Locally
Chiefs to hold forum for fans
The Spokane Chiefs will hold an open forum for the general public on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Spokane Arena.
General manager Tim Speltz along with representatives from the Chiefs front office will be on hand to address any questions fans may have in regards to the Spokane Chiefs.
“Our fans are our most important resource and we appreciate any feedback that we receive from them … we think this will be a good opportunity to hear from our fans,” Speltz said.
Guests will be updated on promotional and team changes and will be given the opportunity to ask questions of Chiefs management.
Administration
Scott Barnes, Eastern Washington University’s athletic director the past six years, was named the 2004-05 West Region NCAA Division I-AA/I-AAA GeneralSports TURF Systems A.D. of the Year.
Barnes received the award, selected by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, Thursday at the group’s annual convention in Buena Vista, Fla.
Barnes oversees a staff of about 50 coaches and support staff, with 14 sports for 300 men and women student-athletes. Eastern competes at the NCAA Division I level and has been a member of the Big Sky Conference since 1987.
Baseball
The Kansas City Royals will conduct an open tryout camp Monday at Lake City High School in Coeur d’Alene.
Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.
American Legion players need written permission from their coach to participate.
Info: Greg Smith, (509) 253-4601.
Basketball
Gonzaga University men’s coach Mark Few was recently given the Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award for his personal commitment to help fund cancer research and diminish suffering for those afflicted with the disease.
Few received his award at the National Association of Basketball Coaches Award Show at the Millennium Hotel in New York.
In presenting the award, former University of Missouri coach Norm Stewart noted that Few’s “countless hours off the court to support the cancer cause has elevated his community-based Coaches vs. Cancer program to new heights.”
For the past three years, Few and his wife, Marcy, have co-chaired the Coaches vs. Cancer BasketBall Gala and Celebrity Golf Classic and have raised more than $850,000 for the American Cancer Society.
This year’s Gala and Golf Classic will be held Aug. 26-27. For more information on the event, call Jerid Keefer at (509) 242-8300.
College scene
Two athletes who helped lead Community Colleges of Spokane to titles are the school’s scholar-athletes of the month for May.
Megan Bruce, a sophomore from Kennewick, received the female award after her fifth-place finish at the NWAACC golf tournament led CCS to a third straight team championship. She was the team captain and medalist for 2005.
Luke Farden, a freshman pitcher on the baseball team from Shorewood in Seattle, won the male award. Farden, who had a 9-1 record and 2.19 earned run average, pitched the game that clinched the Eastern Region title for the Sasquatch and won the opening game at the NWAACC tournament, where CCS finished fourth. He has a 3.06 GPA.
“Santa Clara cross country standout Robin Bell from Spokane (Gonzaga Prep) was the female recipient of a West Coast Conference Post-Graduate Scholarship.
Bell is graduating with a 3.96 grade-point average in mechanical engineering with Summa Cum Laude distinction. She was a three-time WCC All-Academic member and a four-time member of Santa Clara’s School of Engineering Dean’s List.
A four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain, Bell led SCU to four top-four finishes at the WCC Championships, including the program’s first conference title in 2001 when she was named the WCC Freshman of the Year.
“Whitworth swimmer Cory Bergman has been named to the first team on the 2004-05 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division men’s at-large team.
The senior from Bellingham, a second-team selection a year ago, graduated this spring with a 3.938 GPA with a double major in biology and religion.
“Jessica Weidert, a 2004 Mead graduate and freshman swimmer at Wright State, shared the Peg Wynkoop Female Athlete of the Year award at the Dayton, Ohio, school.
Weidert won two Horizon League championships, was named the league’s top newcomer and received the team’s MVP award.
“Danielle Ayers-Stamper, Seattle Pacific’s much-honored junior from LaCrosse, added another trophy to her mantle when she was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference female athlete of the year for 2004-05.
Other accolades bestowed upon the four-time NCAA Division II All-American this spring included the GNAC female track and field athlete of the year.
Soccer
Former Gonzaga University women’s soccer players Annie and Sarah Hawkins have signed contracts to play professionally with the QBIK team in Sweden.
Annie, a two-time, first-team All-West Coast Conference selection, is playing with the Utah U-23 state team at a regional tournament in San Bernardino, Calif. She will participate in a U.S. National team camp in Carson, Calif. on July 1 to train with the B team. After that, she will go to Sweden to join her twin sister and the QBIK team to close out the season.
Annie finished the 2004 season at GU with seven goals and two assists for 16 points. She ranks second all-time in goals with 26, assists with nine and total points with 61. She also is tied for first on the single-season goals list with 13 in 2003.
Sarah, a 2004 All-WCC second-team pick, will join the Swedish team at the end of June. She had a team-leading 18 points in 2004 on seven goals and four assists. She ranks fourth all-time at GU in career goals with 14 and is tied for fourth in total points with 36.
Volleyball
Rachael Schurman of Mead, the two-time State 4A Player of the Year, has signed a national letter of intent with Central Washington, the Wildcats announced.
Schurman, a 6-foot middle blocker on Mead’s two-time state champions and two-time All-Greater Spokane League first-team selection, also was selected as one of the top 150 high school volleyball players in the country by PrepVolleyball.com.
“Kasey Blevins from Ferris has accepted a scholarship to play at North Idaho College, her family announced.