Wide World of Kitsap Sports

Outfielder Aaron Cunningham, a South Kitsap grad, was one of 35 unsigned players on the Padres’ 40-man roster who was offered a contract on Monday. Cunningham hit .178 with three home runs and nine RBI in 90 at bats a year ago. The 25-year-old outfielder hit .329 with nine homers and 63 RBI over 384 plate appearances for Tucson in the Pacific Coast League.
Cunningham has spent parts of four seasons in the majors, with Oakland in 2008 and ’09, and with San Diego in 2010 and ’11. His career numbers: .231 with six home runs and 44 RBI in 355 at bats.

Here’s one columnist who thinks now that Marvin Williams is healthy, he’s in for a bounce-back season.

Bryan Burke is the latest Kitsap Pumas player to land a contract with a higher-level club.

Burke, who was named finals MVP last summer when Kitsap won the Premier Development League champions, has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Blues of the United Soccer Leagues First Division. He’s the second former Kitsap player to land with the team. Leon Abravanel, who played for the Pumas in 2009, is on the Blues’ roster.

So far three players off Kitsap’s national championship team have secured spots on higher-level clubs. In addition to Burke, goalkeeper Bryan Meredith was signed by the Seattle Sounders and defender Daniel Scott was signed by FC Tampa Bay of the North American Soccer League.

Bremerton’s Nathan Adrian won the 100-meter freestyle Saturday, sweeping the sprint events at the U.S. winter nationals in Atlanta.

Adrian pulled away from the rest of the 10-man field in the final 10 meters and touched the wall in 48.33 seconds. Darian Townsend and Yannick Agnel of France tied for second in 48.87.

Adrian won his sixth straight 50 free national title Thursday.

Bremerton’s Nathan Adrian had the fastest time in the 50-meter freestyle Thursday morning at the winter nationals in Atlanta.

Adrian touched the wall in 22.21 seconds. Australia’s Roland Schoeman was second in 22.29 and Josh Schneide was third in 22.63. Other finalists include Matt Grevers, Fred Bousquet of France and Garrett Weber-Gale.

The finals are at 3 p.m.

Bremerton’s Nathan Adrian will be going to New York City Wednesday as Speedo reveals its lastest swimwear collection.

Adrian signed an endorsement contract with the suit manufacturer earlier this month. He will be joined by other Speedo swimmers Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Natalie Coughlin and Dana Vollmer, among others.

Here’s a link to the USA Swimming website with a video and a Q & A from Bremerton gold medalist Nathan Adrian.

Adrian took part in the Pacific Swimming Diversity Select Camp in San Jose, Calif., earlier this month.

Former Kitsap Pumas defender Daniel Scott signed a two-year deal with FC Tampa Bay, the NASL club announced Wednesday.

Here’s a link to the story.

Bremerton native Nathan Adrian signed a multi-year contract with swimsuit manufacturer Speedo on Tuesday, marking the first endorsement contract for the 22-year-old.

Adrian’s incentive-laden contract extends past the 2016 Olympics and sets him up to continue to train at the University of California, where he lives. Adrian turned professional not long after his collegiate career ended earlier this year. 

He signed with Janey Miller of Octogan shortly after helping the Bears win their first NCAA Division I men’s swimming championship.

“It’s exciting. It’s an amazing opportunity that presented itself,” Adrian said of joining Speedo. “I’m thankful I have the opportunity to keep swimming past (my) NCAA eligibility.”

Adrian said the contract is based on performance and starts from “hardly making a living to making a pretty neat living, enough to buy a house.”

Speedo USA president John Gerson said: “We are thrilled to welcome Nathan to Team Speedo. The world took notice of Nathan after his remarkable swims these past few years and so did we. Speedo looks forward to working with him in the lead-up to London and beyond.”

Other Speedo endorsed swimmers include Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Natalie Coughlin and Eamon Sullivan of Australia.

Adrian has in the past worn several different suits, but is now committed to Speedo.

“Speedo makes a great suit, they always have,” he said. “Really, you can’t go wrong there.”

Last year, Adrian won national titles in the 50 and 100-meter freestyles and four fold medals at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships. He won gold as the anchor on the 400 medley relay and bronze in the 400 free relay at the FINA world championships in Shanghai.

This year, Adrian won the 50 free at the nationals this past summer and is slated to swim at the upcoming winter nationals, Dec. 1-3 in Atlanta.

Adrian has been busy recently traveling. 

He spoke as a panelist of Olympic hopefuls for the Olympic and Paralympic Assembly in Colorado Springs at the U.S. Olympic Committee headquarters and will be making a guest appearance, along with former Olympian Anthony Ervin, at the Pacific Swimming Diversity Committee’s Diversity Camp on Saturday in San Jose.

He’s planning on making two trips back to Bremerton during the holiday season, including hosting a swim clinic in Bellevue, and continues to train for the London Games.

Nathan Adrian is up against fellow Olympic swimmer Brendan Hanson and Sandra Richards-Ross, who won gold in track and field, for the Universal sports Tweet of the Week.

You can vote here. 

Adrian was nominated for his tweet: ”Time to make my Sunday breakfast of toast with eggs and pesto sauce in top. Dont knock it till you try it”

Voting continues through Monday with the winner announced on Tuesday.