The Idaho Vandals will open the 2023 football season with a road game against Lamar on Thursday, Aug. 31, in Beaumont, Texas.

The game replaces the Vandals’ home game that was scheduled against NCAA Division II Western Oregon.

The game gives Idaho a complete Division I schedule in 2023 which provides Idaho the best opportunity to return to the NCAA FCS playoffs after making a trip to the playoffs this season under first-year coach Jason Eck. Games against non-DI teams do not count toward consideration by the FCS playoff committee.

Lamar is scheduled to play at Idaho in the 2026 season.

Women’s basketballLewis-Clark State College sophomore Ellie Sander (Northwest Christian) was named the Cascade Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for Dec. 5-11. Sander had a career-high 20 points, six rebounds and four steals in a 62-50 victory over NAIA nationally ranked Carroll College. Sander added 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 70-41 win over NCAA DIII George Fox.

The Warriors are 10-1 and ranked No. 10 in the latest NAIA women’s basketball poll.

Men’s soccer

Gonzaga sophomore Angelo Calfo has been named to the first team on the 2022 West Coast Conference All-Academic team.

Calfo, a philosophy major, carries a 4.0 GPA.

Gonzaga’s Kupa’a Fernandez, Johan Gariba, Frankie Ljucovic, Devin Slingsby, Chris Swider and Wylie Trujillo received honorable mention.

Among other requirements, student-athletes must carry at least a 3.20 GPA.

Women’s soccer

Gonzaga women’s soccer student-athletes Lyza Bosselmann and Sophia Braun have been named to the 2022 West Coast Conference All-Academic Team.

Bosselmann and Braun were recently named All-West Region and Academic All-District. Both were tabbed Academic All-WCC Honorable Mention the past two seasons.

Fellow Zags Willow Collins, Grace Courter, Kate Doyle, Lauren Elwer, Marissa Garcia, Erin Healy, Maddie Kemp, Isabelle Moultry and Kelsey Oyler were all selected honorable mention All-Academic.

• University of Idaho graduate midfielder Savannah Foster was named third-team United Soccer Coaches’ NCAA Division I Women’s All-West Region, the association announced recently.

Foster helped lead the Vandals to a 12-3-3 record and a draw in the Big Sky Conference Championship match. She played in all 18 games and tallied four goals, including two game winners, and had two assists.

Minor league baseball

The Spokane Indians organization was recognized for excellence in several categories at baseball’s annual Winter Meetings earlier this month.

The Indians, the 2021 MiLB Organization of the Year, were honored as finalists for two Golden Bobblehead awards, the CommUNITY Champion Award, Future Star of the Year and Organization of the Year.

The Indians were finalists for Golden Bobbleheads with their debut of the KC the Stratotanker mascot and the Community Fields Project.

The Indians were finalists for the CommUNITY Champion Award, recognizing the Redband Rally campaign, Operation Fly Together, Community Fields Project and Zero Waste campaign.

In the Future Star of the Year category, Ryan Songey was recognized for his leadership in the ticket sales department and overall customer service excellence.

Junior hockey

The Battle of the Sound hockey game between the Spokane Chiefs and Seattle Thunderbirds on Dec. 27 at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle will be broadcast on SWX.

A total of 10 Chiefs games will be broadcast on television this season:

Tuesday, Dec. 27 at Seattle; Friday, Jan. 27 vs. Seattle; Saturday, Jan. 28 at Tri-City; Sunday, Jan. 29 at Portland; Saturday, Feb. 18 at Tri-City; Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Tri-City; Friday, March 10 vs. Portland; Friday, March 17 vs. Tri-City; Saturday, March 18 at Tri-City; Saturday, March 25 vs. Tri-City.

Shooting

Four members of the Spokane Junior Rifle Club competed in the USA Shooting Winter Air Gun (WAG) Championships national competition in Colorado Springs, Colo., earlier this month.

In women’s competition, Morgan Christian, a 15-year-old at Spokane Valley Tech, placed 68th among 114 junior participants. Meghan Mix, 17, Medical Lake High, finished 92nd, and Sarah Mix, 11, Medical Lake Middle School, placed 102nd.

In men’s competition, Jack Burns, 15, Mead High, placed 42nd among 50 junior competitors.

The Mixes also competed in the new two-person team competition and placed 45th among 51 teams.