http://yoteathletics.com/

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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

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MEN'S SOCCER -

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FOOTBALL -

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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.

31

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.

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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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