College of Idaho -- Summer Sports Update
CALDWELL, Idaho -- A mid-summer update of happenings in College of Idaho athletics:
PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL UPDATE: Although no former College of Idaho baseball players are currently in Major League Baseball organizations, four former Coyotes are playing in independent leagues. Leading the way is Branden Florence (1999-2001), who is an outfielder for the Bridgeport Bluefish in the Atlantic League – regarded as the top independent league in baseball. Florence was recently named to the all-star team after finishing the first half of the season with a .319 batting average, along with four home runs, eight doubles, and 31 RBI. Also in the Atlantic League is Jason Simontacchi (1996), who is pitching with the Long Island Ducks. The former big leaguer, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, is 0-1 with a 6.11 ERA in 17.2 innings of work. In the Canadian-American Association is Matt Zachary (2004-05), who has been a stalwart in the bullpen for the Brockton Rox. Zachary has a 1-0 mark with a 2.52 ERA in 18 appearances, with opposing batters hitting a paltry .245 against him. Rounding out the group is former minor leaguer Jason Roach (2006-07), who is a starting pitcher for the Chico Outlaws in the Golden Baseball League. Roach has struggled this season with a 0-6 record and a 9.46 ERA – thanks in part to allowing eleven home runs.
SID EARNS NATIONAL HONORS: College of Idaho sports information director Mike Safford Jr. was honored June 29 with four top-ten finishes in the NAIA-Sports Information Directors of America Publications Contest, announced at the annual NAIA-SIDA convention in Tampa, Fla. Safford, who will begin his eighth year at The C of I in September, earned the praise of his peers in four Media Guide categories - in Combined Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, and Combined Soccer. It is the eighth-straight year that he has received at least one top-ten finish. The Coyote Combined Basketball Media Guide finished second overall in the contest, the Volleyball Media Guide was sixth, with the Softball and Soccer books placing seventh out of the nearly 300 NAIA schools across the nation. Each of the publications were printed by The Caxton Printers, Inc. in Caldwell - with the help of Wayne Garrett and Dennis Pattee. Safford was the lone SID of the 22 NAIA schools in the Pacific Northwest to be recognized, and has now accumulated 20 top-ten awards in his career, including two "Best in the Nation" awards.
MEN’S SOCCER RECRUITING UPDATE: College of Idaho men's soccer coach Brian Smith has announced the signing of eight freshmen and one junior college player to NAIA Letter of Intents for the upcoming 2008 season. Leading the group is transfer Brian Griffiths of Walla Walla Community College. The midfielder from Boise was a starter at WWCC and is a true winner - having won five state titles with the Boise Nationals - playing for Smith at the club level in the U-11, U-14, and U-16 ranks. Two keepers are on the list - Aaron Reynolds of Boise and Trevor Spielman of Idaho Falls. Reynolds was an All-Southern Idaho Conference selection at Capital High and played for the Boise Capitals, while Spielman was the starting keeper at Idaho Falls High, helping the Tigers to a fourth-place finish in the 5A state tournament. Two other midfielders come from the prep ranks - Brad Byers of Boise and Jon Schmehl of Coeur d'Alene. Byers, from Capital High, was an All-Southern Idaho Conference selection, while Schmehl, from Coeur d'Alene High, helped the Vikings to a third-place finish in the 5A state tournament - earning All-North Idaho honors. Three defenders look to help the Yotes in 2008 - Jon LaTorre of Coeur d'Alene, James Collet of Pocatello, and Spencer Ward of Kent, Wash. LaTorre, from Coeur d'Alene High, was a teammate of Schmehl in high school and earned All-North Idaho honors. Collet, of Pocatello High, was MVP of his squad, while Ward, of Kentwood High, was an All-South Puget Sound League selection. One forward rounds out the group - Travis Newbold of Meridian. The former Warrior striker was an All-SIC selection in 2007. "I am really pleased with our recruiting class at this point," said Smith. "This group has a lot of experience at the prep and club level - and we have improved at the positions where we needed to from last year. Each of these players will push for playing time in the fall." The Yotes return 15 players from last season's 11-6-1 team that placed third in the Cascade Conference. The C of I opens up the 2008 campaign on August 28 at Northwest Nazarene - marking the first meeting between the two clubs since 2002.
WOMEN’S SOCCER RECRUITING UPDATE: College of Idaho women's soccer head coach Niki Taylor has announced the signing of 12 student-athletes to NAIA Letter of Intents for the upcoming 2008 season. The group includes eleven freshmen and one junior college transfer - with ten of the 12 players calling the Treasure Valley home. Leading the group is transfer Lauren Winterholler of North Idaho College. Winterholler, a defender from Idaho Falls, is a two-time All-Scenic West Conference selection and earned All-Region 18 honors in 2007, leading NIC to the regional title. Of the freshmen, three are forwards - each looking to help the Yotes improve on their goal-scoring abilities. Leading this group is Macy Egerman of Boise High, who led the Braves to three-straight 5A state tournaments, including runner-up finishes in 2005 and 2006. She led the team in scoring each of the last two years. Other strikers headed to The C of I are Kelly Hardegree-Ullman of Mountain View High and Ashley Page of Emmett. Hardegree-Ullman was a two-time All-Southern Idaho Conference selection, helping the Maverick to a fourth-place finih in the 2007 state tournament, while Page was a four-time All-SIC selection. Five midfielders are a part of the recruiting class - led by Utah native, Caitlin Boswell. The graduate of Mountain View High in Orem was an All-Region 7 selection last fall, helping her team to the 4A state semifinals. Included in the class are Chelsea Heffner of Mountain View High, Annie Ball of Boise High, Taylor Culver of Skyview High, and Jordan Huttash of Bishop Kelly High. Heffner was a two-time All-SIC selection, while Ball is the younger sister of former Coyote defender, Katie Ball. Culver was an All-SIC section, helping the Hawks to a 4A runner-up finish in 2007, with Huttash helping the Knights to the 4A state championship. Two other defenders and one keeper round out the recruits. Defenders Justine Hawkins of Capital High and Jessica Patton of Eagle High, along with goalie Tracy Diaz should all be factors for the Coyotes. Hawkins and Patton are both All-SIC selections, with Patton helping the Mustangs to the 2005 5A state title and a runner-up finish in 2007. Diaz pitched three consecutive shutouts in goal in the 2007 5A state tournament, helping the Wolves to the title. The Lady Yotes, coming off a 9-7-3 record and their second-straight appearance in the Cascade Conference Tournament, open their season on Aug. 28 at Mills College in California.
TRACK/CROSS COUNTRY RECRUITING UPDATE: College of Idaho cross country and track coach Pat McCurry announced today the members of his initial 2008-09 recruiting class - with nine men and four women joining the Coyote program. Headlining the women's class is Kayloni Jones from Nine Mile Falls, Wash., who will compete in both cross country and track. The recent graduate of Lakeside High finished eighth in the 1A state meet, while finishing second in the 1A track meet in the 3,200. "She has all the tools to be a national class collegiate runner," said McCurry. "Her upside is tremendous and she wil be a factor in our women's program immediately." Also headed to The C of I is sprinter Aurora Torres from Pendleton, Ore. Torres helped Pendleton High win the 5A 4x100-meter relay at the 2008 state championships. "Aurora is a great fit for our developing sprint group and we will look to her to be a cornerstone in that area for the next few years." Torres will have company in the sprints during the 2009 track season, as Emilee Lantis of Hilo, Hawaii, and Bailee Lowry of Bishop Kelly High will also run for the Coyotes. Leading the men's class is Zeke Wilson of Challis, who is coming off a phenomenal senior season at Challis High. Wilson took home the 1A-2A cross country state title, and followed it up with 2A state titles in both the 1,600 and 3,200-meter events. "Zeke is hands down the best male distance runner coming out of the state this year and we are thrilled to add him to our program," stated McCurry. Joining Wilson is Greg Bush from Billings, Mont., who won a 4A state title at Billings West High as the lead leg in the 4x400-meter relay, while placing second in the 800-meters. "Greg has great range as an athlete and that versatility will be of great value to our program," said McCurry. Two other small school gems will be headed to The C of I - Garrett Traughber of Arco and Joe Montoya of Challis. Traughber, of Butte County High, placed sixth last fall at the 1A-2A cross country state meet, placing 3rd in the 2A track meet in the 800-meters, while Montoya of Challis High, placed fourth in the 1A-2A cross country state meet. Five others round out the men's class - sprinters George Fiadjoe of Boise High and Style Salek of Caldwell High, along with cross country/track runners Josh Williams of Mountain View High, Elliott Gould of Vermont, and Daniel Wenz of Germany.
VOLLEYBALL RECRUITING UPDATE: College of Idaho volleyball coach Liz Mendiola announced today the signing of Kaylyn Hayashikawa to an NAIA Letter of Intent for the upcoming 2008 season. The incoming freshman hails from Waikoloa, Hawaii, where she was a four-year standout at Hawaii Prep Academy, earning All-Big Island Interscholastic Federation honors. The 5-2 libero also played for the YMCA Na Opio Juniors Volleyball Club and joins her sister Karly, who played at Washington State, as a collegiate volleyball player. "Kaylyn has solid technical skills and will provide the depth that we need in ball control and defense," said Mendiola. "She has a great love for the game and a competitive intensity that makes her a great fit for our program. Hayashikawa is the sixth member of the 2008 recruiting class - joining Courtney Bull (Pocatello), Ciciley Fox (Challis), Alicin German (Jerome), Bryanne Gribble (Boise), and Megan Spinks (Manteca, Calif.) as new members of the Coyotes. The C of I opens up the 2008 season on Aug. 22 at the NAIA Tournament of Champions in Salt Lake City against national semifinalist Concordia-Irvine.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL RECRUITING UPDATE: The College of Idaho women's basketball coach Reagan Rossi has announced the signing of Nicole Gall to an NAIA Letter of Intent for the upcoming 2008-09 season. Gall, an incoming sophomore, heads to the Lady Yotes after a successful freshman campaign at NCAA Division I Santa Clara, where she averaged five points and two rebounds per game. The 5-10 guard averaged nearly 18 minutes per game for the Broncos, connecting on 37-percent of her three-point attempts, scoring a career-high 17 points vs. Pepperdine. She also had a career-high seven rebounds vs. Nevada and four assists vs. Stanford. A native of Boise, Gall was a three-time 5A All-State selection at Borah High, playing for former C of I All-American, Alyson Pincock. She helped the Lions to three-consecutive District III titles and a second-place finish in the 2005 5A state tournament. As a senior, she averaged 13 points and six rebounds. She is the fifth player to sign with the Lady Yotes - joining transfers Katie Strunk (Walla Walla CC) and Alexandria Allen(Columbia Basin CC), and incoming freshmen Morgan Vander Esch (Grangeville HS) and Meghan Huges (Bishop Kelly HS). The squad, coming off a runner-up finish in the 2008 Cascade Conference Tournament, opens the 2008-09 season on Nov. 3 with an exhibition game at Weber State.