Locally: Three from area named to NW softball shrine

Three former area players were selected last weekend for induction into the Amateur Softball Association Northwest Region 15 Hall of Fame.

Voted in during the regional council meeting in Boise were:

Shari Manikowski, an ASA All-American or most valuable player six times at women’s or coed national slowpitch tournaments; Mike Reeder, a first-team All-American or MVP eight times at men’s or coed national slowpitch tournaments; and Wade Liberty, a men’s fastpitch and modified pitcher, an All-American or MVP at eight national tournaments.

College scene

Tiera Como, Eastern Washington’s senior goalkeeper from East Valley, received the Golden Eagle award at the women’s soccer banquet last weekend.

The team’s top award is given to the person considered the most complete player on and off the field. Como is a two-time Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year with a 3.40 grade-point average.

Junior Carrie Conners was team co-defensive MVP with Como.

Other awards went to sophomore Melissa Guthrie and junior Shelly Ikerd, co-offensive MVPs; senior Kelsey Tufnail, the Emily Squires Award for academics; Kim Robinson, Iron Eagle for excellence in the weight room; and Abby Jensen of Sandpoint, the Silver Eagle as spring season MVP.

“Senior co-captain Kelly Rosin received the most valuable player award when Washington State honored its volleyball team with a banquet last weekend in Pullman.

The four-year starter ranks fifth all time in career kills with 1,113 and is 10th in career block assists and blocks.

Other awards went to senior co-captain April Lott, strength and conditioning for the second straight year; junior Tara West, coaches; sophomore Stephanie Weishaar, most improved; sophomore Brittany Johnson, scholar-athlete; and juniors Adetokunbo Faleti and Maureen Perez, co-inspirational athlete award.

“Eight area athletes are among 43 from Eastern Washington with at least a 3.20 GPA who were named to Big Sky Conference fall All-Academic teams.

Football: Nick Denbeigh, senior, Lewis and Clark, communication studies; Kevin Hatch, freshman, Freeman, computer science; Brett Igbinoba, Cheney, Fr., psychology; Jacob Kragt, Ritzville, Fr., biology; Tom McAndrews, Mead, junior, finance; and Marcus Walker, Pullman, sophomore, chemistry.

Women’s soccer: Tiera Como, East Valley, Sr., mathematics education; and Abby Jensen, Sandpoint, So., criminal justice.

“Angela Gimeno, a 5-foot-6 Montana Tech sophomore guard from St. George’s, was the Frontier Conference women’s basketball player of the week for her play in two wins last weekend.

Gimeno averaged 15.5 points, three rebounds, two assists and 1.5 steals and made 45 percent of her field goals, including 56 percent on 3-pointers.

Cross country

Casey Hampton, a senior at Bonners Ferry High School, has signed a letter of intent to run for the Lewis-Clark State College women’s team, Warriors coach Mike Collins announced.

Hampton placed 11th in the Idaho State 3A meet in both her junior and senior years. Her team placed third in 2005 and second in 2006.

Miscellany

Eastern Washington University has added five people to its athletic department staff since the fall.

The newest Eagles are Augustine “Augie” Hernandez, head equipment manager, who was the equipment attendant at Fresno State, where he received a bachelor’s degree in 2006; Matt MacDonald, assistant sports information director, who spent the last two years at the University of Tennessee; and Chelle Pell, a 1998 graduate of EWU, associate director of the Eagle Athletic Association. She worked at Eastern from 1997-99 and was at Stanford from 2001-06.

Also, the men’s and women’s tennis teams named Darren Haworth, a graduate assistant at Redlands from 2003-06, an assistant coach, and Jan Steenekamp, a 2006 graduate of Montana, a program assistant.