Northwest Notes June 24, 2020

| June 24, 2020 1:02 AM

L-C State’s Henze named Frontier Conference Athletic Director of the Year

Lewis-Clark State College’s Brooke Henze was named the Frontier Conference’s Athletic Director of the Year for the 2019-20 academic year by a vote of the conference’s seven athletic directors, conference officials announced Tuesday.

Henze led a strong year for LC athletics until it was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of all spring sports as well as the national championships for the winter sports.

In the fall, the LC State men’s cross country team finished third at nationals, its highest finish in program history, while a young women’s team placed 18th. The women’s volleyball went 20-11 and was ranked in the NAIA Top 25 near the end of the season. In the winter, the LC men’s basketball team won the Frontier Conference regular season and tournament titles. The Warriors were ranked No. 6 in the country at 29-3 when the NAIA cancelled the national tournament. The Warrior women were ranked No. 22 nationally and finished second in the conference tournament. They finished the season 21-10 overall. The LC indoor track teams had four individuals place sixth or better at the NAIA national meet to earn All-American honors.

Henze became athletic director at the college on July 1, 2017, and has worked at the college for 15 years. Prior to becoming athletic director, Henze served as associate athletic director for seven years and assistant athletic director for three years.

The 2019-20 academic year was LC State’s final season in the Frontier Conference. The Warriors have joined the Cascade Conference and are scheduled to begin conference competition this fall.

Henze also has served as the director for the Avista NAIA World Series since 2011.

A former student-athlete, Henze played basketball at L-C State from 1997-2001 and helped the team qualify for the NAIA national tournament all four years. During her senior year, the Warriors advanced to the final four, which at the time was the best finish in program history. She graduated from the college in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in communications.