« July 2007 | Main | September 2007 »
August 31, 2007
Wartburg wins team titles
Cross country results are available here:
[Women's 5K]
[Men's 8K]
Wartburg of Iowa won the men's team race by one point and claimed the women's title as well on Friday night at the Summer's End Invitational at Western Oregon University.
The Knights edged the host Wolves 42-43 on the men's side, despite the fact that WOU claimed the top two individual spots in the 10 kilometer race. Junior Nik Karr crossed the line first with a time of 25:01, while freshman Chris Reed was right behind him in 25:03.
Linfield claimed spots 3-5, paced by bronze finisher Chris McIsaac's time of 25:13. But Wartburg took the time title by having their five top runners finish in the top 12. Linfield was just a few strides back with 57 team points, followed by Lewis & Clark at 91 and Pacific with 137.
On the women's side, Lewis & Clark's Amanda Phillips (18:44) and Tamma Carleton (18:51) went 1-2 in the five kilometer race, but Wartburg won the team title with 34 points. Western Oregon was next with 52, followed by the Pioneers with 62 and Linfield at 93.
WOU's top runner was Shirlon Moncrief, who finished seventh with a time of 20:18. The Wolves' Alee Rowley was ninth in 20:28.
The Wolves will next race on Sept. 14 in Portland at the Pier Park Invitational.
Posted by vanmatrs at 5:51 PM
Volleyball Wolves split matches
[Match One Box Score] [Match Two Box Score]
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Oregon swept Cal State Dominguez Hills in three games to claim a split of Friday matches at the Western Washington Invitational at Sam Carver Gymnasium, 30-14, 30-16, 30-25.
Earlier in the day, the Wolves took a two-games-to-one lead only to watch Cal Poly Pomona roar back to claim a 3-2 victory in the opening match of the tournament.
The Wolves are now 3-3 on the season. Cal State Dominguez Hills fell to 0-5, while Cal Poly Pomona is now 4-1 after a loss later in the day to host Western Washington. WOU will play again on Saturday at 1 pm against No. 3 nationally ranked Cal State San Bernardino.
Against the winless Toros, the Wolves hit a season-best .279 to cruise to the win. Haley Kostrba led the Wolves with 13 kills and 10 digs with a sizzling .444 hitting percentage. Kayla Mainer was also in double kill figures with 11. Claire Carpenter had 13 digs, and Lisa Martini fired three service aces.
The Broncos remained undefeated (until the loss to WWU) with the comeback win over the Wolves-- 31-29, 31-33, 22-30, 30-14, 15-9. CPP had 35 blocks in the contest, including 11 assisted blocks by Vanessa Williams and nine by Brittany Harkey. Jenna Young led the offense with 18 kills and four service aces.
Meanwhile, the Wolves had a standout match from the sophomore transfer Mainer, who had 23 kills and 24 digs. The 5-10 outside hitter from North Idaho JC also zipped in seven service aces. Sharon Peterson added 11 kills and Kostrba had 10 kills and 22 digs.
WOU libero Carpenter led all players with 28 digs.
Posted by vanmatrs at 12:30 PM
August 30, 2007
WOU football games available for viewing
All home Western Oregon football games, including this Saturday's match-up at McArthur Field against Willamette, will be available for viewing at www.wouwolves.com.
This Saturday's Wolves-Bearcats match-up is available free to the public. Future games will be linked off the Wolves website to Penn Atlantic and GNAC-TV. Once on the Wolves website, just click on the GNAC-TV and Penn Atlantic link. WOU is partnering with the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and Penn Atlantic to provide the pay-per-view option for Wolves fans.
WOU and Penn Atlantic teammed to stream home basketball games last year, and plans are underway to broadcast some volleyball and basketball games again this year.
"The streaming video project is a great move forward for the university and our athletic program," said WOU athletic director Jon Carey. "Western Oregon fans who cannot get to our games will still be able to follow the action at all of our home games."
"This is a great way to demonstrate the technological capabilities that we have on campus," Carey continued. "It gives us the opportunity to promote a variety of programs at WOU and the university in general. Right now, we are only streaming basketball, volleyball and football, but hope to expand to other sports soon."
Other viewing and listening options for Western Oregon football games are listed below. For more information, contact the WOU sports information office at 503-838-8160.
Stay in Touch--To find out who won the game, call the Wolves Sports Scoreboard 24 hours a day. Just dial 503-838-8020 to get the latest, or log on to www.wouwolves.com, the official website of WOU athletics. During home football and basketball games, call the press table for updated scores at 503-838-8922.
Wolves RePlay--Watch the replay of Western Oregon football games in Monmouth-Independence, or on CCTV channel 22 in Salem. On Comcast cable in M-I, tune into channel 17 for game replays on Tuesday's at 10 pm, Wednesday's at 7 pm and Friday's at 9 pm. On MINET cable, channels 17 will carry the game at those same times, plus you can watch on MINET channel 18 on Thursdays at 8 pm, and on MINET channel 99 on Tuesday's at 7 pm, Wednesday's at 9 pm, Friday at 10 pm and Saturday's at 9:30 am. Russ Blunck and the "Coach" Bear Blunck bring you the play-by-play, for all games, home or away.
Game DVD's--DVD's of all Wolves games can be purchased again this season. For more information, contact Russ Blunck at blunckr@wou.edu.
Radio--Western Oregon football and select men's and women's basketball games will be broadcast live via KPJC 1220-AM radio. Tune in 15 minutes prior to game time to listen to Russ Blunck call the game play-by-play, with "The Coach" Bear Blunck on color.
Live Broadcasts--All radio games broadcast by KPJC will also be available through their site at http://www.thejctown.com.
Live Stats--You can follow the statistical play-by-play for all home events on the WOU athletic website. Just click on www.wouwolves.com.
Posted by vanmatrs at 3:26 PM
August 29, 2007
Wolves host Bearcats to open 2007 campaign
Go to: Schedule / Results | Roster | Statistics
This Week - Saturday (Sept. 1) vs. Willamette, McArthur Field, 6 p.m.
Last Week - No games.
Next Week - Saturday (Sept. 8) vs. Linfield, McArthur Field, 6 p.m.
Season Record: 0-0
Let's get it started!: For the fourth consecutive year, Western Oregon and Willamette will kick-off a football season by playing each other. The Wolves and Bearcats will square off at WOU's McArthur Field on Saturday night (Sept. 1). Start time is 6 p.m.
Ticket time: Tickets for the game can be purchased at the gate. Prices are $14 for reserved, $9 for general admission and $7 for non-WOU students. Western Oregon students are free.
Watch and listen: If you can’t get to the ballpark, you have listening and viewing options. All Western Oregon football games will be broadcast live on KPJC 1220-AM in Salem, and is also available on the internet at www.wouwolves.com. Additionally on the Wolves website, you can follow the action on Live Stats, or click on the Video Streaming link to watch the game live (pay-per-view charges will apply). If you want to listen to the game on your cell phone, click on the Teamline link on wouwolves.com. Television replays of the game will run beginning on the following Tuesday and run through the week on both Comcast and WIMPEG cable in the Monmouth-Independence area. And finally, if you just want to know the score and a few details, call the Wolves Sports Scoreboard at 503-838-8020 for the latest on everything in WOU athletics.
Series history: The Wolves and Bearcats have met 28 times in their respective football histories, with Willamette holding a scant 14-13-1 all-time edge. But Western Oregon has won the last two meetings by a combined count of 77-0 (35-0, 42-0). Willamette won the match-up in 2004 to open the season, 38-21. Back when both schools were in the NAIA - WOU is now NCAA Division II and Willamette is D-III, they met in a first round playoff game, ten years ago in 1997. An overflow crowd watched the No. 2 nationally ranked Bearcats survive the upset-minded Wolves in a 26-20 overtime thriller. Willamette would continue their winning ways, all the way to the NAIA title game before losing to Findlay, Ohio.
Experience counts: Western Oregon returns nine players with starting experience on both sides of the football in 2007. On offense that includes a deep and veteran offensive line, a stable of 6-8 wide receivers that will all see action, four running backs that are all break-away threats, and a veteran quarterback who will spend the season climbing the charts of various WOU’s career passing lists. On defense, the Wolves return the majority of their '06 line-up in all three areas - the line, linebackers and secondary. In addition, three veterans back to handle the punting and kicking game.
What's missing: While the Wolves didn't lose much in terms of pure numbers to graduation, they lost quality. Gone are two of the best at their respective positions in school history - running back Eliot Vinvant and tight end Kevin Boss. Vinzant rushed for over 100 yards in 13 consecutive games, while Boss had 19 career touchdown catches and is now playing on Sundays for the New York Giants. In addition, one of WOU’s all-time return leaders and receivers Tyler Knudsen has graduated, as has four-year starter Ryan Belcher on the offensive line. On defense, end Matt Jirges is difficult to replace as is safety Jason Buckmier.
Wolves claim a winning 2006 campaign: Despite a breath-taking 23-20 season-finale loss to Humboldt State, the Western Oregon football closed the year 2006 with a winning season, its' first since 2000. At 6-4, Coach Arne Ferguson’s team posted the programs’ best record since the 1997 WOU team went 7-3.
Groundhog night: WOU's loss to Humboldt State was not unlike its other four setbacks last season - they were all winnable games. The Wolves led for most of the second quarter and all of the third before the Lumberjacks rallied in the fourth period. Two of WOU losses in '06 were by just three points (HSU, WWU) and the other two were by a touchdown (HSU, CWU).
Back-to-back: Western Oregon looks to post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1987. The Wolves have had 49 winnings seasons and only 28 losing campaigns in its football history, but haven’t two years above .500 in consecutive years since current head coach Arne Ferguson was a player in the mid 1980’s.
Bearcat banter: The 2007 Willamette Bearcats return eight starters on offense and seven on defense from a team that finished 2-7 last fall. WU went 2-4 in the Northwest Conference (Division III). Under tenth-year coach Mark Speckman, the Bearcats run the unconventional “Fly” offense, always a tough match-up for any team. Speckman’s team returns with its offensive line intact, but has holes to fill at wide receiver - where 2006 starting quarterback Kevin Whipps will now be playing. Last fall’s back-up Grant Leslie is expected to start at QB. On defense, the Bearcats return starters in all three areas and their top punter (Clint Moran) and place kicker (Matt Bicocca) are also back. Willamette was picked to finish fourth this year in the NWC.
Arne's assessment: "We have had a good few weeks of practice and we feel pretty good about our conditioning and some parts of our game. But we certainly have definite areas to improve in and we are working on those this week. We are very excited to play somebody else. It is really hard to gage where you are at until you get a chance to execute in a game situation. Willamette is a very quality opponent, they do things a little unconventional and are very tough to prepare for. We feel good about our preparation for this game and the season and are anxious to get on the field."
Thorson’s tosses: Senior quarterback Mark Thorson quietly climbed the passing lists on the WOU career chart last fall, in his second full season as the starting quarterback. The 6-6, 240-pounder from Sandy, Ore., has an excellent shot to re-write much of the throwing record book at Western Oregon this season. In addition, some of his 2006 numbers ranked in WOU’s top ten. Here is a look at both.
Career Top 10-Thorson
Passing attempts: 660 (4th) Record: 895, Denny Bies (2001-04)
Passes completed: 373 (4th) Record: 496, Brian Traeger (1993-96)
Passing yardage: 4,356 (5th) Record: 6,778, Brian Traeger (1993-96)
Touchdown passes: 36 (3rd) Record: 47, Tony Burris (1985-86)
Completion percentage: .565 (2nd) Record: .593, Brian Traeger (1993-96)
Total offense: 4,329 (4th) Record: 7,097, Brian Traeger (1993-96)
Single Season Top 10-Thorson 2006
Passing attempts: 307 (6th) Record: 365, Adam Bledsoe (2000)
Passes completed: 179 (5th) Record: 186, Mark Thorson (2005)
Passing yardage: 2,342 (4th) Record: 2,628, Erik Davis (1999)
Touchdown passes: 20 (4th) Record: 25, Tony Burris (1985)
Total offense: 2,298 (5th) Record: 2,866, Brian Traeger (1996)
The hogs: Four of WOU's current starters on the offensive line started last year in 2006, when the Wolves averaged 408 yards of total offense a game, including 172 a contest rushing. Seniors Allan Mikolas, Paul Wright, Brett Rhodes and Brandon O’Neil return, and another senior that started last year at center (Cory Perkins) missed camp but is expected to return from a foot injury in the coming weeks.
Bevy of backs: The Wolves may have lost Vinzant, but four young tailbacks with tremendous upside await their chance to carry the ball. Sophomore Ben Kuenzi is first in line, having stepped in for Vinzant last year when he was injured. The 5-10, 220-pounder rushed for 505 yards in 104 carries (4.9), and dashed for 174 yards against Dixie State. Another sophomore, Tyler Wilson gained valuable experience off the bench last year, while redshirt freshman Adryan Allen awaits his turn. The trump card is true freshman DJ Jackson, who spent the past five seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers system after an all-state senior season (2002) at Jesuit High School.
Catching up: Wolves opponents in 2007 won’t be able to concentrate on just two major receiving threats like in 2006 (Kevin Boss and Tyler Knudsen). As many as eight players will see time at wide receiver and flanker, led by junior Isaiah Smith. Smith had 24 catches for 481 yards and a team-best 20-yards per grab average. The Roseburg native became more of a prime target after Boss went down with a season-ending injury, grabbing eight balls for 117 yards against Western Washington and seven for 118 in a win over Dixie State.
Destructive defense: WOU's defense posted two shutouts last season, the first time that had been accomplished since 1986. They allowed only 78.2 yards rushing a game, the lowest total since 1986, and gave up only 13.5 points a game, lowest at WOU since 1975.
Sack hounds: No team records have been kept at WOU in the category, but the Wolves quarterback sack totals in 2006 would have to have been amongst the best in school history. WOU had 38 sacks on the season and 84 tackles for loss. 14 different players took down a quarterback last fall, and 22 defenders tackled an opponent in his own backfield. Matt Cox and Anthony Marin, both back at the inside tackles this year, had 11 tackles for loss each. Marin had the team lead in quarterback sacks with 8.5 for 55 yards. Returning defensive end Casey O’Donnell led the squad with eight QB hurries, and he also had 4.5 sacks.
Backers to work: Senior linebacker Matt Buche has started every game since his freshman season at WOU. He had 50 tackles last season and also had two interceptions and four pass break-ups. JT Gilmore had 36 tackles as a red-shirt freshman last year and will man the middle this year for the Wolves.
Air defenders: Senior cornerback Jay Darden had four interceptions and 13 pass break-ups, to lead the Wolves in both categories last year, but he may not have his named called out with the starters this year. Competition has been fierce in practice for the secondary positions. Nick Smith, who had seven deflections and three picks last year, should take one of the corners while the other may go to Bryan Huber, who had two interceptions as a true freshman. Safety Zach Christopherson finished with three interceptions last year and brings three years of experienced to a deep crew.
Kickin' it: Senior kicker Bruce Voges will chase some career records this year, after also listing his name last year on some single season lists.
Career Top 10
Field goals: 21 (4th) Record: 49, John Freeman (1997-00)
Extra points: 75 (4th) Record: 114, John Freeman (1997-00)
Single Season Top 10
Field goals: 12 (3rd) Record: 16, John Freeman (1997)
Extra points: 32 (7th) Record: 41, Tim Rouhier (1977)
Buy local: The Wolves have 17 Salem-area athletes on their roster, including nine listed on the first or second team depth chart. All but three of WOU’s starters on offense or defense are from the state of Oregon.
Ferguson factor: Head coach Arne Ferguson enters into his third season at WOU - as the head coach. He has spent nearly a lifetime at the school as a player, assistant coach, and now leader of the program. The Vale, Oregon native was a three-time All-CFA defensive back for the Wolves from 1986-88, and began his coaching career at Western in 1989. He has been WOU's defensive coordinator since 1997. In Ferguson's first season at the helm in 2005, the Wolves went 5-6 and finished the season on a three-game win streak. Last year, they were 6-4, with all four losses coming by a total of 21 points. His career head coaching mark is now 11-10.
Posted by vanmatrs at 9:56 PM
Running Wolves open with home meet
This Week - Friday (Aug. 31) Summer’s End Invitational, WOU Campus, 5:15 pm
Last Week - No meet
Next Meet - Sept. 14 at the Pier Park Preview
Catch them while you can: The 2007 Western Oregon cross country season will begin at home this coming Friday (Aug. 31) with the Summer’s End Invitational on the WOU campus. The women will begin at 5:15 pm (5,000 meters), while the men’s starting gun will go off at 6 pm (8,000 meters). The race will be WOU’s only home meet of the season, and you will have to work hard to catch them after that as they have only one other race in Oregon - the Pier Park Preview on Sept. 14 in Portland.
The course: The race path begins at the WOU Soccer Field on the Northwest end of campus. It circles around the athletic fields (baseball, soccer, softball, intramural) a few times, and there are numerous spectator sight points. For a look at the course map, click here.
The Field: In addition to the Wolves, Wartburg (Iowa) will be in town for the race, along with Linfield, Lewis & Clark and Pacific. Team scores will be kept.
Jumping right in: Coach Mike Johnson's team just arrived on campus this past Monday, so Friday's race will in essence be just another part of their training camp. WOU’s next race won’t be for another two weeks, at the University of Portland - sponsored Pier Park Preview on Sept. 14.
Men's seven: Seven athletes who raced in last year’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships return to Johnson's squad this season. The men, who finished fourth in the conference race and eighth at the NCAA Division II west region meet, will be led by junior Nik Karr, a batch of promising sophomores and a host of talented freshmen. Sophomores with race experience include Mike Schmidt, who was 17th at the GNAC's last year, Kym Hunt (20th), Braxton Jackson, Travis Banker, Jeff Long and Beau Backman. Ten incoming freshmen will join the group.
Women's group: WOU’s women's roster features just four runners with collegiate experience, and one of those has hers on the track. Sophomore Alee Rowley, the Wolves’ top runner last year as a freshman, returns to lead the pack. The Kenai, Alaska native finished 21st at last season’s GNAC meet. Standout 800 meter runner Sarah Howell also returns, as does Shirlon Moncrief. Howell was 24th at the conference meet in 2006, Moncrief placed 27th. Jessica Harper, WOU’s school record holder on the track in the steeplechase, will hit the trails with the cross country this fall, as will six freshmen and three transfers. Western's women finished sixth last fall at the GNAC Championships and were ninth at the NCAA Division II west regional.
Youth movement: Last season, WOU had just one senior on the roster in four-year letterman Nick Crawford. This year? Not a one. Junior Nik Karr is the oldest member of the men’s team, while junior transfers Katherine Johnson (Beaverton/Northern Arizona) and Lyndsey McKillip (Puyallup, Wash./Clackamas CC) join fellow third-year runners Jessica Harper and Sarah Howell on the women’s side.
The coach: Head coach Mike Johnson enters into his fourth season as the WOU leader, and he has also already spent four years as the leader of the Wolves track and field program. Johnson came to WOU in 2001 and spent two years as an assistant coach on the track, and prior to that had a legendary career that includes head coaching gigs at Boise State (1998-2000), Washington (1986-98), the University of Portland (1976-86), Eastern Washington (1974-76) and Highline Community College (1972-74). The Seattle native has been named PAC-10 Coach of the Year three times, NCAA Western Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year four times, GNAC Coach of the Year on four occasions and also NAIA Coach of the Year.
Posted by vanmatrs at 9:52 PM
WOU to honor 1962-63 hoop team
Click here to access news story courtesy of StatesmanJournal.com
Posted by vanmatrs at 9:41 PM
August 28, 2007
Wolves eye history
Click here to access news story courtesy of StatesmanJournal.com
Posted by vanmatrs at 10:39 PM
Wolves head north for Western Washington tourney
Go to: Schedule / Results | Roster | Statistics
This Week - Friday and Saturday at Western Washington tournament, Bellingham, Wash.
Last Week - Took 3rd place at the Seawolf Spike Tournament (Sonoma, Calif.), Aug. 24-25. Beat Sonoma State (25-30, 30-31, 30-23, 30-23); lost to Chico State (30-21, 30-23, 23-30, 30-23); beat Cal State Stanislaus (30-25, 30-21, 19-30, 18-30, 15-7); lost to Humboldt State (25-30, 30-16, 30-17, 25-30, 15-11).
Season Record: 2-2.
Second helping of CCAA: A week after opening the 2007 season against four different squads from the volleyball-rich California Collegiate Athletic Associate, Western Oregon gets another crack at three of the conference's schools at the Western Washington tournament in Bellingham, Wash. this weekend. Here is the schedule…
Friday, Aug. 31, 9 am vs. Cal Poly Pomona
Friday, Aug. 31, 3 pm vs. Cal State Dominguez Hills
Saturday, Sept. 1, 1 pm vs. Cal State San Bernardino
Notes from Seaspike: Wolves junior outside hitter Kayla Mainer was named to the all-Seawolf Spike Tournament Team. Mainer recorded a team-high 15 kills in the season-opening win against host Sonoma State, then followed up with a 13 kill, 15 dig performance in a losing effort against No. 13 Chico State. Against Cal State Stanislaus, the Spokane, Wash. native and North Idaho JC transfer picked up another 14 kills and 17 digs to lead WOU to victory, and in the tournament finale against Humboldt State, Mainer put up her biggest numbers, totaling 19 kills and 24 digs…Haley Kostrba, first-year senior from Gresham High School, also raised eyebrows at the tournament. In the final two games, against Cal State Stanislaus and Humboldt State, the 5-foot-9 outside hitter combined for 31 kills and had 32 digs. Not bad for someone who last year had the ambiguous title of Special Assistant to the Director of Volleyball Operations…Senior libero Claire Carpenter made 101 digs in 18 total games for the weekend, good for an average of 5.61 per game and well above her average of 3.74 through three seasons. That start ranks her second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in digs per game…Amy Herron zipped in 11 service aces in 18 games, an average of 0.61 per contest. That lists sixth in the GNAC-opening weekend stats.
Headlines from Houck: "Man, we are young!! There are so many small things we could have done better, that would have made a huge difference in our comfort level on the court (at Seawolf Spike). We are still working too hard at being intelligent to be able to sustain it and maintain consistency. Our Outside Hitters, Kayla (Mainer), Haley (Kostrba), and Stephanie (Beeler) are talented and showed an uncanny ability to find ways to score, but they will be much more effective if they learn to win points without just throwing sweat at their problems. Sharon (Peterson) and Lisa (Martini) were a force as middle blockers, but struggled offensively, and our right sides (Stacey Bennett and Jackie Matthisen) were great with delivering the ball in and out of system play, but were all over the map in the blocking department. Amy (Herron) and Jorden (Burrows) worked well at the setting position for the most part, but our decision making needs to improve as they play more with this group. Claire (Carpenter), Jessica (Baty), and Danielle (English) were either great or just below ordinary, but they won considerably more points for us than they gave up, which is encouraging. Overall we were much closer to 4-0 than we were to landing 0-4, and that is a tremendous sign of improvement from a year ago. I like to think we were 2.3-1.7 for the weekend instead of 2-2!"
Youth brigade: The Wolves, under third-year coach Joe Houck, have eight returning letter winners from 2006 but only four of those are upper classmen. Four sophomores (freshmen in '06) saw significant playing time last fall, while three juniors and one senior will provide leadership.
Western Washington tournament field: On Friday, the Wolves will face an up and coming Cal Poly Pomona team that is undefeated on the young season (3-0). Last week, the Broncos beat California (Penn.) 3-0, Central Washington 3-2, and No. 19 BYU Hawaii 3-2, all at home. The Broncos went 10-15 overall last season, but finished on a high note winning three of their final four matches. Pomona beat WOU last year in a five-set thriller. Also on Friday, WOU faces winless Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Toros lost all four matches at the Coyote Classic tournament at Cal State San Bernardino to start the season and hope to improve on an 8-18 mark in 2006. The Wolves beat CSUDH 3-2 last year. The Toros return senior setter and three-time letter winner Kayleigh Spratt as the team’s most experienced player. On Saturday, the Wolves will face their stiffest competition to date with a match-up against No. 3 ranked Cal State San Bernardino. The Coyotes are coming off a 27-2 season that saw them lose only to UC San Diego twice, including once in the NCAA Pacific Regional. They also defeated WOU 3-1 early in the ’06 season. San Bernardino is led by middle blocker Sharea Drawn, who was named the Coyote Classic’s MVP.
Houck on the tournament: "We are going to have put helmets and pads on for the WWU tournament! San Bernardino is a fantastically athletic team with a history of success and a #3 national ranking, Pomona is as quick as any team in the country. Dominguez Hills has good size and they are hungry to get a win. It’s scary if you think about it too much! It will be another chance for us to get our house in order before start our brutal conference schedule. We are learning to play together, and if we can manufacture some success during the process in the win/loss column, that would be a huge motivator for us just keep climbing."
More Houck: "We don’t have the luxury of a conference tournament in the GNAC, so these matches are meaningful immediately. Any chance of a regional ranking as a path to the NCAA tournament this season runs through Sonoma and Bellingham. We hope to find our initial competitive level in these tournaments and raise our level of play each week for the duration. The season is much more of a sprint than people realize, and it is critical the way things are set up for us to get out of the blocks quickly, and pin some W's on the wall."
Polling: Western Washington is the favorite to win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this season, according to the pre-season coaches poll. The Wolves are picked to finish seventh in the 10-team race. Here’s how the vote came out….1) Western Washington, 2) Seattle Pacific, 3) Central Washington, 4) Montana State Billings, 5) Seattle, 6) Northwest Nazarene, 7) Western Oregon, 8) Alaska Fairbanks, 9) Alaska Anchorage, 10) Saint Martin’s.
National look: Tampa is in the No. 1 slot in the CSTV/AVCA Division II Coaches poll. Pacific Region teams in the top 25 include No. 3 Cal State San Bernardino, No. 4 UC San Diego, No. 13 Chico State, No. 17 Cal State LA, No. 19 BYU-Hawaii, No. 20 Seattle Pacific, and No. 23 Western Washington.
Milestones: Senior libero Claire Carpenter has 1,201 digs in her three-plus year career after the season-opening Seawolf Spike tournament at Sonoma State, which is just a few hundred short of her getting into WOU’s career top ten. But her 3.74 digs per game is the fourth best career average in the Wolves record books...Junior Stacey Bennett ranks seventh on the WOU career list for hitting percentage at .247, and has led the Wolves in that category in back-to-back seasons…Junior Laura Sakala earned honorable mention All-GNAC honors last fall…Sophomore setter Amy Herron led WOU in assists (6.78) and service aces (28) as a freshman in 2006…Fellow '06 freshman Lisa Martini paced the squad in total blocks with 0.76 per game.
Houck Headlines: Coach Joe Houck came to WOU in 2005 with a 97-32 career record, after leading the Concordia University program for five seasons (his 51-10 record at Eastern Washington as associate head coach is not included in his career mark). Houck, who also won three state titles as a prep coach at Barlow High School in Gresham, now has a collegiate mark of 117-68.
In 2006: The Wolves dropped seven of its eight final matches and finished 7-19 on the season, 5-11 in GNAC play.
Check here: For a re-cap and statistics of each Western Oregon match, visit www.wouwolves.com. Or call the Wolves Sports Scoreboard at 503-838-8020, 24 hours a day for the latest in WOU athletics.
Posted by vanmatrs at 10:02 PM
August 27, 2007
Soccer squad returns home to face Wildcats
&uotGo to: Schedule / Results | Roster | Statistics
This Week - Saturday vs. Chico State, WOU Soccer Field, Noon
Last Week - Lost to San Francisco State (2-0), Lost to Cal State Stanislaus (2-0)
Season Record: 0-2
The same, but different, but mostly the same: Western Oregon dropped a pair of 2-0 contests in Northern California last week to kick-off the 2007 season. In both contests against San Francisco State and Cal State Stanislaus, the Wolves played tight defense but struggled to get the offense untracked. Ironically, the WOU also dropped an exhibition game on Aug. 19 to Portland State by the same 2-0 score.
Rod's remarks: "Against San Francisco (State), we came out a little flat. They were a very intense team, and we failed to match that energy in the first half. In the second half, we played much better, including on the offensive end even though we didn't score. Against Stanislaus, we played with better effort but just had trouble getting the offense going. Both games were disappointing in terms of the results, and we are still looking to find our rhythm."
Homeward bound: After the road trip, the Wolves now return home for three matches in an eight-day span - hosting Chico State this Saturday (Sept. 1, noon), Linfield on Sept. 5 (3 pm) and Pacific on Sept. 9 (4 pm).
Looking at the Wolves: For a look at the 2007 Wolves, check out their bios and photos at www.wouwolves.com.
Keep(ers)ing busy: WOU goalkeepers Ally Meyer and Kelsie Blachly were both busy this past week. Meyer (Sr., Portland/Central Catholic) and Blachly (Fr., Gresham) split time in the goal against San Francisco State, with Meyer tallying a save and Blachly four. Early in the game at Stanislaus, Meyer went down with an injury and Blachly went the rest of the way and finished with five saves. In two games, the Wolves have been out-shot 33-4 including 14-3 in shots on goal.
Wildcat Words: Saturday's opponent Chico State is 1-0 heading into a Tuesday home match-up with Seattle University. The Wildcats opened the year with a 4-1 win over Notre Dame de Namur. CSUC is the defending California Collegiate Athletic Association Northern Division champs, compiling a 13-4-4 record in 2006. The Wildcats return seven starters and 17 letter winners from that team. Four of those returnees were All-CCAA selections last fall, including Beaverton native Katherine Bagwell, a first-team forward. One of Chico’s draws last season was to WOU, a 0-0 deadlock. The 'Cats had won all three previous matches between the two schools, and now lead the all-time series, 3-0-1.
Improvement: The Wolves finished 9-9-2 in 2006, the best overall mark since the 2002 season when the Wolves finished 11-6-1 and tied for second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Defensive: Fretz has seven players back from that 2006 squad, and nearly all of them have their experience on the defensive end of the field. That group includes senior defender Erica Hibbard, a second team All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference pick last year. Hibbard has started every match during the first three seasons of her collegiate career. Fellow seniors Ally Meyer (goalkeeper) and defender Amber Thronas also bring three years of starting experience to the pitch. Other returnees include juniors Kristen Werhane (defender), Bryndle Rueck (D-MF) and Maggie Kuzmer (D), and sophomore Kristie Adkins (MF).
Newcomers need to score: The Wolves will have to count on a batch of talented newcomers to do the scoring this fall. "Our biggest mission in practice and in these first few weeks of matches is to establish some offensive production," Fretz said. "We will have basically all new people up front and how quickly they develop to this level will be very key for us."
Polling: Seattle Pacific is expected to reclaim the GNAC crown, if you believe the conference coaches. The Falcons, who won four consecutive titles before finishing third in the GNAC last year, received five of the eight first-place votes in the coach’s pre-season poll. The Wolves were tabbed to finished sixth. Here’s the order…1) Seattle Pacific, 2) Seattle, 3) Western Washington, 4) Montana State-Billings, 5) Central Washington, 6) Western Oregon, 7) Northwest Nazarene, 8) Saint Martin’s. In the national Division II NSCAA/adidas poll, Seattle Pacific is ranked No. 12 and Seattle is No. 18.
Scoring = wins: It makes good soccer sense, and is especially apparent when looking at the WOU numbers in 2006. When Western Oregon scored, they won, at least ten of 12 times this season. In seven of WOU’s nine losses and in both of their ties, the Wolves were shutout. Only in a 2-1 loss to Seattle Pacific on Sept. 13 and in a 5-1 set-back at Western Washington on Oct. 19 did WOU score and not win.
By the numbers: WOU’s final scoring numbers were balanced in 2006, with three players tied for the lead with nine points each. Liorah Riutzel, Maggie Kuzmer and Aly Reamer all shared the top rung. Ruitzel has gone the assist route to tally her totals (5) along with two goals, while Kuzmer had four goals and an assist, and Reamer had three goals and two assists. Lisa Munyon was right behind with eight points, followed closely by Amy Weberg with seven and Erica Hibbard with six. Weberg led the team with 58 shots. Goalkeeper Ally Meyer had a GAA of 1.45 with 112 saves on the season. Her save percentage was .789, and she ranked second in the GNAC in saves per match (5.60) and was fourth in shutouts with five.
The coach: Rod Fretz is the only soccer coach that the Wolves have known as he heads into his 12th season. His overall record is 90-109-9. His 2001 and 2002 teams had back-to-back winning seasons, with the '02 Wolves going 11-6-1 and placing second in the GNAC.
Posted by vanmatrs at 10:22 PM
August 25, 2007
Warriors stop Wolves, 2-0
Cal State Stanislaus peppered Western Oregon's defense with a barrage of shots and finally had two of those launches find the net during a 2-0 women's non-conference soccer match on Saturday in Turlock.
The Warriors outshot the Wolves 18-1, including 7-0 in shots on goal. Jade Adamson and Bri McClain got a shot each past WOU goalkeeper Ally Meyer in handing Western Oregon their second consecutive 2-0 loss of the season. The Wolves also lost by the same score to San Francisco State on Thursday, to begin the year at 0-2.
Adamson scored with just a little over five minutes left in the first half, and McClain pushed a shot in with just 12 seconds left in the contest as a game Wolves defense fought to keep their hosts from scoring. Most of the match was played at the Warrior end of the field, as WOU managed just one shot on the day, in the second half.
Western Oregon will now return home to host Chico State next Saturday (Sept. 1) at noon.
Posted by vanmatrs at 8:53 PM
Volleyball Wolves split again
[Tournament Summary - Results, Stats, Recaps]
The Western Oregon Wolves got their monies worth and then some with a pair of marathon matches today at the Seawolf Spike Volleyball Tournament, topping Cal State Stanislaus in five games and falling to Humboldt State in five.
The Wolves, who also split on Friday with a win over Sonoma State and a loss to Chico State, will return home with a 2-2 record. They travel to Bellingham, Wash. next weekend for more action against teams from the California Collegiate Athletic Association.
WOU won the morning game today against Cal State Stanislaus, topping the Warriors 30-25, 30-21, 19-30, 18-30, 15-8. Haley Kostrba paced the offense with 15 kills, while Kayla Mainer added 14 kills and 17 digs. Claire Carpenter had 19 digs on the defensive end, while the Wolves frontline put down 17 blocks, four each by Lisa Martini and Sharon Peterson.
In the afternoon contest, Humboldt State survived the Wolves with a 25-30, 30-16, 30-17, 25-30, 15-11 win. The Lumberjacks jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the pivotal fifth game, only to see the Wolves roar back to 11-9 on a Amy Herron ace. But WOU would get no closer than that as HSU closed the contest out.
Mainer paced the Wolves with 19 kills and 24 digs, while Kostrba also doubled up with 16 kills and 19 digs. Carpenter added 25 digs, and Herron had 27 assists, four service aces and 15 digs.
Posted by vanmatrs at 8:32 PM
August 24, 2007
Wolves split first-day matches
[Game One Box Score] [Game Two Box Score]
Western Oregon opened its 2007 volleyball season with a 3-1 win over Sonoma State, but couldn't contain No. 13 nationally ranked Chico State during a split of matches at the Seawolf Spike Volleyball Tournament on Friday.
The Wolves will continue play on Saturday with match-ups against Cal State Stanislaus and Humboldt State.
The Wildcats, who were upset earlier in the day by Northwest Nazarene, played with a vengence in topping WOU 30-21, 30-23, 23-30, 30-23. Lindsay Macias led the Chico State with 17 kills while Lacy Stringfellow pulled out 32 digs.
Western Oregon was led by Sharon Peterson's 14 kills and Kayla Mainer's 13. Claire Carpenter had 29 digs on defense.
Earlier in the day, Western Oregon dropped game one but then roared back to claim the next three in winning a 25-30, 30-21, 30-23, 30-23 match-up over host Sonoma State.
Three players who did not play for the Wolves in 2006 led the offense this morning. Sophomore transfer Kayla Mainer (Spokane/North Idaho) paced the squad with 15 kills, while freshman Stephanie Beeler (Tillamook) added 11 with a .421 hitting percentage. Sophomore Sharon Peterson (Corvallis, Mont.), who sat out last season with an injury, had 10 kills.
Sophomore setter Amy Herron (Spokane/Mead HS) zipped in four service aces, had 37 assists, nine kills and 22 digs. Senior libero Claire Carpenter (Gresham/Centennial HS) led the squad with 29 digs.
-30-
Posted by vanmatrs at 6:59 PM
August 23, 2007
Gators top Wolves in soccer opener
WOU soccer squad falls to SF State, 2-0
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - San Francisco State sent 15 shots at the Western Oregon goal and two of them found the net during a 2-0 women's non-conference soccer victory over the Wolves on Thursday afternoon. It was the season opener for both teams.
The Gators used goals from Myriah Johnson and Melina Triantos to secure the win. Johnson scored just a little over 19 minutes into the contest on a cross served by Kate Donaldson, while Triantos added the insurance goal early in the second half.
San Francisco State out-shot WOU 15-3. The Wolves did not get a shot off against the stingy Gator defense in the first half. SFSU goalie Emily Hart claimed the shutout and had three saves in the match.
Senior Ally Meyer and freshman Kesley Blachly split time in the goal. Meyer had one save in the first half, and Blachly had four saves after the break.
Western Oregon will continue its Northern California road trip with a match-up at Cal State Stanislaus on Saturday at noon.
Scoring Summary - San Francisco State 2, Western Oregon 0
SFSU - Myriah Johnson (Kate Donaldson) 19:22
SFSU - Melina Triantos (Rachel Bowman) 52:54
Shots: SFSU 15, WOU 3
Goalie Saves: WOU 5 (Meyer 1, Blachly 4), SFSU 3 (Hart 3)
Corner Kicks: SFSU 7, WOU 0
Fouls: SFSU 10, WOU 7
Records: Western Oregon 0-1, San Francisco State 1-0
Posted by vanmatrs at 9:47 PM
August 22, 2007
Football Wolves count on depth to continue winning ways
The 2007 football season preview is now available online. You can access it by clicking here.
Posted by vanmatrs at 10:19 PM
August 21, 2007
Kickers open season on road
Go to: Schedule / Results | Roster | Statistics
This Week - Thursday @ San Francisco State (4 pm), Saturday @ Cal State Stanislaus (noon).
Last Week - Lost exhibition game @ Portland State, 2-0 on Sunday
Season Record: 0-0
Heading south to Northern Cal: The 2007 Western Oregon women’s soccer season will kick-off this Thursday (Aug. 23) with a trip into Northern California. Coach Rod Fretz’s team will open with a Thursday encounter at San Francisco State, followed by a Saturday match-up in Turlock against Cal State Stanislaus.
Sneak preview: With just five days of practice under their soccer belts, the Wolves took on Portland State last Sunday in an exhibition contest, falling 2-0 to the Division I Vikings in Portland. "We played them pretty tough, I was quite pleased with our effort," Fretz said. "PSU was a bit more experienced than us and it showed early, but by the end of the match we were putting good pressure on them. It was nice to have a match-like situation and to play 19 of the players on our roster."
Looking ahead: After the road trip, the Wolves will return home for three matches in an eight-day span - hosting Chico State on Sept. 1 (noon), Linfield on Sept. 5 (3 pm) and Pacific on Sept. 9 (4 pm).
Improvement: The Wolves finished 9-9-2 in 2006, the best overall mark since the 2002 season when the Wolves finished 11-6-1 and tied for second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
Defensive: Fretz has seven players back from that 2006 squad, and nearly all of them have their experience on the defensive end of the field. That group includes senior defender Erica Hibbard, a second team All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference pick last year. Hibbard has started every match during the first three seasons of her collegiate career. Fellow seniors Ally Meyer (goalkeeper) and defender Amber Thronas also bring three years of starting experience to the pitch. Other returnees include juniors Kristen Werhane (defender), Bryndle Rueck (D-MF) and Maggie Kuzmer (D), and sophomore Kristie Adkins (MF).
Newcomers need to score: The Wolves will have to count on a batch of talented newcomers to do the scoring this fall. "Our biggest mission in practice and in these first few weeks of matches is to establish some offensive production," Fretz said. "We will have basically all new people up front and how quickly they develop to this level will be very key for us."
Gators, Warriors to provide tests: Two teams from the California Collegiate Athletic Association will test the Wolves this week. San Francisco State returns five starters from a Gator squad that went 4-11-4 overall in 2006 and finished 3-9-4 in the CCAA. SFSU and Western Oregon are 1-1 all-time against each other. Cal State Stanislaus went 7-11-2 last season and 4-10-2 in the CCAA. The Warriors return nine starters and 17 players with experience, and they hold a 1-0 series edge on the Wolves. "We don't know a lot about the teams that we are playing," Fretz said. "We do know that both of them have some experience coming back, and that Cal State Stanislaus in particular is always a very physical team. It will be a very good test for us."
Polling: Seattle Pacific is expected to reclaim the GNAC crown, if you believe the conference coaches. The Falcons, who won four consecutive titles before finishing third in the GNAC last year, received five of the eight first-place votes in the coach's pre-season poll. The Wolves were tabbed to finished sixth. Here's the order...1) Seattle Pacific, 2) Seattle, 3) Western Washington, 4) Montana State-Billings, 5) Central Washington, 6) Western Oregon, 7) Northwest Nazarene, 8) Saint Martin's.
Scoring = wins: It makes good soccer sense, and is especially apparent when looking at the WOU numbers in 2006. When Western Oregon scored, they won, at least ten of 12 times this season. In seven of WOU's nine losses and in both of their ties, the Wolves were shutout. Only in a 2-1 loss to Seattle Pacific on Sept. 13 and in a 5-1 set-back at Western Washington on Oct. 19 did WOU score and not win.
By the numbers: WOU's final scoring numbers were balanced in 2006, with three players tied for the lead with nine points each. Liorah Riutzel, Maggie Kuzmer and Aly Reamer all shared the top rung. Ruitzel has gone the assist route to tally her totals (5) along with two goals, while Kuzmer had four goals and an assist, and Reamer had three goals and two assists. Lisa Munyon was right behind with eight points, followed closely by Amy Weberg with seven and Erica Hibbard with six. Weberg led the team with 58 shots. Goalkeeper Ally Meyer had a GAA of 1.45 with 112 saves on the season. Her save percentage was .789, and she ranked second in the GNAC in saves per match (5.60) and was fourth in shutouts with five.
The coach: Rod Fretz is the only soccer coach that the Wolves have known as he heads into his 12th season. His overall record is 90-107-9.
Posted by vanmatrs at 8:33 PM
Wolves take on CCAA to open season
Go to: Schedule / Results | Roster | Statistics
This Week - Friday-Saturday at Seawolf Spike Tournament (Sonoma, Calif.)
Last Week - No matches
Season Record: 0-0
Four in two: Western Oregon will open the 2007 volleyball season by playing four matches in two days this week at the Seawolf Spike Volleyball Tournament, hosted by Sonoma State. The Wolves will take on four different squads from the volleyball-talented California Collegiate Athletic Association. Here is the schedule…
Friday, 11:30 am vs. Sonoma State
Friday, 4:30 pm vs. Chico State
Saturday, 9 am vs. Cal State Stanislaus
Saturday, 4:30 pm vs. Humboldt State
Youth brigade: The Wolves, under third-year coach Joe Houck, have eight returning letter winners from 2006 but only four of those are upper classmen. Four sophomores (freshmen in '06) saw significant playing time last fall, while three juniors and one senior will provide leadership.
Headlines from Houck: "This is a group that is so new to each other, but there is a solid core group with the veterans that has put in a great foundation. We came in well conditioned, and although we slowed a bit through the double and triple days, I feel like we are on or slightly ahead of expectation at this point. The work rate and the work load have both been substantial, and we have covered a ton of ground. I would say we are well ahead of where we left off last season, and that is a compliment to Travis (assistant coach Ward) and the players for the work they did in preparation for the season, and the growth of the program during the during the spring season. There is a dramatic positive vibe with this group, and we are really excited to get in and trade punches with an opponent for while."
Spike field: WOU will take on four members of the Northern Division of the CCAA at the Seawolf Spike Volleyball Tournament. No. 13 nationally ranked Chico State is the cream of the crop, returning six starters from a team that finished 21-6 last season and 15-5 in the CCAA. The Wildcats return third team All-American setter Erica Brick and first team All-Pacific Region picks Lindsay Macias and Gillian Heydorff (region freshman of the year). Cal State Stanislaus returns five starters from a 12-16 squad, while Humboldt State went 9-15 and welcome three starters (10 letterwinners) back. Host Sonoma State was 10-14 last season and returns five starters. Chico State leads the all-time series with WOU 4-2, and Sonoma State has won two of three previous battles with Western. The Wolves lead the all-time slate with Cal State Stanislaus (3-0) and they also have a 16-6 margin over former GNAC member Humboldt State. "The region we play in is the most competitively deep region in the nation," said Wolves coach Houck. "We will see the best of it during the next two weekends, and then roll head first into WWU and CWU to begin the conference. If it were possible to peak a team in the first three weeks, I would attempt it this year! Realistically, we will see several dramatically different styles of play from the teams we play, and it should prepare us to experience the level of intensity and physicality we will see in the GNAC every Thursday and Saturday."
More Houck: "We don’t have the luxury of a conference tournament in the GNAC, so the matches are meaningful immediately. Any chance of a regional ranking as a path to the NCAA tournament this season runs through Sonoma and Bellingham (WWU tournament next week). We hope to find our initial competitive level in these tournaments and raise our level of play each week for the duration. The season is much more of a sprint than people realize, and it is critical the way things are set up for us to get out of the blocks quickly, and pin some W’s on the wall."
Polling: Western Washington is the favorite to win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this season, according to the pre-season coaches poll. The Wolves are picked to finish seventh in the 10-team race. Here’s how the vote came out….1) Western Washington, 2) Seattle Pacific, 3) Central Washington, 4) Montana State Billings, 5) Seattle, 6) Northwest Nazarene, 7) Western Oregon, 8) Alaska Fairbanks, 9) Alaska Anchorage, 10) Saint Martin’s.
National look: Tampa is in the No. 1 slot in the CSTV/AVCA Division II Coaches poll. Pacific Region teams in the top 25 include No. 3 Cal State San Bernardino, No. 4 UC San Diego, No. 13 Chico State, No. 17 Cal State LA, No. 19 BYU-Hawaii, No. 20 Seattle Pacific, and No. 23 Western Washington.
Milestones: Senior libero Claire Carpenter has an even 1,100 digs in her three-year career, which is just a few hundred short of her getting into WOU’s career top ten. But her 3.74 digs per game is the fourth best career average in the Wolves record books...Junior Stacey Bennett ranks seventh on the WOU career list for hitting percentage at .247, and has led the Wolves in that category in back-to-back seasons…Junior Laura Sakala earned honorable mention All-GNAC honors last fall…Sophomore setter Amy Herron led WOU in assists (6.78) and service aces (28) as a freshman in 2006…Fellow ’06 freshman Lisa Martini paced the squad in total blocks with 0.76 per game.
Houck Headlines: Coach Joe Houck came to WOU in 2005 with a 97-32 career record, after leading the Concordia University program for five seasons (his 51-10 record at Eastern Washington as associate head coach is not included in his career mark). Houck, who also won three state titles as a prep coach at Barlow High School in Gresham, now has a collegiate mark of 115-66.
In 2006: The Wolves dropped seven of its eight final matches and finished 7-19 on the season, 5-11 in GNAC play.
Posted by vanmatrs at 8:10 PM
August 19, 2007
PSU tops Wolves in exhibition
WOU soccer squad falls to Vikings, 2-0
PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland State scored one goal in the first half and another in the second in taking a 2-0 women's soccer exhibition win over Western Oregon today in Portland.
The Vikings used goals by Tarah Authier and Alissa Russell to get by WOU in a match that doesn’t count on either teams’ record. Both squads started practice just last week.
Division I PSU out-shot the Wolves 11-7. WOU senior goalie Ally Meyer had five saves on the day.
Western Oregon will open the 2007 season for real this Thursday (Aug. 23) at San Francisco State.
Scoring Summary - Portland State 2, Western Oregon 0
PSU - Tarah Authier (Caitlin Marquis) 31st minute
PSU - Alissa Russell (unassisted) 71st minute
Shots: PSU 11, WOU 7
Goalie Saves: WOU 5 (Meyer 5), PSU 0 (Jarvis, Mills, Lewis)
Records: Western Oregon 0-0, Portland State 0-0
Posted by vanmatrs at 6:43 PM
August 11, 2007
Defense & youth lead Wolves soccer
WOU soccer squad opens 2007 with Monday practice
The 2007 Western Oregon women's soccer team will rely on its' veterans for defense and for the newcomers to put the ball in the net as the team begins the year with practice this Monday, Aug. 13.
The Wolves return seven letter winners from last fall, and nearly all of them play on the defensive end of the field. WOU gave up just 30 goals in 20 matches in 2006 on their way to a 9-9-2 overall record, and most of that "stop" group returns for co-head coaches Rod Fretz and Kevin Plechl.
"We are counting on our returnees to give strong leadership to a young group," said Fretz, who enters his 12th season at the helm. "We are fortunate to have a good bit of experience in the defense with five players back who started last year. Our transfers and freshmen will have to provide the offense, and we have some firepower coming in that group should give some guts to what was our weakest area last year."
The Wolves return second team All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference defender Erica Hibbard to the backfield, who will start for the fourth straight season. Senior defender Amber Thronas will also be a four-year letter winner, as will goalkeeper Ally Meyer. Those three were the only players to start all 20 games in '06 for Fretz and Plechl. Meyer had 112 saves on the season and a 1.45 Goals Against Average.
Also back is Maggie Kuzmer, who actually led the team in scoring last year as a sophomore despite shooting as a defender (four goals, one assist). Kristen Werhane had 15 starts as a sophomore last fall, while Bryndle Rueck had 13 and Kristie Adkins got called out with the starting group eight times.
The newcomers who will have to ignite the offense include Jessica Hicks and Megan Herber, both of whom practiced with the Wolves last spring. Hicks transferred from Oregon State after prepping at Crescent Valley High School, while Herber is a San Diego native who transferred to WOU from New Mexico. Those two will play at midfield, while fellow transfers Stephanie Catt (Madison HS/ Clackamas CC) and Kenna Pepen (Tigard HS/U of Oregon) will see time at forward. Catt was a first team All-NWAACC pick last year, scoring 14 goals with eight assists.
Even with seven returnees and four transfers with college experience, WOU's coaching duo will still have to rely on freshmen to carry a good chunk of the load.
"Most of our incoming freshmen have a legitimate opportunity to contribute major playing minutes, and I wouldn't be surprised if we had five or more freshmen starters," Fretz said of his sparkling class.
5-10 freshman Cori Young from Gresham is one of those newcomers, ditto for Jordann Gilmer (Federal Way, Wash./Decatur HS), and Brenna Lander (Poulsbo, Wash./North Kitsap HS) on the offensive end. Defensively, goalkeeper Kelsie Blachly (Gresham) can back-up the senior Meyer, while defenders Sam Horvath (Salem/Sprague HS) and Jill Peterson (Clackamas) may defend for a starting spot. Others who could make immediate contributions are Chelsie O'Neill (South Medford HS), Kelsey Castrey (Vancouver, Wash./Hudson's Bay HS), Naomi Shimabuku (Aiea, Hawaii/Moanalua HS), Sam Slezak (West Salem HS), LaChante Horton (Centennial HS) and Brittney Carvalho (Kapaa Hawaii).
The Wolves will open their season less than one week after beginning practice, starting with a scrimmage at Portland State on Sunday, Aug. 19 (1 pm). Later in the week, WOU travels to San Francisco State (Aug. 23) and Cal State Stanislaus (Aug. 25), before returning home for a Sept. 1 clash with Chico State.
The always-tough GNAC adds two teams to the fold in 2007--new entry Montana State Billings and Saint Martin's, who will be playing its first season of women's soccer. "The GNAC has become an extremely tough soccer league," Fretz said. "Billings and Saint Martin's will only add to that. The first tier teams in the GNAC this year are head and shoulders above the rest--Seattle, Seattle Pacific and Western Washington. We should be clawing it out with the rest of the conference to see who can finish behind them.
"The scrimmage with PSU should give us a good idea of what we have, although with so many new players, it will take some time to see what they are really capable of. But I think that this is a very talented team with great potential, and we are looking forward to rewarding season."
Posted by rdyer at 1:04 PM
August 7, 2007
AlumWatch
Welcome, WOU fans and former players to Alum Watch. This section will include notes on former Wolves that are still playing or accomplishments and transactions by WOU alums that are now in the coaching ranks.
If you have an item for us on a former Western Oregon player, please send to blunckr@wou.edu.
Waechter named pitcher of week
BROOKLYN, N.Y.: Brooklyn Cyclones pitcher Nick Waechter, a Roseburg High School graduate who starred at Western Oregon University in Monmouth, was named the New York-Penn League Pitcher of the Week last Monday.
Waechter, 22, went 2-0 with a 0.90 earned run average over two starts. He struck out 16 and walked none, and only allowed one earned run in 10 innings.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound right-hander has made seven starts this season for the Cyclones, a Single-A affiliate of the New York Mets. He's 2-2 with a 4.64 ERA, with 33 strikeouts and 11 walks.
Waechter missed most of his first pro season with an injury. He played three seasons at Western Oregon, earning pitcher-of-the-year honors in the west region and second team All-American laurels.
Brooklyn had a 25-10 record through Wednesday.
Former WOU linebacker wins AD award
Santiam High School athletic director Vic Lease has been named the Oregon class 2A Athletic Director of the Year award. The award, given by the Oregon Athletic Directors Association, honors the Dallas native and former Western Oregon linebacker. Lease played at WOU from 1989 to 1993, and was a second team All-Columbia Football Association selection as a senior. Lease also coaches the Wolverine football team at Santiam, located east of Salem.
Webster honored, Meewsen gets head gig
Former WOU baseball standout Casey Webster was recently named the Capital Conference Coach of the Year. Webster led his Gladstone High School team to the Capital Conference title and state tournament berth, finishing with a 17-1 record in league play. The Gladiators were 20-7 overall. Webster, a member of the Western Oregon Hall of Fame, still holds the Wolves career records in home runs (29) and triples (11)...After 19 years as a varsity assistant coach, Jeff Meewsen is now the head boys basketball coach at Glencoe High School. Meewsen, who played on some of WOU's outstanding hoop teams in the early 1980's, is a Hillsboro native who played on some legendary prep teams coached by WOU Hall of Fame inductee Barry Adams.
Former WOU standout Chris Angel on ESPN2 on Monday
DENVER, Colo.--Former Western Oregon star and current Colorado Crush defensive back Chris Angel will play Monday on ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), when the Crush host the Utah Blaze.
Colorado will be playing the remainder of their regular season on Russell Athletic ESPN Arena Football Monday in the final four Monday night games of the regular season. Angel, in his fourth AFL season, has 76.5 tackles and 7 interceptions for 95 yards this spring.
An Albany native, Angel played at WOU from 1998-2001, setting a then-NCAA Division II record for most solo tackles in a single season with 92 (2000). He was selected to play in the Hula Bowl as a senior.
Colorado ESPN2 TV Schedule:
(All times are Western)
Week 14, Monday, June 4: Colorado @ Utah, 7:30 p.m.
Week 16, Monday, June 18: Chicago @ Colorado, 7:00 p.m.
Week 17, Monday, June 25: Dallas @ Colorado, 7:00 p.m.
Baumgartner named Arizona coach of the year
GLENDALE, Ariz.--Former Western Oregon player and assistant coach Jeff Baumgartner has been named the Arizona 5A Coach of the Year.
Baumgartner, who was a relief pitcher for the Wolves from 1996-99, and also served as an assistant coach at WOU. His Sandra Day O'Connor High School squad went 29-6 this spring and won the Northwest Region Championship
Jeff's assistant this year was another WOU graduate, his father Bill Baumgartner.
Former Wolves updates
Former WOU defensive back, Antar Brame, will play for the Alaska Wild of the Intense Football League this spring. Brame, a Portland native (Madison HS), played the past two seasons for the Tri-Cities Fever. The team is based in Anchorage. Brame played at Western Oregon in 2002 and 2003, earning All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference honors as a defensive back and return specialist.
Former Wolves catcher Greg McCarthy (2002-05) is now an assistant coach at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, teamming up with another former WOU standout, Tucker Brack, who is the Storm's head coach. McCarthy, who played two seasons in the San Francisco Giants organization, asked for his release a few weeks ago from the franchise. He was an all-region catcher for WOU, and is the school's career RBI leader.
Pitcher Nick Waechter, a draft pick of the New York Mets last spring, is still at extended spring training with the club in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Waechter, the 2006 NCAA Division II west region pitcher of the year, had only one appearance last summer with New York's "A" club, the Brooklyn Cyclones, before spending the rest of the year on the disabled list. He is expected to be assigned to a long-season "A" club for this summer.
Former WOU star Chris Angel on ESPN2 tonight
Brame, Tyner, Day also still sporting professional dreams
Former Western Oregon University football star Chris Angel and his Colorado Crush Arena Football League team will play on ESPN2 tonight (4 pm Pacific) at the Philadelphia Soul. The game is the first of five Crush contests that will be televised this spring on ESPN2.
Angel, a four-year starter in the defensive backfield for the Wolves from Albany, Ore., is in his fourth season with the AFL. In the Crush' season opener, Angel had seven solo tackles during a 44-42 loss to the Grand Rapids Rampage.
6-0, 205 pounds, Angel played for WOU from 1998-2001. He is Western Oregon's all-time leading tackler with 312. He was a free agent signee with the Oakland Raiders in 2002 and was in their fall camp, but was let go prior to the start of the season.
Another former WOU defensive back, Antar Brame, will play for the Stockton Lightning of the AFL2. Brame, a Portland native (Madison HS), played the past two seasons for the Tri-Cities Fever. A 5-11, 195-pound wide receiver/defensive back, Brame's squad will open its 2007 season on March 31 at the Spokane Shock. Brame played at Western Oregon in 2002 and 2003, earning All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference honors as a defensive back and return specialist.
Western Oregon's all-time basketball assist leader Kevin Tyner just recently completed his first professional season in Germany. Tyner, a 6-0 guard, averaged 23 points a game for the Tries-Karden Kangaroos, leading the Region Alliga in scoring. The Kangaroos finished 17-5 and in fourth place. Tyner (Portland/Central Catholic HS), who had 600 assists for the Wolves as a four-year starter from 2003-06, currently has tryouts with teams in the upper divisions of Germany and other countries.
WOU's all-time leading scorer Robert Day is playing again for the Portland Chinooks of the International Basketball League. Day, from Portland's Benson High School, scored 2,110 points for the Wolves from 2001-04. He averaged 14.6 points a contest for Portland last year. The Chinooks opened its season earlier this month with a 139-120 win over the Vancouver Volcanoes. The Chinooks, who play their home games at Portland State's Stott Center, will play at the Salem Stampede on April 7. The Stampede play their games at McKay High School.
Winemiller named head coach at North High School
Former WOU football player Dylan Winemiller has been named the new head football coach at North High School in Phoenix, Arizona.
The 34-year-old, who was already the head track and field coach at the school, will now also lead one of the top programs in the area. The Mustangs play in the Class 5A Metro Region. They will open their season on Sept. 1 against Gilbert Mesquite.
"I talked with many of my guys, my Western Oregon brothers during this process," Winemiller said. "Former teammates and coaches like Arne Ferguson, Blaine Bennett, Bob Bass, Stacy Collins, and Jay Minyard, among many others were an encouragement and sounding board for me."
In addition to the advice from WOU people, Winemiller also will have a former Wolves great on his staff in Brian Greene.
Minor League Update
Injuries have bitten two former WOU standouts in professional baseball this summer.
23rd round draft pick Nick Waechter of the New York Mets pitched two innings for the Brooklyn Cyclones in June before discovering a stress fracture in his forearm, and he has not played since. Catcher Greg McCarthy just returned to action with the Augusta Greenjackets (San Francisco Giants), after missing nearly two months with a elbow and forearm strain. The 2005 conference player of the year had a short rehabilatation stint with the Arizona Giants (Rookie League), where he hit a home run with his father Kevin in the ball park.
To get daily updates on either player, log on to minorleaguebaseball.com.
Former WOU linebackers together in Alabama
Two former All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference linebackers are now playing on both sides of the ball for the Tennessee Valley Vipers of the Arena 2 Football League.
Jon Apgar just joined the squad, located in Huntsville, Alabama, this month. Dave Morrill played for the Vipers in 2004, and joined the team again in June. Both play linebacker and fullback for Tennessee Valley.
Apgar was the GNAC co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, while Morrill was a four-year starter and all-conference player who last played for the Wolves in 2002.
The Vipers next game is on Saturday, July 29 against the Birmingham Steeldogs.
WOU assistants land head coaching jobs
Western Oregon assistant coaches Josh Rainey and Jessica Farnsworth have been named head coaches at two different community colleges in the state.
Rainey, who spent the past two seasons as an assistant in the women's basketball program, has been selected as the head coach at Southwestern Oregon CC. The Monroe native, who also assisted for one season with the WOU men's program in 2003-04 , earned his master's degree at Western Oregon.
Farnsworth, an assistant last year in the WOU softball program, has been tabbed as the co-head coach at Clackamas CC. She will team with veteran leader Paul Fiskum, who has led the Cougar program for the past 19 seasons.
Farnsworth, who was the Central High School head coach from 2003-05, was also a standout player at both Clackamas CC and Western Oregon. A Salem native, she was the Valley League Player of the Year while at Sprague High School in 1998.
Kurt Robinson, an assistant this past year with the WOU women's basketball team, will join Rainey and the Lakers in Coos Bay as an assistant coach.
ALUMS SHINE IN POST-COLLEGIATE CAREERS
A number of former Western Oregon standouts are currently enjoying post-collegiate careers in a variety of sports.
Former WOU running back Ivan McCrae is now a quarterback for the Polk Pioneers of the National Nineman Football League. He threw four TD passes to help lead his team into the national semi-finals during a win over the Springfield Buzzards on June 17. The Pioneers will now face the Cascade Steel in the finals on June 24 (2:30 pm) at Sweet Home High School.
WOU's all-time leading scorer Robert Day averaged just over 16 points a game this season for the Portland Chinooks of the International Basketball League. Day canned 18, including a late back-backing three-pointer during a 119-115 win over the Salem Stampede on June 15 at the Salem Armory.
2005 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year Greg McCarthy is on a short rehabilitation stint in Arizona for an injured elbow. He is expected to return shortly to the Augusta GreenJackets. The standout catcher was hitting .250 in eight games for the long-season Class A franchise of the San Francisco Giants before the injury.
Jeff Charleston, a three-year all-star at WOU as a defensive end, has signed a contract with the Houston Texans of the National Football League. Charleston, a former Central High School standout, spent his final year of collegiate eligibility at Idaho State. He signed with the Texans as a free agent.
On May 20, 2006, the Tricities Fever and former Western Oregon defensive back Antar Brame defeated the Lincoln Capitols 117 to 6 for a franchise record score during a National Indoor Football League contest. During the game Antar had a team leading (3) interceptions which tied the league single game record.
McCarthy is a Greenjacket again
Former Western Oregon catcher Greg McCarthy is a member of the Augusta GreenJackets of the South Atlantic League. The GreenJackets are a Class "A" franchise owned by the San Francisco Giants. The 2005 west region co-player of the year has been in Augusta less than a week, is off to a hot start with a .400 average (6-for-15), with three runs scored and three RBI.
Brame’s team hits century mark
WOU defensive back Antar Brame (2002-03) and his Tri-Cities Fever NIFL (National Indoor Football League) team left no doubt during a 102-20 win over the Big Sky Thunder during a recent game in Kennewick. The Fever will have an even battle on its hands this Sunday (May 14) when they travel to the undefeated (7-0) Rapid City Flying Aces (Michigan). Brame is a starting defensive back for Tri-Cities, who is 6-1 on the season.
FRANZ EARNS NATIONAL HONOR
Former Western Oregon distance runner Brett Franz, now an assistant coach at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, has been named as a TrackBrain.com National Assistant Coach of the Year.
Franz, in charge of Lindenwood's distance runners, helped guide his team to its second straight NAIA national indoor championship. He coached four NAIA All-Americans, including Aaron Rono who won the mile and finished second in the 3,000-meters.
TrackBrain.com, a developer of Palm and Pocket PC coaching software, such as Multi Runner Split Timer, has agreed to sponsor the NAIA's National Assistant Coach of the Year program, as well as other national coach of the year awards.
BENNETT LANDS COACHING JOB WITH SPARTANS
Former Western Oregon head football coach Blaine Bennett is now the Assistant Head Coach and Wide Receivers Coach at Michigan State University. Bennett, who spent the past five seasons at Purdue, joins the staff of John L. Smith at MSU.
The 41-year-old was WOU's head coach from 1995 to 2000 as the Wolves began the transition from the NAIA level to NCAA Division II. The Wolves went 7-3 and advanced to the NAIA playoffs in 1997 and were ranked as high as No. 12 in the national poll. Bennett had a 27-32 career record at WOU.
FORMER WOU CORNERS NOW LOCKING DOWN FOR TRI-CITIES
Former Western Oregon cornerbacks Antar Brame and Elton Seals are now playing for the Tri-Cities Fever in the National Indoor Football League.
The Fever opened its 2006 season last week with a 44-41 win over the Billings Outlaws, and will travel to Cheyenne to play the Wyoming Cavalry on Friday, March 31.
Seals played for the Wolves in 2000 and 2001, while Brame put on a Wolves uniform in 2002 and 2003. Both players were All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selections during their tenures in Monmouth.
Franz leads first team to top national finish
First-year cross country coach Brett Franz ('03) led his Lindenwood University squad to conference and regional titles this fall at the Missouri school. Franz was named the Heart of America Athletic Conference men's coach of the year, and earned the same title for NAIA Region V. The Lions finished third overall at the NAIA national championships, and had the top two runners in the race. Franz's Lady Lions were 15th at the national championships, and finished second in the HAAC and Region V meets.
WOU Alums Enjoy Successful Fall Seasons
A number of former Western Oregon University athletes are enjoying successful seasons at the prep level this fall.
Kristi Tomlin, who was Kristi Waldrop as a standout setter at WOU in 1998 and '99, was named the Valley League Coach of the Year last week. Her McNary High School team reached the 4A state semi-finals, the first Valley League team to accomplish that since 1983--when Judy Lovre's Corvallis squad won the state title. Tomlin's Celtics lost in the semi's to eventual state champ Ashland.
Fellow alum setter Tara Wilson, who played for Lovre from 1998-01, was an assistant coach this year at Burns HS, which finished third in the 3A state tournament.
Shane Hedrick ('85) has his Central Panthers in the 3A playoffs, after cruising through the Valco League unblemished. He was named the league's coach of the year. Hedrick has a host of former WOU players as assistant coaches, including Jake Ositis '03, Mark Dreiling '03 and Matt Olafson '05. Central will host Baker on Saturday, Nov. 19 at WOU (1 pm).
Scappoose head coach Sean McNabb has his team in the playoffs again (3A), hosting Sutherlin this weekend. McNabb ('88) was named the Cowapa League Coach of the Year.
Other WOU alums with football teams in the post-season include Jeff Jacobs ('88) at Vale HS (2A), Greg Lawrence's ('83) No. 1 ranked (3A) Sherwood Bowmen, and Craig Ruecker's ('70) Redmond squad (4A). Erik Davis ('99) was the offensive coordinator at high-scoring Pendleton. Midwestern League champ Sheldon hosts Sprague this weekend, led by head coach Marty Johnson '79. West Salem's Shawn Stanley ('94) led his young school to the 4A playoffs for the first time, and Terry Schloth '93 has his Reynolds team in the 4A playoffs again.
Other WOU alums who are head coaches include: Dave Johnson (Baker), Craig Walker (Bend), and as assistants Rob Kool (Lakeridge) and Scott Vang and Mick Dougherty (Barlow).
If we missed someone (and we surely did), please let us know by writing to blunckr@wou.edu.
WOU alum finds place undefeated Perrydale
WOU alum Dave Shewey was recently featured in the Salem Statesman Journal for his success as a coach at Perrydale High School. The full text of the article is here.
Dangler Works for Orioles
Former Western Oregon baseball player Dave Dangler, a pitcher for the Wolves in the late 1960's and early 70's, is now a baseball scout for the Baltimore Orioles.
Dangler's coverage area is the Pacific Northwest. He was previously a scout for the Florida Marlins in Alabama
Bryan Beban is the Assistant General Manager for Media Relations for the Eugene Emeralds, and has been for many years. The Emeralds are also a member of the Northwest League, and are a farm club of the San Diego Padres.
Former WOU Sports Information Director Tim Clodjeaux is now the SID at St. Francis College in Illinois. Clodjeaux was the SID at Western Oregon from 1992 to 1996, and worked with the Chicago White Sox prior to that.
WOU PUBLICIST MIKE BOOTH PASSES AWAY
Former Western Oregon sports information director Mike Booth passed away in his sleep in August 18, 2005, at his home in Keizer, Ore.
Mike served as the Wolves athletic publicist from the late 1970's into the early 1980's. He also served as the sports information contact for the Evergreen and Cascade Conferences, and was later the athletic director at Warner Pacific College.
Mike continued to follow the Wolves with passion, even when he could no longer attend games. Mike is survived by his wife Karleen, his son Chad (who attended WOU) and his mother Betty Booth.
ARIZONA GROUP SPORTS WOU CONNECTION
Four former Western Oregon athletes and coaches are now making their mark at a number of high schools in the Phoenix area.
Jeff Baumgartner, former pitcher on the Wolves squad and brother of former WOU head coach Terry Baumgarnter, is in his third year as head coach at Sandra Day O'Connor HS in Glendale. He has led the Eagles to the state playoffs in each of his two years at the helm, the only two years that the school has been in existence.
Lenny Doerfler, former WOU football assistant coach, is in his second year as the head offensive line coach at O'Connor HS. He helped lead the Eagles to the new school city championship last year. He is teaching and also coaching track and field at the school.
Ryan Ridenour, former WOU assistant baseball coach, is now the athletic director at Boulder Creek HS in Anthem, Ariz. (ten miles north of Phoenix). Ryan also coached the North Valley Stampede (AAA Legion) where his team won the Phoenix legion league with a 22-4 record last summer. He is teaching two health classes at BCHS.
Another former baseball assistant, Joe McDonald, is the athletic director for the Deer Valley Unified School District where he oversees 14 schools. He is also the head baseball coach, head cross country coach and math department chair.
TYNER EARNS SUMMER LEAGUE HONOR
Western Oregon senior-to-be point Kevin Tyner helped his team reach the final four in the Great Northwest Summer League basketball championships this past weekend.
Tyner, who played for the Sonics, was named to the all-tournament second team, which was played at Jefferson High School. Gonzaga's Derek Raivio and Thomas Gardner led the Warriors over the Lakers in the championship game, while Tyner's Sonics lost to the Blazers in the third-place game, 143-130.
Tyner had 27 points and 13 assists against the Blazers, but it wasn't enough to overcome Salim Stoudamire's 60 points, and Antoine Stoudamire added 40.
COWDEN GETS EAGLES BASEBALL JOB
Longtime assistant Rob Cowden is now the head baseball coach at Eagle Point High School .
Cowden, 32, an Eagle Point native, has been an assistant coach for the Eagles in baseball and wrestling for the past nine years, and has been a football staff member for seven. A former prep star in football, wrestling and baseball at Eagle Point, Cowden then went on to earn all-conference honors at WOU. In 1995, he was the Wolves MVP and helped first-year coach Terry Baumgartner lead the squad in the NAIA regional tournament.
KOHLMEYER'S GROUP TO HOST SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Former WOU standout softball player Andi Kohlmeyer is helping promote the cause of breast cancer awareness, hosting a tournament this weekend in Salem .
The 2005 Play for the Cure tournament will be held at Wallace Marine Park , Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 20-21). Co-ed teams from throughout Oregon and southwest Washington will participate, and a ceremony will be held both days to honor breast cancer survivors.
Kohlmeyer, who is in WOU's all-time career top 10 list in eight different categories, was an all-conference and academic honoree from 2001-04. She is now the women's health coordinator at the YMCA in Salem .
HOKANSON RETURNS TO OREGON
Former WOU assistant softball coach Mick Hokanson as accepted a job as an assistant coach at the University of Oregon .
Hokanson, who was an assistant to Willie Rucker in the 1990's, was most recently an assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham . Prior to that he was the head coach Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Wash.
BIAMONT IS P.I.L. ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Marshall High School (Portland) athletic director Tim Biamont has been named the Portland Interscholastic League's AD of the year.
The Seaside native ran track and played football at Western Oregon in the 1980's. At Marshall, he has also coached track and football. He became the school's athletic director two years ago.
PIL Athletic Director Greg Ross told the Portland Tribune that Biamont is extremely well-organized, has great character� and is a great role model for the students at Marshall. Ross praised Biamont's willingness to work on issues such as sportsmanship with Marshall's athletes and student body.
GORDON EARNS HONOR
Jonathan Gordon (B.A., Speech Communication, 2001) was named the NCAA Division II Pacific Region nominee for the American Volleyball Coaches Association's inaugural Grant Burger Media Award. Gordon, now beginning his fourth year as the Sports Information Director at Central Washington University, was one of eight winners at the Division II level and was one of 29 finalists nationwide for the award. Gordon spent four years as a student assistant in the SID office at WOU prior to his 2001 graduation.
JOLLEY NAMED TIGERS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Marc Jolley (B.A., English, 2000) was recently named defensive coordinator for the varsity football team at Tigard High School. In addition to his duties on the Tigers' coaching staff, Jolley will join the teaching faculty at THS in the language arts department this fall. Next spring, he will also begin his fifth year as the assistant coach for the Tigers' varsity fastpitch softball team, coached by his wife Connie (B.A., Health, 2000).
McCARTHY CALLED UP TO GREENJACKETS
Western Oregon catcher Greg McCarthy has been called up to the Augusta Greenjackets of the South Atlantic League.
The Greenjackets, an "A" level farm club of the San Francisco Giants, is currently on the road playing the Charleston Riverdogs. They will return home on August 3, to host the Rome Braves.
McCarthy, the 2005 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year, was hitting .333 with the Giants of the Arizona Rookie League prior to his call-up. He had four doubles, two runs and 11 RBI in 18 games.
FORMER WOLVES REACH FOOTBALL SEMI'S
Western Oregon's Antar Brame and Brinton Smith, former defensive backs for the Wolves, will play in the National Indoor Football League semi-finals this Saturday (July 23) in Odessa, Tex.
Brame and Smith play for the Tri-City Fever (Kennewick, Wash.). The Fever, 11-5 on the season, recently knocked off previously undefeated Everett and will now take on the 16-0 Roughnecks.
Brame was a starting cornerback for the Wolves in 2002 and 2003, and was also an All-GNAC return man. Smith played in 2000 and 2001.
GITS SAVES THE DAY (Again)
Former Western Oregon pitcher Mike Gitts picked up his 13th save of the season on Sunday (July 24) when his Chico Outlaws defeated the San Diego Surf Dawgs, 2-1.
Gitts, who holds WOU's singles season and career saves records, played for the Wolves in 2000-01. The 6-5 right-hander pitched one perfect inning against San Diego to help the Outlaws improve to 28-29 on the season, in front of 2,157 at Nettleton Stadium.
The Chico Outlaws play in the Golden Baseball League.
McCarthy Homers Again
2005 Western Oregon catcher Greg McCarthy hit the second professional home run of his career on Wednesday (July 20), during a 7-5 win over the Padres in the Arizona Rookie League.
McCarthy's team (the Giants) lead the league by a game (17-7) over the Royals. The '05 GNAC Player of the Year is fourth on the squad in hitting with a .314 average. He has four doubles and nine RBI in 14 games. In that win over the Padres, the catcher threw out the only base runner who tried to steal on him.
BARREAU LANDS PSU COACHING JOB
2004 Western Oregon alum Matthew Barreau has been named the assistant coach in charge of distance running for the Portland State University track and field program, announced by Viking head coach Kebba Tolbert on July 5.
Barreau served this past season as an assistant coach at division II national power Adams State (Colorado), and has also assisted at WOU and Oregon State.
FRANZ BEGINS SECOND SEASON AT WILLIAM WOODS
Former standout runner and student Brett Franz has accepted a new post as the head cross country and assistant track coach in charge of distance at Lindenwood University.
Frant spent this past season as an assistant in both sports at William Woods University.
Franz is a former All-GNAC academic selection and four-year letterwinner at WOU (1999-2003). Lindenwood is an NAIA school located in St. Charles, Missouri. The Lions won the NAIA indoor national championship last winter, and the Lindenwood men were third at the both the cross country and track and field national championships.
Posted by vanmatrs at 4:58 PM
August 5, 2007
Wolves open gridiron season
Western Oregon to hit the field for 7:15 pm practice
MONMOUTH, Ore.--The 2007 version of the Western Oregon football team will take the field on Monday night for its first practice at 7:15 p.m.
After a day full of meetings, gear check-out and doctor's physicals, Coach Arne Ferguson's team will work out the kinks with the evening practice to kick-off the season. A quick turnaround awaits the Wolves as they will return to the field on Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m.
Ferguson's team will continue on that single practice schedule Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. The squad will be in full gear for the first time for Friday's workout. On Saturday, WOU will have their first doubles session of the summer, practicing at 9 a.m. and then again at 3 p.m.
"We are excited to begin practice," said third-year leader Ferguson. "We have a good mix of experienced players and some younger kids that we are very optimistic about. Our seniors are an excellent group that we expect will provide great leadership. We have a lot of work to do and the coaches and players are happy to be getting started."
The Wolves return 18 starters from a 2006 squad that went 6-4. All four of WOU's losses last fall were by a touchdown or less. Among the returning starters are 12 seniors including quarterback Mark Thorson, who begins his third season as the Wolves signal caller.
Western Oregon begins the ’07 campaign with a pair of home games on Sept. 1 (Willamette) and Sept. 8 (Linfield). Both contests at McArthur Field begin at 6 p.m
Posted by vanmatrs at 2:16 PM
August 4, 2007
Wolves Volleyball open practice
Youthful but talented squad to tackle tough schedule
MONMOUTH, Ore.--There is an old adage that says something about "youth being served." In the case of the 2007 Western Oregon University volleyball team, youth will not only serve, they will block, attack and dig. That's because this years' Wolves feature six sophomores, four freshmen, two juniors and two seniors--and only one of the seniors has collegiate experience.
Head coach Joe Houck, entering his third season on the WOU bench, will begin to mold and shape the group this Monday (August 6) when the squad reports for pre-season camp. The team will have just over two weeks of practice before departing for its season-opening tournament at Sonoma State on Aug. 24.
While Houck's club looks young on paper, he says that fact is a little deceiving.
"Our youngest players academically are among our most experienced athletes in the sport," said Houck, who has a career record of 115-66. "This is a mature group of athletes, with tremendous experiences to draw from. We have a large foundation of knowledgeable and committed players and the challenge is to integrate the new people into the culture that we have already established."
That culture includes five sophomores who lettered last season in Houck's complicated system. The sixth sophomore on the squad, Kayla Mainer (5-10, OH), is expected to contend for a starting position after transferring from North Idaho JC.
The Wolves finished 7-19 overall in 2006 with a mostly new team learning the ropes. Those freshmen (now sophomores) included setter Amy Herron, middle blocker and outside hitter Lisa Martini and defensive specialists Danielle English and Jessica Baty.
6-2 Sharon Peterson (MB/OH) redshirted last season and returns this fall to the front row.
Martini led the Wolves in blocks per game (0.76) and was fourth in kills (2.14). Herron led Houck's club in service aces (28) and assists (6.78).
"That group had a very productive spring session," Houck said. "We were able to accomplish some things fundamentally and mentally, and I think that they had fun doing it. It is tough to go into a gun fight with a pocket knife, but I feel that we have upgraded our skill sets and confidence where we look forward to playing anyone."
"For Travis (assistant coach Travis Ward) and I, it feels like having a new car to drive--with a huge increase in horsepower."
Juniors Stacey Bennett (6-3, OH-MB) and Laura Sakala (6-0 MB-OH) contribute to that horsepower, as do seniors Claire Carpenter (5-3, L-DS) and Haley Kostrba (5-10 OH). Sakala earned honorable mention kudos in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in 2006 averaging 2.37 kills per game, while Carpenter has seen starting time in all three of her seasons in a Wolves uniform. She ranks fourth on the WOU all-time list in digs per game with 3.74, and led the team with 4.05 per outing last year.
"Claire and Haley will be counted on to provide the wisdom of the ages to our relatively young group," Houck assessed. "They are mature beyond their years and are wonderful examples of our university on and off the court."
That talented freshman foursome looking for guidance--Stephanie Beeler (5-11, OH Tillamook), Jordan Burrows (5-11, S, Lebanon), Kalista Harrison (5-11, OH, Roseburg), and Mandy Keifer (5-10, MB, North Salem HS)--could all see playing time early. "These players are all important to our cause," Houck explained. "Those four, along with Mainer and Peterson, were not on the roster last year but they are key for us in 2007. They help give us good size and speed."
The Wolves schedule will test them early with tournaments at Sonoma State and Western Washington in the month of August. In those brackets, WOU will play seven different teams from the volleyball-rich California Collegiate Athletic Association. Following that, WOU will take on two of the GNAC favorites in conference and home openers on Sept. 6 (Central Washington) and Sept. 8 (Western Washington).
"The GNAC runs like a river this year--deep, wide and strong," Houck stated. "Any one of five teams could win the conference this season. The key to winning the title is to sweep versus the bottom half, and there are no easy matches there. Our early schedule is brutal, and we will need to be ready quick to have any shot at playing big matches later in the season. We have to hit the court ready to go and avoid the matches looking like an eighth grade dance--a bunch of wallflowers waiting to see who starts dancing first."
Posted by vanmatrs at 11:20 AM