Next Week: 8th Grade Family Night
Uni will be hosting our Virtual Family Night for current 8th grade families on April 14, 2021. Please spread the word to our incoming Uni families and plan to log on at 5 p.m.!
Game Highlights
Swim off to a strong start
The Uni girls and boys swim & dive teams are off to strong starts in 2021, with both teams winning both meets so far this season.
Varsity boys and girls swimmers beat Beckman before spring break, and then both beat Irvine on Wednesday (April 7).
Along the way, at least 7 girls swimmers and 3 relay teams, and 1 boy swimmer and 1 relay team, have made CIF automatic qualifying or consideration times – consideration times mean they would be eligible to be invited to the CIF finals meet.
Girls individual event winners in the first two meets include Reina Gomez (3), Alexandra Lindenberg (3), Lauren Zhou (2), Annika Nie, and Ai Taguchi. The girls relay teams for the 200 Medley and 200 Freestyle each have won twice, while the 400 Freestyle team has won once.
Boys individual event winners include Matthew Lou (4), Matt Wallin (2), Cyrus Mirsafian (2), Henry Ding (2), Stewart Campbell, Jaden Chen, and Wesley Tsai. The boys relay teams for the 200 Medley, 200 Freestyle, and 400 Freestyle have each won twice.
Girls swimmers who’ve made CIF consideration times so far are:
Reina Gomez – 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly Alexandra Lindenberg – 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke Annika Nie – 50 freestyle Lauren Zhou – 200 individual medley
200 Medley Relay team – Alexandra Lindenberg , Lauren Zhou, Reina Gomez, Caitlyn Liao
200 Freestyle Relay team- Camellia Zandpour, Ai Taguchi, Caitlyn Liao, Annika Nie
400 Freestyle Relay team – Alexandra Lindenberg , Lauren Zhou, Reina Gomez, Camellia Zandpour
Boys swimmers who’ve made CIF automatic qualifying times so far are:
Matthew Lou – 100 breaststroke
Boys swimmers who’ve made CIF consideration times so far are:
Matthew Lou – 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke
200 Medley Relay team – Javier Rodriguez, Matthew Lou, Matt Wallin, Cyrus Mirsafian
The boys and girls teams return to action on Wednesday when they host their lone home meet of the season, vs. Laguna Hills, at 3pm at the Uni pool.
Tennis
Both the boys and the girls are the top ranked teams in CIF-SS!!!!!
The girls are 6-0 and the boys are 4-0.
Next week our Trojans take on Woodbridge & Portola.
Uni Football Update
Tim Burt of OC Sports Zone covers the cancellation of Uni’s last two football games in a recent article…
University’s final two spring varsity football games cancelled due to injuries
By Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone
University High’s varsity football team will not play any more spring games due to injuries, according to Trojans Coach Chris Hernandez.
‘It’s very disappointing,” Hernandez said Monday “We are going to continue frosh/soph and finish the year with them.”
University was 0-2 in its two games and had to cancel last week’s game with Beckman. The University vs. Woodbridge game scheduled for Friday and the Friday, April 16 game with Irvine have been cancelled.
University becomes the second team from the Pacific Coast Conference to suspend its spring program. On Friday, Northwood Coach Michael Stewart said the Timberwolves were suspending their spring season due to injuries.
Both programs will return for the regular fall season.
Hernandez, the second-year University coach, indicated in a letter to families of the program that the focus will be on the fall football program. He said the time off from the coronavirus pandemic and the lack of preparation made it “impossible to continue.”
“As a program, we have spent the last week evaluating the varsity roster, discussing possible position changes, and working with our athletic trainer on player injuries. After careful consideration we have made the difficult decision to conclude the varsity season,” the letter read in part.
“Due to circumstances beyond our control, including injuries, lack of personnel, and a wide variety of issues that stemmed from the pandemic, we will not be able to safely field a varsity team.
“We are incredibly disappointed for many of our varsity players who have been committed since day one and have persisted through difficult circumstances. Our main priority is always player safety, and as the head coach in the program, I always want to be able to prepare the team to play the game safely, and we cannot do that going forward.
“Some of the moves we would have to make to play games the rest of season would put too many players at risk, and could lead to injuries that would normally be avoided in a regular season. We believe it is in the best interest of the health of the players and the program to begin focusing on the 2021-2022 season. Football is the ultimate team game, and it has never been more apparent in this season.
“We want to thank all of our seniors for dedication and perseverance. There were many who gave everything they have to ensure we played games this year and I will forever be grateful for them. My belief has always been in leading young men to be victorious in all aspects in life, and I am so proud of the players who have heard that message and have taken the steps to do just that. While they will not get to finish this year the way we want, we are confident that many of these young men will go on to be great future employees, great future husbands, and great future fathers.”
Hernandez added that the seniors will turn in their equipment this week and that juniors will begin weight room workouts on Wednesday.
“All sophomores will continue playing with the frosh/soph team in an effort to get them live game experience,” he said.
With the cancellations, Woodbridge, which cancelled its game with Irvine last week, could arrange a nonleague game this week. Athletic director Rick Gibson said no decision has been made on a new opponent.
Irvine could arrange a replacement game for the final week. The Vaqueros host Beckman Friday night at Irvine Stadium.
CDPH Updates Guidelines for Youth Sports
California Department of Public Health updated Youth Sports Guidelines on April 8 to include the following guidance for athletic events:
- Spectators and observers are permitted pursuant to Outdoor Seated Live Events and Performances.
- Inter-team competitions, meets, races, or similar events are permitted to occur only with other teams within the state.
CIF followed with Guidance Interpretations: https://cifss.org/news/cdph-guidance-interpretation-updated-4-8-2021/
Please note: University High School’s COVID-19 regulations and spectator rules remain unchanged. See below for current policies.
Upcoming Home Contests: April 12 – 16, 2021

On-Campus COVID-19 Regulations & Attendance Policies
Click here for a full view of the flyer, which links to attendance policies by member school.

Uni Home Spectator Policy for Outdoor Sports
- Coaches will provide athletes with home spectator passes for households (1 pass per athlete for each level).
- Each “household” (two spectators max.) only needs 1 pass.
- Tickets are to be shown upon request; meaning they will not need to be presented at the gate but should be carried when attending home contests in the event supervising Administrators need to manage capacity.
(Spectator policy: California Department of Public Health guidelines limits spectators to two members of an athlete’s family. We have or are in the process of issuing passes for our families to show if asked. All league high schools have to limit visiting spectators by venue. Athletic contests in our stadium allow for visiting fans but our other fields / pool deck do not. Please check with your child’s coach before traveling to an away contest. We will make adjustments as regulations change. Individual coaches will have the most updated information and you can reach out to our athletic office.)
Uni Spectator Policy for Indoor Sports
- Both home and away athletes are allowed 2 spectators (family members).
- Uni student spectators are NOT permitted.
- Instead of tickets, we will be using a Spectator Form (link below) that generates a check-in list.
- This list will be printed at 12 PM NOON each game day. ***No late entries or calls to the athletics office will result in additions to the list.***
- Supervising Administrators and Staff will use that list to check spectators in at the door.
Link to Form: https://tinyurl.com/UniIndoorSpectatorForm
We must have the names and contact information of both guests. Anyone who is feeling sick or otherwise experiencing symptoms should not attend.
Spectators will be admitted entry to Uni’s gym 10 minutes prior to the following start times to allow the previous game’s spectators to exit:
4:00pm JV Boys
5:30pm Varsity Girls
7:00pm Varsity Boys
3:15pm JV Girls
4:30pm FS Boys
Once inside, the bleachers have been marked with stickers so each household remains socially distanced, and masks will be required at all times indoors.
Weekly Testing for Indoor Sports
Weekly testing conducted by Hoag began this week for our indoor sports (boys and girls basketball, boys volleyball, and wrestling). Students DO NOT need to re-register for each testing day.
Insurance companies are billed for weekly testing; HOWEVER according to the Cares act, the insurance company must waive all copays and deductibles – so patients do not pay anything out of pocket.
Please contact the athletics office should an issue arise.
Spring 2021 Return to Play Requirements
Informed Consent and Transportation permission is required for Spring 2021 athletic participation.
Every athlete with a parent/guardian MUST:
- Read IUSD COVID-19 Reopening Guidelines/Informed Consent Letter
- Find it online at: https://tinyurl.com/IUSDCO19Letter
- Then, go to www.iusd.org/uhs/athletics.
- Click on athlete’s sport below RETURN TO PLAY heading.
- Fill out the online Google Form.
- Upload IUSD Permission/Release & Waiver with a wet (pen) signature.
- Indicate transportation permission. Upload Waiver if needed.
- At the bottom on the Google Form, click “Submit”
Athletics Office Hours
Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 3: 30 p.m.
Closed for lunch 12:30 p.m. – 1:10 p.m.
Next to the Counseling Office.
Please wear a mask and enter one at a time.
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Questions or corrections? Contact meredithkohl@iusd.org