Yote Notes – October 28, 2008
Mike Safford Jr. – Sports
Info. Director
ATHLETIC NEWS:
WOMEN’S SOCCER UPDATE: C of I women’s soccer team defeated Eastern
Oregon, 2-1, on Tuesday – securing the No. 2 seed in the Cascade Conference
Tournament and a first-round playoff bye.
There will be a soccer doubleheader, Nov. 5, at a place and time to be
determined, for the CCC Tournament semifinals.
Check The C of I athletic website for more
details later in the week.
IDAHO STAMPEDE TO HOLD INTRA-SQUAD
GAME IN ACTIVITIES CENTER: The Idaho Stampede are teaming up with The College of Idaho for an
inter-squad scrimmage on November 19 at 7 p.m. at the J.A. Albertson Activities
Center in Caldwell – with all proceeds raised to benefit the Coyote Men’s Basketball Team. For the Idaho Stampede, this will be the last
day of the 2008 training camp. Head
coach, Bryan Gates will then have to cut his team down to the final roster
after the game. “This is a great way to
gauge where our draft picks are,” said Gates.
“We are thrilled to be able to play on the court where Coach Owen and
Coach Holly have created a positive and winning environment.” Tickets for the inter-squad game are just
$5. They can be purchased at the Idaho
Stampede office, at The C of I Ticket Office in the J.A. Albertson
Activities Center,
or by phone at 459-5681. Fans may also
purchase tickets at the door on the game-day.
All major credit cards are accepted but cash is encouraged. “We are very excited to be participating in a
fundraiser for the College
of Idaho,” said Stampede
President and General Manager, Steve Brandes. “The Idaho Stampede are open to any and all
opportunities to contribute back to the Treasure Valley.” Fans will have the chance to get autographs
from the Stampede players, Rumble, and Spirit dance team after the game.
COYOTE SOFTBALL TO SELL T-SHIRTS AND
BRACELETS FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS: The College
of Idaho softball team will
be selling t-shirts and bracelets over the upcoming weeks to support Breast
Cancer Awareness. With October being
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Lady Yotes will be selling white t-shirts
with a pink ribbon on them for $18.00, along with pink bracelets for $2.00
- a combo pack of the two will only cost $16.00. The money raised will be donated to help
breast cancer research. For more
information or to purchase a t-shirt or bracelet, contact head coach Al Mendiola at amendiola@collegeofidaho.edu
or at 208-459-5113.
ORANGE SALES BEGIN THIS WEEK: Once again, The C of I baseball team
will be out in the community, selling boxes of apples and oranges. To secure yourself a
box of fruit, contact head coach Shawn Humberger at
459-5861.
DONATE TO
THE COLLEGE OF IDAHO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION: Click
here to make your tax deductible gift to assist the CIAA with post-season
championships team travel, scholarships and recruiting - https://www.collegeofidaho.edu/media/_secure/makeagift.asp
MEN’S SOCCER (13-2-1, 12-0 CCC): Bautista named NAIA Player of the
Week, Yotes await semifinal opponent in CCC Tournament
LAST WEEK:. vs. No. 24 Concordia (W 4-2), vs.
Cascade (W 2-1)
COMING UP: Idle until Nov. 5 (host Cascade
Conference Semifinal vs. Northwest or Warner Pacific, at site TBD)
PERFECTION: With wins over Concordia and Cascade
at the Boise Capitals Soccer Complex, The College of Idaho became just the
second team in the history of the Cascade Conference to complete an unbeaten,
untied league schedule – going 12-0.
George Fox was the only other team to accomplish the feat, going 5-0
during the 1994 season, while Corban (then known as
Western Baptist) had a 5-0-1 record in 1996.
The previous best finish for the Yotes in league play was in 2001, when
The C of I finished 10-2.
TITLES: This season marked the third time that the Yotes have won a
CCC championship – joining the 2001 squad that claimed the outright title, and
the 2006 squad that shared the crown with Concordia.
BAUTISTA NAMED NAIA NATIONAL
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Following another stellar weekend of play, C of I forward Antonio Bautista (Homedale, Idaho
/ Homedale HS) was named NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week,
announced by the national office in Kansas
City, Mo. The senior, who yesterday was named CCC
Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season, had a monster
weekend in helping the Yotes to a perfect 12-0 CCC season. Bautista had a pair of goals and assisted on
a third in the 4-2 victory over No. 24 Concordia, then followed it up with both
goals in the come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Cascade. He leads the CCC with 20 goals on the season
and leads the NAIA in game-winning goals with nine. It marks the fourth time that a C of I men’s
soccer player has won the award (Jared Larsen in 1999 and 2000, Jason Southward
in 2002) and the 12th time all-time that a Coyote
student-athlete was honored by the NAIA.
PENROD TAKES CCC AWARD: The Yotes swept the CCC weekly awards, as senior sweeper Alex Penrod (Las
Vegas, Nev. /
Cimarron-Memorial HS) was named CCC Defensive Player of the Week. Penrod was
instrumental in the back for the Yotes in the win – shutting down the top
offensive threat for both teams – while assisting on a goal in both the
Concordia and Cascade wins.
PLAYOFF TALK: The CCC Tournament returns for the
first time since the 2003 season this fall, with six teams earning playoff
berths. The top team in each division (C
of I and Concordia) receive first-round byes, with the No. 2 team in the North
(Warner Pacific) hosting the No. 3 team in the South (Corban/Oregion
Tech/NW Christian) and the No. 2 team in the South (Cascade) hosting the No. 3
team in the North (Evergreen State/Northwest) – with both games on
Saturday. Corban
can clinch the No. 3 seed with a win Tuesday over Cascade or an OIT-Northwest
Christian tie. A loss by Corban and the victor of the OIT-NCU would have to go
through tie-break procedures, including Longo ratings within divisional games,
to determine the playoff team. The North
No. 3 is much easier, as Evergreen
State must win or tie
Northwest on Tuesday to claim the berth – a Northwest win gives them the final
playoff spot. The North 2-South 3 winner
will meet the Coyotes next
Wednesday, while the South 2-North 3 winner will meet Concordia next
Wednesday. The title game is set for
Nov. 12 – at the highest remaining season.
12TH PLAYOFF APPEARANCE: The C of I has qualified for the
postseason on 12 occasions (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2006, 2008) and boasts a 10-13 playoff record. The Yotes won the 1989 District II title, the
2000 NAIA Region I title, and the 2000 and 2003 CCC Tournament titles – while
advancing to their lone NAIA Tournament in 2000 (losing to Mobile
(Ala.), 4-2).
TOP SCORING SEASONS: Antonio Bautista is closing in on the
most prolific scoring season by a Coyote
– as he is three goals away from the top mark. Nine times in C of I history has
a men’s soccer player scored more than 15 goals in a season – led by the 23
goals scored by Matt Blazek in 1998.
Derek Jordan (22 goals in 1989) is second on the list, followed by Coe Michaelson (21 goals in 2001), Jason Southward (20 goals in
2003), Bautista (20 goals in 2008), Blazek (18 goals in 1997), Jared Larsen (18
goals in 1999), Larsen (17 goals in 2000), and Joe Chandler (17 goals in 2003).
NEW WIN STREAK RECORD: Win the wins last weekend, the Yotes
set a new school record with their 12th victory in a row What is even more unique about the streak is that
it extends a longstanding record for the Coyotes
in terms of win streaks. Since the 1999
season, spanning ten seasons, the Yotes have recorded a win streak of
five-or-more games each year. In 2005
and 2007, they had a five-game win streak; in 1999 and 2004, they had a
six-game win streak; in 2002 and 2003, they had a seven-game win streak, in
2000 and 2006, they had an eight-game win streak; and in 2001, the Yotes
recorded their former school-record 11-game win streak – before it was
surpassed on Saturday.
CONFERENCE/NAIA POLL: For the first time this season, the Coyotes earned votes in the NAIA Top-25 poll,
receiving 35 voter points in the tabulation, or No. 32 in the NAIA. In the CCC coaches poll, the Yotes ascended
to the No. 1 spot with their win over Concordia. CU, which was ranked No. 24 in last week’s
NAIA poll, was second, followed by Warner Pacific. The CCC poll is released on Monday mornings,
with the NAIA poll released Tuesday afternoons.
PREVIOUS NATIONAL POLLS: The last time the Coyotes received votes in the NAIA Top-25 Poll was
on Oct. 25, 2006 – earning one voter point.
The team has been ranked in the Top-25 on five different occasions – No.
25 at the conclusion of the 2000 season, No. 23 at the conclusion of the 2001
season, No. 16 in the 2002 preseason poll, No. 15 in the first poll of the 2002
season, and the last time, No. 24 on Oct. 9, 2002.
TEN WIN SEASONS: Under head coach Brian Smith, the Coyotes
have posted ten-or-more wins in four of his five seasons at the helm, with the 13
wins this season the most by the Yotes since 2003. In the 25-year history of the program, the
Yotes have won ten-or-more games 15 times.
CONFERENCE STATS: As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in
goals against average (0.98) and corner kicks (110), while ranking second in
shots (286) and shutouts (5). The squad
is third in total points (109), goals scored (41), and assists (27). Individually, four players are in the Top-5
of the CCC – led by Antonio Bautista, who leads the loop in points (45), goals
(20), goals per game (1.25), and game-winning goals (9). Aaron
Reynolds (Boise, Idaho / Capital HS)
leads the loop in goals against average (1.01) and save percentage, with Jesus Lopez (Nampa, Idaho / Skyview HS) leading the
league in total shots (49) and is second in shots per game (3.7), and Garga Caserta (Aracatuba, Brazil / North Idaho College) leading the loop in shots
per game (3.8) and is second in total shots (57).
GAME RECAP: C OF I 4, CONCORDIA 2:
Antonio Bautista and Garga
Caserta each scored two goals, as The C of I secured home field advantage
throughout the CCC Tournament, topping No. 24 ranked Concordia, 4-2, Friday
afternoon at the Boise Capitals Soccer Complex.
The win tied a school-record for the Coyotes,
who recorded their 11th-straight victory – as they tallied their
most goals in a single game against the Cavaliers since the 2000 season (a 6-1
win). The Yotes took advantage of every
opportunity against the Cavs in the first 25 minutes
– taking three shots and scoring three goals.
Caserta got The C of I on the board in
the 11th minute, as Jesus Lopez played a ball to Bautista, who
slotted a through-ball to the native of Brazil – flicking it home to make
it 1-0. A minute later, Alex Penrod played a ball to the top of the CU box, but miscommunication
allowed Bautista to chip a ball over keeper Garrett Staples for the two-goal
lead. In the 22nd minute, Kazuki Murata (Tokyo, Japan / International Secondary Inst.) made a great run
down the center of the field and was fouled inside the penalty box, allowing
Bautista to convert the penalty kick – his 18th goal of the
year. The Cavaliers would not go away,
getting a Joey Graham goal off a Facundo Dipascuale pass in the 31st minute to cut the
margin to 3-1, then got within a goal seven minutes into the second half on a
Jon Larsen touch off a Tyler Camp corner.
However, after a pair of C of I chances were thwarted on diving saves by
Staples, the Yotes put the game away with ten minutes remaining, as Caserta took
a pretty feed from Murata and blasted a shot into the top shelf. The game was pretty even, as the Yotes held a
slim 12-11 edge in total shots, while CU had a 6-2 edge in corner kicks.
GAME RECAP: C OF I 2, CASCADE 1: Antonio Bautista scored a pair of
second half goals - the game-winner coming with just six minutes remaining, as
The C of I completed an undefeated CCC slate, rallying to top Cascade College,
2-1, at the Boise Capitals Soccer Complex.
Despite allowing 15 more shots than their opponent, the visiting T-Birds
got on the board first - as Devin Chaney flicked home a Juan Manzanarez corner kick at the far post in the 58th
minute. However, the Coyotes would tie the score in the 68th minute off a
counter attack following a Cascade free kick. Alex Penrod
would play a ball up the left side, where Jesus Lopez touched the ball to
Bautista - who flicked the ball past T-Bird keeper Efrain Vargas. Five minutes later, the Yotes nearly took the
lead, as Bautista went 1-on-1 with Vargas, but his chip over the keeper took a
big bounce, then clipped the top of the crossbar, and went out of play.
However, Bautista took a feed from Garga Caserta late
in the contest, and ripped a right-footed shot into the net for his
league-leading 20th counter of the season.
It marked the final home regular-season match for seven seniors -
Bautista, Penrod, Caserta, Scott Thompson (Twin Falls,
Idaho / Twin Falls HS), Brian Weiss (Mountain Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS),
Derek Erstad (Boise, Idaho / Timberline HS), and Mauricio Both (Cacheoira de Sul, Brazil
/ Nampa HS).
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote men’s soccer program, head to the official
homepage of the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/menssoccer.htm.
VOLLEYBALL(17-7, 14-2 CCC): Alone in first-place, Lady Yotes close out home schedule with games vs.
Northwest and Evergreen
LAST WEEK: at Corban
(W 3-1), at Concordia (W 3-0)
COMING UP: vs. Northwest, Friday, 7 p.m.; vs. Evergreen State,
Saturday, 7 p.m.; at Eastern Oregon, Tuesday,
7 p.m. (PT)
DIG FOR THE CURE: The C of I volleyball team will be
holding their first “Dig For The Cure” night on Friday, when the Lady Yotes
host Northwest University. In
conjunction with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the
Coyote players will be soliciting donations for each dig the team records
during the match – with the money raised supporting Breast Cancer
Research. Overall, 200 teams – including
squads from Clemson, Colorado, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kansas, LSU, Maryland,
Notre Dame, and Stanford, will be joining the Yotes to try and raise $375,000
this October, as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Yotes, who will be wearing pink during
the night, ask that fans also show their pride by wearing pink to the
match. For more information, or to make
a donation, contact head coach Liz Mendiola at lmendiola@collegeofidaho.edu or
by phone at 208-459-5858.
UP TO NO. 21 IN NAIA POLL: For the second-straight week, the Lady Yotes find themselves ranked in
the NAIA Top-25, elevating one spot to No. 21 in this week’s tabulation. It marks the 30th time in school
history that the Yotes have been nationally ranked – once in 2000, two times in
2001, every poll from Nov. 16, 2005 to Aug. 19, 2008, along with last week’s
poll. It also marks the 41st-straight
week that the Coyotes have received votes in the national poll. Other C of I opponents were in the ranking –
No. 2 Concordia-Irvine, No. 7 Madonna, No. 10 Lewis-Clark State, No. 14 Point
Loma Nazarene, with Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, and Southern Oregon all
receiving votes. The Top-25 poll is
released every Tuesday afternoon during the season.
AGAINST TOP-25 TEAMS: The Lady Yotes have played nine
matches this season against teams ranked in the Top-25 and have a 4-5
mark. The Yotes have defeated Eastern
Oregon in four sets, along with Southern Oregon,
Oregon Tech, and Westminster
in three sets - but have lost matches to SOU and Concordia-Irvine in four sets,
while losing to Point Loma Nazarene, Madonna, and Lewis-Clark State
in five sets. Since the 2005 season, the
Lady Yotes have won 15 matches against teams ranked in the NAIA Top-25.
CASCADE CONFERENCE RANKINGS: The eighth regular-season CCC Coaches
Poll was released on Monday, with the Lady Yotes remaining in the No. 1 spot
thanks to their weekend sweep. Oregon
Tech remained No. 2, followed by Southern Oregon, Eastern
Oregon, Corban, and Concordia. It would be expected that the poll will shake
up a bit next week, as Oregon Tech lost a five-set thriller at Southern on
Tuesday night.
YOTES CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT: The Lady Yotes clinched a spot in the
CCC Tournament with their win last Friday over Oregon Tech, the tenth-straight year
that The C of I will participate in the postseason. The Lady Yotes have qualified for the
playoffs in each year Liz Mendiola has been at the helm of the Coyote ship –
including regional tournament berths in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2007. With the conference-direct model in place,
the winner of the four-team CCC Tournament will earn an automatic berth into
the NAIA Tournament. The top-two teams
in the regular-season will earn a first-round bye in the CCC Tournament, while
the No. 3 and No. 6, along with the No. 4 and No. 5 teams playing a mid-week
play-in match to advance to the Tournament – which will be held at the CCC
champion. The Coyotes have won each of
the past two CCC Tournaments – in 2005 at Southern Oregon and 2006 in Caldwell. In 2007 – a CCC Tournament was not held.
DESTINY IN THEIR OWN HANDS: The Coyotes have their own postseason
destiny in their own hands with four matches remaining in the regular
season. With four victories, the Lady
Yotes would clinch their third-straight CCC title and secure the host site for
the CCC Tournament, Nov. 14-15. However,
a loss along the way would pull the team into a three-way tie for first with
OIT and Southern – which SOU currently holds the tiebreak scenario.
ABOUT NORTHWEST: Opening the weekend in Caldwell is Northwest, who comes to Idaho having won three of their last four
matches. The Eagles (9-14, 6-10 CCC)
still have slim postseason hopes alive, have been led this season by Lauren
Holtz (2.7 k/s, 2.7 d/s) and Anu Akamine
(2.2 k/s, 2.6 d/s) at the net – but as a team, average less than ten kills per
set and are hitting just .134 as a team.
The Yotes picked up their seventh-straight win over NU last month and
now hold a 22-5 all-time series edge.
ABOUT EVERGREEN: Probably the most improved team in
the league in 2008, Evergreen State has put a scare in multiple CCC
opponents this season. The Geoducks (1-20, 1-15) record does not show the improvement,
but the Olympia, Wash., school has taken sets from Northwest,
Corban, and took Concordia to five sets. They are led by hitter Kandice
Gleaves (2.5 k/s) and setter Katie Huston (6.8 a/g,
26 aces), but need to overcome the .082 hitting percentage and the two aces
allowed per set. The Coyotes have won
nine matches in a row over the Greeners, and hold a
13-2 all-time series lead.
NEXT TUESDAY, BATTLE AT EASTERN
OREGON: Following
the weekend, the Yotes play the biggest match left on their schedule Tuesday
night, traveling to La Grande for a monster match-up with Eastern Oregon. The Mountaineers (16-8, 11-5) saw their CCC
title hopes vanish last weekend with losses at Concordia and Corban, but are a different club inside Quinn Coliseum –
typically one of the more boisterous environments in the CCC. All-Star candidate Grace Deboodt
(3.4 k’s, 2.3 d/s, 0.9 b/s) has had a fabulous
season, with Melanie Cecilani (2.2 k/s, 1.5 d/s) EOU’s second option.
Setter Jessica Lea (1.9 k/s, 5.5 a/s, 2.1 d/s, 0.7 b/s) is a great
player in the Mounties 6-2 attack, while libero Sareena Simpson (4.4 d/s, 38 aces) is among the league
leaders in digs and aces. It marks the
77th time that EOU and The C of I have met on the volleyball court,
dating back to 1982, with the Lady Yotes holding a 56-20 series edge and boast
their longest current win streak against any opponent against Eastern – having
won 27-straight matches, dating back to 1996, including a four-set victory in
September.
YOTES IN THE CCC STATS: As a team, the Yotes lead the league
in opponents hitting percentage (.118), kills per set (13.19), assists per set
(12.08), and blocks per set (2.45), while ranking No. 2 in hitting percentage
(.241). Individually, eight players are
currently in the top-ten in the CCC statistics.
Kristin Henning (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) leads the loop
in blocks per set (1.12) and ranks second in the loop in both hitting
percentage (.393), while Marcella
Hernandez (Torrance, Calif. / El
Camino CC) is second in the league in blocks per set (1.11). Whitney
Owen (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue HS) is second in digs per set (4.45), Naomi Reimer (Killarney, Man. / Killarney SS) is fifth in aces per set (0.43), Madie Machurek (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) is sixth in
assists per set (6.81), Sarah Buhler (Middleton, Idaho / Middleton HS) is
seventh in kills per set (3.06), Megan
Spinks (Manteca, Calif. / East Union
HS) in ninth in hitting percentage (.263), with Jessie Link (Tonopah, Nev. /
Nicholls State U.) tenth in blocks per set (0.73).
CAREER RECORD BOOK: Four C of I players currently rank
among the Top-10 in the all-time career record book. Leading the way is Kathryn Ely (La Grande, Ore.
/ La Grande HS), who is fifth in school history with 1,199 kills. Also Kristin Henning ranks No. 6 all-time in
blocks with 342, Madie Machurek
is seventh in assists with 1,086, and Naomi Reimer is eighth in assists with
823.
RECAP – C OF I 3, CORBAN 1:. Sarah Buhler had 15 kills and
Kristin Henning added 13 kills and seven blocks, as The C of I ran their CCC
win streak to 13 with a 25-13, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18 victory over Corban College Friday at the C.E. Jeffers Center. Set 1 was all C of I, as the Lady Yotes used
a 5-0 push midway through the period to take a 15-7 lead and cruise to the win
- hitting at a .517 clip. However, the cushion would not last long, as
Set 2 features ten ties and four lead changes - as the Warriors broke a
23-23 tie on a Tiffany Land kill and won it on a C of I hitting error. Set 3 was tight, with the Yotes holding a
slim 20-18 lead, but ran off the final five points of the game - on four kills
and a block to go up 2-1. Set 4 saw Corban jump
out to an 8-4 lead on the strength of three Chelsea Reeher
kills, but an 11-1 run by the Yotes, keyed by three Jessie Link kills, made it
a runaway. Link had nine kills and five
blocks in the win, while Naomi Reimer added nine kills, 32 assists, and 12
digs. Madie Machurek
had 23 assists for the victors, with Whitney Owen leading the way with 14 digs.
RECAP – C OF I 3, CONCORDIA 0: Led
by a career-high 15 kills from Naomi Reimer, The C of I swept Concordia
University 25-18, 25-20, 25-17 in CCC
volleyball action Saturday in Portland,
Ore. The Lady Yotes managed to hold CU without any
extended rallies throughout the three sets, never allowing the Cavaliers to
score more than four straight points in winning their 14th-straight league
match. After a 16-16 tie in the opening
stanza, kills by Megan Spinks and Reimer pushed the Yotes to a 25-18 win to
take the early 1-0 lead. The Yotes
jumped out to a 10-5 lead in the second before the Cavs
returning to pull within two points on consecutive kills by Jamie Richards,
Mariana Toscano and Clair Thiel.
C of I returned it back to a five-point margin with Reimer kill for a 15-10
score and held on for the 25-20 victory to take a commanding 2-0
advantage. In the third, the Yotes once
again took a 10-5 lead, before five of the next six points by Concordia trimmed
the deficit to a single score at 11-10. An ace by Marcella Hernandez would give
the visiting club a seven-point lead with the score 21-14 before taking the set
with a match-ending kill by Spinks.
Reimer also added 15 assists, five digs and an ace in the all-around
effort. Madie Machurek led the Yotes with 22 assists while Whitney Owen
tallied a match-high 17 digs.
ABOUT THE COACH: Liz Mendiola
is in her eighth season as head volleyball coach at The C of I.
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 in 2005 and 2006.
Last season, the squad won their second-straight CCC title and advanced to the
NAIA Region I Tournament semifinals - while being ranked as high as No. 6 in
the national poll. During her career, she has amassed a record of 178-71,
the most wins and highest winning percentage in school history.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote
volleyball program, head to the official homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/vball.htm.
WOMEN’S
SOCCER (10-5-2, 6-1-2 CCC): Lady Yotes secure home playoff
game, look for first-round bye with win over Eastern
Oregon
LAST WEEK: vs. No. 5 Concordia (L 3-0), vs.
Cascade (W 4-0)
COMING UP: at Eastern Oregon,
Tuesday, 2 p.m. (PT)
PLAYOFF SPOT CLINCHED: For the third consecutive season, the
Lady Yotes have clinched a berth in the postseason – with this being the earliest
the team has secured a spot in the playoffs.
The Yotes qualified for the postseason in 1991, 1993, 2002, and 2006 –
losing opening round games each time.
Last season, the Lady Yotes defeated Cascade, 1-0, before losing 6-1 to
Concordia in the Cascade Conference Tournament semifinals.
PLAYOFF SCENARIOS: The Lady Yotes have their own
postseason destiny in their own hands, as a win over Eastern
Oregon on Tuesday would clinch second-place in the CCC and a
first-round playoff bye – moving into the semifinals on Nov. 5. A tie vs. Eastern would invoke tiebreak
procedures, as The C of I would be either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed – as they
would be even with Northwest in the standings.
However, if Southern Oregon or Oregon
Tech would win their head-to-head match-up Tuesday, they would vault over both
teams, putting the Yotes as the No. 3 seed (win the tiebreak with NW thanks to
a 3-1 win in September). However, if SOU
and OIT tie, OIT would pull even with both C of I and NW – with the Yotes
earning the No. 2 seed (1-0-1 record vs. the two teams, 1-1 for NW, 0-1-1 for
OIT). A loss vs. EOU and the Coyotes would be either the No. 3 or No. 4 seed,
depending on the OIT-SOU outcome – a win by either OIT or SOU would make the
Yotes the No. 4 seed, a tie would make the Yotes the No. 3 seed (thanks to
head-to-head tiebreak with OIT, as the Lady Yotes allowed fewer goals in CCC
play than Tech). What is locked in is
that Concordia is the No. 1 seed and Corban is the
No. 6 seed.
PLAYOFF GAMES TO BE PLAYED ON OFF
CAMPUS SITE: The Symms Field pitch is still unplayable, nearly a month since
the Oct. 4 thunderstorm barrage turned the field into a quagmire. It is expected that all playoff games will be
played at Syringa
Middle School in Caldwell
– however, the College is still awaiting approval from the Caldwell School District.
TAYLOR TAKES TOP SPOT ON
COACHING LIST: With
the win over Cascade on Saturday, head coach Niki Taylor became the all-time winningest
coach in C of I women’s soccer history, picking up her 25th all-time win. The third-year skipper broke the mark of 24
wins set by her predecessor and current assistant, Aisha Reed, who was head coach from 2002-05. In her two-plus seasons, Taylor has an all-time record of 25-23-7.
100 WINS CLOSING IN: Heading into the regular-season
finale, the Lady Yotes have won 99 matches in program history – needed one win
to reach the 100-win plateau.
ANOTHER QUICK START IN CCC PLAY: The Lady Yotes will post their
best-ever record in CCC, taking a 6-1-2 record into their 2008 CCC finale. In 2005, the Lady Yotes opened 3-0-1 in CCC
play; in 2006, they opened 4-0-1; while last year, the Coyotes
began 3-0-2 – with the team opening this season with a 5-0-2 mark. It will be the fourth-straight season that
the Yotes have posted a .500 or better record in league play.
LADY YOTES HISTORY IN CCC: Since 1996, the Lady Yotes have
recorded a 48-77-12 record in CCC play – but are solid in league counters over
the past six years, notching a .500 or better record five times. The last two-plus seasons, the Coyotes have been above the .500 mark, recording a
15-7-6 loop record – earning playoff appearances in 2006, 2007, and now, 2008.
TEN WINS – EQUALING THE RECORD: Heading into the week, the Lady Yotes
have an 10-5-2 record overall. In the 20
years of the program, The C of I has never won more than ten games, while
winning four or fewer games ten times.
The 2002 squad is the only other squad to post ten wins in a season,
going 10-11 during the campaign – with the 21 games played the most-ever by the
Yotes.
CLOSING IN ON RECORDS: The Yotes are closing in on multiple
team records – with at least two more games left on the schedule. The C of I has scored 35 goals on the season,
second only to the 2002 team that scored 39, while the team is also chasing
records for assists (Yotes have 34, record is 42) and total points (104, record
is 120). The squad has tied the mark set
last year for shutouts – as the Coyotes
have recorded seven shutouts in 2008.
ENDING A STREAK VS. EASTERN: For the second-straight year, a win
over Eastern Oregon would give the Coyotes
a first-round bye in the CCC Tournament.
However, the Mountaineers (5-11, 3-6 CCC) have had the Yotes number,
winning the past four meetings – including a 1-0 overtime win in the rain in Caldwell last
season. EOU has played well of late,
winning two of their last three matches, thanks to the play of Lauren Robideau (6 goals, 1 assist) and Tennly
Paul-Bowden (4 goals), along with keeper Kalah Minter
(1.75 GAA). The Coyotes
lead the all-time series 12-7-1, but are looking for their first win at EOU
since 2003.
CAREER RECORDS: Two C of I players have moved into
the Top-10 on the career records list during the 2008 season. Junior midfielder Mandy Greif (Payette, Idaho /
Payette HS) ranks No. 3 all-time with 15 assists – trailing the 32 assists
from Alyssa Latham (2002-03) and the 20 assists from Kristine Jones
(1990-93). Also in the Top-10 is senior
midfielder Allie Dufault
(Irvine, Calif.
/ University HS), who is seventh all-time with 14 goals in her career. She is one goal back of sixth-place (Amy
Wells with 15 goals from 1989-91) – with Jones leading the chart with 30 career
goals from 1990-93.
COYOTES STILL NO. 2 IN CCC POLL: Despite the loss to Concordia on
Friday, the Lady Yotes are still ranked No. 2 in the latest CCC Coaches Poll,
released Monday morning. Concordia is
the top team, followed by the Yotes, Northwest, Oregon Tech, Southern
Oregon, and Corban. The C of I has received votes in the past
four NAIA polls – and has earned votes a total of five times this season.
AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: As a team, the Lady Yotes rank second
in the league in six different stat categories – shots(289), points (104),
goals (35), assists (34), goals against average (1.03), and corner kicks (77),
while ranking third in shutouts (7).
Individually, Chelsea Heffner (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS)
ranks second in the league in assists (8) and fifth in total shots (44), with
Mandy Greif ranking second in assists (8), and Kelly Hardegree-Ullman (Boise, Idaho / Mountain View HS)
ranking third in game-winning goals (3).
GAME RECAP – CONCORDIA 3, C OF I 0: No. 5 ranked Concordia University
clinched at least a share of their ninth-consecutive CCC championship with a
3-0 victory over The C of I Friday at the Boise Capitals Soccer Complex. With the win, the Cavaliers secured the top
seed and a first-round bye in the upcoming CCC Tournament, beginning Nov.
1. After the Lady Yotes controlled the
play for the opening 20 minutes, the Cavaliers countered to get on the
board. Jessica Ramback
slotted a ball through the center of The C of I defense, finding the foot of
Justine Pronovost, who flicked the ball into the
right corner of the net. CU would score
their final two goals off of set pieces – Kaitlyn Tebbs touching home a rebound of a Jackie Hendrickson shot
after a corner just before halftime, with Shea Miller heading home a Sami
Andrews corner five minutes into the second half. The Cavs held a
21-6 edge in shots and had a 9-5 margin in corner kicks.
GAME RECAP – C OF I 4, CASCADE 0: Allie Dufault
scored a pair of goals in the opening ten minutes as The C fo
I equaled the school record for wins in a season, dispatching Cascade College,
4-0, Saturday afternoon at the Boise Capitals Soccer Complex. Just over five minutes into the match, Macy Egerman (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) played a ball
to Kelly Hardegree-Ullman, who slotted a ball to the
feet of Dufault, who blasted the ball into the net
from the top of the 18 to give the Yotes a 1-0 lead. Just three minutes
later, Hardegree-Ullman played a perfect cross from
the right side to Dufault, who chipped the ball over
the Cascade keeper for the two-goal margin.
The Lady Yotes kept the pressure on in the second half, as Ashley Page (Emmett, Idaho
/ Emmet HS) scored 46 seconds into the period, knocking home a rebound
off a Jessica Brotherton
(Payette,
Idaho / Payette HS) shot.
Egerman capped the scoring in the 69th minute, making
a long run down the right side, eluding three defenders, before putting the
ball in the back of the net. The C of I
dominated all facets of the match, recording a 30-0 shot advantage, including
ten shots on goal - while recording all three corner kicks.
ABOUT THE COACH: Niki
Taylor (25-23-7) is in her third
season as head coach of The C of I women's soccer program. In her two
seasons with the Coyotes, she helped
the Lady Yotes to their first-ever back-to-back playoff appearances, including
their first-ever postseason win in 2007, advancing to the Cascade Conference
Tournament semifinals. A graduate of Truman State
University in Kirksville,
Mo., Taylor
was an honorable mention all-conference player for the Bulldogs in 1999 and
2000, helping the squad to the NCAA Division II regional championships.
She went on to assist coach Mike Cannon during the 2001 season, helping TSU to
the regional finals, then moved West, where she was an assistant for Steve
Lucas at Boise State for three seasons.
She has also been involved with the Les Bois United Soccer Club for the
past five years, while serving as a head coach in the Idaho Olympic Development
Program. Taylor
has received her USSF "B" Coaching License.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the Coyote women’s soccer program, head to the official
homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmenssoccer.htm.
CROSS
COUNTRY: Lady Yotes win first-ever meet, men take second at L-C Invite
COMING
UP: Idle until Nov. 8 at Cascade Conference Championships, Seattle, Wash.
LAST
WEEK: at Lewis-Clark State Invitational (Men 2nd of 9 teams, Women 1st
of 9 teams)
LADY
YOTES WIN FIRST-EVER MEET: Thanks to a great all-around performance by
the entire squad, The College of Idaho women’s cross country team recorded their
first-ever meet championship, winning the Lewis-Clark State Invitational,
Saturday in Lewiston. The No. 15 ranked Lady Yotes finally defeated
No. 12 and host L-C
State by one point, as
The C of I had their top-five runners in the first 18, and all of their scorers
in the Top-26. Leading the way was Stephanie
Helm (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS), who finished third
in the field, but first among the scoring runners – winning the race by nearly
30 seconds. The key was the run by Tegan Troutner (Lake Fork, Idaho / McCall-Donnelly HS),
who took 84 seconds off her seasonal-best on Saturday, placing fifth in 18:35 –
the first-time ever that the Yotes have had two runners run under 19
minutes. The Lady Yotes also defeated a
pair of CCC rivals – Eastern Oregon (4th
overall) and Northwest (6th overall) at the meet.
HELM
DOMINANT AGAIN, WINS FIFTH CCC AWARD: It has been a dream season thus
far for C of I runner Stephanie Helm, as the super-sophomore continues to rack
up the hardware – winning her fifth Cascade Conference Runner of the Week award
following the L-C Invite. Her time of
17:45 was the fastest collegiate runner in the field – breaking her own school
record at the 5,000-meter distance by 11 seconds, recording the fastest time in
the league this season.
EIGHT
UNDER 20-MINUTES: Helping the Yotes to the victory was the fact that
eight different runners ran under the 20 minute barrier – a new program
best. Besides the great races from
Stephanie Helm and Tegan Troutner,
Maggie Miller (Anchorage, Alaska /
Lane CC) ran an impressive 19:04, with Stephanie Sparks (West Jordan, Utah / Juan Diego HS) ran
a season-best 19:16. Also under the
20-minute mark were Chantel Varland (Meridian, Idaho / Mountain View HS) in 19:19, Kayloni
Jones (Nine Mile
Falls, Wash. / Lakeside HS) in
19:33, Kristine Smith (New
Meadows, Idaho / Meadows
Valley HS) in 19:46, and Jayne
Saunders (Emmett, Idaho
/ Emmett HS) in 19:53.
MEN A
SOLID SECOND: The Coyote
men continue to improve as the season rolls on, placing a solid second at the
L-C Invite, losing to host Lewis-Clark State by a mere eight points. The Yotes had a pair of Top-10 finishes –
both by underclassmen, as Paul Sartin (Meridian, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS)
finished third overall in 26:04, while Zeke Wilson (Challis, Idaho / Challis HS) in sixth with a time of 26:17. All five top scorers were in the Top-14,
however, L-C had four runners in the Top-10 to take the crown. What was impressive was the margin the Yotes
had on fourth-place Eastern Oregon, topping
the Mountaineers by 50 points.
CCC COACHES
POLL: The latest CCC Coaches Poll was released on
Monday – with both sides staying nearly the same. For the fourth-straight week, the Lady Yotes
were atop the women’s side, followed by Concordia, Evergreen
State, Corban,
Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon, and
Northwest. The men were in the No. 2
slot for the fourth-straight week, right behind Southern
Oregon. Following the Yotes
were Concordia, Eastern Oregon, Oregon Tech, Corban, and Evergreen State.
The CCC poll is released each Monday morning.
NAIA TOP-25
POLL: Last week, both C of I teams were ranked in the
NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll – as the Coyote
men were ranked No. 12 and the Lady Yotes No. 15. For the men, it was the 16th-straight
regular-season poll that they have earned a Top-25 ranking. Joining them in the poll were No. 8 Southern
Oregon and No. 15 Concordia – while the Concordia women were ranked No. 21 (Evergreen State and Corban
both received votes).
TOP-20 CCC
TIMES: Two C of I women and one male runner were among
the Top-20 in the latest CCC top-times list.
Stephanie Helm continues to be the class of the league, holding three of
the top-ten times, including the only two 5,000-meter times under the 18-minute
barrier. Tegan
Troutner finds herself in the No. 11 spot on the
list, while Kiprotich
Langat (Nairobi, Kenya
/ Soliat SS) has
the 20th-fastest time on the men’s side. The full list can be found in the cross
country portal on the CCC website at www.cascadeconference.org.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I cross country
program, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes,
www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/xc.htm.
SWIMMING:
Coyote Men win first-ever
dual, eleven swimmers meet NAIA standards
COMING
UP: Idle until Nov.
15 at Linfield
LAST
WEEK: at Lewis &
Clark (Men - W 109-68; Women L 161-42)
COYOTE
MEN POST FIRST EVER DUAL WIN: Fueled by winning eight of the 11 events, The College of Idaho
men's swim team recorded the first-ever dual meet victory in program history,
defeating Lewis & Clark, 109-68, in Portland,
Ore. The Yotes set the tone
in the 200-medley relay, posting a three-second victory in a NAIA "A"
qualifying time, then saw both John Green (Pleasanton, Calif. /
Foothill HS) and Forrest Shoemaker (University Place, Wash. /
Curtis HS) pick us two wins apiece - Green in the 50 and 100-free events,
with Shoemaker winning the 500 and 1,000-free. Also picking up wins for
the Yotes were Kemp Smith (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) in
the 100-fly and Scott Mikelonis (Boise, Idaho / Boise HS) in the
200-IM, while the 200-free relay team notched a 15-second win in the closing
event.
BEEN
CLOSE BEFORE: It was
the fifth time that the Coyote men had
competed in a dual against L&C - with three of the first four meets being
close - 83-59 in 2004-05, 96-76 in 2005-06, and 92-70 in 2007-08. The
Yotes were 0-13 in duals prior to Saturday's win.
WOMEN
DEFEATED BY BIG NUMBERS: The numbers game was the key difference for the Lady Yotes Saturday, as
L&C suited up twice as many competitors as The C of I, taking the dual
161-42. The Pioneers claimed all 11 events, but the Yotes did get quality
swims from Alphonsina Savell
(Caldwell, Idaho
/ Caldwell HS), who placed second in both the 100-free and the 100-breast,
while Annie Younggren (Island City, Ore.
/ La Grande HS) took second in both the 200 and 500-free. The Lady
Yotes 200-medley relay team also took second, meeting the NAIA "A"
qualifying mark.
SCHOOL
RECORDS: Two school
records fell at the meet - both in the same event, the 500-free.
Forrest Shoemaker took nine seconds off the previous mark, winning his race in
5:07.91, while Annie Younggren took two seconds off
the old record, taking second in 5:53.15. Both swimmers met the NAIA
"B" Bonus Cut qualifying mark with their times.
NATIONAL
MARKS ALREADY: Plane
tickets to St. Louis
can already be secured for the Coyotes,
as The C of I had five NAIA "A" and six NAIA "B" marks
during the meet at Lewis & Clark. NAIA "A" - John Green
(50-free, 100-free), Men's 200-medley relay, Alphonsina
Savell (100-breast), Women's 200-medley relay; NAIA
"B" - Jeremy Younggren (Island
City, Ore. / La Grande HS) (50-free), Forrest Shoemaker (500-free), James
Rutter (Bakersfield, Calif. / Stockdale HS)
(100-back), Alphonsina Savell
(100-free), Annie Younggren (200-free, 500-free).
OFF FOR
THREE WEEKS: The Coyotes will continue their training in preparation
for their next dual meet, a 1 p.m. start at Linfield College.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION: For
more information on The C of I swim program, head to the official homepage of
the Coyotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/swim.htm.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Season Preview
COMING UP: at Westminster, Saturday, 7 p.m.; at Weber State
(exhibition), Monday, 6 p.m.
ON THE AIR: No radio or internet broadcasts of C
of I women’s basketball will be available this weekend. All Lady Yote road
CCC games will be carried live on 1490 KCID-AM with Mike Safford Jr. calling
the action. In addition, the Coyotes are
hopeful that live internet video will be available for home games through Penn
Atlantic later this season.
LIVE STATS: Live stats of the Lady Yote-Westminster game on Saturday will be available via the
Westminster
athletic website at http://people.westminstercollege.edu/webcast/basketball/xlive.htm.
Currently, no live stats will be
available for the Weber
State exhibition.
ABOUT WESTMINSTER:
The Coyotes open up
the 2008-09 season in Salt Lake City against Westminster College,
ranked No. 13 in the NAIA Division I preseason poll. The Griffins (24-9 in 2007-08) are coming off
their second-straight NAIA Tournament appearance and recorded a school record
for wins in a season. J.D. Gustin’s team returns their three leading scorers from last
season in Elisa Leader (13.1 ppg, .395 3fg%), Alexis
Tucker (11.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg),
and Shannon Evans (14.0 ppg, 5.0 apg)
- a trio that split a pair of games
against The C of I, winning 84-79 in Caldwell, but losing to the Yotes 93-82 in
Salt Lake. Westminster
opened their season with a pair of impressive 30-point road wins over Northern New Mexico last weekend. It marks the 14th meeting between
the two teams with the Yotes holding an 8-5 series edge.
ABOUT WEBER STATE:
The first of two C
of I exhibition games this season is Monday, meeting Big Sky opponent Weber State. The Wildcats (12-16 in 2007-08) missed the
postseason last year for the first time in 12 seasons and were picked sixth in
the Big Sky coaches poll and seventh in the Big Sky
media poll. WSU will have to replace
leading scorer Sara Tuomi, who averaged 17 points and
eight rebounds a game, but return 5-6 point guard Tonya Schnibbe
(6.7 ppg, 5.4 apg), along
with 5-10 wings Ali Thorderson (7.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg), and Caitlin
Anderson (6.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg). It is the first-ever meeting between the
schools.
AGAINST D-I’s: Monday’s game will be the tenth time
(including exhibitions) that the Lady Yotes have faced an NCAA Division I
opponent. The C of I is 0-9 all-time
against D-I teams.
QUICK SYNOPSIS: A bitter pill is still in the mouths
of the returning College of Idaho women’s basketball players, knowing they had a
six point lead with less that three minutes remaining in last season’s Cascade
Conference title game – eventually won by Southern Oregon
in overtime. For the eleven returning
players, they know what it takes to make it to that stage and now know what it
will take to get to the next level – the NAIA Division II national
tournament. With the addition of three
key transfers and a quality group of freshmen, the Lady Yotes are in position
to make another postseason run, hopefully ending in Sioux City, Iowa.
LAST SEASON/PLAYERS LOST: The Lady Yotes notched their
fourth-straight season with 16-or-more wins, going 19-11, including a
third-place finish in the CCC. The
2007-08 season started with a phenomenal road trip –
winning games at NAIA Division I Montana State-Northern, Great
Falls, and Westminster
in the span of four nights. Post Denise
Hill was averaging 18 points and ten rebounds per game, but was lost for the
season in mid-December due to injury – forcing the team to find a new
identity. At one stretch, the squad won
12-of-14 conference games, including their first conference win at Oregon Tech,
before losing three of their final four games to end the regular season. In the playoffs, the Yotes needed a 33-point
outburst from Whitney Clark to eke out a win over Evergreen
State, then
romped to a 61-44 win over OIT in the semifinals, before losing an overtime
heartbreaker in the title game to Southern Oregon. Clark, who averaged over 16 points a game, is
now an assistant coach, while Hill and post Magen Dufurrena, each have graduated.
POSITION BY POSITION – POINT GUARD: The point-guard will be one of the
more experienced positions on the court this season, as the Lady Yotes return
both play-makers, while bringing in a high caliber junior college recruit. Junior Kayla
Brewer (Arco,
Idaho / Butte County
HS) had an
outstanding season last year, averaging seven points and two rebounds per game
– while recording 58 steals. She also
led the team in three-point percentage, connecting on over 40-percent of her
long-range attempts – ranking third in the CCC.
Joining her at the position is twin sister Katee Brewer (Arco,
Idaho / Butte County
HS), who provided 14
minutes per game off the bench, averaging three points a night. The left-hander was very active on the
defensive end, recording 33 steals.
Complementing the twins is Alexandria
Allen (Yakima,
Wash. / Columbia
Basin CC), who was the floor leader at Columbia Basin CC – leading the club
to the 2008 NWAACC championship. The
junior averaged eight points and five assists per game, earning All-NWAACC East
Division and All-NWAACC Tournament honors.
POSITION BY POSITION – SHOOTING GUARD/WING:
Head coach Reagan Rossi has options galore at the
shooting guard and wing positions – returning four players with considerable
playing time. Leading the way is ShaNae Horner (West Jordan, Utah / Snow CC), who had a solid 2007-08 season
playing behind Whitney Clark, averaging seven points per game and converting
35-percent of her three-point attempts.
The senior should get extensive minutes this season and can be explosive
on the court – recording five games with 14-or-more points last season. Also returning is Whitney Owen (Caldwell, Idaho
/ Vallivue HS), who came into her own last season
– averaging eight points and five rebounds, including two double-double. The 5-11 Owen, however, will not be on the
court during much of the preseason, as she is the starting libero
for The C of I volleyball team. Two
other returners, Josie
Pugsley (Park Valley, Utah / Snow
CC) and Ashley Wolfe (Boise,
Idaho /’ Walla Walla CC) should provide key minutes this season. Pugsley averaged
five points and two rebounds per game, while making 43-percent of her field
goal attempts, while Wolfe averaged three points a night and has a great touch
from outside the arc. Leading the group
of newcomers at the position is Nicole
Gall (Boise,
Idaho / Santa Clara U.),
a Division I transfer that was named to the Preseason All-CCC Team. The sophomore had a tremendous rookie
campaign at Santa Clara,
averaging five points a night – including a 17-point outburst against Pepperdine. Standing
at 5-11, with the ability to play inside and out, Gall will be a definite
match-up problem for C of I opponents.
Also looking for playing time are freshman Meghan Hughes (Eagle, Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) and redshirt
freshman Mckel Baker (Burley, Idaho
/ Burley HS). Hughes is another
taller guard at 5-9 and has athleticism, while Baker is back after missing last
season due to injury.
POSITION BY POSITION – FORWARD: The Coyotes return one of the best
all-around players in the CCC at the forward position in Christon Vander Esch (Riggins, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC). The senior, who was named to the Preseason
All-CCC Team, earned All-CCC honors and was named CCC Defensive Player of the
Year after leading the loop with 59 blocked shots and 88 steals, while
averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game. Vander Esch will
also be looked upon for leadership – as one of four players on the team with
three years in the Coyote program.
Returning for her second season is Tyra Rickman (Burns, Ore. / Burns HS),
who showed marked improvement as the year rolled on in 2007-08. The 5-11 sophomore
averaged eight minutes per game during the playoffs – including a career-high
four rebounds against Evergreen
State. Transfer Katie
Strunk (Shoshone,
Idaho / Walla
Walla CC) will see minutes this season after a
quality junior college career at Walla Walla CC. Strunk averaged ten
points and seven rebounds per game, earning All-NWAACC Eastern Division
honors. Also in the mix is freshman Morgan Vander Esch
(Riggins, Idaho / Grangeville HS),
younger sister of Christon Vander Esch,
and the reigning Idaho 2A Player of the Year – averaging 17 points per game in
high school.
POSITION BY POSITION – POST: When the Coyote offense looks to go
big this season, four underclassmen will provide the time in the block. Two returners saw
limited action last season in sophomores Brianna
Hansen (Kuna,
Idaho / Kuna HS) and Nicole Bruce (Boise, Idaho
/ Bishop Kelly HS). Both have worked
hard in the offseason on their interior play and have
the ability to knock down the mid-range jump shot. Also looking for playing time are two
freshmen six-footers – Mary Hicks (Vale, Ore.
/ Vale HS) and Rocky Kenley (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS).
PRESEASON NATIONAL POLL: For the second-straight season, The
C of I received votes in the Preseason NAIA Top-25 Coaches Poll. The Lady Yotes received 21 voter points -
listed as the sixth team under the Others Receiving Votes category, or No. 31
in the nation. They are one of three CCC teams in the poll - Southern Oregon is ranked No. 19, with Oregon Tech at No.
36. Two other opponents, Cal Baptist at No. 13 and Westminster at No. 15, were ranked in the NAIA
Division I Preseason Poll. The C of I
received votes in the poll on five different occasions last year and has not
ascended into the Top-25 since February of 2007, when they were ranked No.
24. The Lady Yotes have been ranked as high as No. 4 in the past - that
coming during the 2000-01 season.
CASCADE CONFERENCE COACHES POLL: The College
of Idaho women's basketball team was
picked second in the 11 team Cascade Conference, as the CCC's
Preseason Coaches Poll was released by league office this afternoon in Portland, Ore. Despite not receiving one first-place vote,
the Lady Yotes recorded 103 voter points for the runner-up nod for the
second-straight season. Last year, The C of I finished third in the
regular-season standings and lost in overtime in the CCC Tournament title
game. Defending CCC tourney champions,
Southern Oregon, claimed the top spot, earning eight of the 11 first-place
votes - followed by the Yotes, Oregon Tech, Eastern Oregon,
and Concordia.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Unlike most seasons, the Lady Yotes
will play half of their non-conference schedule at home, while missing minimal
class time along the way. The C of I
will open their season at Westminster,
ranked No. 13 in the NAIA Division I preseason poll and coming off a trip to
the national tournament. Following an
exhibition game at Weber State, the Lady Yotes will meet both Concordia-Irvine
and Northwest Christian at home, before heading back to Salt Lake City for the Westminster
Tournament. There, the squad will meet
three NAIA teams – No. 15 ranked Cal Baptist, first-year program Northern New Mexico, and perennial NAIA Division II
power, Holy Names. The Lady Yotes will
host their annual Lady Yote Classic over
Thanksgiving, meeting Division III teams Willamette and Linfield, before
rounding out their non-conference slate in December with a game at D-III
Whitman and an exhibition at home against rival Northwest Nazarene.
CCC SCHEDULE: The 20-game Cascade Conference
schedule will kick off with a bang, as the Lady Yotes will have to make the
Southern Oregon-Oregon Tech trip to open the season. SOU, the defending CCC Tournament champions,
won all-three meetings with the Lady Yotes last season – and return four
starters from their club that won 29 games and advanced to the NAIA
Tournament. On the flipside, OIT lost
all three meetings with the Coyotes last year – and lose their top two
scorers. Contenders in the loop look to
be both Eastern Oregon and Concordia – as EOU
is coming off a Sweet Sixteen appearance at the NAIA Tournament, while CU
returns the CCC’s Freshman
of the Year and had a banner recruiting class.
Expect both Corban,
Northwest Christian, and Evergreen
State to be in the mix,
while Cascade, Warner Pacific, and Northwest hope to be improved from last
season.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more on The C of I women’s
basketball program, head to the homepage of the Lady Yotes, www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/wmensbasketball.htm.
