Yote Notes – Mar. 13,
2007
Mike Safford Jr. – Sports
Info. Director
ATHLETIC NEWS:
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STEAK LUNCHEON: The 3rd Annual ACI Women's Basketball
Steak Luncheon is set for April 4th at the Outback Steakhouse on Karcher Road
in Nampa.
The event, which costs $15, will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and features a
menu of steak and chicken, along with potatoes and salad. All proceeds
help the Lady Yotes in their fundraising efforts. To purchase tickets,
contact Reagan Rossi at 459-5855.
HOPPER SEVENTH AT INDOOR TRACK
NATIONALS: Tyler Hopper (Caldwell,
Idaho / Caldwell HS) placed seventh in the
men's mile at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Johnson City, Tenn. The junior finished the finals in 4:17.73 -
less than a second out of sixth-place and All-America status. Sean Brosnan of Concordia-Irvine passed Hopper in the final
40-meters to take sixth. "Hopper ran an outstanding race," said head coach
Pat McCurry.
"If he wanted to, he could have layed back and
ran for sixth, but Tyler
wanted to try and win. He fought hard and I'm extremely proud of
him." The Yotes will take a week
off before the outdoor season begins on March 24 at the Eastern Oregon Open.
WOMEN’S SOCCER SIGNS FIRST TWO
RECRUITS: ACI
women's soccer head coach Niki Taylor has
announced the signing of her first two recruits for the 2007 season. Defender Melissa
Garrison and forward Jamie Reichel have signed NAIA Letters of Intent to play for
the Lady Yotes during the upcoming season.
Garrison, a freshman from Boise, was
a four-year member of the Borah High squad, earning Defender of the Year honors
during the 2003 season. She also played club soccer for the Boise
Capitals (winning a State Cup title in 2003) and for Les Bois United (winning a
State Cup title in 2005). Reichel, a freshman from Boise, was a three-year starter at
Capital High, earning All-Southern Idaho Conference honors - ranking second on
her team in scoring during the 2006 season. She has spent the last six
years with the Les Bois United club, winning a pair of Idaho State Cup
titles. The Lady Yotes are coming off a
6-10-2 season which saw the squad qualify for the Cascade Conference postseason
tournament. ACI graduated just two seniors and will return 12 players who
started at least five games last season.
BASEBALL (15-2, 6-0 Region I): Coyotes put 11-game win streak on
the line against No. 1 ranked Lewis-Clark
State
LAST
WEEK: at Northwest Nazarene (W 8-7), vs. Oregon
Tech (W 9-5, W 10-7, W 7-5, W 12-5)
COMING
UP: vs. No. 1 Lewis-Clark State, Friday, 1 p.m.; vs. No. 1 Lewis-Clark
State, Saturday, 1 p.m., vs. No. 1 Lewis-Clark State, Sunday, 1 p.m.
RADIO/INTERNET BROADCASTS: The game will not be carried on
radio live in the Treasure Valley, but will be live in the Lewis-Clark Valley
on 950 KOZE-AM. However, Voice of the
Coyote, Mike Safford, will provide the play-by-play on the L-C broadcast, which
will also be simulcast on the Internet at www.koze-sports.com.
TICKETS: Tickets to the ACI-LC-State series
can be purchased at the gate for all three games. Ticket prices are $5.00 for adults and $3.00
for seniors and students 17-years-old or younger.
COYOTES JUMP TO NO. 12 IN NAIA POLL:
Thanks to a 15-2
start to the 2007 season, the Coyote baseball team jumped to No. 12 in the
first NAIA Top-25 Coaches’ Poll of the regular-season. It is the highest national ranking for the Yotes
since they opened the 2002 season ranked No. 13. Lewis-Clark
State was the unanimous
No. 1 team in the nation – the only other Region I team in the poll.
HOT START FOR THE COYOTES: The 15-2 start by the Coyotes is
their best start to a season in the metal-bat era – eclipsing even the NAIA
World Series’ teams of 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002. In fact, only two other ACI teams have had
equal or better starts to the season, the 1957 team which opened 15-2, and the
1940 Northwest Conference Eastern Division championship team which opened with
22-straight wins.
WHITMAN GAME CANCELED: The Coyotes non-league game
scheduled for Tuesday at Whitman
College has been
canceled. The two teams were expected to
play a single game, but the Missionaries had to make up their Northwest
Conference series with George Fox on Tuesday, forcing the postponement. The game will not be made up.
L-C STATE HEADED TO TOWN: The Yotes will have the first of two
shots to dethrone Lewis-Clark State as
the top college baseball team in Idaho this season, as the No. 1 ranked
Warriors head to Caldwell for a three-game weekend series. L-C (16-1) has dominated opponents, scoring
eight or more runs in 15 of their 17 games and holding opponents to four runs
or less in 15 of the 17 games. They hold
lopsided victories over Washington State, Air Force, and Southern
Utah – with their lone loss a one-run decision to Gonzaga. The
Warriors are led by leadoff man Mark Thompson (.483 3 HR 15 RBI), who has
stolen 14 bases, and slugger Beau Mills (.429 6 HR 27 RBI) – who make up
possibly the best left side of the infield in the NAIA. On the mound, L-C boasts a 1.97 team ERA,
with All-American Chris Kissock (4-0 0.29 ERA) nearly
untouchable this season, as is reliever Will Morgan (1-0 0.00 ERA, 3 saves),
who has two walks and 22 strikeouts in 22 innings this season. The two school’s, who have combined for 15
NAIA World Series titles (14 for L-C, one for the Coyotes), have met 144 previous
times, with the Warriors holding a 104-39-1 edge, dating back to 1940.
CONFERENCE MVP BATTLE?: So far this season, a pair of
Coyotes are leading the way for possible Cascade Conference MVP honors. Pat
Burke (Sisters, Ore. / Sisters HS) has had a monster start
to the year, hitting .458 with seven doubles and 16 RBI. The senior went 9-for-18 in the Yotes
five-games last week, including a trio of three-hit games. Right at his tail is Casey Oliver (Pocatello, Idaho / Coll.
of Southern Idaho), who is hitting .421
with three homers, seven doubles, ten stolen bases, and 17 RBI. Oliver had at least one RBI in each game
played last week, going 7-for-14 with six RBI in the Yotes five wins. The Yotes also have the top pitcher so far in
the CCC, Jason Roach (Sacramento, Calif. / Sacramento
City CC), who is 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in five starts. The senior has recorded 38 strikeouts with
just six walks in 33 innings of work, recording the only complete game of the
season so far by an ACI pitcher.
DOESN’T LOOK LIKE HE PLAYED HOOPS: Third-baseman Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho
/ Borah HS) has had an outstanding start to his season, going 9-for-16 with
five RBI in his six games that the All-CCC player has seen action. Champ has missed all of the preseason
workouts and much of this season as he is a starting guard on the ACI
basketball team, earning CCC Defensive Player of the Year honors on the
hardwood. The sophomore scored 11 points
in the Coyotes loss to Northwestern (Iowa) at
the NAIA Division II National Tournament last Wednesday, then
was in uniform at the diamond less than 12 hours after the team arrived back
from Missouri.
OTHER INTERESTING NUMBERS: There is a reason why the three
Yotes with double-digit RBIs this season have succeeded. Pat Burke has hit .458 with runners in
scoring position, with Tyler Smith (Fruitland, Idaho / Lower Columbia
CC) hitting .455, and Casey Oliver, .429.
Pitchers have limited left-handed hitters all season, with lefties
hitting .053 against Jason Roach, .154 against Carson Taysom (Pocatello, Idaho / Century HS), and .179 against Andrew Brock (Burnaby, B.C. / Douglas CC).
Those three pitchers are a combined 11-2 this season.
YOTES KEEP THE PULASKI: Joey Zubizarreta (Boise,
Idaho / Cochise CC) got Tim Puckett to fly out to centerfield with the
tying run at third base in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Coyotes kept
the ACI-NNU Pulaski Trophy with an 8-7 victory over Northwest Nazarene at
Elmore Vail Field on Tuesday. Despite
pounding out 15 hits in the game, the Coyotes left 14 runners on base - but
notched their third win of the season against no losses against their Canyon County
rival – allowing ACI to keep the traveling fireman’s axe trophy. All nine position
players in the ACI order had at least one hit, as Richie Snider (Sandpoint,
Idaho / Porterville CC) went 3-for-5 with two doubles, Pat Burke went
3-for-6 with two doubles, and Casey Oliver went 2-for-5 with a double, triple,
and two RBI. Andrew Brock picked up his first win of the season, allowing
just two earned runs over six innings of work.
OREGON TECH HAS BIG LEADS, YOTES SWEEP SATURDAY: The Coyote baseball team rallied
from a 5-0 deficit in Game 1 and a 6-0 deficit in Game 2 to sweep Saturday’s
doubleheader from Oregon Tech, 9-5 and 10-7, at Simplot Stadium. The wins for the No. 12 ranked Coyotes
extended the win streak to nine - as ACI remained unbeaten against unranked
teams this season. In the opener, an
eight-run fourth inning was the key in the victory. Pat Burke went
3-for-4 with two RBI and Casey Oliver went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the
win. Jason Roach struggled early, allowing three earned runs, but settled
down to go the distance, striking out 11 men to improve to 5-0 this
season. Game 2 saw the Yotes score six
runs in the second to rally for the win. Oliver went 3-for-4 with a homer
and two RBI, while Burke, Jacob Garsez (Caldwell, Idaho / Columbia Basin CC), and Camron Hammond (St.
Anthony, Idaho / South
Fremont HS)each
had three hits.
ACI GETS OUT THE BROOMS: Using a seven run inning in both
games, the Yotes completed a four-game sweep of Oregon Tech, stopping the Owls
7-5 and 12-5, at sunny Simplot Stadium on Sunday. Game 1 saw OIT get a three-run double from
Kenny Simmons in the second inning, as the Owls took an early lead for the
third-straight game against the Yotes. However, ACI rallied with a
seven-run fourth - using a pair of untimely errors and three walks to notch the
big lead. Tech would score single runs in the sixth and seven and load
the bases in the ninth, but Richie Snider fanned Simmons to end the game. Simmons went 4-for-5 in the loss for OIT,
while Adam Roach (Sacramento,
Calif. / New Mexico Highlands U.)
went 3-for-4 – extending his hitting streak to nine games, and Snider went
2-for-4 for the Yotes. Andrew Brock tossed four-plus innings of relief to
get his second win, with Snider fanning three in his two inning stint on the
hill. Game 2 saw Bryan Champ go 3-for-4
with three RBI in the Yotes romp. Fresh of a trip to the NAIA Basketball
Championships, the sophomore spanked an RBI triple off the left-center wall in
the first, then gapped a two-run double in the second, as ACI built an 8-1
lead. Kent Bradshaw (Caldwell, Idaho / Tacoma CC), Jason
Cox (Sandpoint,
Idaho / Central Washington U.), Drew Echanis (Ontario, Ore. / Western Oregon U.), and Drew Cauffman (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS) each had two
hits for the Yotes, who used five pitchers in the win.
ABOUT THE SKIPPER: The 2007 season marks
the 20th year in the Albertson College of Idaho baseball program for head coach
Shawn Humberger,
his seventh year as Coyote skipper. Last
season, he led the squad to a 36-20 mark, their second-straight Cascade
Conference championship, and a runner-up finish at the NAIA Region I
Tournament. During his tenure, Humberger has compiled a 217-142-1 record, including a
third-place finish at the 2002 NAIA College World Series. He has been named CCC Baseball Coach of the
Year in 2002, 2005, and 2006, along with earning NAIA Region I Coach-of-the-Year
and CCC Men's Coach-of-the-Year for all sports in 2002. A native of Twin Falls,
Humberger graduated from Twin Falls High, played for
the College of Southern
Idaho for two seasons, and played at the University of Nevada-Las
Vegas for one year. In 1984, Humberger
was part of the CSI national championship junior-college team. In addition, he was named to the 1985 Junior
College All-America team. Humberger, a 1989 Albertson graduate, also served as the
facilities coordinator for the J.A. Albertson Activities
Center for ten years, is a physical
education instructor at the College, and coached Nampa's American Legion baseball program for
eight seasons.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and
information regarding the ACI baseball program, head to the official site
Coyote baseball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball.htm. Up to date regional scores and standings can
also be found online at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball/stats/standings.htm.
SOFTBALL (8-4): Lady Yotes travel to Idaho State,
host games with Great Falls and Walla Walla
LAST WEEK: Idle
NAIA NATIONAL POLL: The preseason NAIA Top-25 coaches poll was released on February 1, with just one
Cascade Conference team in the rankings (No. 15 Oregon Tech). Region I foe, Simon Fraser, was also in the
rankings at No. 3. ACI was ranked in the
regional top-five for the first-time ever last season, coming in at No. 5 for
two weeks.
IDAHO STATE, PART 2: The
Lady Yotes will head to Eastern Idaho on Tuesday, as Idaho
State
hosts ACI – in their first home softball game in 24 years. The Bengals (2-17)
are in their first season of play, competing as an NCAA Division I
independent. ISU started the season with
nine consecutive losses and has not defeated an NCAA Division I opponent (both
wins are against Eastern Oregon). They are led by Chris Shollenberg
(.333 1 HR 9 RBI) and Heather Dixon (.295 6 HR 12 RBI) – with Dixon hitting a
pair of home runs against the Yotes on March 2, while Lindsay Boughton (1-9 5.71 ERA, 58 K) has been the most consistent
of four Bengal pitchers.
WHERE THEY’LL
PLAY: The doubleheader will not be held on the
ISU campus, but at Capell
Park
in neighboring Chubbuck. Game time is
scheduled for 2 p.m.
RECAP OF FIRST
MEETING: A pair of walk-off hits lifted Lady Yotes to their biggest
wins in program history, sweeping a doubleheader from Idaho
State,
5-4 and 7-6, March 2nd at Symms Field. It marked the first time in school history for
the Coyotes that they have won back-to-back games against a D-I opponent. Game 1 went to extra innings, where the Bengals got an RBI single in the top of the ninth from Kaylie Neal, part of her 2-for-5, three RBI game, to break a 3-3 tie. The Yotes would come right
back, as Stacy
Smith (Draper, Utah
/ Juan Diego Catholic HS) led off the bottom of the frame with a
single and pinch runner Joelle Cote (Great Falls, Mont. / Great Falls HS) moved
to second when Nicole Illias
(Beaverton,
Ore.
/ Valley Catholic HS) walked. After the runners were
sacrificed over, Brooke Judy (Kuna,
Idaho /
Kuna HS) laced a ball into right-center - scoring both runners to
give ACI the win. The nightcap saw ISU
rally from a 5-2 deficit to tie the game at 6-6 on a Coyote error in the sixth
inning. But the Yotes had the magic again, as a Bengal error allowed Illias
to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Katie Zillner
(Emmett,
Idaho /
Chicago State U.) had a big twinbill for
the Coyotes, going 4-for-7 with two doubles at the plate - notching the win in
relief in Game 2. Heather Dixon hit a solo home run in each game for ISU.
BEST START?: Many think the hot 8-4 start by the
Lady Yotes is their best start in program history – but it actually isn’t. The 2003 team opened the year with a 9-3
record, en route to the only above .500 season in
program history (18-17). The 2002 team
opened 1-11, the 2004 squad at 3-9, and the past two
seasons, ACI has started 5-7.
WHO’S HOT: Four Coyote regulars have batting averages over .340
through the first 12 games of the season.
The top-two hitters in the ACI order have been on-base machines – as Anna Anderson (Eagle, Idaho
/ Eagle HS) and Heather Kirtley (Eagle, Idaho
/ Eagle HS) have been impressive.
Anderson
has 15 hits and is hitting .429 with a team-best 11 runs scored and seven RBI,
while Kirtley is hitting .393 with a .485 on base
percentage and seven stolen bases. Also
swinging a hot stick is Katie Zillner, who holds a
.405 average with 15 hits, three doubles, ten RBI, and a .622 slugging
percentage. Rounding out the hitters is Amy Rhoades (Eagle, Idaho
/ Dixie State Coll.), who has
settled into the second-base role. The
sophomore is hitting .344 with 11 hits in ten games played. In the circle, ACI has a team ERA of 2.77,
with freshmen Chelsey Nokelby
(Olympia, Wash.
/ River Ridge HS) and Brooke Judy leading the way. Nokelby is 1-0 with
a 1.65 ERA in 17 innings of work, with Judy recording 25 strikeouts in 34
innings of work, while recording a 3-2 mark and 2.88 ERA.
NOT THE ONLY GAMES THIS WEEK: ACI will play three other games this
weekend, all at home. The Lady Yotes
will host Great Falls on
Friday afternoon in the first-ever meetings between the teams. The Lady Argos (0-0) will be making their
NAIA debut – as their scheduled season-opening doubleheaders against Dickinson State were snowed out two weeks
ago. ACI will also play a single-game on
Saturday night against Walla Walla College,
a Seventh-Day Adventist school in Walla Walla, Wash. The Wolves (2-4) have played six games
against club or junior college teams so far, sweeping a doubleheader from
Whitman, losing twinbills to the University of Idaho
and Walla Walla
Community College. The Coyotes are 9-1
all-time against WWC.
THE COACH: Al Mendiola
is in his second year as head coach of the ACI softball program. The native of San Diego, Calif. has an
all-time record of 26-29 in his two seasons as head coach, tying the
school-record for wins in a season and helping ACI to their first-ever playoff
berth in 2006. Outside of ACI softball,
Mendiola has also been the head coach of the Caldwell
Silver Streaks American Legion baseball team since 1997 and has also assisted
with the Boise Clippers men's fastpitch team. He was also an assistant coach for the ACI
baseball team for seven years. A 1994 graduate
of ACI, Mendiola played two seasons of baseball for
ACI Athletic Hall of Fame head coach Tim Mooney, earning honorable mention NAIA
All-America honors as a senior. "It has always been a goal of mine to become a head coach at the
college where I played as a student-athlete," said Mendiola.
"I have always loved this institution and am thrilled to have this
opportunity. I think the program has a high upside. Obviously, our
short-term goals are to qualify for the regional tournament,
however, our long-term goals are to become a nationally-competitive
program."
MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and
information regarding the ACI softball program, head to the official site
Coyote softball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/fastpitch.htm.
WOMEN’S TENNIS (3-6): Lady Yotes head off to Hawaii for three matches
LAST
WEEK: Idle
COMING
UP: Hawaii Trip - Thursday vs. Dixie State,
Friday vs. Chaminade, Monday
vs. BYU-Hawaii.
ALOHA!!!:
The ACI
women's tennis team will be making a trek to Hawaii this week for a trio of
matches, looking to build on a 3-6 mark this season. The Lady Yotes
will play a trio of NCAA Division II opponents - Dixie State,
Chaminade,
and BYU-Hawaii, during
their trip. ACI will be meeting the Rebels (0-5) of St. George, Utah,
for the first time ever, while they will be meeting the Silverswords
(0-8) for the fourth time since 1999, with Chaminade
holding a 2-1 series edge. The finale of the trip will be the toughest
task, meeting a Seasiders (9-0) club that is ranked
No. 1 in the NCAA Division II and has beaten the Yotes both times the team has
met.
LOOKING
AT THE LADDER: In
singles play, the Yotes have a combined 19-35 record, with Kyla Westerberg (Caldwell,
Idaho / Vallivue
HS) recording the lone above-.500 mark (4-3 at No. 1). In
doubles, ACI has a 12-15 record, with Westerberg and Kate Leadbetter (Grand Junction, Colo. / Fruita
Monument HS) combining for a 4-3 record at No. 1, with Kim Clements (Boise, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) and Amanda McEldowney (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) combining
for a 4-3 mark at No. 2 and No. 3.
ABOUT
THE COACH: Head
coach Cisco Limbago is in his 22nd year as the leader
of the Lady Yotes. The College of Idaho grad has compiled
a 159-112-1 all-time coaching record.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the ACI women's tennis program, head to the
official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wtennis.htm.
GOLF: Season Preview
COMING UP: 18-hole dual vs. Northwest Nazarene
(Broadmore G.C.), Wednesday, 1 p.m.
COYOTES OPEN UP SPRING SEASON: The ACI men’s and women’s golf teams
will begin the Spring portion of their season on
Wednesday in a dual with Northwest Nazarene at Broadmore
Golf Club. The Coyotes and Crusaders met
in their lone Fall dual, with NNU defeating the Yotes
by nine strokes.
SIZING UP THE ROSTER: Seven men and two women make up the
ACI teams, with head coach Garry Matlock excited about the incoming freshmen class
for the Yotes. Alex Hayden (Boise,
Idaho / Capital HS)
and Mitchell
Johnson (Kuna, Idaho / Kuna HS), will
join top returners Ben Coate (Boise,
Idaho / Capital HS),
John Pasley (Boise,
Idaho / Boise HS), and Cris Tietsort
(Caldwell,
Idaho /
Caldwell HS). The women’s
team comprises of freshman Erica Sheppard (Nampa,
Idaho / Nampa HS) and junior Catherine Everist (Portland,
Ore. / Chicago
State U.).
THE SCHEDULE: ACI will compete in a pair of
54-hole tournaments following Spring Break – one in Lewiston
and one in Salt
Lake City. The season will conclude at the end of April
in Christina
Lake,
B.C., where the team will compete in the NAIA Region I Championship.
MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the ACI golf
team, head to the official home of the Coyote golf teams, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/golf.htm.
MEN’S BASKETBALL: Season Review
LAST
WEEK: at NAIA Division II National Tournament – vs.
Northwestern (Iowa)
(L 99-77)
YOTES
LOSE AT NATIONAL TOURNAMENT: Chad Schuiteman
scored 17 points and had ten rebounds, as Northwestern (Iowa) jumped out to a 20-point halftime lead
and defeated ACI, 99-77, in a first-round game at the NAIA Division II National
Tournament in Branson,
Mo. The Coyotes held an early lead of 6-2, but
the Red Raiders used a 20-7 run to take control of the game, seeing their lead
remain at 18 points or more throughout the second half. Donnel Garner (Scottsdale,
Ariz. / Chaparral HS)
led the Yotes with 15 points, with another freshman, Anton Coleman (Las Vegas, Nev. / Eldorado HS) scoring 11.
AT
THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT: It was the 17th trip to the NAIA
Tournament for the Yotes, and their ninth trip to the Division II tourney, and
ACI joined some elite company in Branson.
Only seven other teams have made nine or more trips to the NAIA Division
II Tournament – led by MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) and Northwestern (Iowa) with 12, College of the Ozarks (Mo.) with 11, and William Jewell (Mo.)
with ten. ACI, Oregon Tech, Siena Heights (Mich.), and Embry-Riddle (Fla.)
all have made nine appearances to the “Big Dance”.
GREAT
HOSPITALITY: The Yotes received some great hospitality in the
Ozark Mountains during their week in Branson – thanks to Tracy Barton and the
staff of Skaggs
Memorial
Hospital. It is the fifth time that Skaggs
Hospital
has been the honorary coaches for ACI at the tournament, and the Coyotes would
like to say thanks.
MORE
ON THE TOURNAMENT: Both Warner Pacific and Oregon Tech advanced
to the second-round of the tourney – WP defeating Friends (Kan.) in the opening
round, but losing a tough decision to Cedarville (Ohio) in the “Sweet Sixteen”,
while OIT sprinted past Northwood (Fla.) in their opener, but dropped a
14-point decision to Indiana Wesleyan in the next round. The surprise team of the tourney, however,
was Northwest – who became the third Cascade
Conference team in the last four seasons to reach the Final Four. The Eagles defeated Holy Names (Calif.) in their opener, then
rallied from an 18-point second half deficit to stun top-seeded Bellevue (Neb.). NU then romped over Cornerstone (Mich.)
in the quarterfinals, before losing 74-65 in the semis to Mayville State (N.D.).
TITLE
GAME: Tuesday night, Mayville State (N.D.) will meet MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
for the NAIA title. The game can be seen
live on CSTV (available on Dish Network and DirecTV systems), beginning at 7:30
p.m. (MDT).
.
FINAL CAREER NUMBERS: Three different Coyotes finished the
season in the career record book. Josh Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) currently ranks No. 1 in free
throw percentage (.878, 178-of-203 attempts), is No. 3 all-time in three-point
field goals made (185) and attempted (477), and is in the Top-15 in steals (117) and assists (216),
and points scored (1,047). Senior Brandon Nielsen (Twin Falls, Idaho / Big
Bend CC) finished his career No. 6 in three-point attempts (396),
No. 8 in scoring average (15.7), and is in the Top-15 in three-pointers made
(139), while fellow senior, Ike Stafford (Auburn, Wash. / Salt Lake CC) is No. 4
in three-point percentage (.451), No. 7 in scoring average (16.4), and is in
the Top-15 in three-pointers made (143) and attempted (317).
RECAP
OF SEASON: The Yotes opened the season with a 5-0 mark –
including a pair of 100-point games, and upsets of nationally-ranked Carroll
and Westminster. The start would jump to 9-1, tying the best
in program history – but a tough CCC schedule would see the Yotes finish at
19-6. Ike Stafford earned All-CCC
honors, Craig McGee (Boise, Idaho / Centennial
HS) was named to the honorable mention team, and Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) was
CCC Defensive Player of the Year.
LOOKING TO NEXT YEAR: The Yotes lose just two seniors and
will have nine players back for the 2007-08 season. The schedule looks to have a trip to Las Vegas
for a pair of games to open the season, with ACI hosting a pair of tournaments
– the Golden Rule Shoot-Out and the Wendy’s Classic. CCC play will also expand, as Northwest
Christian joins the loop – making league play now a 20-game schedule, giving
the Yotes a minimum of 14 home games.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE COYOTES: For game stories, statistics, and
information regarding the ACI men’s basketball program, head to the official
site Coyote Basketball: www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.
SKIING: Season Review
LAST
WEEK: at USCSA
Championships, Winter
Park, Colo.
(Men’s Alpine – 9th in Combined, Women’s Alpine – 9th in
Combined)
WILLIAMS
WINS NATIONAL TITLE: The crowning moment of the ACI trip to the USCSA National Championships
in Winter Park, Colo., came on the first day of
competition. Junior Evan Williams
(Arlington,
Vt. / Burr & Burton Academy)
took home the National Championship in the Slope Style event as part of the
snowboard competition. Williams victory was his
third individual national championship in his Coyote career - adding the title
to his Slope Style title in 2005 and his Halfpipe
title from 2006. He joins Brent LaBounty as the
only two ACI competitors to win at least three individual national titles -
with LaBounty winning four during the mid-1980s.
MORE
ON ACI CHAMPIONSHIPS: It was the 16th individual championship for an ACI skier or snowboarder
since 1979. Team wise, the Coyotes have captured 21 team titles in NCSA
or USCSA competition, giving ACI 37 overall national titles on the snow.
BULLARD
EARNS ALL-AMERICA
HONORS: The
ACI women’s alpine team finished ninth in both the giant slalom and slalom
races last week – finishing ninth in the Alpine Combined. The Lady Yotes were paced by Molly Bullard (Boring, Ore. / Sandy HS),
who earned Second-Team All-America honors in the alpine combined after her four
runs at the National Championships.
MEN
BATTLE TO NINTH-PLACE FINISH: Without an All-American in the bunch, the ACI men fought
hard to earn a top-ten finish at Nationals, placing ninth in the Alpine
Combined. William Moss (Bountiful,
Utah / Western State Coll.)
had the fastest run in the giant slalom, while Tom Elias (Bloomfield Hills, Mich. / Oakland
U.)
placed 22nd in the slalom.
ACADEMIC
ALL-AMERICANS: The USCSA has
announced its All-America scholar-athletes for the 2007 season, with five
Coyotes earning the honor. Kevin Makinson (Richland,
Wash. / Richland HS) was the lone male scholar-athlete, while Dove Rainbow (Sandpoint,
Idaho /
Sandpoint HS), Molly Bullard, Nicki Maxwell (Belfry, Mont. / Red Lodge HS), and Jessica Wise (Reno, Nev. / Wooster HS) all earned honors for the women.
The ACI athletic department has 15 scholar-athletes honored by the USCSA
and the NAIA thus far this season.
ABOUT
THE COACH: Ron Bonneau just finished his 17th season as
head coach for the ACI alpine ski programs. During his tenure at ACI, the
native of New Hampshire has seen the Coyote men's team qualify for the USCSA
championships on ten occasions, with the women's team making appearances
13 times. His 2004 women's squad finished second in the nation in the
slalom and fourth in the alpine combined. The Yotes have seen much
success in the 21st Century, as both the men's and women's programs, under Bonneau's direction, have won five-consecutive Northwest
Collegiate Ski Conference championships, with the Lady Yotes taking home
Western Region championships in 1999, 2003, and 2006. His women's teams
have advanced to nine-straight USCSA championships, finishing in the Top-9 on
each occasion. Bonneau, a graduae
of Plymouth State College, replaced Tom Olson as the alpine coach in 1991 - and
worked with Chris Melgaard on the nordic side, to claim the women's nordic
national championships in 1994 and 1995. During his tenure, Bonneau has coached six national champions, 32
All-Americans, and 65 All-America Scholar-Athletes
FOR
MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the ACI alpine ski program, head to the official
homepage of the Coyotes - www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/skiing.htm.
SWIMMING: Season Review
LAST
WEEK: at NAIA
National Championships, San Antonio,
Texas (Men - 10th-place, Women -
15th-place)
COYOTES
HAVE OUTSTANDING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: The ACI swimming teams had a
record-breaking three days at the NAIA National Championships in the Lone Star
State, as the men's squad
finished with a Top-10 finish, while the women recorded a Top-15 finish.
The Coyotes recorded 44 points as a team, quadrupling their previous high mark
- including advancing to the championship final in the 200-freestyle
relay. The Lady Yotes recorded 35 team points, the first time that they
have scored at Nationals. Three relay teams scored, while Alphonsina Savell (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) advanced
to the consolation finals in both the 100 and 200-breaststroke - the first time
an ACI competitor had reached the finals in an individual event.
FAST
TIMES, FAST POOL: The water temperature at the Palo Alto Natatorium was perfect for fast
times, and that is what the Yotes did - swim fast. In the two men's
individual events and the three women's individual events - school records were
smashed, while all six relay teams that hit the pool broke ACI marks.
CAL BAPTIST SWEEPS TITLES: NAIA swimming juggernaut, Cal
Baptist, swept the team titles for the second-straight season, dominating both
fields.
RECORD-BREAKING
SEASON: About
the only thing not accomplished by the 2006-07 Coyote swim teams was a dual
meet victory, as ACI nearly rewrote the entire school record book. In
fact, nine of the 17 marks on the men's side were broke during the season,
while 16-of-17 records on the women's side were set. On the men's side, John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. / Foothill HS) set marks in the 50,
100, and 200-freestyle events, with Jeremy
Younggren (Island City, Ore. / La Grande HS) setting the
mark in the 100-backstroke. Also breaking a two school records was Scott Mikelonis (Boise, Idaho / Boise
HS), who set standards in the 100-breaststroke and
200-medley. The women's records were smashed by Alphonsina
Savell, who now holds five records - 100 and
200-breast, 200-medley, 100-back, and 200-free, and Ashlee Byrnes (Vancouver, Wash. / Columbia River HS),
who holds the mark in four events - 100 and 200-butterfly, 500-free, and
400-medley. Also holding multiple school records are Elizabeth Peters (Woodburn, Ore. / Woodburn HS) in the 50 and 100-free,
and Christine Mabile
(Post Falls, Idaho
/ Coeur d'Alene Charter) in the 1650-free and 200-back.
NEXT
YEAR: The
improvement by the Coyotes should continue, as ACI will return all five men's
swimmers (they had no upper-classmen this season), along with 11 of the 12
women's swimmers.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION: For more information about the ACI swim program, head to the official
home of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/swim.htm.
