UCLA Receives Commitment From Burgess

Tiffany Burgess of Birmingham High, who won six City Section individual titles in track and cross-country during her career, has committed to UCLA.

Burgess, who won the 800 and placed second in the 1,600 in the City championships last month, has career bests of 2:17.0 in the 800, 5:02.74 in the 1,600 and 11:14.3 in the 3,200.

Hurdler Juana Gatson of Birmingham, fifth in the 100 high hurdles and sixth in the 300 lows in the City championships, will attend Pennsylvania.

Burgess and Gatson are two of the three recipients of the Coaches of L.A. Women athlete of the year award for the City Section. The award is given to individuals who excel in athletics and academics.

* Cal State Northridge Coach Don Strametz was selected the Big Sky Conference women’s outdoor track and field coach of the year.

The Matadors won the Big Sky title by 28 points, 163-135, over Northern Arizona.

BASEBALL

* Catcher Joey Hamer of Newbury Park High and right-handed pitcher Chris Cordeiro of Thousand Oaks will play in the Team One National Baseball Showcase today through Sunday in Florida.

Hamer and Cordeiro are among 100 top high school juniors participating in the tournament. Games will be played in St. Petersburg and Tampa.

SOFTBALL

* Former Glendale High coach Craig Becker has been hired as head coach at Glendale College.

Becker posted a 72-88 record in seven seasons with the Dynamiters.

SWIMMING

* Cleveland High swimming co-coaches Jim Cromwell and Barbara Suto have resigned. No replacement has been selected.

Cromwell, 58, the Cavaliers’ coach the last 11 years, is leaving as a step toward retirement. The school’s career advisor and work-experience coordinator, he plans to leave those positions after next school year.

Suto, a physical-education teacher at Cleveland who joined Cromwell on the swim team six years ago, is leaving at the end of this school year to take a teaching position at Roosevelt High.

AUTO RACING

* Cory Kruseman of Ventura finished second and Jay Drake of Canyon Country was ninth in the Sprint Car Racing Assn. 30-lap main event Tuesday night at North Vernon Speedway in North Vernon, Ind.