Rocha chosen All-American

Volleyball: Kaimi Rocha became the first Whitworth University volleyball player to be chosen as an All-American in six years when she was selected for the NCAA Division III team announced Tuesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Rocha, a senior from Hawaii, is a two-time Northwest Conference Player of the Year. This season she led the NWC in points per set, kills per set and total kills.

Bree Riddle (Freeman) earned honorable mention for Whitworth. Riddle led the NWC in total assists and assists per set.

Natalie Danielson was the last Whitworth volleyball player to be chosen as an All-American, making the first team in 2005.

The Pirates fell to eventual regional champion Cal Lutheran in five sets last Friday night in the NCAA tournament.

The Pirates finished the season with a 19-7 record.

Big Sky admits officiating error

Football: The Big Sky Conference acknowledged an officiating error that cost Northern Colorado a chance to win its first game of the season.

The conference announced Tuesday that UNC (0-11, 0-8 Big Sky) was erroneously penalized for an illegal block with 3.6 seconds left in Saturday’s game, negating a 25-yard touchdown run that would have tied the score pending the extra-point attempt.

Portland State (7-3, 5-2) won the game 23-17, leaving it in third place in the conference standings with a one-game lead over Eastern Washington (5-5, 4-3) and Weber State (4-6, 4-3).

Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton said in evaluating the game film it was clear the Northern Colorado player who was penalized was blocked into a Portland State player and should not have been called for an illegal block.

Fullerton said while the conference can apologize for the mistake, there is nothing that can be done to reverse the call.

Associated Press