Northwest Notes Feb. 4, 2025

NIC offering free admission to Feb. 15 basketball games in exchange for food pantry items

COEUR d'ALENE — North Idaho College will accept canned or packaged food items as payment for game admission to the men’s and women’s basketball games on Feb. 15 at Rolly Williams Court to help build up stock available at NIC’s food pantry.

The games are against Utah State-Eastern and are the final NIC basketball home games of the season. The women’s game tips off at 1 p.m., followed by the men’s at 3 p.m.

The NIC food pantry is designed to meet the needs of NIC students and employees facing food insecurity. Accepted donations include boxed meals, packaged snacks, crackers, canned soups, rice, cereals, cooking oil, peanut butter, protein bars, drinks, condiments, can openers, shampoo, lip balm and lotion. NIC will not accept any expired items. 

Regular admission prices to games are $10 per adult and $5 for high school students and senior citizens.

St. Maries native Elliott lands Vandals multimedia gig

MOSCOW — Learfield, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for University of Idaho Athletics, has named St. Maries native Katie Elliott the new general manager of its locally based team, Idaho Vandals Sports Properties (IVSP).

As general manager, Elliott will serve as the primary Learfield liaison related to the university's athletics multimedia rights agreement and corporate partner platform. She will work closely with Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik and the entire athletics administration on all aspects of the relationship between Learfield and Idaho Athletics.

The former Katie Cooke competed in track and field and cross country at St. Maries High, graduating in 1994.

Elliott brings more than 25 years of experience in business development and sales leadership to IVSP, most recently serving for 16-plus years as an account executive and local sales manager for Morgan Murphy Media in Spokane. 

"I am thrilled to return to my alma mater and take advantage of this opportunity with Learfield," Elliott said. "I am confident my professional experience combined with my love of the Vandals will benefit the University of Idaho and Vandals Athletics."

Elliott is a University of Idaho alumnus with a B.S. in marketing from the College of Business and Economics, and returns to the Palouse having previously resided in Moscow for 11 years following her graduation.

Chiefs' Cristall named WHL Player of the Week

CALGARY, Alfa. — Spokane Chiefs forward Andrew Cristall was named Western Hockey League Player of the Week after posting three goals and eight assists for 11 points as the Chiefs won three games in three days last weekend.

Cristall, acquired from the Kelowna Rockets earlier this season, was drafted by the Washington Capitals in 2023.

Zags' Nembhard named to Cousy Award Top 10

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard was named one of the 10 candidates for the 2025 Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Monday.

Nembhard averages a double-double of 11.0 points and 10.0 assists per game. His assist average tops the nation. He became the first player in the country to eclipse the 100 and 200-assist marks this season, now at 229. He was the fastest to 100 and 200 assists in a season in program history. His 4.40 assist-to-turnover ratio is second in the country.

Nembhard currently leads the WCC averaging 9.9 assists per league game. The conference record is 9.2 set by Orlando Smart of USF in 1991. The senior is third in the country among active leaders in career assists with 767. Nembhard's 6.29 assist career average is fourth among active leaders, and his 2.59 assist to turnover is sixth.

The Zags' career record is 712 set by Josh Perkins, Nembhard's two-year Gonzaga total of 471 assists ranks seventh in GU's all-time Top 10. 

GU's Ike, Nembhard named to Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watchlist

Graham Ike and Ryan Nembhard of Gonzaga have been named to the midseason watchlist for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Oscar Robertson Trophy, as announced by the organization on Monday. 

The Bulldogs are two of 50 student-athletes named to the midseason watchlist for the award, which honors the top college basketball player in the country, as selected by the USBWA.

Ike and Nembhard are also on watch lists for numerous other prominent national awards, including the John R. Wooden Award and the Naismith Player of the Year award.

Ike ranks fourth in the WCC in scoring, averaging 17.6 ppg. He has also collected four double-doubles. Ike also ranks ninth in the WCC in rebounding, averaging 7.2 rebounds per game.

Gonzaga's Ejim named to Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Watch List        

INDIANAPOLIS — Gonzaga's Yvonne Ejim was selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association as one of 50 standout women's college basketball players for its 2024-25 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Midseason Watch List. 

Members of the association's board of directors chose the players for consideration for the National Player of the Year. 

Ejim recently eclipsed 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds to become the first women's player in Gonzaga and WCC history to reach those milestones. She currently sits 15 points away from breaking the all-time scoring record at GU and has scored double figures in 65 straight games.