FEATURES 12
DAVID SCARES GOLIATH
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OWEN WINS #200 VS GEODUCKS
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COYOTES SNEAK BY EVERGREEN
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EAGLES TOPPLE LADY YOTES
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COYOTES SWEEP NYE HOMESTAND
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PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SPORTS 20
COYOTE HOOPS
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LADY YOTE HOOPS
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COYOTE SWIM
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COYOTE SKI
THE BEAT 6
COYOTE CANDIDS
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TOP 25 POLLS
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CONFERENCE STANDINGS
ON THE COVER Women’s Basketball head coach Mark Owen won his 200th career game on December 30, 2015, when the Lady Yotes defeated The Evergreen State College inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. #GoYotes
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Volume I, Issue XXI Designed and distributed by The College of Idaho Athletic Communications Department. Executive Editor
Tyler Thurston
Creative Design
Tyler Thurston
Contributing Writers
Mike Safford Jr
Photography
C of I Communications Liza Safford
EMAIL: YOTEATHLETICS@GMAIL.COM FACEBOOK: COYOTE ATHLETICS INSTAGRAM: @COYOTEATHLETICS TWITTER: @COYOTEATHLETICS YOUTUBE: YOTE ATHLETICS
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laying before their largest road crowd in school history, the College of Idaho delivered an early jab to a nationally-ranked University of Utah squad, before the Running Utes found their stride, topping the Yotes, 115-74, before a crowd of 12,329 fans inside the Huntsman Center.
with confidence and composure and that's really hard to do in a situation like this. I mean what can you say. Couldn't have been a better start and couldn't have been a better situation. These guys will have this memory for the rest of their lives. We were better than the No. 21 ranked team in the country for about 8-10 minutes tonight.”
Box Score
The timeout worked, as Dakarai Tucker canned a trey and Kyle Kuzma recorded back-to-back baskets to get the hosts within 19-15. Following a Jordan jumper, Utah took the lead for good, scoring the next 12 points – including the first of three first half 3-pointers from Brandon Taylor.
The Utes (11-2) used a 20-5 run midway through the second half to put away the NAIA Division II school, looking to defeat a Division I program in an exhibition game for the second time in the last 11 years. The Coyotes, playing the game as an exhibition, sprinted out to a 5-0 lead – forcing three Utah turnovers. Treys by Aitor Zubizarreta, Dominique Jordan and Joey Nebeker – plus a Zubizarreta pull-up jumper pushed the margin to 16-2 four minutes into the game, forcing Utes head coach Larry Krystkowiak to call time out "We really shot it and our guys came ready for the moment," said C of I head coach Scott Garson. "I'm really proud of the way our guys came out and played 12
Trailing 52-39 at the break, C of I cut the lead to 62-54 with 15-minutes remaining after 3's from Zubizarreta and Marck Coffin, but Tucker canned triples on consecutive possessions – starting the big run that gave the Utes breathing room. Both Kuzma and Tucker finished with 17 points to lead the Utes – each scoring 11 second half points – with 7foot center Jakob Poeltl scoring 15 points and 10
rebounds. Utah shot 63-percent from the field and held a 54-24 edge on the glass. Zubizarreta led all scorers with 19 points, Nebeker had 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and three blocks, with Jordan scoring 11. The Yotes made 14 3-point baskets were the most allowed by Utah this season "I was really proud of the way our guy's effort was and that's what it is all about," Garson said. "It's about getting better. We are trying to get better for conference and this was a great exhibition game for us because we were able to get better here against a really good team and now we understand the kind of effort, the kind of composure, the kind of confidence that we have to play with going into our conference games and Wednesday and Thursday against Evergreen State and Northwest. We have to bring our A-game and we brought it for a while here tonight. As I told our team, I now know what to expect from our team and I'm going to expect that kind of effort to start every game."
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aycin Tini recorded a double-double and Petra Lumpert hit four key free throws late, helping the College of Idaho give head coach Mark Owen his 200th career win with a 71-66 victory over the Evergreen State College, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
by a Lumpert steal and basket opened the fourth period, giving the hosts a 63-46 lead – only to watch the Geoducks (1-10, 1-5) get 3-pointers from Victoria Elleby, Jonelle Staveland and Uriah Thomas in their big run, getting within 65-64 on a Gabi Fenumiai free throw with 83 seconds left.
Box Score
After Lumpert and Irene Moore traded free throws, C of I caught a big break with seven seconds remaining, as Elleby was called for an intentional foul – reaching over the end line to foul Kiara Skinner as she was attempting to inbound the ball. Skinner canned her two free throws, with Lumpert making another pair to seal the victory.
Owen, who won 189 games as head coach of the C of I men from 2000-10, became the tenth coach in school history with 200 victories – joining his predecessor Reagan Rossi, along with men's basketball coaches Marty Holly and Babe Brown; baseball coaches Clem Parberry, Shawn Humberger and Tim Mooney; volleyball coach Liz Mendiola; softball coach Al Mendiola; and soccer coach John Calpin. The Lady Yotes a big third quarter rally to take a 17point lead and withstood a 14-0 fourth quarter Evergreen rally to hang on for their third home win in four games. Leading 34-28 at the break. C of I hit four straight shots in a 13-2 run after halftime, extending the lead to 49-32 on a long Madison Pilster jumper. A Tini triple followed 14
Tini had 16 points and 11 rebounds – her second double -double of the year – with Lumpert scoring 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Skinner had 13 points and five blocks, with Pilster adding 11 points. Fenumiai led ESC with 15 points, Elleby scored 14, with Thomas adding 11 points and six rebounds. The Geoducks lost despite a 46-34 edge on the glass, but turned the ball over 18 times, leading to 21 Coyote points.
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oey Nebeker scored a game-high 34 points helping the College of Idaho rally from an 8-point second half deficit to topple the Evergreen State College, 88-81, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
Box Score Nebeker scored 10 of his points in a 17-5 second half rally that helped the Yotes erase a 66-58 ESC lead, handing C of I their 22nd-straight home Cascade Conference win. The Geoducks led 35-34 at the break, but watched as the Yotes got a jumper and a 3-pointer from Aitor Zubizarreta in a 9-0 C of I run to give the Yotes a 56-49 lead with 13 minutes remaining. Danny Powell responded for Evergreen, converting a lay-up and adding a 3-point play to start a 15-0 run over a four minute stretch. Nebeker countered with a pair of free throws and a 3point play to get C of I within 66-63, with a Curtis Brever triple tying the game up. Trailing 71-70, Nebeker
split a pair of free throws, but Marck Coffin grabbed an offensive rebound, finding Nebeker for an NBA 3pointer that gave the Yotes the lead for good. C of I put the game away late, as a Nebeker driving layup and a 3-point play by Zubizarreta keyed a 7-0 run to extend the margin to 84-76. Nebeker was 12-of-19 from the field, including three 3pointers in the victory, adding six rebounds. It was the junior's fourth 30-point game of the season and his eighth-straight game with six or more rebounds. Emanuel Morgan scored 16 points with seven rebounds – his seventh-straight game in double-figures – with Zubizarreta and Coffin each scoring 10. Powell had a monster night in the loss for the Geoducks, scoring 30 points and grabbing a schoolrecord 21 rebounds – including 12 offensive boards. Frankie Johnson scored 13 points and Brock Otis added 12, but ESC could not overcome 37-percent shooting and a woeful 8-of-37 mark from 3-point range. 15
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espite big performances from Petra Lumpert and Madison Pilster, and a season-high 13 points from Haylee Burnham, the College of Idaho could not overcome a big fourth quarter Northwest University rally in a 75-70 loss to the Eagles inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center. Box Score Mariah Stacona scored 10 of her 16 points in the final period for the Eagles (7-9, 3-4), including a 3-pointer to start a 16-2 run that erased a 52-50 C of I lead. The Lady Yotes (3-9, 2-4) broke a 30-30 halftime deficit with a 13-5 run capped by a 3-point play by Pilster and a long Jaycin Tini 3-pointer to take a 43-35 lead. NU countered with one of three third quarter triples from Kristen Frey, slicing the deficit to 50-48 at the end of the period. Without a timeout in the final quarter, C of I struggled 16
against NU's trapping defense - committing six turnovers that turned into 10 Eagle points. Stacona and Jordan Asher hit triples, Mariah Langenhorst connected on back to back baskets, with Stacona extending the lead to 64-54 with a driving lay-up with six minutes left to complete the comeback. C of I lost despite going 9-of-21 from outside the arc; recording season-highs of 21 made free throws on 27 free throw attempts; and holding a 40-37 rebound edge. Lumpert led the Yotes with 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists; Pilster scored 16 points, including 10-of-11 shooting from the foul line; with Burnham going 3-of-6 from outside the arc. Stacona was 3-of-4 from long range in the win, adding a team-high eight assists, with Asher scoring 15 and Frey tallying 13 for NU. The Lady Yotes hit the road this weekend with road games at Multnomah and Warner Pacific.
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ouble-doubles from Aitor Zubizarreta and Joey Nebeker paced the College of Idaho to an 87-85 victory over Northwest University, inside the J.A. Albertson Activities Center.
Box Score Nebeker had 10 points and Zubizarreta added five in a 29-12 run early in the second half, as the Yotes (9-6, 4-2 CCC) built a 67-52 lead with 11 minutes left. The lead would grow to 78-62 on a Dominic Hulsey lay-up with eight minutes remaining, but the Eagles (7-10, 3-4) held C of I to just two made field goals the rest of the way – with a 15-2 run cutting the gap to 80-77 on an Zach Smith basket with three minutes to play.
10 free throws in the final two minutes – but Marck Coffin intercepted a last gasp pass inside the final three seconds to seal their 23rd-straight conference win at home.
Nebeker had 22 points and 11 rebounds and Zubizarreta added 21 points and 10 rebounds in the win, with C of I holding a 40-35 edge on the glass. Emanuel Morgan recorded 15 points and five rebounds - his eighthstraight game in double-figures - with Hulsey recording career-highs with seven points and six rebounds. Ben Tucakovic led NU with 24 points and four of the Eagles 15 made 3-pointers. The Yotes hit the road this weekend for games at Multnomah and Warner Pacific.
NU had their opportunities, as the Yotes made just 5-of17
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or the third time this season, College of Idaho forward Joey Nebeker has been honored as Red Lion-Cascade Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week, announced this morning by the league information office. The junior, from Melba, helped the Yotes remain unbeaten at home in the conference season with victories over Evergreen and Northwest. He averaged 28 points and eight rebounds per game, making 18-of-34 field goals - including seven 3-point baskets. Against Evergreen, Nebeker scored 34 points and had six rebounds in the 88-81 win. It was his fourth game in 18
2015-16 with 30-or-more points scored. One night later, he recorded his second double-double of the year, notching 22 points and 11 rebounds in the Yotes 87-85 victory. Nebeker, who ranks second in the CCC with a 21.8 points per game scoring average, added 15 points last Monday in C of I's exhibition game at the University of Utah. The Coyotes return to action this Friday at Multnomah University - with the game carried live in the Treasure Valley on the ESPN Boise platform (96.5-FM / 730AM / ESPNBoise.com).
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COMING UP: at Multnomah, Friday, 7:30 p.m. (PT); at No. 24 Warner Pacific, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. (PT) LAST WEEK: at Utah (Exhib.) (L 115-74); vs. Evergreen (W 88-81), vs. Northwest (W 87-85) YOTES ON RADIO: Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcast throughout the Treasure Valley across the ESPN Boise platform – on radio at 96.5-FM and 730AM, and online at ESPNBoise.com. Longtime Voice of the Coyotes, Mike Safford, will have the play-by-play, with the pregame report around 8:20 p.m. (MT) each night. SCOTT GARSON SHOW: Along with the radio broadcast, ESPN Boise will produce the Scott Garson Show each Monday night from Stewart's Bar and Grill (2805 Blaine Street, Caldwell) - an opportunity for fans to hear from the coach and learn insight on the Coyote basketball program. The show will air at 7 p.m. each Monday night on 96.5-FM, 730-AM and on ESPNBoise.com. LIVE VIDEO / LIVE STATS: Live Video and Live Stats will be available for both weekend games in 20
Portland. Friday night, Live Video and Live Stats will be available at Multnomah, while Saturday, Live Video and Live Stats will be available at Warner Pacific – with a pay -per-view cost of $7.95 for the video feed each night. MULTIMEDIA: Highlights and Action Photos from the 2015-16 men's basketball season are available online. HOLDING SERVE AT HOME: With victories last week over Evergreen and Northwest, the Coyotes ran their Cascade Conference home win streak to 23 in a row, dating back to the 2012-13 season. C of I improved to 42-2 in the Activities Center over the past three seasons; 258-85 all-time in the arena and a 376-94 home record since 1981. AMONG THE TOP DRAWS: C of I has averaged 1,334 fans through their first 10 home games this season – the No. 2 mark among NAIA Division II schools, trailing only Dakota Wesleyan (1,820). The Yotes would rank 250 of 348 NCAA Division I teams – ahead of San Jose State (1,239), Idaho (1,235), Pepperdine (1,205), Air Force (1,150) and Harvard (1,002) – ranking No. 18 among NCAA Division II teams (of 310) and No. 4 of 416 NCAA Division III schools.
NEBEKER EARNS THIRD CONFERENCE HONOR OF SEASON: Another big weekend netted C of I leading scorer Joey Nebeker his third Red LionCascade Conference Player of the Week honor – the first time that a Coyote men's basketball player has earned three Player of the Week honors in one season. The junior averaged 28 points and nine rebounds in the Yotes two home wins, making 18-of-34 field goals, including seven 3-point baskets. Nebeker scored 34 points in Wednesday's win over Evergreen – his fourth 30-ormore point night of the year – while scoring 22 points with 11 rebounds, his second double-double, in Thursday's victory over Northwest. He added 15 points last Monday in the exhibition contest at the University of Utah. Nebeker is one of 30 players in the NAIA Division II averaging more than 20 points per game (21.8). ZUBIZARRETA BOUNCES BACK: It was an upand-down week for guard Aitor Zubizarreta, but ended the three game stretch with a bang. The junior scored a game-high 19 points in his return to a Division I arena against Utah, but struggled in the first half against Evergreen – missing his first nine shots from the floor. Zubizarreta rebounded in the second half to score 10 points in the win, following it with his first career double-double against Northwest, scoring 20 points and adding 10 rebounds. "Xubi" has recorded double-digit scoring games 13 times this season, including seven in a row – and is the only C of I player who has recorded at least one point, one rebound, one assist and one steal in all 15 games this season. MORGAN CONTINUES HOT STREAK: The offensive surge from point-guard Emanuel Morgan continued last week, as the junior recorded his seventh and eighth-straight double-digit scoring games – after recording just three games of 10-or-more points during his first three seasons. Morgan scored 16 points and had seven rebounds against Evergreen, followed by 15 points and five assists against Northwest – getting to the foul line a career-high 14 times against NU (making nine of his final 10 attempts). HULSEY AND THOMAS STEP UP: The Yotes got a big boost off the bench at home by a pair of redshirt sophomores who have seen an increased role in recent games. Forward Dominic Hulsey averaged 12 minutes a game in the victories, scoring four points and adding four boards vs. Evergreen, followed by career highs of
seven points and six rebounds against Northwest. Thomas hit a huge 3-pointer just before halftime against Evergreen on Wednesday, then splashed triples in both halves against Northwest – improving his season percentage outside the arc to .667 (6-of-9). YOTES WIN BATTLE ON THE GLASS: A key to Thursday's win over Northwest was C of I's rebound performance, recording a 40-35 edge on the boards – just the fourth time in 15 games that the Yotes have won the battle on the glass. The Coyotes had been outrebounded by over 10 boards a game over their previous eight contests (including a game in which they recorded 16 more rebounds than Walla Walla) before the New Year's Eve tilt EIGHT MINUTES OF FAME: Though Monday's game against Utah will not show up in any record books, the experience for the Yotes inside the Huntsman Center was one for the ages. C of I made six of their first eight shots, including four 3-pointers, bolting out to a 16-2 lead in the first four minutes – forcing the nationally ranked Utes to call a time out – and held the lead for the first eight minutes of the game (their last lead coming at 21-19). Though the team lost by 41 points, the final score was not indicative of the game, as the Yotes were within 64-56 five minutes into the second half. 115 POINTS BY AN OPPONENT: The 115 points scored by Utah marked the sixth time a C of I opponent had scored 115-or-more points – with the Yotes winning two of the games (129-120 over Montana Western in 2006 and 125-117 vs. Northwest Nazarene in 1985). C of I dropped a 121-89 decision at George Fox in 1987; a 115-86 decision at Whitman in 1981; and a 125-67 setback at Linfield in 1978. LARGEST CROWD EVER: The announced attendance of 12,329 at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City marked the largest crowd the Yotes have ever played in front of – surpassing the 7,943 vs. Utah in 2012, the 7,500 fans vs. Boise State in 2000 and the 7,009 fans at Stanford in 2007. ROSTER CHANGE: The Yotes announced last Sunday that transfer guard Jalyn Turner has left the team for personal reasons. The junior had played in 13 games, averaging four points and three rebounds per game. AROUND
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unbeaten team remains in the CCC after three weeks of action, as Southern Oregon rallied for a win Thursday against Warner Pacific in a first-place showdown. SOU, at 6-0, travels to Oregon Tech on Tuesday before both squads make the long trip for a single game this weekend at Walla Walla. Northwest Christian and Corban trek to Evergreen and Northwest, while C of I and Eastern Oregon head to Portland for games at Multnomah and Warner Pacific.
LEAGUE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Blake Updike (MU) 22.5, Joey Nebeker (C of I) 21.8, Danny Powell (ESC) 21.5, Michael Dupree (NU) 20.8, Kentrell Washington (EOU) 20.8; Rebound Average – Washington 13.4, Powell (ESC) 11.6, Jordan Paris (MU) 9.9, Cyrus Ward (CRB) 8.2, Jay Mayernik (NCU) 7.7; Assists Average –Earl Jones (WPC) 6.1, Joel Spear (SOU) 5.9, Austen Flint (OIT) 5.2, Emanuel Morgan (C of I) 5.1, Paris 4.6.
ENDING A ROAD SKID: The Yotes make the trip to Portland looking for their first road victory since February of 2015 – a string of five consecutive losses.
RECORD BOOK: One Coyote has cracked the career record book, as Emanuel Morgan is No. 10 all-time in assists with 282.
TOP-25 POLL: With their 9-6 start to the season, the Yotes dropped from the NAIA Division II Top-25 for the first time since Dec. 10, 2013, receiving seven voter points from the 12 conference raters. It is, however, the 29th-straight polling period that C of I has received votes in the national poll. Indiana Wesleyan holds the No. 1 spot, followed by St. Francis (Ill.), Marian (Ind.), Union (Ky.) and Davenport (Mich.), with Southern Oregon at No. 11, Northwest Christian at No. 19 and Warner Pacific at No. 24. The Top-25 will be released each Tuesday for the remainder of the regular-season.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: The Coyote 2015-16 Roster, the 2015-16 Schedule and 2015-16 Cumulative Statistics are all available via the online home of Coyote Athletics – YoteAthletics.com.
CONFERENCE STATISTICS: As a team, the Yotes lead the CCC in steals per game (10.5) and turnover margin (+6.0), ranking No. 2 in defensive 3-point percentage (.344) and 3-pointers made per game (12.0). C of I is No. 3 in the league in scoring offense (84.5), assists per game (17.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.6); No. 4 in 3-point percentage (.376) and blocked shots per game (2.7); No. 5 in scoring margin (+5.7); No. 6 in scoring defense (78.8), free throw percentage (.669), defensive field goal percentage (.445) and rebounds per game (38.7); No. 8 in field goal percentage (.423) and No. 10 in rebound margin (-4.9). Individually, Emanuel Morgan leads the CCC in steals per game (2.3), ranking No. 3 in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7) and No. 4 in both assists per game (5.1) and 3-point percentage (.467). Joey Nebeker is No. 2 in scoring average (21.8) and blocked shots per game (1.3), No. 5 in 3-pointers made per game (2.8) and No. 9 in defensive rebounds per game (5.0); Marck Coffin is No. 4 in offensive rebounds per game (2.6); Aitor Zubizarreta is No. 8 in steals per game (1.8) and defensive rebounds per game (5.3) and No. 10 in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.7); with Dominique Jordan No. 10 in 3-pointers made per game (2.4). 22
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COMING UP: at Multnomah, Friday, 5:30 p.m. (PT); at No. 24 Warner Pacific, Saturday, 5:30 p.m. (PT) LAST WEEK: vs. Evergreen (W 71-66), vs. Northwest (L 75-70) LIVE VIDEO / LIVE STATS: Live Video and Live Stats will be available for both weekend games in Portland. Friday night, Live Video and Live Stats will be available at Multnomah, while Saturday, Live Video and Live Stats will be available at Warner Pacific – with a pay -per-view cost of $7.95 for the video feed each night. MULTIMEDIA: Highlights and Action Photos from the 2015-16 women's basketball season are available online. ANOTHER HOME SPLIT: For the third-straight home stand, the Lady Yotes earned a split, defeating Evergreen on Wednesday before losing a tight decision to Northwest on New Year's Eve. C of I last swept a two game set at home on Feb. 13-14 of last season, while the squad last dropped back-to-back home games on Jan. 23-24 of last season. For the year, the Yotes are 3-3 on their home floor and have an all-time home mark of 19170 dating back to the 1995-96 season. OWEN WINS NO. 200: With their win over Evergreen, the Lady Yotes handed head coach Mark Owen his 200th career coaching win, becoming the tenth coach in C of I history to accomplish the feat. Owen, who won 189 games as men's head coach from 2000-10, joins Tim Mooney (baseball), Shawn Humberger (baseball), Marty Holly (men's basketball), Liz Mendiola (volleyball), Al Mendiola (softball), Clem 24
Parberry (men's basketball / baseball / football), Babe Brown (football / men's basketball / baseball), Reagan Rossi (women's basketball) and John Calpin (men's/ women's soccer) in the 200-win club. LUMPERT LEADS THE WAY: It was another solid weekend for guard Petra Lumpert, who led the Lady Yotes in scoring in both weekend games. The junior scored 16 in the win over Evergreen and added 18 points Thursday vs. Northwest – tying a season-high with seven assists in the loss – while making 10-of-15 field goal attempts in the two games. Lumpert ranks among the conference leaders in eight different stat categories, while leading C of I in scoring average (14.0), assists per game (3.8) and steals per game (2.2), while making 52-percent of her field goals and 48-percent of her 3-point tries. PILSTER FINDS HER RHYTHM: After a slow start to the season, transfer Madison Pilster had her best weekend of the season to close out 2015, averaging 14 points and four rebounds per game in the two home dates. The junior made 8-of-16 field goals and 11-of-13 free throws against Evergreen and Northwest, improving her season scoring average to nine points per game. Pilster recorded a steal in each game, extending a streak of games with at least one steal to 7-in-a-row. TINI DOUBLES UP: Forward Jaycin Tini recorded her second double-double of the 2015-16 season in Wednesday's win over Evergreen, scoring 16 points and 11 rebounds. The junior had a quality weekend outside the arc, canning 5-of-10 3-point attempts, adding 18 total rebounds and five assists. Tini leads C of I in
rebounding, averaging just over six boards per game – including seven games this season with 6-or-more rebounds. BURNHAM RETURNS TO FORM: Despite the loss to Northwest on Thursday, the Lady Yotes got a huge boost from guard Haylee Burnham, who tied a season-high with 13 points. The senior broke out of a season-long slump from outside the arc, connecting on 3 -of-6 3-point attempts after opening the season making just four of her first 38 attempts. Burnham tied her season high with four assists in the loss, while recording her third straight game of nine points or more. AROUND THE LEAGUE: Heading into last weekend, three teams were unbeaten in CCC play – but after a revolving door weekend – only one team survived at 6-0. Southern Oregon takes the top spot heading into this week – after a rousing 86-39 victory over then unbeaten Warner Pacific, who had knocked Oregon Tech from the unbeaten ranks in conference play with a road win on Wednesday. SOU puts their perfect record on the line Tuesday at OIT before both teams head to Walla Walla; Corban and Northwest Christian make the trip to Evergreen and Northwest; with C of I and Eastern Oregon traveling to Warner Pacific and Multnomah. ROSE CITY, HERE WE COME: The Lady Yotes make their second league trip of 2015-16, heading to Portland for games at Multnomah and Warner Pacific. C of I looks for a sweep of the annual trek to the Rose City for the first time since Feb. 15-16 of 2013– wins over Concordia and Warner Pacific. ABOUT MULTNOMAH: C of I will open the weekend against first-year CCC member Multnomah, with the two squads playing for the first time ever. The Lions (3-11, 1-5 CCC) have lost 8-of-9 (with their lone win at winless Walla Walla) – averaging just 57 points a game, making just 33-percent of their field goal tries, while averaging 19 turnovers per game. MU uses a 14 player rotation, led by the trio of Miranda Schmillen (9.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg), Lexie Govert (9.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and Lacie Kamper (7.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg). ABOUT WARNER PACIFIC: Saturday, the Yotes travel to Warner Pacific to face a Knights (10-2, 5-1) team that had a 7-game win streak snapped at Southern Oregon on Thursday, but cracked the NAIA Division II Top-25 for the first time this season. WP wins with
defense, allowing just 56 points per game and force 21 turnovers a night – with the loss at SOU marking the first time this season a team scored over 65 points against the club. Returners Lindsay Loe (12.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Daesha Jackson (12.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and Brett Larson (5.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg) lead the way for Matt Gregg's squad. The two teams split games last season, with C of I holding a 24-10 all-time series lead. CONFERENCE NUMBERS: As a team, the Lady Yotes rank No. 3 in the CCC in free throw percentage (.738) No. 6 in steals per game (8.1) and 3-pointers made per game (6.3); No. 7 in field goal percentage (.389), 3point percentage (.299), blocks per game (2.1), turnover margin (-0.1) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.8); No. 8 in scoring average (62.8), scoring defense (71.8) and scoring margin (-8.4); No. 9 in rebound margin (-3.7) and assists per game (12.3) and No. 10 in rebounds per game (35.1). Individually, Petra Lumpert is No. 2 in the CCC in 3point percentage (.483), No. 4 in scoring average (14.0), No. 5 in assists per game (3.8), No. 6 in field goal percentage (.523) and steals per game (2.2), and No. 9 in free throw percentage (.750), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1) and minutes played per game (32.1); with Kiara Skinner No. 4 in the league in blocked shots per game (1.6). CONFERENCE LEADERS: Scoring Average – Ashley Claussen (SOU) 21.0, Jade Lowery (CRB) 17.5, Gabi Fenumiai (ESC) 15.5, Petra Lumpert (C of I) 14.0, Carly Meister (SOU) 13.5; Rebound Average –Nikki Osborne (EOU) 8.4, Sadie Pilgerim (CRB) 8.4, Fenumiai 7.4, Lacie Kamper (MU) 7.4, Lauren Pernu (WWU) 6.8; Assist Average – Jordan Asher (NU) 4.5, Lacey Morris (ESC) 4.3, Claussen 4.1, Demi Sahlinger (SOU) 3.8, Lumpert 3.8. TOP-25 POLL: Two CCC teams are currently ranked in the NAIA Division II Top-25 poll – No. 12 Southern Oregon and No. 24 Warner Pacific, while Oregon Tech is among those receiving votes. St. Xavier (Ill.) holds the top spot, followed by Morningside (Iowa), Marian (Ind.), College of the Ozarks (Mo.) and Dakota Wesleyan. The national poll will be released each Tuesday for the remainder of the regular season. FOR MORE INFORMATION: The Lady Yotes 2015 -16 Roster, the 2015-16 Schedule and 2015-16 Cumulative Statistics are all available via the online home of Coyote Athletics – YoteAthletics.com. 25
COMING UP: vs. Pacific, Saturday, 10 a.m.
for an announcement on YoteAthletics.com.
LAST WEEK: Idle
PHOTO GALLERY: A Photo Gallery from both the Southwestern Oregon CC and the Trinity Lutheran dual meets are available online.
NO LIVE VIDEO: As of today, Live Video of Saturday's meet with Pacific will not be available on YoteAthletics.com. If video is available Saturday, look 26
PACIFIC COMES TO TOWN FOR FIRST DUAL
OF 2016: After a month away from action due to finals and the holiday break, the C of I swim teams return to competition on Saturday, hosting Division III Pacific University. The Boxers Men (1-3) bring a roster of 13 competitors to Caldwell, while the Boxers Women (0-4) will have 10 swimmers in the pool – searching for their first dual win of the season. The men's squad is led by sprinter Jack Lloyd, one of the top athletes in the Northwest Conference, along with backstroke specialist Ray Miller and butterfly specialist Michael Sakai; with the women's team led by the versatile Rachel Webster – who competes in the sprints, fly, and individual medley – along with Janae Sargeant in the backstroke and Kayla Knock in the breaststroke. It is the ninth-straight year that the teams have met each other, with the PU women 9-0 all-time against C of I, while the PU men are 6-3 – including a tight 112-105 victory last year in Forest Grove, Ore. NATIONAL RANKINGS: The first NAIA Top-10 Coaches' Poll was released on Dec. 10, with the Lady Yotes opening the season ranked No. 6. It marks the highest ranking in program history for the women's program – trailing only SCAD-Savannah (Ga.), Brenau (Ga.), Cumberlands (Ky.), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) and Biola. The C of I men received three votes in the poll, the only team listed in the "others receiving votes" category. The next Top-10 poll will be released on Jan. 21. NAIA TOP-20 TIMES: A total of 13 members of the C of I swim team are ranked in the Top-25 in the first NAIA Top Times list. For the Coyote men, Thomas Sheridan is No. 9 in the 400-IM, No. 19 in the 200-IM, No. 22 in the 100-back and No. 23 in the 200-back; Jake Klassen is No. 10 in the 400-IM and the 200-fly, ranking No. 24 in the 100-fly; Matthew Kahlig is No. 13 in the 1,650-free; Mitch Hawley is No. 16 in the 400-IM and No. 22 in the 200-fly; Tyler Maryon is No. 17 in the 100 -fly and No. 19 in the 200-fly; Dylan Osborne is No. 19 in the 100-fly and Marcus Bartolome is No. 22 in the 200-back. All five men's relay teams are in the Top-15 – the 800-free at No. 8, the 200-free at No. 9, the 400-free at No. 10, with the 400-medley at No. 11 and the 200medley at No. 12. For the Lady Yotes, Maddy Kelly leads all NAIA swimmers in the 50-free (24.36), ranking No. 10 in the 100-free and No. 11 in the 100fly; Mckayla Stevens is No. 7 in the 200-IM and 400IM, No. 9 in the 200-free, No. 11 in the 200-back and
No. 15 in the 100-back; Abby Schwarte is No. 13 in the 100-breast and No. 15 in the 200-breast; Kirby Roberts is No. 12 in the 200-breast and No. 17 in the 100-breast; Quin McLaughlin is No. 13 in the 200-fly and No. 17 in the 100-fly; with Kelly Burnham No. 20 in the 200-free. All five women's relay teams are ranked in the Top-8 – with the 800-free relay recording the fifthbest time in the NAIA, the 400-free relay at No. 6, the 200-free and 400-medley relays rated No. 7 and the 200medley relay at No. 8. NATIONALS HEADS TO GEORGIA: In December, the NAIA announced that the 2016 and 2017 National Championships will be hosted by the Columbus Sports Council in Columbus, Ga. The 4-day meet will take place this season from March 2-5 inside the Columbus Aquatics Center. NATIONAL QUALIFIERS: NAIA Automatic Qualifiers – Matthew Kahlig (1,650-free), Tyler Maryon (100-fly, 200-fly), Dylan Osborne (100-fly), Jake Klassen (200-fly, 400-IM), Mitch Hawley (200-fly, 400-IM), Thomas Sheridan (200-IM, 400-IM), Maddy Kelly (50free, 100-free, 100-fly), Kirby Roberts (100-free, 100breast, 200-breast), Kelly Burnham (100-free, 200-free, 500-free), Quin McLaughlin (100-back, 100-fly, 200-fly), Mckayla Stevens (200-free, 100-back, 200-back, 200-IM, 400-IM), Abby Schwarte (100-breast), Men's/Women's 200-Medley Relay, Men's/Women's 400-Medley Relay, Men's/Women's 200-Free Relay, Men's/Women's 400Free Relay, Men's/Women's 800-Free Relay. NAIA Bonus Cuts – Marcus Bartolome (100-back, 200back), Nolan Hill (50-free, 100-free), Maryon (200-free), Kahlig (200-free, 500-free), Hawley (500-free, 200-IM), Sheridan (200-free, 200-back), Klassen (100-fly, 200-IM), Osborne (50-free), Burnham (50-free), McLaughlin (50free), Roberts (50-free, 200-free), Allie Godfrey (200free), Schwarte (200-breast), Aunika Torres (100-fly, 400-IM). FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the C of I swim programs – including the 2015-16 Men's Roster / 2015-16 Women's Roster; 2015-16 Men's Schedule / 2015-16 Women's Schedule; and 2015-16 Top Times, head to YoteAthletics.com for the Men's Swimming and Women's Swimming homepages.
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QUICK SYNOPSIS: A year removed from sweeping the Northwest Collegiate Ski Conference regular-season titles, both College of Idaho alpine teams are poised for a big 2016 season. Returning nearly all of the top competitors on both teams, along with one of the best recruiting classes in program history, the Yotes and Lady Yotes are setting their sights on a bigger prize, the podium at the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association National Championships. LAST SEASON / SKIERS LOST: Both C of I teams 28
won the NWCSC regular-season titles – as the Lady Yotes were a perfect 5-for-5 in qualifying races, while the Coyotes won three events. Four Lady Yotes earned AllNWCSC honors, led by freshman Caroline Sanden Gustafsson, who was named NWCSC Skier of the Year after a dominant conference campaign, while three C of I men's athletes earned All-NWCSC honors. At the USCSA Western Regional, the Lady Yotes finished a strong second to Rocky Mountain – a team that eventually placed third at the USCSA National Championships, with the Coyote men using a second-
place finish in the slalom at the regional to propel themselves into the USCSA National Championships. At Nationals, the Yotes finished eighth in the alpine combined, while the Lady Yotes struggled to get three skiers with qualifying runs, finishing 16th overall. Both teams lost just one competitor from the 2015 season – as Sanden Gustafsson transferred from C of I to Sierra Nevada College, while sophomore Spencer Glenn chose not to compete this season. ABOUT THE COYOTES: The Coyotes return their top four competitors from the 2015 season, led by USCSA All-American Lucas Underkoffler, who placed fourth in the slalom and eighth in the alpine combined at last season's USCSA National Championships. Senior Zach Gould, a two-time All-NWCSC selection, returns, as does All-NWCSC competitor in sophomore B rady Nilsson , a long with sophomores Anthony Schifone and Colton Grainger. The depth of the team was bolstered with the addition of a pair of international skiers – in freshmen William Franzen and Elias Holmlund of Sweden, who each have experience competing at the Swedish National Championships. Also joining the team is two-sport athlete, Stearne Briem, who was an accomplished skier on the Northwest circuit during his high school years. "Our men's program is as strong as they have been in recent years," said Bonneau. "Having the experience of our returning competitors, along with a solid group of newcomers who have loads of competitive experience, gives our team the opportunity to achieve something special this season. It will be exciting to see who will make up our starting list each race and will be exciting to see them let it rip this winter." ABOUT THE LADY YOTES: The Lady Yotes will lean upon the leadership of the only two seniors in the program – Miyu Nakamura and Eleanor Tansley – to guide 11 underclassmen jockeying for spots in the scoring line-up. Nakamura is coming off her thirdstraight Top-5 finish in the NWCSC individual standings and a 17th-place finish in the slalom at the USCSA National Championships, while Tansley, a three-time AllNWCSC pick and a two-time freestyle All-American, placed 19th at nationals in the giant slalom. Sophomore Mary Totten returns after a banner season where she earned All-NWCSC honors and placed 11th in both the slalom and giant slalom at the USCSA Western Regionals. A deep recruiting class will add to the success
of the squad – including Elyse Burandt from Schweitzer Mountain, Beth Mixon from Mount Hood, Dana Randolph from Mount Shasta, Erin Skufca of Lake Placid, and Anna Granhed from Sweden – all impact freshmen with limitless potential. Newcomers A.J. Black, Lauren Downer and Christine Pantiledes , along with returners Emily Gahn and Megan Phelps add to the depth. "The women's team could be the deepest it has ever been, which is going to make my job difficult in trying to put ourselves in the right position to win," Bonneau said. "Training this year will be so important to determine who will play; the potential for this team is sky high."
SURVEYING THE NWCSC: The NWCSC will feature the same teams as last season – with British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, Oregon State-Cascades, Puget Sound, Washington, Washington State and Whitman all fielding teams. The biggest change comes from the stellar UBC program, which was dropped from varsity to club status due to department budget cuts, at the conclusion of 2015. Top men's returners including Nicholas Dodds of WSU and a pair of quality UBC skiers in Cameron Hale and Dimitri Djuricic, while WSU's Hailey Schur, Oregon's Megan Ganim and UBC's Sandra Gerlich all earned All-NWCSC honors last season. SCHEDULE (SNOW REPORTS): Unlike the past few years, snow is not an issue for the four NWCSC venues that will host qualifying events in 2016. Mount Hood Meadows (79-109 inch base); Mount Bachelor (115 inch base); 49-Degrees North (53-91 inch base); and Mission Ridge (51-58 inch base) are all at full operation and will be ready to host collegiate ski racing over the next month. The same cannot be said for the USCSA venues – as Red Lodge Mountain, site of the Western Regional, currently has a base of just 19 inches, while Whiteface Mountain at Lake Placid, site of the USCSA Championships, has a base of just 12 inches. RANKINGS: The 2016 CollegeSnowSports.com Top10 USCSA rankings will be released on Jan. 8. FOR MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the C of I alpine ski programs – including the 2016 Men's Roster / 2016 Women's Roster; 2016 Men's Schedule / 2016 Women's Schedule; and the NWCSC Standings, head to YoteAthletics.com for the Men's Skiing and Women's Skiing homepages. 29
Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 - Poll No.2 (Dec.8) RANK LAST WEEK 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 6 5 3 6 12 7 5 8 17 9 11 10 13 11 10 12 7 13 9 14 22 15 15 16 19 17 8 18 NR 19 RV 20 RV 21 13 21 16 23 RV 24 RV 25 24
SCHOOL (1st Place Votes)RECORDPOINTS Indiana Wesleyan (11) 15-1 312 Saint Francis (Ill.) (1) 13-1 299 Marian (Ind.) 15-1 288 Union (Ky.) 13-3 283 Davenport (Mich.) 13-3 266 Briar Cliff (Iowa) 15-2 256 Cornerstone (Mich.) 12-3 253 Saint Francis (Ind.) 13-3 234 College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 11-1 233 Warner (Fla.) 10-3 227 Southern Oregon 13-3 213 Bethel (Ind.) 12-3 196 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 15-5 185 Keiser (Fla.) 14-1 180 Tabor (Kan.) 14-3 175 Valley City State (N.D.) 13-3 163 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 7-5 134 Hastings (Neb.) 11-4 131 Northwest Christian (Ore.) 11-4 123 Indiana Tech 12-4 113 Bellevue (Neb.) 12-7 112 Robert Morris (Ill.) 12-4 112 Rio Grande (Ohio) 12-4 77 Warner Pacific (Ore.) 9-5 57 Aquinas (Mich.) 11-5 54
Others Receiving Votes: Grace (Ind.) 49; Rochester (Mich.) 42; Tennessee Wesleyan 42; Southwestern (Kan.) 37; Cal Maritime 26; Southeastern (Fla.) 24; Dordt (Iowa) 21; Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) 16; College of Idaho 7; Jamestown (N.D.) 7
Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 - Poll No.2 (Dec.8) RANK LAST WEEK 1 1 2 2 3 7 4 5 5 12 6 8 7 10 8 9 9 6 10 14 11 4 12 15 13 10 14 12 15 3 16 15 17 17 18 18 19 20 20 21 21 19 22 25 23 RV 24 NR 25 RV
SCHOOL (1st Place Votes)RECORDPOINTS Saint Xavier (Ill.) 17-0 250 Morningside (Iowa) 14-1 242 Marian (Ind.) 13-3 225 College of the Ozarks (Mo.) 13-2 218 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 13-1 215 Davenport (Mich.) 12-3 212 Saint Francis (Ill.) 13-1 204 Indiana Wesleyan 14-2 194 Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 12-3 181 Concordia (Neb.) 11-3 179 Briar Cliff (Neb.) 12-3 170 Southern Oregon 13-0 167 Jamestown (N.D.) 15-4 155 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 12-3 149 Hastings (Neb.) 11-4 135 Purdue Calumet (Ind.) 12-3 123 Bryan (Tenn.) 14-1 118 Haskell (Kan.) 13-3 109 Huntington (Ind.) 11-5 104 Tabor (Kan.) 10-6 91 Dickinson State (N.D.) 11-4 87 Lawrence Tech (Mich.) 10-1 74 Kansas Wesleyan 14-3 70 Warner Pacific (Ore.) 10-2 54 Milligan (Tenn.) 13-3 48
Others Receiving Votes: Indiana Northwest 37; Goshen (Ind.) 36; Southeastern (Fla.) 35; Oregon Tech 35; Friends (Kan.) 30; Asbury (Ky.) 18; Saint Ambrose (Iowa) 12
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Men’s Swimming Coaches’ Top 25 - Poll No.1 (Dec.10) RANK LAST WEEK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
SCHOOL (1st Place Votes) SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (3) Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) (2) West Virginia Tech Cumberlands (Ky.) Wayland Baptist (Texas) Lindenwood-Belleville (Ill.) St. Andrews (N.C.) Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Asbury (Ky.) Biola (Calif.)
POINTS 60 59 48 45 39 19 18 17 10 8
Women’s Swimming Coaches’ Top 25 - Poll No.1 (Dec.10) RANK LAST WEEK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
SCHOOL (1st Place Votes) SCAD Savannah (Ga.) (4) Brenau (Ga.) (1) Cumberlands (Ky.) Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) Biola (Calif.) College of Idaho West Virginia Tech Wayland Baptist (Texas) Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) Columbia (S.C.)
POINTS 63 57 49 46 35 22 18 16 14 9
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Cascade Conference Men’s Hoops Standings School Overall 11 Southern Oregon 13-4 19 Northwest Christian (Ore.) 11-4 24 Warner Pacific (Ore.) 9-5 RV College of Idaho 9-6 Corban (Ore.) 9-5 Eastern Oregon 7-9 Oregon Tech 12-4 Northwest (Wash.) 7-10 Evergreen (Wash.) 5-10 Multnomah (Ore.) 4-10 Walla Walla (Wash.) 2-12
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Conference 6-1 5-1 5-1 4-2 3-3 3-3 3-4 3-4 2-5 1-5 0-6
Cascade Conference Women’s Hoops Standings School 12 Southern Oregon 24 Warner Pacific (Ore.) Eastern Oregon RV Oregon Tech Northwest Christian (Ore.) Northwest (Wash.) Corban (Ore.) College of Idaho Multnomah (Ore.) Evergreen (Wash.) Walla Walla (Wash.)
Overall 14-0 10-5 9-6 11-5 8-6 7-9 7-8 3-9 3-11 1-11 0-13
Conference 7-0 5-1 5-1 5-2 4-2 3-4 2-4 2-4 1-5 1-6 0-6
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