Idaho State's new football field

Idaho State got a new field for the 2011 football season.

Here's a neat time-lapse video of the installation.

But after seeing Eastern Washington go 8-0 on the Inferno at Roos Field, I'm surprised they didn't make it orange.

Idaho State installs new turf, not as cool

Oh look at what Idaho State's new turf looks like! It's not red, it's not orange, it's green. Lame.

POCATELLO, Idaho- The Idaho State Athletics Department has announced that Hellas Construction, Inc. will be the company that installs the new field turf at Holt Arena. Installation will begin July 1 and the process will take six weeks to complete.

“Hellas Construction, Inc. is excited to add Idaho State University's Holt Arena to its list of high profile installations,” Bruce Layman, Vice President of the Turf Division of Hellas Construction. “We are thrilled our Matrix removable system was selected for this project. We know this selection will add to Holt Arena's versatility and ability to increase utilization. Lastly, we are especially proud to be a part of this project as Holt Arena was the first removable synthetic turf system installed in the world in the 1970's. We know that we are dealing with a “savvy” customer when it comes to synthetic turf for its' sports facilities and the Matrix turf is unmatched in quality in today's sports facilities.”

Awesome, enjoy being plain jane Idaho State!

Idaho State getting new turf

Idaho State University is going to be getting new turf in Holt Arena. And since they aren't as cool as Eastern Washington University, it's not going to be orange.

Idaho State Director of Athletics Jeff Tingey has announced that Holt Arena will be getting new field turf thanks to the sponsorship of ISU Credit Union. The turf will be installed in July of this year. The new turf is currently undergoing the required bid process for the state of Idaho.

This adds to a series of changes at the ISU athletic department. A new football coach and of course the new basketball court are at the top of the list.

But the new turf will also help reduce injuries on the field.

A reduction in shoulder, ankle and knee injuries will be immediately noticed with the implantation of the new turf. Idaho State is one of the only remaining schools nationwide that uses the current turf system.

Amazing Idaho State free throw

With Big Sky play getting started soon it looks like Eastern Washington might have tough time with Idaho State. The reason being that it appears this off season the Bengals learned the ways of the Force.

Kamil Gawrzydek's free throw sits balanced on the front of the rim at the 2010 Gossner's Invitational vs. Utah State University.

Dave Christensen

Since both Brandon and I graduated from Eastern Washington University, we love to feature Eastern Alumni when they succeed.

Today we are featuring Dave Christensen. His photo is to the right. And by the way, I love that hat.

Christensen is the head football coach at the University of Wyoming, and a former Eagle.

This season the Cowboys not only made it to a bowl game, but they beat Fresno State 35-28 in double overtime in the New Mexico Bowl.

But it wasn't an easy win for them. The Cowboys trailed by 11 at the start of the 4th. Only to comeback and win.

In just his first season as the head coach, Christensen led Wyoming to their first bowl game since 2004 and their first winning record (7-6) since 2004.

With an awesome freshman quarterback in Austyn Carta-Samuels, a team that now is learning how to win big games and a lot of momentum for recruiting, I can only see good things in the future for the University of Wyoming.

Christensen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Western Washington in 1985. After that he earned a Master of Science degree in college instruction and sports science from Eastern Washington in 1988.

As for his football history, he played for the Washington Huskies from 1980-82. After that he worked for two seasons as a graduate assistant for the offensive line coach under Don James at the University of Washington for 1988 and 89.

He then went to Idaho State University where he coached the offensive line, tight ends and running backs for two seasons 90 and 91.

After ISU he headed to Toledo where he was the offensive line coach from 1992-96. He then was promoted to offensive coordinator from 1997-2000.

He then went to Missiouri where he was the offensive coordinator from 2001-08.

Following the 2008 season he was announced as the head coach for the University of Wyoming.

Hats off to the Wyoming Cowboys and Dave Christensen.

EWU football destroys Idaho State. But what about the NCAA?

Today the Eastern Washington Eagles went into Pocatello, Idaho and left with a 38-3 victory over the Idaho State Bengals and a 3-0 start in Big Sky Conference play.

It was another big game for Taiwan Jones. He threaded the Bengals defense for 168 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries.

Quarterback Matt Nichols completed 27-of-38 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns.

Before the start of the game, EWU was ranked 17th in the Football Championship Subdivision. Which leads us here at JustSON asking, where does Eastern stand on their appeal of the NCAA playoff ban?

WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING IN TOO LONG!!!

From a letter to all Eagle fans in August 2009, Athletic Director Bill Chaves had this to say:

A number of you have asked me about the status of our appeal with the NCAA regarding the postseason play in football for the 2009 season. The Appeals Committee has invited us to Indianapolis on August 17th to hear our appeal. As for the process/decision timetable, we have yet to receive that information.

Well, even not knowing their future, the Eagles are still fighting.

The Eastern football team will try to start 4-0 in Big Sky play for the first time in school history when they host defending league co-champion Weber State next Saturday, Oct. 10. The Wildcats were ranked 11th before today's game, however, they were upset at home by Montana State 26-21 today.

Our Neighbors Weekly Update: JustSoN coverage across the Pacific Northwest

-University of Montana-

The Griz will keep their head football coach for at least another season. Bobby Hauck has agreed to a new one-year contract to coach the UM football team.

It's pretty amazing how his contract is broken down:
Hauck's new contract calls for a base salary of $144,500. In addition, it increases the pool for assistant coaches by $16,500. Also, the pact calls for an additional $40,000 for television and radio coach's show appearances; a country club membership; and $500 per month for a car stipend. Additional income comes in the form of camps and/or clinics, as well as annual performance incentives.

The best part are all the incentives. Look at how random some of the bonuses are:

- $5,000 for achieving a team GPA for the previous three academic years of 2.85 or higher; - $5,000 for maintaining a four-year average academic progress rate score of at least 950; - $5,000 for maintaining season attendance; - $5,000 for attending requested UM Athletics and Grizzly Scholarship Association functions; - $7,500 for being named Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year; - $5,000 for defeating a FCS team during non-conference season that has been a qualifier in the FCS playoffs within the past two years; - $5,000 for finishing the season as Big Sky champs or co-champs, or qualifying for the NCAA football playoffs; - $2,500 for each victory in the FCS playoffs; - $30,000 for winning the FCS championship.

Now if those are incentives to win games, I don't know what is.

-Montana State University-

The MSU ski team will complete in the 2009 NCAA Western Regional this coming weekend. The competition is at the Lake Tahoe region.

The competition is also the Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association championship.

-Idaho State University-

The Bengals softball team beat the defending MAC Champions Kent State, 6-4 on the 14th. ISU scored 6 runs in the first two innings and never looked back. The win was their second of the season.

Yet one day later the Bengals fell 10-1 at Arizona State. ASU is the defending National Champions, and they played like it. This season ASU is ranked #3.

-University of Idaho-

The women's basketball team take on Nevada tonight down in Reno. If they win that game, they should be in first place in their league.

Indoor track and field will be hosting the Vandal Classic this weekend.

-University of Alaska Anchorage-

Tomorrow and Saturday, the women's gymnastics team will host Temple for a pair of matches. The Seawolves are still looking for their first win of the season.

On the ice, four members of the hockey team earned the 2008-2009 WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award.
To earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete, a student-athlete must have completed at least one year of residency at his or her present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a GPA of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters, or may qualify if their overall GPA is at least 3.50 for all terms at their present institution.

Our Neighbors Weekly Update: JustSoN coverage across the Pacific Northwest

-University of Montana-

Montana’s Anthony Johnson has been selected as the co-Big Sky Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week. He led the Griz to victories over Eastern Washington and Portland State.

Johnson, a 6-2 junior guard from Tacoma, Wash., averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game as Montana moved to 7-3 in conference play and extended its home winning streak to nine games. Johnson scored 15 points with three assists in a 72-65 upset of Portland State on Thursday. Johnson made 4-of-6 shots from the floor, and went 6-of-7 from the free-throw line. Johnson netted a team-high 20 points with a career-high six assists, three rebounds and two steals in a 60-52 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday. Johnson was 6-of-7 from the free-throw line, and 6-of-12 from the field.

-Montana State University-

Montana State’s Divaldo Mbunga was the other co-Big Sky Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week.

He also led his team to wins over Eastern Washington and Portland State.

Mbunga recorded his third double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in a 69-65 victory over Eastern Washington on Thursday. He made 7-of-10 from the field, and also registered three blocks and an assist. Mbunga tallied 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and pulled down eight rebounds with three assists and two blocks of an 85-82 upset of Portland State on Sunday.

-Idaho State University-

In women's tennis the team lost it's first road match of the season 0-7 to Weber State. The loss dropped the Bengals to 0-2 on the season.

On the indoor track both the men's and women's did good against the Montana's at the Montana State Duals on Jan. 30 at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman, Montana.

On the men's side, Sam Pierson, who went to the NCAA National Outdoor Championships in 2008, finished second in the pole vault. Despite this he still holds the conference's top mark in that event this season at 16-6.5 feet.

-University of Idaho-

Signing day wasn't just big for football, but the Vandals soccer team signed 11 new athletes with nine letters-of-intent and two invited walk ons.

Idaho’s 2009 recruiting class features four athletes from the state of California, four from Washington and three from Canada. The class features six midfielders, two defenders, two forwards and one goalkeeper. With 11 newcomers, it is also the largest group the fifth-year coach has brought in to Moscow.

The Vandals track team also added a star sprinter from Washington this week.

Sprinter Kelly Jacka has signed a letter of intent to run for the University of Idaho women’s track and field team, co-head coach Yogi Teevens announced on Wednesday.

Jacka, a star athlete at Bellermine Prep in Federal Way, Washington comes to Moscow with some records to be proud of.

Jacka holds individual school records in the 100m, 200m and 400m at Bellarmine Prep, and also ran on the school-record 4x100m, 4x200m and 4x400m relays. She holds personal bests of 11.91 in the 100m, 24.36 in the 200m and 56.58 in the 400m, as well as indoor personal bests of 7.81 in the 60m and 24.95 in the 200m.

-University of Alaska Anchorage-

The women's basketball team is making a name for themselves this year.

The nationally top-ranked Alaska Anchorage women’s basketball team retained its No. 1 West Region ranking in the latest NCAA Div. II regional polls, released Wednesday.

The Seawolves (20-1, 7-0 GNAC) aren't the only Washington team in the top ranking though. They are joined by Seattle Pacific at Number 3, Western Washington at Number 4, and Northwest Nazarene is Number 8.

On the ice freshman Curits Leinweber was selected as the WCHA Rookie of the Week for February 3-9. Leinweber scored the game-winning goal in overtime to upset the then number 7 Denver team.