Northwest Notes March 24, 2013

Bodecker to coach Whitworth volleyball

SPOKANE - Former Idaho standout Kati (Tikker) Bodecker has been named the head coach for the Whitworth volleyball team, becoming one of the youngest volleyball coaches in Whitworth's history.

She takes over the program after coaching at Priest River for the past six seasons.

"I am honored to be a part of Whitworth University and its longstanding traditions of excellence," Bodecker said. "I'm walking into a great situation with a team full of talent and experience. My goal is to continue to mold this program into one that competes both at the top of the conference and nationally as well."

During her time at Priest River, the Spartans posted five winning seasons and five state appearances, finishing second in 2012 and was also named Intermountain League Coach of the Year in 2007 and the state co-coach of the year last fall. She was an assistant under former coach Steve Rupe in 2007 while working toward her Master's Degree in teaching.

"Coaching at the college level has always been a dream of mine," Bodecker said. "I'm so excited for this wonderful opportunity and I'm looking forward to building on the successes that Steve Rupe established."

A graduate of Lakeside High of Nine Mile Falls, Bodecker received an athletic scholarship to Idaho, where she was a four-year starter. On the all-time Vandals leaders list, Bodecker is eight kills per set and tied for ninth in single season kills.

Bodecker, her husband Ryan - the boys basketball coach at Priest River, and young son Kale reside in Priest River, where she teaches English at Priest River High.

Shock travel to Cleveland to open 2013 AFL season

The Spokane Shock will have their first challenge of the 2013 season as they travel to Cleveland today at 10 a.m.

This is the third meeting between the Shock and Gladiators since the Shock's debut in the Arena Football League in 2010, with the series tied at 1-1. After the first meeting early in 2010 won by the Shock, the team went on to win ArenaBowl XXII. In 2011, Cleveland beat Spokane 61-55.

Last season, Spokane finished 10-8 and the Shock missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Cleveland also missed the playoffs, going 8-10.

It is the first of three straight road games for Spokane before returning home to play the Arizona Rattlers on April 12.

College of Idaho men's coach out after three seasons

CALDWELL - Men's basketball coach Rod Jensen will not return, the College of Idaho has announced.

Jensen, who led the Coyotes for three seasons, went 38-51, including a home record of 18-25. His teams qualified for the postseason each of the three seasons, losing each year in the Cascade Conference Championships quarterfinals.

A search for the school's15th head coach since 1933 will begin immediately.

Olerud to have jersey retired on March 30

PULLMAN - It has been a quarter century since John G. Olerud put together the best season in Washington State's baseball history.

The Seattle native led the Cougars to a school-record 52 games while playing in all 66 games during the 1988 campaign, being named the national player of the year after batting .464 and posting a 15-0 record on the mound.

Washington State will retire his No. 18 prior to this Saturday's game against Stanford at Bailey-Brayton Field starting at noon.

Olerud set school records in batting average, hits (108), runs batted in (81), total bases (204), slugging percentage (.876), on-base percentage (.556), OPS (1.432), wins and innings pitched (122 2/3). Records that have since been broken include home runs (23), runs (83), games pitched (16) and strikeouts (113).

Olerud finished his three-year Cougar career with a .434 batting average and was a third round pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1989 MLB Draft. He made his professional debut later that year without spending a day in the minor leagues and went on to play 17 seasons, collecting 500 doubles, 255 home runs and 1,230 RBI and was part of Toronto's back-to-back World Series championship teams in 1992-93.