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| March 22, 2018 1:00 AM

Former Lake City star Baker

earns basketball coaching honor

ATLANTA — Oregon State assistant coach Katie Baker earned a national honor last week as she was named one of the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association’s Thirty Under 30 for 2018.

The WBCA Thirty Under 30 presented by Marriott Rewards® program was created to recognize 30 up-and-coming women’s basketball coaches age 30 and under at all levels of the game.

Each honoree has exemplified their involvement in community service, mentorship, professional manner, and professional association involvement.

In her second season with the Beavers, OSU has gone 25-7 and finished tied for third in the Pac-12. Baker has been instrumental in the development of center Marie Gulich, who has proven herself as one of the top post players in the nation.

In 2017-18, Gulich was named a Lisa Leslie Award semifinalist, and earned All-Pac-12 First Team honors for the second straight season. The center was also selected as Pac-12 Media Defensive Player of the Year.

Baker, a Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy graduate who starred at Lake City High, helped guide Oregon State to a 31-4 record in 2016-17, as well as a Pac-12 regular season title. Prior to joining the Beavers, Baker spent the 2015-16 season as a graduate assistant coach at Wisconsin. Her tenure with the Badgers was highlighted by notable wins over Purdue and Penn State.

Baker is one of the greatest players in the history of Montana women’s basketball. She was the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year as a senior during the 2012-13 season.

She finished fifth all-time in scoring at Montana, 10th all-time in rebounding, and fifth all-time in blocked shots. Baker led Montana in scoring all four years of her career and was given All-Big Sky honors every year.

The Beavers play Baylor on Friday at 3:30 in a Sweet 16 game in Lexington, Ky.

Cougar football prepares

for spring practice

PULLMAN — The Washington State football team will begin its spring practice schedule, Thursday, the first of 15 practice dates that conclude April 24. The annual Crimson and Gray Game will be April 21 at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane at 1 p.m.

This spring marks the seventh under head coach Mike Leach as the Cougars return 41 lettermen from last season’s Holiday Bowl team, 23 on offense, 15 on the defense and three on special teams.

The Cougars will practice Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at Martin Stadium and Rogers Field with the Crimson and Gray Game set for Saturday, April 21 at Joe Albi Stadium.

Offensively, the Cougars return just four starters from 2017, led by senior offensive tackle Andre Dillard, redshirt junior running back James Williams, and a host of young receivers. WSU looks to replace Luke Falk, the Pac-12’s all-time passing leader, as well as All-American guard Cody O’Connell, All-Pac-12 tackle Cole Madison and All-Pac-12 running back Jamal Morrow.

For the fifth time in six years under Leach, the Cougars led the Pac-12 in passing offense at 366.8 ypg in 2017, which ranked second nationally. They also led the nation in receptions with 487. The Cougars’ returning receivers caught 273 passes last season, which would have ranked ahead of 115 teams total receptions in 2017. Williams, a dynamic dual-threat running back, returns after averaging 4.3 yards per carry last season while also leading the team with 71 receptions.

Defensively, the Cougars look to replace five starters from last year’s squad, including Polynesian Collegiate Player of the Year Hercules Mata’afa. Starting linebacker Peyton Pelluer, who missed the majority of last season, received a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA and returns to anchor the defense, which begins its first season under defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys. Last season the Cougar defense showed marked improvement for the third-straight season, allowing 25.8 ppg and 323.3 yards per game, the latter nearly 80 ypg better than 2016. WSU led the Pac-12 in pass defense at 170.9 ypg, the fewest yards allowed by WSU since 1994. The 28 turnovers gained by the Cougar defense ranked eighth nationally and led the Pac-12.