Locals roundup: Vandals’ Small adds to honors
Chelsea Small has recorded another first in her second season on the University of Idaho women’s soccer team.
The sophomore forward from Solana Beach, Calif., became the Vandals’ first academic All-American when she was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second team with a 4.0 grade-point average in secondary education.
Her previous firsts for the program include being selected All-Western Athletic Conference when she was named to the first team last year as a freshman, and being named the WAC offensive player of the year this season when she was a first-team all-conference choice for a second time.
Small set Idaho school records in points (30), goals (13), winning goals (eight) and shots (121) as she led the Vandals to a school-record 14 wins this season and a program-best third-place finish in the WAC.
• Kaimi Rocha, a Whitworth University junior from Pukalani, Hawaii, received honorable mention on the 2010 American Volleyball Coaches Association NCAA Division III All-America team.
Rocha, the Northwest Conference player of the year, also was named to the AVCA All-West Region first-team.
Bree Riddle, a Whitworth junior setter from Freeman, received All-West Region honorable mention after averaging 9.85 assists per set.
Baseball
Cam Lowe, a right-handed pitcher from Cheney, has signed a letter of intent with Lewis-Clark State College, Warriors coach Gary Picone announced.
Lowe, a 6-foot-2, 185-pounder, who also plays in the infield, had a 14-3 record the past two seasons with the Blackhawks. He was first-team All-Great Northern League as a sophomore and second team as a junior.
Lowe helped Cheney to league and district titles the past two seasons and also helped his American Legion team to a district title.
College scene
Barry Britt, an Idaho sophomore, was selected to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Region team after finishing 24th in the men’s 10,000-meter race at the NCAA West Region Championships in 30:38.17.
• Courtney Zalud, a redshirt freshman at Washington State from Mt. Spokane, and two men with area ties received honorable mention on Pac-10 All-Academic cross country teams.
Zalud was honored on the women’s team with a 3.10 GPA. Sophomores Matt Conrath from Odessa, who has a 3.03 GPA, and Andrew Kimpel from North Central, 3.16, were on the men’s list.
• Amanda Wilson from Riverside, a sophomore at BYU-Hawaii, received All-Pacific West Conference first-team honors in women’s cross country after finishing sixth in the PacWest championships.
Wilson covered 6K in 23:59.2 in helping the Seasiders to their third straight league championship.
• Luke Graesser, a BYU-Hawaii junior from North Central, was an All-Pacific West Conference second-team selection in men’s cross country for a second straight year.
Graesser placed eighth as the Seasiders ran away with the PacWest Championships race, covering 8K in 26:21.
• Jared Karstetter, Washington State’s junior wide receiver from Ferris, was named to the Pac-10 All-Academic first team in football with a 3.55 GPA.
Golf
Brendan Connolly from Castle Rock, Colo., and Erik Krzyzanowski from Scottsbluff, Neb., have signed letters of intent with Gonzaga University, Bulldogs coach Robert Gray announced.
Connolly, a 2007 Future Collegians World Tour first-team All-America selection, was a Colorado Junior Golf All-Star from 2006-09. He is ranked 114th by Golfweek, and 63rd in the Class of 2011.
Krzyzanowski was a three-time Nebraska Coaches Association All-State participant with three top-three finishes.
Swimming
Rachel Millet of Ferris has signed a letter of intent with the University of Idaho, Vandals coach Tom Jager announced.
“Rachel is one of the best swimmers to come out of Spokane,” Jager said, noting the Spokane Waves standout and a team captain “is a great all-around swimmer with no weak event.”
• Jane Mortlock from Nanaimo, British Columbia, has signed a national letter of intent with Washington State, Cougars coach Erica Quam announced.
Earlier this year, Mortlock captured bronze medals in the 100 and 200 breaststroke at the North America Challenge Cup. She is two-time reigning B.C. Provincial champion in the 100 breaststroke.
Volleyball
Savannah Blinn, a 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Lewiston, and Kalistina Takau, a 6-1 middle blocker from Hurricane, Utah, have signed national letters of intent with Gonzaga University, Bulldogs coach Dave Gantt announced.
Blinn was the 5A Inland Empire League player of the year this season while leading Lewiston into the Idaho state tournament. Takau was on the Region 9 (3A) first team as a junior and helped Hurricane win the Utah 3A state title as a sophomore.
• Eastern Washington has signed a junior college player and two high school seniors to national letters of intent, coach Miles Kydd announced.
The Eagles have added Brandy Iverson from Graham, Wash., and Tacoma Community College; Talia Fermantez from Honolulu; and Amanda Brown from Hacienda Heights, Calif.
Iverson, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, is the leading hitter in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges, averaging 4.83 kills per set. She was the 2010 NWAACC West Region most valuable player after leading Tacoma to a 12-0 league record.
Fermantez and Brown are both middle blockers. Fermantez is a two-time all-league first-team selection for a school that won its sixth straight state championship this season. Brown has led her team in blocking for two straight seasons, helping her school to a state championship as a junior when she was an all-league first-team pick.
• Dale Goodwin, completing his 30th year as an official, was named Spokane Area Volleyball Referees Association referee of the year.
Corey Brantley was voted most improved by his peers, while Pete Bell was named contributor of the year, Kari Chavez was rookie of the year, Amanda Lamar the best second-year referee and Juli Jones the best third-year referee.
• The SAVRA elected Linda Kildew as president and Heide Wehr as its vice president.
Other officers are Bell, past president; Mary Ann Ehrgott, secretary; and Jodi Murphy, Barb Silvey, Alexandra Collins and Mark Yamamoto, board members at large.