Briefs: Halberg an All-American

Vanguard University senior Paige Halberg earned second-team NAIA All-American recognition in women’s basketball after leading the Lions to a 23-7 record and their 11th straight appearance in the NAIA national tournament.

Halberg, a 5-foot-10 guard, averaged 11.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists, playing mostly point guard due to injuries to others. Her 45 steals and 30 blocked shots also led the team and her basketball IQ and versatility allowed her to fill several roles for Coach Russ Davis’ Lions, who were ranked No. 12 in the final national poll.

Halberg shot 40.3% from three-point range, making 31 of 77 attempts. In addition, her 88 free throws were 25 more than the second-most on the team.

Halberg, who sat out the 2010-11 season due to injury, was a freshman starter on the 2008 team that won the NAIA championship.

She was a first-team All-Golden State Athletic Conference selection as a senior.

Vanguard junior center Esther Timmermans, another All-GSAC performer, received honorable mention in the All-American voting. Timmermans averaged a team-best 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 55.8% from the field.

— From staff reports

*

Cheung in Davis Cup

UC Irvine sophomore men’s tennis player Ryan Cheung will represent Hong Kong, China in the upcoming Davis Cup Tie in Hong Kong.

A Davis Cup Tie is also known as a knockout-round match. Hong Kong lost its first-round match to Indonesia, placing them in a match against Sri Lanka. The loser will be relegated to the lower group for next year. Both countries are currently in Group II in the Asia/Oceania region.

Each tie features a best-of-five format that includes four singles matches and one doubles match. Each match is played is best-of-three sets. The draws will be set the day before the competition which is April 6-8.

Cheung was the Big West Conference Co-Freshman of the Year in 2010-11 and also earned second-team all-conference honors in doubles

— From staff reports

*

Yowell honored again

UC Irvine senior Jacob Yowell was named Big West Conference Men’s Track Athlete of the Week for the third time in March on Tuesday after setting two meet records at the Anteaters’ Spring Break Invitational.

Yowell won the 110-meter high hurdles in 13.91 seconds and doubled up in the 400 hurdles in 51.81 seconds on Saturday.

He also ran the first leg of UCI’s second-place 4x400 relay that clocked a season-best of 3 minutes, 12.50 seconds, and he ran the anchor leg of the 4x100 relay that finished fourth.

— From staff reports

*

UCI hudler shines

UC Irvine senior Amber Middleton was named Big West Conference Women’s Track Athlete of the Week for the second time this month.

Middleton was second in the 100-meter hurdles (13.80 seconds) and the 400 hurdles (59.50) on Saturday at the Spring Break Invitational hosted by UCI.

She also contributed to the runner-up in the 4x400 relay that finished second in a season-best time of 3 minutes, 45.40 seconds.

— From staff reports