Shumard Becomes Special
Olympics President

The long association of CSULB Executive Director of Athletics Bill Shumard with the Special Olympics of Southern California (SOSC) led the organization to appoint him its new president and chief executive officer this summer.

The 1972 CSULB journalism graduate became the 49ers' sports information director that year. After holding positions elsewhere, including with the Los Angeles Dodgers and USC, he returned to CSULB in 1994 as assistant athletics director, then was appointed AD in 1996.

Shumard spearheaded athletics capital projects totaling more than $7 million, with CSULB becoming the leading Big West Conference institution in raising external dollars. He and the Athletics Department assisted the student body in passing the "Beach Pride Referendum" to provide additional funding and facility upgrades for athletics. This allowed the program to provide all 18 varsity sports with the maximum permitted number of NCAA scholarships.

The Special Olympics of Southern California serves more than 11,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities in an 11-county region of Southern California. The program offers sports training and competition in 23 individual and team sports on a year-round basis, culminating with the annual Special Olympics competition, held at CSULB the past seven years.

A national search for a new executive director of athletics is under way.


CSULB Among Golf Digest Top Schools

The September issue of Golf Digest ranked CSULB among the top 25 "Best Colleges for Golf" in the men's balanced golf programs category, taking into consideration the program¡¦s success, academic environment, climate, location, coach and facilities.

Women's golf team member Kay Hoey was selected a second team All-American by the National Golf Coaches Association. She was selected as the 2005 Big West Women's Golfer of the Year as well as earning the league's Freshman of the Year honor. She recently finished in fifth place at the Big West Conference Championships, fifth at the NCAA West Regionals and tied for 27th at the NCAA Championships.

Hoey won two consecutive tournaments and finished in the top 10 in eight of the year's 10 tournaments.


Holland Earns Academic All-America Honors

Long Beach State hammer thrower Steve Holland was named to ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-America first team this spring after earning second team honors the previous year.

Holland, a business major with a 3.96 GPA, is a three-time regional qualifier in the hammer and earned All-Big West honors as a sophomore. He is the fourth 49er to be twice named an Academic All-American, joining volleyball players Keri Nishimoto and Anja Grabovac and distance runner Johann Appell.

First round pick Troy Tulowitzki could soon be wearing a Rockies uniform, as he did when he was introduced to Colorado’s media in June. The Dirtbags have 11 players in the Majors in 2005.

Major League Baseball Teams
Draft Nine Dirtbags

All-American shortstop Troy Tulowitzki became the highest-ever 49er selected in the annual Major League Baseball draft, going seventh overall to the Colorado Rockies. All-American pitcher Cesar Ramos also was selected in the first round by the San Diego Padres.

This year's draftees are:

• Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki–1st round, Colorado Rockies
• Pitcher Cesar Ramos–1st round, San Diego Padres
• Pitcher Marco Estrada–6th round, Washington Nationals
• Pitcher Steve Hammond–6th round, Milwaukee Brewers
• Pitcher Neil Jamison–6th round, San Diego Padres
• Pitcher Cody Evans–10th round, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Catcher Chris Jones–11th round, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Pitcher Brian Anderson–14th round, San Francisco Giants
• Outfielder Sean Boatright–36th round, Florida Marlins.

This summer, two Dirtbag alumni made their major league debuts from double-A teams. The San Diego Padres brought their 2004 minor league player of the year, outfielder/first baseman Paul McAnulty, up from Mobile, while the Florida Marlins called up pitcher Jason Vargas from Carolina.

For the 11th time since 1989, Long Beach State baseball ranked in the top 20, finishing the 2005 season No. 18 in Collegiate Baseball and No. 19 in Baseball America. Dirtbag pitchers led the nation with a 2.53 earned run average.


Manarino Passes 800 Wins as Softball Takes Conference Championship

The 49er softball team concluded the season ranked 24th in the nation with a 39-14 record and clinched the Big West Conference with a 19-2 record, its fifth conference championship.

The season also saw head coach Pete Manarino collect his 800th career victory in April. Since 1996, Long Beach State has won four conference titles, and has appeared in seven NCAA Regionals (15 overall). Manarino, who joined CSULB in 1984, also earned Big West Coach of the Year honors five times, including 2003 and 2004.

Seniors Meredith Cervenka and Marcel Torres were named the 2005 Big West Conference Co-pitchers of the Year for the second consecutive season, and Jonae Perez was conference Freshman Field Player of the Year.

Long Beach State landed four first-team all-conference selections–Cervenka, Torres for both pitcher and utility, and senior Lauren Johnson. Perez was named to the second team and Tiffanie Wedell received honorable mention.

Cervenka also earned first-team All-West Regional team honors from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, while Torres was named to the second team.