Ten most memorable happenings

The Sports Corner

The year in Fresno State athletics was sprinkled with memories.

The strongest memories—though—were those that may be better forgotten. For the second-straight year, I’ll present you with a list of the 10 most memorable happenings of the year in sports.

10. Volleyball makes the NCAA tournament

The volleyball team earned a bid to the NCAA tournament, losing in the first round to host UC-Santa Barbara. But the 23-7 Bulldogs put up quite a struggle in the loss to the No. 8 Gauchos. Senior Java Johnson looked like the best player on the court, but it wasn’t enough to propel the Bulldogs into round two.

9. Young quarterback steps up

When Bulldogs starter Jeff Grady bruised his hip in the season opener against Wisconsin, the Bulldogs were forced to turn to redshirt freshman Paul Pinegar against San Diego State and Oregon. Grady’s return against Oregon State was marred by a right hip pointer. Pinegar took the reins and earned Western Athletic Conference freshman of the year in the process, throwing for 2,800 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

8. Softball falls out of top 25

After a 3-8 start the Bulldogs dropped out of the top 25 for the first time in 21 years. The Bulldogs claim the longest streak of consecutive weeks in the top 25, but that ended this season. The team is currently 29-20, 10-4 in the WAC. Hawaii has clinched the WAC title.

7. Return of Berrian

Star wide receiver Bernard Berrian injured his knee in the season opener at Wisconsin. Berrian had two receptions, including a touchdown, before his injury on a punt return. Berrian opted to return next season instead of entering the NFL draft by taking a medical redshirt. Berrian will be one of 2003’s top receivers.

6. Jackson’s game-winners

Damon Jackson was magical in the 2002-03 season. He hit four game-winning shots for the Bulldogs en route to a WAC regular-season championship. Jackson hit 3-pointers to beat St. Mary’s and Centenary and two more game-winners against Rice and Hawaii.

5. Women’s basketball becomes a big draw

Coach Stacy Johnson-Klein took a Bulldogs team that was 9-20 a year ago and led it to a 21-13 season. The team advanced to the third round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. A second-round game against Oregon State was played at Selland Arena in front of 4,507 fans.

4. Hill wins his first bowl game

Under coach Pat Hill, the Bulldogs earned four straight bowl bids for the first time ever. The fourth was a first as far as wins go. The Bulldogs won the Silicon Valley Football Classic 30-21 over Georgia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference to finish the season with a 9-5 record.

3. Watney is No. 1

With a first-place tie in the WAC championships, senior Nick Watney is back atop the national rankings. He has been ranked No. 1 more than any other golfer this season and earned WAC golfer of the year honors for the third time in his career—a WAC first. Watney is on pace to break the NCAA record for scoring average in a season with his 69.58.

2. Program cuts

Athletic director Scott Johnson announced the cuts of the men’s soccer, men’s indoor track and field, men’s cross country and women’s swimming and diving teams in an April news conference. The men’s soccer team hasn’t gone away easily. Its fundraising effort to raise enough money to also bring back women’s swimming and diving has a May 15 deadline. In effort to reduce the possibility of losing track and field, coach Bob Fraley agreed to coach two years without pay.

1. Postseason ban

In a controversial decision, university President John Welty self-imposed a postseason ban on the men’s basketball team. The team had a legitimate shot at an NCAA tournament berth, but because of alleged academic fraud in years past, Welty banned the 2002-03 team from the postseason. The Bulldogs were also held out of the WAC tournament.