In leading up to the start of the 2016-17 athletics campaign at Irvine Valley, which starts on Aug. 26 with women's soccer hosting a match, the Laser athletic department will count down the top 10 IVC sports stories from the 2015-16 school year.
The No. 7 story on the list was women's volleyball player Kayla Scheevel and men's soccer player Toby Waterman being named athletes of the year for 2015-16 at Irvine Valley. Both helped their respective teams win Orange Empire Conference titles and each was named the conference player of the year.
Women's volleyball player and beach volleyball player Kayla Scheevel and men's soccer player Toby Waterman were named Irvine Valley's athletes of the year at an end of the school year luncheon after turning in special seasons.
Each athlete led their team to Orange Empire Conference titles and both were named conference players of the year.
Waterman, a freshman striker, helped Irvine Valley finish with a record of 16-3-5 overall and go unbeaten in conference with a mark of 11-0-3. Irvine Valley won the conference title, which was the fourth in program history.
IVC also made the Southern California Regional Final and was just one match away from making an appearance in the state tournament.
Waterman was also named All-Southern California and All-State.Waterman was one of six forwards picked on the all-state team.
He ranked second in the state in goals with 19 and second in points with 47.Waterman paced the Orange Empire Conference in goals and points and was tied for second in assists with nine.
He scored in 15 of Irvine Valley's 24 matches and had a three-goal game at home against Norco on Oct. 23.
Scheevel, a sophomore outside hitter, helped lead Irvine Valley to its third conference title in a row. The team also made the second round of the Southern California Regional Playoffs.
The Lasers ended with a record of 16-6 overall and were 12-2 in conference play.Scheevel was named a co-most valuable player of the conference.
She averaged 3.11 kills and 3.49 digs per set overall and 3.15 kills and 3.43 digs per set in conference for the Lasers.
Scheevel ranked eighth in the conference in kills per set and seventh in digs per set. She also hit .302 in conference action.
She was a key player for the 2014 IVC women's team that won the program's first state title. The Lasers defeated defending state champion Cabrillo, the top team from Northern California, in the title match, 3-1 (25-15, 25-19, 22-25, 25-18).
The win capped a perfect 27-0 season for the Lasers. Three teams (Irvine Valley, Grossmont and Cabrillo) went into the state event undefeated, but only the Lasers ended that way.
Scheevel played libero on that squad and averaged 2.14 digs per set.
Scheevel also was a main player for the Lasers on the sand.
She helped IVC to the inaugural CCCAA State Title in women's sand volleyball in 2015 and then to a second-place finish this past season.
Scheevel, who was also named to the California Community College Women's Volleyball Coaches Association Scholar Athlete Team for last fall, signed to play indoor volleyball at Texas Christian University.
