranked USC women’s soccer team to a recent 2-1 victory over eighth-ranked Brigham Young. Megan Orach, who played at Marina High, and Susie Mora, who played at Santa Margarita High, turned in strong performances on defense, according to Coach Jim Millinder. Fennell also scored the winning goal in USC’s victory over Connecticut. . . .

Pepperdine senior middle blocker Jamie Hill, a transfer from UC Irvine, was named most valuable player at the All Sport Challenge volleyball tournament at Michigan after leading the Waves with a .455 hitting percentage. Sophomore setter Melissa Plass, who played at Fountain Valley High, also was chosen to the all-tournament team. Plass finished the tournament with a .400 hitting percentage. . . .

Freshman goalkeeper Erin Van Horn of Costa Mesa had four shutouts for the Biola women’s soccer team in its first six games this season.

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