With spring break in the rearview mirror, spring sports are officially in the final stretch of their seasons. Monday’s SBART press luncheon provided an opportunity for players and coaches to reflect during the heart of league competition.
Elina Stump of Santa Barbara High track and field and Mason Crang of San Marcos High baseball received Athlete of the Week awards for outstanding performances from March 23 through March 29.
Crang went 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in a 6–5 victory over rival Dos Pueblos. He followed that performance by allowing just one earned run over seven innings pitched, while recording seven strikeouts in a 6–3 win over Dos Pueblos to complete the sweep.
In a dual meet against Oxnard, Stump took first place in the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, and 4×400-meter relay. She also recorded a personal record in the 200-meter dash, finishing in second place. At the Simi Valley Invitational, Stump took second place in the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, and triple jump, all with her best marks of the season. In the 300-meter hurdles, she finished in third place with a lifetime-best time.
Cate Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Jae Wykoff received the Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for Cate School at Monday’s SBART press luncheon. In addition to his outstanding achievements in the classroom, Wykoff has excelled in both swimming and water polo at Cate, elevating both programs in the process.
Wykoff earned Tri-Valley League Boys Water Polo MVP honors and received All-League First Team and All-CIF-SS Division 4 Second Team recognition in 2024. He has also been a consistent All-League performer in swimming and holds Cate’s 200 freestyle relay record, set at the 2025 CIF-SS Division 2 Championships.
Academically, he maintains a 4.58 GPA while taking advanced coursework across math, science, humanities, and English. His achievements have earned him the opportunity to continue his academic and athletic career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he plans to compete in NCAA Division III water polo.
Cori Close Leads UCLA Women’s Basketball to National Championship
Cori Close, coach of UCLA’s NCAA women’s basketball champions, has deep roots at UCSB. She was a player for the Gauchos from 1990–93 and later served as associate head coach when they reached the Sweet 16 in 2004. After 15 years at UCLA, Close has now ascended to the pinnacle of her profession.
The Bruins defeated powerhouse South Carolina 79-51 in the national championship game to capture the first NCAA title in program history. They finished with a 37-1 overall record.
UCSB Baseball Sweeps Rival Cal Poly
UC Santa Barbara completed a three-game sweep of Cal Poly with a 12-4 victory on Saturday, improving to 18–10 overall and 8–4 in Big West play.
Kellan Montgomery delivered a steady outing, holding Cal Poly scoreless through six innings while benefiting from key defensive plays.
Ryan Severns, Liam Barrett, and Corey Nunez each recorded three hits. The victory marked the first time UCSB has swept Cal Poly since 2022.
The Gauchos return home on Tuesday, April 7, for a non-conference clash with No. 12 USC beginning at 4:35 p.m.
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