‘Yote Notes – March
18, 2002
GENERAL ATHLETICS NEWS:
BOOSTER DINNER THIS WEDNESDAY: The next
Coyote Athletic Association booster dinner is set for this Wednesday, March 20,
at 6 p.m. We will recap the outstanding
winter sports season and all of the festivities to go along with that, along
with our first look at the spring sports. Cost of dinner will be $9.00 – a full
fledge Mexican buffet with fajitas and the fixings, and RSVP’s can be made to
the Athletic Department at either 459-5512 or 459-5681. Already over 40 persons have made
reservations.
BASKETBALL PAIR RECEIVE
ALL-AMERICAN STATUS: To cap outstanding senior seasons, both Jeannie Thompson (Everett, Wash. / Everett HS) and Neal Robertson (Richland, Wash. / Columbia Basin CC) each
earned honorable mention NAIA All-American status last week. Thompson led the Lady ‘Yotes to a 20-11
record in a year which many believed the team was in rebuilding mode. Not only did she lead the team in scoring,
assists, and steals, she finished her four-year tenure at Albertson with 16
separate listing on the career top-ten list.
Robertson led the Coyotes to a 23-10 record, including wins against six
different NAIA national tournament competitors. He finished his career No. 8 in all-time scoring, No. 2 in both
three-point field goals made and attempted, and No. 3 in free throw percentage.
ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS GALORE: The NAIA
and USCSA each handed out their winter season Academic-All America awards, and
Albertson College saw seven separate student-athletes earn honors. Leading the way were a pair of women skiers,
Kristen Neibling (Twin Falls, Idaho) and Karen Giles (Boise, Idaho), who were honored at the
USCSA National Championships this past Saturday. Women’s basketball players Megan Henrichs (Preston,
Idaho / Preston HS), Jan Marchiano (Martinez,
Calif. / College Park HS), and Jeannie Thompson, along with Dave Webb (Boise, Idaho / Treasure Valley CC) and Kris Cox (Provo, Utah / BYU-Idaho) from the
men’s basketball team earned honors from the NAIA at the Division II national
championships. All athletes must be at
least a junior in status and have a GPA above 3.50.
BASEBALL: 7-6-1
LAST WEEK: Idle
THIS WEEK: at Northwest Nazarene, Tuesday, 4
p.m. (DH); at British Columbia Tournament, Bellingham, Wash. and Vancouver,
B.C. – vs. The Masters, Thursday, 5 p.m.; vs. Azusa Pacific, Friday, 2 p.m.
(DH); vs. Lewis-Clark State, Saturday, 4 p.m.; vs. British Columbia, Sunday, 10
a.m. (All Times at UBC Tournament, Pacific Time)
AMONGST THE WALKING WOUNDED: Out of
action since March 8, the time off was supposed to heal the plethora of
injuries that have mounted during the non-conference slate, but the list grew
longer. Slugger Jack Mitchell (Kennewick,
Wash. / Columbia Basin CC) will be out from 4-to-8 weeks, and is still
waiting for surgery to repair a chipped bone in his wrist. All-American Scott Skeen (Bend,
Ore. / Oregon State) is nursing a nagging shoulder injury, although hit
swung a bat this weekend and said it felt okay. The senior has not seen action since the first week of
March. Junior Todd Howell (Marysville, Wash. / Skagit Valley CC) has had
shoulder problems, limiting his ability to throw, and his availability for this
week is uncertain. Add a pair of new
injuries – catcher D.J. Eberlin (St.
Maries, Idaho / St. Maries HS) jammed his right hand in
practice last week, and Jeff Church (Parma,
Idaho / Parma HS) has been fighting an intestinal virus. Both players are day-to-day with their
availability. Reliever Ben Frank (Paul, Idaho / North Idaho CC) has not
seen action since the California trip due to tendonitis in his throwing
shoulder, but should be available for some innings this week. Finally, Aaron von Lindern (Boise,
Idaho / Capital HS) took a pitch off the side of his head against NNU
requiring stitches, but will be able to play this week.
PITCHING HIGHS AND LOWS: Head
coach Shawn Humberger must be happy with the
way his pitching staff has started out the 2002 season. Starters combined have a 3.68 ERA, with
relievers doing even better, holding a miniscule 1.83 ERA. Senior Eric Jensen (Mountain
Home, Idaho / Mountain Home HS) has not given up an earned run
in 7 2/3 innings and has a 0.63 ERA. A
startling fact, however, is the lack of run support Andrew Hall has
received. In 17 2/3 innings, Hall has
been the benefactor of just one Coyote run, that coming in his lone start
against Linfield. The freshman has
given up just one earned run in his last 13 innings pitched, but the defense
behind him has committed six errors, leading to a pair of losses in his stat
line.
TRYING TO BREAK OUT OF A SLUMP: Through
14 games, Albertson has recorded ten or more hits in a game just four
times. Last season, the Coyotes had 37
games with at least ten hits, and six with at least 20 hits. What is more shocking is that the team has
been held to five or less hits on five occasions this season, including three
of the past five games. In the entire
2001 season, the ‘Yotes had just six games with five or less hits. The 2002 team is batting .244 so far, with
four everyday players hitting below .200.
Incidentally, the lowest batting average for a season in school history
was .282, set by the 1995 squad.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: The
longest road trip of the season, a mere 33 games, reaches 21 by the end of this
tough week, where the Coyotes will play seven games. Up first is Northwest Nazarene, and
probably the two most important games of the week, as the NAIA Region I season
opens up. The Crusaders (10-6, 4-0)
swept a doubleheader from Oregon Tech last weekend, to keep their record in
regional counters perfect. NNU and
Albertson split a twinbill two weeks ago, the Coyotes winning 5-2, and the
Crusaders winning 4-3. The squad hops
on a plane to Seattle on Thursday, and will van up to the British Columbia
Tournament. A pair of Golden State
Athletic Conference teams meet Albertson to start the tournament, The Master’s and Azusa Pacific. The Mustangs (14-7) currently sit atop the
GSAC standings, having won their past five games, while the Cougars (13-12) sit
in the middle of the pack, and are reeling in a three-game skid. Albertson then meets Lewis-Clark State for the fourth time this season on
Saturday. The No. 1 ranked Warriors
(16-6) have won 2-of-3 meetings with Albertson, both one-run affairs. The Coyotes stopped LCSC 10-6 to win the
Banana Belt Tournament on March 3. The
‘Yotes close out the trip with a game at host British Columbia. Albertson defeated the Thunderbirds (12-7)
10-7 in the Banana Belt Tournament, but since, UBC has run off eight
consecutive wins, including a championship at the LC-State Tournament this past
weekend.
ON THE AIR AND INTERNET: Tuesday’s
doubleheader at Northwest Nazarene will be broadcast and archived on the
Albertson athletic website immediately following the games. All home games will be available to listen
to immediately following the game, in an archived manner, on the baseball home
page. Mike Safford Jr. will handle the
play-by-play. Also, Saturday’s game
with Lewis-Clark State will be carried on the internet at www.koze.com and click on the LCSC broadcast
link.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: For updated information and
statistics, visit the official website of the Coyote baseball team at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/baseball.htm
SOFTBALL: 4-14
LAST WEEK: vs.
Eastern Oregon, Wednesday, Postponed due to rain
THIS WEEK: vs. Northwest Nazarene, Saturday,
2 p.m. (DH); vs. Walla Walla, Sunday, 11 a.m. (DH)
HOME SWEET HOME: This weekend, the Albertson softball team makes its long-awaited debut on campus, hosting a pair of doubleheaders. All home games will be played on the newly constructed diamond, located at the foot of the McCain Center, part of the Symms Athletic Complex. No bleachers are at the field, so lawn chairs and blankets are a must. After starting the season 0-10 against nationally ranked opponents, the Coyotes have went 4-4 in their past eight games.
SPEED
DEMONS: The small
ball that head coach Kelly Gibbons chatted about during the preseason
has come full circle. The Coyotes have
stolen 13 bases in their four wins without being caught. Victoria DeLaRosa (Caldwell, Idaho
/ Vallivue HS) leads the team with nine steals in 11 attempts.
LEATON
ON A ROLL: Over
the past three weeks, first baseman Kira Leaton (Boise, Idaho /
Centennial HS) has seen her batting average jump to .268. The freshman has went 7-for-10 over the last
four games, and has committed just one error in 85 chances this season.
MATHEWS
CONSISTENT: Catcher
Tiffany Mathews (Las Vegas, Nev. / Eldorado HS) was touted as one
of the key contact hitters for the Coyotes, and so far this season she has not
disappointed. The freshman from Las
Vegas leads the team with a .308 batting average and six RBI. Even more impressive is her .375 batting
average with runners in scoring position.
ABOUT THE HOME GAMES: The Coyotes look to keep
its stranglehold on Canyon County, as rival Northwest Nazarene comes to
Caldwell for its only visit of the season.
Albertson has won all three meetings with the Crusaders (1-14), who have
lost their past 12 games in a row. NNU
has scored two or less runs in 12-of-15 games, and have just two regulars
batting over .200. A trio of pitchers
have combined to walk 31 batters while striking out 29, and have managed to
plunk ten opponents. On Sunday, Walla
Walla makes their only appearance of the season, as part of their
home-and-home series with Albertson.
The Wolves (2-5) are a member of the NCCAA, and have wins already this
season against Bethany of Calfornia and Eastern Oregon, a pair of NAIA
schools.
INTERNET BROADCASTS: Both doubleheaders this weekend
will be broadcast live on the Internet.
Sports information director Mike Safford Jr., who has called action at
the 1997 NAIA Women’s College World Series, and games at the NCAA Division III
West Regional tournament the past three years, will handle the
play-by-play. Listen to the games
online at http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/mbasketball/profiles/0102/AthleticsLive.asx.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: Updated
information and statistics on the 2002 softball team can be found at the
Albertson softball official website at www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/softball/index.htm.
LAST
WEEK: Women at
USCSA National Championships, Waterville Valley, N.H. – placed fifth
COYOTES
BRING HOME FIFTH PLACE AT NATIONALS: A great effort by the Coyote women’s alpine ski team
brought home a fifth place finish at the United States Collegiate Ski and
Snowboard Association championships.
Albertson was consistent in its giant slalom and slalom runs, placing
sixth in the GS and seventh in the slalom.
“I am very pleased with what this team could accomplish this season with
all of the injuries and setbacks,” said head coach Ron Bonneau.
THURBER
LEADS THE COYOTE CHARGE: Competing back in New England, Logan Thurber (Bennington,
Vt.) took full advantage of her knowledge of the eastern snow, recording
the Coyotes top times in both races.
She finished in 18th place in the GS, and in 21st place in the slalom.
TOUGH
CONDITIONS: Rain
played havoc on the hosts in New Hampshire, making a mockery of the
course. However, working throughout the
night, conditions on the hill were salvageable, although much of the cross
country portion of the event was completed on Forest Service land.
CROSS
COUNTRY NEWBIE: The
Albertson club cross country team sent a pair of skiers to nationals in Kristin
Neibling and Karen Giles, but it was Amanda Pfleeger (Corvallis,
Ore.) who make the team a success.
Pfleeger, who hadn’t used cross country skis in eight years, strapped on
a pair rented by Coach Bonneau, and completed both the 15 kilometer relay and
the 10 kilometer Classic event, allowing the Coyotes to score team points. Due to her efforts, Albertson finished the
competition in sixth-place.