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Gonzaga University Athletics

Locally: Papermill Printing teams excel at Washington State Senior Games

News services

Several local athletes recently earned gold medals while competing in the Washington State Senior Games held in Olympia.

In the men’s basketball 60-64 age division, Papermill Printing Team, including Terry Souhrada, Dave Huss, K. Baumgartner and Bill Tri, won the gold medal.

In the 65-69 age-division, Papermill Printing Team 1, including Jon Heimbigner, Jack Soliday, Dan Steward and Mike Bourn, also won the gold medal.

In the same age division, the Papermill Team 2, consisting of Bill Maxey, Doug Watson, Mike Etter and Dave Wilson, won the silver medal.

In the free-throw competition for the 65-69 age class, Soliday made all 25 shots to take the gold. Watson hit 20 of 25 attempts to capture the silver.

In the hot shot competition (shots from five positions on the court), Soliday scored 46 points to take gold and Watson scored 45 to take the silver.

In 19 years competing in the games, the Papermill Printing Teams have compiled a 93-17 record to win 29 gold medals, two silver and one bronze, Heimbigner said.

Basketball

For the third consecutive season, the Eastern Washington men’s team received the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Excellence Award.

Also named to the NABC Honors Court were graduating forward Venky Jois, of Boronia, Australia; and returning senior Julian Harrell, of Los Angeles. The award requires a cumulative grade-point average of 3.2 or higher.

Jois, who averaged 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds, graduated with a degree in interdisciplinary studies with a 3.38 GPA. Harrell averaged 8.3 points and 2.8 rebounds. He had a 3.89 GPA as an interdisciplinary/liberal arts major

Also receiving the same NABC Honors Court awards were Washington State graduate Junior Longrus and rising senior Josh Hawkinson.

Longrus, of Oakland, California, graduated in May with a double major in management operations and accounting and finished with a 3.38 GPA. He averaged 1.8 points and 2.3 rebounds a game.

Hawkinson, of Shoreline, Washington, holds a 3.33 GPA in management operations. He led the Pac-12 in rebounding, averaging 15.4 points and 11.1 boards a game.

The Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association announced new selections for induction into its Hall of Fame.

The inductees included Darcy Weisner, who coached at Brewster, Burlington and Shadle Park; Mike Thacker, who coached at Tonasket, Moses Lake, Freeman and Liberty; and Mike Hull, who coached at Pateros.

Longtime Spokane journalist and statistician Bill Pierce received the Ed Pepple Service Award for positive contributions to high school basketball.

Boxing

Spokane boxer Israel Alvarez, 16, recently advanced to the finals in the Junior Golden Gloves nationals in Mesquite, Nevada. Alvarez (Lewis and Clark) lost a split decision to Shaquell Jervey, of New York, in the finals for the 145-pound weight class, his trainer Ray Kerwick said.

Golf

The Gonzaga men’s team has been named to the Golf Coaches Association of America All-Academic Team.

The Bulldogs were among only 24 programs to receive the President’s Special Recognition status for having a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. Gonzaga posted a team GPA of 3.66.

Soccer

The Gonzaga men’s team added a goalkeeper who has transferred from Oregon State.

Carter Auth, of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, has been added to the 2016 signing class, coach Einar Thorarinsson said in a news release.

“Carter will add depth and experience to our group of goalkeepers,” Thorarinsson said. “With a year of college soccer under his belt, he will be ready to compete and help to improve our team.”

Washington Youth Soccer recently named a team of the best female players to come from the state as part of its 50th anniversary.

The panel of longtime Washington soccer experts put together a roster of 18 players. On the list was Kim Stiles Calkins, of Spokane, who played at the University of Portland and was a member of the U.S. U-21 and Women’s National Team pools.

Calkins was drafted in 2000 by the Boston Breakers of the WUSA. She retired in 2002. Last year, Washington Youth Soccer named her as its technical director.

Tennis

The Eastern Washington men’s team recently earned its first Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team award. To be eligible, a team must have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher.

The Eagles also had six players named to the ITA All-Scholar list, tying them for the most selections in the Big Sky Conference.

Those players are juniors Robert Dula, Rendell Burghard and Luke Ness of Coeur d’Alene; senior Eduardo Bringold; sophomore Vuk Vuckovic and freshman Victor Pereira.

Track and field

Four Eastern Washington athletes have been named to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross and Country Coaches Association All-Academic team.

Senior distance runner Katie Mahoney; senior thrower Kaytlyn Coleman; and junior distance runners Paula Gil Echevarria and Sarah Reiter were named to the team.

To qualify, the athletes must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 and finish in the national top 96 in an individual event or in the national top 48 in a relay event.

Also named to the team were Gonzaga’s Maggie Jones and Shelby Mills, who finished 17th in the nation in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Both Bulldogs men’s and women’s teams also earned All-Academic Team honors.

The Idaho Vandals men’s and women’s teams also received the team honors.

Senior Kinsey Gomez, of Coeur d’Alene, was named to the all-academic team. A second-team All-American in the 10,000 meters, Gomez also was the recipient of the Elite 90 Award, given annually to the athlete with the highest GPA at each of the championship sites in all NCAA sports.

Volleyball

Eastern Washington earned its fourth consecutive Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association.

The Eagles were among 762 teams to receive the honor, which requires the team to maintain a GPA of at least 3.30. Eastern has received the award 13 times in program history.

Idaho recently earned its sixth consecutive team academic award from the same association.

The Vandals were one of 132 NCAA Division I teams to receive the award, which requires a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or higher.