Top NCAA honor goes to Ueberroth

Former SJSU star, MLB commissioner to get Roosevelt award

San Jose State water polo great and former commissioner of Major League Baseball Peter Ueberroth will be honored at the NCAA convention in January with the Theodore Roosevelt Award, the NCAA’s highest honor.

Named after the former president whose concern for the conduct of college athletics led to the formation of the NCAA in 1906, the award is given annually at the NCAA honors celebration to an individual who exemplifies the ideals of college sports. Ueberroth, 78, was previously named a 1984 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award honoree commemorating the 25th anniversary of his graduation from college.

Ueberroth was president and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee ahead of the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. He served as baseball’s commissioner from 1984 through 1988.

Earthquakes

The Earthquakes will play a Feb. 27 exhibition against the New York Cosmos at Avaya Stadium in a game available only to season-ticket holders. The Cosmos are the defending champions of the North American Soccer League, the division one step below Major League Soccer.

The Quakes also announced they will play Sacramento Republic FC on Feb. 20 in Sacramento.

The Earthquakes n have scheduled an open tryout Jan. 31 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the San Jose State soccer complex. Players will be considered for San Jose’s senior team or its Premier Development League affiliate, the Burlingame Dragons.

Menlo College coach n Eric Bucchere has been hired to lead the Dragons. Bucchere was a Dragons assistant last year.

Diving

Stanford’s Ariel Rittenhouse and Qiongjie Drew of Santa Clara finished second in the women’s synchronized 3-meter final at the USA Diving Winter National Championships in Indianapolis. Stanford’s Kassidy Cook and Emma-Ivory Ganja were third.

College soccer

Santa Clara had four players honored on All-West Region women’s soccer teams that don’t include the Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences. Julie Vass was a first-team pick while Kellie Peay made the second team and Andi Tostanoski and Dani Weatherholt the third team. Saint Mary’s Hannah Diaz made the second team.

Table tennis

The brother-sister pair of Kanak and Prachi Jha of Milpitas both lost in the round of 16 at the USA Table Tennis National Championships in Las Vegas.