Fran Cummings

Fran Cummings said Tuesday she has been hired as women's volleyball coach at Saddleback College. Cummings, the women's volleyball coach at Cal State Fullerton from 1980-88, was general manager of the Los Angeles Starlites of the Major League Volleyball until the franchise folded in March. "About that time, I heard that was going to be an opening at Saddleback," Cummings said. "Saddleback has had a good history in volleyball, but they've been down for a couple years. I feel it's in an excellent area for volleyball, there are a lot good kids down there."

Fran Cummings said Tuesday she has been hired as women's volleyball coach at Saddleback College. Cummings, the women's volleyball coach at Cal State Fullerton from 1980-88, was general manager of the Los Angeles Starlites of the Major League Volleyball until the franchise folded in March. "About that time, I heard that was going to be an opening at Saddleback," Cummings said. "Saddleback has had a good history in volleyball, but they've been down for a couple years. I feel it's in an excellent area for volleyball, there are a lot good kids down there."

Former University of Hawaii volleyball All-American Anna Vorwerk has received a work visa to play for the Los Angeles Starlites, general manager Fran Cummings said Friday. Vorwerk, a native of Sweden, was the first player selected in the Major League Volleyball college draft. She was a member of Sweden's national team. Vorwerk, a 6-foot middle blocker, will be in uniform for the Starlites' match against the New York Liberties Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at UC Irvine's Bren Center.

Roger Hing of Fountain Valley and Jim Nelson of Irvine won their second-round singles matches Tuesday in the men's 65s division at the USTA National Hard Court Championships at the Lindborg Racquet Club in Huntington Beach. Hill defeated Rollie Odell of Orinda, 6-1, 6-4, and Nelson eliminated Ron Ryan of Jupiter, Fla., 6-4, 6-4. Advancing in men's 55s were Jerry Edgar of Mission Viejo, Michael Wolffe of Laguna Niguel, Terry Ehlers of San Clemente, and Daud Ahmed of Laguna Beach.

Fran Cummings, former Cal State Fullerton volleyball coach, has been named general manager of the Los Angeles Starlites, the women's professional volleyball team that plays its home games at the Bren Center. Cummings replaces Gary Coffey, who resigned Tuesday for personal reasons. Coffey will continue as general manager and coach of the International Ambassadors women's volleyball team, which plays an international schedule.

Jim Huffman, an assistant at Colorado State the past 3 years, has been named women's volleyball coach at Cal State Fullerton, replacing Fran Cummings, who was forced to resign Nov. 22 after posting an 84-216 record in 9 seasons. Huffman, 29, was at Colorado State while the Rams were 76-29 and ranked as high as fifth in the nation. A graduate of Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, who holds a master's degree from Iowa State, Huffman also has been an assistant at Lamoni and Iowa State.

Santiago Canyon College will field its first athletic teams next fall, according to its president, Dean Strenger. The Hawks will field men's and women's cross-country teams in the fall 1999 semester, followed by a men's golf team in the spring semester of 2000. Men's and women's soccer teams will debut in the fall of 2000. Santiago Canyon will compete in the Orange Empire Conference.

Newport Harbor junior Aaron Peirsol won the 100 backstroke Friday in USA Swimming's Southwest Conference Championships at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach. Peirsol's time was 48.47 seconds. His Irvine Novaquatics teammate, Irvine High freshman Diana MacManus, won the women's event in 55.63, edging Canyon senior Erin Volcan of UC Irvine's Aquazot Swim Club (56.33). Michael Cavic, a junior at Tustin who also swims with the Novaquatics, won the 100 butterfly in 47.

Two national champions will be among the 300 players competing in the 1985 Pacific Mutual Pro-Am Racquetball championships today through Sunday at Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley. The prizes will total more than $10,000, with proceeds to benefit the Arthritis Foundation.

Owners of the six teams of Major League Volleyball voted to suspend operation of the women's professional league, a month into its third season, it was announced Monday. Robert Batinovich, league chairman, said Monday that the league will suspend operations after Saturday's all-star game in San Jose. The remaining six weeks of the regular season were canceled.

The Cal State Fullerton athletic department is investigating allegations that women's volleyball team members were allowed to use coach Jim Huffman's office telephone to make long-distance calls, a violation of NCAA rules, school officials have confirmed. "We are looking into the phone questions," Athletic Director Ed Carroll said Thursday. Carroll said a complaint from "a single source" prompted the inquiry.