THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE, Sept. 14, 2014

The rookie coach could be excused for not knowing his NJCAA from his NWAACC.

It's not even easy for people who have been North Idaho College for a while - even moreso that the NWAACC is now the NWAC.

Then add in that some of NIC's teams moved to the NWAACC - er, the NWAC - this year, others will move from the NJCAA to the NWAC in two years, one team is staying in the NJCAA, and some of the NIC teams in the NWAC will be eligible to compete for a conference championship this year, but some will not.

NJCAA scholarships, which include full tuition, books and fees, pay more than NWAC scholarships, which are 65 percent of tuition and fees. That meant NIC sophomores, who came in receiving NJCAA scholarships, had to agree to what amounts as a "pay cut" down to the NWAC level of scholarship, if their team was to be eligible for the conference tournament.

"In soccer, we got all the sophomores down to the NWAC level (of scholarship), NIC athletic director Al Williams said. "Softball had some sophomores on the NJCAA level, and they didn't want to drop down to that (NWAC) level."

Men's golf will also be ineligible for the NWAC tourney next spring, for that reason.

The "outdoor" sports - men's and women's soccer, softball and golf - move to the NWAC this year. Volleyball and men's and women's basketball have two more seasons in the NJCAA before moving to the NWAC. Since the NWAC doesn't sponsor wrestling, NIC will remain in the NJCAA in that sport.

WITH ALL that as a backdrop, NIC coaches recently briefed their boosters on this year's teams, and looked back on last year's successes through a snazzy video (which can be seen at cdapress.com).

Some tidbits on this year's teams follow.

* Women's soccer: "I dreamt that we started 2-0-2 and only gave up two goals," coach Dan Hogan said the other day, "and I woke up and that's exactly what happened."

Two more ties later, and the Cardinals, led by returnees Meghan Pagano (Sandpoint High), Natalie Middleton (Central Valley) and Sydney Sol (East Valley), are 2-0-4, 1-0-4 and fourth in the seven-team East Division of the NWAC.

Hogan has two freshmen goalkeepers, Madi Williams of Coeur d'Alene High and Cassandra Van Der Mey from Victoria, British Columbia. Hogan was recruiting one of Van Der Mey's teammates, but wound up landing Van Der Mey, who came to NIC in part for the chance to also play softball.

"More kids play two sports in the NWAC," Hogan said.

Ah, the NWAC. The top three in each division advance to the conference playoffs. The division champ gets a first-round bye, then hosts a game. The final four teams gather in Tukwila, Wash., Nov. 15-16 to decide the champion.

* Men's soccer: NIC coach Ken Thompson said he was driving in to work one day, talking to a coach from a four-year program, looking to place a player at a two-year school.

The coach was considering another school for the player, but told Thompson, "the way you guys conduct yourselves on the field, I think this might be the best place for him."

The Cardinals are off to a 5-0 start, 4-0 in the NWAC, led by former East Valley standout Adam Talley, who has seven goals - he had nine all of last year.

"We feel like we're deep just about everywhere," Thompson said. "We just want to keep this good thing going."

* Volleyball: With nine new players, "it's going to take a while this year to get going," first-year coach Kelsey Stanley said.

NIC was 4-4 heading into the weekend, playing its usually assortment of nationally ranked teams, with two victories over NJCAA ranked teams - Arizona Western (10th) and Hutchinson (18th).

Stanley said sophomore Kennedy Chadwick is "hands down the best libero in the conference."

Of right-side player Dzeni Hadzisehovic from Serbia, a 6-4 transfer from Western Wyoming, "we just played them, and I'm sure their coach is kicking herself in the butt for letting her go," Stanley said.

She said Maddi Seidl, a returning setter from Castle Rock, Wash., "is an athlete I'd love to take what she has and bottle feed it to the freshmen."

NIC has qualified for nationals each of the last four seasons - with three different coaches, to boot.

* Women's basketball: Coach Chris Carlson says he and his wife, assistant coach Carey Carlson, have been practicing sandbagging. But with eight returnees - and among the newcomers, an Australian (5-8 guard Samara Hill) who came highly recommended by Gonzaga - the truth figures to leak out sooner than later.

"We have a darn good team; I think it's going to be one of our best," said Chris Carlson, entering his 11th season as NIC coach.

Mind you, this coming from a coach who guided the Cardinals to the NJCAA title in 2011.

Late in the summer, NIC landed 6-foot guard/forward Shelby Cloninger of Kamiah, a transfer from Utah State. Carlson said she reminds him of former NIC and Coeur d'Alene High standout Kama Griffitts, who recently finished up at Arizona.

"It's probably the biggest, strongest group of post players we've had here," Carlson said, "and it could be our best shooting team. I would be surprised if we don't make another run at nationals."

* Men's basketball: Most coaches have a whiteboard that they use to list their top recruiting targets, said first-year head coach Corey Symons, who took over when Jared Phay took the head coaching job at College of Southern Idaho.

Symons said his top three "recruits" were coaches - Thane Jackson, who turned down a chance to join Phay and remained at NIC, promoted to assistant coach - as well as assistants Jeff Johnson and George Swanson.

The Cardinals have three returning starters among their five returning players. But Symons, an NIC assistant the past 10 seasons, raved about his incoming freshmen - which include two recruits from national power Findlay Prep in Las Vegas.

"We told the sophomores, they've got a lot of work to do," Symons said. "Those spots are not guaranteed."

Among the newcomers are Kyle Guice, the former Lake City High star, and the 6-8 Kellen Dohrman, who played golf at Post Falls High, graduating in 2010.

"We've got our work cut out for us," Symons said, "because we only have one basketball and 12-15 guys who want it."

* Wrestling: With five national qualifiers, including two NJCAA All-Americans back, NIC is chasing national title No. 15.

"We have talent; but those sophomores are going to get pushed," coach Pat Whitcomb said.

In search of tougher opposition during the season, Whitcomb beefed up his schedule, dropping the Cardinals' traditional trip to southern Oregon for a trip to Oklahoma to face NJCAA powers Labette, Colby and Northeast Oklahoma in a two-day stretch in early November.

"I think we will see where we sit," he said. "We will either send a message, or receive a message."

One of Whitcomb's recruits, Jordan Cooks of Davison, Mich., was all but headed to Michigan State when Whitcomb lured him out here, in part because "our lake's nicer than the one in East Lansing," he said.

More importantly, he convinced Cooks there would be better four-year school opportunities awaiting him after two seasons at NIC.

"We've got to get these athletes out here if we want to win national championships," Whitcomb said.

* Softball: Coach Don Don Williams, who started the Cardinals program in 1998, said only one NWAC champion has come out of the East Division, so they're looking to change that. But they'll have to wait until the spring of 2016, when all their players are under the NWAC level of scholarships.

College softball teams play a handful of "fall ball" tournaments, then play "for real" in the spring.

"It's so nice to go out and practice and have 11 returning players (including three pitchers)," Williams said. "Last year we had 17 freshmen."

* Golf: The Cardinals play a few fall tournaments before playing "for real" in the spring.

Michael Porter (Coeur d'Alene High) is one of the two men's returnees. Newcomers include Kenny Dodge (Lake City) and Jordan Meshell (Lakeside).

Among the women's returnees is Elsa Goodsen (Lake City).

"We're looking for a fun and successful season in the NWAC," first-year coach Russell Grove said.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter@CdAPressSports.