Briefs: ‘Super’ duty for Hayes

Newport Beach resident earns assignment as side judge for Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis.

Newport Beach resident Laird Hayes learned Monday that he would be on the officiating crew for Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis, Ind.

Hayes, a former Orange Coast College men’s soccer coach in his 16th season as an NFL official, will be the side judge on the seven-man crew.

It’s the third Super Bowl assignment for Hayes, 61, who also worked Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 and Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002.

Hayes coached the men’s soccer team for 24 years before stepping down after the 2010 season. He also taught at the school.

— From staff reports

UCI’s McCalister honored

UC Irvine senior guard Kassandra McCalister was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week in women’s basketball on Monday.

McCalister led the Anteaters to their first central coast sweep since the 2005-06 season with wins over defending Big West co-champions UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

McCalister had a game-high 21 points and six rebounds to lift UCI to a 63-51 win at UCSB on Thursday. She made six of 10 field-goal attempts, including four of five from three-point range. She also had six assists and two steals.

On Saturday at Cal Poly, McCalister recorded a team-high 16 points in a 62-60 win to hand the Mustangs their first conference defeat. She also contributed four rebounds, four assists, a career-high two blocks and a steal.

For the week, McCalister averaged 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 48.1% from the field and 60% from three-point range.

The Anteaters, who are 8-10, 4-2 in the Big West with four straight wins, will play host to Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and Seattle in a non-conference game Sunday at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at the Bren Events Center.

— From staff reports

UCI alumni sparkle

Former UC Irvine All-American Ryan Bailey scored a goal for the USA men’s national water polo team that won the gold medal with an 11-10, overtime victory over Australia at the Pan Pacific Championships Saturday in Melbourne, Australia.

Bailey scored a total of 10 goals in the tournament while two other Anteater greats, Jeff Powers and Tim Hutten, scored five and four goals, respectively.

Bailey has played on the last three U.S. Olympic teams, Powers the past two and Hutten was on the 2008 Olympic team.

— From staff reports