Aliso Niguel Alum Cherishes Friendships Made on Softball Diamond at San Diego State

Friendships forged in college can last a lifetime. Some students make their acquaintances through the Greek system, others through extracurricular activities on campus. For athletes, being part of a team helps to build those bonds.

 “[The teams] have always been one, huge family," said Christine Kulick, who played softball at San Diego Sate. "I lived in 'softball houses'  because it made it easier for my [class and practice] schedule. Being together from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday, we had ’sister-y’ moments. [The team] was a sisterhood, sort of like being in a sorority.”

Instead of date dashes and parties, the Aztec softball team had drills and study tables.

And though her collegiate career is over, Kulick, who also graduated from Aliso Niguel High, said the connections she made via shared sacrifice remain strong. She also credits the team’s closeness for what she called “the best day ever."

 “My family came up to Las Vegas to surprise me," she said. "I had some big hits that game. It was perfect.”

In 2008, Kulick's junior year, San Diego State won the Mountain West Conference championship. “That year was the closest we were as a team, and I really think that’s a big part of what brought us to [a championship].”

During that season, Kulick started 43 of 47 games at third base and had 11 RBIs. Two of of which came in the series against UNLV.

“I never take off my championship ring,” she said, laughing. “I have a suntan line from it.”

She might not have had she continued her career at Iowa State, her initial college of choice.

“I wasn’t there a full year, but the entire time I was there, it was dark,” said Kulick, who still lives in San Diego. “Coming back to California, I was [pale], I had brown hair.”

Beyond what she called “weather shock,” she decided to leave Iowa State when Ruth Crow, the coach who had recruited her, was let go.

“I enjoyed it there, but coming home, it’s just home,” she said. “And in San Diego, I was still far enough away that I had a college experience.”

Kulick remains vested in college sports, working as an editor for CBS College Sports.

The 2011 college softball season begins in February, and Kulick said she’s hoping for a College World Series win for her alma mater. But if not SDSU, then “Washington or Arizona.... I’ve always liked those two teams.”

Alumni Notes

Well, there’s plenty to like about perennial powers Washington and Arizona for local fans as well.

Niki Williams, who grew up in Mission Viejo and attended El Toro High, is a junior infielder for the Huskies. Named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team, she led the Huskies in batting average (.357) and total bases (103) as a sophomore.

Arizona’s roster includes standout Brittany Lastrapes, a senior from Laguna Niguel who attended Laguna Hills High. An outfielder, she earned All-America honors as a sophomore and junior and has been an All-Pac-10 selection since her freshman year.

The Wildcats’ leadoff hitter and permanent fixture in left field, she led the team with a .413 batting average last season and a .481 average as a sophomore.

One of Lastarpes’ teammate is El Toro alum Shannon Tinsley, a sophomore catcher whose hometown is Lake Forest. A walk-on as a freshman at Arizona,  she holds her high school's record for most home runs hit in a game (three).

Washington and Arizona will participate in the Judi Garman Classic at Cal State Fullerton on March 17-20.

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The only thing bigger than the waves on the coast of South Orange County is the volleyball talent. The area produces some of the nation’s top men’s players, evidenced by the number of them on rosters of 11 teams in the AVCA Division I-II Men's Coaches' top 15 preseason poll.

1. USC --Tanner Jensen, 6-5 opposite, redshirt fr., San Juan Capistrano (Santa Margarita High); Jeff Carolson, 6-3 setter, redshirt so., Newport Beach (Corona del Mar); Tucker Peleuses, 6-4 opposite, redshirt so., Newport Beach (Newport Harbor); Steven Shandrick, 6-7 middle blocker, jr., Lake Forest (Santa Margarita); Joey Booth, 6-5 outside hitter, fr., Newport Coast (Corona del Mar); J.B. Green, 6-0 Libero, redshirt fr., Newport Beach (Newport Harbor).

2. UC Irvine -- John Caroompas III, 6-2 Libero, fr., Laguna Niguel (JSerra); Ian Wynne, 6-4 setter, so., Mission Viejo (Capistrano Valley); Austin D'Amore, 6-5 middle blocker, jr., Laguna Hills; Cory Yoder, 6-3 outside hitter, sr., San Clemente; Ian Castellana, 6-6 outside hitter, fr., San Clemente; Kevin Wynne, 6-7 middle blocker, sr., Mission Viejo (Capistrano Valley); Travis Woloson, 6-4 outside hitter, fr., Laguna Beach.

3. Pepperdine -- Parker Kalmbach, 6-7 outside hitter, fr., Coto de Caza (Tesoro); Mike McMahon, 5-10 Libero, fr., Mission Viejo (Santa Margarita); Woody Quinn, 6-5 outside hitter, fr., Dana Point (St. Margaret's).

4. Stanford -- Ian Connolly, 6-3 outside hitter, sr., Newport Coast (Mater Dei); Gus Ellis, 6-6 middle blocker, jr., Corona del Mar.

5. BYU -- Robb Stowell, 6-7 opposite, jr., San Juan Capistrano (Capistrano Valley); Erik Mayer, 6-6 middle blocker, so., Mission Viejo (Scotts Valley High).

6. Hawaii -- Harrison Phelps, 6-1 Libero, so., Laguna Beach.

7. Ohio State -- Scottie Chapel, 6-5 outside hitter, fr., Laguna Beach; Kyle Lawrence, 6-1 setter, so., Costa Mesa (Newport Harbor); Grayson Overman, 6-6 middle blocker, so., San Clemente.

8. Penn State -- Connor Curry, 6-0 Libero, fr., Newport Beach (Newport Harbor).

9. UCLA --Weston Dunlap, 6-8, quick hitter, redshirt jr., Newport Beach (Newport Harbor); Kyle Caldwell, 6-9 setter, jr., Newport Beach (Newport Harbor); Spencer Rowe, 6-6 opposite, fr., Trabuco Canyon (Mission Viejo).

10. UC Santa Barbara -- Grant Goswiller, 6-3 outside hitter, so., Coto de Caza (Tesoro); Dylan Davis, 6-9 middle blocker, so., Newport Beach (Corona del Mar); Scott Slaughter, 6-7 middle blocker, sr., Newport Beach (Corona del Mar); Weston Nielsen, 6-6 outside hitter, fr., Corona del Mar; Blaine Nielsen, 6-5 outside hitter, jr., Corona del Mar.

11. Long Beach State -- Colten Echave, 6-7 middle blocker, so., Ladera Ranch (Tesoro); Ryan Meehan, 6-8 middle blocker, jr., Dana Point (Dana Hills).

USC makes its only Orange County appearance of the season on Jan. 19 at UC Irvine.

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When the Trojans men's basketball team squares off against cross-town rival UCLA tonight at the Galen Center in their first meeting of the 2010-11 Pac-10 season, its lineup will include Daniel Munoz, a 5-10 sophomore guard from Coto de Caza who helped Santa Margarita High to a state championship his junior year and to the CIF Southern Section finals as a senior.

On Bruins' roster is 6-0 junior guard Blake Arnet, a resident of Laguna Niguel who played at Mater Dei.

Neither Munoz nor Arnet receive much playing time, but nothing can replace the excitement generated when their respective teams clash on the hardwood.

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By the way, another former Mission Viejo High alum, quarterback Mark Sanchez, had a pretty good Saturday, rallying his New York Jets to a 17-16 playoff victory over Peyton Manning's Indianapolis Colts.

Next up for the Jets: a visit to New England to meet the Patriots in an AFC semifinal game on Sunday.

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Is there a local alum we should know about? Contact Kyle Kensing at kkensing@gmail.com