Owen lands spot for coveted award

Melinda Owen, who completed a stellar University of Idaho track and field career last spring, is the Western Athletic Conference nominee for the 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

From a list of 130 across three divisions – I, II and III – a winner in each division will be announced at an awards dinner Oct. 19 in Indianapolis.

Owen, from Polson, Mont., is a six-time WAC pole vault champion, 2007 All-American and conference record-holder and placed 10th in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. In the classroom, she was a three-time WAC All-Academic selection who was named to the ESPN The Magazine All-District first team and was on the Academic All-America third team.

Baseball

Lewiston native Allen Balmer, a former NAIA World Series most valuable player for Lewis-Clark State College, has been named assistant coach at his alma mater.

Balmer, a third baseman from 2002-06 who helped the Warriors win two NAIA World Series titles after a multisport career at Lewiston High School, replaces Matt Vogel and Roberto Saenz on coach Ed Cheff’s staff.

College scene

Nine members of the Gonzaga baseball team earned all-league recognition during summer play.

Receiving honors were: senior infielder Evan Wells, Alaskan Summer League, first team; senior infielder Jason Chatwood, Western Major League Baseball, second team; and junior center fielder Drew Heid, West Coast Collegiate Baseball League most valuable player for the Bend Elks.

Others earning All-WCCL honors were pitcher Steve Ames, who has transferred to GU from Columbia Basin College, first team, and senior pitcher A.J. Proszek, redshirt junior catcher Tyson Van Winkle, incoming freshman infielder Ernesto Ortiz, incoming Walla Walla Community College transfer pitcher Jake Hiatt and Treasure Valley Community College transfer third baseman Cameron Edman, all honorable mention.

Also, senior outfielder Grant Kvedar played for Team Canada.

•Abby Goss, freshman midfielder/forward on the Puget Sound women’s soccer team from University High School, scored her first collegiate goal in 15 minutes of playing time in the fifth-ranked Loggers’ 4-2 loss to Concordia (Ore.) last Sunday.

•The North Idaho College women’ basketball team earned National Junior College Athletic Association Academic All-America honors. To qualify, a team needs a 3.0 grade-point average.

In addition, Cardinals sophomore basketball player Danika Lawson was named Outstanding Female Student-Athlete of the Year by the NIC athletics department last year.

Tennis

The Spokane Athletic Club women’s 4.0 team will compete in the 2008 USTA League Tennis Adult National Championships Sept. 26-28 in Tucson, Ariz.

It qualified by beating Multnomah Athletic Club of Portland 3-2 in the final of the Pacific Northwest Section Championships last month in the Portland area.

Kristina Van Breda Kolff captains the team. Other members are Lida Michael, Lisa Greer, Janelle Johnson, Ann Gillespie, Connie Allum, Margaret Lindsay, Carole Trefts, Liz Melville, Kathleen Burns, Gaylin Severs, Sandra Tiffany and Catherine Gullickson.

Track and field

George Mathews of Hayden Lake won three events in the men’s 65-69 age division at the USA Track & Field Masters National Throws Championships last weekend in Seattle.

He won the 20-pound weight throw with a mark of 62 feet, 3 inches and the 44-pound superweight at 33-41/4.

His throws in winning the ultraweight championship were: 20 pounds, 57-11; 44 pounds, 32-1/4; 56 pounds, 24-2; 98 pounds, 9-81/4; and 200 pounds, 4-111/2.