WELCOME TO LINFIELD UNIVERSITY
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Scott Brosius
EVENT MANAGER
Casey Powell
COMMUNICATIONS
Conner Jensen, Kelly Bird
STATISTICS
Kira Hawaaboo, Emerson Teller
SCOREBOARD
Joaquin Rameriz-Dod
Dakota Westfall, Maya Wright
PUBLIC ADDRESS
Steve Oleson
VIDEO WEBCASTS
Joe Stuart, Eric Albios, Joel Nelson
OFFICIAL SCORER
Halliday Hubbard
EVENT PROGRAM
Kelly Bird, Conner Jensen, Felipe Unker, Kellen Wiggins
2 jack greenwood
WILDCAT SPOTLIGHT
faith sees him through
A belief in himself and in God’s plan puts Donovan Johnson back on course after an extended illness leaves him stranded on the bench
by kellen wiggins ’28
Balancing schoolwork with the demands of being a college basketball player is no small feat. Yet for Linfield University’s Donovan Johnson, it’s a challenge he embraces on and off the court using discipline and time management skills.
Over his three years at Linfield, Johnson h grown his ability to navigate academics and athletics while deepening his Christian faith, developing as a leader and refining his game. Johnson’s journey has been shaped by perseverance, marked by setbacks and molded by a passion for basketball. From his first in-game college dunk to the adversity of being sidelined for an entire month, Johnson’s story is one of sheer dedication.
The transition from high school to college can be a major leap for some students. Whether it’s balancing one’s social, athletic or other personal pursuits with academics, most people arriving to college learn quickly the importance of self-management and scheduling their time in order to have a quality college experience. Johnson acknowledges balancing the demands of his applied physics major with his sport will always be challenging, but thanks to his discipline and quality time management skills, he is finding success both on and off the basketball court.
“Balancing the work put into getting an applied physics degree and being a college basketball player is definitely tough but it’s a combination of time management and discipline that have helped me throughout the process.”
The Antelope, California, native finds his optimum balance by creating a schedule of when he is going to knock out his academics and organizing time outside of practice to further his game on the court.
“Over my three years, I’ve gotten better with creating a schedule for when I need to do certain schoolwork revolving around my class and practice times, and on top of that trying t find time to work on my game outside of practice.”
Along with being committed to his degree, Johnson is also highly invested in improving his game. He understands his strengths and ways in which he can position himself to be the best player he can be, but to also give his team the best advantage to win.
“I’ve focused a lot on my offensive game, especially my shot,” he says. “I know I bring a certain level of intensity on the de
end, but being effective on the offensive end rounds out the whole game. I’ve seen my offensive game develop over time and continue to find ways to get better.”
With Johnson always looking to self-improve, he took another step in doing so by strengthening his faith, which he says is now showing him a clearer picture in his life.
“I recently dove deeper into my faith over the summer and into my third year at Linfield. My faith has allowed me to understand that there’s something bigger than myself, that I, as well as everyone else, have a plan set for myself.”
Faith helped give Johnson direction when he was forced to sit on the bench for the first month of the season due to an illness. As a competitive person, it naturally was disappointing to not be out there with his teammates. But Johnson quickly leaned on his faith, and it helped him realize that God put him in that position for a reason.
“It was a difficult time not being able to play,” he says. “But my faith helped me understand that God did this for a reason and it gave me a chance to reevaluate my approach on life.”
Johnson now has great views on life. He realized the best way to do things is to maintain a positive attitude while constantly giving his best effort.
“What I can do is control what I can control, and leave everything else that I can’t control up to God. The best way I can serve Him is by controlling my attitude, my effort and how I prepare, both on and off the court.”
As it would be for any competitor, Johnson’s return to the lineup after being of out action for all of November was truly special.
“One of my most memorable moments in a Linfield jersey was coming back from being out a month with an illness,” he says with a smile. “Being off the court for that long was hard. I was itching to be out there playing with my teammates. As soon as I stepped on the court, I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.”
It wasn’t long after that when another memorable moment occurred with Johnson soaring to the basket for his first collegiate dunk. A moment when such a play takes place is always surreal for an athlete. Johnson vividly remembers feeling “a rush of excitement” when he accomplished the dunk.
OUTLAST OUTLIVE
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WOMEN’S COACH CASEY BUNN-WILSON
Casey Bunn-Wilson is in her 10th season as women’s basketball coach at Linfield. In her first year with the Wildcats, she helped guide the women to the program’s first winning record in five seasons (13-12) and a share of sixth place in the Northwest Conference, one of the premier women’s basketball leagues in NCAA Division III. In 2018-19, the Wildcats reached the NWC Tournament despite a competing with an injury depleted roster.
Bunn-Wilson spent three seasons as girls basketball coach at Tualatin High School, compiling a 39-32 win-loss record while leading the Timberwolves to three straight OSAA Class 6A state playoff appearances.
At Oregon State, Bunn-Wilson led the Pac-10 in scoring as a senior in 2007, averaging 20.0 points per game. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health Promotion and Education.
A star athlete at Stayton High School, Bunn-Wilson lettered in basketball, volleyball, softball and track. On the basketball court, she was a four-time all-state, all-region and all-conference honoree. The Capital Conference Player of the Year for three straight seasons, BunnWilson led Stayton to the league title her freshman and junior seasons. She set career records for points (1,831), rebounds (783), assists (342) and steals (306) and played in the Oregon Class 3A All-Star game.
Bunn-Wilson played professionally in Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Australia. While competing overseas, she earned all-league honors on the Portuguese All-Star team.
At Linfield, Bunn-Wilson also directs the athletic department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
She and her husband, Mitch, live in McMinnville with their two sons, Dawson and Rylan.
PROUD PARTNER OF LINFIELD ATHLETICS
MEET THE LINFIELD WOMEN
Back row (l to r): Laurel Quinn, Miki Vermeulen, Jadyn Harrell, Gillyan Landis, Tana Hoekema, Natalie Rosetti, Madison Barter, Jordan Roberts. Front row: Eve Burke, Allie Mead, Ella Koebelin, Manager Halliday Hubbard, Head Coach Casey Bunn-Wilson, Assistant Coach Jeremy Vandenboer, Amelia Solt, Jayden Ray, Lauren Buchanan.
LINFIELD VERSUS WHITMAN
Safely
game PREVIEW
LINFIELD AT A GLANCE
With 18 wins coming into the week, Linfield (18-5, 9-5 NWC) stands one away from tying the program’s all-time wins record set in the 1979-80 season when the Wildcats went 19-11 on their way to a WCIC championship. Statistically, Linfield remains the second-best team in the conference, ranking second in points scored (64.9), points allowed (55.1), field goal percentage (42.8%) and three-point percentage (32.3%) among several other categories. Gillyan Landis ranks seventh in the NWC in scoring at 11.8 points while Allie Mead is up to 10.6 and Amelia Solt and Miki Vermeulen remain at 10.3. Linfield has been a dominant rebounding team, with an average rebounding margin of 8.7, to lead the conference. Vermeulen and Eve Burke lead the rebounding efforts with 6.7 and 6.6 boards respectively.
WHITMAN AT A GLANCE
Whitman (22-1, 14-0 NWC) enters the week unbeaten in conference play and leads the NWC in nearly every statistical category by a wide margin. With two wins last weekend, the Blues secured the NWC regular season title and the top seed in the conference tournament. Korin Baker has been a constant for Whitman this season, leading the conference with 19.6 points and ranking second in rebounds at 8.4. Carly Martin sits right behind Baker in scoring at 16.3 points while Natalie Lundberg disrupts opposing offenses with 2.7 steals to go along with her 3.7 assists per game. Christiane Carlisle has shot the ball well this season, putting down 36.9% of her three-point attempts. The Blues hope to keep their momentum rolling to finish the season and carry it into the conference and national tournaments where they look to make some noise and bring home another NWC championship.
SERIES HISTORY
Against Whitman, Linfield trails 54-20 in the all-time series and has lost the previous two meetings.
20 allie mead
LINFIELD WOMEN
WHITMAN WOMEN
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
women’s basketball STANDINGS
Vermeulen, Miki (Linfield)
MEN’S COACH LEVI SIEG
Levi Sieg is in his second year as head men’s basketball coach at Linfield.
Sieg came to Linfield from Southern California, where he spent 15 years as a member of the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps coaching staff, rising from assistant coach to associate head coach during his tenure.
While at Claremont, he helped lead the Stags to seven Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships, the most recent one coming in 2018.
A native of Monmouth, Oregon, Sieg returns to the Willamette Valley after residing in Southern California for nearly 30 years.
Seig attended Claremont McKenna College and played four seasons of basketball, graduating in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Following graduation, Sieg worked with Pacific Finance Group for 2½ years before enrolling in the Claremont Graduate University and earning a master’s degree in education and a California teaching credential. He completed a second master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia University in Irvine in 2011.
Prior to his arrival at Linfield, Sieg taught economics and government at Claremont High School for 20 years. During the 2003-04 school year, he served as assistant boys basketball coach at CHS before being promoted to head coach in 2004. He led the Wolfpack to the CIF Southern Section Playoffs each year. Sieg joined the CMS coaching staff in time for the 2007-08 academic year.
Levi and his wife Natalie are raising three sons: Mason, Clayton and Nash.
MEET THE LINFIELD MEN
Back row (l to r): Head Coach Levi Sieg, Max Jahala, Jake Downing, Cayden Lowenbach, Garrett Callsen, Logan Morrill, Gavin Perdue, Jack Treasure, Percy Whittaker III, Assistant Coach Bo Pinkerton. Front row: Lucca Hart, Dayton Magana, Josh Ryan, Jack Greenwood, Chase Bennett, Breyan Kelly, Cade Collins, Zach Luz.
MEET THE LINFIELD MEN
A Heritage of Confident Service
Macy & Son is in the business of helping people and meeting the individual needs of McMinnville area families for five generations.
jake downing | 0
6-4 | Senior | Guard Seattle, Washington
jack greenwood | 2
5-11 | Senior | Guard San Rafael, California
josh ryan | 4
6-2 | Senior | Guard Rancho Cucamonga, California
chase bennett | 1
5-10 | Junior | Guard Moraga, California
Donovan Johnson | 5
6-0 | Junior | Guard Antelope, California
Max Juhala| 15
6-5 | Freshman | Guard West Linn, Oregon
lucca hart | 11
6-2 | Sophomore | Guard Nipomo, California
jack treasure| 23
6-3 | Freshman | Guard Scottsdale, Arizona
zach luz | 12
6-1 | Freshman | Guard Des Moines, Washington
cayden lowenbach | 24
6-6 | Senior | Forward Prineville, Oregon
garrett callsen | 50
6-6 | Sophomore | Guard Stayton, Oregon
Todd Moore Assistant Coach Second Year
dayton Magana | 3
5-7 | Junior | Guard Modesto, California
percy whittaker iii| 14
6-3 | Freshman | Guard Chula Vista, California
Gavin perdue | 21
6-6 | Forward | Guard Vancouver, Washington
logan morrill | 44 6-9 | Junior | Forward Astoria, Oregon
Bo Pinkerton Assistant Coach First Year
cade collins| 30
6-0 | Sophomore | Guard Beaverton, Oregon
LINFIELD MEN
WHITMAN MEN
LINFIELD VERSUS WHITMAN
Since securing its first win at Whitman in 15 years nearly a month ago, Linfield (7-16, 4-10 NWC) has lost six straight games and finds itself in eighth place in the NWC standings. The ‘Cats hope to recapture some magic from the upset win when Whitman (10-13,
While the Wildcats (7-16, 4-10 NWC) have endured their share of struggles this season, getting two wins this weekend would go a long way in ending their campaign on a high note and building momentum for the future. Offensively, Linfield averages 74.2 points while converting 44.9% of their field goal attempts. Cade Collins leads the way at 12.2 points while Dayton Magaña adds 8.9. Cayden Lowenbach has moved into a starting role for the Wildcats and is averaging 6.4 points to go along with 4.1 rebounds. Freshman Max Juhala has put together an impressive rookie season with Linfield, putting up 7.5 points and 1.7 assists per game. While they can’t make the conference tournament themselves, the Wildcats have a chance to shake up the top of the NWC standings this weekend.
The Blues are bolstered by a strong defense that allows just 71.6 points. Grant Hunt averages 2.1 steals for a team that forces 15.2 turnovers and holds opponents to 31.6 rebounds. Three players average double-digit points in Ali Efe Isik (13.3), Isaiah Amato (12.6) and Hunt (10.2). Jacob Fotu is the Blues’ elite shooter, converting 43.2% of his three-point attempts while Alex Pape distributes 2.7 assists and adds 9.1 points. The Blues currently hold a one-game lead for fourth place in the conference standings and need a win to
Linfield holds a narrow 57-54 advantage over Whitman in the alltime series and look for its first two-game win streak over the Blues
Banking at Embold gets to the punt.
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
men’s basketball STANDINGS
THE TOPCAT CLUB
The Linfield University TopCat Club serves as a support organization to the 21 NCAA Division III varsity sports teams and the more than 500 students who participate in athletics each year. Each year, support from the TopCat Club is essential to maintaining and expanding each of these programs.
The mission of the TopCat Club is to provide students with an outstanding athletic and academic experience and to strengthen the overall competitiveness of the overall Linfield athletics program.
At Linfield, we continually strive to improve programs and facilities so that our teams may compete at the highest level. Roughly 75 percent of the athletic department’s annual operating budget comes from the university’s general fund. The remainder is generated through a wide variety of external sources, including annual gifts to the Linfield TopCat Club.
To learn more about giving opportunities, please visit the TopCat Club website at www.linfieldtopcat.com.
LINFIELD DANCE
alyssa catalani
kleary brown sophia bennett
kaley cloutier sophie buhler
mattie dodge
kayley dombrigues yesenia esquivel
bella hollamon
isebelle henry-sullivan
cynthia gonzales-rubio
ava hoffman
sophie cornwall kalysa dombrigues
abby labuhn grace lian
Audri Rouse
mallory hollandcharlotte ingalls
zaira ramirez merecias
Olivia Welsh
sophia kanso
hannah johnston
coach gina regalado
Ryan Wahlstrom
Savannah Smith
mack the wildcat
jada utberg
LINFIELD CHEER
shaylee dukes
grace chrstiansen
Rylee Black
miki dunham
taylor douthit
mary ebenezer
Taetum Lynn Kalani
madi hardy
lizzy olivan savannah michaelson gabby louis
shaelynn silva ang serna-andradae
ashley dunn
deiana gutwig
mia perez
daylett vazques-oseguera
ava vallencourt
marissa valdivieso
hannah wilken
elizabeth vasquez
jess wright georgia white-house
coach kristen regalado
LINFIELD SPORTS NETWORK
follow the ’cats home and away via live stream
The Linfield Sports Network again brings fans live action of all home Linfield basketball games during 2024-25. Fans can enjoy live video webcasts with play-by-play commentary on their computer, tablet, mobile device or smart TV. Live coverage begins 15 minutes prior to the start of each game. Broadcasts include a complete postgame wrap-up with analysis and statistical breakdown. Linfield will also provide live audio-only webcasts of all of the Wildcats’ Northwest Conference road contests.
McMinnville native Joe Stuart begins his sixth season as the play-byplay voice of the basketball Wildcats. The 2020 Linfield graduate is the Athletics Broadcast Operations Coordinator, managing all aspects of Linfield’s webcasting outreach and handling lead play-by-play duties on Linfield football, baseball and softball webcasts in addition to basketball. Stuart also assists with other external sports communications and social media needs.
All LSN broadcasts, both live and on demand, can be accessed at golinfieldwildcats.com/watch or in the Linfield Athletics app on mobile, tablet or smart TVs.
ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME
The Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame is regarded as one of the most impressive athletic showcases in NCAA Division III
The Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame, sponsored by Pacific Office Automation, was established in 1998 as an means to honor former outstanding athletes, coaches, staff and contributors and to preserve the memory of their past achievements.
A new class of inductees is honored at the Hall of Fame Banquet each fall. Inductees are chosen from a list of submitted nominations and voted upon by the Hall of Fame Executive and Selection Committees. The 20-member panel is made up of current and former staff members, past inductees, a member of the media, and a former athlete representing each of the preceding six decades.
Nominations may be submitted by any interested person but must be submitted in writing using an official nomination form. Hall of Fame nominations are considered in any one of six categories: Athlete, Coach, Team, Athletics Staff, and Meritorious Service. Nominations must be accompanied by appropriate background information. Nominations are now accepted online. The deadline to submit nominations each year is March 1.
Athletes, through athletic achievement, must have brought distinction and honor to themselves, to Linfield University and to its intercollegiate program. Athletes are eligible for induction 10 years following their graduation class. Coaches, athletic administrators, or athletic staff members must have served on the staff for at least 10 years. At the time of induction, they must no longer be active in that position. Individual non-athletes, who in some manner have made extraordinary contributions to the success of the intercollegiate athletic program, may be considered for a meritorious service award. Eligibility of teams is based upon exceptional accomplishment at and above the conference level, with the team ranking among the nation’s elite.
Housed within the Paul Durham Lobby and Foyer, the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame and Hall of Champions is regarded as one of the most impressive athletic showcases of any NCAA Division III program in the country. Matching 55-inch touch-screen monitors chronicle the expansive array of Hall of Fame inductees. Visitors to the Hall of Fame can read details about each inductee as well as search by name, sport, classification and year of induction. The electronic displays provide access to summaries of every national champion, both team and individual, plus listings of major award winners.
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