Briefs: UCI duo All-Americans

UC Irvine junior libero Michael Brinkley and senior middle blocker Scott Kevorken have been named All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Assn.

Brinkley is a first-team honoree for the second straight season, while Kevorken is a second-team choice.

Brinkley averaged 2.52 digs per set and has recorded double-figure digs 13 times in 2014. The only UCI player to play in every set this year ranks second on the school’s career digs list. He was named first-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation the last two seasons.

Kevorken, also a first-team All-MPSF performer, ranked second in hitting percentage against MPSF opponents with a .480 mark. The 6-foot-9 standout hit better than .600 eight times this season, including a .875 performance against UC San Diego on April 4.

Kevorken averaged 1.81 kills and 0.90 blocks per set overall. He recorded a season-high seven block assists in an MPSF tournament quarterfinals loss at Stanford.

He ranks fifth in UCI career solo blocks and seventh in block assists and total blocks.

Newport Harbor High product Cody Caldwell, a 6-6 junior outside hitter at Loyola of Chicago, received honorable mention.

— From staff reports

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UCI’s Fernandez lauded

UC Irvine junior Pete Fernandez has been named Big West Conference Golfer of the Month for April.

Fernandez had three top-seven finishes in a span of eight days earlier this month, with six of his nine rounds under par and a combined seven under par in the three tournaments.

He opened the month tying for fourth in the Wyoming Cowboy Classic, shooting four-under 206 over 54 holes at Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Fernandez then tied for third in the 68th annual Western Intercollegiate with a four-under total of 206 at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz. He finished better than six players who were ranked inside the Top-20 Golfstat national rankings at the time of the event.

He finished in a seventh-place tie in the OGIO-UCSB Intercollegiate with a 54-hole score of 217 at Sandpiper Golf Club in Santa Barbara last week.

Fernandez has six top-seven finishes this season and leads the ‘Eaters with a 72.7 average.

UCI competes in the Big West Conference Championship, Sunday through Tuesday at the Country Club at Soboba Springs in San Jacinto.

— From staff reports