COEUR d'ALENE - The winter sports season doesn't fully get underway for a few more months, but coaches at North Idaho College have been busy filling out their rosters for an upcoming run to a Scenic West Athletic Conference championship.

Among the latest signings for the Cardinal men's basketball team is Ben Tucakovic of Borah High. Borah defeated Post Falls 49-31 in the state 5A championship game earlier this year in Nampa

"I really like his versatility," NIC coach Jared Phay said. "He can shoot it and is really athletic. He needs to get a little stronger, but we're looking at him at the No. 3 (small forward) position."

Tucakovic scored 18 points for the South in the ninth annual Idaho High School All-Star games in Coeur d'Alene at Christianson Gym in March, where he also won the 3-point competition.

"It's a great tool for us," said Phay of the games. "It's the perfect time of the year for us as far as recruiting. We saw him play a little before then, but it definitely helps getting him on campus and not having to use an official visit."

Signee Nathan Rathbun, a 6-foot-9 center from Deary, also played for the North, scoring three points.

"He's very raw, but has very good size," Phay said. "He's a good athlete, but needs some skill development - but will step in and help us at some point this season I'm sure."

Michael Hope, a 6-1 guard from Tacoma, transferred from Evergreen State where he led the team in scoring with 13.2 points per game as a true freshman during the 2010-11 season and was named Cascade Conference Freshman of the Year. He sat out last season at Evergreen with a medical redshirt.

Dalen Erickson, a 6-4 shooting guard from Grantsville, Utah, also has signed after averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds a game for Grantsville High.

"He can really shoot it," Phay said. "I felt like that was a void we had last year. I like our group, but we just need to be able to shoot it a bit more."

Coeur d'Alene High graduate Connor White has signed with Northwest Nazarene, a Division II team in the Great Northern Athletic Conference in Nampa.

"Connor wants to go into the ministry," Phay said. "That part was a great fit for him. He went on a visit and really liked his teammates and coaches and fell in love with the place right away."

Antoine Hosley signed with Division I Utah Valley University, currently an independent school, but could be joining the Western Athletic Conference in the near future. Utah Valley was a member of the SWAC before moving up in classifications 10 years ago.

“They’ve been recruiting him all year,” said Phay of Hosley. “When we go on road trips to Eastern (Utah) and Snow, we drive right by the campus and he felt like it was a good fit for him.”

Kwame Bates signed with NAIA Division I Bacone College in Muskogee, Okla., where he’ll be reunited with former Green River Community College teammate Gralin Paul.

“The school knew about him before the process really started,” Phay said. “They offered him a scholarship and thought it was a good fit with being familiar with them.”

Jordan McCloud, who was a redshirt freshman last year, has opted to return for his sophomore year instead of transferring to a four-year school.

NIC has also landed James Webb III, a 6-9 forward from Augusta, Ga.

“He can actually play either the 3 or 4,” Phay said. “He’s really long and athletic and along with Michael Middlebrooks, they’ll eat up a lot of space in there when they’re on the floor.”

With the signings, the Cardinals still have one spot in limbo, which could go to Ryan Neve, who redshirted last year.

“We’re waiting on him right now,” Phay said. “Medically, if he can get everything figured out — he’ll be back.”

Another spot could open due to another player following a different career path.

“Kaj Sherman has a tryout with the NHL in July,” Phay said. “At the end of June, he’ll go to Los Angeles and go to some camps. He hasn’t played hockey in four years, but had a scout call him and felt he had to investigate it. I’m assuming that if it doesn’t work out, he’ll be back. If he doesn’t come back — it’s because he signed a hockey contract.”

Women’s basketball: Sophomore Julia Salmio has signed to play next year at Division II Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Earlier this month NIC’s other sophomore, Korina Baker, signed with Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

A native of Vantaa, Finland, Salmio was a key contributor to the team’s success this past season, helping the Cardinals to a 23-6 overall record and Scenic West Athletic Conference regular season championship. She also earned first-team SWAC recognition and is an NJCAA Academic All-American with a 3.9 grade point average.

“We are extremely proud of Julia,” NIC coach Chris Carlson said. “She has been a huge part of our success this year as well as last year winning the NJCAA championship. Her perseverance and hard work ethic is one of the best I’ve witnessed in all my years of coaching. She possesses the characteristics vital to success both on and off the court, and we wish her the best of luck in all her future endeavors.”

“Julia is coming to Nova Southeastern University from one of the best junior college programs in the nation,” NSU coach LeAnn Freeland said. “In her two seasons at North Idaho College, she helped the program achieve success nationally with her toughness, size and determination.”

Wrestling: The NIC wrestling team, which finished sixth at nationals, has signed V.J. Guilio and Bryan Smith.

Guilio, a transfer from the University of Wyoming, will look to wrestle at 184-197 pounds next season. Guilio compiled a 163-17 overall record at American Falls High, and was the eighth wrestler in state history to win four individual state titles.

Smith, a third-place finisher at 215 pounds at Bedford High in Michigan, will look to wrestle at 197 for NIC next season.