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The fourth installment of The Pack looks at how the Yotes pulled off the upset over Eastern Oregon, takes a peek at the dominating weekend the soccer teams had, provides team notes, conference standings, and much more!
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FEATURES
12 HAMPTON CAPTURES GOLD
14 LADY YOTES CRUISE
16 ATOP THE MOUNTAIN
18 RETURNING FROM MONTANA 20 YOTES SOAR PAST EAGLES 22 ALUMNI GAME 23 EXTRA TIME THRILLER
SPORTS
24 CROSS COUNTRY
26 FOOTBALL VS PACIFIC PREVIEW 32 COYOTE SOCCER 34 LADY YOTE SOCCER 36 LADY YOTE VOLLEYBALL
THE BEAT 5 #COYOTECANDIDS 22 PLAYERS OF THE WEEK 40 CONFERENCE STANDINGS
ON THE COVER
#HYDEANDSEEK University of Utah
transfer J.J. Hyde was named the
Frontier Conference Offensive Player of
the Week after leading the Yotes to a 12
-point victory over the No.13 ranked
Eastern Oregon Mountaineers last
Saturday at Simplot Stadium. Hyde's
rushed for three touchdowns in his first
game under center for the Coyotes.
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Volume I, Issue IV Designed and distributed by The College of Idaho
Athletic Communications Department.
Executive Editors Mike Safford Jr
Tyler Thurston
Creative Design Tyler Thurston
Contributing Writers Mike Safford Jr
Tyler Thurston
Photography Liza Safford
Sam Suyehira
EMAIL: YOTEATHLETICS@GMAIL.COM
FACEBOOK: COYOTE ATHLETICS
INSTAGRAM: @COYOTEATHLETICS
TWITTER: @COYOTEATHLETICS
YOUTUBE: YOTE ATHLETICS
12
College of Idaho men's basketball coach Scott Garson
served as an assistant coach for the Under-18 United States
team at the 2015 European Maccabi Games, held in Berlin,
Germany.
A ll-American Max Hampton cruised to an
individual victory and the College of
Idaho swept the top four spots on the day,
as the Yotes dominated Eastern Oregon in
a season-opening cross country dual meet on the C of I
Campus Course.
Complete Results
In a match-up between NAIA Championship teams
from 2014, the No. 13 ranked Yotes rolled to a 17-42
victory over the Mountaineers and remained unbeaten
all-time on their home course.
Hampton traversed the 6,000-meter course through the
scenic campus in a time of 19:14.44, over 16 seconds
clear of Coyote freshman Austin Fred
(19:30.71). Matt Goodwin placed third (19:31.90),
with Dylan Walker using a late kick to take fourth
(19:50.05).
Kody Shriver had the top finish for the Mountaineers,
placing fifth with a time of 19:52.75.
The Yotes have two weeks to prepare for the Treasure
Valley CC Open, set for Sept. 12.
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A completely dominating performance by
the College of Idaho women's cross
country team helped the No. 12 ranked
Lady Yotes sweep Eastern Oregon in a
head-to-head dual meet on the C of I
Campus Course.
Complete Results
The Lady Yotes grabbed the first seven scoring
positions in the 4,000-meter race, earning a perfect 15-
50 win over their I-84 rivals.
Ruth Lewinski, the lone senior on the C of I squad,
earned the individual win (14:45.13), breaking away
from her teammate, sophomore All-American Amy
Pfaff (14:55.58), on the final circuit.
The Yotes pack running won out – as Emily Hawgood
(15:22.49) and Kaitlyn Schut (15:28.94) took third and
fourth – while three runners Ashtyn Ellis (15:46.95),
Annelise Eagleton (15:47.20), and Tamika Russell
(15:47.42) were grouped in the fifth through seventh
positions.
Eastern was led by McKenzie Evans (15:50.85) in the
eighth position.
The Lady Yotes have two weeks to prepare for the
Treasure Valley CC Open, set for Sept. 12.
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MORE INFORMATION
REGISTRATION
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J J Hyde rushed for three touchdowns in his collegiate debut and the College of Idaho defense forced three
turnovers and five sacks, as the Yotes stunned No. 13 ranked Eastern Oregon, 40-28, before a sellout crowd of
5,289 fans at Simplot Stadium.
Hyde, a transfer from the University of Utah, rushed for 85 yards, as the Yotes (1-0, 1-0 Frontier) piled up 268
yards on the ground in their first-ever win against a ranked opponent.
The Coyotes, who lost twice to the Mountaineers (0-1, 0-1) last season by a combined score of 89-28, jumped out to a
14-0 lead and never trailed.
A botched punt snap set the Yotes up inside the 20-yard-line midway through the opening quarter, with Hyde capping
the two play drive with an 11-yard scoring run.
After a defensive stop, C of I marched 69 yards in eight plays to make it 14-0. Teejay Gordon found Marcus
Lenhardt on a 22-yard strike, followed by Hyde bowling in from nine yards out to cap the march.
EOU swung the momentum on one play in the second quarter, as Zach Bartlow escaped traffic in his own end zone
and eluded tacklers, sprinting 97-yards for a touchdown.
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C of I countered late in the period, as Jaquan Mayberry forced a fumble after a long
pass from Bartlow to T.J. Esekielu, with Cory Brady pouncing on the ball. The Yotes
chewed up over five minutes of the clock, with Hyde converting on a key fourth down
run and Gordon finding Lenhardt over the middle from 14-yards out to make it 20-7.
Just before the half, Eastern cornerback Byron Benson stepped in front of a Gordon
pass, returning the interception 38 yards for a score, pulling the Mounties within 20-14
at the half.
The Coyote defense set the tone to start the second half, forcing a 3-and-out. C of I
capitalized on the ensuing possession, as a Kyle Merritt 12-yard run set up a 43-yard
touchdown pass from Gordon to Tyler Higby.
After EOU pulled within 26-21 on a Jace Billingsley touchdown reception on a fourth
down pass, C of I continued their onslaught. Gordon found Austin Diffey for 19 yards
on a 3rd-and-11; Merritt busted a 17-yard scamper; and four straight Hyde runs set up
a 14-yard scoring run from Merritt to give the second-year program a 33-21 lead.
Early in the fourth, C of I's defense continued to come up with big plays – as Nate
Moore intercepted Bartlow on a fourth down pass and Jaquan Mayberry had a big sack
to snuff out an EOU drive.
Brady used an 18-yard punt return to set the Yotes up with a short field, with Hyde
plowing his way into the end zone to break the game wide open.
Merritt led the way with a career-high 104 yards rushing on 19 carries, with Gordon
going 10-of-17 for 151 yards and two touchdowns through the air, adding 57 yards
rushing. Lenhardt had three catches for 47 yards in the win.
Bartlow was 15-of-26 for 146 yards and added 94 yards rushing to lead
EOU. Billingsley, the All-American, was held below his 2014 seasonal averages,
rushing 16 times for 59 yards and making six receptions for 45 yards and two scores.
C of I returns to action Saturday, hosting Pacific University at 1 p.m.
YOTE NOTES:
EOU was held to 321 total yards of offense, including 159 yards passing – the lowest total allowed by C of I since
football returned in 2014
The win was the biggest by the Yotes since upsetting two-time defending Northwest Conference champion
Willamette, 23-19, on Oct. 18, 1969 – helping C of I improve to 5-0 on the season (the last year the club recorded
a winning record)
C of I finished the day 8-of-13 on third down conversions and finished with a 27-15 edge in first downs
Outside of the 97-yard touchdown run by EOU, the Coyote defense held the Mountaineers to just 85 yards on 29
carries.
Mountaineers linebacker Gary Posten led all players with 19 tackles; Troy Carr led C of I with seven tackles. A
total of 27 C of I players had at least an assisted tackle.
The win ended a three-game losing streak to EOU, dating back to a 7-0 win over the Mounties on Sept. 19, 1976. C
of I won back-to-back season openers for the first time since 1968 and 1969.
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T he College of Idaho split their first two matches of the weekend at the Big Sky Challenge, defeating Hope
International and losing to Rocky Mountain.
The Lady Yotes earned a 25-23, 25-12, 25-16 morning win over HIU, but fell in the evening 26-24, 25-10,
25-22 to No. 5 ranked Rocky.
Against the Southern California based Royals, C of I withstood a tough opening set to roll the rest of the way,
notching their first win of the 2015 season and ending a nine-match losing streak vs. Golden State Athletic
Conference foes, dating back to 2012.
Set 1 had 14 ties and eight lead changes, with HIU using a 5-0 surge midway through the period to take their largest
lead at 18-15. The Yotes came right back, pushing four straight points, capped by a Katy Robinson kill, to regain a
lead they would never relinquish. C of I led 24-23, with a service error by the Royals ending the set.
C of I took advantage of seven HIU errors and two Randi Sturtz kills in an opening 10-2 run to cruise to the Set 2
win. Abbey Fenton had eight of her team-high 12 kills in the period.
Jackie van Vliet led the way in Set 3 for the Yotes, recording four of her seven kills, including a spike in a late 4-0
spurt to put the frame away.
Sierra Porter led C of I with 31 assists and eight digs; Cheyan Coburn had 12 digs and two of the Yotes seven aces;
with van Vliet recording six blocks.
Three players had six kills for the Royals, with setter Shea Beeman leading the team with 22 assists.
In the evening tilt, the Bears (4-2) battled back from a late first set deficit to top C of I.
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The Lady Yotes took a 22-18 lead in Set 1, with RMC staving off a pair of set point chances by C of I. Ahlea Billis
took over late, recording two kills in a 4-0 run to end the set for the Bears.
RMC rolled out to a 14-3 lead in Set 2 and was never headed, and then used a surge late in Set 3 to complete the
sweep of their regional rival.
Billis had 13 kills and 15 digs in the win, with setter Tori Bertsch recording 33 assists.
Fenton led C of I with 10 kills, with Robinson adding nine. Porter had 32 assists and Kilee Lopez added 21 digs.
Closing out the non-conference portion of their schedule, the College of Idaho volleyball team defeated Montana
Tech and lost to The Masters on the final day of the Big Sky Challenge at Sampson Court.
The Yotes earned a 28-26, 17-25, 25-14, 28-26 win over the Orediggers, but dropped a tough 25-14, 9-25, 25-23, 23-
25, 16-14 match-up with the Mustangs.
In Match 1, C of I rode the back Abbey Fenton and Kylie Porter in the victory, as Fenton recorded 20 kills and 12
digs, with Porter adding 18 kills and a season-high six blocks.
Set 1 was a see-saw frame, as the Yotes watched a 14-9 lead evaporate thanks to an 8-2 Tech run. MT held three set
points, but the Yotes struck back with kills from Fenton and Randi Sturtz and a Fenton-Jackie van Vliet block ending
the set.
The hosts rolled in Set 2, taking advantage of three C of I errors in a six-point run to erase an early Yote lead and
were never headed. The Coyotes turned the tide in Set 3, getting two kills and a block each from Porter and Sturtz in
an 11-4 surge to open the set.
The Diggers were in command of Set 4, leading 24-21, but three-straight Porter kills tied the score, and back-to-back
Tech errors handed C of I the match.
Sturtz finished with nine kills and three blocks; Sierra Porter had 56 assists and 12 digs; with Kilee Lopez finishing
with 17 digs. Sydney Norris had 14 kills and 11 digs for MT.
In the evening, C of I and TMC played a grueling five-set marathon. In the deciding set, the Mustangs grabbed a 9-4
lead, but C of I got a quality service run from Liz Trenkel, scoring six-straight points (including two aces), to regain
the lead. The California club answered to earn match point at 14-11, but Katy Robinson hammered two kills, part of
a three-point C of I run, to square the match. Unfortunately for the Purple and Gold, kills from Morgan Koch and
Aubrey Pyburn allowed TMC to escape with the win.
The two teams traded lopsided set wins in the first two games - TMC using a 10-1 run to break a 12-12 tie in
Set 1, while the Yotes scored 13-of-14 points early in Set 2.
The Yotes had command of Set 3, leading 20-15, but the Mustangs closed on a 10-3 run to steal the set, while C of I
countered in Set 4, ending the set on an 8-1 run to erase a 22-17 Masters lead.
Fenton had 16 kills and 14 digs; Robinson and Sturtz each had 12 kills; with Sierra Porter clocking in with 42 assists
and 11 digs. Koch and Pyburn each had 13 kills for TMC.
C of I opens Cascade Conference play on Thursday, hosting No. 6 ranked Eastern Oregon at 7 p.m.
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P laying 11-on-9 for the entire match, the
College of Idaho used a 41-1 edge in shots to
record their most prolific win in 22 years,
routing short-handed Sierra Nevada, 9-0, at
Simplot Stadium.
Jamiece Yizar scored two goals and added a helper
and Katelyn Benavidez scored a goal and had two
assists in the win against the first-year program.
The nine goals were the most for a C of I team since
the 1993 season when the Lady Yotes scored 15 and
11 goals in successive games against then Western
Baptist (now Corban).
Yizar got the Yotes on the board in the 11th minute, as
Benavidez played a corner into the middle of the 6-
yard box, with Yizar touching home the
counter. Despite dominating the run of play, C of I
could not find the net until two minutes before
halftime, when Hailey Woods unleashed a 25-yard
strike from the left side of the pitch, giving the hosts a
2-0 lead.
A flurry early in the second half put the game away,
scoring three goals in a four minute span. Sabrina
Mallett logged her first career goal to start the run,
chipping a 20-yard shot over keeper McKenzie
Cheever's head. Julia Fretwell got into the act just 27
seconds later, making a nice run up the right side,
ripping a 15-yard strike into the right corner of the
net. Transfer Mariah Dean made it 5-0 in the 61st
minute, touching home a rebound off a blocked shot.
Keeper Brittany Houghton was never challenged in the
match, as SNC played just one ball into the box all
afternoon.
C of I opened the season 2-0 for the first time since
2011; the Lady Yotes won their first two games
every year from 2008-11
It was the most goals scored by the Yotes since an
11-0 win at Western Baptist on Oct. 24, 1993
Reilly Coyle scored her first points of her C of I
career, scoring a goal and adding an assist
Sierra Nevada, an NAIA affiliate member, suited
just nine players on the afternoon
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J oe Bolin recorded his fourth career hat trick,
helping the College of Idaho to their highest
goal output since 2003, rolling to an 8-0 win
over Sierra Nevada at Simplot Stadium.
Making their 2015 debut, the Yotes (1-0) held a
commanding 27-1 edge in total shots, including 12
shots on frame, dominating the first-year program
from Incline Village, Calif. The eight goals scored by
C of I were the most since a 9-2 win vs. Walla
Walla on Oct. 14, 2003.
C of I opened the onslaught in the 13th minute, as
Mehmed Selimovic played a corner into the middle of
the 6-yard box, finding the head of his brother Admir
Selimovic, who buried the try in the net.
Bolin got into the act in the 27th minute, as Mehmed
Selimovic touched a pass to the senior into the area,
driving a low drive into the right corner of the net. Off
the ensuing restart, Jorge Brambila intercepted an
errant Eagles (1-2) pass and ripped a shot into the left
corner of the net for a 3-0 lead.
In the second half, Bolin had a hand in three of C of I's
four goals – making a long run down the left side for a
score in the 51st minute; playing a pretty ball into the
box for a Brandon Smith score in the 76th minute;
then slotting home a Smith pass for a goal in the 82nd
minute.
Grant Billings and Lucas MacMillan each played 45
minutes in goal to help in the shutout, with Billings
making the lone save on the lone SNC shot on the day.
The Yotes return to action on Sept. 11, hosting
Southern Oregon in their Cascade Conference opener.
The eight goals by the Yotes marked the fifth time
C of I has scored eight goals in a game
It was the 15th time that C of I has scored 8-or-
more goals in a game
Mehmen Selimovic had a goal and three assists in
his C of I debut, with is brother, Admir, scoring a
goal and adding an assist
Senior Tyrell Johnson scored his first career goal
in the 85th minute
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C ollege of Idaho's Jamiece Yizar was named to-
day Red Lion-Cascade Conference Women's
Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, an-
nounced by the league office.
The junior, from Pocatello, scored two goals and assisted
on a third in the Yotes 9-0 victory over Sierra Nevada on
Sunday afternoon. Her efforts helped C of I record their
highest scoring output in 22 years.
C ollege of Idaho quarterback J.J. Hyde was
honored as Frontier Conference Offensive
Player of the Week, announced by league
information officer Wally Feldt.
The freshman, from Caldwell, rushed for 85 yards and
three touchdowns in the Yotes 40-28 victory over No.
13 Eastern Oregon.
Hyde is the second C of I player to earn Offensive
Player of the Week honors in program history, joining
fellow quarterback Teejay Gordon, who earned the
honor in 2014.
C ollege of Idaho baseball head coach Shawn
Humberger has announced the 2015 Alumni
Game is set for Sept. 20 at Wolfe Field.
The Alumni Game will be held in conjunction
with Homecoming Week on the C of I campus.
Saturday, Sept. 19, all former baseball players are invited
to a special tailgate (Row K, Space 2) in the J.A. Albertson
Activities Center parking lot prior to the C of I-Southern
Oregon football game.
Sunday, Sept. 20, the Alumni Game will begin at 11 a.m.
with batting practice and a Home Run Derby, followed by
the Varsity vs. Alumni contest to follow.
To RSVP for the event, contact Humberger at
shumberger@collegeofidaho.edu or by calling (208) 459-
5861
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S ummer Jackson buried a rebound blast into
the net in the 105th minute, lifting the
College of Idaho past Whitman College, 1-0,
before 305 fans at Simplot Stadium.
The overtime win helped the Lady Yotes (3-0) to their
best start since 1993 and secured their first home win
in an extra session since 2011.
The "Golden Goal" was set up by a free kick from 40
yards out by Hailey Woods that clanged off the
crossbar, with the rebound finding the foot of Jackson
two steps into the box. The junior ripped a liner into
the left corner of the net to set off a celebration.
C of I nearly scored in the opening 30 seconds of the
match, as Jamiece Yizar played a through-ball to Erika
Thompson, but Thompson was stuffed in a 1-on-1
chance by Missionaries (0-1) keeper Cassidy Brewin.
Though the Yotes had the run of the pitch for the
majority of the game, good chances were few and far
between. Late in regulation, Bri Blair hammered a 10-
yard shot into the net, but the tally was disallowed due
to an offsides flag.
Whitman had their best chance in the first overtime,
getting back to back corner kicks, but the C of I
defense held their own. Yotes keeper Brittany
Houghton turned away four shots on goal for the
shutout win.
C of I held a 16-8 edge in total shots and a 6-5 edge in
corner kicks. The two teams combined for 23 fouls.
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COMING UP: Idle until Treasure Valley Open,
Sept. 12.
LAST WEEK: vs. Eastern Oregon (Men W 17-42;
Women W 15-50)
DOMINATION OF EASTERN OREGON:
Opening the season with their earliest meet in program
history, the C of I cross country teams showcased their
individual summer workouts in earnest, crushing rival
Eastern Oregon on the C of I Campus Course. The
Coyote men grabbed the top four positions in the race,
while the Lady Yotes took each of the top seven
scoring spots.
HAMPTON ROLLS: All-American Max Hampton
(Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) was in control of the men’s
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race from the outset, sprinting to the lead in the
opening kilometer and cruising to a 16 second win
(19:14) over the 6,000-meter course. It was the second
win of his career, as the senior claimed the title of last
season’s Roger Curran Invite, and helped C of I to their
third-straight team win on their Campus Course.
DEPTH AT FRONT: Behind Hampton, true
freshman Austin Fred (Middleton, Idaho /
Middleton HS) and Matt Goodwin (Boise,
Idaho / Bishop Kelly HS) gave C of I a
quality No. 2 and No. 3 runner – separated
by just one second, as Fred clocked a time
of 19:30 in his college debut, with
Goodwin finishing in 19:31. Dylan
Walker (Billings, Mont. / Billings-West
HS) also had a great race for the Yotes,
using a huge kick over the final 500-
meters to place fourth (19:50).
LEWINSKI GIVES LADY YOTES A
TRIO OF HEADLINERS: Heading into
the season, the Lady Yotes returned a pair
of All-Americans in Lila Klopfenstein
(Meridian, Idaho / Meridian HS) and Amy
Pfaff (Pasco, W ash. / Hanford HS),
giving the team depth at the front of the
pack. Add Ruth Lewinski (McCall,
Idaho / McCall-Donnelly HS) to that mix,
as the former All-Cascade Conference
pick earned the individual victory at
Saturday’s dual. Lewinski earned the win
in a time of 14:45, 10 seconds clear of
Pfaff (14:55) – and over a minute ahead of
the first Eastern Oregon runner.
BIG PACK FOR THE YOTES: Placing
seven runners in front of EOU’s first
finisher showcased the Lady Yotes depth
– as two separate packs helped the squad
sweep the scoring in the race. Emily
Hawgood (Beatrice, Zimbabwe /
Peterhouse SS) had her best finish as a
collegian, taking third (15:22.49), with
true freshman Kaitlyn Schut (Eagle,
Idaho / Eagle HS) right behind her
(15:28.94). C of I had a tight pack in the
fifth through seventh positions, as
returners Ashtyn Ellis (Star, Idaho / Eagle HS) (15:46),
Annelise Eagleton (Eagle, Idaho / U. of Colorado)
(15:47), and Tamika Russell (Caldwell, Idaho /
Caldwell HS) (15:47) each ran well.
WEEK OF TRAINING: The Yotes will take the
week off from competition, training for the Treasure
Valley Open in Weiser on Sept. 12.
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COMING UP: vs. Pacific, Saturday, 1 p.m.
CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE VERSION OF
WEEK 2 GAME NOTES
LAST WEEK: vs. No. 13 Eastern Oregon (W 40-28
ON THE AIR: All College of Idaho football regular-
season games will be carried live in the Treasure
Valley on 1350 KTIK-AM with Dave Tester and Kelly
Barbour calling the action (or listen online at http://
www.ktik.com/2015/05/04/college-of-idaho-audio-3/ –
and click on the Listen Live icon). Airtime on
Saturday is set for 12:45 p.m. The game will also be
carried live in the Portland metro area on 1360 KUIK-
AM with Matt Reichert on the call.
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: Live Stats and Live
Video all six home C of I home games will be
available online through the Yotes streaming portal
(http://portal.stretchinternet.com/yoteathletics), with
the Live Video a pay-per-view fundraiser for Coyote
football ($7.95 per game, $29.95 for the season). The
Live Video will be simulcast with the 1350 KTIK-AM
radio broadcast.
COACHES SHOW LIVE EACH MONDAY AT
STEWART'S BAR AND GRILL: For the third-
straight year, the Mike Moroski Coaches' Show will
originate from Stewart's Bar and Grill (2805 Blaine
Street – Caldwell) each Monday night from 6-7 p.m.
throughout the season. Mike Safford will host the
show live on 1350 KTIK-AM, beginning Aug. 31, and
feature Coach Moroski and the Coyote football
program.
TICKET/TAILGATE/PARKING
INFORMATION: Season tickets and Tailgate Zone
spots are still available online for the 2015 football
season, with general admission season tickets costing
$58 and reserved season tickets $136. Car spots in the
Tailgate Zone are $133, with RV spots $260. The C of
I ticket office inside the J.A. Albertson Activities
Center will be open through Thursday at 5 p.m., with
the ticket window at Simplot Stadium opening at 11:30
a.m. on game day (individual reserved seats are $29,
individual general admission tickets are $13, youth
general admission tickets are $11). Parking will be
available at the west end of the Simplot Stadium
parking lot and also behind Simplot Stadium off of
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Stock Trail Road (a shuttle will be available for those
parking in the Stock Trail Road load north of the
stadium).
YOTES OPEN WITH BIG WIN: Last season,
Eastern Oregon humbled the Coyotes on two separate
occasions, dropping C of I 47-7 in La Grande and 45-
21 in Caldwell. Fast forward a year and the Yotes had
those games in the back of their mind, putting together
their most complete game since football return to the
College, defeating EOU 40-28 on Saturday
afternoon. The Yotes offense piled up over 400 yards
of total offense, while the defense (outside of a 97-yard
touchdown run), limited the Mountaineers to just 224
total yards, forced three turnovers, and recorded five
sacks.
AGAINST THE TOP-25: Saturday's win marked the
Yotes first victory against a Top-25 team in program
history. C of I faced seven ranked opponents in the
1960s and 70s (Linfield / Willamette / Pacific
Lutheran) without a win, while going 0-5 against Top-
25 teams in 2014.
FAR CRY FROM 2014: To put Saturday's win in
perspective, C of I was outscored 92-28 in the two
meetings against EOU in 2014, allowing a combined
949 yards of total offense in the two games.
MOST POINTS IN AN OPENER SINCE: The 40
points scored by the Coyotes on Saturday were the
most in a season opener since Sept. 22, 1956, a 40-13
victory vs. Eastern Oregon. The school record for
points in a season opener is 90 in a 90-0 win over
Gooding College in 1920.
SEASON OPENERS: Since the 1917 season, the
Yotes have posted a 33-24-1 record in season
opening games, including last season's 35-34 win at
Pacific. Twice the Coyotes have won six-straight
opening games (1946-51, 1959-64), while teams from
1925-32 combined to lose eight-straight openers (six
losses to Washington State and one each to Idaho and
BYU). C of I is 22-11-1 in home openers since 1942,
including nine-straight wins from 1962-70. Last
season's 31-28 win over Montana Western ended a
seven-game home opener losing streak, dating back to
1971.
BIGGEST CROWD: The crowd of 5,289 was the
second largest crowd since football returned to the C of
I last season (5,356 vs. MSU-Northern). The crowds
are the largest at Simplot Stadium for a C of I game –
as the largest previous crowd was 4,500 vs. Idaho State
on Sept. 26, 1964. When the Yotes played at Hayman
Field on the C of I campus, the stadium held upwards
of 6,500 fans – and filled regularly during the 1940s
and 1950s.
HYDE HAS MONSTER DEBUT, WINS
FRONTIER AWARD: Five years after playing in his
last competitive game, C of I quarterback J.J.
Hyde (Caldwell, Idaho / U. of Utah) made the most of
his collegiate debut, using a bruising running style to
rack up 85 yards and three touchdowns in the
victory. The freshman averaged nearly seven yards per
carry, scored touchdowns on each of his first two
rushes, and was honored as the first Frontier
Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the 2015
season.
MERRITT JOINS THE 100-YARD CLUB: After
missing more than half of last season due to injury, a
healthy Kyle Merritt (Irvine, Calif. / Santa Ana
CC) served as the Yotes feature back for the majority
of the afternoon, rushing for 104 yards and a score. He
became the fourth different player to record a 100-yard
rushing game in the past two years.
GORDON HAS WORKMANLIKE
GAME: Earning praise from head coach Mike
Moroski was quarterback Teejay Gordon (Manteca,
Calif. / Modesto CC), who efficiently ran the Yotes
offense, leading a balanced attack. Gordon was 10 of
17 for 151 yards and two touchdowns through the air,
connecting with six different receivers, while rushing
13 times for 57 yards. The senior ranks No. 4 in career
passing yards (1,879) and No. 14 in rushing yards
(914).
DEFENSE STEPS UP: The biggest key Saturday was
the play of the Coyote defense, which dominated the
line of scrimmage all afternoon against an EOU
offense that ranked No. 14 in the NAIA last season in
total offense. The C of I defense limited the
Mountaineers to three yards or less on 29 of their 57
plays run from scrimmage, recording five tackles for
loss on run plays and five sacks. Troy
Carr (Rathdrum, Idaho / Lakeland HS) and Tanner
28
Oshiro (Kanehoe, Hawaii / Menlo Coll.) led 27
different players who made a tackle with seven each,
while Josh Price (Boise, Idaho / Snow Coll.) had five
tackles, including two for loss.
SACK PARTY: Defensive coordinator Chris
Jewell brought the house against EOU, as his defense
recorded five sacks on the afternoon. During the 2014
season, C of I recorded just 17 sacks on the season,
with the high-water mark of three vs. Montana
Western.
NEWCOMERS MAKE IMPACT: A bevy of new
talent on the defensive side of the ball was key to the
Yotes success, as along with Tanner Oshiro, six other
first-year C of I players had at least three tackles in the
win. Safety B.J. Newman (Riverton, Utah / Fort
Lewis Coll.) had six tackles, a tackle for loss, a forced
and recovered fumble, and a pass break-up on the day
in his first game in the Purple and Gold.
Corner Marcus Kroma (Florence, Ariz. / Hamilton
HS) had five tackles, with fellow freshman Nikolas
Lyons (Van Nuys, Calif. / Notre Dame HS) recording
four. Three players had three tackles – Zac
Crosgrove (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS), Jaquan
Mayberry (Chandler, Ariz. / Hamilton HS) and James
Fononga (San Mateo, Calif. / Aragon HS) – with
Mayberry and Fononga each recording a sack.
SURVEYING THE OPPONENT –
PACIFIC: Making their first trip to Caldwell since a
24-23 loss to C of I in 1977, Pacific is coming off a 6-3
season in 2014, including a 6-1 Northwest Conference
record and a share of their first league title since
1952. Head coach Keith Buckley, a UC-Davis
graduate who played under and coached with C of I
coach Mike Moroski with the Aggies, has built the
Boxers program from the ground up after the squad
returned to the gridiron in 2010. Pacific returns four of
their five offensive linemen, including All-NWC tackle
Kevin Peterson, hoping to protect returning
quarterback Warner Shaw, who threw for 1,814 yards
last season (including 16 touchdowns and only four
interceptions). The Boxers lost their top running back,
but return backfield mates Kamana Pimentel (409
yards) and Bronson Barretto (219 yards). A brand new
29
receiver group will make their debut in Caldwell, as
Buckley has the task of replacing his top five receivers
from 2014 - including All-NWC pick Jakob Lawrence,
who torched C of I for three touchdowns last
season. Defensively, All-Conference end is the lone
returning starter on an unproven line, but the Boxers
make up for it at linebacker, returning three starters,
including top tackler Jack Perez, an All-NWC
pick. The secondary will have to replace All-NWC
safety Brandon Harms, but have a solid group of
talented, but unproven players. Pacific will have a new
kicker in 2015 after graduating a four-year starter in
Moses Villareal-Gomez, with punter Nathan
Suyematsu averaging 36.9 yards per punt in 2014.
LAST MEETING: Last season, the teams met in
Forest Grove, Ore., with a blocked field goal in the
final two minutes preserving a C of I 35-34
victory. Teejay Gordon rushed for 137 yards and
three touchdowns, while throwing for 195 yards in the
win. Boxers quarterback Warner Shaw passed for 244
yards, connecting with Jakob Lawrence for three
touchdown passes.
SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's matchup is the 52nd
between the Yotes and Boxers, dating back to a 7-6
Pacific win in 1922. C of I holds a 28-18-5 all-time
series lead, including two-straight wins - with the
teams meeting every season both teams have fielded a
team since 1946. The biggest win in the series for the
Yotes was on Sept. 29, 1955, a 39-7 win in Caldwell,
while Pacific handled C of I 48-0 in Forest Grove on
Nov. 12, 1949.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Only one other Frontier
Conference team was in action last weekend, as Chase
White threw for 297 yards in a Rocky Mountain 23-13
victory over Dickinson State in Billings. All eight
league teams are in action this weekend, including a
Top-5 match-up between Southern Oregon and Carroll
in Helena, Mont. Rocky hosts Montana Western,
Montana Tech is at MSU-Northern, with Eastern
Oregon traveling to Sacramento State.
KEYS TO THE GAME – C OF I OFFENSE VS.
PACIFIC DEFENSE: Last season, it was the big
unknown for the Pacific defense - what were the
Coyotes going to do, what were the Coyotes going to
run? A year later and 12 game films to peruse from, the
Boxers will have a good idea at the multi-faceted C of I
attack. The Yotes had success with play-action pass
last season vs. Pacific, with both Wes
Fitzpatrick (Valencia, Calif. / Hart HS) and Marcus
Lenhardt (Eagle, Idaho / Eagle HS) recording
receptions of 40-or-more yards. C of I will look to
reprise their attack from 2014 against the Boxers, when
they rushed for 245 yards and recorded 195 more
through the air.
KEYS TO THE GAME – PACIFIC OFFENSE VS.
C OF I DEFENSE: Can C of I slow down the Pacific
offense a week after dominating the line of scrimmage
against Eastern Oregon? The Boxers grinded out
nearly six yards per carry in the 2014 matchup, while
Warner Shaw completed 16 passes for 244 yards in the
loss. An improved defense will face a unit that returns
four starting offensive linemen; returns quarterback
Warner Shaw and tailbacks Kamana Pimentel and
Bronson Barretto. The big key will be the Pacific
receiving group, as the top five receivers from 2014
have graduated, with the inexperienced group facing a
much improved C of I secondary.
THE COACHES – MIKE MOROSKI AND KEITH
BUCKLEY: The Yotes are led by Mike Moroski, is in
his third year as head coach at the College and has a 5-
7 all-time record. He was named head coach in
January of 2013 and led the Yotes through their "zero
year" program, prior to the return to the field in
September of 2014. As head coach, Moroski has
coached one All-Frontier Conference selection, two
NAIA All-America Scholar-Athletes, and 22 Frontier
Conference All-Academic Team selections. Moroski
came to the College after three decades at UC-Davis –
both as a player and a coach. As offensive coordinator
from 1993-2010, his schemes helped the Aggies to
eight NCAA Division II postseason appearances,
including three trips to the national quarterfinals and
trips to the national semifinals in 1996, 1997, 2000 and
2001. In 2000, his offense averaged 47 points per
game, ranking second in Division II, while in 2001, his
offense averaged 41 points and 511 yards per game,
helping Moroski earn Division II National Assistant
Coach of the Year honors. With Moroski serving as
30
offensive coordinator, UC-Davis posted an overall
record of 148-80, including a 98-32 record as a
Division II school. Moroski coached every offensive
group during his tenure at UC-Davis – quarterbacks
(1987-88), wide receivers (1992-97), offensive line
(1998-2009), tight ends (2010-11), and running backs
(2012), while serving as the junior varsity head coach
from 1989-91. He helped the Aggies in their move
from Division II to the Football Championship
Subdivision in 2003, with UC-Davis transitioning to
the Great West Conference and the Big West
Conference. A native of Novato, Calif., Moroski
played quarterback at UC-Davis from 1975-78, earning
Far West Conference Player of the Year honors in both
1977 and 1978, and leading the Aggies to the 1977
Division II national semifinals. He was drafted by the
Atlanta Falcons in the sixth-round of the 1979 NFL
Draft, spending eight years as a backup quarterback
with the Falcons (1979-84), the Houston Oilers (1985)
and the San Francisco 49ers (1986). Moroski played in
69 career games, completing 57 percent of his passes
for 2,864 yards and eight touchdowns. Moroski
graduated from UC-Davis with a degree in managerial
economics and has a master's in educational
psychology. He and his wife, Cathie, have four
children – sons Nate, Will and Ben, and daughter
Emilie. Pacific is led by head coach Keith Buckley, in
his sixth year at the Forest Grove school. Buckley has
an all-time record of 17-35, but has posted consecutive
7-3 and 6-3 seasons, including a share of the 2014
Northwest Conference title. Buckley arrived at Pacific
after a four-year stint at UC Davis, where he coached
alongside C of I coaches Mike Moroski and Tim
Keane; served as assistant head coach and coordinated
recruiting efforts for the Aggies' NCAA Division I-
FCS program; while also coaching the safeties.
RECORD AT SIMPLOT STADIUM: C of I opened
their 16th season at Simplot Stadium with the win over
EOU, beginning competition on the site in 1964. The
Yotes have an all-time record of 26-41-3, with the
2014 team going 3-2 – just the third time C of I has
posted a winning home record at Simplot Stadium and
equaling the 1968 and 1969 teams that won three home
games.
FRONTIER CONFERENCE/NAIA PRESEASON
POLL: The C of I was picked in a tie for sixth-place
in the 2015 Frontier Conference Preseason Football
Coaches' Poll, announced July 28 by the league
office. The Yotes received 16 voter points from the
eight league coaches – sitting in a tie with Montana
Tech in the tabulation, with Montana State-Northern
placing eighth. Defending league champion, Carroll,
earned top-billing in the poll, followed by NAIA
national champion Southern Oregon, Eastern Oregon,
Montana Western, and Rocky Mountain. In the
Preseason NAIA Top-25 Poll, Southern Oregon and
Marian (Ind.) were tied in the top spot, followed by
Morningside (Iowa), St. Xavier (Ill.), and Carroll, with
Eastern Oregon ranked No. 13. The first regular-
season NAIA poll will be released on Sept. 14.
NEXT WEEK: The Coyotes hit the road for the first
time this season, traveling to Dillon, Mont., for a
meeting with Montana Western. Kickoff is kickoff set
for 1 p.m.
32
COMING UP: Idle until Sept. 11 vs. Southern
Oregon, 4:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK: vs. Sierra Nevada (W 8-0)
YOTES OPEN WITH A WIN: For the second-
straight season, the Yotes opened the campaign with a
shutout victory, toppling first-year program Sierra
Nevada, 8-0. The back-to-back wins come at the heels
of a stretch of nine season openers without a win (0-7-
2), dating back to a 2-0 victory over Embry-Riddle in
2004.
CLOSING IN ON 300 WINS: In their 32nd season of
intercollegiate soccer, the Yotes are their 300th
program win. With the victory over Sierra Nevada, C
of I now has an all-time record of 295-199-29.
MOST GOALS SINCE: The goal outburst against
Sierra Nevada marked the fourth time in the Yotes last
19 games that the club tallied seven or more goals, but
was the most goals scored by a C of I team in 12
seasons. In 2003, the Yotes scored nine goals in a
match on three separate occasions (home matches vs.
Northwest, Cascade, and Walla Walla), three of seven
matches C of I has played when scoring at least nine
goals. The school record for goals in a match was 14
33
vs. Corban during
the 1984 season.
BOLIN
RECORDS
ANOTHER HAT
TRICK: Leading
the charge was All
-Cascade
Conference
striker Joe
Bolin (Payette,
Idaho / Payette
HS), who recorded
his fourth career
hat trick in the
victory. Bolin,
who led the league
with 15 goals
during his junior
season, now has 30
goals in the Purple
and Gold, the No.
7 scorer on the all-
time C of I
list. Matt Blazek
holds the all-time
C of I record,
scoring 69 goals
from 1995-98.
SELIMOVIC BROTHERS HAVE IMPRESSIVE
DEBUT: Returning to the pitch after some time away
from the game, brothers Admir Selimovic (Boise,
Idaho / Grand Canyon U.) and Mehmed
Selimovic (Boise, Idaho / Grand Canyon U.) were big
factors in the C of I win. The duo combined for the
first goal of the game, as a Mehmed Selimovic corner
kick found his brothers' head for a goal, while late in
the first half, Admir Selimovic played a ball down the
right side, with his brother driving a ball through the
Sierra Nevada keeper for a goal. The two combined
for two goals and four assists in the victory.
TIME OFF: C of I will take the week off from
competition, prepping for the start of the 13-match
CCC slate, beginning Sept. 11 vs. Southern
Oregon. The Yotes will play their first five league
matches at home on the Simplot Stadium pitch - every
one of their September matches.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: The preseason has been
solid for the loop, as both first-year Southern Oregon
and Corban have opened 3-0, while second-year
program Carroll sits at 2-1. Preseason favorite,
Northwest, is 0-2 – with both losses against Top-25
teams.
CONFERENCE / NAIA POLLS: The Coyotes were
picked to finish sixth overall in the 2015 Cascade
Conference Preseason Men's Soccer Coaches' Poll,
Aug. 12 by the league office. C of I received
115 voter points from the 14 conference head coaches,
finishing in the middle of a logjam between fifth and
eighth-place. Defending CCC post-season champion,
Corban, claimed nine first-place votes and grabbed the
top spot, followed by defending CCC regular-season
champion, Northwest. League newcomers Great Falls
and Rocky Mountain each earned first-place votes and
claimed the third and fourth-place positions. Evergreen
earned 118 voter points, just three points ahead of the
Yotes. Warner Pacific was seventh, just one point
behind C of I, with Carroll in eighth with 109 voter
points. In the NAIA Preseason Top-25 poll released
last Tuesday, Davenport (Mich.) holds the top spot,
followed by Northwestern Ohio, Marymount (Calif.),
Grand View (Iowa), and Rio Grande (Ohio), with
Corban and Great Falls each receiving votes. The first
regular-season ratings will be released the week of
Sept. 21.
CUMULATIVE STATISTICS: Complete statistics
for the 2015 season are available online
34
COMING UP: vs. Trinity Lutheran (in McMinnville,
Ore.), Friday, 1 p.m. (PT); at Linfield, Sunday, Noon
(PT)
LAST WEEK: vs. Sierra Nevada (W 9-0); vs
Whitman (W 1-0 ET)
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: This weekend in
Oregon, both matches will have Live Stats , while Live
Video will be available for the Sunday match vs.
Linfield.
GOAL PARTY ON SUNDAY: Playing their first
game of the season on the home Simplot Stadium
pitch, the Lady Yotes took advantage of a two-man
advantage for the entire 90 minutes, tallying their
biggest goal total in 22 years in a 9-0 victory over
Sierra Nevada. With SNC only able to field nine
players due to eligibility issues, C of I had eight
different players score goals, recording the third-
highest goal total in program history. Over two decades
ago, C of I scored more goals – 15 goals on Oct. 22,
1993 vs. Western Baptist and 11 goals on Oct. 26,
1993 at Western Baptist.
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK: Though no
single-game record was broken by the Lady Yotes,
there were multiple records that were threatened by the
squad. Along with the third-highest goal total in a
game, the seven assists by C of I equaled the third-
highest assist total in a game, while the 41 shots taken
35
by the club equaled
the fifth-highest shot
total in a contest.
WITHOUT THE
FRESHMEN: The
Lady Yotes had just
19 players in
uniform for Sunday's
match, as the entire
freshmen class was
on a bus to McCall
for the annual
Freshmen
Orientation.
BEST
STARTS: The 2-0
start by the Lady
Yotes is their best
since 2011, when the
club equaled the 2-0
mark. In fact, each
year from 2008 to
2011, C of I opened
with back-to-back
wins. Only once in
program history
(1993) have the
Yotes started a
season with three-
straight victories.
NEARING
100: With C of I's win over Sierra Nevada, Lady Yote
head coach Brian Smith is just two wins away from
notching his 100th victory at the collegiate level. The
skipper won 82 games as men's head coach from 2004-
12 and has added 16 victories with the Lady
Yotes. Smith is second only to the 205 wins by
longtime Coyote leader, John Calpin, on the C of I
soccer wins list.
OPPONENT PREVIEW – TRINITY
LUTHERAN: The Yotes head to Oregon this
weekend for two matches on the campus of Linfield
College, starting with a neutral site game vs. Trinity
Lutheran. The Eagles (2-1), a second-year NAIA
program, is riding a two match win streak, picking up
road wins over Mills and Bethesda. TLC is led by the
tandem of Breann Moran (3 goals) and Taylor Cannal
(3 goals), while keeper Colby Smits (1.00 GAA) has
been solid in net. It is the third meeting between the
teams, with C of I winning 4-1 in 2010 and 3-0 in 2011
– both in Caldwell.
OPPONENT PREVIEW – LINFIELD: For the first
time since 1995, the Lady Yotes will tangle with
Linfield College. The Division III Wildcats are
coming off a 15-4 season and their fourth-straight
second-place finish in the Northwest
Conference. Though the squad lost three All-NWC
picks to graduation, the Cats return talented
midfielders Emma Vukic (2 goals, 7 assists) and
Marisa Specht (3 goals, 1 assist), along with top
defender Kendra McSheridan (1 goal, 1 assist). The
teams have met 12 previous times, with C of I holding
an 8-1-3 series edge.
CONFERENCE/NAIA TOP-25 POLLS: C of I was
picked to finish sixth in the 2015 Cascade Conference
Preseason Coaches' Poll, announced Aug. 11 by the
league office. The Lady Yotes received 97 voter points
by the 12 league coaches. Defending CCC regular-
season champion, Northwest, claimed 10-of-12 first-
place votes and earned the top spot, followed by
Corban and newcomer, Carroll College. Southern
Oregon was ranked fourth by the coaches, followed by
Rocky Mountain and C of I. In the NAIA Preseason
Top-25 Poll, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) earned the top spot,
followed by Northwestern Ohio, Keiser (Fla.),
Cumberland (Tenn.), and Martin Methodist (Tenn.),
with Northwest the only CCC team in the ranking,
sitting at No. 20.
CUMULATIVE STATS: Complete statistics for the
2015 season are available by clicking the hyperlink .
36
COMING UP: vs. No. 6 Eastern Oregon, Thursday, 7
p.m.; vs. Walla Walla, Friday, 5:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK: at Big Sky Challenge (Butte, Mont.) –
vs. Hope International (W 3-0); vs. No. 5 Rocky
Mountain (L 3-0), vs. Montana Tech (W 3-1), vs. The
Masters (L 3-2)
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: Live Stats and Live
Video all 11 home College of Idaho matches will be
available online through the Yotes streaming portal,
with the Live Video a pay-per-view fundraiser for
Coyote volleyball ($7.95 per game, $39.95 for the
season).
YOTES GET IN WIN COLUMN IN
MONTANA: Making the long trek to Butte, Mont.,
the Lady Yotes split four matches at the Big Sky
Challenge, earning wins against Hope International and
host Montana Tech. The win over HIU marked C of I's
first win against a Golden State Athletic Conference
foe in nine tries, while the win over Tech avenged a
loss to the Diggers in the same tournament in
2014. The Yotes also took a solid The Masters team to
five sets, before losing a tight Set 5 by a 16-14 margin.
FENTON CONTINUES TO LEAD THE
ATTACK: With the loss of their top two outside
hitters from 2014, the Yotes had to find a new leader of
their pack. Up stepped Abbey Fenton (Burns, Ore. /
Burns HS), who has been the go-to hitter this season,
recording eight-straight double-digit kill matches to
open 2015. The redshirt junior logged her third 20-or-
more kill match against Montana Tech, part of a 58-
kill tournament, while recording two double-doubles,
including a career-high 14 digs vs. The
Masters. Fenton is averaging four kills and over two
digs per set this season.
VAN VLIET PROVIDING BLOCKING
POWER: It has been an outstanding start to the
collegiate career of blocker Jackie van Vliet (Twin
Falls, Idaho / Lighthouse Christian HS), as the first-
year player leads the Cascade Conference in blocks per
set. The freshman had four or more blocks in all four
matches in Montana, recording seven kills and six
37
blocks vs. Hope International and adding seven kills
and five blocks vs. The Masters. For the season, van
Vliet is averaging 1.19 blocks per set, ranking No. 31
in the NAIA.
STURTZ HAS QUALITY TRIP: The Yotes got a
big boost on the right side, as Randi Sturtz (Emmett,
Idaho / Emmett HS) had the best weekend of her
college career. The junior had a career-high 12 kills
against The Masters, while piling up 29 kills in the four
matches, hitting at a team-best .343 clip.
PORTER RUNNING THE OFFENSE: Another
week, another quality set of matches for All-America
setter Sierra Porter (Eagle, Idaho / Rocky Mountain
HS), efficiently leading the C of I attack. The senior
racked up 157 assists and 27 digs in the four matches
and currently ranks third in the CCC, averaging 9.70
assists per set.
LOOKING AT THE NON-CONFERENCE
SLATE: The Yotes finished non-conference play with
a 2-6 record against outstanding competition, with five
of the eight opponents ranked or receiving votes in the
preseason NAIA Top-25 poll. Of the six losses, four
were in five sets – with three of those losses against
Top-25 opponents.
HOME SWEET HOME: The Coyotes open the
Cascade Conference schedule on Thursday, hosting
Eastern Oregon. Playing at home has been a key for the
Yotes, as C of I is a combined 117-9 in the J.A.
Albertson Activities Center since October of 2005 –
including a 73-match CCC win streak that was snapped
during the 2013 season. Overall, the Lady Yotes are
208-45 at home all-time, including a 156-21 record
under head coach Liz Mendiola.
OPPONENT PREVIEW – EASTERN
OREGON: Defending CCC champion, Eastern
Oregon, heads to Caldwell looking to avenge a loss to
the Lady Yotes in the 2014 conference tournament
semifinals. The Mountaineers (5-1) opened the season
with four wins against non-ranked Frontier Conference
teams, before splitting matches against Top-10 clubs in
Rocky Mountain (four set loss) and Vanguard (five set
win). The No. 6 squad in the NAIA is paced by hitters
Emily Nay (2.91 k/s, 0.78 b/s) and Amanda Miller
(3.45 k/s); blocker Kassaundra Tuma (2.57 k/s, 1.00 b/
s); setter Rachelle Chamberlain (11.74 a/s, 2.35 d/s)
and libero Piper Cantrell (5.22 d/s). EOU won 2-of-3
meetings last season, but C of I holds the all-time
series edge with a record of 68-24.
HIGHEST RANKED OPPONENT EVER: EOU's
No. 6 national ranking marks the highest-rated club
ever to play C of I in the Activities Center. The Lady
Yotes have defeated Eastern in 2013 when the
Mountaineers were ranked No. 9, while playing the
No. 11 ranked team in the NAIA twice in Caldwell
(Lewis-Clark State in 2008, Southern Oregon in 2014).
OPPONENT PREVIEW – WALLA WALLA: C of
I plays host Friday to first-year CCC member, Walla
Walla – the first-ever meeting between the
schools. The Wolves (2-2) have a pair of victories
against New Hope Christian and played well in a four-
set loss Tuesday to Whitman, but are averaging just 8.8
kills per set. WWU is led by hitters Maria Darling
(1.62 k/s, 2.62 d/s) and Lexi Shanko (1.62 k/s, 1.38 d/
s), along with libero Rylee Sutton (5.38 d/s).
NOTE GAME TIME: Friday's match has been
pushed up 90 minutes for a 5:30 p.m. start. Walla
Walla is a Seventh-Day Adventist institution and must
have their Friday matches completed prior to sundown
– as their Sabbath stretches from sundown on Friday to
sundown on Saturday.
LOOKING AT THE CONFERENCE: It was a
stellar preseason for the CCC, as Southern Oregon ran
the gauntlet, going a perfect 7-0, which included three
wins against Top-25 teams. Both Eastern Oregon and
Oregon Tech posted 5-1 records and Northwest
finished 4-2 – showcasing the parity in the loop
heading into the first weekend of league play.
CONFERENCE NUMBERS: As a team, the Lady
Yotes are No. 4 in the CCC in blocks per set (1.88),
No. 5 in kills per set (12.39), No. 6 in assists per set
(11.12), No. 8 in hitting percentage (.161) and digs per
set (15.45), ranking No. 10 in aces per set
(1.15). Individually, Jackie van Vliet is No. 1 in
blocks per set (1.19); Abbey Fenton is No. 3 in kills
per set (4.00); Kilee Lopez (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue
HS) is No. 4 in digs per set (4.97) and Sierra Porter is
No. 5 in assists per set (9.70).
CONFERENCE/NAIA TOP-25 POLL: For the 11th-
38
COMING UP: vs. No. 6 Eastern Oregon, Thursday, 7
p.m.; vs. Walla Walla, Friday, 5:30 p.m.
LAST WEEK: at Big Sky Challenge (Butte, Mont.) –
vs. Hope International (W 3-0); vs. No. 5 Rocky
Mountain (L 3-0), vs. Montana Tech (W 3-1), vs. The
Masters (L 3-2)
LIVE STATS/LIVE VIDEO: Live Stats and Live
Video all 11 home College of Idaho matches will be
available online through the Yotes streaming portal,
with the Live Video a pay-per-view fundraiser for
Coyote volleyball ($7.95 per game, $39.95 for the
season).
YOTES GET IN WIN COLUMN IN
MONTANA: Making the long trek to Butte, Mont.,
the Lady Yotes split four matches at the Big Sky
Challenge, earning wins against Hope International and
host Montana Tech. The win over HIU marked C of I's
first win against a Golden State Athletic Conference
foe in nine tries, while the win over Tech avenged a
loss to the Diggers in the same tournament in
2014. The Yotes also took a solid The Masters team to
five sets, before losing a tight Set 5 by a 16-14 margin.
FENTON CONTINUES TO LEAD THE
ATTACK: With the loss of their top two outside
hitters from 2014, the Yotes had to find a new leader of
their pack. Up stepped Abbey Fenton (Burns, Ore. /
Burns HS), who has been the go-to hitter this season,
recording eight-straight double-digit kill matches to
open 2015. The redshirt junior logged her third 20-or-
more kill match against Montana Tech, part of a 58-
kill tournament, while recording two double-doubles,
including a career-high 14 digs vs. The
Masters. Fenton is averaging four kills and over two
digs per set this season.
VAN VLIET PROVIDING BLOCKING
POWER: It has been an outstanding start to the
collegiate career of blocker Jackie van Vliet (Twin
Falls, Idaho / Lighthouse Christian HS), as the first-
year player leads the Cascade Conference in blocks per
set. The freshman had four or more blocks in all four
matches in Montana, recording seven kills and six
blocks vs. Hope International and adding seven kills
and five blocks vs. The Masters. For the season, van
Vliet is averaging 1.19 blocks per set, ranking No. 31
in the NAIA.
STURTZ HAS QUALITY TRIP: The Yotes got a
big boost on the right side, as Randi Sturtz (Emmett,
Idaho / Emmett HS) had the best weekend of her
college career. The junior had a career-high 12 kills
against The Masters, while piling up 29 kills in the four
matches, hitting at a team-best .343 clip.
PORTER RUNNING THE OFFENSE: Another
week, another quality set of matches for All-America
setter Sierra Porter (Eagle, Idaho / Rocky Mountain
HS), efficiently leading the C of I attack. The senior
racked up 157 assists and 27 digs in the four matches
and currently ranks third in the CCC, averaging 9.70
assists per set.
LOOKING AT THE NON-CONFERENCE
SLATE: The Yotes finished non-conference play with
a 2-6 record against outstanding competition, with five
of the eight opponents ranked or receiving votes in the
preseason NAIA Top-25 poll. Of the six losses, four
were in five sets – with three of those losses against
Top-25 opponents.
HOME SWEET HOME: The Coyotes open the
Cascade Conference schedule on Thursday, hosting
Eastern Oregon. Playing at home has been a key for the
Yotes, as C of I is a combined 117-9 in the J.A.
Albertson Activities Center since October of 2005 –
including a 73-match CCC win streak that was snapped
during the 2013 season. Overall, the Lady Yotes are
208-45 at home all-time, including a 156-21 record
under head coach Liz Mendiola.
OPPONENT PREVIEW – EASTERN
OREGON: Defending CCC champion, Eastern
Oregon, heads to Caldwell looking to avenge a loss to
the Lady Yotes in the 2014 conference tournament
semifinals. The Mountaineers (5-1) opened the season
with four wins against non-ranked Frontier Conference
teams, before splitting matches against Top-10 clubs in
Rocky Mountain (four set loss) and Vanguard (five set
win). The No. 6 squad in the NAIA is paced by hitters
Emily Nay (2.91 k/s, 0.78 b/s) and Amanda Miller
(3.45 k/s); blocker Kassaundra Tuma (2.57 k/s, 1.00 b/
s); setter Rachelle Chamberlain (11.74 a/s, 2.35 d/s)
and libero Piper Cantrell (5.22 d/s). EOU won 2-of-3
meetings last season, but C of I holds the all-time
series edge with a record of 68-24.
39
HIGHEST RANKED OPPONENT EVER: EOU's
No. 6 national ranking marks the highest-rated club
ever to play C of I in the Activities Center. The Lady
Yotes have defeated Eastern in 2013 when the
Mountaineers were ranked No. 9, while playing the
No. 11 ranked team in the NAIA twice in Caldwell
(Lewis-Clark State in 2008, Southern Oregon in 2014).
OPPONENT PREVIEW – WALLA WALLA: C of
I plays host Friday to first-year CCC member, Walla
Walla – the first-ever meeting between the
schools. The Wolves (2-2) have a pair of victories
against New Hope Christian and played well in a four-
set loss Tuesday to Whitman, but are averaging just 8.8
kills per set. WWU is led by hitters Maria Darling
(1.62 k/s, 2.62 d/s) and Lexi Shanko (1.62 k/s, 1.38 d/
s), along with libero Rylee Sutton (5.38 d/s).
NOTE GAME TIME: Friday's match has been
pushed up 90 minutes for a 5:30 p.m. start. Walla
Walla is a Seventh-Day Adventist institution and must
have their Friday matches completed prior to sundown
– as their Sabbath stretches from sundown on Friday to
sundown on Saturday.
LOOKING AT THE CONFERENCE: It was a
stellar preseason for the CCC, as Southern Oregon ran
the gauntlet, going a perfect 7-0, which included three
wins against Top-25 teams. Both Eastern Oregon and
Oregon Tech posted 5-1 records and Northwest
finished 4-2 – showcasing the parity in the loop
heading into the first weekend of league play.
CONFERENCE NUMBERS: As a team, the Lady
Yotes are No. 4 in the CCC in blocks per set (1.88),
No. 5 in kills per set (12.39), No. 6 in assists per set
(11.12), No. 8 in hitting percentage (.161) and digs per
set (15.45), ranking No. 10 in aces per set
(1.15). Individually, Jackie van Vliet is No. 1 in
blocks per set (1.19); Abbey Fenton is No. 3 in kills
per set (4.00); Kilee Lopez (Caldwell, Idaho / Vallivue
HS) is No. 4 in digs per set (4.97) and Sierra Porter is
No. 5 in assists per set (9.70).
CONFERENCE/NAIA TOP-25 POLL: For the 11th-
straight season, the C of I finds themselves among the
elite programs in the nation, earning a No. 14 ranking
in the Tachikara-NAIA Volleyball Preseason Coaches'
Poll, released Aug. 18 by the national office. The Lady
Yotes received 249 voter points from the 16
conference and unaffiliated grouping raters. Defending
NAIA champion, Park (Mo.), was the unanimous No. 1
team, followed by C of I's opponent in Thursday's
opener, Biola. Missouri Baptist opens the season
ranked No. 3, with Viterbo (Wis.) and Rocky Mountain
rounding out the Top-5. In the CCC Preseason Poll, the
Lady Yotes were picked to finish in a tie for second. C
of I received three first-place votes and earned 108
voter points from the 11 conference coaches,
deadlocked with Southern Oregon in the second-place
position. Defending regular-season champion, Eastern
Oregon, claimed nine first-place votes to take the
preseason No. 1 position. Northwest University and
Oregon Tech round out the Top-5. The first regular-
season polls will be released the week of Sept. 7.
CUMULATIVE STATISTICS: Complete statistics
for the 2015 season are available online.
RECORD BOOK: Two players are either in C of I's
career Top-10 or closing in on the elite club. Sierra
Porter ranks No. 4 all-time in assists (3,845) and is
closing in on the list in both sets played (373) and digs
(865), while Kylie Porter (Boise, Idaho / Capital
HS) is closing in on the blocks list (228).
ABOUT THE COACH: Liz Mendiola is in her 15th
season as head coach of the C of I volleyball program
and has posted a career record of 329-126. She has
recorded the most wins and highest win percentage in
program history, with the 327 wins the most by a
women's coach in school history. Mendiola has been
honored as CCC Coach of the Year on eight occasions
(in 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and
2013) and has coached 29 All-CCC selections, 14
NAIA All-Americans, and 18 NAIA Scholar-
Athletes. She has taken the Lady Yotes to the
postseason in each of her 14 seasons as head coach,
including 13 consecutive berths in the CCC
Championships – winning eight CCC regular-season
titles (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,
2013); six CCC postseason tournament championships
(2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014); and the 2005
NAIA Region I title. Her teams have made nine trips
to the NAIA Volleyball National Championships
(2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013,
2014), advancing to the final site of the tournament on
seven occasions, and to single-elimination bracket play
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