Ian Kolste is a Pirate again. The former record-setting Whitworth quarterback and interim offensive coordinator has returned to campus to rejoin the coaching staff as the full-time offensive coordinator.

He replaces Matt Troxel, who resigned after his first season to return to the private sector.

Kolste, whose playing career ended with the 2017 season, was the Pirates’ receivers coach in 2018 and 2019 and the interim offensive coordinator during the COVID-19 season in February and March of 2021 when Whitworth had a 4-0 record.

Following the last game in March 2021, Kolste went to Southern Utah to be an offensive quality control assistant working with quarterbacks. He left after the spring and joined Eastern Washington’s staff that fall as a defensive quality control assistant working with linebackers.

Whitworth head coach Rod Sandberg said Kolste “was one of the best to ever play here and he is a dynamic, impactful young coach. He understands Whitworth and the Northwest Conference. Beyond that, he is a great teacher of the quarterback position and his style of offense fits our overall philosophy and the personnel we have.”

The 2017 Northwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Kolste graduated as Whitworth’s all-time leader in total offense (10,467), passing yards (10,124), passing touchdowns (85), pass completions (946) and pass attempts (1,424). He had a 26-6 record as the starting QB.

• “Normal spring” has a wonderful ring to the ears of Eastern Washington head coach Aaron Best as he prepares for the first traditional spring practice schedule in two years.

The Eagles will hold the first of 13 practices during the month on April 5, with nine more before the first scrimmage on April 23 at 11 a.m. The final week will include three more practices before the annual Red-White Game on April 30 at 1 p.m. It will free, open to the public and televised regionally on SWX.

Weekday practices are scheduled to start at 3 p.m. on Roos Field.

The Eagles will also stage a pro day on April 6 with former players Eric Barriere, Tamarick Pierce, Dennis Merritt, Talolo Limu-Jones, Andrew Boston, Tristen Taylor and Tamir Hill expected back to show their skills to professional scouts.

As many as 49 returning letter winners and 21 redshirt freshmen are expected as Best begins his sixth season. The group includes 13 starters – five on offense and eight on defense.

The spring schedule: April 5, April 6, April 8, April 9 (full pads, 9 a.m.), April 11, April 13 (full pads), April 15 (full pads), April 18, April 20 (full pads), April 22, April 23 (scrimmage, 11 a.m.), April 25, April 27 (full pads), April 29, April 30 (Red-White Game, 1 p.m.)

College scene

You can’t keep the Hull sisters apart.

Twins Lexie and Lacey Hull from Central Valley, seniors on the Stanford women’s basketball team, have been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) 2021-22 Academic All-America® women’s basketball team.

Lexie, with a 3.90 GPA and a repeater on the first team, is set to graduate with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in management science and engineering this spring.

Lacey, 3.89, is on the second team. She will also earn both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in four years, with a bachelor’s in product design and a master’s in management science and engineering.

• Kobe Reese, a Community Colleges of Spokane sophomore from Shadle Park, was named to the East Region men’s second team and all-defensive team when the Northwest Athletic Conference selected its 2021-22 all-region basketball teams.

CCS sophomore Jaron Williams was also named to the East all-defensive team. North Idaho College landed sophomore Julius Mims on the East first team, sophomore Cooper DeWitt and freshman Taden King on the second team and sophomore Daniel Santana is on the all-defensive team.

Spokane had sophomore Lizzy Perry (Oakesdale) and freshman Maddie Gebers named to the East women’s first team and sophomore Dejah Wilson (Lake City) on the all-defensive team.

High school scene

Ridgeline High School’s first-year football program will be recognized by the Inland Empire Football Officials Association with its Tom Reser Sportsmanship Award during a school assembly on March 31 “for the positive attitude and hard work, instilled by the coaches, exhibited by the school during the 2022 season.”

IEFOA officials make nominations during the course of the season with those teams, programs and individuals nominated receiving certificates. The Reser winner is awarded a trophy.

“We hope that recognizing successes by making this award and sending certificates to those schools, programs, and teams nominated during the season will broadly encourage the schools we service,” an IEFOA release reads.

• Coeur d’Alene senior Skylar Burke scored a career-high and record-breaking 40 points for the state-wide Region girls team in a 112-88 loss to the Metro team made up of players from the Boise area in the 19th Idaho High School All-Star basketball games March 12 at North Idaho College.

Burke scored 25 in the second half as she eclipsed the game record of 36 set by Katelyn Loper of Post Falls in 2010. Burke shared MVP honors with Sophie Glancy of Timberline, who scored 27 for Metro. Other Region scorers included Kendall Pickford, Lake City, 14; Trinidie Nichols, Post Falls, 10; and Addie Kiefer, Lakeland, two.

Metro also won the boys game, 112-104, with a fourth-quarter rally. Tristan Gentry-Nelson, St. Maries, scored eight; Jack Sciortino, Post Falls, six; and Bryce Henry, Lakeland, two, for Region.