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Ex-Viking Coburn named

Pierce College softball coach

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Former Coeur d’Alene High pitcher Amber Coburn has been named head coach for the Pierce College softball program in the Northwest Athletic Conference.

Coburn pitched and played on Coeur d’Alene’s state softball champions in 2007, then was the No. 1 pitcher when the Vikings tied for fifth at state in ’08 and placed second in ’09.

She went on to Delaware State where she pitched for two seasons for the Hornets (2010 and ’11).

Prior to coming to Pierce, Coburn was head coach at Emerald Ridge High in Puyallup, Wash., for two years, after serving on the coaching staff at Puyallup for two seasons.

Coburn replaces Mark Edmonston, who has joined NCAA Division II Saint Martin’s University of Lacey, Wash., as an assistant head coach. Edmonston was 262-180 in 10 seasons with the Raiders (.593 win percentage), making him the winningest coach in program history.

“I feel incredibly honored to lead the Raider softball program,” Coburn said in a news release. “I am passionate about the game and the opportunity to develop student-athletes.”

“She has big shoes to fill, taking over for Coach E, but we feel she has the necessary tools and knowledge, as well as a love of the game to keep Raider softball a competitive force in the NWAC,” Pierce athletic director Duncan Stevenson said. “We see Amber as one of the new up-and-coming coaches in the North Region.”

Coburn grew up in Missoula before her family moved to Idaho before the start of her sophomore year in high school.

Vandal men to play exhibition

hoops fundraiser at Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. — Idaho’s men’s basketball team will play Oregon in an exhibition game Saturday at 11 a.m. Admission is a $10 donation to the Red Cross, and can be made via cash or check.

The NCAA has granted permission for teams to play three preseason exhibitions, with the stipulation that all proceeds from one are donated to charity. The Ducks will be donating all proceeds from Saturday’s exhibition to the Red Cross to help bring relief to those affected by the wildfires in Oregon.

The teams will play four 10-minute quarters with shortened timeouts and halftime to push the pace of the contest.

Bayley, Hatley honored by

Washington State Golf Association

FEDERAL WAY, Wash. — Derek Bayley of Rathdrum was named Men’s Player of the Year by the Washington State Golf Association, and Reid Hatley of Hayden Lake was honored as Men’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year.

Bayley, now a senior on the Washington State University men’s golf team, had runner-up finishes in two of the region’s premier amateur championships. In the Washington State Amateur, he finished second for the second year in a row, and in the Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur he made it to the final match before falling.

Hatley earned his honor for the third year in a row. He made it to the Round of 16 in the Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur. He was the medalist for the U.S. Amateur qualifier, and had top-5 finishes in the Oregon Open Invitational, Pacific Northwest Men’s Mid-Amateur, Washington State Men’s Mid-Amateur and the Royal Oaks Invitational.

Langham, Brown lead

NIC at golf tourney

YAKIMA, Wash. — Sean Langham was fourth overall as the North Idaho College men finished third at the Northwest Athletic Conference Golf Committee Invitational, which concluded Monday at Apple Tree Golf Course.

Langham shot 74-78—152, 6 over par, four strokes back of the winner. Jesse Henderson (83-70—153) and Todd Henderson (78-75—153) of NIC tied for fifth,

NIC’s men shot 613, trailing Bellevue (600) and Spokane (602).

Madi Brown of NIC tied for fifth (81-91—172) as the Cardinals finished fourth.

Spokane won with a 512. Columbia Basin shot 527, Southwestern Oregon 528, NIC 534.

Next up is the fall season finale on Sunday and Monday, the Highline Invitational in Federal Way, Wash.