Two of Riverside’s highest-profile sports job openings have been filled.
UC Riverside named Michelle Almazan as its interim athletics director on Aug. 22, while Riverside City College announced Jennifer Spalding as its next athletics director on Aug. 20.
On the short list of the Highlanders’ longest-serving athletics department administrators, Almazan started at UCR in 2015 as director of student-athlete academic services and has been an assistant athletics director since 2018.
“She has held progressively responsible roles (and) has overseen efforts to enhance student-athlete development, expand life skills programming, and implement cost-containment strategies in response to fiscal challenges,” UC Riverside chancellor S. Jack Hu said in a statement.
Alamazan has represented the Highlanders to the UC Regents and has engaged the NCAA Transformation Committee in discussions about conference alignment and NIL-related partnerships.
“Her contributions have helped ensure that intercollegiate athletics at UCR remains mission-aligned, student-focused, and integrated with the university’s broader academic goals,” Hu said.
Prior to UCR, Almazan was a former Division I track and cross-country student-athlete. She earned a B.A. in sport psychology and a M.S. in marriage and family therapy from Cal State Northridge before serving as an academic advisor for multiple sports.
Spalding, a graduate of Arlington High and a two-time state champion in water polo at RCC, becomes the first woman to hold the title in the more than 100 years of athletics at the college.
“Returning to RCC is a full-circle moment for me,” Spalding said. “This is where my journey truly began, and it’s an honor to now serve in a role that will shape the next generation of students, student-athletes and future leaders. I’m excited to work alongside dedicated coaches, faculty, and staff to continue building a culture of excellence both on and off the field.”
Spalding grew up in Riverside and played goalie for the Tigers from 1999-2001, leading the team to back-to-back California Community College Athletic Association state championships. She was named Orange Empire Conference player of the year and earned all-state honors in 2001.
“This is more than a career step, it’s a homecoming,” Spalding said. “RCC is where my dreams started taking shape, and now I have the privilege of giving back to the place that gave me my start. I’m excited to work alongside our incredible faculty, coaches, and staff to help our student-athletes succeed, both in competition and in the classroom.”
Spalding finished her playing career at UC Irvine before turning to coaching, spending five seasons as Chaffey College’s women’s water polo coach and eight more at Citrus College. In 2024, she became the assistant athletic director at Citrus College.
Spalding holds a B.A. in psychology with a minor in education from UC Irvine and an M.A. in physical education from Azusa Pacific. She is currently working toward a doctorate in sports leadership.
LANCERS’ LIAM JONES LIGHTING IT UP
Liam Jones has made an astounding first impression.
Jones was named Western Athletic Conference player of the week after scoring three goals and adding an assist in two matches as the California Baptist University men’s soccer team got off to its first 2-0 start to the season since joining Division I.
A former West Ham academy player, Jones scored twice in 2 minutes and assisted on the match-winner against American in a 3-2 season opener on Thursday, Aug. 21. He added the match-winner in a 2-1 win at Cal State Bakersfield on Monday, Aug. 25.
BRONCOS GET PRESEASON NOD
The Cal Poly Pomona women’s soccer team, last year’s NCAA Division II national champions, have been picked to finish first again in the California Collegiate Athletic Association preseason coaches poll.
The reigning CCAA regular season, CCAA Tournament and NCAA West Region champions, the Broncos received nine of a possible 12 first-place votes and totaled a conference-best 141 points. Cal State East Bay was second with 118 points.
Last year’s CCAA player of the year, all-American senior midfielder Vanessa Cruz, and the Broncos open the season at home against Azusa Pacific on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m.
CHOI STEPS IN AT MSJC
Following the departure of Jorge Jabaz, Pui Lok Choi has accepted the job as the new Mt. San Jacinto College women’s cross country coach.
Choi serves on the kinesiology faculty at MSJC and has been a strength and conditioning coach at multiple colleges and universities in the Inland region, including UC Riverside and La Verne. He also played football at Riverside City College and holds a in M.A. in exercise science from CBU. He previously was an assistant football coach at La Sierra High.
Jabaz resigned last week to become the Cal State Fullerton’s women’s cross country coach.
ODDS & ENDS
UC Riverside junior goalkeeper Trinity Hale (Elsinore High) was selected Big West Defensive Player of the Week after a scoreless draw against UTEP on Thursday, Aug. 21. … La Verne women’s volleyball team earned seven first-place votes and 79 points to edge nine-time SCIAC regular season champion Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (72) in the conference’s preseason coaches poll. … CMS announced Parker Roberson as its men’s soccer assistant coach. … The Norco College men’s soccer team is No. 8 in the United Soccer Coaches Junior College Division III national preseason poll.
