Gonzaga’s Fortier named women’s basketball’s D-I Rookie Coach of the Year

After leading the Gonzaga women’s basketball team to the Sweet 16 in her first year, coach Lisa Fortier was named Monday as the 2015 Spalding Maggie Dixon Division-I Rookie Coach of the Year.

Fortier earlier was named a finalist for the award along with Arkansas’ Jimmy Dykes.

The award was announced by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, meeting in Tampa, Florida, in conjunction with the NCAA tournament’s Final Four.

“Success in your first year as a head coach is incredibly challenging,” said WBCA executive director Danielle Donehew in a news release. “Lisa Fortier’s inaugural season as head coach at Gonzaga showcased what a talented coach and leader she is.”

After taking over the program from longtime coach Kelly Graves, Fortier led the Bulldogs to a 26-8 record and the team’s 11th consecutive regular-season West Coast Conference title. She was also named a co-Coach of the Year by the WCC.

“Of course, it is such an honor to receive this award,” Fortier said from the coaches’ convention. “It’s pretty cool.”

College baseball

Washington State and Washington gave the Northwest a sweep of the Pac-12 player of the week awards.

Joe Pistorese of WSU was named Pitcher of the Week after he threw a four-hit shutout in a 4-0 win at No. 12 Cal.

The junior left-hander threw 72 percent strikes, scattered four singles, allowed only two runners as far as second base and struck out six while walking just one.

Braden Bishop of Washington was the Player of the Week after he reached base safely in 12 of 14 plate appearances in the Huskies’ sweep at Stanford. He was 6 of 8, walked four times, was hit twice and scored six runs.