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Northwest Notes July 2, 2022

| July 2, 2022 1:00 AM

Tickets on sale for inaugural Big Sky Hall of Fame Induction in Spokane

An induction ceremony and banquet honoring the inaugural Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame class is scheduled for Saturday, July 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane.

Tickets for the event are $80 per seat and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/big-sky-hall-of-fame-banquet-tickets-377371687877. Each ticket also includes a meal at the banquet. Those interested in purchasing a table of 10 for $750 should contact Alex Kelly, assistant commissioner for championships and finance, via email at akelly@bigskyconf.com.

The induction ceremony, which is 28 months in the making, was originally scheduled for March 14, 2020, but was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down the entire sports world at that time.

Inaugural Big Sky Hall of Fame Class (Alphabetical Order)

Jared Allen — Idaho State, Football, 2000-03

Shannon (Cate) Schweyen — Montana, Women’s Basketball, 1988-92

Angela Chalmers — Northern Arizona, Women’s Track & Field, 1982-87

Dave Dickenson — Montana, Football, 1992-95

Stacy Dragila — Idaho State, Women’s Track & Field, 1993-96

Jack Friel — Big Sky Conference, Commissioner, 1963-71

John Friesz — Idaho, Football, 1986-89

Milton “Dubby” Holt — Idaho State, Track & Field/Administrator, 1963-79

Damian Lillard — Weber State, Men’s Basketball, 2008-12

Lopez Lomong — Northern Arizona, Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field, 2005-07

Ron Mann — Northern Arizona, Cross Country/Track & Field Coach, 1980-04

Ellie (Rudy) Vanswearingen — Montana State, Women’s Track & Field, 2004-08

Robin Selvig — Montana, Women’s Basketball, 1978-2016

Jan Stenerud — Montana State, Football, 1964-66/Skiing, 1962-64

Harge final addition to Idaho men's basketball roster

MOSCOW — Idaho men's basketball coach Zac Claus announced the signing of transfer John Harge to a national letter of intent — the 10th player added to the roster since the end of the 2021-22 season.

Harge comes to Idaho as a fourth-year sophomore after spending one season at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and two seasons at Northern Kentucky. The 6-8, 238-pound forward/center appeared in 28 games for the Golden Norse, averaging 8.3 points per game, 5.5 rebounds and shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from 3.

Originally from Aurora, Colo., Harge spent his first two seasons of collegiate basketball at Northern Kentucky. He redshirted during the 2019-20 season and appeared in 12 games in 2020-21. Prior to joining the Norse, Harge averaged 19.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.8 blocks per game at Hillcrest Prep in 2018-19.

Harge carried a 3.6 GPA and was a member of the Dean's List while at Northern Kentucky and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

His father, Joe Harge, played professional basketball for nine years and coached collegiately, including a stint at Idaho as an assistant coach for one season under head coach David Farrar in 2000-01.

His grandfather, Ira Harge, played six seasons in the ABA.

John Harge joins a group of four incoming freshmen, five transfers and five returners from the 2021-22 season.

Chiefs select forward from Italy in 2022 CHL Import Draft

The Spokane Chiefs selected forward Tommaso De Luca with the 13th overall pick in the 2022 CHL Import Draft.

From Aosta, Italy, De Luca posted 12 goals and 28 assists for 40 points with Ambri-Piotta of the U20-Elit league in Switzerland last season. He led his team in scoring and ranked 15th among the top scorers. The 17-year-old added seven more points (3G-4A) over seven playoff games.

“Tommaso is a very skilled goalscorer,” Chiefs European Scout Janik Beichler said. “He excels at creating space for himself and has an excellent shot. He brings all the tools necessary to be an impact player in Spokane in his NHL Draft year.”

De Luca is the first player selected by the Chiefs from Italy.

Spokane retained the rights to defenseman David Jiricek (2003) of the Czech Republic, who was the Chiefs’ first-round (54th overall) pick in the 2020 CHL Import Draft. The protection of Jiricek, as well as the release of Yannick Proske (Germany) and Timafey Kovgoreniya (Belarus) by the Chiefs, opened one import player spot for Spokane.

Jiricek, who is ranked 4th among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting, played with HC Plzen (5G-6A in 29 games) and the Czechia national team (4G-10A in 30 games) during the 2021-22 season.

WHL clubs are allowed two import players on their roster.

Spence joins Vandal women's basketball staff

MOSCOW — University of Idaho women’s basketball coach Jon Newlee on Friday announced the hiring of Darin Spence as associate head coach.

Spence comes to the Vandals after spending the 2021-22 season at the helm of the Miles Community College Pioneers women’s basketball team in the NJCAA. He boasts an overall record of 601-377 as a head women’s basketball coach over a 30-year span across NCAA Division I and Division II, NAIA, and NJCAA schools.

“I have personally known Darin for a number of years, first when he was coaching in the JUCO ranks in Kansas while I was at SMU, and then as a competitor when he was the head coach at New Mexico State," Newlee said. "Darin is bringing a tremendous amount of experience to our program, an extremely high basketball IQ, recruiting contacts stretching from Kansas to California, and great energy and enthusiasm to our program.”

Prior to Miles City, Spence spent nine seasons coaching the Newman Jets where he is the career leader in wins with 120. Under Spence, the Jets reached the Heartland Conference tournament in six of his seven seasons.

Spence also served as the head women's coach at Barton Community College in Great Bend, Kan. From 2003-2011 Spence was the head coach at New Mexico State, where he is the second-winningest coach in program history (110) and led the Aggies to three straight WAC Tournament championship games (2006-2008).

Before becoming the coach at New Mexico State, Spence was a head coach at Marymount College in Salina, Kan., Butler County Community College (117 wins) in El Dorado, Kan., and Cowley County Community College (171 wins) in Arkansas City, Kan. He also served as athletic director and head men's coach at Colby Community College in Colby, Kan.