NIC adds Knowles to basketball staff
Former Lake City High School basketball coach Kris Knowles has joined the North Idaho College men’s basketball staff this season after coaching for 11 years with the Timberwolves.
“I know Kris enjoyed his time as a coach at Lake City, but it has been his dream to be a college basketball coach and he is a great addition to our staff,” NIC head men’s coach Jared Phay said.
Knowles, who rounds out Phay’s staff, spent two seasons (2003-05) at Lake City as the head boys coach and was an assistant on the 2008 girls state championship team.
The Coeur d’Alene High graduate, who helped lead the Vikings to three straight state tournament appearances, will continue to teach at Lake City.
College scene
Hilary Koenigs, the Vassar freshman from Lewis and Clark who “owned” the Liberty League’s rookie of the week award in volleyball, has added three end-of-the-season awards to her illustrious resume.
Koenigs, who led the league in set-assists with 1,067, an average of 9.36 per set, was named the Liberty League rookie of the year, made the all-tournament team after Vassar finished second to top-seeded Clarkson, and was given honorable mention on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-New York Region team.
She was the league rookie of the week seven times and performer of the week once.
Her assist total is No. 4 all time on the Vassar single-season list and seventh on the school’s career list.
•Allison Hatcher from Mead, representing the University of Oregon Running Club, earned second-team All-America acclaim after finishing 25th in the National Intercollegiate Running Club Association national cross country championships last weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. She was the third finisher for Oregon, which finished second.
•Brett Tobin, a 2008 graduate from Lakeland High in Rathdrum, is playing hockey for NCAA Division III St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. Tobin is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound defender for the Tommies.
•Peter Miller, a Washington State sophomore from Shadle Park, received honorable mention on the Pac-10 All-Academic team in men’s cross country with a 3.15 grade-point average.
•Washington State sophomore women’s soccer players Tiara Pittman (3.62 GPA), from Mt. Spokane High, and Ali Fenter (3.35), from Shadle Park, were named honorable mention on the Pac-10 All-Academic team.
Football
Jim Strom received the Larry Becker/Chic Sale Award when the Inland Empire Football Officials Association passed out postseason honors.
Other awards went to: Bob DeVleming and Ron Shafer, official of the year; Dick Brautigam, referee of the year; Steve Felker, back judge of the year; Dan Duncan, umpire of the year; Jim Warrick, line judge of the year; Bob Guerin, head linesman of the year; CB Wentling, rookie of the year; and John Steele, the Jack Shagool Apprentice of the Year.
Prep scene
The Greater Spokane League, in conjunction with the National Electrical Contractors Association and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, has announced its 10th annual scholar-athlete award winners for fall sports.
Winners by school:
Central Valley – Becky White, slowpitch softball; Jacob Miller, football. East Valley – Alyssa Dorr, volleyball; Joey Meade, football. Ferris – Hannah Peacock, cross country; Adam Thorne, cross country. Gonzaga Prep – Sara Metzger, cross country; Brian Schneider, football. Lewis and Clark – Danielle Estelle, cross country; Mick Juarez, football.
Mead – Chelsey Pangborn, volleyball; Bo Tully, football. Mt. Spokane – Holleigh Bergstrom, soccer; Ashton Boothroyd, football; North Central – Heather Kubik, cross country; Jared Campasino, football; Rogers – Melinda Wright, soccer; Robert VanGundy, football. Shadle Park – Andrea Nelson, cross country; James Kent, cross country. University – Ashley Moon, volleyball; Tony Tabish, football.
Softball
Lauren Maloney of North Idaho College, an All-Region 18 and All-Region 18 tournament selection last spring, has signed a letter of intent with Stony Brook University, an NCAA Division I school in New York, NIC announced.
Maloney batted .398 with 13 doubles, six triples, nine home runs and 32 stolen bases for the Cardinals as a sophomore.
Track and field
Quarter-miler Ryan Barrett, from Graham, Wash., and shot putter Jacob Weintraub, from Redondo Beach, Calif., have signed to compete for Washington State starting in the spring, Cougars coach Rick Sloan announced.
Barrett, who is transferring from Clark Community College, was the 2007 Washington 4A 400-meter champion as a high school senior. At Clark, he has earned seven All-America awards.
Weintraub has been the state community college runner-up in the shot put the last two seasons at El Camino College. His best shot put has been 57 feet, 21/4 inches and his best discus heave is 158-5.