Although summer is normally considered the offseason for most sports, this did not stop Boise State from creating waves while students were away.
Here’s what you need to know about Boise State Athletics’ summer season before the start of the semester.
Men’s and Women’s Golf
The men’s golf team suffered a huge loss after head coach Dan Potter resigned on June 7. Potter served as the head coach for the men’s golf team for eight seasons and was the 2021 Mountain West Coach of the Year. He helped lead Boise State towards back-to-back NCAA regional appearances in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
“I cannot thank coach Potter enough for his contribution and success at Boise State,” said Athletic Director Jeramiah Dickey. “He is an elite coach whose student-athletes have excelled on and off the course. I wish him and his family the best as they take on this next chapter of their lives.”
The team then hired David Trainor to fill in as the new head coach. Trainor served as the head coach for Akron’s men’s golf team for nine seasons prior to being hired by Boise State.
On top of the coaching change, Skyler Eubank and Hugo Townsend were named 2021-22 Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholars. Townsend was also named a 2022 NCAA Division I PING All-America Honorable Mention.
Graphic by Sasha White | The Arbiter
The women’s golf team had four golfers named Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) All-America Scholars. This is the fifth consecutive career honor for fifth-year seniors Lexi Perry and Nicole Suppelsa and second career honor for sophomores Franca Polla and Hyeji (Emma) Yang.
Cross Country and Track and Field
After winning it all and becoming the women’s 800-meter national champion, senior mid-distance runner Kristie Shoffield continued to receive multiple awards throughout the summer.
Schoffield was named the West Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, Mountain West Outdoor Track and Field Women’s Athlete of the Year and Mountain West Female Athlete of the Year.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever been around someone with such a competitive spirit who thrives in a championship moment,” said assistant coach Gavin O’Neal when asked about Schoffield.
On top of Schoffield’s accolades, the men’s and women’s track and field programs had 10 athletes receive U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honors.
Dafni Georgiou, Maggie Larson, MaLeigha Menegatti, Nyenuchi Okemgbo and Anita Taviore earned honors on the women’s side and Logan Rees, Dario De Caro, Angus Fitzgerald, Miler Haller and Murdoch McIntyre received recognition on the men’s side.
The cross country and track and field team also made a personnel change after they promoted assistant coach Benji Wetli to associate head coach. Wetli will now be the second associate head coach on the team alongside Travis Hartke.
Men’s and Women’s Tennis
The men’s tennis head coach, Kristian Widen, resigned on May 4, leaving the team to find his replacement in former Boise State men’s tennis All-American and associate head coach Luke Shields.
Under the new head coach title, Shields added Idaho State’s men’s tennis head coach, Alexander Free, to the team as the next assistant coach.
Shields also recruited transfers Jett Middleton and Sam Sippel to the team since taking over the program in May.
The women’s tennis team also decided to make a personnel change by bringing in Jordan Gobatie as the new assistant coach. Gobatie was previously a volunteer coach for Arizona State and helped the Sun Devils make back-to-back appearances in the NCAA tournament.
Softball
The Boise State softball team had six players named All-Pacific Region. These selections accounted for half of all the players selected in the Mountain West.
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Kelsey Hall received first-team honors, while sixth-year utility Kelsey Lalor received second-team honors. Senior pitcher Hannah Bailey, sophomore catcher Abby Bumcrot, redshirt-sophomore outfielder Alycia Flores and fifth-year senior first baseman Alison Seng were awarded third-team honors.
On top of the All-Pacific honors, Hall was named national Comeback Player of the Year and Lalor was selected as one of Boise State’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominees.
The softball team also added transfers Lindsey Walljasper and Kylie Baumert to the team. Walljasper is a dual-threat player and is the younger sister of assistant softball coach Allie Walljasper.
Basketball
The men’s basketball team made a huge future investment after resigning head coach Leon Rice to a five-year, $5 million extension. Rice will make $900,000 this season and get a $50,000 salary increase every season. With the salary increases, Rice will be making $1.1 million in the final year of his contract.
Rice also announced personnel and team additions in the form of new director of basketball operations Michael Johnson and 6-foot-11 University of Detroit Mercy transfer Mohamed Sylla.
Additionally, redshirt senior guard Max Rice was named to the 2021-22 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court after maintaining a 3.57 GPA this past year.
Football
The Boise State football team added transfers Elelyon Noa and Rick Moore to the team for the new season. Noa is transferring from Utah State and is the younger brother of Boise State’s sixth-year linebacker, Ezekiel Noa.
Volleyball
The volleyball team earned the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award and made the USMC/AVCA Honor Roll.
The Broncos were one of 34 NCAA Division I schools to earn the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award and one of 13 to make the Honor Roll.
The team also added outside hitter Dana Branavets and middle blocker Reagan Casey to the team as new freshman recruits.
Gymnastics
The gymnastics team had all 18 members earn Academic All-Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference awards for the third straight year.
“I’m so proud of the hard work this team puts into academics every day,” said head coach Tina Bird.
Along with Lalor on the softball team, fifth-year bars and beams gymnast Emily Muhlenhaupt was also selected as one of Boise State’s NCAA Woman of the Year nominees.
