San Diego, CA

The San Diego Crew Classic Cal Cup: A History of Teamwork Leading to a Healthier America

Published

2 years ago

February 6, 2024

Over the course of the last 50 years, the Cal Cup has been a sought-after prize for men’s varsity teams competing at the San Diego Crew Classic (SDCC). Considered by many as the premier Spring regatta, this annual event provides collegiate teams with a chance to size up the competition across the nation and earn rankings affecting the rest of the rowing season.

So, it is no surprise that when the University of California San Diego (UCSD) men’s varsity team ascended the awards stage to accept the esteemed honor last year, they were elated and proud of their achievement. But there was one other person on the podium who was beaming with pride, the trophy’s sponsor, George DeVries.

DeVries has a long history in the rowing community, taking up the sport when he attended Culver Military Academy during his high school years in Indiana, then later rowing for the UCSD Tritons starting in 1979. DeVries has vivid memories of competing in the San Diego Crew Classic as a collegian. Given this history, DeVries felt truly honored to present the trophy to his alma mater-especially in such a pinnacle anniversary year.

“Yes, that was really fun,” DeVries remembers. “The UCSD boat that won the Cal Cup was a very strong boat and a really strong group of guys. You can see how much UCSD has progressed from when I was there. It was exciting to see that and congratulate the team on their success.”

Through the years, DeVries has seen great progress in his own life following his graduation from UCSD. What happened between those first strokes on Mission Bay in 1979 and presenting the Cal Cup for a full-circle moment in 2023?

After starting out working from his townhouse in Southern California only a few years out of college in 1987, DeVries launched what would become American Specialty Health® (ASH) seeking an opportunity to connect patients with services not included in traditional healthcare benefits packages at the time. With an initial goal to build out the first chiropractic specialty health plan in California, DeVries then grew the company nationally and expanded their offerings to include physical therapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, and other specialty health services.

In 2008, DeVries led ASH to develop and implement its first fitness product offering-the Silver&Fit® program, which would serve the senior population through Medicare Advantage plans. That was followed by the introduction of the Active&Fit® family of fitness programs to help all Americans live healthier. ASH is now a nationwide provider of healthcare, fitness, and well-being programs and services that serve more than 60 million Americans through hundreds of health plans nationally.

DeVries attributes much of his company’s success to the value of teamwork, which he learned during his early years as a rower.

“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think that the core of who I am was developed in rowing,” DeVries said. “When you row, you have to be committed and passionate to the sport itself and working together as a team. With commitment, passion and teamwork, great things are created and achieved by those teams.”

He also learned that the values and requirements for success for competitive rowing are the same for business.

“At American Specialty Health, we have a strong culture built around teamwork, working hard, and delivering great service for our clients,” DeVries added. “I always believed from the moment I started this company that my most important decisions weren’t the product we were offering or creating, but the people we were hiring and the team we were building.”

Named by UCSD as one of “50 Distinguished Alumni” in 2011, DeVries is often recognized for his innovative vision and his entrepreneurial expertise. This was critical during the COVID-19 pandemic when many companies struggled, but DeVries’s team-first attitude helped ASH weather the event and come out stronger on the other side. Now, ASH employs more than 1,700 employees in 47 states across the nation. Because the ASH team continues to deliver at the highest level, the health services company has earned several recent accolades including the Nation’s Best and Brightest in Wellness, Top Workplaces Culture Excellence, and San Diego Union-Tribune Top Workplaces awards. The company also posted its highest earnings ever in 2023 with an annual revenue of more than $800 million.

Life hasn’t been all work for DeVries, though. George and his wife Jan of 37 years, have four children. DeVries has applied the same diligence, care, and support to his family that he does at work. He has also fostered a love of rowing in the next generation. All three of DeVries’ sons attended Culver Military Academy, too. DeVries and Miles White teamed there to help build the White-DeVries Boathouse to support their high school alma mater rowing program in continuing to develop young athletes. His sons continued their rowing careers in college, just as their father did-two at Yale and another at the University of Pennsylvania.

DeVries said returning to the San Diego Crew Classic as a “regatta dad” was one of his favorite memories from the event. In one of the final years of his sons’ tenure at Yale, the DeVries family gathered several friends at the “Classic Brunch by The Bay” to watch the racing and delight in seeing his son’s team compete. He said he really enjoyed seeing everyone dressed up and “decked out” for the brunch and regatta.

His long and multi-faceted history with the Crew Classic event as a sponsor for 26 years has made DeVries one of the regatta’s most valued and recognizable stewards. His love of the sport-and of this exceptional event that he once rowed on his home water as a collegian-has stayed with him long after he hung up his oar. It also served as the eventual foundation of values that have guided him as a successful CEO and father.

ASH and the DeVries family memories were created in no small part due to a regatta that honors the hard work and commitment of every rower; though, it mostly honors a sport that demands selfless and indomitable spirit as well as the willingness to give it all for the end goal and for the team.

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San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Germán Márquez

Published

10 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

Padres roster review: Germán Márquez – San Diego Union-Tribune

GERMÁN MÁRQUEZ

Position(s): Right-handed pitcher
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 31
Height / Weight: 6-foot-1 / 230 pounds
How acquired: Signed as a free agent in February 2026
Contract status: Will make $1 million in 2026 with a $750,000 buyout on a mutual option for 2027; can add up to $3.25 million in performance bonuses.
fWAR in 2025: 0.3
Key 2025 stats: 3-16, 6.70 ERA, 83 strikeouts, 48 walks, 1.71 WHIP, .317 opponent average, 126⅓ innings (26 starts)

STAT TO NOTE

36.9 — The percentage of groundballs that Márquez yielded in 2025, a career low and significantly below his career average (48%). Márquez’s groundball rate was regularly above 50% before requiring Tommy John surgery in early 2023. He made one start in 2024 and struggled mightily while making 26 starts last year.

Down — Márquez had a 4.40 ERA through his first seven years in the majors, not bad considering he pitched roughly half his games at one of the best hitting environments in the majors. In fact, Márquez has a 5.17 ERA in his career at Coors Field and a 4.22 ERA in road environments. But Márquez underwent Tommy John surgery early in 2023, made one start in the majors in mid-July in 2024 (4 IP, 3 ER) and struggled throughout his first full year back in the Rockies rotation. The season was so difficult for Márquez that he was actually worse on the road (7.32 ERA) than he was in 11 starts at Coors Field (5.98 ERA). His strikeout rate (5.9 per nine innings) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (1.73) were the worst of his careers, as was his walk rate (3.4 per nine innings), while his hit rate (12.0 per nine innings) was the second worst of his career. On top of that, Márquez’s groundball rate was also the lowest of his career (see stat to note) and ranked in the bottom 22nd percentile of the league and his hard-hit rate (48.5%) and average exit velocity (91.7 mph) both ranked in the bottom 2 percentile of the league. One reason: a 94.8 mph four-seamer is down a few ticks than the height of his effectiveness. Márquez reached free agency after the season and signed with the Padres in February.

2026 OUTLOOK

Márquez has a big-league deal with the Padres, but he’ll have to rediscover his pre-elbow-reconstruction form to hold onto a roster spot, as RHP Griffin Canning (Achilles) is expected to push for a spot at some point this season and the likes of LHP JP Sears, RHP Matt Waldron and minor league signees like Marco Gonzales could warrant looks if Márquez’s struggles continue into 2026.

German Marquez #33 of the San Diego Padres participates in drills during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

ROSTER RANKINGS

1. OF Fernando Tatis Jr.
2. 3B Manny Machado
3. OF Jackson Merrill
4. RHP Nick Pivetta
5. RHP Michael King
6. RHP Mason Miller
7. OF Ramón Laureano
8. SS Xander Bogaerts
9. LHP Adrián Morejón
10. RHP Jeremiah Estrada
11. RHP Jason Adam
12. 2B Jake Cronenworth
13. RHP Joe Musgrove
14. RHP Randy Vasquez
15. OF Gavin Sheets
16. LHP JP Sears
17. RHP Yu Darvish
18. RHP Bradgley Rodriguez
19. RHP David Morgan
20. C Freddy Fermin
21. LHP Wandy Peralta
22. C Luis Campusano
23. LHP Yuki Matsui
24. INF Sung-Mun Song
25. RHP German Marquez
26. RHP Matt Waldron
27. OF Bryce Johnson
28. OF/1B Nick Castellanos
29. RHP Ron Marinaccio
30. RHP Bryan Hoeing
31. LHP Kyle Hart
32. INF Will Wagner
33. RHP Garrett Hawkins
34. RHP Miguel Mendez
35. RHP Daison Acosta
36. RHP Ty Adcock
37. RHP Alek Jacob
38. INF Mason McCoy

Removed from 40-man roster

OF Tirso Ornelas (designated for assignment)
RHP Jhony Brito (60-day injured list)

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San Diego, CA

Blount named Head Basketball Coach at San Diego – HoopDirt

Published

22 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

Blount named Head Basketball Coach at San Diego – HoopDirt

In today’s Daily Dirt, I mentioned that the search at San Diego was done. Here’s the official announcement from USD on the hiring of JR Blount as their next head men’s basketball coach:

University of San Diego Athletics has named JR Blount the 15th head coach in San Diego men’s basketball program history, USD Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Athletics Kimya Massey announced on Monday.

Blount arrives in San Diego with a reputation as one of college basketball’s rising coaching talents after helping lead Iowa State to four NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons.

He joins the Toreros after five seasons on T.J. Otzelberger’s staff at Iowa State, where the Cyclones compiled a 95-45 record during his tenure, won the 2024 Big 12 Tournament Championship and reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2022 and 2024 — one of the most successful stretches in program history. Iowa State finished in the AP Top 15 in each of those four seasons and climbed as high as No. 2 nationally in each of the last two years. During the 2025-26 season, the Cyclones opened with a 16-0 start, highlighted by victories over No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston, No. 9 Kansas and No. 14 St. John’s.

“After a thorough and highly competitive national search, we are proud to welcome JR Blount as the next head coach of USD men’s basketball,” said Massey. “JR is an outstanding leader, a relentless competitor and one of the brightest rising coaches in college basketball. Even more importantly, throughout this process I came to know him as a humble leader with strong integrity and deep family values. JR has been a part of winning at every level of his career and understands what it takes to build a program that competes with toughness, discipline and consistency. Just as importantly, he believes in developing young men holistically and leading in a way that reflects the values of this university.

“This is a pivotal moment for our program and JR’s vision aligns with our belief that San Diego men’s basketball should compete in the upper tier of the WCC and position itself to be a regular NCAA Tournament participant. We are excited about what lies ahead under his leadership.”

“As a product of Catholic education and deeply committed to USD’s mission and values, Coach Blount is an outstanding role model for the young men in our Torero basketball program,” said USD President James T. Harris III. “He brings an impressive resume with deep experience, a winning track record and — above all — a commitment to the overall wellbeing of our student-athletes.”

“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead USD men’s basketball,” Blount said. “We are so thankful to Athletic Director Kimya Massey and President Harris for this opportunity. This is more than just a coaching position for me — it’s a chance to become part of a community and build something meaningful. My wife and our three daughters are excited to make this move together and we can’t wait to invest in this university and the relationships that make it special.

I come to USD with a deep desire to win — to compete relentlessly, to develop our young men to their fullest potential and to build a program our fans can be proud of. Winning championships is important, but so is building a culture of toughness, accountability and love. We’re going to work every day to represent USD the right way, on and off the court. I’m ready to get started.”

Blount played a key role in Iowa State’s rise under Otzelberger, helping orchestrate one of the most significant program turnarounds in recent Division I history. In his first season with the Cyclones in 2021-22, Iowa State rebounded from a two-win campaign the year before to finish 22-13 and advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. The Cyclones quickly established a national reputation for defensive toughness, ranking among the nation’s best in scoring defense, defensive efficiency, steals and turnovers forced.

Over the next three seasons, Blount helped Iowa State sustain that momentum. In 2022-23, the Cyclones advanced to the NCAA Tournament and recorded nine wins over AP Top 25 opponents, tied for the most in school history. In 2023-24, Iowa State won the Big 12 Championship, finished 29-8, posted an undefeated 18-0 record at Hilton Coliseum and advanced to the Sweet 16. Most recently, the 2024-25 Cyclones finished 25-10, climbed as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, earned another NCAA Tournament appearance and closed the season ranked No. 17 nationally.

Known for his work in player development, recruiting and culture-building, Blount has mentored multiple all-conference and All-America caliber players throughout his coaching career. At Iowa State, he developed some of the Big 12’s top performers while contributing to a program identity rooted in toughness, connectivity and competitive excellence.

Prior to Iowa State, Blount spent three seasons at Colorado State, where he helped elevate the Rams into one of the Mountain West’s top programs. During his tenure in Fort Collins, Colorado State signed the highest-rated recruiting class in program history and posted consecutive 20-win seasons, including a 20-8 finish and a run to the NIT semifinals in 2020-21. He also played a leadership role in Colorado State’s Together Initiative, which promoted social justice and racial equality on campus.

Blount also previously served in coaching roles at Drake and Saint Leo and began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where the program won the 2010 NCAA Division III National Championship.

A former three-year team captain and two-time team MVP at Loyola University Chicago, Blount later played professionally for the Leicester Riders of the British Basketball League during the 2010-11 season. He earned degrees in psychology and sociology from Loyola in 2009 and later received his master’s degree in education from UW-Stevens Point in 2012.

A native of Milwaukee, Blount and his wife, Ashley, have three daughters: Maya, Zuri and Gema.

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San Diego, CA

SDPD investigating suspicious death

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

UNIVERSITY CITY (KGTV) — San Diego police are investigating the death of an 81-year-old woman who was found unresponsive in her apartment in the 6300 block of Genesee Avenue.

Officers and San Diego Fire-Rescue personnel responded to a 9-1-1 call at about 11:56 p.m. on March 6.

First responders found the woman in her bedroom, unresponsive and “positioned awkwardly on a bed.” Despite immediate life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives from the San Diego Police Department’s Homicide Unit were called to the scene due to “unusual circumstances,” police said. The cause and manner of death remain undetermined.

Investigators are working with the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine what happened.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

This story has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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