Keeping Up With Winter Sports

High hopes for Santa Clara’s Winter SportsJay Mehta The Santa Clara January 18, 2018Men’s BasketballAfter a blowout victory against Loyola Marymount University (65-49) and a nail-biter over the University of Portland (70-68), the Broncos lost to both Saint Mary’s College and Brigham Young University this past week. The team gets back on the road this Thursday (Jan. 18), hoping to turn their luck around at the University of San Francisco.But the real exciting match is on Saturday (Jan. 20) versus Gonzaga. The game on Thursday is poised to be a close one, given the history of the San Francisco series. There have been 221 meetings since 1908 when the series began. The Broncos hold a 114-107 lead and won two of three games last season, including a 76-69 victory in the West Coast Conference Tournament, which sent Santa Clara to the league semifinals for the first time since 2011. In the last six games, the Broncos have posted their fewest foul totals of the year, including 10 (a season low) against Portland on Jan. 6.KJ Feagin has had an especially good season, scoring 20 points or more in six games this season. He has also scored double figures in 16 out of 18 games and nine points in the other two. Feagin has also connected on 21 of his last 22 free throw attempts. In the last four games, junior Matt Hauser has 16 assists and six turnovers.For fans interested in attending the Gonzaga game on Saturday, the innagural “Bronco Bash” is being held at Locatelli from 2-4 p.m. Fans can enjoy camaraderie with fellow Bronco supporters, the Santa Clara pep band and dance team before one of the biggest games of the year.The 21-and-over event includes selections from several local craft breweries and appetizers, as well as an auction. The first 50 SCU Young Alumni (graduation years between 2008-2017) to sign up will receive entrance to the Bronco Bash and a ticket to the Gonzaga game.Women’s Water PoloThe 2018 Women’s Water Polo home schedule includes 10 games (four in the Santa Clara Invitational) from Feb. 1 to April 21. The Broncos also have three regular season tournaments starting on Jan. 27 against Cal State Monterey Bay. Away tournaments to look out for are the Triton Invitational at UC San Diego (Feb. 10-11), Aggie Shootout at UC Davis (Feb. 17) and Indiana Classic at Indiana University (March 3-4). Nine players from the Water Polo Team earned spots on 2017 Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) All-Academic Team. Kathryn Burke and Keri Clifford were ranked as outstanding (GPA: 4.00-3.71) and Blair Akerland, Emma Allegrucci, Lydia Dadd and Maggie Oys were ranked superior (GPA 3.70-3.41). Cathy Cantoni, Maddie MacDonald and Francesca Puccinelli earned excellent status (GPA: 3.40-3.20).Men’s SoccerSix Santa Clara Men’s Soccer team players earned All WCC Honors. Carlos Delgadillo and Valdemar Andersen were named first and second team, and Satoshi Chaffin got an honorable mention. Javier Ruiz Duran, Nate Shue and Terrell Smith placed on the all-freshman team.Three people on the all freshman team is the most of any school in the WCC. The all-conference selection is performance-based, and Delgadillo and Anderson have been honored by the conference four times before now. Sam Agosti and Valdemar Andersen were also named to the West Coast Conference All-Academic team.Contact Jay Mehta at jmehta1@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.