‘Yote Notes – Feb. 2, 2005

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

 

 

 

 

 

ATHLETICS NEWS:   

EIGHTH ANNUAL HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS, FEBRUARY 12: Arguably the best basketball team in the College of Idaho (and Albertson College) history will highlight the eighth Albertson College Athletic Hall of Fame inductions, sponsored by Wendy’s.  The 1954-55 men’s basketball team will become the second team to receive Hall of Fame status from the college.  The squad, coached by the late Sam Vokes, went 22-4 and lost to Montana State in the NAIA District 5 championship game.  The Coyotes became the first Northwest Conference team to have an undefeated regular season (15-0) – a feat that has been accomplished only once since.  They currently hold the school record with an 18-game win streak, while their four losses were to teams now in the NCAA Division I.  R.C. Owens, an Albertson Hall of Famer, will be one of nearly a dozen players from the team returning for the ceremonies – which include an induction luncheon at 12:30 p.m. and a basketball doubleheader against defending NAIA champion, Oregon Tech.  It is uncertain whether NBA Hall of Famer, Elgin Baylor – the leading scorer and freshman on the squad, will be in attendance.  Two others will be inducted into the Hall of Fame – soccer standout, Kevin Kramer, and multi-sport standout, Paul Hayman.  Kramer was a four-time All-NAIA District 2 defender from 1988-91 – the top defender in school history, according to longtime coach John Calpin.  Hayman has been an institution on campus since he was a Northwest Conference All-Star in football, basketball, baseball, and track during the mid 1930s.  To RSVP for the Hall of Fame luncheon, which costs $15.00, contact Dave Hahn at 459-5835.

TAILGATE PARTIES: The Albertson College alumni office will be hosting a tailgate party on February 12, from 5:30-7 p.m. - in Blatchley Hall, prior to the Oregon Tech game.  To RSVP, contact Mary Bitner at 459-5300.

BOOSTER BUS TO EASTERN OREGON: The Albertson College alumni office has offered a rooter bus for Coyote students and fans for the Feb. 4 games at Eastern Oregon.  The bus will leave campus at 4:30 p.m. and will return following the men’s game.  Cost is $10 and space is limited.  Contact Mary Bitner at 459-5300 to RSVP.

BASEBALL: Coyotes to take on NNU on Tuesday, tabbed second in preseason CCC poll

COMING UP: vs. Northwest Nazarene, Tuesday, 1 p.m.

ON THE AIR: Tuesday’s game vs. Northwest Nazarene, along with 20 other regular-season baseball games will be carried live on Sporting News Radio, 1450 KIOV-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action.  The game can also be heard online at www.kiov.com.

COYOTES PICKED SECOND: The Albertson baseball team was picked second in the 2005 Cascade Conference preseason poll.  Defending Region I champion, Concordia, earned three first-place votes and 26 points in the voting, followed by the ‘Yotes with two first-place votes and 24 points.  Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, and Western Baptist rounded out the poll.

MORE ON THE COYOTES: Specific game information on the NNU-Albertson baseball game will be a part of Monday’s ‘Yote Notes.

SOFTBALL: Date changed for NNU game, fundraiser set for Feb. 18

SEASON OPENER MOVED: The date of the 2005 softball season opener is now set for February 16, when the Lady ‘Yotes head to Nampa to meet Northwest Nazarene.  Game time for the doubleheader is 1:30 p.m.

COYOTES PICKED SIXTH: Albertson College was picked sixth in the preseason Cascade Conference softball poll.  Two-time defending champion, Southern Oregon, was the unanimous selection, followed by Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, Concordia, Western Baptist, and the Coyotes.

SOFTBALL CASINO NIGHT: The second-annual Albertson College fundraiser will be held on Friday, February 18, tentatively at the Nampa Civic Center.  For more information and tickets on the event - which will be a Casino Night theme, which drew 250 people last year, contact head coach Kelly McDonald at 459-5113.

INDOOR TRACK: Flueckiger earns NAIA qualifying time in Nampa

LAST WEEK: at athletes.com Invitational, Nampa.

COMING UP: at United Heritage Invitational, Nampa.

FLUECKIGER QUALIFIES FOR NATIONALS: Junior David Flueckiger won the 3,000-meter race at the athletes.com Invitational at the Jackson's Indoor Track, recording the first NAIA automatic qualifying time for the Albertson College track team.  Flueckiger distanced the field in 8:44.38, the tenth-fastest time in the NAIA this season.  The time was four seconds faster than the automatic qualifying time of 8:48.04, and 20 seconds faster than the provisional.

ALSO AT THE MEET: Jacob Haas finished fourth in the 3,000 in 9:18.22, while Shannon Edwards placed second in the women's 3,000 with a 11:13.11 - 24 seconds shy of the women's provisional qualifier.

THIS WEEK: The Coyotes will be back in action Saturday at the United Heritage Indoor Meet. Flueckiger will run in the 800-meters, while Haas, Tyler Hopper, and Jesse Chlebeck will run in the mile.  Edwards and Genny Gerke will compete on the women’s side in the mile.

ALPINE SKIING: Women sweep titles in Kellogg, Men struggle to second-place finish

BULLARD LEADS LADIES TO TITLES: Led by sophomore Molly Bullard, the Albertson women's ski team took home a pair of team victories at the second Northwest Conference Qualifier at Silver Mountain.  Bullard had the fastest times on two of the four slalom runs, good enough for an eighth-tenths of a second win over teammate Cassie Marcial on Saturday, while distancing the field by well over a second on Sunday.  An overall team effort got the Lady 'Yotes the victories over a tough Rocky Mountain club - as Marcial took a second and a fifth-place finish, while transfer Emma Wilson took home a third and a fourth, and Chelsea Schultz a fifth and a ninth-place finish.

MEN TAKE SECOND: On the men's side, Albertson was dominated by Rocky Mountain in the two slalom events, topping the Coyotes by 23 seconds on Day 1 and 13 seconds on Day 2.  The bright spot for the 'Yotes was Matt Sylvester, who finished sixth on Saturday and seventh on Sunday.

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE STANDINGS: With British Columbia not participating in the second qualifier, both the Albertson men and women took over the top spot in the Northwest Conference Ski Standings.  The men’s side has the Coyotes, University of Idaho, and University of Puget Sound in the top three, on the women’s side, it is the Lady ‘Yotes, University of Oregon, and University of Puget Sound in the top-three.

WEEKEND RACES CANCELED: The scheduled Northwest Conference qualifier at Mission Ridge, Wash. this weekend was postponed due to a lack of snow (only nine inches of snow at the base).  The race will hopefully be made up at a different location in the upcoming weeks.

MEN’S BASKETBALL (18-5, 10-3 CCC): Coyotes move to No. 10 in poll, put five-game win streak and I-84 Cup on line at Eastern

 

LAST WEEK: vs. No. 3 Western Baptist (W 95-86), at Cascade (W 88-59), at Warner Pacific (W 79-74).

 

COMING UP: at Eastern Oregon, Friday, 7:30 p.m. (PST)

 

RADIO BROADCASTS: All 29 Albertson men’s basketball games will be broadcast live on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action, along with a simulcast via the Albertson Athletic Website.  Friday’s game at Eastern will be women-men doubleheaders – with the women’s broadcast beginning at 6:15 p.m., with the men’s pregame set for 8:15 p.m. 

 

LIVE STATS: Friday night, the Eastern-Albertson men’s game will have live stats available for fans on the internet.  Log onto www.eou.edu/athletics and click on the live stats icon at the top of the page to watch the game unfold.

 

COYOTES JUMP TO NO. 10 IN POLL: With only Albertson and Concordia going unbeaten during last week, it was logical that the Coyotes would jump in the latest NAIA Division II national poll.  The ‘Yotes jumped nine spots to No. 10 in Tuesday’s rankings – making it the 16th time in 17 regular-season polling periods that Albertson has been in the top-ten.  Southern Oregon is the highest ranked team in the league at No. 8, with both Western Baptist (No. 16) and Oregon Tech (No. 22) in the Top-25.  Cornerstone (Mich.) assumed the top spot this week, followed by Northwestern (Iowa), William Jewell (Mo.), Concordia (Neb.), and Walsh (Ohio).

 

GREEN NAMED CCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Awarded for a great week of play, Coyote Joe Green (Pocatello, Idaho / BYU-Idaho) was named Cascade Conference Player of the Week by the league’s coaches.  The senior averaged 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals in the three Albertson wins, while hitting an astounding 13-of-17 shots from outside the arc.  It was the first weekly honor for the ‘Yotes since Tom Perkes won the honor on Feb. 22, 2004.

 

MORE ON GREEN: Green leads the NAIA Division II in three statistical categories – more than any other player in the nation.  The point-guard leads the land in three-point percentage (.558), steals per game (4.04), and assist-to-turnover ratio (3.46).  He has now recorded 283 steals in his career, most by any Coyote – while his 94 steals this season is second only to his school record 107 from last season.  Green has also recorded 440 career assists – second on the all-time list, and his 144 three-pointers made are tied for eighth all-time.

 

‘YOTES RUN PAST WESTERN: Joe Green tied a career-high with 21 points as the then No. 19 Coyotes ran their home win streak to 17 with a 95-86 victory over then No. 3 Western Baptist, last Tuesday night.  The senior scored 16 first half points, including four three-pointers, as Albertson built a 50-43 halftime lead.  He also had an uncontested lay-up in a second half opening 13-2, as the Coyotes took a 63-45 edge with 14:27 left.  Western would not fold, using a 12-0 run to cut the lead to 67-63 margin with 11 minutes left.  However, Albertson would persevere, getting an E.J. Costello (Pleasanton, Calif. / Chabot CC) three with seven minutes left to build the margin to 78-65 - clinching the win.  Green added a career-high nine rebounds, five assists, and five steals in the game.  Five other 'Yotes scored in double figures, led by Costello's 22 points.  Dan McFaul (Moses Lake, Wash. / Big Bend CC) recorded his second double-double of the year with 11 points and ten boards.

 

WINS VS. TOP-FIVE TEAMS: The victory over Western Baptist was the fourth time under head coach Mark Owen that the Coyotes have knocked off a Top-5 team in the NAIA poll.  During the 2000-01 season, Albertson stopped three teams in the upper echelon of the national rankings – No. 2 ranked Siena Heights (Mich.) and Oregon Tech twice  - once while they were No. 3 and once while they were No. 4 in the land.  The highest ranked team Albertson defeated last season was No. 9 ranked William Jewell (Mo.).

 

HOME HAS BEEN NICE TO THE ‘YOTES: A home court advantage has been key to the success of the Coyotes over nearly the last quarter century.  From the days at O’Connor Fieldhouse to the spacious Activities Center – wins by opponents have come few and far between – including a perfect 9-0 start to the 2004-05 season and current 17-game win streak.  Since the on-campus gymnasium was opened in the Fall of 1991, the ‘Yotes have compiled a 160-30 mark at home, a gaudy .842 win percentage – with an 90-16 mark in Cascade Conference play (.849 win percentage).  Under Mark Owen, the Coyotes are 53-10 at home (.841 percent) and have won 37-of-43 CCC games.  Only once in the last 23 years have the ‘Yotes lost more than three games at home.

 

MORE ON THE HOME COOKIN’: Dating back to the 1982-83 season, Albertson has an almost unfathomable 277-39 record at home (.877 win percentage) – including a 56-game home win streak from March 5, 1983 to Dec. 19, 1987 – the second-longest home win streak in NAIA history.

 

COSTELLO LOVES WESTERN: With 22 points in the win over Western Baptist, E.J. Costello continues to have his biggest games against the future Corban College.  The senior has scored 90 points in his four meetings with Western, including a career-high 28 points in Salem last season.  He went 12-of-14 from the foul line in the Tuesday win, the most free throws made in a game since Tom Perkes made 12 vs. Southern Oregon on Nov. 22, 2002.

 

WIN STREAK NOW EIGHT IN PORTLAND: Albertson College ran its win streak to eight consecutive games in the Rose City with weekend victories at Cascade and Warner Pacific.  Ending the game on a 38-12 run over the final 14 minutes, the Coyotes handed Cascade their 12th-straight loss with an 88-59 victory on Friday.  Leading just 36-33 at the half, the Coyotes saw the hosts close to one point on two occasions (38-37 and 40-39), but used a 13-1 spurt, capped by a Joe Green three, to take a 63-48 lead with 11 minutes left.  E.J. Costello led Albertson with 20 points, including four three-pointers, while Derek Brown (Las Vegas, Nev. / Desert Pines HS) registered his second career double-double - with 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Saturday, it was a Josh Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) steal and three-point play gave Albertson the lead for good, then hit four straight free throws in the final minute, as the ‘Yotes pulled into a first-place tie in the Cascade Conference with a 79-74 win at Warner Pacific.  The Coyotes won their fifth-straight game - pulling even with Southern Oregon atop the league after the Raiders lost 53-51 at Northwest.  After Albertson trailed 20-10 midway through the first half, the 'Yotes used a 19-4 run to take the lead, taking a 40-31 edge at the half.  Warner Pacific would open the second half on a 16-6 run, taking a 47-46 lead on a Joe Hoover three-point play.  Owen would give the Coyotes the lead for good, hustling to scoop up an errant pass in backcourt, converting it into a three-point play to give Albertson a 53-51 edge.  The Knights, who had their five game win streak snapped, cut the margin to three on two occasions in the final minute, but Owen swished four freebies, and Derek Brown added two to complete the victory.  Joe Green led the way with 17 points, hitting 5-of-6 from outside the arc.  Brown and Owen each had 13 in the win.

 

PLAYOFF BERTH CLINCHED: With the win at Cascade, the Coyotes sewed up a berth in the eight-team Cascade Conference postseason tournament, set to begin on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

 

CUP ON THE LINE IN LA GRANDE: The bi-annual “I-84 Cup Game” will be played for the first time in La Grande on Friday night, as Albertson meets rival Eastern Oregon.  The Mountaineers (4-17, 3-10 CCC) have been reeling as of late, losing nine of their last ten games – including a 73-67 loss at Walla Walla College on Tuesday.  Eastern does have a pair of threats that could cause the Coyotes problems – guard Mark Carollo (16.3 ppg) and forward Chad Fairbanks (13.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg), who had 26 points and 14 rebounds in an 87-67 loss to Albertson in January.  The Mountaineers have had success against Albertson in Quinn Coliseum, having won three of the last five meetings in the Grande Ronde Valley.

 

MORE ON THE I-84 CUP: Albertson and Eastern have played every season since 1945 (the longest continuous rivalry for the Coyotes) – with the ‘Yotes holding a 77-35 in the series (Albertson and Northwest Nazarene had played every season from 1946 to 2001, before a two-year hiatus).  With the emerging popularity of the men’s game among the respective student bodies, an “I-84 Cup” will go to the winner of each game – the trophy residing at the winning school until the next meeting.  “Albertson has become one of our greatest rivals,” said Eastern athletic director Rob Cashell.  “The I-84 Cup represents added incentive to prepare for the 'Yotes and earn a victory. It also gives our fans and boosters an added experience."  The I-84 Cup has been in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center since the Jan. 7 victory and will accompany the team to La Grande on Friday.

 

CASCADE CONFERENCE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Eric Fiegi (WB) 27.9, Shea Washington (SOU) 20.4, Jeff Dunn (WB) 20.2, Aaron Sawyer (NU) 17.2, Donny Woods (WPC) 17.1.  Rebound Average – Washington 10.6, Fiegi 9.2, Chad Fairbanks (EOU) 8.7, Jeff Williams (SOU) 6.8, Alex Carlson (OIT) 6.7.  Field Goal Percentage – Stephen Ishmael (NU) .720, Fiegi .607, Richard Fried (ACI) .602, Damian Browne (EOU) .568, Washington .560.  Assists Average – Garrett 6.0, Joe Green (ACI) 5.6, Donny Woods (WP) 5.3, Michael Lay (CU) 4.8, Matt Larson (WB) 4.4.

 

MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and information regarding the Albertson men’s basketball program, head to the official site Coyote Basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (13-13, 7-6 CCC): Lady ‘Yotes in dogfight for home playoff spot, headed to Eastern on Friday night

 

LAST WEEK: vs. Western Baptist (L 40-38), at Cascade (L 73-57), at Warner Pacific (W 67-48)

 

COMING UP: at Eastern Oregon, 5:30 p.m. (PST)

 

RADIO AND INTERNET BROADCASTS: Ten Albertson women’s basketball games will be broadcast live on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action, along with a total of 22 games simulcast via the Albertson Athletic Website.  Friday’s game at Eastern Oregon will be carried live on radio and internet, beginning at 6:15 p.m.  The game will also be broadcast live in La Grande on 91.7 KEOL-FM.

 

LIVE STATS: Friday night, the Eastern Oregon-Albertson women’s game will have live stats available for fans on the internet.  Log onto www.eou.edu/athletics and click on the live stats icon at the top of the page to watch the game unfold.

 

COYOTES IN BATTLE FOR PLAYOFF SPOT: With a road win at Warner Pacific, the Albertson women’s basketball team sits tied for fourth-place with five games remaining in the Cascade Conference regular-season.  The top four teams in the league earn first-round home games in the postseason tournament – so every game is a must win over the final three weeks of the season. 

 

A STAPLE IN THE PLAYOFFS: With a win this weekend, or a loss by both Southern Oregon and Warner Pacific, the Lady ‘Yotes can clinch their sixth consecutive postseason berth.  Albertson has advanced to the CCC Tournament in eight of the nine previous seasons since women’s basketball was reinstated at the college in 1995.  The Coyotes have advanced to three NAIA Division II tournaments (1998 – first round, 2000 – quarterfinals, 2001 – championship game).

 

LETHARGIC NIGHT IN LOSS TO WESTERN: Jessi Schaumberg hit two free throws with 17 seconds left, as Western Baptist rallied for a 40-38 Cascade Conference victory over Albertson College, last Tuesday in J.A. Albertson Activities Center.  Trailing 38-37, the Warriors watched the Lady 'Yotes milk the 30-second clock down to nothing, with Schaumberg getting the rebounds of an errant Valissa Sneck (Kalispell, Mont. / Sheridan CC) shot.  The sophomore was fouled by Kim Strunk (Twin Falls, Idaho / Twin Falls HS), then swished the freebies to give Western the edge.  Albertson had a chance to win, but a pass inside to Kasey Hooter (Nampa, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) was intercepted with three seconds left by Erin Plotts, who hit 1-of-2 free throws to close the game out.  The 78 combined points was the lowest total in Albertson women's basketball history, while the 38 points was the third-lowest score by a Lady 'Yote team.  The teams combined for 50 turnovers and both shot 25-percent from the floor.  Angie Gribble (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) led Albertson with 11 points, while Brianne Carras led all scorers with 12.

 

LOWEST COMBINED TOTAL: The 78 points scored between Albertson and Western Baptist were the lowest combined total in a game for both teams.  A 49-38 Western victory over the Lady ‘Yotes in 1999 was the previous low for both schools.

 

LEAST POINTS IN A GAME:  After going 62 games at home without scoring less than 48 points in a game at the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, the Lady ‘Yotes have done it twice in the last three home games.  The 38 points scored vs. Western was the second-lowest output at home in school history, equaling the mark set in a 49-38 loss to Western in 1999.  The other two nights of futility in Caldwell was Jan. 21 vs. Evergreen (a 52-47 loss) and a 62-34 loss to Montana-Western in 1996.

 

TOUGH SECOND HALF AT CASCADE: A 17-4 second half run erased a halftime deficit, as upstart Cascade College sprung a 73-57 upset of Albertson last Friday night.  Trailing by as many as 12 in the first half and 36-34 at the break, the T-Birds took the lead for good on a Molly Wilson trey with 15:55 left.  Cascade would then crank up the defense, holding Albertson to 8-of-40 shooting in the period, while the T-Birds hit 10-of-22 shots from outside the arc.  Albertson built a 24-12 lead early, but could not find the range from outside, making just 3-of-26 three-point attempts.  Kim Strunk had 15 of her 17 points in the first half, while Kasey Hooter recorded her 15th double-double of the season, scoring 16 points with 11 rebounds.

 

GRIBBLE SETS STEALS RECORD AT WARNER: Four players scored in double figures as the Albertson College women's basketball team pulled into a fourth-place tie with Evergreen State with a convincing 67-48 win at Warner Pacific on Saturday night.  The Lady 'Yotes held the hosts to just 29-percent shooting on the night, winning for the first time in C.C. Perry Gym since 2001.  Albertson used a 15-2 first half run to build a 24-10 lead and led by as many as 23 in the game.  Angie Gribble led the way with 14 points - while breaking the single-season steals record with a second half swipe.  Gribble now has 73 steals on the season, one more than Jeannie Thompson did during the 1999-00 season.  Kim Strunk had 13 points, while Melissa Murray (Eugene, Ore. / Southwestern Oregon CC) added a career-high 11 points in her first start.

 

HOOTER CONTINUES TO CLIMB THE CHARTS: Kasey Hooter has put up gargantuan numbers this season – notching 330 rebounds in the 26 games this season – already No. 3 on the single-season chart – with five regular-season games remaining (not counting any playoff games).  Her 12.7 rebounds per game average is tops in the Cascade Conference and is second in the NAIA – she is also ranks seventh in the nation in defensive rebounds per game and fifth in offensive rebounds per game.  Other parts of her game continue to excel – as Hooter ranks No. 20 in the NAIA in field goal percentage, while ranking No. 5 in the CCC in blocks per game (1.0) and No. 6 in scoring average.  Her 29 blocks this season are the fifth-most in a season for the Lady ‘Yotes, while the 37 career blocks are the sixth-most in school history.  Hooter has made 229-of-405 career shots, a .565 field goal percentage – tops in school history, while her 517 career rebounds are No. 8 all-time.

 

TRYING TO BREAK HEX VS. EASTERN: Friday night, the Lady ‘Yotes look to end their longest losing streak to any opponent as they travel to Eastern Oregon.  The Mountaineers (15-5, 12-1 CCC), currently tied with Oregon Tech atop the Cascade Conference standings, have won six-consecutive games over Albertson – and eight-consecutive regular-season tilts.  The last time the Coyotes defeated Eastern was a 92-71 CCC semifinal game in La Grande in 2002.  This season, the Mounties have been running like gangbusters, using their three-headed monster of an attack – as Christie Weaver (17.5 ppg), Jaime Jo Cant (14.7 ppg), and Heidi Horobioski (14.3 ppg) are the three of the top-five scorers in the league.  It was Weaver, this week’s CCC Player of the Week, who torched Albertson for 24 points in Eastern’s 69-50 win in Caldwell on January 7.  This is the 23rd meeting between the teams, with Albertson holding a 13-9 advantage.

 

CONFERENCE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Christie Weaver (EOU) 17.5, Nikki McElligott (OIT) 16.5, Katie Atkins (CU) 15.9, Jaime Jo Cant (EOU) 14.7, Heidi Horobioski (EOU) 14.3.  Rebounding Average – Kasey Hooter (ACI) 12.7, McElligott 11.7, Atkins 8.2, Lisa Berger-Freeman (CC) 7.1, Kaeley Triller (NU) 7.0.  Assists Average – Vanessa Shelton (EOU) 5.6, Cassie Snyder (NU) 4.9, Angie Gribble (ACI) 4.7, Shara Brazzle (CC) 4.4,Tosha Wilson (WB) 4.4.

 
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE LADY ‘YOTES: For up-to-date statistics, stories, and information about the Albertson women’s basketball team, head to the official website for the Lady ‘Yotes – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.  For updated scores and standings from the Cascade Conference women’s basketball season, head to www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wbasketball/stats/standings.htm.

 

- ALBERTSON -