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-

Tonight the Lady Griz take on Portland State, at PSU, for claim of the top of the Big Sky. Both teams are 6-0 in conference games. With Montana being 17-3 overall, and Portland State is 13-6. It's a winner take all game at a big time in the season. The game starts 7 p.m. Pacific and can be watched online at www.bigskytv.org.

On the men's side PSU is visiting Montana tonight. The Griz currently sit in 3rd in the Big Sky, having beat Northern Colorado 68-59 on 1/25. The men Vikings also are in 1st place, and the Griz could really use a home win.

Indoor track will be in Bozeman on Friday for the Montana State Dual Invitational. Montana will be going against MSU and Idaho State.

-Montana State University-

The men's team has slid to 6th in the Big Sky after back-to-back losses. At the hands of Northern Colorado the Bears had their way with the Bobcats, 55-65. After that, MSU traveled down to Southern Mississippi, only to loose 60-68. Tonight they host Eastern Washington. The Eagles currently sit in 7th in the Conference and are looking to get their season back on track. A win tonight for the Bobcats would be huge.

-Idaho State University-

Tonight ISU will be trying to "white out" their arena as the Weber Wildcats come into town. The Bengals have a slight hold on the 4 spot in the Conference, but Northern Colorado is nipping at their heels. But Weber State won't be overlooked. The Wildcats are currently tied with PSU for first in the Big Sky. ISU needs a win tonight at home to keep pace with the Bears.

-University of Idaho-

While ISU is trying to white out their gym, U of I is trying to "black out" theirs. Tonight the Vandals take on Boise State. The Vandals are flying high after winning the rematch with New Mexico State 67-57. UI currently sit in 4th in the WAC, one spot behind the visiting Boise State. A win tonight would help close the gap between the two. Idaho is 3-3 in conference, while Boise State is 5-2.

The indoor track teams will be heading to Pullman on Friday and Saturday for the Washington State Cougar Invitational.

-University of Alaska Anchorage-

The gymnasitics team heads to Colorado this week. The 0-4 squad is searching for their first win of the season. 1/31 will see them in Denver, 2/1 the squad goes Colorado Springs to take on Air Force.

In men's basketball, the Seawolves lost at Billings, MT to Montana State - Billings 60-69. Seniors Jeremiah Trueman and Kenny Barker combined for 37 points. But a late 2nd half push by the Yellowjackets proved to much for UAA.