Given annually to a third-year student or younger in UCSB Rec. Sports, for their excellence in academics and leadership.  This award comes with a $500 scholarship for the following academic year.

The UCSB Women's Rugby team start their 2012 season off with a shutout of the UCSD Tritons with a 17 - 0 win. Coming back from a heartbreaking 0 - 6 record last season, Barbara aims to build momentum forward with a new squad.

The first try was made by rookie Anisa Khamvongsa, the speedy Outside-center on the field. Aside from easily having a career in cartoon voice-overs with her identifiable high-pitched voice, Khamvongsa serves as an example of the rookie talent the 2012 squad brings this season.

Seniors Lawren Wylie and Celina Ayala racked up the points with their trys. Wylie's try resembled the "ideal" rugby offense; a beautiful passing of the hands from the Backs set-up Barbara's FullBack to a beautiful quick-step try (of course thanks the the aid of the solid forward pack). Ayala, the team's Hooker, battled her way to the chalk line of delayed gratification. This was Ayala's first try during a season game.

Captains Kelsy Siegel, Scrum-half, and Kristine Sommers, 8-man, lead the team with preparation for the big game. Aside from leading torturous plank workouts and holding their teammates accountable to morning conditioning, the senior leadership has developed a culture of higher expectations and a “no excuses” mentality.

Contributing to the Gauchos win, first year Ema Arenchild, Fly-half, boosted the score with her conversions and red zone kicks. Unfortunately starters Arenchild and junior Christina Kearney were forced to visit the hospital with serious injuries. Kearny, Inside-center, was escorted off the field after a three-person tackle during the second half, which resulted in a broken foot. Arenchild broke her collarbone during a defensive collision. And to add some icing to the cake, second-year started Laura Avila brushed off her fourth concussion during the game. Despite the setbacks, the three fighters still attend practices and plan to attend Barbara’s next game in Los Angeles.

Even though the loses of two extraordinary talent put the Gauchos in a difficult position, hopes remain high as the Gauchos face long-time rivals UCLA.  Alumni and friends are urged to support UCSB as they face the Bruins Saturday, February 4^th at 2 pm.

By Ben Chodos

The UCSB club men’s rugby team beat Oregon State University and Stanford University this weekend at Harder Stadium to win their regional Sweet 16 Tournament and advance to the Final Four.

UCSB opened their postseason against the Beavers Saturday night.  After a competitive first half, the Gauchos blew the game open in the second half and cruised to a 41-24 victory.

Sunday night’s game against Stanford proved to be more of a challenge for top seeded UCSB.  The Cardinals jumped to a 17-0 lead, which they held well into the second half.  The Gauchos were not ready for their dream season to end, and responded by scoring the first of four tries in seven minutes.  UCSB was relentless on both offense and defense until the final whistle which marked a 33-17 victory and a trip to the final four.

“No one was ready to go home,” junior prop Stephan Salimi said about the Gaucho’s remarkable comeback.  “We were all playing for each other, and no one quit.  Our team has a lot of heart.”

The Gauchos (#3) will play Bowling Green, the top seed in the country, in the Division I national semifinals at Stanford University on May 13.

This past weekend the Isla Vista Juggling Festival celebrated its 35^th year, commemorating the memory of the late Patty Laney.

Laney was a UCSB student, when in January 1977, she was tragically raped and murdered.  Laney was both a skilled juggler and a strong advocate in the fight against violence towards women.  After her death, her friends quickly gathered to hold a festival in her honor and it has been an annual event ever since.

Every year, people from all over the country travel to Isla Vista to watch and participate in the juggling action.  The festival also offers several workshops teaching curious spectators of all skill levels how to juggle, ride a unicycle and crack a bullwhip.

Although new, younger jugglers flock to Rob Gym to showcase their skills and learn a few new tricks, veterans come each year to keep the festival’s original intent intact.

“Every year there are fewer people who remember Patty,” said Mark Collier, magician and longtime participant in the festival.  “But we still try to keep her memory alive.”

“Patty was really involved in stopping violence against women,” Chief Organizer Matthew Thornley said .  “That’s why every dollar that we raise at our public show goes to the [Santa Barbara] Rape Crisis Center.  It’s not much, but we try our best to raise awareness on the issue.”

This year’s juggling festival took place April 22^nd-24^th in Rob Gym, with seasoned jugglers displaying their talents while spectators either watched or learned the basics of juggling.  Workshops were also held on the grassy lawns surrounding Rob Gym, offering lessons in juggling machetes (blunt ones, of course) and torches. Other attractions included whip-cracking expert Andrew Conway and a man who specialized in hula-hoops on multiple appendages at once.

The festival is one of the largest juggling gatherings in the country, with people coming from as far as Oklahoma.  Even a few notable names in the juggling world make an appearance, including Conway, the leading authority on cracking a bullwhip.  He was the first to write a book on the topic, and recently released The New Bullwhip Book, now available on Amazon.com.

The highlight of the festival was a public show Saturday evening in Isla Vista Theater.  Only a few professionals performed in the show, including one individual who performed in Vegas, but everyone was encouraged to participate.

“We let pros, amateurs, and kids participate,” Thornley said. “Anyone who wants to get on stage and show their stuff is encouraged to do so.”

The festival is held annually on Easter weekend in Rob Gym.

By Allie Browne

This past weekend, UCSB club cycling competed in the Conference Championships in Hollister and Morgan Hill, with two cyclists qualifying for nationals next week.

The Gauchos have a small A-team, meaning each rider had to qualify individually: third year mathematics major Eric Hartsuyker and fourth year political science major Dan Katz accumulated the required amount of points in races during the past ten weeks.  In the 67-mile race at Hollister, Hartsuyker crossed the finish line with the lead group, but Katz crashed out at mile 27 and was taken to the emergency room to remove rocks from his arm and to be stitched up.  In the hour-long crit race at Morgan Hill, Hartsuyker was exhausted from the previous day’s race, while Katz won the sprint when four riders were up the road, taking fifth place.

Nationals will be held May 6^th-8^th in Madison, Wisconsin.