Northwest Notes Aug. 7, 2024

Redondo Kriskova appointed interim head volleyball coach at Idaho

MOSCOW — University of Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik announced Tuesday the appointment of Romana Redondo Krišková as interim head coach of the Vandal volleyball program.

Redondo Krišková was hired in 2023 as an assistant coach and stepped in to oversee the program in March, during the investigation of previous head coach Chris Gonzalez, who later resigned following allegations of abuse toward players. 

Redondo Krišková was instrumental in finalizing the fall schedule, ran practices, managed the budget, retained student-athletes and recruited student-athletes to fill out the roster.

Prior to coming to Moscow, Redondo Krišková served as an assistant coach for French Club ASPTT. She played professionally for six seasons, playing in six different countries during her pro career. She also spent 16 seasons on the Slovakian junior and senior national teams.

She played five seasons of NCAA Division I volleyball, beginning at Virginia Commonwealth. She was the 2013 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and an AVCA All-American. She transferred to Wisconsin and played two more seasons after redshirting in 2014. She was a 2016 AVCA Honorable Mention All-Northeast Region honoree.

"Romana has worked closely with this team with grace, stature, and resolve," Gawlik said in a university news release. "She has been purposeful in every decision to enhance our volleyball program to develop our student-athletes. She has worked hard to earn the trust of our Vandal players, to unite the team in the goal to improve and build a winning culture. Her playing experience at Wisconsin and professionally has developed her tool chest to invest in our Vandal athletic department and the volleyball program. I trust her in decision making and she has the determination to meld the team and make Vandal volleyball excel."

Idaho volleyball, which went 5-51 in two seasons under Gonzalez, including 1-27 in 2023, begins the 2024 season at the Alabama A&M tournament in Huntsville, Ala., on Aug. 30.

NIC women’s soccer scrimmage location changed

North Idaho College has moved today women’s soccer scrimmage at 5 p.m. against Community Colleges of Spokane to Spokane Falls Community College. 

The scrimmage was originally scheduled to take place at North Idaho College.

Zags to play WSU on Jan. 11 and Feb. 19

The West Coast Conference announced its 2024-25 men's basketball conference schedule Tuesday. 

The new look league slate features 18 conference games, with two new programs (Washington State and Oregon State) as affiliate members to the WCC. Conference play is slated to begin on Dec. 28 and will conclude on March 1.

The Bulldogs will look for the program's 27th conference title in 2024-25. GU has shared or won 22 conference championships in the last 24 years, along with 24 out of the last 27 years.

For the third straight season, the Zags open WCC play against Pepperdine, on Dec. 30

Gonzaga plays host to WSU on Jan. 11 and visits Oregon State on Jan. 16.

The Cougars and Beavers begin a two-year agreement as affiliate members of the West Coast Conference this season. GU and Washington State meet for the 151st time on Jan. 11 in Spokane, and the first since a 69-60 Bulldog win in Pullman in 2015. WSU holds a 98-52 all-time advantage. WSU has not traveled to the McCarthey Athletic Center since 2011. 

The Zags and Beavers have not met since 1991. The 28th all-time meeting will be in Corvallis on Jan. 16. OSU visits Gonzaga on Jan. 28.

The West Coast Conference Championships will follow March 6-11 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

WSU opens conference play in Portland, Saturday, Dec. 28, against the Portland Pilots. Wazzu holds a 12-2 record against UP, most recently winning a home-and-home series in 2011-12.

WSU will host its first WCC home game against Loyola Marymount on Dec. 30, at Beasley Coliseum. The Lions have never traveled to Pullman, holding a 2-2 record against the Cougs with three neutral-site meetings in 1986, 1991, and 2016.

Game times and television information will be released in the near future.

2024-25 Gonzaga men’s basketball WCC schedule

December

30 — at Pepperdine

January

2 — vs. Portland. 4 — at Loyola Marymount. 8 — vs. San Diego. 11 — vs. Washington State. 16 — at Oregon State. 18 — vs. Santa Clara. 25 — at Portland. 28 — vs. Oregon State. 

February

1 — at Saint Mary's. 6 — vs. Loyola Marymount. 8 — at Pacific. 13 —vs. San Francisco. 15 — vs. Pepperdine. 19 — at Washington State. 22 — vs. Saint Mary's. 27 — at Santa Clara.

March

1 — at San Francisco.

2024-25 Washington State men's basketball WCC schedule

December

28 — at Portland. 30 — vs. Loyola Marymount.

January

4 — vs. San Francisco. 9 — vs. Pacific. 11 — at Gonzaga. 16 — at San Diego. 18 — vs. Portland. 23 — at Santa Clara. 25 — vs. Saint Mary's. 30 — at Pacific.

February

1 — at San Francisco. 6 — at Oregon State. 8 — vs. Pepperdine. 15 — at Saint Mary's. 19 — vs. Gonzaga. 22 — vs. Santa Clara. 27 — vs. San Diego.

March 

1 — at Pepperdine.

WCC women to play 20 game conference schedule

Thanks to a 20-game conference schedule (compared to 18 for the men), Gonzaga and Washington State's women will begin West Coast Conference play on Dec. 19. 

Gonzaga has won 18 of the last 20 regular-season WCC titles, along with 10 tournament championship titles.

Gonzaga will play at WSU on Jan. 11. WSU will visit Gonzaga on Feb. 8. 

The West Coast Conference Championships will follow on March 6-11 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.

First-year Pepperdine women's coach Katie (Baker) Faulkner, the former Lake City High star, will bring the Waves to WSU on Dec. 28 and to Gonzaga on Dec. 30.

Game times and television information will be released in the near future.

2024-25 Gonzaga women's basketball WCC schedule

December

19 — at San Francisco. 21 — at San Diego. 28 — vs. Oregon State. 30 — vs. Pepperdine.

January 

2 — at Portland. 4 — vs. Santa Clara. 11 — at Washington State. 16 — vs. Portland. 18 — at Loyola Marymount. 25 — at Pepperdine. 30 — vs. San Diego.

February

1 — vs. Pacific. 6 — at Saint Mary's. 8 — vs. Washington State. 13 — at Oregon State. 15 — vs. Loyola Marymount. 20 — vs. Saint Mary's. 22 — vs. San Francisco. 27 — at Pacific. 

March

1 — at Santa Clara.

2024-25 Washington State women's basketball WCC schedule

December

19 — at San Diego. 21 — at Oregon State. 28 — vs. Pepperdine. 30 — at Pacific.

January

2 — vs. Santa Clara. 4 — vs. Oregon State. 9 — at Saint Mary's. 11 — vs. Gonzaga. 16 — at San Francisco. 18 — at Santa Clara. 23 — vs. Portland. 25 — at Loyola Marymount. 30 — vs. Pacific.

February

1 — vs. San Diego. 8 — at Gonzaga. 13 — vs. Loyola Marymount. 15 — at Portland. 20 — vs. San Francisco. 22 — vs. Saint Mary's. 27 — at Pepperdine.