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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

U-Hi Grad A Finalist For Ncaa Honor

From Staff Reports

Shelly Bartlett of Spokane has made the cut. The University High School graduate, a senior gymnastics standout at the University of Nebraska, is one of 10 finalists for the NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The honor will be bestowed Oct. 19 during the seventh annual awards dinner in Kansas City, Mo.

Bartlett is Nebraska’s representative among 51 state-level nominees. Nominees were selected on their athletic, academic and community achievement. Bartlett, who highlighted her senior season by winning the Big 12 Conference all-around title and earning All-American honors at the NCAA Championships, was given the school’s highest honor in 1997 when she was chosen female athlete of the year. The four-time national scholar-athlete will graduate in May.

College scene

For three years, Jeremi Bauer of Spokane (Shadle Park) was a wide receiver for the SUNY Brockport, N.Y., football team, mostly distinguishing himself as a kick-return specialist.

Two games into his senior season, he distinguished himself as a defensive back, his new position.

In a 10-9 win over Plymouth State, Bauer blocked an extra point that enabled the Golden Eagles to pull out the victory, intercepted two passes, one at the Brockport 3-yard line, had three tackles and broke up two passes.

The performance earned Bauer the NCAA Division III Eastern College Athletic Conference defensive player of the week award, as well as a share of the school’s athlete of the week award.

“Jeremi has been a strong player for us for all four years,” said Brockport coach Rocco Salomone. “As a wide receiver his first three years, he played special teams and did a great job. He showed he could hit and cover. This year, we needed help at cornerback, and we knew he was a great defensive player in high school, so we made the switch. He … is doing a fine job.”

Brockport is 3-0.

Ryan Wittstruck of Spokane (Gonzaga Prep), a freshman goalkeeper for the Puget Sound men’s soccer team, has allowed just two goals in his first eight matches, earning six shutouts.

Leah Wiiest of Deer Park continues to have a sizzling sophomore season for the Cornell University women’s volleyball team.

Last weekend, Wiiest had a career-high 30 kills in a win over Niagara, just one short of the Big Red school record.

Hockey

The Spokane Devils women’s team finished second in the Western Women’s Hockey Tournament last weekend in Ogden, Utah.

Women interested in playing on the team should contact Sheri Rasmussen at (509) 448-4757 (evenings) or (509) 747-2578 (days).

Feel left out when your friends, who are Spokane Chiefs fans, start talking hockey? Want to get excited about the Memorial Cup being in Spokane next spring, but don’t know anything about the game?

Well, the Community Colleges of Spokane’s Institute of Extended Learning and the Chiefs are teaming up for a one-night class to clue you in.

“Hockey Fever - Get in the Game” will be presented Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. on Spokane Community College’s Greene Street campus. Don Jamieson, director of business operations for the Chiefs, will be the instructor. Cost is $16, which includes a ticket to a Wednesday night Chiefs game.

Info: Beverly Robertson, (509) 533-3748.

Horse racing

Tim McCanna, a Gonzaga Prep graduate and former leading trainer at Playfair Race Course, won two awards at the recently concluded summer meeting at Emerald Downs.

McCanna was the top trainer with a track-record 52 wins. The 35-year-old also won the Martin Durkan Award that goes to a horsemen for sportsmanship and inspiration.

Soccer

The University of Idaho, which will begin a women’s soccer program in 1998, has begun a nationwide search for a coach.

“We’re really excited to start this process,” said Kathy Clark, senior associate athletic director.

Deadline is Nov. 7. A coach is expected to be hired by midDecember. The Vandals will be one of 10 Big West Conference schools offering women’s soccer. Their first match will be Aug. 30, 1998, at Washington State University.

Initially, six scholarships will be available, phasing in to the NCAA maximum 12 by 2000. In addition to a full-time head coach, there will be a graduate assistant hired for 1998. Student-athletes interested in playing soccer at Idaho are encouraged to call Clark at (208) 885-0200.

Softball

Tori Mills, an All-Greater Spokane League pitcher from Central Valley, has signed to play for Spokane Falls Community College next spring.

Mills, new SFCC coach Janet Skaife’s first recruit, had a 13-3 regular-season record for CV. She also batted nearly .500 and is expected to play some in the infield, Skaife said.

The coach said walk-on Rachel Cox of Colville also figures in the Sasquatch’s plans at shortstop or center field.

Sullivan Scoreboard Tavern of Spokane and Coeur d’Alene returned from Hastings, Neb., last week with second place and three All-American awards from a men’s national slowpitch tournament.

Sullivan lost 20-16 to Jerry’s of Fayetteville, N.C., in the title game after beating the same team 26-18 in the winners’ bracket final of the 96-team tournament.

First-team All-Americans were Mike Reeder, shortstop; Mike Olsen, pitcher; and Wade DeGeest, left fielder.

Volleyball

Less than 2,700 tickets remain for the 1997 NCAA Women’s Division I Championships Dec. 18 and 20 in the Spokane Arena. The Arena seats 11,400 for volleyball.

Ticket orders have been mailed, said Jack Lucas of G&B Select-A-Seat. He said tickets, sold in two-day packages, are available through G&B outlets at $35, $25 and $15. Single-day tickets will be sold only on the day of the event if the Final Four isn’t sold out in advance, Lucas said.

The event is expected to be sold out “well in advance,” said Arena general manager and tournament director Kevin Twohig.

The semifinals are tentatively set for 6 and 8 p.m. Dec. 18, with the finals Dec. 20 to begin at noon.

Awards

Steve and Dora Witiuk of Spokane are heading into separate halls of fame in their native Manitoba.

Steve, a former Spokane Comets and Jets hockey player, was inducted into the Manitoba hockey hall of fame last week in Winnipeg. Another ex-Comet, Ray Brunel, also was inducted into the hall.

Witiuk’s wife, Dora, who played in the AllAmerican Girls Baseball League from 1943-54, is scheduled to be inducted into the Manitoba sports hall of fame next year.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo