Briefs: Bowie returns to UCI

Former UC Irvine post player Lauren Bowie, formerly known as Lauren Yadon, was recently named director of women’s basketball operations at her alma mater.

Bowie was an assistant coach at La Verne the last three seasons.

She averaged 7.8 points and 4.0 rebounds per game over her career at UCI and her 70 career blocks rank seventh in UCI annals. She was named to the Big West Conference All-Freshman team in 2003 after averaging 9.8 points and 5.5 rebounds.

She graduated from UCI with a degree in psychology and social behavior.

— From staff reports

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Three locals lauded

Corona del Mar High tennis alumni Jill Damion, Hayley Young and Miranda Young earned All-American Scholar-Athlete honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Assn. for their recently concluded senior years of college.

Damion played at UC Santa Barbara and the Young sisters played at UC Irvine, before all there graduated last spring.

To be eligible for the All-American Scholar-Athlete recognition, players must earn a varsity letter and have a grade-point average of at least 3.5 for the current school year.

All three players were seniors at CdM in 2006-07, when the Sea Kings went 28-0 and stormed to the CIF Southern Section Division I title.

Damion played No. 1 singles during that year for Corona del Mar, and the Young sisters played No. 1 doubles.

Coach Brian Ricker said nine players from that team went on to play college tennis.

They also include Cierra Gaytan-Leach (Texas), Melissa Matsuoka (Dartmouth), Hailey Hogan (Johns Hopkins), Danielle Kaiden (Chapman), Paige Polizois (Hofstra) and Flora Lee (NYU).

— From staff reports