Northwest Notes July 19, 2022

Three more Zags pitchers taken on second day of MLB draft

Right-handed pitchers Trystan Vrieling and Will Kempner became the second and third Gonzaga pitchers to be taken in the first 150 picks of the 2022 MLB Draft on Sunday, when the New York Yankees selected Vrieling in the third round with the 100th overall pick and the San Francisco Giants selected Kempner in the third round with the 106th overall pick.

Another righty, Brody Jessee, became the fourth soon after, with the Cincinnati Reds taking him in the 10th with the 303rd overall pick.

Vrieling was a second-team All-WCC honoree after a season that saw him finish in the Top 40 in the nation in strikeouts (107). He was second on the team in innings pitched (80.2) over 15 starts for the Zags.

Despite an injury that kept him out of action for part of the regular season, Kempner held opponents scoreless in his four appearances back over 17.1 innings, allowing just eight hits in that span. He finished the season with a 3.0 ERA to go with 48 Ks over 36 total innings pitched.

Jessee was a reliever for the Zags in 2022, appearing in 18 games and striking out 48 over 35.1 innings of work while accumulating a 4-3 record.

On Sunday's first day of the draft, Gabriel Hughes became the highest-drafted Zag ever when the Rockies selected him with the 10th overall pick.

• Outfielder Chandler Pollard, who has signed with Washington State, was drafted in the fifth round by the Texas Rangers with the 139th overall pick.

The draft concludes today with rounds 11-20.

Mariners' second-half opener Friday is sold out

SEATTLE — Tickets for the first game of the second half of the season – Friday vs. the Houston Astros – have sold out, the Mariners announced.

Tickets remain for all other home games in the second half, including the remaining five games of the homestand (two more games against the Astros, then three against the Texas Rangers.)

WSU QB Ward named to 2022 Maxwell Award Watch List

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward was named to the 2022 Maxwell Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday.

The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Ward, one of 86 players named to the list, is the first Cougar to be named to the Maxwell Award Watch List since running back Max Borghi prior to the 2020 season.

Ward transferred to Washington State this past January after two record-setting seasons at Incarnate Word in Texas. The sophomore from West Columbia, Texas, won the Jerry Rice Award following the 2020 season, honoring the most outstanding freshman player in FCS football after setting UIW single-season records with 2,260 yards and 24 touchdowns in just six games. Last season at UIW, Ward was named an FCS second-team All-American, the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Walter Payton Award Finalist (give to the most outstanding offensive player in FCS) after leading UIW to a 10-3 record with school records of 4,648 passing yards, 47 touchdown passes and 357.5 passing yards per game.

Idaho State AD Thiros named chair of NCAA Division I Volleyball Committee

Idaho State athletic director Pauline Thiros has been named the new cChair of the NCAA Division I Volleyball Committee.

She will serve in this capacity for the final year of her four-year appointment to the committee.

The Division I Volleyball Committee is the 10-person committee of D-1 athletics administrators from across the membership charged with selecting and seeding the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championships, completing site selection, and planning and management of NCAA Volleyball Championships.

In addition, the committee works with NCAA Division I volleyball coaches and membership to recommend and provide feedback on rules changes, championships, and initiatives to advance Division I volleyball.

Thiros has served as AD at Idaho State since 2018. She played volleyball at ISU from 1990-94.

Thiros coached Century High of Pocatello to six straight state 4A volleyball titles (2010-15).