Northwest Notes May 29, 2026

Former University of Idaho administrator named College of Western Idaho's inaugural athletic director  

College of Western Idaho has named Mahmood Sheikh as the school's inaugural athletic director. 

Sheikh has been with CWI since September 2025 as the assistant chief advancement officer for strategic initiatives. This position will lead the launch of intramural and intercollegiate athletics for the college. 

Prior to his arrival, Sheikh served more than six years as the senior associate athletic director for development and executive director of the Vandal Scholarship Fund for the University of Idaho.  

“Mahmood brings a combination of strategic vision, fundraising expertise, and deep experience in athletics as we build this program from the ground up,” CWI president Gordon Jones said in a school news release. “He understands how to develop sustainable models, cultivate community partnerships, and create opportunities that put students first. I am confident Mahmood will lay a strong foundation for intramurals and athletics that support student success and helps prepare our graduates to thrive.” 

Earlier this year, Jones announced CWI would establish intercollegiate athletics and an intramural program, which Sheikh will now lead. School spokesperson Ashley Smith said the school plans to pursue NJCAA Division I status in the Scenic West Athletic Conference, whose members include North Idaho College and the College of Southern Idaho.

“Our ambition is to launch intercollegiate sports through an endowment-funded model to ensure annual operational costs are made available before the first season begins and throughout the sport’s history,” Jones said. “Rather than relying on yearly fundraising, this approach enables us to build high-quality, sustainable athletics supported by philanthropic contributions, in areas of interest to the Treasure Valley community.”  

"Once we secure endowment dollars to provide the necessary annual funding required to support a competitive, sustainable team, we will formally introduce that sport," Smith said.

Sheikh spent 14 years in intercollegiate athletics including two stints at the University of Idaho, based in Boise, and a period at the University of Colorado. In addition, he spent nearly nine years as the deputy executive director for the Idaho State Bar and Idaho Law Foundation, Inc.  

“As an Idahoan, I am fired up for this opportunity knowing that 98.6% of our student body hails from right here in the Gem State," Sheikh said. "Our work in athletics and intramurals will align with CWI’s role of championing accessibility, safeguarding affordability, and designing strong pathways for students and student athletes. Otter proud!” 

A native of Moscow, Sheikh is a graduate of the University of Idaho.

Sheikh will start in his new role on Monday.

Cougars open play today in first NCAA baseball regional since 2010

EUGENE, Ore. — Washington State (30-26), winners of the Mountain West Conference Tournament, faces No. 7 Oregon State today at noon on ESPNU at PK Park in the Cougars' first NCAA baseball tournament appearance since 2010. 

WSU will play Saturday against the winner or loser of the Oregon/Yale matchup today, either in the loser’s bracket at 1 p.m. or the winner’s bracket at 6 p.m.

Washington State is seeking its first Super Regional appearance in program history and fifth College World Series appearance (1950, 1956, 1965, 1976).

Oregon State enters as the No. 2 seed in the region, with an overall record of 43-12 and ranked as a high as seventh in the national polls. WSU is 236-219-3 all-time against OSU after splitting a two-game set earlier this season April 6-7 in Pullman.

Host Oregon enters the NCAA regional as the No. 11 national seed and top seed in the region with a 40-16 overall record and 20-10 in the Big Ten Conference, and ranked as high as No. 15 in the national polls. WSU is 159-138-1 all-time against the Ducks and last met in 2024 in Eugene.

Yale enters the NCAA regional and No. 4 seed in the region with an overall record of 30-13-1 including a 14-6-1 mark in the Ivy League. WSU has never played Yale.

The Cougars are making their 17th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2010. WSU is 23-25 all-time in the tournament, has not made the Super Regional round but has made four trips to the College World Series. The Cougars went 3-2 in their last NCAA regional appearance in 2010, beating Kansas State twice and Arkansas once, but lost in the Razorbacks in the regional final.

Denver transfer Medina signs with Gonzaga women

Gonzaga women's basketball coach Lisa Fortier announced the addition of Jocelyn Medina, a transfer from the University of Denver, to the Bulldogs' roster. 

Medina just finished her junior year and will come to GU with one year of eligibility remaining. 

Medina appeared in 28 games for Denver during the 2025-26 season, including three starts. She averaged 6.4 points per game while playing 19 minutes per contest, highlighted by a season-high 23 points against the University of North Dakota on Jan. 31. 

Before competing at Denver, Medina starred at the College of the Sequoias, where she led the program to a perfect 28-0 record and a Central Valley Conference championship. She was named Co-MVP and the Northern California Player of the Year after averaging 22.8 points per game, ranking second in the conference, while shooting a league-best 57.8% from the field. Medina also led the CVC in 3-point percentage at 44.3%, making more than two triples per game. She also averaged 9.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.3 steals per game, and ranked fourth in the conference in offensive rebounds (3.5 per game).

"Jocelyn is a confident and competitive player who plays with a chip on her shoulder," Fortier said. "She can create for herself and her teammates and is eager to continue to build her game."

Former assistant Parker named Whitworth women's head coach

SPOKANE — A connection to a past era of national success will return to lead the Whitworth University women’s basketball program as its next head coach. 

Alecia Parker, who spent the past eight seasons as the head coach at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Ore., and was the top assistant on the last Pirate team to make the NCAA Division III tournament, will be that coach, Whitworth athletic director Tim Demant announced.

At Pacific University, Parker took a program that had three winning seasons in the 20 years prior to her arrival and built an annual contender within the Northwest Conference. 

Parker posted a record of 106-84 in her eight seasons leading the Boxers from 2018-19 through 2025-26. During the five-year stretch from 2020 through 2024, Pacific went 77-36 and reached the Northwest Conference Tournament championship game three straight seasons (2022-24).

Over the course of her eight seasons at Pacific, Parker had an 11-3 record against Whitworth. The teams did not play during the 2020-21 season, which was impacted by COVID-19.

Prior to becoming head coach at Pacific, Parker served as the Pirates’ top assistant coach from 2014 through 2018 under Helen Higgs. Whitworth last reached the NCAA Division III tournament in her first season in 2013-14.

Before Whitworth, Parker began her coaching career as an assistant at Carroll College in Helena, Mont., in 2013. She grew up in Montana and was a standout player at Montana Western in Dillon, where she was a four-year letter-winner and three time team captain.

Parker takes over a team that finished 5-20 in 2025-26, including a 4-12 mark in the NWC. The Pirates have not posted a winning campaign in 10 years.

Parker replaces Kenny Love, who went 32-68 over four seasons.