* The City Section gives final approval on March 10 to realign teams in the Valley, creating three six-team leagues and eliminating two eight-team conferences each comprised of two four-team leagues.
* Michael Preis of Chatsworth, a forward for Cal State Northridge, is selected to play for the U.S. under-23 national soccer team and makes his international debut on April 7 against Brazil in Sao Paolo.
* Amy Skieresz, a seven-time NCAA champion in track and cross-country from Agoura High, decided in April to pass up the indoor and outdoor track seasons in 2000 and the chance to surpass the NCAA record of nine individual titles by Suzy Favor of Wisconsin. Skieresz graduated this month from Arizona.
* Gary Barlow, Valley College football coach for two seasons, announced on May 4 that he would resign and return to his hometown of Stockton and San Joaquin Delta College to become an assistant.
* Greg Winslow, a 1982 Buena High graduate, on May 18 becomes the men's basketball coach at Ventura College, which suspended the program for two years after a series of violations. Winslow was the San Bernardino Valley coach the previous two seasons.
* Dick Dull, 53, is hired May 26 as athletic director by Cal State Northridge. Dull was athletic director at Maryland during the Len Bias tragedy.
* The Times learns on May 27 that Cal State Northridge launched an internal investigation about possible NCAA rules violations in the football program. An anonymous letter triggered the investigation.
* Carl Ferrill, who has a .780 winning percentage as a head football coach on the junior college and university levels, is hired on June 3 by Valley College to replace Gary Barlow.
* Barry Zito, former Pierce College and USC pitcher, is selected ninth overall in the baseball amateur draft by the Oakland Athletics on June 2. Scott Rice of Royal High is the first high school player from the region selected. The Baltimore Orioles chose him in the supplemental first round with the 44th overall pick.
* Maureen LeCocq of Chaminade, who finished a varsity career with 14 consecutive shutouts and 92 scoreless innings, is selected the Gatorade Circle of Champions national softball player of the year on June 5.
* A civic group, including several members of the Cal State Northridge Presidential Advisory Board, gathers June 9 to call for a review of the hiring of Dick Dull as athletic director. Supporters of candidate Robert Arias are unable to prevent the hiring of Dull.
