BRIEFS

LEVINE TO PRINCETON

Corona del Mar High senior Cari Levine is a driver for the Sea Kings’ girls’ water polo team.

Levine has plenty of drive in her academic life as well. She is headed to Princeton in the fall, and will play water polo for the Tigers.

Although Ivy League rules prohibit athletic scholarships, Levine was recruited and has been in contact with Princeton Coach Luis Nicolao after making a recruiting trip in October.

“It’ll be different, but it’ll be a good change,” Levine said of Princeton, which finished 20-6 in 2006. “I’ll be getting a lot of playing time and hopefully be able to play all four of my college years. There’s lots of room for improvement, which is exciting.”

Levine, who trained with the United States Youth National Team last summer, has 24 goals for CdM, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division I.

A three-year varsity starter, Levine was first-team All-CIF in Division II last year. She was also named to this year’s all-tournament team of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions.

Matt Szabo

ESCOBEDO FIGHTS TONIGHT

Vicente Escobedo will face Tiger Smalls in a lightweight boxing match at Arco Arena in Sacramento tonight.

The Newport Beach resident is 12-1, with 11 victories by way of knockout. Smalls, who is 18-12-1 and has lost four of his past five bouts, should come as another stepping stone in front of a hometown crowd for Escobedo, who was raised in nearby Woodland, CA.

Escobedo, 26, has won his last two fights by knockout, neither went past the fifth round.

Escobedo, a 2004 Olympian, will face Smalls in a 130-pound fight scheduled for eight rounds.