EWU’s Schuller coach of the year

Women’s basketball: Wendy Schuller, who led Eastern Washington to its first Big Sky Conference women’s basketball regular-season title, was voted coach of the year by her peers.

The Eagles went 12-4 in winning the conference by two games and take a 19-11 record into the WNIT tournament. Eastern plays at Oregon on Thursday, its first appearance in the postseason since its only trip to the NCAA tournament in 1987.

Coaches and media had picked the Eagles to finish seventh after missing the conference tournament the previous three seasons.

Dave Trimmer

Forzani leaves WSU team

College football: Wide receiver Johnny Forzani has left the Washington State University Cougars football team, a school spokesperson confirmed Tuesday.

Forzani, who came to Washington State last fall after playing basketball in Canada for two years, played in 10 games in a reserve role for the Cougars as a junior.

He caught nine passes for 265 yards (a team-best 29.4-yard average), including a school-record 99-yard touchdown against Arizona State. He also had eight tackles on special teams.

The reason for Forzani’s decision is unclear, though Cougfan.com, citing unnamed sources, reported that Forzani intends to try out for the CFL this spring.

Vince Grippi

Golden puck headed to Hall

Hockey: The gold-medal puck is going to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Sidney Crosby used it to score the game-winner in the 3-2 overtime thriller against the U.S. in the Olympics final on Feb. 28.

It will be displayed at the Hall in Toronto.

“I am happy to see that the puck is going to the Hockey Hall of Fame,” Crosby said in a statement. “I feel very lucky to have been part of that team and that game as well, and I am glad hockey fans will get the chance to share the moment by seeing things like the overtime-winning puck up close.”

Associated Press