Yote Notes – Nov. 6, 2007

Mike Safford Jr. – Sports Info. Director

msafford@collegeofidaho.edu

ATHLETIC NEWS:

SOCCER TEAMS EARN HONORS: Five women’s soccer players and six men’s soccer players were named to their respective All-Cascade Conference teams, released last week. Katie Ball on the women’s team and Alex Penrod, Kazuki Murata, and Stephen Reinschmidt from the men were named first-team selections, while Leah Roach, Mauricio Both, Antonio Bautista, and Jay Gentle were all named to the second-team. The women had three honorable mention selections – Jamie Reichel, Laura Fink, and Amy Rhoades. Additionally, Penrod was named to the All-NAIA Region I team, released at the conclusion of the regional tournament on Saturday – making him eligible for All-America honors.

SKI TEAM SET FOR RUN TO THE MOUNTAINS: The College of Idaho Ski and Snowboard team is set for their annual “Run to the Mountains” coming up on Saturday.  The athletes will traverse the 45 miles from Caldwell to the Bogus Basin Resort by rollerblading, rollerskiing, and on foot – via Ustick and Bogus Basin Road.  It is 30^th year that the Coyotes have held this fundraiser to help with costs for the upcoming 2008 season.  For more information on how to help with the event or to donate, contact head coach Ron Bonneau at 459-5863.

ROOTER BUS TO LA GRANDE: The C of I alumni office is organizing a rooter bus for the Nov. 10 men’s basketball game in La Grande against Montana Tech.  The cost for the round-trip charter is $15.00 and will leave the Activities Center parking lot at 3:30 p.m. the day of the game.  To reserve your space, contact Mary Bitner at 459-5300.

C OF I-NNU TAILGATE PARTY: The College of Idaho alumni office is sponsoring a tailgate party prior to next Tuesday’s men’s basketball game at the Idaho Center against Northwest Nazarene. It will take place behind the curtains on the North end of the area, from 5-7 p.m. Cost is $5.00, which can be paid at the event – but RSVP’s must be made by calling 459-5300.

HERE COME THE ORANGES: Once again this fall, The C of I baseball team will be holding their annual Orange Sale.  Along with the oranges, the Coyotes will also sell boxes of grapefruits and three different types of apples.  To secure your fruit, contact head coach Shawn Humberger at 459-5861.

MEN’S BASKETBALL: Yotes go 0-2 in Las Vegas, look to rebound against Montana schools at Quinn Classic

COMING UP: at Quinn Classic, La Grande, Ore. – vs. Montana-Western, Friday, 6 p.m. (PST); vs. Montana Tech, Saturday, 6 p.m. (PST)

LAST WEEK: at Las Vegas Classic – vs. No. 2 Concordia-Irvine (L 96-63), vs. Vanguard (L 77-61)

ON THE AIR: All 30 regular-season games and both exhibition 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. Most games will also be simulcast online via The C of I athletic website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/caa/radio.htm, however, it is unclear whether the internet broadcast will be available this weekend.

YOTES OPEN 0-2 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2000: The first trip for The College of Idaho men’s basketball team to Las Vegas in four years did not go as planned, as the Coyotes dropped a pair of lopsided games to Concordia-Irvine and Vanguard. It marked the first time that the Yotes have started a season 0-2 since the 2000-01 campaign. In fact, that season, the Coyotes lost their first three games, began 1-5, but eventually won the Cascade Conference Postseason Tournament and advanced to the NAIA Tournament’s Elite Eight. The worst start by a C of I team occurred in 1978-79, when the Coyotes dropped their first nine games en route to a 3-21 season.

#2 RANKED TEAM TOO MUCH: Transfer Ryan Read scored a game-high 23 points leading Concordia-Irvine, ranked No. 2 in the NAIA Division I Preseason Poll to a 96-63 victory over The College of Idaho Friday afternoon at the Las Vegas Classic at Del Sol High School. The Eagles, who are the defending national runners-up, used a 17-3 run in the second half to break open a 52-40 game.  Read, who previously played at The Masters, connected on seven three-point baskets, including four in the first half as CUI opened a 48-33 lead at the break. Craig McGee (Boise, Idaho / Centennial HS) led the Yotes with 18 points, but The C of I was plagued with turnovers, as the Eagles pressure forced the Purple and Gold into 27 miscues.  Steffen Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union HS) was the only other Coyote in double figures, scoring 12 points and five rebounds.

LITTLE THINGS PUT THE GAME OUT OF HAND: The game itself was a bit closer than the score indicated, but the Yotes struggled at times with things they could control. A total of eight missed lay-ins, 12 missed free throw attempts, and struggles with executing the offensive scheme plagued the club – handing the game to the Californian squad.

VANGUARD FORWARD KEYS WIN OVER C OF I: De'Auonte Johnson went 11-for-14 from the floor and scored a game-high 32 points as Vanguard University stopped the Yotes, 77-61, in the final game of the 2007 Las Vegas Classic at Del Sol High School on Saturday. Johnson hit a pair of early three's as the Lions opened up a 37-22 lead at the break.  After The C of I cut the lead to nine early in the second half, it was Johnson again, who scored 23 of his points in the period, taking over, as VU opened up a 20-point lead and were never threatened. The Yotes got a career-high 16 points and seven rebounds from Kurt Nielson (Rexburg, Idaho / Eastern Utah CC), 13 points from Craig McGee, and 12 from Steffen Spinks. 

GUARD LINE NEEDS PRODUCTION: Last season, the starting guard line for the Coyotes averaged 46 points a game – leading The C of I to 19 wins on the year. This weekend, the scoring punch from the three starting guards – Josh Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS), Bryan Champ (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS), and Phillip Matcham (Fresno, Calif. / Fresno City CC) was nearly non-existent, as the trio went a combined 2-for-29 from the field and 1-for-19 from outside the arc – scoring a total of 14 points in the two games combined. In fact, the reserve guards tallied a total of 51 points in the two games.

NICE WEEKEND FOR MCGEE, NIELSON: The Yotes did get nice production out of their forwards in Vegas – especially juniors Craig McGee and Kurt Nielson. McGee, who was saddled in foul trouble both nights, converted 11-of-14 field goal attempts (79-percent) and averaged 16 points a game, while Nielson hit 7-of-10 shots and 6-of-7 free throws, averaging 11 points and four rebounds a game. Taking the two out of the equation, the Yotes shot just 27-percent from the field as a team.

OFF TO THE QUINN CLASSIC: It marks the third consecutive year that the Yotes have traveled in November to La Grande for the Quinn Classic, hosted by Eastern Oregon. The C of I has a 3-1 mark in the tournament, having lost their opening game during the 2005-06 season to Carroll College, but have won their last three games in the tournament, including sweeping aside the competition last season.

STREAKS ON THE LINE VS. WESTERN AND TECH: The Yotes will meet a pair of NAIA Division I schools from Montana this weekend in La Grande – the same two teams they met in the tournament last season. Up first is Montana-Western, whom the Yotes have defeated nine times in a row. The Bulldogs (1-2) have a new head coach in Steve Keller and opened with a win over the University of Lethbridge, but dropped games to Eastern Oregon and Azusa Pacific, along with an exhibition loss to Boise State. Western is led by guard Gus McDonald (12.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg) and forwards Aaron Sims (10.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and Chad Myers (10.6, ppg, 3.3 rpg). The C of I holds the all-time series lead, 35-17, dating back to 1942, including last season’s epic 129-120 overtime win to open the season. Saturday, the Yotes meet Montana Tech, who looks to end a five-game streak against The C of I. The Orediggers (1-3) have defeated South Dakota Mines, but dropped games to the University of Calgary, Black Hills State, and Eastern Oregon. They are led by guards Jeramie Hopson (15.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg) and Dusan Veselinovic (14.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg), and forward Casey Briggs (12.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg). It is the 25th all-time meeting since 1971, with the Yotes holding a 17-7 series lead.

AROUND THE LEAGUE: Opening their schedules last weekend were seven different teams from the Cascade Conference. Playing the tightest of the games were Cascade College, which notched a win over Walla Walla, then lost a tight two-point decision to Carroll and a seven-point loss to Lewis-Clark State. Concordia earned a win over Multnomah Bible, while Eastern Oregon swept games in Montana over UM-Western and Montana Tech. Northwest went to Northern California, defeating CSU-Maritime and Pacific Union, while losing to William Jessup, while Southern Oregon lost lopsided games to Carroll and Lewis-Clark State. Closing out the list were Oregon Tech, who notched a lopsided win over Multnomah Bible, with Warner Pacific and Evergreen State losing lopsided exhibition games (at Oregon State and Boise State).

NAIA POLL: The preseason NAIA Division II poll was released last Wednesday, with three teams from the CCC in the Top-25. Warner Pacific was ranked No. 3, Oregon Tech was ranked No. 11, and Eastern Oregon was ranked No. 18. The Yotes earned 13 points in the poll, listed in the Others Receiving Votes category. The C of I has a streak of 15 consecutive years of Top-25 rankings on the line in 2007-08.

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: Lady Yotes set to open up regular-season with home game Saturday vs. Westminster

COMING UP: vs. No. 24 Westminster, Saturday, 7 p.m.

LAST WEEK: exhibition at Utah State (L 99-65)

SATURDAY NIGHT IS FOR REAL: After many intrasquad scrimmages and an exhibition at Utah State, the Lady Yotes are set to open up the 2007-08 regular-season on Saturday night, hosting Westminster. It marks the first time since the 2001-02 season that The C of I opens the season with a home game – with the contest the only non-conference home tilt this season. In the previous six years under head coach Reagan Rossi, the Lady Yotes have recorded a 2-4 mark in openers – with all games against either NCAA Division I or NAIA Division I competition.

MORE ON WESTMINSTER: The Griffins (2-0) are coming off their best season in program history, with a 22-12 record and their first NAIA Tournament appearance. J.D. Gustin’s club returns three starters from last year and opens the season ranked No. 24 in the national poll. Shannon Evans (22.0 ppg) and Alexis Tucker (17.0 ppg) have led Westminster to wins over Biola and Warner Pacific to open up 2007, and look to win their third-straight against the Lady Yotes – after sweeping the home-and-home series last year. The C of I will make a return trip to Salt Lake City on Nov. 19.

PLAYING AT HOME: Over the years, the Lady Yotes have played well in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, posting a 102-41 all-time record in the building. Last season, The C of I went 12-2 at home – but one of the two losses was to Westminster.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION AT UTAH STATE: Whitney Clark (Jerome, Idaho / Northwest Nazarene U.) led three College of Idaho players in double figures with 14 points, but the Lady Yotes were unable to stop NCAA Division I Utah State, as the Aggies rolled to a 99-65 exhibition win in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan, Utah on Saturday. The Coyotes kept the game close early, trailing just 29-21 with eight minutes remaining, but the Western Athletic Conference team ended the period on a 12-5 run to take a 52-35 lead at the break.  Danyelle Snelgrow led USU with 16 points in the win. Christon Vander Esch (Riggins, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) had 13 points for the Lady Yotes, with Denise Hill (Eugene, Ore. / Boise State U.) adding 12 points and six rebounds in the loss, which does not count in either teams records.

TRANSFERS PLAY WELL: Seeing their first action as Lady Yote players, the three new transfers did an admirable job against the D-I school. Josie Pugsley (Park Valley, Utah / Snow CC) scored six points and had four steals, ShaNae Horner (West Jordan, Utah / Snow CC) scored four points and had two assists, with Ashley Wolfe (Boise, Idaho / Walla Walla CC) scoring seven points.

NAIA POLL: No Cascade Conference team was ranked in the NAIA Division II preseason national poll, released last Wednesday. Two team – Eastern Oregon and the Lady Yotes received votes in the poll – with The C of I earning six voter points. It marks the first time since the 2002-03 season that the Lady Yotes earned votes in the preseason poll.

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.

VOLLEYBALL: No. 7 ranked Lady Yotes set to complete regular-season with home games vs. Eastern & NW Christian

LAST WEEK: at Northwest (W 3-0), at Evergreen State (W 3-0)

COMING UP: vs. Eastern Oregon, Tuesday, 7 p.m.; vs. Northwest Christian, Friday, 7 p.m.

LOOKING AHEAD TO THE REGIONAL: With just one week remaining in the regular season, the Lady Yotes have clinched their third-straight bid to the NAIA Region I Tournament - and look to win the title for a third-straight year. Unlike in the past, the Cascade Conference eliminated the league tournament, opting for the top-three regular-season teams earning a spot in the Regional – The C of I, Southern Oregon, and either Oregon Tech or Eastern Oregon. The top-three Frontier Conference teams (currently Lewis-Clark State, Westminster, and Montana Tech) will also be a part of the eight-team tournament in Spokane, Wash., with the final two slots determined by the final regional ranking.

IF THEY REMAIN TIED: Currently, Southern Oregon and the Lady Yotes are tied for the top spot in the CCC. If both win their final two loop contests, they will be declared co-champions. It is believed that The C of I would earn the top seed in the regional tournament based on their head-to-head match-up with SOU, winning four games to the Raiders three.

YOTES STREAKS CONTINUE TO BUILD: The Lady Yotes extended one of their long win streaks last weekend with their road wins at Northwest and Evergreen State. The C of I extended their streak against teams not receiving votes in the NAIA poll to 61 in a row. – a streak that dates back to August of 2005. The Lady Yotes have also won 34 games in a row in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center, dating back to the 2005 season.

BACK AT HOME: The Lady Yotes have enjoyed much success in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center over the last 12 years, compiling a 127-36 record in the building – winning 78-percent of their matches. Over the last three seasons, The C of I has a staggering 46-2 record at home, including the current 34-match home win streak. Under Liz Mendiola, the Lady Yotes have a 75-12 record at home.

YOTES STOP NORTHWEST IN THREE: Thanks to a big hitting night from Katie Zillner (Emmett, Idaho / Chicago State U.), the Yotes won their 60th-straight match against an unranked team, earning a 30-26, 30-15, 31-29 victory at Northwest University, Friday in Kirkland, Wash.

The senior had a near-perfect night, recording 11 kills without an attack error, registering a career-high .579 hitting percentage, as the No. 7 ranked Lady Yotes kept pace with Southern Oregon in the Cascade Conference standings. Kathryn Ely (La Grande, Ore. / La Grande HS) added 11 kills, with Katie Hogue (Sparks, Nev. / Reed HS) recording six kills and six blocks in the win, while Catherine Everist (Portland, Ore. / Chicago State U.) led the Yotes defensively with 18 kills. The Eagles got 11 kills each from Lauren Holtz and Laura Peterson, but could not stymie The C of I attack.

A BATTLE IN GAME 3: After dominating play in the first two games on Friday, the Yotes struggled in Game 3 at Northwest. The Eagles jumped out to a 6-1 lead and held game-point at 29-24 after a C of I service ace. However, the Coyotes persevered, getting kills from Katie Zillner, Katie Hogue, and Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS), along with a pair of NU attack errors to stave off five game points. A hitting error gave The C of I match point, with Hogue blasting a spike to end the contest.

C OF I KEEPS GREENERS WINLESS: A trio of hitters recorded ten kills tonight, as the Coyotes cruised to a 30-20, 30-15, 30-20 victory at Evergreen State on Saturday night in Olympia, Wash. Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS), Katie Hogue, and Katie Zillner paced the Coyote attack with the ten kills, as The C of I pulled even with Southern Oregon in the loop standings.  Naomi Reimer (Killarney, Man. / Killarney SS) led the team with 20 assists, while Catherine Everist recorded a match-high 18 digs.

ZILLNER HAS HER BEST WEEKEND EVER: Overall, Katie Zillner put up her best weekend numbers in her two seasons with the Coyotes. In the matches in the Seattle area, the senior had 21 kills in 33 swings with just two errors – a .576 attack percentage. She now has three of the Top-5 hitting percentage numbers by a Lady Yote player this season.

CHANGES IN THE REGIONAL POLL: The second-to-last NAIA Region I Top-10 ranking was released on Monday, with the Lady Yotes maintaining their No. 1 spot in the region for the third-straight week. Following The C of I is Southern Oregon, Lewis-Clark State, Westminster, and Montana Tech. The bottom half of the poll has Oregon Tech, Great Falls, Rocky Mountain, Eastern Oregon, and Corban battling for chances to play in the Region I Tournament. Next Monday’s regional poll will help determine the eight teams headed to the Regional Tournament in Spokane.

NAIA POLL: Two quality wins by the Lady Yotes last week and losses by teams above them elevated The C of I to their highest regular-season ranking in school history, jumping three spots to No. 7. The C of I has now been ranked in the Top-25 in each of the last 22 rankings.  Eight teams the Yotes faced this season are in the Top-25 - No. 1 Fresno Pacific, No. 4 Biola, No. 8 Point Loma Nazarene, No. 9 National American, No. 11 Southern Oregon, No. 16 Vanguard, No. 20 Lewis-Clark State, and No. 23 Westminster, with the Yotes going 4-6 in the ten matches against the teams. The NAIA poll is released each Wednesday afternoon by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.

PREVIOUS NATIONAL POLLS: The Coyotes have been ranked in the Top-25 on 27 occasions in program history – the second (No. 24) and third (No. 19) polls of the 1997 season, the preseason (No. 15) and first poll (No. 19) of the 2001 season, the final poll during the 2005 season (No. 24), the preseason poll and all 11 rankings during the 2006 season, the 2007 preseason poll., and the nine regular-season polls this season. The C of I has been ranked as high as No. 6 in the poll, that coming during the 2007 preseason poll.

RECORD BOOK: Six Coyotes continued their climb up the career record book. Katie Hogue ranks first all-time in blocks (535), third in kills (1,272), fifth in aces (173), and sixth games played (429). Anne Parker is fourth all-time in blocks (366) and is ninth in kills (864), with Kathryn Ely now fifth on the all-time kills list (1,089). Tiffany Sower (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) is now fourth in all-time in aces (177) and in digs (1,156), along with seventh in games played (428), while Catherine Everist is third all-time in digs (1,331). Rounding out the list is the newest member, Kristin Henning, who is ninth in blocks (241) – while playing less than two years.

CONFERENCE / NATIONAL STATISTICS: As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in aces per game (2.53), opponents attack percentage (.112), and blocks per game (3.02), are second in hitting percentage (.237), kills per game (14.57), and in assists per game (13.27), while they are fourth in digs per game (17.86) –leading the loop in attack percentage, blocks, and aces in league-only counters. Individually, Kristin Henning leads the league in blocks per game (1.58) and is second in attack percentage (.383), while Katie Hogue ranks in the Top-10 in three categories – second in blocks (1.32), fourth in hitting percentage (.296), and seventh in aces (0.43). Other Yotes in the Top-10 are Catherine Everist, who is No. 2 in digs (5.64), Sarah Buhler is No. 6 in blocks (1.09), Ashley Galeai (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) is No. 4 in aces (0.49) and No. 6 in assists (7.27), Madie Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) is No. 6 in aces per game (0.44), and Anne Parker is No. 9 in blocks (0.93). This season, the NAIA is compiling a weekly national statistical report, thanks to DakStats. To read the national report, head to http://www.dakstats.com/WebSync/Pages/Team/TeamPage.aspx?association=10&sg=WVB&sea=NAIWVB_2007&team=1900..

HOME TILTS STAND BETWEEK C OF I AND CCC TITLE: Two home matches stand between the Lady Yotes and their second-straight CCC title. Up first is a rare midweek home match, as rival Eastern Oregon heads to Caldwell. The Mountaineers (15-9, 12-6 CCC) are having their best season in years, thanks to the play of Grace Deboodt (4.1 k/g, 0.8 b/g), Chelsea Lally (2.7 k/g, 4.0 d/g), and Kiley Cobb (5.3 d/g). Eastern is vying for the final spot into the regional tournament and is looking to send a 25-match losing streak to The C of I, dating back to 1996. The final regular-season match pits the Yotes against Northwest Christian. The Beacons (11-15, 6-12) are making their first-ever trip to Idaho and are led by Brooke Steibling (3.0 k/g, 3.5 d/g) and Ashley Blanchfill (2.3 k/g, 3.1 d/g). The Yotes dominated a meeting last month between the team - the first-ever between the teams.

ABOUT THE COACH: Liz Mendiola is in her seventh season as The C of I head volleyball coach.  During her first six seasons at the helm, the Coyotes have advanced to six consecutive Cascade Conference tournaments, four NAIA regional tournaments, and back-to-back trips to the NAIA National Championships, amassing a record of 154-63, the most wins in school history. Last season, she led the Lady Yotes to their best season in program history, compiling a 35-4 record - earning CCC and NAIA Region I Coach of the Year honors.  The C of I won their first Cascade Conference championship in 24 years, becoming just the second school to complete the league schedule without a loss.  The Coyotes also captured their second-straight CCC Tournament title, along with their second-straight NAIA Region I Tournament title, before placing ninth at the NAIA Championships.  Her team set a school-record with 22 straight wins and heads into the 2007 season with a 25-game home win streak and a 45-game win streak against non-ranked opponents, dating back to 2005. Mendiola was an assistant for the Coyotes on two separate occasions – from 1995-96 and from 1999-2000, before elevating to head coach. She has also coached club volleyball at Emmett High, for the Treasure Valley Volleyball Club, the Boise River Volleyball Club, and various camps in the Northwest. A native of Jerome, Mendiola graduated from The C of I in 1996 with a degree in elementary education, and taught kindergarten in Nampa before becoming head coach in 2001. A two-year member of the Coyotes, Mendiola set school records for kills per game (4.86) in 1994, and holds the school mark for kills per game in a career (4.46). She earned All-CCC honors following her senior season with the Yotes. Mendiola is married to former Coyote baseball standout and current C of I softball coach Al Mendiola. The Mendiola’s have two children, Aleah and Micah, and live in Caldwell.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I volleyball program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm.

CROSS COUNTRY: Yotes have three All-Region runners after Top-5 finishes in Olympia, Men in position for Nationals

LAST WEEK: at NAIA Region I Championships – Men 4th of 15, Women 5th of 17

COMING UP: at NAIA Championships, Kenosha, Wisc., Nov. 17.

MEN IN POSITION TO EARN NATIONAL BERTH: An outstanding team race by The College of Idaho men’s cross country team has the Yotes on the cusp of their second berth to the NAIA Championships in the last three years. The Coyotes avenged a loss to Southern Oregon at the Cascade Conference Championships, topping the No. 15 ranked Raiders at the NAIA Region I Championships on Saturday and finished just behind Eastern Oregon and Lewis-Clark State in the final placings – equaling the school record with a fourth-place finish. The Yotes moved up one place in the last NAIA National Poll, released today, to No. 22 – which should be high enough to receive one of the 28 berths to Nationals.

HOPPER AND CHLEBECK LEAD THE WAY: Helping out The C of I cause was a pair of outstanding races by the Yotes two seniors Tyler Hopper (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) and Jesse Chlebeck (Eagan, Minn. / Eagan HS) – both earning All-Region honors with their Top-10 finishes. Hopper finished in seventh-place and Chlebeck in tenth – both good enough to guarantee at-large berths to the NAIA Championships. It would be the third trip to Nationals for Hopper, who ran on the big stage in 2004 and 2005, while Chlebeck ran at Nationals in 2005. Geoff Williams (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) also ran well at Regionals, placing 17^th overall – as the Yotes scoring five were all in the Top-30.

FINAL RESULTS: Simon Fraser was the surprise of the meet, with three runners in the Top-5, winning the title. Eastern Oregon placed second, followed by Lewis-Clark State and the Yotes – with EOU just 18 points ahead of The C of I, and L-C just three points clear.

WOMEN RUN WELL, BUT ARE LONGSHOT FOR NATIONALS: The Lady Yotes completed their best season in program history, however, a fifth-place finish at the NAIA Region I Championships will probably leave the team out of the race for an NAIA Championships berth. Despite the No. 3 through No. 5 spots in the race spaced out by just 16 points, the Lady Yotes dropped out of the final NAIA poll of the season and were the third team listed in the Others Receiving Votes category. It is expected that only the Top-24 teams in the poll will earn berths to Nationals.

HELM EARNS TOP-10 FINISH: The Lady Yotes will have at least one runner at the National Championships, as Stephanie Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS) earned All-Region honors in placing ninth overall. The freshman was the fourth of five runners not among those from Simon Fraser and British Columbia (who will earn automatic berths to Nationals), giving her one of the at-large spots to Nationals.

FINAL RESULTS: Simon Fraser continued their stranglehold on the region, with four of the Top-5 runners from SFU. British Columbia was a distant second, followed by Eastern Oregon, Lewis-Clark State, and the Lady Yotes.

NATIONAL BERTHS RELEASED TUESDAY: The official announcement for the NAIA Championships will be released Tuesday afternoon by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I cross country program, head to the official homepage of the Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/xc.htm.

SWIMMING: Lady Yotes to host Boise State and Mesa State in Saturday triangular meet

COMING UP: vs. Boise State and Mesa State (women only), Saturday, 1 p.m.

COYOTES HOST FIRST HOME MEET OF YEAR: After a three week hiatus, The College of Idaho swim team will return to action on Saturday, with the Lady Yotes hosting their first home meet of the season.  The event will be a triangular dual, with The C of I facing NCAA competition - Division I Boise State and Division II Mesa State.

ABOUT BOISE STATE: The Broncos (1-2 in dual competition) are much improved after a tough first season of intercollegiate play last year, having nearly shattered every school record in the book.  Head coach Kristin Hall has a talented group of 26 swimmers, including 17 freshmen, but only two hail from the Gem State.  They are led by Tara Hahto, who won three events in their recent dual with San Jose State, claiming the 100-breast (1:06.68), the 200-medley (2:09.81), and the 200-breast (2:22.92), while Allison Hall is their top competitor in the 100-fly (58.49).

ABOUT MESA STATE: The Mavericks (6-3) are a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and have competed since late September.  The 27-person roster is led by Sarah Hagerstrom, who won the 100-fly, 200-fly, and 200-free in their victory two weeks ago against Metro State.

C OF I NATIONAL QUALIFIERS: The Yotes currently have three individual qualifiers that have met NAIA “A” standards – Casey Walker (Caldwell, Idaho) in the 100-backstroke, John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. / Foothill HS) in the 50-free, and Alphonsina Savell (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) in the 100-breaststroke. Unlike in other sports, the NAIA “B” standards are only used if an athlete has already qualified for Nationals with an “A” mark – known as a Bonus Cut. All three athletes have met the “B” mark in at least one event – Walker in both the 100-butterfly and 200-medley, Green in the 100-free, and Savell in the 200-medley. Also headed to Nationals from The C of I are four relay teams – the 200-free and 200-medley squads from both the men and women.

MEN REMAIN OFF: The men's team will not compete this weekend, as both BSU and Mesa State only sponsor women's swimming.  The Yotes will return to the pool at the end of the month when they compete at the Northwest Invitational in McMinnville, Ore.

ABOUT THE COACH: Mary Parsons is in her first season as The C of I swim coach. Parsons replaced Mike Shines, who coached the Coyotes for the past three seasons - leading The C of I to back-to-back Top-15 finishes at the NAIA Championships. A native of Caldwell, Parsons had a decorated collegiate career at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, holding the school record in the 100-butterfly (59.78) for 23 years. She was a five-time NAIA All-American, placing second in the 100-fly, fifth in the 200-fly, and seventh in the 200-medley at the 1983 NAIA Championships, while swimming as a member of the Western Conference of Individual Colleges All-Star team. Parsons last coached at Crescenta Valley High School in California, but has spent much of the last two decades coaching her family. She and husband, Lee, have three children - Hailey (19), Basil (17), and Richard (15). "I have really worked hard coaching my family - and now I'll have a chance to work with a new family, the Coyotes."

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I swimming teams, head to the homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/swim.htm.

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