Sunday Locals: Pendergraft joins Gonzaga as fund raiser
David Pendergraft, one of the more popular Gonzaga University athletes in recent years, has accepted the position of Director of Athletic Giving for the athletic department, GU athletic director Mike Roth announced.
“David will be a great fit for not only Gonzaga athletics but for the entire university …,” Roth said. “He is loyal to Gonzaga, already knows a lot about our fans and donors and will be effective in stewarding new benefactors as we move forward to make Bulldog athletics better.”
Pendergraft, a native of Brewster, where he helped the Bears to back-to-back Washington State 1A basketball championships as a junior and senior, was a four-year basketball letterman at GU, earning first-team All-West Coast Conference honors as a senior in 2008.
Pendergraft, 26, has been a member of Leadership Northwest, a Christian nonprofit organization, since 2009 and is the youngest of 10 board members who work with Spokane business leaders, local government and school officials.
“I cannot begin to express my excitement about the opportunity to work for the university and athletic department that has helped shape who I am today,” Pendergraft said.
Baseball
Five members of the 2011 Spokane Indians make up a quarter of the list of Baseball America’s top 20 prospects in the Northwest League, the magazine announced.
Selected among the league’s elite were:
No. 7 – Second baseman Rougned Odor, 17, the youngest player in the NWL who hit .262 with 10 stolen bases and was impressive on defense.
No. 8 – Catcher Jorge Alfaro, second on the Indians with a .300 batting average and named by Baseball America to its short-season all-star team.
No. 13 – Closer Matt West, a right-hander who had nine saves and 35 strikeouts against one walk in 26 innings.
No. 18 – Left-handed pitcher Will Lamb, who had a 3.89 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 37 innings. After a promotion to Class-A Hickory, N.C., he allowed just one earned run in four starts.
No. 20 – Reliever Kyle Hendricks, who had a 2-2 record and 1.93 ERA.
• Washington State coach Donnie Marbut announced the addition of 15 players to the Cougars this fall, including catcher Bryan Karwacki, a three-time All-Greater Spokane League selection at Gonzaga Prep who is transferring from Big Bend Community College, where he was first-team All-NWAACC.
The others: right-handed pitcher Tanner Chleborad (Rapid City, S.D.), second baseman Jordan Copeland (University Place, Wash.), right-handed pitcher Sean Hartnett (Kent, Wash.), left-handed pitcher Bryce Jackson (Kennewick), right-handed pitcher/first baseman Ty Jackson (Kennewick), catcher P.J. Jones (Vancouver, Wash.), and right-handed pitcher Avery Kain (Kent).
Also, left-handed pitcher Nick LaRoy (Kalama, Wash.), left-handed pitcher Joe Pistorese (Kalispell), outfielder Ben Roberts (Missoula), outfielder Yale Rosen (Oak Harbor, Wash.), infielder Ian Sagdal (East Wenatchee, Wash.), right-handed pitcher Kyle Swannack (Renton, Wash.) and third baseman Nick Tanielu (Federal Way, Wash.).
Bowling
Ryan Gately had to survive a roll-off just to make the cut, but after that it was pretty much clear sailing as he and adult partner Wade Rees won the Junior Bowlers Tour season-opening alumni tournament last Sunday at Valley Bowl.
Gately, who moved to fourth going into the five-team finals, and Rees knocked off three teams to get a shot at top qualifier Bry Tillett and partner Chad Dudley in the championship match. Gately and Rees won 403-346. Tillett and Dudley had charged from ninth to first in the final qualifying block.
Nik Gosselin and Todd Dudley, who had moved from 11th to second in the final fivesome, finished third; Steven Talbot and Brian Long, who jumped from 12th to third, placed fourth; and Karl Fencl and Adam Allen were fifth.
Cody Hurley, who led the early qualifying with an 862 four-game series, had high game of 290. Charstie Saville led the girls with a 213.
The next JBT is at Zeppoz in Pullman on Oct. 9.
College scene
Two Carroll College athletes with area ties were selected players of the week in their sports by the Frontier Conference last week.
Kristin Telin, a senior outside hitter from Central Valley, was honored in volleyball after averaging three kills per set, hitting .414 and throwing in three digs, a solo block and five assisted blocks as the Saints knocked off No. 10 Rocky Mountain in five sets.
Rhianna Grossman, a sophomore out of Lake City HS, was selected in women’s cross country after winning the small-school division and finishing 13th overall in the 3-mile Montana State Invitational.
Tennis
Gonzaga University men’s coach Peter MacDonald announced the addition of four newcomers to the Bulldogs’ roster.
Joining the Zags are Alvaro Nazal of Santiago, Chile, a high-ranked age-level player in his country; Vladimir Mijatovic of Belgrade, Serbia, where he was runner-up in his country’s under-18 team national championships; Olivier Jamin of Bordeaux, France, who helped his team win two national titles; and Chris Dalton of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., a league champion and section runner-up in doubles as a high school senior.
Wrestling
The first general meeting for Spokane-area officials will be Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the West Valley High School wrestling room.
Officials are asked to bring a three-ring binder. First-year officials need to be there at 6.
Info: Rich Tschirgi, spokanewrestling@ q.com.