Locally: Idaho women’s soccer ranked second in Big Sky preseason poll, EWU fifth
Idaho women’s soccer enters the 2023 season with high expectations after being picked second in the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches poll.
The Vandals are aiming to return to the championship match for the second year in a row. The Vandals finished the 2022 season 12-3-3 overall and 6-2 in the conference. Idaho lost only two seniors from last year’s team and has added eight freshmen to this season’s roster.
Eastern Washington was fifth in the poll. The Eagles return nine of 11 starters from the 2022 team that finished seventh in the Big Sky and will be led by first-team All-Conference selections Maddie Morgan and Madison Kem.
Morgan was named the Big Sky co-offensive player of the year and was the co-golden boot award winner in 2022.
Northern Arizona was tabbed the favorite for 2023.
Softball
Spikes/Proton Men’s 70s won the Western Nationals for the second consecutive year, Aug. 1-3 in Sacramento, California.
The team went 0-2 in pool play before winning two playoff games for the Western Nationals championship and the right to play in the national championship against the winner of the Eastern Nationals. That matchup will determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds for the World Championships in Las Vegas Sept. 18-21.
Spikes/Proton All-Stars were Tom Adams, Steve Bergstrom, Steve Erenberg, John Higgins, Grant Hodge, Ron Newcomb, Jim O’Hare and Mike Owen. Ron Newcomb was the MVP. Other team members were Gary Blake (defensive MVP), Connie Burnett, John Hollett, Ron Martin, Cam Preston, Mark Reilly and Wayne Terry.
Wrestling
Bryce Parson has been named an assistant wrestling coach at North Idaho College.
Parson was raised in Lewiston and attended Lewiston High School, where he was a two-time Idaho state champion.
Parson continued his wrestling career at Oregon State University from 2015 to 2017. Parson then attended North Idaho College, competed in the 2018-19 athletic season for the Cardinals and was named an All-American.
Parson previously coached at NIC as an assistant during the 2021-22 season.