NORTHWEST NOTES: June 18, 2020
Cd’A Crossing
canceled; will return
in ‘21
The Coeur d’Alene Crossing swim event, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 16 has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Organizers said logistics — transporting participants to the event — were too challenging to overcome, but the event will return in 2021.
Information: www.cdacrossing.com.
Elliss, Walker
selected for
HERO Sports preseason honors
Idaho linebackers Christian Elliss and Tre Walker were selected as HERO Sports Preseason All-Big Sky honorees, as announced on Wednesday morning.
Elliss earned All-Big Sky First Team recognition a season ago after leading the team with 4.5 sacks and finishing second on the squad with 104 total tackles. He recorded a season-high of 14 tackles on two separate occasions, and closed out the season strong with 10-plus tackles in six of the final seven games.
Walker has been recognized by HERO Sports before, after earning Sophomore All-America First Team honors last season. He also took home All-Big Sky Second Team recognition in 2019 after leading the Vandals and finishing second in the conference with 138 tackles. He led the Big Sky in 2019 with 74 solo tackles. Walker recorded double-digit tackles in eight games, including a 16-tackle performance against Sacramento State on Nov. 16.
Idaho is one of four teams with multiple student-athletes represented on defense, joining Montana, Montana State and Weber State. Those three squads are all ranked in the top-10 in the country in HERO Sports’ preseason rankings. The Vandals will face off against the Griz in Moscow on Oct. 24, and will travel to the Bobcats on Nov. 14.
Washington State, Mississippi State
to play in 2030-31
PULLMAN — Washington State announced a two game, home-and-home series against Mississippi State to its 2030 and 2031 football schedules.
In the inaugural meeting between the two programs, the Cougars will face the Bulldogs in Starkville, Miss., on Aug. 31, 2030, and Mississippi State will travel to Martin Stadium for the return contest on Aug. 30, 2031. The 2031 game will mark the first time a Southeastern Conference opponent will play in Martin Stadium.
Current Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach spent the previous eight years as the Cougars head coach, guiding WSU to six bowl games, including each of the last five seasons, in that span. Another former Bulldog head football coach, Jackie Sherrill, spent one year in Pullman (1976) and served 13 years as MSU’s head coach (1991-2003) before retiring.
The series against the Bulldogs marks the sixth current Southeastern Conference opponent the Cougars have faced. WSU has also played Alabama, Auburn, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas A&M. The last WSU contest against an SEC opponent came in the 2013 season-opener at Auburn.
Western Hockey League announces
tentative start date for 2020-21 season
The Western Hockey League concluded its annual General Meeting via conference call, highlighted by the announcement of the league’s Return to Play initiative for the 2020-21 regular season.
The WHL targeted a start date of Friday, Oct. 2 for the regular season, but this date remains contingent on receiving the necessary approvals from government and health authorities.
The WHL added it fully intends to complete a full 68-game schedule for 2020-21, regardless of when the season begins.