yote notes - edition 14

COMING UP: Men at NAIA West Qualifier, Black Horse GC (Seaside, Calif.), May 7-8 (36 holes).

LAST WEEK: Men – Idle; Women – at NAIA West Qualifier, Willow Glen GC (3rd of 6 teams)

LADY YOTES STRUGGLE IN CALIFORNIA: With a berth to the NAIA National Championships on the line, the Lady Yotes saw one player in both of the 18 hole rounds shoot a low score – but the remaining quartet of golfers could not match the performance.  The C of I carded scores of 333 and 330 to finish third in the six team field – behind both Concordia and Point Loma Nazarene, the two other teams ranked in the NAIA Top-25.  Trish Gibbens (Caldwell, Idaho / Barry U.) opened the tournament with an even-par 72, tying for the Day 1 lead, but struggled on the back-nine on Tuesday, finishing with an 80 to place fourth overall.  Baylee Borchers (Boise, Idaho / Mountain View HS) had her best round of the Spring in Round 2, recording a two-over 74 to climb into eighth-place.  No other C of I competitor shot a round in the 70s.

CHANCES FOR NATIONALS?: Concordia grabbed the automatic berth to Nationals with a 27-shot victory over Point Loma Nazarene, with Sunny Powers earning the medalist honors with a four-over 146. For the Lady Yotes to earn their first-ever team berth to Nationals, it will depend on the final NAIA Top-25 poll, as the nine highest ranked teams to not earn an automatic berth through their respective qualifying tournaments, will receive a spot in the 28-team field.  Individually, Trish Gibbens has an outside chance to earn an individual berth to the tournament – due to her stroke average ranking by Golfstat.  However, only four total berths are available to individuals – with players earning medalist honors not on teams qualifying for the tournament, along with the Top-15 players from last years’ event, getting first crack at the spots.  The field for the National Championships will be determined on May 3.

MEN TO GET THEIR CHANCE IN A WEEK: Despite an up-and-down season, the Coyote men will have their chance to earn a spot for the National Championships a week from Monday in Monterey, Calif., at the NAIA West Qualifier.  A total of 13 teams will compete in the event – the five Cascade Conference teams, Biola, The Master’s, and Point Loma Nazarene from the Golden State Athletic Conference, and five teams from the California Pacific Conference – Cal Maritime, Holy Names, Menlo, Simpson, and William Jessup.  Four teams – Point Loma Nazarene, The Master’s, Concordia, and Holy Names were ranked or received votes in the last NAIA Top-25 poll.

LADY YOTES RANKED NO. 19: The Lady Yotes fell one spot to No. 19 in the third NAIA Top-25 Coaches' Poll of the spring, two weeks ago by the national office in Kansas City, Mo.  It marks the fourth straight polling period that the squad has been in the Top-25, with the high point at No. 17 in the preseason rankings.  The Coyotes received 171 voter points in the tabulation, joined in the poll by fellow Cascade Conference rival Concordia, who was ranked No. 13. No. 2 Lee, No. 4 William Woods, No. 6 Northwood, No. 10 USC-Beaufort - who all finished above the Yotes at the NAIA Fall Preview, were in the poll, along with No. 15 Bethel and No. 22 Point Loma Nazarene, whom the Lady Yotes defeated at the event. Also in the poll is No. 14 Victoria, who defeated the Lady Yotes at the recent Concordia invite.  The final national poll will be released on May 3.

ABOUT THE COACH: Garry Matlock is in his 12th season as head coach of The C of I men's and women's golf programs. Matlock had also served as the top assistant with The C of I men's basketball team for six years, before stepping down after the 2005-06 season. Last season, he led the Coyote men to a fourth-place finish and the Lady Yotes to a second-place finish in the CCC - earning CCC Coach of the Year honors in on the women’s side for the second-straight year. Matlock came to The C of I in 2000 after 16 years as a head basketball coach at Northwest Nazarene University and Rocky Mountain College, compiling a 232-242 career record. Matlock also served as an assistant coach at Boise State for one season. His coaching background, which dates back to 1966, includes serving as head basketball coach at Homedale High School (1971-82). He also coached at Buhl High School and Milwaukie (Ore.) High School. Matlock began his collegiate career at The C of I, where he played baseball and football, is a graduate of NNU, where he played baseball and basketball and is in their Athletic Hall of Fame.  He is married to wife Pamela, and the two live in Caldwell.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on The C of I golf programs, head to the official homepage of the Coyotes, http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/athlete/golf.htm.