Local Digest: Stanislaus grad to lead MJC volleyball
There won’t be much downtime in Ryan Bagwell’s schedule this fall.
While he pursues a master’s degree at his alma mater, Cal State Stanislaus, Bagwell will coach the Modesto Junior College volleyball team.
“Athletes should pursue excellence both on and off the court,” Bagwell said. “Teamwork is the most important asset of a volleyball player, and my goal is to see my entire team of student-athletes transfer to a four-year university.”
Bagwell, 27, succeeds Tiger Shelton, the former Ripon Christian coach who raised the MJC program to respectability during his two-year term. The Pirates went 34-21 under Shelton and reached the playoffs once. MJC was 21-9, a 16-game improvement, and placed third in the Big 8 Conference in 2013.
“I want to give the program a long-established tradition,” Bagwell said. “This is a great place to grow and get to the next level, both in volleyball and as a student.”
Bagwell, a graduate of Costa Mesa High, led his team to its first league championship and Southern Section finals berth. He earned league MVP and All-Orange County second-team honors.
The Pirates’ new coach also played volleyball at Golden West College in Huntington Beach and later played and coached for the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club.
While Bagwell was at Stanislaus, he served as an assistant coach for two seasons (2011-12) and in recent years worked with the Ripon-based Rage, one of the Valley’s elite club programs.
Bagwell says there are a few berths remaining on the roster. Contact him at bagwellr@mjc.edu or 209-552-5387 before Aug. 12.
Football
MJC kickoff dinner – First-year MJC football coach Rusty Stivers begins his tenure with the first MJC Football Kickoff Dinner, to be held Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. at the Ag Pavilion at MJC West. Tickets cost $125 per couple, which includes dinner, beer and wine and two season tickets to MJC home games. Also featured will be a silent auction, live auction and Lotto ball drop.
Payments can be made by visiting https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/mjcathletics. The Pirates formally start practice Aug. 13 in preparation for the opener at home Sept. 5 against American River.
Stanford senior ready – Stanford coach David Shaw said senior and Buhach Colony High graduate Aziz Shittu, the Cardinal’s most experienced returning defensive lineman, is nursing a tweaked hamstring but will be ready for the opener Sept. 5 at Northwestern.
Shittu played five games in 2014 before he suffered a season-ending injury.
“He’s going to be fine for the start of the season,” Shaw said.
Rodeo
Remembering Oakdale bull rider – Oakdale’s Jim Charles, an eight-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier (1959-63, 1965-67) who finished seventh in the world standings in 1962, died last week after a bout with lung cancer. He was 79.
Charles, born and raised in El Centro, came to Oakdale as the driver for world champion Harley May and also met Bill Martinelli. Charles eventually competed in steer wrestling and bull riding throughout the country.
He won the bull riding event at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in 1962. At the 1967 NFR, he became the second man to have a qualified ride on Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame bull Tornado. His 8-second steer wrestling run at the 1959 Cheyenne Frontier Days stood as the arena record for eight years.
Charles twice was a judge at the NFR and many other rodeos. He also served on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Grievance Committee for more than 15 years.
A tribute to Charles was held Thursday at Oakdale’s H-B Saloon, where the cowboy spent many mornings.
Track and field
Roadrunners – Central Valley Roadrunner member Ayden Powers has qualified for four events in the 9-10 age group – the 400 meters, high jump, shot put and triathlon – at the Junior Olympics, which end Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Last month, Powers won the gold medal in the 400 and high jump and placed third in the shot put at the California State Games in San Diego. Mikayla Bryant won the 13-14 3,000-meter race-walk at the state meet.
Other qualifiers at the nationals were Dexter Williams (13-14 400), McKinley King (11-12 shot put and discus), Naomi Chappell (13-14 long jump), Bryant in the race-walk, Meikayla Surnip (11-12 80 hurdles, long jump and turbo javelin) and Alex Surnip (13-14 long jump).
This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 9:22 PM with the headline "Local Digest: Stanislaus grad to lead MJC volleyball."