The template of hiring an energetic up-and-coming college assistant has worked wonders in football at the University of Idaho.

Not only has Jason Eck made the Vandals an FCS playoff team, but in just his second season, already has Idaho in the national championship conversation, at least.

Idaho athletic director Terry Gawlik continued to put her stamp on the athletic program by bringing in new basketball coaches for this season — including men’s coach Alex Pribble, most recently an assistant coach at Seattle U.

New Vandal women’s basketball coach Carrie Eighmey wasn’t an assistant at her last stop, but is making the step up after eight seasons as head coach at NCAA Division II Nebraska-Kearney.

THE MEN’S team has the higher mountain to climb.

Idaho is 33-116 over the past five seasons — and last year’s 10-22 record was the best of the bunch.

And the Vandals are picked to finish last in the 10-team Big Sky Conference.

“We have a little chip on our shoulder,” said Pribble, who was head coach at Division II Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, Wash., for four seasons (2015-19). “We understand where this program has been, we understand where this team is projected … but we have a strong sense of internal belief.”

Only three Vandals remain from last year’s team. Two of them have played sparingly in Moscow and the third, former Lapwai High star Titus Yearout, redshirted last season. 

So Pribble brought in 12 transfers, the most recognizable name being forward Julius Mims, who starred at North Idaho College.

One who left Moscow after last season was forward Isaac Jones, the Big Sky Freshman of the Year, who transferred to Washington State. Idaho opens at Washington State on Monday night.

Also, if you’re into marking your calendar (does anyone mark their calendars anymore? Or do they just punch a reminder into their phone?), Idaho State and freshman Kolton Mitchell, the former Lake City High star, are scheduled to visit Idaho on Feb. 17, a Saturday.

Idaho last qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 1990.

Will success come soon? If at all? Who knows? The Vandals are optimistic that if it can happen in football, why not in hoops?

“I think what people can expect is a renewed energy,” said Pribble, an assistant at Eastern Washington for two seasons (2013-15). “For us, it starts on the defensive end. That’s something that has to change, if you look at analytics at Idaho the last 4-5 years.”

THE VANDAL women, by comparison, have had some pretty good success through the years.

Four NCAA tourney appearances, including three in the past 11 seasons (2013, ‘14 and ‘16), and six straight winning seasons (2016-21).

But after back-to-back losing seasons, Jon Newlee was out after 15 seasons in Moscow

Enter Eighmey (“Amy”), who led the Lopers to three NCAA Division II tournaments and a 165-74 overall record.

Six players return for Idaho, which opens vs. NAIA Walla Walla University on Monday at home. Like the Vandal men, the women lost a key player to WSU in Beyonce Bea, one of the top players in Idaho history.

Her sister, Skylar, and cousin, Jaiden, remain in Moscow.

Like Pribble, Eighmey also had to reload through the transfer route.

“We knew we needed some experience, we knew we needed some players who have played a lot of college basketball,” Eighmey said. “Having newcomers who have the most experience is unique, we’ve leaned on them a ton to show the way. They don’t know a lot about the conference, but they do know a lot about college basketball.”

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS were earned recently in volleyball, soccer, cross country and, in 5A and 4A, golf.

Most people know about those.

But state sportsmanship and academic awards were also awarded in those sports, but sometimes those awards fly under the radar.

Several North Idaho schools captured those as well.

Academic state champions include Sandpoint boys cross country, Coeur d’Alene girls swimming, Lake City boys swimming and Sandpoint boys swimming.

State sportsmanship awards went to Post Falls volleyball, Lakeland volleyball, Kellogg volleyball, Wallace volleyball and Bonners Ferry boys soccer.

Mark Nelke is sports editor of The Press. He can be reached at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2019, or via email at mnelke@cdapress.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @CdAPressSports.