Yote Notes – Jan. 29, 2008

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

ATHLETIC NEWS:

COYOTE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION DINNER: The next Coyote Athletic Association booster dinner is schedule for this Wednesday, Jan. 30, in the Simplot Dining Hall on The C of I campus at 6:30 p.m. Winter sport coaches – Mark Owen, Reagan Rossi, Mary Parsons, and Ron Bonneau will address the group, following a lasagna dinner. Cost is $8.00 per person and RSVP’s can be made by contacting Dave Hahn at dhahn@collegeofidaho.edu or at 459-5835.

INDOOR TRACK MAKES THEIR 2008 DEBUT: The Coyote track team makes their indoor season opener this weekend, competing at the Jackson’s Indoor Facility in Nampa. In December, Tyler Hopper became the first Yote to achieve an NAIA Indoor national qualifying time, meeting the mark in the 1,000-meters.

BASEBALL WILL TRY TO PLAY NEXT WEEK: The C of I baseball team is scheduled to open the 2008 season at Simplot Stadium next weekend, hosting Whitworth University as part of the Best Western Caldwell Inn and Suites Icebreaker. The four-game set is weather-permitting and is in doubt after the intense snowfall in Canyon County this week.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Yotes head off on long road trip to Southern Oregon and No. 10 ranked Oregon Tech

COMING UP: at Southern Oregon, Friday, 7:30 p.m. (PST); at No. 10 Oregon Tech, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (PST)

LAST WEEK: vs. Cascade (W 81-69), vs. No. 21 Warner Pacific (L 77-68)

RADIO/INTERNET: All 30 regular-season games will be broadcast live in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM, the Home of the Coyotes. Sports information director Mike Safford returns for his seventh-year as Voice of the Coyotes, with the pregame show begining 20-minutes prior to tip-off each night. The game at Oregon Tech will also be broadcast live in the Klamath Basin on 92.5 KLAD-FM with Bobby Thompson calling the play-by-play, with the audio online at http://asx.abacast.com/nnbkfalls-klad-32.asx.

LIVE STATS: Both weekend games will have Live Stats available on the internet – at Southern Oregon via http://stats.sousports.com/livestats/xlive.htm, and at Oregon Tech via http://oitsports.info/LIVEwbk/xlive.htm.

STAN, GIVE HIM SPRING TUITION: Over the last seven years, a College of Idaho student has competed at halftime of every men’s basketball game, attempting to make a lay-up, free throw, three-pointer, and a half-court shot in 25 seconds – with the grand prize free spring tuition. Three students had hit the rim on the half-court shot in the past – but Friday night, it was senior Ben Nass, who did the improbable, swishing the first three shots, then banking in the half-court toss to win $8,500 worth of schooling. The Paul’s Market Shoot-For-Tuition was the brain-child of former C of I athlete and Paul’s Market president, Stan Zatica, with the grocery chain set to make a presentation to Nass at an upcoming Coyote game. Congratulation to Ben Nass and thank you Stan Zatica for making his dream come true.

CHAMP IS TOPS IN THE NATION: With nine combined steals in the Coyotes two weekend games, Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) moved into the top spot among all NAIA Division II players in steals per game (3.2) and overall steals (70). The junior also climbed to No. 5 on the all-time steals list with 153, while his 70 steals this season ranks No. 8 on the season record list. Champ has recorded a steal in 20-straight games this season. Along with his defensive prowess, Champ scored a career-high 21 points in the victory Friday against Cascade.

OWEN MOVES UP TO FOURTH ON SCORING LIST: With 27 points in the games against Cascade and Warner Pacific, Josh Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) climbed two positions into No. 4 on the all-time College of Idaho scoring list with 1,397 points. The senior moved past Jared Klassen, who scored 1,388 points in the mid-1990s and Chuck Blackhurst, who scored 1,391 points during the mid 1980s. Owen has some work to do to move higher on the ladder, sitting 240 points behind No. 3 Kade Wilson (1,637 points). Taft Jackson (2,336 points) and R.C. Owens (2,155 points) hold down the top two spots on the list.

MAGGARD HAS QUALITY WEEKEND: The Yotes got a pair of quality games out of post J.R. Maggard (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) last weekend – scoring 15 points with seven rebounds against Cascade, and a team-high 17 points against Warner Pacific. The senior hit 10-of-15 shots from the field – raising his field goal percentage to .537 – tenth best in the Cascade Conference. As a starter this season, Maggard is averaging 11 points and seven rebounds per game.

LONG TRIP AWAITS YOTES: The Yotes are set for their toughest road trip of the season, as The C of I will make the 500-mile trek down snow-covered two-lane roads to Southern Oregon and a “Black Out” in McNeal Pavilion. The Raiders (7-15, 3-9 CCC) are fighting for a chance to get back into the playoff race, but have lost five of their last six games and are just 2-9 at home this season. Southern is very deliberate on the offensive end, averaging a CCC low 70 points per game, having scored over 80 points only once in league play. SOU is led by guards Matt Cowell (17.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Trenton Fraser (10.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg), along with forward Ryon Pool (11.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg), who did not play in the Coyotes 83-72 win in November. It marks the 54th meeting between the teams, with the Yotes holding a 36-17 series edge, including two in a row in Ashland.

SELLOUT CROWD READY FOR C OF I: Saturday, the Coyotes step into the den of Oregon Tech, as a sellout crowd of over 2,000 will await the C of I at Danny Miles Court. The Owls (18-4, 9-3), ranked No. 10 in last week’s NAIA poll, have dropped two games recently – a four-point home loss to Warner Pacific and a six-point road loss at Evergreen State. OIT averages 87 points a game, outscoring their opponents by 17 points a night – thanks to a ten rebound per game margin. Guard Ryan Fiegi (20.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 5.5 apg) and forwards Christian Cavanaugh (17.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg) and Josh Wetzler (10.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg) lead the potent Tech attack. It is the 65th meeting between the teams, with the Yotes holding a 39-25 series edge. OIT won the first meeting this season, 73-68 in Caldwell, in December.

HOW TOUGH IS THE SOUTHERN-TECH TRIP: The trip to the southern reaches of Oregon is not only tough on the Coyotes, it is tough on the entire Cascade Conference. Since the 1999-00 season, teams are a combined 7-78 in trying to complete a sweep of Oregon Tech and Southern Oregon – with only three teams being able to accomplish the task. Warner Pacific has set the bar with three sweeps, including winning both games during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, while Corban notched wins during the 2001-02 and 2004-05 seasons. The Coyotes have swept the trip twice during the tenure of Mark Owen, winning both games during the 2000-01 and the 2002-03 seasons.

CAREER RECORD BOOK: The Coyote career record book continues to shuffle each week, as a pair of Yotes continue their assault on history. Josh Owen ranks in the Top-11 in eleven categories – including No. 2 in career three-pointers made (245) and attempted (629). He is third in field goal attempts (1,077), fourth in points scored (1,398), fifth in free throw percentage (.854), sixth in steals (145), eighth in field goals made (451), is ninth in free throws made (251), assists (274), and games played (109), and is eleventh in free throw attempts (294). Also on the list is junior Bryan Champ, who is No. 5 in career steals (153) – and is No. 8 on the single-season list for steals (70).

CASCADE CONFERENCE TOP-SIX: The latest CCC Top-6 Coaches Poll was released on Monday – with the merry-go-round that is the Cascade Conference standings continuing. Eastern Oregon, which went 2-0 last week, reclaimed the top spot, while Oregon Tech fell to No. 2 after a loss at Evergreen State. Warner Pacific remained at No. 3, followed by Evergreen State, Northwest, and the Coyotes. In fact, seven teams are within three games of first place in the league standings. In last week’s NAIA Top-25 poll of 2008, Oregon Tech was ranked No. 10 with Eastern Oregon at No. 16, and Warner Pacific at No. 21. Evergreen State and Northwest both received votes in the poll. The C of I has a streak of 15 consecutive years of Top-25 rankings on the line in 2007-08. The next NAIA poll will released on Wednesday, Jan. 30 – with the CCC poll released each Monday and the national poll each Wednesday the rest of the season.

CASCADE CONFERENCE STATS: The Coyotes as a team continue to lead the CCC in turnover margin (+3.8), along with scoring defense in CCC-only games. The squad has improved in nearly every other league statistic – now No. 2 in three-pointers made per game (8.2), steals (9.3), and scoring defense (71.1), No. 6 in field goal percentage (.443) and scoring margin (0.0), No. 8 in assists per game (12.6), No. 9 in scoring average (71.1) and free throw percentage (.692), and are No. 10 in rebound margin (-6.0) and blocked shots (1.9). Individually, Bryan Champ leads the league and the NAIA in steals per game (3.2) and is No. 4 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1). Josh Owen leads the league in minutes played per game (35.4), is second in three-pointers made per game (2.8), while ranking No. 7 in free throw percentage (.802) and No. 10 in scoring average (16.6).

CASCADE CONFERENCE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Nate Menefee (ESC) 23.4, Scott O’Gallagher (WP) 22.3, Ryan Fiegi (OIT) 20.2, Josh Jarrett (NCC) 18.6, Wade Douglas (CRB) 18.2; Rebound Average – Jalonta Martin (WP) 8.4, Jarrett 8.4, Josh Wetzler (OIT) 8.2, Ryan Barker (CAS) 7.5, Paul Carollo (EOU) 7.5; Field Goal Percentage – Wetzler .715, Matt Ochs (CU) .612, Kyle Janke (EOU) .608, Christian Cavanaugh .597, Douglas .593; Assist Average – Fiegi 5.5, Jesse Alvarez (CU) 5.3, Jeremy Templeton (EOU) 4.6, Martin 4.2, O’Gallagher 4.0.

YOTES EXTEND WIN STREAK OVER CASCADE: Bryan Champ scored a career-high 21 points, helping the Yotes win their fourth-straight home game, defeating Cascade College, 81-69, before a capacity crowd on Scout Night at the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. After the Thunderbirds used a 20-3 run spanning both halves to erase a Coyote 14-point lead and take a 42-39 edge with 15-minutes remaining, Champ fueled a 16-2 run with back-to-back three-pointers, as The C of I won their 18th-straight game over Cascade. The junior had six rebounds and added six steals - upping his Cascade Conference leading total to 67 swipes on the season. Josh Owen had 15 points and six assists, J.R. Maggard had 15 points and seven rebounds, and Kurt Nielson (Rexburg, Idaho / Eastern Utah CC) added 13 points and seven rebounds in the victory for the Yotes, who at the time, moved into a four-way tie for third-place in the loop standings.

FIRST HALF RUN LIFTS WARNER TO WIN: A 25-5 run midway through the first half built Warner Pacific a lead they would never relinquish, as the No. 21 ranked Knights ended a four-year drought at The C of I, stopping the Coyotes, 77-68, in the J.A. Albertson Activites Center on Saturday night. The Knights, who have won five of their last six games, never trailed in the contest, but led just 9-8 at the 15:36 mark of the opening half. However, a pair of Josh Jackson three's got the run started, as WP led 41-24 at the half. The host Coyotes would not go away, cutting the lead to 56-51 on a Steffen Spinks (Manteca, Calif. /East Union HS) three with eight minutes left, but could not get closer. Warner would 20-of-23 free throws on the night to sew away their first win in Idaho since the 2002-03 season. Scott O'Gallagher led WP with 21 points, as 74 of the 77 points scored by the victors came from their starting five. Jalonta Martin had 19 points and eight rebounds, with Jackson adding 16. J.R. Maggard led The C of I with 17 points, but 18 turnovers - including 13 in the first half, hurt the Coyotes chances.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyotes, head to the official homepage of The C of I men’s basketball – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mensbasketball.htm.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: C of I set for Friday showdown at Southern, Saturday battle at Oregon Tech

COMING UP: at Southern Oregon, Friday, 5:30 p.m. (PST); at Oregon Tech, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. (PST)

LAST WEEK: vs. Cascade (W 71-56), vs. Warner Pacific (W 78-53)

INTERNET/RADIO BROADCASTS: All ten College of Idaho women’s basketball Cascade Conference road games will be carried live on radio in the Treasure Valley on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling the action. Saturday’s game at Oregon Tech will be broadcast live in the Klamath Basin on 92.5 KLAD-FM with Mike Garrard calling the action, and simulcast on the internet at http://asx.abacast.com/nnbkfalls-klad-32.asx.

HIGH SCORING EQUALS WINS: The Lady Yotes continued their scoring trends this week – as they remain undefeated when scoring over 80 points in a game this season. The C of I has a 7-0 mark when scoring 80-or-more points, has a 5-2 mark when scoring 70-79 points, but have a 1-4 record when failing to reach the 70 point plateau.

CLARK A MAINSTAY IN DOUBLE FIGURES: With 36 points during the weekend, including a 23-point game against Warner Pacific, Whitney Clark (Jerome, Idaho / Northwest Nazarene U.) extended her consecutive games scoring in double-figures to 11. During the run, the senior has scored 18-or-more points on seven occasions. For her career, Clark has scored in double figures 57 times, including a career-high 31 points last season against Corban.

VANDER ESCH GETS DEFENSIVE: Throughout the 2007-08 season, no other Lady Yote player has accumulated the defensive statistics that Christon Vander Esch (Riggins, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) has. The junior leads the Cascade Conference in steals with 54, steals per game with 2.8, and is second in the loop in blocked shots with 31. Vander Esch ranks among the Top-30 nationally in both steals and blocks per game, with her blocks total this season already the No. 7 mark in school history.

DUFURRENA DOUBLES UP: A total of 70 games into her Coyote career, Magen Dufurrena (Denio, Nev. / Lowry HS) finally reached a milestone – her first double-double. The senior scored in double-figures for the third time in her last eight game with ten points against Cascade and backed it up with a season-high ten rebounds. “Duff” is averaging seven points and seven rebounds per game since entering the starting line-up on Dec. 31.

BREWER HAS CAREER NIGHT: Leading the Lady Yotes in scoring in the win over Cascade was Kayla Brewer (Arco, Idaho / Butte County HS), who tallied a career-high 16 points. The sophomore connected on four three-pointers in the victory – the second time she has accomplished the feat this season. Brewer currently leads the CCC in three-point percentage (.444).

OWEN IN REBOUND MODE: Not only has wing Whitney Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) scored at least three points in every game this season, she has complemented it with work on the glass. The sophomore has recorded four-or-more rebounds in 11-straight games, including six-or-more rebounds in seven of her last nine outings – upping her season average to five rebounds a game.

SECOND PLACE ON THE LINE AT SOUTHERN: The Lady Yotes will look to avenge one of their two CCC losses this season on Friday night, making the long trip to Southern Oregon. The Raiders (19-3, 10-2 CCC) come into the weekend winners of seven-straight and 16 of their last 17 games. The highest scoring team in the loop (83.2 ppg) has been dominating teams all season, with their average win by 17 points – and have scored 80-or-more points 14 times. Paced by guards Chelsey Muri (13.9, 3.4 apg) and Whitney Scott (10.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg), along with post Jackie Speer (13.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg), Southern has a perfect 9-0 mark in McNeal Pavilion this season. The Raiders defeated the Lady Yotes in early December, 78-73, in Caldwell – thanks to a season-high 32 points from Muri, and lead the all-time series, 15-13. SOU defeated the Yotes, 79-77, in Ashland, last season.

LOOKING FOR THAT ELUSIVE WIN AT TECH: Five trips down to Klamath Falls during the regular season for the Lady Yotes, five losses to Oregon Tech – a streak The C of I looks to break on Saturday night. The Owls (16-6, 8-4) have dominated the series at Danny Miles Court since bringing back women’s basketball in 2002 – with their lone loss to the Yotes a 37-36 defeat in the 2005 CCC Tournament. The current club has been a defensive juggernaut, holding opponents to a league-low 57 points a game – while registering a perfect 9-0 mark on their home floor. OIT is paced by forward Crystal Idrogo (15.9 ppg, 6.4 rpg) and guards Jenna Ball (12.5 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Cora McVey (10.9 ppg, 8.0 rpg). The Lady Yotes trail the all-time series, 9-5, but defeated Tech in late November, 74-66, in Caldwell.

CAREER RECORD BOOK: Three players have found their way in The C of I career record book during the 2007-08 season. Whitney Clark is amongst the leaders in ten different categories – No. 3 in three-pointers made (132), free throws made (277) and three-pointers attempted (409), No. 4 in points scored (1,092), No. 5 in free throws attempted (360) and steals (131), No. 6 in field goals made (339) and attempted (871), No. 10 in assists (169), and No. 11 in games started (58). Denise Hill (Eugene, Ore. / Boise State U.) is No. 8 in free throws made (158), No. 10 in free throw attempts (231), while ranking No. 5 in field goal percentage (.484). Rounding out the group is Christon Vander Esch who is No. 2 in blocked shots (63) and No. 11 in steals (116).

CCC TOP-6: The latest CCC Top-6 Coaches Poll was released on Monday, with unbeaten Eastern Oregon continuing to record all 11 first-place votes. Southern Oregon swept all of the second-place votes, with the Lady Yotes garnering all of the third-place tabulations for the second-straight week. Oregon Tech, Concordia, and Northwest Christian round out the poll. EOU remains the lone team in the NAIA Division II Top-25, sitting at No. 19, while Southern Oregon received 43 voting points and the Lady Yotes four voting points in the third national poll of 2008. The next national poll will be released on Jan. 30 and will be released every Wednesday the rest of the season.

LEAGUE STATISTICS: At the midway point of the league season, the Lady Yotes continue to lead the CCC as a team in steals per game (15.8) and turnover margin (+8.1) – ranking No. 4 in steals and No. 5 in turnover margin in the NAIA Division II. The C of I is second in the loop in scoring offense (75.5), three-pointers made per game (7.2), and three-point percentage (.344), No. 3 in assists per game (14.9), No. 4 in scoring margin (+8.5), No. 5 in free throw percentage (.685) and field goal percentage (.406), No. 6 in blocks per game (2.6), No. 7 in scoring defense (67.0), and No. 10 in rebound margin (-4.9). Individually, Christon Vander Esch leads the league in steals per game (2.8) and is second in blocked shots (1.6). Kayla Brewer leads the league in three-point percentage (.444), with ShaNae Horner (West Jordan, Utah / Snow CC), ranking third in the category (.420). Whitney Owen ranks No. 6 in steals (2.2), with Whitney Clark at No. 3 in scoring average (16.5), No. 7 in free throw percentage (.778), No. 8 in three’s per game (1.7), and No. 9 in steals per game (1.9).

CASCADE CONFERENCE INDIVIDUAL TOP-FIVE: Scoring Average - Brittany Bowsher (NU) 17.4, Jessica Steigleman (CRB) 17.2, Whitney Clark (CI) 16.5, Crystal Idrogo (OIT) 15.9, Sheena Henderson (EOU) 14.5; Rebound Average – Te Awhina Aranui (CAS) 12.1, Jennifer Solberg (ESC) 9.3, Jackie Speer (SOU) 8.5, Henderson 8.4, Cora McVey (OIT) 8.0; Field Goal Percentage – Tiffanie Ulmer (EOU) .558, Emily Goette (CRB) .534, Ann Snodderly (CU) .510, Henderson .507, Speer .505; Assist Average - Meagan Miyasaka (OIT) 5.3, Amy Cross (NCC) 4.8, Karissa Boyd (WP) 4.7, Kailey Bostwick (CRB) 4.6, Jenny Fiso (EOU) 4.0.

C OF I STOPS CASCADE DESPITE RECORD SETTING NIGHT: Kayla Brewer hit four three-pointers, part of a career-high 16 point night, as the Lady Yotes defeated Cascade College, 71-56, Friday in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. After the Thunderbirds cut a 15-point first half lead to 45-44, Brewer canned a trey at the 7:42 mark, keying a 9-0 run that put the game away. The story of the game was Cascade's Te Awhina Aranui, who set a Cascade Conference record with 28 rebounds in the contest - just five boards off the NAIA record. Aranui scored 12 points, had 15 offensive rebounds, and 13 defensive rebounds in the loss. The Lady Yotes, who have won six of their last seven games, got 13 points, seven rebounds, and five steals from Whitney Clark, and the first career double-double from Magen Dufurrena, who had ten points and ten rebounds. The T-Birds got a game-high 14 points and nine boards from Amy Russell.

QUICK START LEADS TO WARNER’S DEMISE: Whitney Clark had ten of her game-high 23 points during an 18-0 run to open the game, as The C of I completed a weekend home sweep, defeating Warner Pacific, 78-53, in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. The senior converted a pair of treys, a lay-up, and a jump shot in the first six minutes, as the Lady Yotes remain just one game back of front-running Eastern Oregon in the Cascade Conference standings. The C of I forced 32 turnovers on the night, building a 29-point second half cushion. Eleven of the 13 Yotes in uniform got in the scoring action, with Christon Vander Esch scoring 12, and both Whitney Owen and Kayla Brewer netting six. Katee Brewer (Arco, Idaho / Butte County HS), at five-foot three-inches, led the team with seven rebounds. The Knights, who were playing without top scorer Jacque Barton, who is out with a knee injury, did not have a player reach double figures. Danica Wilson led WP with nine points and seven rebounds - as the visitors lost to The C of I for the fifth-straight time.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Lady Yotes, head to the official homepage of The C of I women’s basketball – www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.

SKIING: Coyotes go 4-for-4 in slalom qualifiers at Mount Hood Ski Bowl

LAST WEEK: at Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference Qualifier #2 (Slalom) at Mount Hood Ski Bowl – Saturday (Men placed 1st of 8 teams, Women placed 1st of 6 teams), Sunday (Men placed 1st of 7 teams, Women placed 1st of 6 teams)

COMING UP: at NWCSC Qualifier #3 (Giant Slalom), Silver Mountain Resort (Kellogg), Saturday-Sunday.

MANN DOMINATES THE WOMEN’S FIELD: True freshman Lara Mann (Bedford, Mass. / New Hampton School) had a phenomenal weekend at Mount Hood Ski Bowl, taking home a pair of individual championships at the first slalom qualifier of the Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference season. Mann had the fastest women’s run of the weekend in her first run on Saturday (39.59), then blistered the course on her first Sunday run, outdistancing the field by nearly a second. With her efforts, Mann moved into the top spot on the NWCSC individual standings after the opening two weeks.

LADY YOTES SQUEAK OUT WINS: Paced by the success at the top, the Lady Yotes remained perfect on the season, defeating a strong British Columbia squad in both weekend qualifiers – but by less than two seconds. Nicki Maxwell (Belfry, Mont. / Red Lodge HS) was in the Top-10 both days, taking fifth on Saturday and sixth-place on Sunday. The wins were keyed by the No. 3 skier each day for The C of I – a tenth-place finish by Jessica Wise (Reno, Nev. / Wooster HS) on Saturday and a ninth-place finish by Katie Kernan (Shelborne, N.H. / Gorham HS) on Sunday.

MEN’S DEPTH LEADS TO W’S: Depth was the key for the Coyote men, who avenged a loss to the University of Washington at Mount Spokane with a pair of convincing wins in Oregon. Dewey Moss (Jerome, Idaho / Oregon State U.) picked up the individual win for The C of I on Saturday, recording the fastest slalom run of the weekend in 37.38. Freshman Mats Boehnke (Carson City, Nev. / Carson HS) had a third-place finish on Saturday, followed up by a second-place finish on Sunday – just eight-hundredths of a second out of the gold medal position. Four other Yotes recorded back-to-back Top-10 finishes – Matt Weaver (Aurora, Ohio / Aurora HS), Eric Ostrand (Gilford, N.H. / Gilford HS), Aaron Flynn (St. Paul, Minn. / Central HS), and Travis Morris (Santa Fe, N.M. / Santa Fe Prep).

YOTES RANKED IN USCSA’S TOP-10: Both C of I men's and women's alpine ski teams were ranked in the latest USCSA national poll, released last Wednesday by CollegeSnowSports.com. The Lady Yotes were ranked No. 6 in the poll - coming off their victory in the opening Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference giant slalom qualifier at Mount Spokane. The top-five included Sierra Nevada College, Colby Sawyer College, Boston College, University of Massachusetts, and Rocky Mountain College. Following The C of I were Brown University, Plymouth State University, Fort Lewis College and Penn State. The Coyote men were ranked No. 7 in the poll – with Plymouth State, Sierra Nevada, and Rocky Mountain making up the top three, followed by Boston College, UMass, and Syracuse University. Following the Yotes were Clarkson University, the University of British Columbia, and Colorado Mountain College.

ABOUT THE NORTHWEST COLLEGIATE SKI CONFERENCE: The Coyotes join 14 other teams as part of the NWCSC - with the schools competing in four weekend qualifiers during the regular season, comprising of eight giant slalom runs and eight slalom runs. The C of I will compete against Gonzaga, Idaho, Washington, Washington State, Boise State, Oregon, Oregon State, Eastern Oregon, Puget Sound, Western Washington, Seattle, British Columbia, Central Oregon CC, and Chemeketa CC. Last season, British Columbia provided the stiffest competition for the Yotes, but in 2008, both Washington, Oregon State, and Idaho all look to have quality talent.

THIS WEEK'S VENUE: The Yotes will travel this weekend to Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg, one of the more unique venues in the Northwest. The C of I will make the 20-minute gondola ride up the mountain to the snow-bowl, where 65 inches of powder wait at the base, and 114 inches of snow is at the top of the hill.

ABOUT THE COACH: Ron Bonneau is in his 18th season as head coach for The College of Idaho alpine ski programs. During his tenure at The C of I, 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 Coyotes 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 Regional championships in 1999, 2003 and 2006. His women's teams have advanced to nine-consecutive USCSA championships, finishing in the Top-9 on each occasion. Bonneau, a graduate of Plymouth State College, replaced Tom Olson as the alpine ski coach in 1991 - and worked with Chris Melgaard on the nordic side to claim the women's nordic championships in 1994 and 1995. During his tenure, he has coached five national champions, 30 All-Americans, and 62 All-America Scholar-Athletes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I alpine ski program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes - www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/skiing.htm.

SWIMMING: Yotes to conclude regular-season swimming in this weekend’s Caldwell Cabin Fever Invitational

LAST WEEK: vs. Puget Sound (cancelled)

COMING UP: at Caldwell Invitational, Saturday-Sunday, All Day

MEET WITH PUGET SOUND CANCELLED: The Coyote swim teams were set to compete in a dual Thursday night against the University of Puget Sound, but travel woes for the Loggers left the team stuck in Baker City, and The C of I without an opponent. The meet was considered a no-contest, however, the Yotes were able to swim time trials, with the women’s 800-freestyle relay team meeting the NAIA “A” qualifying standard.

YOTES AMONG TOP-20 TIMES IN THE NAIA: Three C of I swimmers are among those listed in the most recent NAIA Top-20 list, released two weeks ago. Casey Walker (Caldwell, Idaho / Skyview HS) ranks in the Top-20 in three events – No. 7 in the 100-back, No. 14 in the 200-back, and No. 20 in the 200-IM. John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. / Foothill HS) ranks in the Top-20 in two events – No. 11 in the 100-free and No. 20 in the 50-free, as does Alphonsina Savell (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS), who is No. 17 in the 100-breast and No. 19 in the 100-breast. Five men’s relays and four women’s relays are also listed by the NAIA. The men’s 400-free relay is No. 8 in the NAIA, with the 200-free and the 200-medley teams at No. 9, with the 400-medley and 800-free relays at No. 10. The women’s 200-free, 200-medley, and 400-free relays are all ranked No. 13, with the 400-medley relay at No. 15.

NAIA AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS: Casey Walker – 200-freestyle, 100-backstroke, 200-backstroke, 200-IM; John Green – 50-freestyle, 100-freestyle; Alphonsina Savell – 100-breaststroke, 200-breaststroke; Ellen Judd (Missoula, Mont. / Sentinel HS) – 200-breaststroke; Ashlee Byrnes (Vancouver, Wash. / Columbia River HS) – 200-butterfly; Men’s 200-freestyle relay; Men’s 200-medley relay; Men’s 400-freestyle relay, Men’s 400-medley relay, Men’s 800-freestyle relay; Women’s 200-freestyle relay; Women’s 200-medley relay; Women’s 400-freestyle relay, 400-medley relay.

NAIA BONUS CUT QUALIFIERS (must have at least one “A” qualifying time): Casey Walker – 100-butterfly; John Green – 500-freestyle; Alphonsina Savell – 50-free, 100-free, 100-back, 200-IM, 400-IM; Ellen Judd – 100-breaststroke.

YOTES TO COMPETE IN CALDWELL INVITATIONAL: A select number of C of I swimmers will compete in individual events this weekend, as the Caldwell Swim Club hosts the Caldwell Invitational at the J.A. Albertson Aquatics Center. The meet is an age-group event, not a team event – with the Coyote swimmers competing solely to try and make a last-ditch effort for NAIA “A” or “B” qualifying marks.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more on the Coyote swim team, head to the official homepage of The C of I, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/swim.htm.