Locally: University of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame inducts Class of 2016

Four athletes, a beloved athletic trainer, husband and wife boosters and a team were inducted into the University of Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame last weekend in Moscow.

The Class of 2016 includes men’s and women’s basketball players Ken Maren and Kelli Johnson; Doug Fisher, a two-sport standout in football and track and field; football player Tom Hennessey; trainer Packey Boyle; boosters Bud and June Ford; and the 1959 men’s golf team.

The inductees:

Ken Maren, men’s basketball, 1958-62 – A 6-foot-8 center nicknamed “Moose,” Maren arrived at UI as a two-sport athlete, baseball and basketball, but after his freshman year dropped baseball. He became one of the most dominant big men in UI men’s basketball history, starting four straight years. Maren led the Vandals in rebounding in 1960-61 and 1961-62. After his career ended, he stayed around as an assistant coach, and later turned to teaching, starting his career at Post Falls High School

Kelli Johnson, women’s basketball, 1994-98 – The native of Moscow and member of an athletic family – father Gary was a member of the school’s 1966 hall of fame baseball team – was a standout guard and record-setting 3-point shooter. She started 110 games in her career, still the third most in school history. After graduation, she turned to sports broadcasting and is a highly regarded reporter for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, covering some of big league sports’ most successful teams.

Doug Fisher, football and track and field, 1973-77 – The Lewiston High School graduate was a rare two-sport collegiate athlete thanks to coaches Mike Keller (track and field) and Ed Troxel (football) who gave him that freedom. Fisher excelled in both. He was a two-time Big Sky Conference discus champion and NCAA qualifier and a key member of Troxel’s defense. After graduation, Fisher, who died last spring after a long battle with cancer, became a decades-long elementary school physical education teacher.

Tom Hennessey, football, 1982-86 – He is one of just 23 players in Vandals football history to earn first-team all-conference honors twice. He was the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year in 1985 and is a member of the league’s Silver Anniversary team, excelling during the Vandals’ highly successful Big Sky run in the 1980s. After 30 years, his single-season record of 180 tackles still stands and he remains third on the all-time career list.

Packey Boyle, athletic trainer, 1954-68 – Idaho’s head trainer for 14 years was recognized professionally at the highest level, inducted into the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame and the Idaho Sports Hall of Fame. He also served as trainer for the U.S. ski team in 1950, and later was head trainer for the 1960 Winter Games at Squaw Valley, California. He died in 1972.

Bud and June Ford, lifetime contributors – Although neither attended the U of I, the Coeur d’Alene couple were key figures in leading the Kibbie Dome renovations and are honored with the Bud and June Ford Room. Bud became an avid Vandals fan in the 1950s and June, who died in September, came on board when they were married in 1973. They rarely missed UI football or basketball games and were awarded honorary alumni status for their generous support.

1959 men’s golf team – The Pacific Coast Conference Northern Division champion was Idaho’s lone championship team in that sport for more than 40 years. The group of John Rosholt, Rusty Sheppard, Don Modie, Ray Kowallis, Bob Pierce, Dave Smith, Jim Kraus and Norm Johnson posted a record of 7-1-1, defeating Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State along the way. “We were just a band of little rag-tag golfers,” Lewiston’s Rosholt, who made it to the round of 32 at the NCAA Championships, is quoted in the hall of fame release.

Basketball

The Spokane Hoopfest 70+ men’s basketball team defeated San Francisco 63-62 to win a gold medal at the Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah.

Team members are Slater Martin, James Miller, Dennis Nalder, Darrel Olson, Al Reiners, Ray Stein, Paul Thompson and Bob Yunaska.

College scene

Brenna Meehan, a College of Idaho junior from Post Falls High School and North Idaho College, was named the Cascade Conference Volleyball Attacker of the Week after tallying 49 kills in three victories along with 25 digs and five service aces.

Meehan had 17 kills, 13 digs and three aces as the Yotes defeated then-sixth-ranked Eastern Oregon in four sets. EOU is the highest-ranked opponent C of I has ever defeated at home.

•Kazlyn Roullier, a redshirt freshman outrside hitter from Central Valley at Western Washington, stood out for the Vikings in two recent volleyball matches.

She had a career-high 15 kills as then-20th ranked Western took a five-set win over Seattle Pacific and followed with a team-leading 11 kills and a .478 hitting percentage as the Vikings, who moved up to 19th after the win over SPU, swept Alaska.

Joelle Buckner, a WWU junior opposite from Colville, had 27 digs against SPU.

•Jonah Snyder of men’s soccer and Kayla Leland of women’s cross country both collected their third Northwest Conference Student-Athlete of the Week honor for their performances the week of Oct. 10-16.

Snyder, a junior midfielder from Burlingame, California, was the offensive player of the week as he continued a big season by scoring his 12th and 13th goals on just two shots in a 2-0 win at George Fox.

Leland, a junior from Gonzaga Prep, earned her honor after running 21 minutes, 44.9 seconds to win her second meet of the season in her first year running cross country, capturing the Wes Cook George Fox Invitational by 49 seconds.

•Kennadie Clute, a Lewis-Clark State senior from Mt. Spokane, earned her first Frontier Conference Attacker of the Week honor in volleyball. The 6-foot-1 outside hitter had 27 kills, one shy of her career high, while hitting .449 with 22 digs, four blocks and two aces as the Warriors rallied to win the last three sets and snapped a six-match losing streak with a 3-2 win at Whitworth.

•Domenic Rehm, a Community Colleges of Spokane sophomore from Medical Lake, was named the NWAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week after turning in a personal record by 42 seconds, running the 8K Inland Empire Championships course in Lewiston in 25 minutes, 1 second.

Kara Nitteberg, a CCS sophomore from Central Valley, was the NWAC East Region Defensive Player of the Week in volleyball for her performance in the Lower Columbia Crossover.

Golf

Craig Schuh of Deer Park Golf Course, who figured in three wins as the professionals defeated the amateurs 14 ½-5 ½ in the 25th Senior Hudson Cup at Fircrest GC course in Fircrest, Washington, last week, was voted the Bob McKendrick Award by his amateur rivals. There are four special awards, named for former Hudson Cup standouts, bestowed on the golfers adjudged the outstanding player on each team.

Steve Prugh of Manito Country Club figured in a win and two half points for the senior pros.

In the 68th Hudson Cup, the amateurs defeated the pros 12 ½-7 ½. Reid Hatley of Hayden Lake Country Club was on the amateur team. Corey Prugh of Manito and former Idaho Vandal Ryan Benzel of Ritzville, now at Sahalee CC in Sammamish, Washington, contributed a half point each for the pros.