Timbers-Thorns North FC teams

to open Presidents Cup today

Three Timbers-Thorns North FC teams will compete in the 2023 U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Presidents Cup in Boise beginning today.

The Timbers U14 (2009) and U18 (2005) will compete in the boys tournament and the Thorns U14 will compete in the girls tournament, with the winner and finalist from each bracket advancing to the National Presidents Cup July 7-11 in Wichita, Kan.

Circling Raven named top public

golf course by Golfweek Magazine

Idaho is home to some of the country’s finest, most-scenic courses, and at the top stands Circling Raven, according to Golfweek’s Best raters.

The Gene Bates-designed championship layout is ranked No. 1 in its recently published “Golfweek’s Best by State 2023” list. This marks the 12th time Circling Raven has been recognized as Idaho’s best public golf course by the media outlet’s cadre of raters. To come up with “Golfweek’s Best,” hundreds of Golfweek course raters evaluate courses nationwide annually and score them based on 10 criteria.

The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course is ranked second.

Owned by the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and an amenity of its award-winning casino resort in the Idaho panhandle, Circling Raven’s 18 holes are ingeniously routed across 620 acres of Palouse terrain. Named after a seminal tribal chief, the course sits amid woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife, including eagles and moose. Nature and reverence for the land are essential to the course and Tribal custom.

Sterk named athletic director

at Western Washington University

Jim Sterk, a veteran of over 35 years in athletics administration, was selected as the next Director of Athletics at Western Washington University.

Sterk becomes the seventh AD in the 109-year history of WWU Athletics and will take the helm of a program that is consistently among the best in NCAA Division II for both academic and athletic success. Sterk will report directly to President Sabah Randhawa, and he will start in his new role remotely on July 5, 2023 and scheduled to arrive on campus in early August.

Sterk returns to his alma mater at WWU where he is a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame. A native of Whatcom County who was born in Bellingham and raised in Everson, Sterk is a product of Nooksack Valley High School. He was a four-year varsity letterwinner and team captain in football (1974-77) at Western and lettered one year in basketball. Sterk earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Physical Education at WWU.

Following his time as a student-athlete in Bellingham, Sterk completed a Master of Science in Sports Administration at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, beginning his journey in athletics administration that resulted in over 26 years as the Director of Athletics at an NCAA Division I institution. Most recently, Sterk was the AD at Missouri from 2016-2021, with previous stops as the lead figure in athletic departments at San Diego State (2010-2016), Washington State (2000-2010) and Portland State (1995-2010).

Former Vandal hoops coach Claus

named head coach at Western Colorado

Zac Claus has been named the head men's basketball coach of Division II Western Colorado in Gunnison, Colo., as announced by Western Colorado athletics director Miles Van Hee.

"We are all so excited to welcome Zac Claus into our Mountaineer family," said Van Hee. "Coach Claus is a dynamic leader who brings strong character and integrity and is one who builds incredible relationships with his student-athletes. He brings a passion to develop strong character in his student-athletes both academically and athletically."

Claus comes to the Western Slope after leading the University of Idaho men's basketball program the past four seasons. His stint with the Vandals began in the 2015-16 season as an assistant coach before moving up to the head coach position in 2019, engineering a wins-total improvement in three of four seasons at the helm of the Idaho program.

Tickets on sale for annual

Showcase golf exhibition

The Showcase, a celebrity golf exhibition, returns to Coeur d’Alene on July 29 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course. The event brings together top-tier talent, sportsmanship, and philanthropy, all in support of Community Cancer Fund, located in Spokane.

General admission tickets for the Showcase are now available for purchase via showcasegolf.com.

The Showcase, known for its star-studded lineup and electrifying atmosphere, promises an

exceptional day of golf and entertainment. Renowned celebrities, professional athletes, and influential figures from various industries will join forces to raise funds for Community Cancer Fund — an organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by cancer.

Participants will be finalized and announced in the coming weeks.