Ex-Gonzaga Coach Gets National Role

Former Gonzaga University volleyball coach Sean Madden has been hired as a technical assistant for the USA Volleyball women’s national team.

Madden, who resigned at Gonzaga in October 1996 for personal reasons, will work under newly named U.S. national team coach Mick Haley.

Madden, who will live year-round in Colorado Springs, Colo., site of the U.S. Olympic training center, said among his responsibilities will be individual work with athletes. He also will devote a lot of time with state-of-the-art equipment.

“It is what I wanted more than anything,” he said. “I’ll be living and working with all the high-tech toys.”

Madden’s coaching background includes stints in Sri Lanka and New Guinea. This spring, he coached the San Jose Storm of the Professional Volleyball League.

Baseball

The Spokane Blue Devils American Legion team will hold an informational meeting Monday at 7 p.m. in the gymnasium at Shadle Park High School for those interested in playing on the team.

Blue Devils players come from North Central, Shadle Park, Lakeside, Deer Park, Chewelah, Northwest Christian, St. George’s and Springdale high schools.

Info: Lance Rickman, (509) 326-6912.

Spokane’s A and AA American Legion programs are in need of several coaches and sponsors for the 1997 season.

Info: Dennis Thompson, (509) 624-5789.

Basketball

Quentin Hall, a 5-foot-8 point guard from Yakima Valley College, has signed a letter of intent to attend Gonzaga University, said GU coach Dan Monson.

Hall, a native of Freeport, Grand Bahama, averaged a team-high 16.8 points in leading the Indians to third place in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Tournament and a school-best 26-5 record. He was the NWAACC’s Eastern Region MVP and a member of the association’s all-tournament team.

Here is a list of some of the area youth tournaments in May. Most entry deadlines are two to three weeks before the event. Contact officials for details:

May 9-11, 11th annual Pacific Northwest AAU Region XII Championships, girls grades 3-9, same high school and high school select. Info: Paul Campbell, (509) 453-2696.

May 16-18, 11th annual Pacific Northwest AAU Region XII Championships, boys grades 2-9, same high school and high school select. Info: Paul Campbell, (509) 453-2696.

College scene

Freshman Lisa Wasinger is the first Gonzaga University women’s golfer to earn All-West Coast Conference honors following her third-place tie in the WCC Championship last week.

Wasinger shot 84-83-167 to finish eight strokes behind medalist Maria Borjesson of San Francisco (78-81-159). USF won the inaugural WCC women’s team title with a 670. Gonzaga, one of four WCC schools to sponsor women’s golf, shot 715.

Wasinger was as high as 85th in the collegiate rankings this season.

Golf

The University of Idaho men’s team signed Ryan Benzel from Ritzville to a national letter of intent, Vandals coach Don Rasmussen announced.

Benzel placed second in last year’s Washington A-B high school championships. He also took first last year in the Washington Junior Golf Championships.

Gymnastics

Two members of the Northwest Gymnastics Academy’s young men’s team qualified for the Junior Olympics Nationals in Orlando, Fla., May 16-18 with their performances in the Region II Championships last weekend in Anchorage, Alaska.

Aaron Sheck will be making his third straight national appearance and Dillon Reeve his first.

Sheck was sixth in the all-around with a 40.25 and Reeve second on the pommel horse (7.65), both in Level II, to advance.

Other NWGA competitors and their best regional finish:

Level IV-Steven Dunn, 1st all-around (with a season-best 45.225), 1st rings (7.95); Brian Velategui, 1st pommel horse (7.45); Nick Antich, 6th all-around (42.65), 1st floor exercise (8.20); Stewart Renz, 5th all-around (42.925), 2nd pommel horse (7.45); Matthew Croskrey, 8th in floor ex (7.85) and pommel horse (6.90). Level VI (age 10-11)-Paul Hannibal, 5th all-around (51.60), 3rd vault (9.13) and high bar (8.75).

Skiing

Schweitzer Mountain stole the show at the Jimmie Heuga Toyota Ski Express finals last weekend in Vail, Colo.

Teams from the mountain were first and fourth in skiing and first in fund-raising, and Schweitzer was the top fund-raising resort.

“We were the talk of the event,” said Mike Altringer, a member of Ski Crud Club, which placed first in the competition involving 30 resorts.

Teammates were Dave Black and Brandon Moon. Boys on Boards - Mark Buescher, Rick Weigand and John Layman - were fourth.

The Dirt Brothers from Schweitzer raised a leading $77,000, while the resort raised $133,000 for the fight against multiple sclerosis. As top fund-raisers, Brock Byers, Bill Goyen and Phil Carstens received Toyota RAV4’s to drive for a year.

Track and field

The Cheney Track Club will begin its season April 28 with a 3:30 p.m. practice at Cheney High. First competition will be the Cheney Spring Thing on May 24.

The club is open to all ages with emphasis on 7- to 18-year-olds.

Info: Lawson or Ruth Van Kuren, (509) 235-4762.

Volleyball

Colfax High School senior Angie Hall will attend Eastern Washington University to play volleyball, Eagles coach Pamela Parks said.

Hall, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter, has been a three-time All-Northeast A League selection in both volleyball and basketball. Sue Doering, a former EWU setter, is Hall’s high school coach.

Hall currently is being coached by Parks and Community College of Spokane coach Irene Matlock.

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