It's been an ever growing trend at the College of Idaho — a long list of acadmeically outstanding athletes earning honors.

So this fall is no different as 34 student-athletes were named to their respective Cascade Conference All-Academic teams.

Just how does that rank against the league's other schools? Next closest were Corban and Concordia, with 23 and 22 respectively, while competing...read more

Tuesday the College of Idaho softball team jumped on a plane early in the morning and winged its way to Alabama for a second straight time for the NAIA World Series.

Let me be one of the many to wish the ladies the best of luck this week in pool play, as they take on Martin Methodist (Tenn.), Bethel (Ind.) and Virginia-Wise with the goal of winning the pool and advancing to the championship bracket...read more

CALDWELL — Just two weeks ago, College of Idaho coach Al Mendiola wonder where his team's offense was, and where the Yotes focus lay.

Two weeks later, there's no doubt in anyone's mind as the College of Idaho softball team has run of 13 wins in 14 games, including a dramatic last at-bat win in extra inning over NCAA Division I foe Boise State.

During that stretch they Yotes have...read more

Congrats to the Coyote softball team, who proved just how good they are Saturday demolishing Southern Oregon. The Raiders came into the doubleheader the "Sweethearts" of the Cascade Conference with surprise wins over just about everybody, and a two-game lead in the standings over the College of Idaho.

But the C of I made short work of the Raiders, proving that the Yotes are truly still...read more

College of Idaho and Emmett High star Katie Zillner is getting the chance to play on.

The All-American pitcher who led the Coyotes to the NAIA Softball World Series last spring, leaves for Germany on Monday where she'll play semi-pro softball.

"I think it's exciting," said C of I coach Al Mendiola, who coached Zillner for three season. "... That just tells you the reputation...read more

CALDWELL — Winning the West sure ain't easy.

The College of Idaho baseball team looked to have things well in hand a week ago — three games up on British Columbia in the loss column with a dozen games left in league play, including four head-to-head with the Thunderbirds.

But coach Shawn Humberger and the 23rd-ranked Coyotes (24-10, 19-4 NAIA West) knew darn well that no lead was...read more

Video Note: The College of Idaho's Camron Hammond works a walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count against Patten pitcher Chris Duke in the sixth inning of Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader. Hammond cashed in on the base on balls, stealing second, moving to third on a Bryan Champ groundout and scoring on Dane McGrady's single to center, part of a dominating offensive display by the...read more

CALDWELL — Pitchers ruled the day Saturday at Wolfe Field, much as College of Idaho coach Shawn Humberger expected.

British Columbia left-hander Mark Hardy proved tough, striking out 10 in seven innings work with a dominating slider.

Yes, frustarting for Humberger.

"He threw that thing at the bottom, at the knee caps, and you know the umpire had a low zone for both of us, but (Hardy)...read more

CALDWELL — Yes, there's still 20 games left in the NAIA West race, but this weekend is a must-win series for the Coyotes.

The College of Idaho baseball team hosts British Columbia on Saturday and Sunday in a pair of league doubleheaders at Wolfe Field, and not only is it a big weekend because both teams are tied for the league lead at 10-1, but because these are home dates for the C of...read more

CALDWELL — Is it an overstatement to say the Coyotes got a must-win Saturday in baseball?

Well, maybe a little.

Today's game at noon against No. 7 Lewis-Clark State — the final game of the teams' 3-game series this weekend — likely is more of a must-win for the Coyotes and their psyche.

Why?

The Warriors have been the lone cloud hovering above the College of Idaho the...read more

CALDWELL — Well, there is always a bright side, right?

That's what the Coyote men are looking at as the College of Idaho simply couldn't hit shots in its 60-57 loss to Cascade on Tuesday in a makeup game of the teams' Cascade Conference tilt just before Christmas.

Why look at the bright side?

Well, after winning six straight, the C of I men found themselves alone atop the league...read more

Let me start off this week with some thoughts on coaching.

No, nothing too profound — though I have done some coaching in the youth hockey ranks — but rather add to my small but noteworthy list of great coaching moments I've witnesses as a reporter.

Two of the best belong to former College of Idaho coach Tim Mooney, the first a wonderful rant that got him ejected at Northwest Nazarene...read more

Record effort a sign of teamwork

By Mike Stetson

mstetson@idahopress.com

CALDWELL - Tuesday's win by the College of Idaho women looked very impressive, but more so when you consider what it means.

The 15th-ranked Coyotes now have the longest win streak in program history, having won 14 straight after a season-opening loss.

An impressive record considering how they team, has done it - teamwork...read more

By Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com

Ah, the "Family Feud!"
Several hundred showed up to be part of the "Family Feud" on Saturday, the battle between uncle Bill Imwalle and his Menlo Oaks, and niece Liz Mendiola and her College of Idaho Coyotes in the opening round of the NAIA National volleyball tournament.
Sorry, several hundred fans that is, and a handful of family members...read more

By Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com

CALDWELL — Hard to imagine a team ranked No. 9 to start the season, picked to win the Cascade Conference and having lost just one league match the last two years needed a confidence boost, but the Coyotes surely did.
The College of Idaho gave themselves a nice boost Tuesday night, beating back in four sets the surprise of the league, No. 25 Eastern Oregon...read more

C of I shakes off timid first set to top No. 25 EOU

By Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com
CALDWELL — It’s been a while since the Coyotes got to play underdog, a role that suited the College of Idaho volleyball team Tuesday night.
Playing the Cascade Conference’s surprise team, No. 25-ranked Eastern Oregon, the Coyotes stumbled at the start then regrouped midway through the second...read more

Last season, everyone expected greatness from The College of Idaho softball, what with star pitcher Katie Zillner and slugger Stacy Smith leading the way for a talented team featuring arguably the best coach in the Cascade Conference.

Well, the team finally lived up to those expectations, and their own, but only after putting their own postseason chances in peril.

While the record didn't show how...read more

CALDWELL — If you follow the Coyotes, you already know just how special a year this past one was for The College of Idaho’s athletic department — in the classroom.
The Yotes boasted a school record — most likely an NAIA record also, though those kind of records are not kept — of 42 Academic All-Americans.
Well, add another scholarly kudo to the list of C of I accomplishments...read more

Congrats to Mike Safford on his four awards from Co-SIDA.

Every year Safford does an excellent job putting together media guides for the fans, and it’s great to know that others think so too.

His addition to The College of Idaho has been a benefit not only to the athletic department, but to each individual sport as he gives them all his utmost attention during the season.

Good job Mike and keep up the great work!

Note: Press Release by Mike Safford, The C of I

Safford earns four awards

CALDWELL - The College of Idaho sports information director Mike Safford Jr. was honored Monday with four top-ten finishes in the NAIA-Sports Information Directors of America Publications Contest, announced at the annual NAIA-SIDA convention in Tampa, Fla.

 

Safford, who will begin his eighth year at The C of I in September, earned the praise of his peers in four Media Guide categories - in Combined Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, and Combined Soccer. It is the eighth-straight year that he has received at least one top-ten finish.

 

The Coyote Combined Basketball Media Guide finished second overall in the contest, the Volleyball Media Guide was sixth, with the Softball and Soccer books placing seventh out of the nearly 300 NAIA schools across the nation. Each of the publications were printed by The Caxton Printers, Inc. in Caldwell - with the help of Wayne Garrett and Dennis Pattee.

 

Safford was the lone SID of the 22 NAIA schools in the Pacific Northwest to be recognized, and has now accumulated 20 top-ten awards in his career, including two "Best in the Nation" awards.

...read more

Despite opening-day setback at nationals, C of I softball is truly one of the countries best teams

By Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com

DECATUR, Ala. — Yes, Friday turned out to be a very disappointing day for the Coyote softball team.

Afterall, The College of Idaho saw it’s chance to play for a national championship end with still two games left in pool play.

But playing the...read more

Today: C of I vs. Friends (Kan.) Falcons (34-11), noon; C of I vs. No. 10 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) Tigers (53-11), 7:30 p.m.
Follow the Coyotes on the web: Go to naia.cstv.com.

The C of I falls 2-1 in opener, 6-1 in second game

Idaho Press-Tribune staff
sports@idahopress.com

DECATUR, Ala. — This wasn’t what the Coyotes had in mind for their first...read more

Today: The College of Idaho (27-17) vs. No. 5 Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) Trojans (50-6), 9:30 a.m.; C of I vs. No. 9 Lubbock Christian (Texas) Chaparrals (51-9), 5 p.m.
Saturday: C of I vs. Friends (Kan.) Falcons (34-9), noon; C of I vs. No. 10 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) Tigers (52-10), 7:30 p.m.
Follow the Coyotes on the web: Go to naia.cstv.com.


The C of I not nervous or under pressure in first trip to NAIA World Series
 ...read more

Where: Decatur, Ala.
When: Pool play starts Friday against No. 5 Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn), 10:30 a.m.; vs. No. 9 Lubbock Christian (Texas), 6 p.m.

 

Murdock, Zillner end careers playing for title

By Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com
CALDWELL — Two different paths converged on the softball field at The College of Idaho, but both will come to a simultaneous...read more

By Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com

CALDWELL — After last season, the Coyotes making the NAIA Women’s World Series certainly didn’t seem like a miraculous task.

Afterall, they came within a couple of innings of the Series, leading Simon Fraser 5-2 in the third of the NAIA Region I title game before the Clan rallied to spoil The College of Idaho’s season.

So it was natural...read more

Idaho Press-Tribune staff
sports@idahopress.com

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — They knew they could do it.

The College of Idaho Coyotes never gave up, nearly out of postseason contention four weeks ago, and now they’re headed to the NAIA Women’s World Series in Decatur, Ala.

“It’s indescribable,” said The College of Idaho first baseman Danielle Villyard after the Yotes...read more

By Mike Stetson
mstetson@idahopress.com
Two seasons boil down to one weekend — it’s time for the playoffs.

The College of Idaho softball and baseball teams each begin their postseason runs today at the NAIA Region I Tournaments, with the ladies taking on Simon Fraser at Oregon Tech, while the men battle host British...read more

By Mike Stetson

mstetson@idahopress.com

CALDWELL - Well, the postseason will be on the road for the Coyotes, after what started out a very promising spring.

Both The College of Idaho baseball and softball teams had hopes of hosting Regionals, giving them potentially a leg-up on their competition, and an easier path to the World Series in both sports.

And watching them both play down the stretch, it truly seemed like both teams should be hosting.

The Yote men took 13 of their final 18, including beating back the best arms the Thunderbirds had in three of four games.

Meanwhile, a 9-game win streak on the softball field, which included a twin bill sweep of league champ and then No. 20 Oregon Tech, proved why the Yotes were picked as the preseason favorite, there.

Now both teams hit the road, which might be a bit disappointing for Coyote fans.

But there’s plenty of reason to have high hopes for these two teams because they’ve proven just how talented they are of late, and they both seem to be playing their best when it counts most.

So, good luck to both, and maybe the road will be the road to the World Series.

(This story only available online)

...read more

By Mike Stetson

mstetson@idahopress.com

 

CALDWELL — The Coyotes will play their postseason on the road.

Needing a sweep of the NAIA Region I games against British Columbia this weekend in the regular season baseball finales for both squads, The College of Idaho started strong, got a 6-2 win, and battled but couldn’t overcome a 6-0 deficit, dropping the nightcap 9-6 on Saturday...read more

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College of Idaho’s Stacy Smith, right, is tagged out by Great Falls’ Samantha Schultz, left, on a steal attempt Tuesday afternoon at the College of Idaho. The Coyotes look to turn around a disappointing season with a strong finish. (Greg Kreller/IPT) C of I put pressure on self to defend, but now team focuses on outplaying foes instead By Mike Stetson mstetson@idahopress.com CALDWELL � Forget the expectations. It’s the message Coyote softball coach Al Mendiola is telling his team, a squad picked to repeat as Cascade Conference champions and to host the NAIA Region I tournament. But the season hasn’t been up to championship form for The College of Idaho, which sits fifth in the league, eight losses back of front-runner and No. 21-ranked Oregon Tech, with only a slim hope left of a winning the conference crown.

“Obviously they’re disappointed, but they put too much pressure on themselves and that’s where we got in trouble,� Mendiola said of the team’s attitude, as the Yotes sit at 17-16 overall and just 6-10 in league, having been swept in conference doubleheaders three times and only having one league sweep to boast of.

“They felt like they had to perform and they had to win conference because everybody’s expecting them to win conference instead of just playing the game. ... This year everybody’s saying, ‘Oh, we’re defending conference champions.’ You’re not defending anything, you need to win it.�

Maybe that attitude � forgetting expectations � is starting to sink in, as Mendiola says the team played well despite losing 3-of-4 on the road at Concordia and Corban last weekend, and rose to the occasion to sweep NAIA Region I foe Great Falls in a twinbill Tuesday.

“I’m seeing some more energy out of the team, we’re just not coming out with the win right now,� he said.

But for the Yote coaching staff, seeing that energy is the key.

“Our expectations are go out and play the game,� Mendiola said. “Play harder than the opponent and if you win, you win, if you lose � you can’t control wins and losses, you can only can control how you play, and we’ve been doing that.�

Just sometimes, it hasn’t all clicked at the same time for the Yotes, according to senior Katie Zillner.

“We just can’t put it all together in one game,� she said. “Seems like we have good pitching and defense and then we don’t have offense or if we have offense, our pitching or defense is off, so we just haven’t been able to be a complete package yet.

“We did that (Tuesday),� she added after the Yotes’ sweep of the Argos.

Potentially turning the corner, Mendiola hopes, as the team looks ahead to two big games Saturday at Northwest Christian, where the Yotes look to maintain the momentum the wins against the Argos provided, before they close out the season with three league twinbills at home. And while there’s still a slim chance The C of I could win the conference � likely needing to win out and get some help � the real goal is climbing the standings to earn a postseason berth. The top independent team in the region, the Cascade Conference champ, and then the next two in the region rankings earn a spot in the Region I tournament. The Yotes’ sweep of the Argos helped with that, but now they must catch Southern Oregon (8-6 league) and Corban (8-8) for a playoff berth.

“It’s really disappointing as a senior because it’s my last year, but I think we can do it,� Zillner said of making the playoffs. “We’ve got enough talent and enough heart on our team that we’re gonna turn it around.�

And, with a 3-1 record against the Warriors, the Yotes hold that tie-breaker, and still have to host the Raiders for two games. So the Yotes aren’t going to give up.

“There’s some of us that know what postseason play is like and we’re not ready to give that up yet,� Zillner said, “... we’ll be there, we will not take no for and answer.�

Maybe a little more relaxed, and a lot more determined, the Yotes are ready for a run, which should make their rivals the next few weeks nervous. (Published April 17, 2008, in the Idaho Press-Tribune) ...read more

College of Idaho’s Daniyelle Villyard, left, tries to catch a low throw as Great Falls’ Lindsay Cline, right, slides safely into first base in Tuesday’s game at the College of Idaho. (Greg Kreller/IPT) First start a success for former Middleton High standout By Mike Stetson mstetson@idahopress.com CALDWELL � It’s been a while for Donnae Carrell, but the Coyote sophomore didn’t seem to miss a beat. The former Middleton High star pitcher, who led the Vikings to a pair of 3A state softball titles, took to the circle for her first collegiate start and stymied Great Falls as The College of Idaho swept the Argonauts 4-0 and 7-2.

“I was actually not nervous,� said Carrell, who missed last season due to back problems and had only pitched 7 1-3 innings in relief this season.

“This is a good game to come in on; nonconference, not so much pressure,� she added.

But still a challenge against an Argos squad that got an Erica McAlmond RBI single in the first. Carrell’s helped herself, walking and scoring on a passed ball to tie the score. Her teammates helped, too, as Katy Luetke tripled and scored on a Stephanie Stover single in the third. Great Falls (11-14 overall) rallied thanks to a fielding error in the fifth to tie the game, but Carrell (2-0) never faltered as she scattered seven hits, struck out one and didn’t give up a hard shot all game.

“My dropball worked really well, which is a plus ’cause it’s down, and my changeup, if you can get a fast ball, which is my drop, and then a changeup, it’s good,� she said.

“This is a good opportunity to see where she’s at,� Coyote coach Al Mendiola said of Carrell, who he planned to use for relief only this season, but is now considering as a starter down the stretch.

“What I like about her is she can change speeds and she can move the ball,� he added.

Of course, there was plenty for the Yotes (17-16 overall, 6-10 conference) to like as they grabbed their first twinbill sweep since March 22, and provided some timely hitting. That came in the bottom of the sixth for Carrell with the game tied 2-2. With two outs, Katie Zillner singled, then a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases for pinch-hitter Daniyelle Villyard. Villyard reached on an infield single before Kalie Kurdy walked, then Luetke and pinch-hitter Caylin LePire added singles, capping a 5-run rally.

“It wasn’t necessarily the two-out rally, I was impressed with more the string of hits we put together today,� Mendiola said.

“We never really put three, four hits in one inning to score those three or four runs and today we did it and it felt pretty good.�

All that after a dominating, 15-strikeout performance in the circle by Zillner (10-7) in the opener. And the Yotes managed another nice rally for her in the first as Carrell walked and Zillner singled, then a two-run single from Haley Butcher and a Kalie Kurdy RBI base knock made it 3-0 quickly. Kelsi Murdock added an RBI groundout in the second, more than enough for Zillner, who said playing a nonconference foe might have been just what the Yotes � who had lost 11-of-13 headed into the doubleheader � needed to snap out of their funk.

“I think just being relaxed, ... everybody was just out there to do their thing,� she said.

(Published April 16, 2008, in the Idaho Press-Tribune)...read more