Niner soccer transfer Jessika Oseguera played tall against Baylor and Army too. Photo courtesy of LBSU Media Relations.

One of the benchmarks for college sports programs on the move is how they are viewed by accomplished athletes who originally passed on your school. If that is a good barometer for college soccer then Long Beach State (6-3) has some nice numbers.

Last weekend the Beach booters split, but when the ball bounced in the right way it was the bounce-backs—the transfers—who provided the margin if excellence (a heart breaking double OT loss to Texas Tech and a pulling away 2-0 shutout of Army).

Junior Eileen Maes (formerly of Washington State) scored three goals on the weekend (two of them in the Texas Tech drama) and the little gal they call Tweedy, Jessika Oseguera, left the hills of Middle Tennessee State for a goal and an assist in the win over Army. And the so called nervous moments when you’re supposed to see when you put players together without years of training, well not a factor.

Oseguera set up junior Maes for what proved to be the game-winner in the 69th minute. It was Maes’ fourth goal of the season and third of the tournament as she also scored twice against Texas Tech on Friday. The Beach gals return home for its final non-conference game against WCC toughie San Diego this Friday in one of those under the light affairs set for 7PM at George Allen Field.

The background on both of the emerging stars is full of promise and potential. In 2011 Oseguera started eight matches and netted goals against Alabama A&M and in the Sun Belt opener at Denver (9/23) … Contributed a team-high four assists, including four in non-conference play … Recorded her first assist on the game-winning goal in overtime against Jacksonville State (8/21) … Posted assists in back-to-back contests against Alabama A&M and Tennessee Tech (9/16) … Tallied lone assist in league action at Louisiana (10/14) … Fired a career-high four shots against Jacksonville State and at Tennessee (9/2) … Concluded the season by placing 10 of her 22 shots on goal.

Her 2010 season saw a start in 13 matches while playing in all 24 … Earned a starting nod in the final nine contests, including all three of the Sun Belt Tournament and the NCAA Tournament matchup with No. 15 Florida State (11/12) … Tallied her first collegiate score at FIU (10/10) on her only shot attempt … Credited with two assists in the home victory over ULM (10/17) , With a big family and lots of followers from her days up the road at Mayfair High Tweedy was invited to train with the U20 Mexican National Team … Named to the 2009 and 2010 Second Team All-California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section by the SoCal Soccer Coaches Association … Earned Long Beach Press Telegram Dream Team accolades her final two years … Selected as the 2009 and 2010 Suburban League Offensive MVP and to its First Team … Tabbed as her high school’s Most Offensive Player, leading it to the league title following her final two campaigns … Chosen as the Best Newcomer in 2007 … Nominated for the City of Lakewood (Calif.) Hall of Fame … Garnered Scholar-Athlete honors.

The bio blast on Ms. Maes features her time in the PAC 12 where she played in all 23 games at Washington State as a sophomore … Helped the Cougars advance to the NCAA Second Round … Collected four goals and one assist for a total of nine points … Hat trick against Hawaii in 2011 as she scored three goals against the Wahine, earning her Pac-12 Player of the Week … 2010 (Washington State): Appeared in 19 matches, including 17 starts as a freshman for the Cougars … Second on team with five goals, three assists and 13 points … First-career point, Aug. 27 with assist vs. Long Beach State … First-career goal, Sept. 17 at Hawaii … Hat trick against Gonzaga, Oct. 1 which earned her Pac-10 Player of the Week … Notched four points (one goal, two assists) over last four matches … Team Rookie of the Year Award. In her four year high school days on the teams at Castro Valley High School Eileen was also a Four-time Hayward Area Athletic League champion

With the past two weekends absent of any local contests, Friday shows the calendar girls in a lot of contests.

Women’s Volleyball (5-6) got a 2-3 weekend in Illinois at there Bradley tournament. They beat Arkansas State 3-1 and Northern Illinois 3-0 but by the time that the third match came up the Niners lost to well-regarded Northern Iowa 3-1. This weekend you have that Friday conflict between soccer (see above) at 7 and the opener of Big West Conference volleyball action playing a pair of solid teams, first Cal Poly and then on Saturday UC Santa Barbara. The dark cloud on the post-season horizon is #7 Hawaii over there on September 29 and then again when the Bows come to the Mid October 26. Erin Juley will have to miss the season with a medical red shirt, along with Haleigh Hampton, but Alma Serna played well last weekend and the new kids on the block improved.

Technically the Beach tied with UNI and A-State for the tournament title but Junior outside hitter Delainey Aigner-Swesey was named to the CEFCU Classic All-Tournament team, averaging 4.09 kills per set and 3.48 digs per set while hitting .288 on the weekend. Aigner-Swesey made 16 kills and 15 digs in a win over Arkansas State, and then hit .429 with a season-high 18 kills against Northern Illinois. The 49ers have now had two players earn All-Tournament honors, as senior outside hitter Janisa Johnson was named to the Kentucky Classic All-Tournament team during the first weekend of the season. Johnson led the 49ers with 60 kills over three matches in Lexington averaging 5.00 kills per set and 3.00 digs per set, including an impressive 29 kills and 19 digs in Long Beach State’s five-set loss to North Carolina.

As far as scouting the next two foes the SID crew offers this look. “…the Cal Poly Mustangs have struggled in the first season so far under Sam Crosson, posting a 1-10 overall record, but winning their only home match. With a big roster adjustment, losing the team’s top two scorers from a year ago, the Mustangs are led by Holly Franks, who hits 3.03 kills per set. As a team, the Mustangs are hitting .137, and are blocking just 1.16 balls per set. Long Beach State holds a 37-17 overall record against Cal Poly, and has won the last two matches against the Mustangs after winning both matches a year ago. Each one was very close, however, with each going into five sets. The 49ers battled to a 20-18 fifth set win on the road in San Luis Obispo, in the last match between the teams, and in the last match in the Walter Pyramid, Delainey Aigner-Swesey had a career night for the 49ers, carrying the team to a win behind 29 kills as the team played without All-American Caitlin Ledoux.

Same idea in the notes on UC Santa Barbara. “Entering the week with a 7-7 overall record, UC Santa Barbara s played a tough schedule, falling to three ranked teams and losing a trio of five-set matches. Junior Leah Sully leads the team offensively, averaging 3.95 kills per set, while libero Taylor Formico is tops in the Big West in digs, averaging 5.41 per set. Freshman Jaylen Villanueva and sophomore Ali Santi have split the setting duties for long-time head coach Kathy Gregory, entering her 38th season at the helm of the Gauchos. Long Beach State leads the all-time series with UC Santa Barbara 59-36. The teams have split the season series in each of the last three seasons. In 2011, Long Beach State fell in five sets at home despite 13 kills and 24 digs from Janisa Johnson. The 49ers rallied to defeat the Gauchos on the road, however, winning in four sets in a match that helped LBSU clinch an eventual Big West championship.

MIXED DUSTING—The dinosaur den known as the Long Beach Century Club enjoyed one of the most knowledgeable of the talking heads last week when entrepreneur and Long Beach guy Jeff Fellenzer came by. Fellenzer, a former L.A. Times reporter, is now a professor in the Annenberg School for Journalism and Communication at USC. His expertise is sports, business and media; including teaching one of the most popular classes on campus as voted by a student survey. His guests in his classroom regularly include Pat Haden, Scot Boras, Al Michaels, Jim Nance and Jim Lampley; as well as other high profile sports figures. His long personal friendships have included John Wooden, Pete Newell, and Louie Zamperini. He is one of 43 voters in California for the Heisman Trophy and serves as a consultant to the USC athletic department to work with athletes in the arena of social media awareness and working with the media. Darn, more kids that will be tough interviews.

As usual the chat rooms at the Beach buzz mostly for basketball. Ben Miraski, a noted Mid Major blogger had this to say. “Dan Monson has essentially rebuilt the team with players that didn’t see significant time at major conference schools, or players that just needed that change of scenery. He is challenging himself to see if he can duplicate the success that he has seen before, and that Huggins had done at Cincinnati (albeit with more JUCO transfers, but the practice is the same).”

“There is no easy way to determine how this will work out, especially when you consider the schedule that is in front of Long Beach State before the Big West slate begins: USC, North Carolina, Arizona, Fresno State the 49ers may be double-digit underdogs in every single one of those games, considering only the North Carolina and Fresno games are at home.”

Miraski thinks the Niners “can make it through the non-conference schedule with any bit of confidence left, they should still be among the favorites in the Big West. To consider them something different would be to dismiss the level of talent that they will display on the floor come conference season…The biggest question is how soon Monson can get all of the new pieces to fit together into something that resembles a basketball team versus just a collection of random talent on the floor.”

The LBSU cross country coach is still “Patrick”, but, as developed last month, there is a new Patrick running the runners. He is Patrick Wales-Dinan and that pleases 49er head track coach Andy Sythe. His press release follows:

“I am excited to announce the addition of Patrick Wales-Dinan to our coaching staff at Long Beach State,” Sythe said. “Patrick has the right mix of all the ingredients to successfully lead our men’s and women’s cross country and distance programs. I am impressed by his skill to effectively develop both middle and long distance runners and I look forward to him bringing his experience from highly successful programs at Duke University and Williams College. He will play a key role in the evolution of our program as we continue to make positive strides towards regional and national level success.”

At Duke, Wales-Dinan served as the assistant cross country/track & field coach from 2011-12. During his time working with the Blue Devils, Wales-Dinan tutored one NCAA All-American, three NCAA finalists, eight NCAA qualifiers, 10 all-region performers, one conference champion and eight All-ACC runners.

In cross country, Wales-Dinan helped Madeline Morgan to All-ACC and All-Southeast Region honors, as well as a trip to the NCAA Championships. On the track, he mentored the Duke women to seven NCAA first-round qualifiers. In addition, Wales-Dinan helped Carly Seymour claim the ACC indoor title in the 5000m, while two of his athletes also established freshman records in the 800m (2:07) and 1500m (4:23).

As a student-athlete, Wales-Dinan was a three-time All-New England Division III athlete at Bates College. He was also the state champion in the 800m and was a member of Bates’ 2004 NCAA Division III Cross Country Championship qualifying team. Wales-Dinan graduated from Bates College with a bachelor’s degree in economics in 2005.

We wrap up our rap with some up dates on baseball. We previously shared some guess on the 2013 roster but things have changed. Not coming back to Dirtbag U…Chaz Meadows, Robert Vickers, Edgar Gomez, and Scott Mitchell. Good news is the wildly successful golf and friend raiser run by Houston Bob, the former Long Beach BP boss who now lives in Katy, Texas. Bon got into a lot of deep pockets auctioning off Musty putters and not so musty wines.

The team does small group and situational work for a while and then some scrimmage games toward the end of the Fall.—DR. DAN