PSU Magazine Spring 1997

P 0 R T S MEN'S BASKETBALL (6-10, 9-17) Every "expert" who wrote magazine preview stories before the season picked PSU to finish last in the Big Sky Confe rence. Some even said the Vikings would be lucky to win a single game after reinstating a program that had been defunct since 1980-8 1. Head Coach Ritchie McKay surprised the pundits by putting together a team of six freshmen , two sophomores, and three juniors that produced a seventh– place fini sh in the nine-team Big Sky. The season included a win over league champion Northern Arizona and a one– point loss to runner-up Montana, which played Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (7-9, 11-14) The PSU women finished sixth in the Big Sky on their return to the NCAA Division I. Seven of the 14 losses were by six points or less. The Vikings had played in Division Il for the past five seasons, making the playoffs every year. The sixth-place finish this season would have placed the Vikings in the league's post-season tournament, except for the two-year wait required by the NCAA. This year's Vikings set two school records, holding opponents to 58.4 points per game and a 37 percent shooting average. WRESTLING (3-13) Coach Marlin Grahn was building his young team and not concerned with final scores in this first Division I season . Unfortunately, the off-season proved to be the real test. A University committee recom– mended the elimination of wrestling to offset budget prob– lems and to bring the University in compliance with gender equity guidelines under Title IX. Grahn worked hard to gain support for a program that he twice took to the NCAA Division 11 national championships. It paid off. The University is keeping wrestling, which is expected to join the PAC- 10 conference in 1998-99. BASEBALL PSU's PAC- 10 North schedule will continue through Sunday, May 11 , against Oregon State, Washington , and Washington State. The winner of the North will play the PAC- 10 Southern Division champion in the best two out of three series for the automatic playoff berth. Out of Coach Dave Dangler's 25-man traveling squad 16 are freshmen. SOFTBALL Coach Teri Mariani is in her 21st season with another winning team. This PSU team is primed for its first year of Division I playoff eligibility as well. Its top two pitchers are sophomores Beth Stidham and Shevaun Seibert. TRACK AND FIELD PSU winds up its season at Lewis & C lark on April 26, at University of O regon on May 3, and at the Big Sky Championship in Cheney, Washington, May 16-17 . FOOTBALL Spring practice begins April 12 and concludes May 10 with an alumni game at a site to be announced. Head Coach Tim Walsh has elevated Linebacker Coach Mark Criner to defensive coordinator, with the departure of Jaime Hill to the San Francisco 49ers, where he will be assistant econdary coach . Joseph Welch, who has coached at San Diego Mesa College the past three years, joins the staff as receivers coach. PSU's non-league schedule includes games at Fresno State (Aug. 30), at Idaho (Sept. 6), and St. Mary's (Oct. 11) . The first Big Sky Conference home game is Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. against Eastern Washington. Former P U aseball standouts (kft to right) Tom Trebelhorn, Gordon Riese, Wally Harding, and Ted Hendrv. Photo by Gary Bishop. BASEBALL GREATS HONORED Coach Dave Dangler and former Coach Roy Love '61 instituted a new award this year for past PSU standouts. The first recipients are former major league manager Tom Trebelhom '71 , now director of player development for the Baltimore Orioles; Gordon Riese '64, mathematics department head for Portland Public Schools and a PAC- 10 football official; Wally Harding '59, senior vice pres ident of Norris, Beggs, and Simpson Realtors; and Ted Hendry, an American League umpire. FUND DRIVE UNDER WAY The PSU Viking C lub's annual fund drive is under way with a goal of $150,000 and 75 new members. The move to Division I requires an increase in the number of scholarships that each sport offers. Tax-deductible gifts fo r Viking athletics can be made by contacting Mike Rodgers at 725-5677 . WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Ted Hendry, who along with Gordon Riese, pitched PSU to the 1962 NAIA Baseba ll Championship finals, is now in his 20th year as an American League umpire. The Vikings great pass-catch combination of the 1987 and 1988 playoff teams-Chris C rawford and Barry Naone– are now on the same team again, working for Nike. D SPRING 1997 PSU MAGAZINE 29