Whitworth will honor four at homecoming
Whitworth will celebrate its 125th anniversary during its Oct. 11 homecoming with the induction of four former Pirates into the Heritage Gallery Hall of Fame.
Entering the hall will be former swimmer Samantha Kephart; former football player and track and field star Jock McLaughlin; former soccer player Haley Nichols; and former athletic director Scott McQuilkin, who will form the 25th class to enter the Whitworth hall of fame.
The honorees will be introduced at the halftime of the football game in the Pine Bowl versus Willamette.
• Kephart won two NCAA Division III titles in swimming and was a nine-time All-American during her Pirate career from 2005-08. She set a Division III national record in the 200-yard butterfly as a sophomore and won 10 Northwest Conference individual championships. She continues to hold the NWC meet and all-time records in both the 100 and 200 butterfly races.
• McLaughlin was a three-year starting lineman for the Pirates football team from 1963-65 and earned All-Evergreen Conference honors. On the track team, McLaughlin set the conference and NAIA District 1 records in the shot put. He finished as the NAIA national runner-up in the event in 1966. His record throw of 58’-3” in 1965 stood as a Whitworth school record for 45 years.
• Nichols helped the women’s soccer team win a pair of Northwest Conference of Independent Colleges championships in 1993 and 1995. She ranks second all-time in three offensive categories. The Pirates compiled a 46-22-6 record during her four years.
• McQuilkin served as the school’s athletic director from 1996-2009 and was recognized as the NCAA Division III West Region AD of the year for 2001-02.
He oversaw an expansion from 15 to 20 varsity sports. And, he supervised the addition of the Westside Athletics Complex, which serves softball, soccer and track. He also managed improvements to the Pine Bowl and the Whitworth Fieldhouse.
Prior to managing all the sports, McQuilkin coached the Whitworth baseball team from 1985-90 and won a NAIA District 1 championship.
Volleyball
Eastern Washington’s volleyball team has earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Award for the second consecutive season.
The designation is the 11th time the Eagles program has attained the honor.
The award was given to 134 NCAA Division I programs. Eastern earned the award, which is given to programs that maintain a minimum-cumulative GPA of 3.3, for seven consecutive seasons starting in 1999.
The award this year makes five for current coach Wade Benson, who is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the program after being treated for cancer.
Eastern kicks off its season on Aug. 24 with its annual alumni match.