Vandal Athletics seeking Hall of Fame nominations

MOSCOW — The University of Idaho Athletics Hall of Fame is seeking nominations for the 2022 induction class.

The class will be inducted during a ceremony during homecoming which will take place on the weekend of Oct. 1 in Moscow.

Vandal Athletics looks to induct a biennial class, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this will be the first Hall of Fame Class inducted since 2018.

Nominations are done online by visiting GoVandals.com/HOF.

An athlete must have exhausted their eligibility at lead five years prior to selection with at least two years of competition at the University of Idaho. Desirable qualifications include graduation, All-American recognition, being an NCAA champion, Olympic participant, a world or conference record setter, an all-conference first-team selection, scholar-athlete achievement, amateur or professional athletic achievement, and/or continuing contributions to the University of Idaho.

Other criteria exist for coaches, teams, former staff and outstanding contributions to Vandal Athletics.

WSU signs Saint Mary's transfer guard Mullins

PULLMAN — Hitting the transfer portal for the first time in the offseason, Washington State men's basketball coach Kyle Smith announced the addition of former Saint Mary's guard Jabe Mullins (Snoqualmie, Wash.).

Mullins, the 2020 4A Washington State Player of the Year, played his first two seasons with the Gaels of Moraga, Calif. Mullins is the third official signing for 2022-23 joining freshmen Adrame Diongue and the most recent 4A Washington State Player of the Year, Dylan Darling.

"As a player he fits our profile with his size and skill," Smith said. "He can play either position in the backcourt with the ability to get others involved and the ability to make shots."

Mullins was the No. 1 recruit in Washington in 2020 after graduating from Mount Si High. The 6-6 guard shot 41% from the floor and 37% from deep while playing just under 10 minutes per game as a sophomore. The year prior, Mullins saw action in 19 games while starting 11 times as a true freshman.

Prior to heading to Moraga, Mullins led Mount Si to the 4A state title for the first time since 1977. He was a four-time All-KingCo 4A selection, two-time MVP, state tournament MVP, and state player of the year. As a senior he averaged 19.2 points, 6.8 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.2 blocks and set a Class 4A state tournament record for assists in a game with 14.

"Jabe is an achiever and a winner," Smith said. "He comes from terrific college and high school programs. He has been places we would like to go with our program. We are thrilled that he has found his way home."

Roth to receive Lifetime Achievement Award

Former Gonzaga Athletic Director Mike Roth was named the 2022 Gary Cunningham Lifetime Achievement Award recipient the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) announced Wednesday.

“I am extremely honored and humbled by this award,” said Roth. “As someone who has been a part of the selection committee since the inception of the award, I know the outstanding company that I am joining, and again, it is very humbling. Thanks needs to go out to all my peers in I-AAA for this recognition.”

The 2020-21 season marked Roth’s 24th year serving as Gonzaga’s director of athletics. Roth twice received Under Armour Athletics Director of the Year honors, first in 2008-09 and again in 2018-19. Under Roth’s leadership, the Zags thrived with unprecedented success on and off the court, course, water, and field. His successes have been displayed in decades of NCAA appearances, all-conference performers, departmental GPA performance, NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate, All-Americans, and Academic All-Americans.

During Roth’s tenure, more than 3,500 student-athletes have been named to the President’s List or Dean’s List with the highest being 163 in the 2018-19 academic year. Additionally, 25 student-athletes garnered Academic All-America accolades. In addition to the athletic and academic success under Roth’s leadership, Gonzaga athletics placed a significant focus on community outreach. Gonzaga student-athletes served thousands of hours of volunteer work at numerous local and regional agencies.

During his time at the helm, Roth has also overseen the upgrades and additions of multiple facilities. In 2003, the Kermit Rudolf Fitness Center opened for Gonzaga students, faculty, and staff. In 2004, GU opened the McCarthey Athletic Center, a 6,000-seat arena serving as the home of the men’s and women’s basketball teams. In 2005, Gonzaga opened the Harry A. Green Indoor Rowing Facility, giving GU one of the most progressive indoor training facilities on the West Coast. In 2007, the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field were dedicated, followed by the new Gonzaga Soccer Field, the Diedrick/DeLong Athletic Training Center, and an academic lab in 2008. The soccer field was dedicated as Luger Field in the summer of 2014, with stadium lights added in 2016. Gonzaga dedicated the baseball stadium to a former standout player and coach in 2018, renaming it the Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field. In 2014, Roth and GU opened The Stevens Center, a state-of-the-art indoor tennis and golf facility featuring six tennis courts and an expansive golf practice facility with four simulators. Fall 2017 marked the completion of the Volkar Center for Athletic Achievement, a 51,240-square-foot facility that houses student-athlete support services, a weight room, a nutrition center, a basketball practice court, the Gonzaga Athletics Hall of Fame, and multiple meeting areas.