Yote Notes – Aug. 10,
2007
Mike Safford Jr. – Sports
Info. Director
ATHLETIC NEWS:
COYOTE OPEN SET FOR SEPTEMBER 28: The 23rd Annual Coyote Open Golf Tournament
is set for Friday, September 28, at Falcon Crest Golf Club in Kuna. Year
in and year out one of the top events in the Treasure Valley,
the Coyote Open has 175 players and over 110 sponsors per year that help
support athletics at Albertson College of Idaho. To secure your spot in
the tournament for yourself or your team, or to support the tournament as a
sponsor, contact Dave Hahn at 459-5835 or go online at https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/coyoteopen.asp.
GOLF TEAM TO HOST FALL TOURNAMENT: The ACI golf team will begin play
in the newly formed Cascade Conference golf division this fall, hosting a
54-hole event on September 17 and 18 at River Bend Golf Course. Concordia, Corban, and Northwest Christian
join the Yotes as members of the CCC, while it is expected that Treasure Valley
CC and Northwest Nazarene will also compete in the event. The four CCC teams will play two fall and two
spring events to determine the league champion.
BASEBALL ALUMNI GAME SET FOR
SEPTEMBER 29: The
annual Albertson College of Idaho baseball alumni game has been scheduled for
Saturday, Sept. 29, at Simplot Stadium in Caldwell.
A home run derby will begin at 11:30 a.m., with the game to begin around 1
p.m. For alumni and their families, food and drinks will be provided
throughout the day - with a $30.00 fee per player to help pay for t-shirts,
derby prizes, and the post-game barbeque. For more information, contact
head coach Shawn Humberger at 459-5861 or shumberger@collegeofidaho.edu.
COYOTE BASKETBALL TO PLAY IN VEGAS,
AT STANFORD: Make
your plans early to join the ACI men's basketball team on a pair of road trips
this season. The Yotes will open the season on Nov. 2 as part of the Las
Vegas Invitational - meeting Concordia (Calif.)
and Vanguard. On Dec. 16, ACI will meet their first-ever Pac-10 opponent,
traveling to Stanford for a meeting with the Cardinal. If you can't make
it, all 32 men's games and nine women's road CCC games will be carried live on
1490 KCID-AM.
COYOTE RUNNERS EXCEL AT FIT FOR LIFE
RACE: Four ACI
runners had Top-5 finishes at last month's Fit for Life races in Boise. In the 10-K
event, Nick Schossow
took home the title, with Rich Thomas
placing second, and Rich Hatch
taking fifth. In the half marathon, Cory
Kniep placed fifth. The Yotes were
competing against 150 other runners.
VOLLEYBALL: 2007 Season Preview
UPCOMING DATES: Aug. 13 – First Practice; August 24-25
– Season opening tournament in Salt
Lake City (NAIA Tournament of Champions)
QUICK 2007 SYNOPSIS: The target is square on the back of
the Albertson College of Idaho volleyball team in 2007, as the Lady Yotes
return the majority of their Cascade Conference championship squad that
completed just the fourth perfect CCC mark in league history. Returning a Third-Team All-American, three
All-CCC honorees, and six other key contributors, experience is on the Yotes side. However, teams will be looking to derail a
25-game home win streak and a 45-game win streak against non-ranked opponents.
LAST SEASON / PLAYERS LOST: The 2006 season was a dream year for
head coach Liz Mendiola and the Lady
Yotes, winning their first CCC title in 24 years, winning their second-straight
NAIA Region I title, advancing to their second-straight NAIA Tournament, rising
to No. 8 in the NAIA national poll, and setting a school record with 35
wins. ACI won 22-games in a row at one
point – with their four losses during the season coming to teams in the NAIA
Top-5, and qualified for the national quarterfinal play-in game for the first
time ever. However, the Lady Yotes must
replace a key part of their recent success, all-everything setter, Erin
Cherrington. Cherrington earned
Second-Team All-America honors last season, was named CCC and NAIA Region I
Player of the Year, and amassed 15 career Setter of
the Week awards – recording a school record 5,251 assists in her career. “You can’t just turn around and replace a
player like Erin,” said Mendiola. “She started for us for four years and
provided leadership, stability, and intagibles that
cannot be measured.” Two other seniors
are gone as well – defensive specialist Michelle Riordan and middle blocker
Aubrey Nielsen.
POSITION BY POSITION – OUTSIDE
HITTERS: Heavy
hitters are the name of the game for the Yotes on the outside, as the top
swingers return in 2007. Leading the
group is Kathryn Ely (La Grande,
Ore. / La Grande HS), who has
recorded over 800 kills during her first two seasons at ACI. She is joined by senior Katie Zillner (Emmett, Idaho / Chicago State U.), who had an outstanding second
half of last year, recording over three kills and a .256 hitting percentage
over the final two months of the season.
They are joined by possible the most versatile player on the team,
fifth-year senior Tiffany Sower (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS). Sower has recorded
586 kills in her career, but spent most of last season as a defensive
specialist – where she has recorded 930 digs and 143 aces in her career. Two
true freshmen will join the mix on the outside – Lauren Bourgeau (Boise, Idaho
/ Capital HS) and Vanna Immenschuh (Carlin, Nev. / Carlin HS). “Like that year, we are deep in the outside
position,” replied Mendiola. “It will be
an all-out battle for this position week to week and I am anxious to see how
the outsides respond to the challenge.
We need to work to become more consistent at the position.”
POSITION BY POSITION – MIDDLE
BLOCKERS: ACI
returns their top-two middles from last season, both of whom earned high honors
during the 2006 season. Four-year
starter Katie Hogue (Sparks,
Nev. / Reed HS) is looking
for a repeat of her amazing junior season – where she was named to the NAIA
All-America Team as a third-team selection.
Hogue set a new school record for hitting percentage in a season and led
the CCC in hitting percentage, aces per game, and blocks per game, while
becoming the sixth ACI player to eclipse the 1,000 kill mark in a career. “Katie sets the standard for work ethic in
practice,” stated Mendiola. She is
constantly competing and pushing her teammates to get better.” She is joined in the rotation by sophomore Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho
/ Boise HS),
who was stellar as a freshman. Henning
racked up 284 kills and 136 blocks while hitting at a .338 clip – earning CCC
Freshman of the Year kudos. Also seeing
time at both middle blocker and on the outside is Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho
/ Middleton HS), who provided a spark off the bench for the Yotes last season. “It is nice to return two starting middles,
but those starting jobs are not a given,” said Mendiola. “Sarah constantly nipped at the heels of the
middles and outsides last season. I
expect her to put up a strong challenge for a position this season.”
POSITION BY POSITION – RIGHT SIDE
HITTERS: The Coyote
block remains huge this season, as 6-3 Anne
Parker (Pocatello, Idaho
/ Century HS) returns for her senior season. Parker earned All-CCC honors last year after
recording 296 kills and 119 blocks – both career highs, and was instrumental in
the Coyotes regional tournament championship.
Backing up Parker for the second-straight season is sophomore Jessie Link (Tonopah, Nev. / Nicholls State U.) – who nearly
averaged a block per game in limited action last season. “Anne provides a tremendous presence on the
court for us and last season, developed into a go-to player,” said
Mendiola. “Jessie is a versatile player
who can help us in all three front row positions.”
POSITION BY POSITION – SETTERS: The toughest job for Mendiola this
season will be replacing Cherrington at setter.
Heading into preseason camp, four players have their eye on the job –
sophomore Ashley Galeai (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS), and
freshmen Naomi Reimer (Killarney, Man. / Killarney SS), Madison Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), and Hailee Garrett (Homedale, Idaho
/ Coll. of Southern Idaho). Galeai has a year of experience under her
belt in the Coyote system, averaging over ten assists per game during her
limited time on the court. Of the
newcomers, Reimer won a national title in Canada’s club program,
Machurek won a state title last season in high
school, with Garrett having an outstanding prep career. Reimer may also see time as an outside
hitter, while Machurek and Garrett will also see time
as defensive specialists. “We still have
a lot of questions about this position – including whether we will run a 5-1 or
a 6-2,” said Mendiola. “This is a strong
group of setters and I expect the competition for this position to be fierce.”
POSITION BY POSITION –
LIBERO/DEFENSIVE SPECIALISTS: A big key to the Yotes run last season was the play of their
defense, led by senior libero Catherine Everist (Portland, Ore.
/ Chicago State U.). Everist earned
All-CCC honors last season, setting a new school record for most digs and digs
per game in a season – while earning CCC Libero of the Week awards five
times. Also returning to the back row is
Stacie Drumm (Salem, Ore. / South Salem HS), who had 301 digs and 42 aces
as a true freshman, and Courtney Gamel (Nampa, Idaho
/ Skyview HS), who provided a lift off the bench
late in the season. “We improved our
passing and defense last season and that was a big reason why we were
successful,” said Mendiola.
NON CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Two major tournaments to begin the
season will test the Coyotes – as ACI heads to Salt Lake
City for the NAIA Tournament of Champions and to California for the Crowne
Plaza Labor Day Tournament. All four
teams in the season-opening tournament in Salt Lake
are expected to be ranked in the NAIA national poll. Host Westminster
opens the Yotes schedule, with the Griffins returning the bulk of their
regional semifinal team – including top hitter, Angie Johnson, with defending
Frontier Conference champion and regional runner-up Great Falls squaring off with ACI later that day. The second day sees ACI meet defending
national champion, National American
– a team that went 41-0 last season and returns nearly their entire roster, and
Point Loma Nazarene, a perennial power
from the Golden State Athletic Conference.
A week later, the Yotes head to Irvine
and more high-octane competition, facing Vanguard
and Biola of the GSAC on Friday, and NAIA
Tournament teams SCAD and Fresno Pacific on Saturday. It is conceivable that seven of the eight
teams the Lady Yotes meet during the first two weeks of the season could be
nationally ranked. ACI will also
rekindle a home-and-home exhibition series with junior college power, College of Southern Idaho, and play an
October home date with Lewis-Clark State.
CASCADE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: The 20-game CCC schedule will be
demanding for all, as the other ten teams in the loop look to dethrone the Lady
Yotes from the top. Southern Oregon looks to be as strong as ever,
however, the Raiders will start 2007 with a new skipper. Longtime head coach Paul Elliott resigned
after last year, but new coach, Josh Rohlfing,
returns six starters from a year ago.
Also expected to contend for the title are Concordia and Oregon Tech.
CU head coach Christopher Duenow has an
outstanding recruiting class, while new OIT coach, Angela Stewart welcomes back
All-CCC hitter Michelle Klaja after a redshirt season. An
ever-improving Eastern
Oregon team should
make waves this season, while Warner
Pacific and Northwest look to
join the upper echelon of the CCC. New Corban head coach Heather Dunn looks to
return the Warriors to the postseason after a one-year hiatus, while newcomer Northwest Christian, Evergreen State,
and Cascade look to crash the
party. “We have the toughest preseason
schedule since I have been involved with the program,” said Mendiola. “Also, I expect the Cascade Conference to be
much tougher this season. We will have
to work extremely hard every day to get better and prepare ourselves to meet
the challenges this season will present.
FINAL OUTLOOK: Experience is the biggest key for
the Lady Yotes, as nine players with NAIA National Tournament experience
return. However, ACI must find a
dependable setter (or setters) to distribute the ball on the attack – which
could lead the Coyote to another deep postseason run.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the ACI
volleyball program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm.
MEN’S SOCCER: 2007 Season Preview
UPCOMING DATES: Aug. 13 – First Practice; Aug. 29 –
Season Opener at Westminster,
4 p.m.
QUICK 2007 SYNOPSIS: Coming off their first Cascade
Conference championship since 2001, many would look at the Albertson College of
Idaho men’s soccer team as in a rebuilding mode after losing ten players from
the title team – including a pair of All-Americans. However, with a strong nucleus returning and
an influx of new talent, the 2007 season looks to be another fun campaign in
the Coyote camp.
LAST SEASON / PLAYERS LOST: The 2006 season was a tale of two halves for the Yotes. ACI started the season with a struggle,
winning just three of their first nine matches – beginning the CCC schedule
with a 1-2 mark. However, the Coyotes
first win at Corban in four seasons jumpstarted the engine, as
eight-consecutive wins followed, including four shutouts, clinching ACI’s first postseason berth since the 2003 season. At the regional tournament, a pair of late Westminster goals in the
final 30 minutes erased a 2-1 lead, as the Yotes lost in the semifinals. Fourth-year head coach Brian Smith knows that he will have to find a new go-to scorer and
sweeper this season, as both Mitch White and Scott Fuller have graduated. White earned All-America honors for a
second-straight season, and was named CCC and NAIA Region I Player of the Year
after scoring 15 goals. Fuller earned
All-CCC, All-Region, and All-America honors as well after anchoring the
back-third of the field. The Yotes will
also need to replace four other key contributors – midfielder Tyler Seaman,
back-up keeper Rob Erichson, and defender Sam Reed,
who both graduated, midfielder Brandon Eddy, who did not return for his
sophomore season.
POSITION BY POSITION –
GOALKEEPERS: The lone returning All-American for
the Coyotes is in a key position, as Jay
Gentle (Boise,
Idaho / Walla
Walla CC) will man the net for ACI, coming off an
outstanding junior season. The six-foot,
four-inch keeper was a catalyst in the Yotes run to the playoffs, recording a
10-2 mark with a 0.97 goals against average – a number that dropped to 0.74 in
conference games. “Jay Gentle is the
most dominant goalkeeper in the league,” said Smith. “He is the type of players that will win you
games, making those one or two critical, game-changing saves when you need
them.” Backing up Gentle will be true
freshman Teddy Coleman (Lagos, Nigeria / United World Coll. – USA),
who went to United World College, a prep school in New Mexico, after growing up
in Lagos, Nigeria.
POSITION BY POSITION – DEFENSE: Smith is confident that his defense will be as solid as it
was last season, as three of the four starters return. The middle is anchored by senior Stephen Reinschmidt
(Mountain Home, Idaho
/ Mountain Home HS) and junior Brandon
Koomler (Boise, Idaho
/ Bishop Kelly HS). Reinschmidt has started 36 games in his career and has a
big six-foot, three-inch frame to compete for 50-50 balls, while Koomler, a two-year starter, was an All-CCC selection last
year. Derek Erstad (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS) returns for his junior season at one
of the outside back positions after a solid 2006 season, while a plethora of
athletes will battle for the other starting role, with returners
Cameron Johnson (Eagle, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) and Brian Weiss (Mountain Home, Idaho
/ Mountain Home HS) having the inside track at the position. Johnson, who spent most of last year at one
of the outside-mid positions, may move to the defender role, while Weiss, a key
back-up each of the last two seasons, having the most experience at the
position. “I think we are in good shape
in the back,” replied Smith. “I think
that BK (Koomler) will be able to fill Fuller’s role
and Reinschmidt is a major ball winner for us. Overall, we may be stronger in the back this
season.” Others gunning
for the spot including junior Scott
Thompson (Twin
Falls, Idaho / Twin
Falls HS), and freshmen Devon
Jenks (Twin Falls,
Idaho / Twin Falls
HS), Mats Boenhke
(Carson City,
Nev. / Carson
HS), and Cole Richelieu (Yorba
Linda, Calif. /
Esperanza HS).
POSITION BY POSITION –
MIDFIELD: Options are available for the Yotes
in the midfield, as five players return with extensive starting
experience. In the center of the field
is a pair of All-CCC performers, junior Alex
Penrod (Las
Vegas, Nev. / Cimarron-Memorial HS) and sophomore Kazuki Murata (Tokyo, Japan / Ichiritu HS). Penrod had a solid 2006 season, scoring three goals and
assisting on five others, while Murata developed into one of the league’s
better tacticians during his rookie season.
On the flanks, ACI returns two-time All-CCC selection, Michael Delgado (Caldwell, Idaho
/ Vallivue HS), along with Jesus Lopez (Nampa,
Idaho / Skyview HS) and
Mauricio Both (Cachoeira de Sul, Brazil
/ Nampa HS). Delgado, a senior, is the Coyotes most
experienced scorer returning, having tallied 14 career goals, while Both, a
junior, and Lopez, a sophomore, each played key roles last season for ACI. “The strength of this team will come from the
midfield,” said Smith. “We have so many
options with personnel and styles of play.
It will be a huge contributing factor to our season.” Also in the mix in the midfield is sophomore Esteban Cabrera (Quito, Ecuador
/ Payette HS) and freshman Emir Kobic (Boise, Idaho
/ Centennial HS).
POSITION BY POSITION –
FORWARDS: Having to replace one of the best
finishers in program history will be one of the biggest challenges the Yotes
will face. However, Smith is excited to
see what junior college transfer Garga Caserta (Aracatuba, Brazil / North Idaho
CC) brings to the table. Caserta earned All-America
honors during his junior college days, scoring 32 goals in his two
seasons. Helping him in the attacking
zone is senior Scott Ward (Rexburg, Idaho / Madison HS) and sophomore Antonio Bautista (Homedale, Idaho / Homedale HS). Ward brings speed to the table and is good in
the air, while Bautista was instrumental in the Yotes late surge last
season. “This season, we have different
types of players – Bautista finished off so strong last year; Ward has worked
extremely hard during the offseason for his senior
year; with Garga bringing a lot of pace to the
table,” said Smith. “We definitely will
have a different look up top this season.”
NON CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: ACI will play a limited non-conference schedule in 2007, as
14 of the 18 counting contests this year will take place within the CCC. After a pair of scrimmages, the Yotes will
make their yearly pilgrimage to Salt
Lake City for the Westminster Invitational. Up first at the tourney is Westminster,
who handed ACI a pair of losses last season and finished as the regional
runner-up. Also at the tournament, the
Coyotes will meet Biola of California and Olivet Nazarene of Illinois.
Biola,
a member of the always competitive Golden State Athletic Conference, is
expected to give the Yotes all they can handle, while ONU has been a staple in
the NAIA Region VII mix during the last decade.
Rounding out the non-conference schedule is a game at Whitman, who defeated ACI 1-0 in Caldwell last year.
CASCADE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: The CCC race will be an interesting
one in 2007, as there is no clear-cut favorite to win the title. The front-runner would be Concordia, who shared the league title
with the Yotes last season. The
Cavaliers will need to replace their top-two scorers, but return keeper Garrett
Staples and defender Joe Givens, who helped CU allow just one goal a game. Also in the hunt will be Corban, who returns the dangerous Caleb Louvier,
and Warner Pacific, with the scoring
punch of J.B. Cunha and Chris Price – who combined for 22 goals last
season. Both Cascade, who recorded ten wins last season, and Northwest, who returns nearly their
entire squad, will be in the mix, as will Evergreen State,
who handed the Yotes one of their three CCC losses last year. The question mark is newcomer Northwest Christian, who will be making
their first trip through the CCC schedule. “Top to bottom, the Cascade
Conference is getting better and better each year,” said Smith. “There will be no freebies – as I expect
Northwest Christian to be in the mix. It
will definitely be a dogfight – it could be anybody’s year, and that was proven
last season. However, I expect the
Coyotes to be one of the teams at the top of the food chain at the end of the
year.”
FINAL OUTLOOK: Many think ACI is in rebuilding mode
with the loss of the All-Americans, however, with 12 players with extensive
starting experience returning, the Yotes are in position to contend for their
second-straight CCC title. Only the
18-game schedule and time will tell.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the ACI
men’s soccer program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/menssoccer.htm.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: 2007 Season Preview
UPCOMING DATES: Aug. 13 – First Practice; Aug. 24 –
Season Opener at Carroll, 4 p.m.
QUICK 2007 SYNOPSIS: Coming off their first playoff berth
in four seasons, the Albertson College of Idaho women’s soccer team is excited for the
upcoming 2007 season – as on paper, the Lady Yotes may have their best overall
team in the 19 years of the program.
Second-year head coach, Niki Taylor,
returns 15 different players who have started at some point during their
careers, while bringing in a potent recruiting class which will give ACI much
needed depth – something they have not had in the past. Optimism is abound
for the Yotes, however, as Taylor
feels many of the eight recruits have the ability to step into a starting role
this season. “We will have a very deep
team this season,” said the Truman
State product. “We have a lot of experience returning and a
recruiting class that will make us a fun team to watch. Preseason training and the two scrimmages
will go a long way as to who will be the starting 11 in the season opener.”
LAST SEASON / PLAYERS LOST: A year ago, it was an up-and-down
season for the Yotes, as ACI opened the season 1-5-1, including a six-game
winless streak. However, the team won
5-of-6 games midway through the season, including four shutouts, to qualify for
the postseason, losing a tough 2-1 decision to Evergreen State
in the Cascade Conference Tournament.
ACI will have to replace seven players from 2006 – including four-year
midfielders Allison Rupert and Ali Jakubowski. The Yotes also had a pair of players, forward
Jayne Saunders and midfielder Tegan Troutner, deciding to run cross country this fall, while
All-CCC defender, Jessie Harris, did not return for her senior season, with the
same said for junior midfielder Stephanie Stover and junior keeper Tiffany Ellsberry.
POSITION BY POSITION – GOALKEEPERS: The Coyotes return a pair of
quality, experienced goalkeepers this season – a luxury ACI has not had
often. Sadie Hughes (Courtenay, B.C.
/ Vanier SS) posted six wins during her rookie season in goal and a 1.63
goals against average – including four shutouts, and looks to have the early
edge for the starting spot. Right at her
heels is sophomore Amy Rhoades (Eagle, Idaho
/ Dixie State Coll.), who had a team-best
1.51 GAA last season, and is coming off an outstanding softball season for the
Coyotes. Between the two, ACI allowed
just ten goals in nine CCC contests last season. “Both keepers gained experience
and confidence last year and we will rely on them in 2007,” said Taylor.
POSITION BY POSITION – DEFENSE: Taylor has options in the back-third, with
a pair of three-year starters back for their senior seasons. Laura
Fink (Boise,
Idaho / Centennial HS), who was the Yotes
lone First-Team All-CCC selection in 2006, and Katie Ball (Boise,
Idaho / Boise
HS), will handle the duties in the middle.
Both have speed and size to hamper attacks by opponents and are
comfortable in the Coyote system. On the
outside, ACI has options, as freshman Brittney
Hulin (Eagle,
Idaho / Eagle HS) and junior Martine
Troy (Ogden, Utah / Judge Memorial
HS) would have been full-time starters last season if it weren’t for
season-ending injuries, while junior Emily
Dickerson (Nampa, Idaho / Vallivue HS) and sophomore Jessica Brotherton (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) have starting experience. Also in the mix is sophomore Kate Leadbetter (Grand Junction,
Colo. / West
River Acad.), with true freshmen Melissa Garrison (Boise, Idaho / Borah HS) impressing the Yotes
skipper during the recruiting process.
“Fink and Ball have had three solid seasons in our program and are the
backbone of our defense,” replied Taylor. “I am excited to watch the battle between the
other players competing for the addition spots in the defense.”
POSITION BY POSITION – MIDFIELD: In the midfield, ten players will
battle for four starting roles – with six of them having starting
experience. In the middle, Taylor likes what she sees in true freshman Colleen Smith (Boise, Idaho
/ Boise HS),
who had an outstanding prep and club career.
Also in the battle is two-year starter, Allie Dufault (Irvine, Calif. / University HS), who led the Yotes in scoring last
season, and 2005 Second-Team All-CCC selection, Nikki Anderson (Citrus
Heights, Calif. / Sierra CC), who returns to ACI for her senior season
after a one-year hiatus. On the wings,
sophomore Mandy Greif (Payette, Idaho / Payette HS) and junior Kat Becker (Salt
Lake City, Utah / Judge Memorial
HS) return, but will be pushed by true freshman Amanda Barrieau (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) and
senior Ryann Lagomarsino (Fair
Oaks, Calif. / Sierra
CC), who was a starter for the Yotes during the 2005 season. Also vying for spots is junior Alyssa Newbold (Caldwell, Idaho / Walla Walla CC),
sophomore Melissa Rowe (Wilder, Idaho
/ Caldwell HS), and freshman Kayla Williams (Boise, Idaho
/ Boise HS). “We have more options than ever in the
midfield,” said Taylor. “The key during preseason training is to find
the best combinations to create more scoring opportunities this season.”
POSITION BY POSITION – FORWARDS: Having a good combination in the
midfield this season will give the Yotes strikers opportunities to shine this
season. Two-time All-CCC selection Leah Roach (Boise, Idaho
/ Timberline HS) returns for her senior season, as does speedy sophomore Courtney Mitchell (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS), fresh off an
outstanding track campaign. They will be
pushed by true freshmen Jamie Reichel (Boise, Idaho / Capital
HS) and Jessica Heinrich (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS), along with senior Jennifer Phillips (Ontario, Ore.
/ Ontario HS). “We have to score goals to win,” said Taylor. “We have a nice combination of experienced
players and newcomers who will make us stronger in the attacking-third this
year.”
NON CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: The Lady Yotes will not be ducking
any NAIA Region I opponents during the preseason, as ACI will meet all five
regional independents for the first time.
A rugged three-game season-opening tour of Montana
awaits the squad, as the Coyotes start the season with a pair of games in Helena at the Carroll
College Classic. ACI will meet host Carroll in the opener, a team which
qualified for the NAIA Championships last season, then facing a Rocky Mountain team that advanced to
their first-ever NAIA Region I Tournament in 2006. The trip concludes at Great Falls, a team ACI
defeated, 1-0, in Caldwell,
last season. A second tournament is on
the Coyotes schedule in September, as a trip to Salt Lake
City and games against first-year Westminster
and NCAA Division II Dixie State. The Yotes will also play a rivalry game at Northwest Nazarene on Labor Day
weekend, and their first-ever meeting with perennial power, Simon Fraser, in October.
CASCADE CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: For the second-straight season, the
CCC will have each team play each other once – as the 11 teams in the loop
using the ten-game conference schedule to determine the six postseason
tournament berths. The front-runner will
again be Concordia, as Grant Landy’s team has won the last eight CCC regular-season
titles and the last seven CCC tourney titles and finished 2006 as the No. 3
ranked team in the NAIA. The four other
playoff teams from last year should all be solid - as Corban had a great recruiting class to compliment a young team; Oregon Tech also has a large new group
after losing their two top scorers; Eastern
Oregon must replace their top-two scorers; with Evergreen State starting the season with a new head coach, John Purtteman. Looking
to crash the playoff party is Southern Oregon, who returns a bevy of starters, and Cascade, who had one of the better
defensive units in the league last year.
Warner Pacific is coming off
a one-win season, Northwest won just
two league games last year in their first season, and Northwest Christian makes the jump to the NAIA in their first trip
through the CCC. “Every year, the CCC
has more parity as team strive to meet the standards that Concordia has
established during the last decade,” said Taylor. “Every team will be improved and will have
the same goals we have. There will be no
easy game this season.”
FINAL OUTLOOK: It is plain and simple for the 2007
Lady Yote soccer team – you have to beat the best to be the best. With possibly their most talented team ever
and possibly their most difficult schedule as well, ACI is in position for big
things on the pitch this season.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the ACI
women’s soccer program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.
CROSS COUNTRY: Season Preview
UPCOMING DATES: Aug. 27 – First Practice; Sept. 1 –
Purple & White Intrasquad Race, 9:30 a.m.; Sept.
8 – Season Opening Meet, at Hampton Inn Fall Harrier Classic, Nampa.
QUICK 2007 SYNOPSIS: The Albertson College of Idaho men’s
cross country team is determined to return to the NAIA Championships after a
one-year hiatus. The Coyotes return
their top-five runners from last season and have added a great recruiting class
to bolster scoring in the No. 4 and No. 5 positions. The women’s team should also be improved, as
along with their top-five runners back, the Lady Yotes have a solid recruiting
class which will continue to move ACI up in the Cascade Conference
standings. Furthermore, the Coyotes will
have four meets in Idaho, including serving as
the host of the 2007 CCC Championships at Eagle Island
State Park in October.
LAST SEASON / RUNNERS LOST: For the ACI men, it was the
regular-season and then the playoffs – with two completely different
outcomes. The Coyotes ran well
throughout the invitational schedule, winning the Eastern Oregon Open and
defeating all four-year schools at the Lewis-Clark Invitational. However, an off-day by the squad at the
CCC/Region I Meet spelled doom for the squad, as despite a No. 12 ranking in
the final regular-season NAIA poll, the Yotes were not
selected to compete at the NAIA Championships.
ACI returns 9-of-10 top runners, losing only Chris Rifer, their No. 7
runner, to graduation. “The misfortune of having Jesse go down and a couple of
our other guys have sub-par races at regionals
really left a bitter taste in our mouths,” said head coach Pat McCurry. “The fellas are
eager to send our seniors out on a much better note this year.” The ACI women had an outstanding 2006 season,
considering the bulk of the team was made up of freshmen. The Lady Yotes, who set a school record by
having four runners crack the 20-minute barrier in a
5,000-meter race, look to improve on their fourth-place finish at the CCC
Championships, returning nine of their top ten runners from last season. ACI lost only Natalie Hatch, their No. 4-5
runner, to graduation. “Last fall was a growing experience for our women's
program,” said the fourth-year coach.”
“We were so young, and the girls learned a lot about training and
racing at the college level that will really pay off this year.”
MEN’S PREVIEW: McCurry is excited
for what he sees this season on the men’s side, especially for the development
of his top three runners. Tyler Hopper (Caldwell, Idaho / Caldwell HS) looks to cap an outstanding career
with a third appearance at the NAIA Championships after setting the school
record in the 8,000-meter (25:19.25) distance last year. Right with him is fellow senior Jesse Chlebeck (Eagan, Minn. / Eagan
HS), who is looking for redemption after an injury forced him out of the
CCC Championships. The front-running duo
is joined by junior Sam Hardy (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), who shaved time off
of every race compared to the 2005 season.
Sophomores Mike Tobiason (Boise, Idaho / Bishop
Kelly HS) and Geoff Williams (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) are
expected to improve from their rookie seasons, while upper-classmen Oliver Rosales (Caldwell, Idaho
/ Vallivue HS) and Cory Kniep (Shoshone, Idaho
/ Shoshone HS) battle for scoring positions. A pair of freshmen will also look to join the
party, as local products Alex Goold (Meridian,
Idaho / Mountain View HS) and Paul Sartin (Meridian,
Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS), both among the top runners in their high school
class last season, will also be in the fray to join the scoring party. “This is a special season for us, as we
have two great seniors to lead the way up front and solid depth behind
them,” said McCurry. “It will be a fun season
of blending the veteran cornerstones of our program with some very talented
freshman and sophomore kids.”
WOMEN’S PREVIEW: Continued development will be the
key for the Lady Yotes during the 2007 season, as the youth movement from a
year ago will pay dividends. Sophomore Molli Lee-Painter (Moscow, Idaho
/ Moscow HS) nearly
earned All-CCC honors last season and is coming off a solid track campaign –
and should be ACI’s No. 1 runner. Behind her are fellow sophomores Chantel Varland (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS) and
Stephanie Sparks (West Jordan,
Utah / Juan Diego HS), along with seniors Lauren Plymire (Portland, Ore. / Eastern Oregon U.) and Genny Gerke (Boise,
Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) – all
of whom can run under the 20-minute mark.
The X-Factor will be a pair of true freshmen, Stephanie Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS) and Kristine Smith (New Meadows, Idaho / Meadows Valley HS), along with a pair of juniors, Jayne Saunders (Emmett, Idaho
/ Emmett HS) and Tegan Trouter (Lake
Fork, Idaho /
McCall-Donnelly HS) – both of whom have run track, but competed on the
women’s soccer team during the fall.
“This is a very deep and balanced team,” remarked McCurry. “We have a bunch of talented girls that have
worked hard in the off-season and will make some noise within the conference
and region.”
LOOKING AT THE REGION:
On the men’s side, any one of seven teams has the potential to take home
the title. Independents British Columbia, Lewis-Clark
State, and Simon Fraser will all
be among the elite in the league, as will ACI, Concordia, Eastern Oregon,
and Southern Oregon from the
CCC. The women’s region has been
dominated by Simon Fraser, British Columbia,
and Lewis-Clark State,
while Corban, Eastern
Oregon, Northwest, and
the Lady Yotes have a chance to
crack the Top-5.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the ACI
cross country program, head to the official homepage of the Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/xc.htm.
- ACI -
