Akey’s raise could be 100K

College football: A nearly $100,000 raise – that is what’s in store for Idaho football coach Robb Akey, who negotiated a new contract with UI after the team’s most successful season in 11 years.

The five-year deal, which will pay Akey more than $355,000 this year, must still be approved by the Idaho State Board of Education, which met Wednesday and today in Idaho Falls.

Akey’s new contract will start July 1 and pay him a base salary of $165,796.80. Media compensation will be $190,000 this year (making his total salary $355,796.80 in 2010) and increase to $230,000 in 2014.

Akey’s buyout ranges from $400,000 if he leaves before July 1, 2011, to $165,000 if he leaves before Dec. 16, 2014.

Josh Wright

Plantes Ferry to host NCAA event

Running: The 2011 and 2013 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Champ- ionships will be held in Spokane, the NCAA announced.

The championships will be co-hosted by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the Spokane Regional Sports Commission in partnership with the Plantes Ferry Athletic Complex and the Mirabeau Park Hotel.

The 2011 champ- ionships will be held Nov. 19 and the 2013 championships will be Nov. 23. Both will be at the Plantes Ferry Sports Complex.

“Over the past few years, the GNAC has established itself as one of the top two or three Division II cross country running conferences in the country so we are very pleased the NCAA has awarded us the national championships,” GNAC commissioner Richard Hannan said.

Last fall, five GNAC teams qualified for the Division II cross country championships.