PSU Magazine Spring 2006

Softball team scores winning season Change can be good or bad. For the 2006 softball Learn, there wasn't a whole lot of bad in a season of huge changes. Good came as Lhe team captured iLs firsL-ever winning season as a Division I program and iLs first Pacific Coast Soft– ball Conference Lille. Change came with Lhe retiremenL of head coach Teri Mariani after 29 seasons and the emrance of coach Amy Hayes, former assistant coach at University of Oregon. Thanks to Mariani, who is now interim director of Athletics, Hayes inheriLed a team with seven reLurning leLter winners and four position starters. While the Vikings stumbled to a 0-5 record at the sLart of the season, Pitcher Mandy Hill was instrumental in achieving the team's league win. Lhe Learn finished 38-20 and 15-5 in the conference to secure Lhe league's NCAA Regional benh. As the No. 3 seed in the four-team NCAA Corvallis Regional, Ponland Slate was elimi– naLed wiLh a 1-2 record. However, the Vikings showed they belonged with the naLion's elite, dropping Lwo tight contesLs to nationally ranked Baylor University. "What a year, l am so proud of these young women," says Hayes. "Teri Mariani recruited a greaL crew of aLh– letes, so we had a good foundaLion to work with. They all worked so hard. They realized that you can't jusL talk about whaL you want, you have to be disciplined, dedicaLed , and determined Lo get il. They did jusL that. A confer– ence championship and an NCAA Regional win-whaL a first year." With Lhe success on Lhe field, the Vikings were recognized wiLh posL-sea– son honors. Hayes was named the Pacific CoasL Softball Conference (PCSC) Coach of the Year, while sopho- more righL-hander Mandy Hill was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year. Hill also hiL 12 home runs, earn– ing her second– team honors. Five players earned All– PCSC, including Lhree first-team selections in Hill , senior shonstop Lacey Gorman, and senior right– hander Michelle This was Amy Hayes' firs t year as coach. Hext. Sophomore designaLed p layer Stephanie Bean and junior left-fielder Kimi Daniel gained second-team honors. Viks add Ducks to Division I-A menu The Portland SLaLe football program has added an unprecedented third NCAA Division 1-A opponent to its football schedule for the 2006 season. The Vi.kings will face the Oregon Ducks on Oct. 28 in Eugene. PSU, a member of Lhe Big Sky Con– ference and a I-AA fooLball participant, is already scheduled to open the sea– son on Sept. 2 al University of New Mexico - Los Alamos, a member of the MounLain West Conference. The Vikings are also scheduled Lo play Uni– versity of California - Berkeley, a Pac-10 school, on Sept . 16 in Berkeley. Coach Tim Walsh is looking for– ward to the competiLive challenge and the television exposure the nonconfer– ence games will generaLe. He also expects the games to gross nearly $1 million. In the past, the Viking have noL had much luck against the Ducks. They played University of Oregon in 1994 and 2002 , losing 58-16 and 41-0. New Mexico and Cal will be brand new opponents. The coaches of Lhese higher-ranked teams beuer hope Lheir players put on a good show. Coaches get fired when they lose to Division I-AA teams, says Walsh. "ln 2004, when we lost to Fresno State 27-17, and had the ball at Lhe goal line at the end, Pat Hill came up to me and said, 'We are not playing you guys again The change in schedule will give Portland Slate just four home games and seven road games. The home schedule starts Sept. 9 with PSU bat– tling Northern Colorado at PGE Park. The Bears begin their first season as a member of the Big Sky Conference . All Portland State home games are scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Season tickeL information is available by calling 503-725-5627 or visiting www.goviks.com . Be there for the games Join Viking fooLball fans in Berkeley Sept. 16 and in Eugene Oct. 28. The Alumni Association is planning evenLs around the two nonconference games. Call 503-725-4948 for deLails. 0 SPRI G 2006 PSU MAGAZlNE 25