Sports in brief: Nichols on Payton watch list

College football: Eastern Washington senior quarterback Matt Nichols has been selected by The Sports Network as a preseason candidate for the Walter Payton Award given to the top player in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.

A 33-game starter for the Eagles, Nichols was named to the Payton watch list for the second straight season after earning All-America honors and Big Sky Conference Offensive MVP accolades as a sophomore in 2007.

A year ago, Eastern’s Greg Peach won the Buck Buchanan Award presented by TSN to the top defensive player in FCS. In 2005, Eastern’s Erik Meyer won the Payton Award.

Twenty players will be named to the watch list, including last year’s winner, quarterback Armanti Edwards from Appalachian State. Besides Nichols and Edwards, the list includes Weber State quarterback Cameron Higgins and Montana running back Chase Reynolds.

Vandersloot on Wade watch list

Women’s basketball: Gonzaga junior Courtney Vandersloot is one the Wade watch list for The State Farm Wade Trophy Division I Player of the Year. Vandersloot becomes the first player from Gonzaga to be named to this list.

The 25-player list is made up of top NCAA Division I players who best embody the spirit of Lily Margaret Wade according to the following criteria: game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

Cougars release basketball slate

Men’s basketball: At least 20 games against fellow 2009 postseason tournament participants, three home games throughout the state and an appearance in the Great Alaska Shootout highlight the 2009-10 Washington State University men’s basketball schedule.

WSU will play 12 games in Pullman and home games at Spokane Arena, the Tri-Cities’ Toyota Center and Seattle’s KeyArena.

For the second straight season, the Cougars open the season hosting Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 13). They stay at home to play Eastern Washington on Nov. 16 and Indiana-Fort Wayne on Nov. 19.

The Cougars take on Portland State on Dec. 19 in Kennewick and LSU on Dec. 22 in the Hardwood Classic in Seattle. They open Pac-10 play at home against Oregon on Dec. 31.

Complete schedule, B6