Northwest Notes, April 16, 2014
Woolridge, Hunter to transfer from WSU men's hoops team
PULLMAN (AP) - Starting guard Royce Woolridge and reserve center James Hunter have left the Washington State basketball program, and recruit Jermaine Morgan has been released from his letter of intent.
New coach Ernie Kent said Tuesday that Woolridge wants to play his final season of college basketball closer to his family in Arizona. Woolridge averaged 7.3 points per game as a junior last season.
Kent said Woolridge is on schedule to graduate this school year with a degree in human development.
Hunter, a native of Sydney, Australia, played sparingly in two seasons at WSU and will seek to play his final season elsewhere.
Morgan, a 6-foot-8 forward from Chicago, signed with the Cougars during the early signing period. Kent said he wants to play closer to home.
Gonzaga's Palmer selected 29th by Indiana in WNBA draft
SPOKANE - Gonzaga women's basketball senior Haiden Palmer was selected 29th in the 2014 WNBA Draft by the Indiana Fever, becoming the fifth player in Zag women's basketball history to be drafted by the WNBA.
Palmer joins former Zags Courtney Vandersloot, Vivian Frieson, Kayla Standish and Katelan Redmon as players who have been drafted into the WNBA.
Vandersloot, in her fourth year in the league, was the third overall draft pick by the Chicago Sky in 2011. Frieson was Gonzaga's inaugural player drafted, going 31st to the Tulsa Shock in the 2010 draft. Standish and Redmon were both drafted in the 2012, with Standish picked 19th by the Minnesota Lynx and Redmon picked 36th by the New York Liberty.
Indiana finished 16-18 a season ago, placed fourth in the East Conference standings and fell to the Atlanta Dream in the conference finals. They open the regular-season against Vandersloot and the Chicago Sky on May 16.
Briann January, who played at Lewis and Clark High in Spokane and at Arizona State, is entering her fifth season with the Fever.
Zak! benefit golf event set for July
SPOKANE - The 15th Annual Zak!Charity Open, a benefit for the Rypien Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County, is scheduled for July 27-28.
This year's event will open up with the "Summer Celebration" Dinner & Auction on July 27 at Northern Quest Resort & Casino. Patrons will enjoy a night of food, the traditional football toss with Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien, a silent auction, and a live auction. On July 28, the event will continue with two simultaneous golf tournaments at the Spokane Country Club and Manito Golf & Country Club. These tournaments also include a barbecue lunch and a buffet dinner and awards ceremony following the final round.
The Rypien Foundation was founded by Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien, who lost his 3-year-old son, Andrew, to cancer. The Rypien Foundation helps provide children who are battling cancer and their families with the support and services they need during their most difficult times. Since 2001, Boys & Girls Clubs of Spokane County has provided a strong foundation of hope, support and guidance to thousands of youth and teens in local neighborhoods that need a Club the most.
Information: zakcharityopen.org, or (509) 244-8656.