Orlandi, Divilbiss to be inducted

into Lewis-Clark State Hall of Fame

The Lewis-Clark State College athletic department and the Warrior Athletic Association will induct five individuals and three national championship baseball teams into the Warrior Athletic Hall of Fame in April of 2023, officials announced Wednesday.

The seventh class to be inducted into the Warrior Athletic Hall of Fame includes former women’s basketball coach Mike Divilbiss and former men’s basketball coach George Pfeifer, former women’s basketball player Caelyn Orlandi, former baseball player Rusty Harris and former cross country and track runner Chelsey Leighton. The Avista NAIA World Series baseball championship teams from 1989, ’96 and ’99 also will be enshrined at a banquet.

Orlandi had a monster career with the Warriors during 2013-17, culminating with a runner-up finish at the NAIA national tournament, the best finish ever by the women’s basketball team. Orlandi was a two-time NAIA All-American guard and led the NAIA her senior year in total assists (261), assists per game (7.05) and assist to turnover ratio (3.6:1). She set the school record for assists in a season and a career, averaged in double figures scoring all four seasons, and finished with a 13.1 points per game average.

Orlandi wound up with 1,766 points, which ranks fifth on the program’s all-time scoring list. Her 13.1 points-per-game-average ranks fourth, and her 622 total field goals are fifth. She made 199 3-pointers (sixth all-time), 323 free throws (seventh), and shot 84.8 % at the free-throw line (third). She was a two-time First-Team All-Frontier Conference selection, a second team selection as a sophomore, and the Freshman of the Year during her first season.

As well as leaving her mark on the court, Orlandi, a Coeur d’Alene High product, was feted for her work in the classroom. She earned both Frontier Conference and NAIA Scholar-Athlete distinction both her junior and senior seasons. She currently is in her sixth year as the associate head coach for the Warrior Women’s Basketball team.

Divilbiss turned the Warrior Women’s Basketball program into an annual national power. He compiled a 310-122 record (.718 winning percentage) during 1987-2001. The Warriors earned their first NAIA national tournament berth in 1996 and qualified in each of his final six years. In 2001, LC State advanced to the national semifinals where it lost to eventual champion Oklahoma City.

In his final 11 seasons at the helm, LC never lost more than 10 games in a year and won 20 or more games 10 times. In his final two seasons, LC State posted records of 28-2 and 33-4 and was ranked No. 1 in the nation, a first for the program. After the 2001 season, Divilbiss was hired at the University of Idaho where he spent seven seasons. He also had coaching stops on staffs at Wisconsin-Green Bay, Illinois and North Idaho College. He recently spent three years as athletic director at Lakeland High School in Rathdrum. He and his wife, Judy, currently reside in the Spokane area.

The full release can be found at www.lcwarriors.com.

The induction ceremony will be held on April 22 at the Clearwater River Casino.

Tickets for the event will go on sale in early 2023.

Dale wins state horseshoe tournament

Laurie Dale of Athol is the 2022 Idaho women’s horseshoe pitching champion.

The women’s singles championship tournament, hosted by the Idaho State Horseshoe Pitchers Association, was held last weekend at Winton Park in Coeur d’Alene.

Dale pitched 240 shoes with 137 ringers (57%).

Darla Wessel of Coeur d’Alene placed second with 82 ringers out of 240 shoes pitched (34%).