Northwest Notes Aug. 5, 2025

Vandals ranked No. 12 in Stats Perform top 25 poll

The Idaho Vandals football team will begin the 2025 season ranked No. 12 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 poll, released Monday morning. 

Idaho is coming off back-to-back FCS playoff quarterfinal appearances.

Idaho is one of six Big Sky teams ranked in the preseason poll, joining No. 2 Montana State, No. 7 Montana, No. 8 UC Davis, No. 15 Sacramento State and No. 19 Northern Arizona.

The Vandals closed the 2024 season ranked No. 7 in the nation, finishing with a 10-4 record and placing third in the Big Sky Conference — their first 10-win season since 1993. Now under the direction of first-year head coach Thomas Ford, Idaho returns a strong core with 56 letterwinners, the second-most in the conference.

In addition to its veteran leadership, Idaho added several key transfers during the offseason. Among them is quarterback Joshua Wood, a Graham, Wash., native who appeared in 13 games last season for Fresno State, rushing for six touchdowns and throwing for another. Defensively, the Vandals brought in cornerback Hysan Dalton (Furman), defensive end Donovan Parham (Mississippi Valley State), and safety Zach Wusstig (Portland State) — all expected to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.

The Vandals were previously ranked No. 10 in the Hero Sports FCS Preseason Top 25 Media Poll, and with this new ranking, they will extend their streak of consecutive weeks ranked to 35 — the second-longest in program history.

The season opener is set for Aug. 30 at Washington State in Pullman. Tickets in Idaho's section are sold out.

STATS PERFORM FCS PRESEASON TOP 25

1, North Dakota State. 2, Montana State. 3, South Dakota State. 4, South Dakota. 5, Incarnate Word. 6, Illinois State. 7, Montana. 8, UC Davis. 9, Rhode Island. 10, Tarleton State.

11, Mercer. 12, Idaho. 13, Villanova. 14, Lehigh. 15, Sacramento State. 16, Abilene Christian. 17, Jackson State. 18, Western Carolina. 19, Northern Arizona. 20, Southern Illinois.

21, Tennessee Tech. 22, Monmouth. 23, Stephen F. Austin. 24, Stony Brook. 25, Richmond.

Others receiving votes: Harvard, Southeast Missouri, Southern Utah, UT Martin, North Dakota, Eastern Kentucky, Chattanooga, ETSU, South Carolina State, New Hampshire, Tennessee State, Southeastern Louisiana, North Carolina Central, Youngstown State, Duquesne.

Inland Empire Vandal Celebration set for Aug. 14 in Coeur d'Alene

The Kootenai and Spokane County Vandal Boosters and Alumni Chapters are putting on the Inland Empire Vandal Celebration, scheduled for Aug. 15 at the Hagadone Event Center at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course.

Special guests include Idaho head football coach Thomas Ford Jr., head men's basketball coach Alex Pribble, athletic director Terry Gawlik and other university dignitaries.

The event begins with a no-host cocktail reception and silent auction at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 and the program at 8.

Cost is $100 per person.

Proceeds will benefit the Vandal Scholarship Fund and Alumni Scholarships.

RSVP by Aug. 11 at vandalcelebration.afrogs.org or call Shelly Robson at 208-651-7992

Idaho announces men's basketball conference schedule

Once again, the Big Sky Conference schedule will consist of an 18-game series in which Idaho will face off with the other nine teams, both at home and on the road. 

Additionally, the Big Sky announced that the annual conference tournament, codenamed "Starch Madness," will take place from March 7-11 and is returning to Idaho Central Arena in Boise.

League play will commence on New Years Day of 2026, and the Vandals will begin Big Sky play against Eastern Washington on Jan. 3 in the ICCU Arena in Moscow.

In the second season under head coach Alex Pribble, Idaho advanced to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2017.

Parts of Idaho's non-conference schedule have been announced, with the full slate to be dropped soon. The Vandals will face North Dakota in Moscow and South Dakota State in Brookings for the third edition of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge, and it was announced on the team's social media that they will be traveling to South Bend, Ind., to take on Notre Dame on Dec. 10.

IDAHO MEN'S BASKETBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

January

3 — vs. Eastern Washington. 8 — vs. Montana. 10 — vs. Montana State. 15 — at Idaho State. 17 — at Weber State. 22 — vs. Sacramento State. 24 — vs. Portland State. 29 — at Northern Colorado. 31 — at Northern Arizona.

February

5 — at Montana State. 7 — at Montana. 12 — vs. Weber State. 14 — vs. Idaho State. 19 — at Portland State. 21 — at Sacramento State. 26 — vs. Northern Arizona. 28 — vs. Northern Colorado.

March

2 — at Eastern Washington.

EWU announces men's basketball schedule

The Eastern Washington men's basketball team is gearing up for its second season under head coach Dan Monson with a reloaded roster that includes eight new faces — six transfers and two freshmen. 

The Big Sky Conference officially announced the 2025-26 conference schedule Monday.

The season begins with two exhibition games: hosting Carroll College on Oct. 20, followed by a trip to Nevada on Oct. 25.

The regular season tips off with a four-game road stretch, beginning with UCLA on Nov. 1.

On Dec. 17, Eastern Washington faces Washington State in the 509 Classic at the Spokane Arena. 

Big Sky play begins on Jan. 3 with a short trip to Moscow to face Idaho.

The Eagles close out the regular season with Senior Night against Idaho on March 2.

The Big Sky Tournament is scheduled for March 7–11 in Boise.

Returning players include Angelo Winkel, Tyler Powell, Jordy McKenzie, Elijah Thomas, Andrew Cook, Maddox Monson, Emmett Marquardt, and Shaumba Ngoyi.

Newcomers feature transfers Isaiah Moses, Kiree Huie, Johnny Radford, Alton Hamilton IV, Straton Rodgers and Jojo Anderson. Freshmen additions include Colorado Gatorade Player of the Year Cole Scherer and French big man Alan Gballou.

EWU MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

November

1 — at UCLA. 5 — at Loyola Marymount. 8 — at Colorado. 12 — at Seattle U. 17 — vs. Eastern Oregon. 23 — at Central Arkansas. 25 — at North Texas.

December

3 — at Denver. 6 — vs. Kansas City. 12 — vs. Cal Baptist. 17 — vs. Washington State (at Spokane Arena). 20 — at Utah. 22 — at BYU.

January

3 — at Idaho. 8 — vs. Montana State. 10 — vs. Montana. 15 — at Weber State. 17 — at Idaho State. 22 — vs. Portland State. 24 — vs.Sacramento State. 29 — at Northern Arizona. 31 — at Northern Colorado.

February

5 — at Montana. 7 — at Montana State. 12 — vs. Idaho State. 14 — vs. Weber State. 19 — at Sacramento State. 21 — at Portland State. 26 — vs. Northern Colorado. 28 — vs. Northern Arizona.

March

2 — vs. Idaho.

Boise State football ranked 25th in USA Today preseason coaches poll

This is the first time the Broncos have been ranked in the preseason coaches poll since 2018, when they were tabbed 22nd. In the final coaches poll of the 2024 season, Boise State was ninth, its highest finish since 2011.

Boise State opens the 2025 season at South Florida on Thursday, Aug. 28 (2:30 p.m. PDT, ESPN). 

Idaho announces women's basketball schedule

The Vandals will have nine games against opponents who won 20 or more games or advanced to national postseason tournaments. 

Idaho opens its season at Washington State on Nov. 3.

Idaho’s schedule also features a multi-team event in Irvine, Calif., where it will square off against Wichita State and Colgate on Nov. 28 and 29, respectively. 

In this year’s version of the Big Sky-Summit Challenge, the Vandals will host Oral Roberts, which won 24 games and qualified for the WBIT last season, on Dec. 3 in ICCU Arena. They follow that up with a road trip to play the Denver Pioneers on Dec. 6. 

Big Sky Conference action starts on Saturday, Jan. 3, at Eastern Washington, and concludes in a home matchup against the Eagles on March 2. 

The Big Sky tournament will be held in Boise from March 7-11.

The Vandals return several key players from last year’s team that finished third in the Big Sky Conference. Hope Hassmann, an all-conference performer from a year ago, comes back for her second year with the team. Ana Beatriz Passos Alves da Silva and Ana Pinheiro, both of whom have spent their summers playing for their national teams, are back for their sophomore years. 

Head coach Arthur Moreira and his staff also signed the 23rd-ranked transfer class in the nation, highlighted by Debora dos Santos — one of just 12 five-star recruits in the transfer portal last season. 

Further information about tip times will be released as it becomes available.

IDAHO WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

November

3 — at Washington State. 7 — at UC Davis. 9 — vs. Walla Walla. 15 — vs. Southern Utah. 21 — vs. UC Riverside. 23 — vs. Northridge. 28 — vs. Wichita State (at Irvine, Calif.). 29 — vs. Colgate (at Irvine, Calif.)

December

3 — vs. Oral Roberts. 6 — at Denver. 10 — at California. 13 — at Utah State. 20 — vs. Western Oregon.

January

3 — at Eastern Washington. 8 — at Montana. 10 — at Montana State. 15 — vs. Idaho State. 17 — vs. Weber State. 22 — at Sacramento State. 24 — at Portland State. 29 — at Northern Colorado. 31 — vs. Northern Arizona. 

February

5 — vs. Montana State. 7 — vs. Montana. 12 — at Weber State. 14 — at Idaho State. 19 — vs. Portland State. 21 — vs. Sacramento State. 26 — at Northern Arizona. 28 — vs. Northern Colorado. 

March

2 — vs. Eastern Washington.