Locally: Eastern women net academic honor

The Eastern Washington University women’s basketball team was named to the 2006-07 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll list for NCAA Division I teams for the fifth consecutive year.

The Eagles finished eighth among all Division I schools with a cumulative grade point average of 3.47.

2006-07 EWU women’s basketball team roster: Phynique Allen, Katy Baker, Sydney Benson, Joanna Chadd, Kari Darnell, Leah Gonnella, Danielle Greaby, Tara Holgate, Jessica Huntington, Ashley Knight, Amanda Murdoch, Brittney Osborn and Nicole Scott.

Rowing

Spokane rower Jamie Redman helped the United States women’s 8 take first place at the World Rowing U-23 Championships in Strathclyde, Scotland, on Friday.

The Americans finished the 2,000-meter course in 6 minutes, 32.04 seconds.

Former Washington State rower Sarah Waterfield was part of the Canadian team that took fourth place (6:39.90).

“Four Gonzaga women’s rowers competed at the U.S. Rowing Club National Championships July 18-21 in Pennsauken, N.J.

Senior Kelly Steinhaus helped the Potomac Boat Club capture gold in the intermediate 4x race while recent graduate Nicole Aadland-Lewis and senior Cory Nelson earned silver in the intermediate 8+ heat while competing with the Vesper Boat Club.

Sophomore Liz Moore and the Austinburg Boat Club finished second in its intermediate 2x heat but missed a chance to compete in the finals after placing sixth in the semifinals.

Running

Spokane’s Dr. Lisa Bliss was the top female finisher at the 2007 Badwater Ultramarathon, which ended Wednesday in California.

Bliss, racing for Team St. Luke’s, finished the 135-mile course from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney in 34 hours, 33 minutes and 40 seconds.

Softball

Jennie Shollenberger, a University High graduate, has been hired as an assistant coach at Portland State University.

Shollenberger will work with Vikings catchers and outfielders.

After graduating from U-Hi in 2002, Shollenberger played three years at Division II North Dakota State. She transferred to Portland State and started every game of the Vikings’ 2006 38-20 Pacific Coast Softball Conference championship and NCAA Division I regional qualifying season.

Shollenberger spent last season as a student assistant while completing her undergraduate degree.

Track and field

Hayden Lake native George Mathews set a record in the super weight throw (44 pounds) with a toss of 34 feet, 10 1/4 inches at the Seattle Classic Pacific Northwest Masters Track and Field Association Championships July 21 in Seattle.

Mathews also won the 20-pound weight throw with a season-best distance of 65-3 1/2 inches.

Miscellany

The deadline to register for the Washington State University “Honoring the Legacy in Women’s Athletics” celebration is Wednesday.

Women who participated in sports at WSU prior to the fall of 1982 or coached women athletes will be recognized in the celebration. Info: Tammy Crawford, tammyc@turbonet.com.

“The 20th annual Ron Raver Memorial Golf Classic will take place Wednesday at MeadowWood and Liberty Lake golf courses.

The scramble format tournament will begin at 1 p.m. with a shotgun start. Cost: $125, with net proceeds going toward athletic scholarships at Eastern Washington University.