LINFIELD UNIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL VERSUS WHITWORTH • SEPTEMBER 27, 2024
Head
WOMEN'S GOLF
MEN'S GOLF
DATE OPPONENTTIME
AUG. 28 LANE CC (Exhibition) 7 P.M.
Aug. 30 at Bushnell 6 p.m.
SEPT. 2 WARNER PACIFIC4:30 P.M.
Sept. 7 at Bridgewater State 4 p.m. EDT
Sept. 8 at Eastern Mennonite 4 p.m. EDT
SEPT. 15 PACIFIC NOON
Sept. 18 at Pacific 5 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Puget Sound Noon
Sept. 22 at Pacific LutheranNoon
SEPT. 28 WHITMAN NOON
SEPT. 29 WHITWORTH NOON
Oct. 2 at Lewis & Clark 5 p.m.
OCT. 11 GEORGE FOX 5 P.M.
Oct. 13 at Willamette Noon
OCT. 19 PACIFIC LUTHERAN NOON
OCT. 20 PUGET SOUND NOON
Oct. 26 at Whitworth Noon
Oct. 27 at Whitman Noon
OCT. 30 LEWIS & CLARK 5 P.M.
NOV. 9 WILLAMETTE 11 A.M
Nov. 10 at George Fox 11 a.m.
Head Coach: Andy Duvall (fifth year)
Assistant Coach: Alex Ponce
DATE OPPONENT TIME
Aug. 21 at Western Oregon (exhibition) 3 p.m.
AUG. 30 COLUMBIA BASIN C.C. 5 P.M.
SEPT. 2 EVERGREEN STATE 7 P.M.
SEPT. 6 CALTECH 7 P.M.
SEPT. 12 CAL LUTHERAN 7 P.M.
SEPT. 15 PACIFIC
Sept. 18 at Pacific
Sept. 21 at Puget Sound 2:45 p.m. Sept. 22 at Pacific Lutheran
SEPT. 28 WHITMAN
Oct. 2 at Lewis & Clark
OCT. 11 GEORGE FOX
5 at Willamette
12 LEWIS & CLARK
Head Coach: Joseph Smith (148-28, 18th year)
Assistant Coaches: Jackson Vaughan, Brett Elliott, Neil Fendall, Bob Barnes, Nicholas Kernaghan, Greg McAnally, Justin Lyons,
WELCOME TO LINFIELD UNIVERSITY
ATHLETIC
Scott Brosius
EVENT MANAGER
Jamie Vasas
COMMUNICATIONS
Conner Jensen, Kelly Bird
STATISTICS
Kira Hawaaboo, Jordan Hayes
PUBLIC ADDRESS AND SCOREBOARD
Steve Oleson
VIDEO WEBCASTS
Eric Albios, Brian Kice, Joe Stuart
OFFICIAL SCORER
Leslie Benton
EVENT PROGRAM
Kelly Bird, Conner Jensen, Jake Downing, Felipe Unker
WILDCAT SPOTLIGHT
bigger than a number
Switching jersey numbers from 2 to 16, Araeya Watanabe is dedicating her season to a fallen high school teammate
by kellen wiggins ’28
Araeya Watanabe has faced the typical obstacles most student-athletes experience throughout their sports careers. Not every match will result in a win. That is the reality of any sport.
Yet, the Linfield University volleyball player has gone through something far greater than just the usual challenges of sports. As a middle schooler, she faced the realism of life and death. As a result, Watanabe has carried the lessons she learned from experiencing such a significant obstacle and now wears No. 16 to remember her late friend, Chloe.
Watanabe takes extraordinary pride in calling Salem, Oregon, her home. It’s where she learned the importance of being part of a great community. She recalls countless lessons she now applies to life at Linfield.
“The thing I’ve learned is to make the most of the moments around you,” she says. “There’s never a moment I don’t cherish with my friends and family.”
Watanabe has a great perspective on life while being a young adult managing athletics and academics at the collegiate level. But she did not always know to cherish the moments with the ones she was closest with.
As she was attending Leslie Middle School, she faced one of the harshest realities any teen could experience. Watanabe’s friend Chloe, with whom Watanabe had spent countless hours on and off the court, tragically took her own life.
“The loss took a pretty big toll on me,” she remembers, “because we spent most of our time together, in class and on the court, before she took her own life.”
The tragedy taught W she now applies to her own life each day. She had always carried a deep passion for volleyball. But despite loving the game, she had yet to discover why she had played at all. When Chloe passed away, the why quickly presented itself.
“I realized why I play this game in the first place. It’s because of the people I meet in it.”
This realization led her to decide what she had been considering for the previous two seasons. She chose to switch her jersey number from 2 to 16 in honor of her fallen friend.
“Chloe made a big impact on me,” she says. “I hope to honor her while wearing her number. Chloe taught me to never take a moment for granted and to keep playing for the people who can’t play anymore.”
These lessons have not only applied to her habits on the court but in her everyday life. Watanabe no longer takes anything for granted; she appreciates the precious time she is given daily.
“Time is short, so spend the time you have with the people you love. This one’s for you No. 16.”
Watanabe knows wearing 16 this season represents something much bigger than simply a number.
Watanabe has many people in her life who have had a substantial impact on her. She is appreciative of everyone who has invested in her success on and off the court. Besides Chloe, Watanabe believes the other person who has made the greatest impact on her life is her younger brother, Kai.
Watanabe never thought she would be given the chance to have a younger sibling. And from the minute Kai arrived, she knew there a special bond would develop between them.
“I never thought I would be gifted a younger sibling. But when he came into my life, I knew we would be best friends.”
The arrival of Kai was a special moment for Watanabe. She takes her responsibility to be a key role model seriously and truly wants to be a person her younger brother can aspire to be like one day.
“I try to make a good example because at the end of the day, I have someone who looks up to me and I want nothing but the best for my Kai guy.”
The responsibility of being an older sibling is important to her. She wants to make a significant contribution to her family and Kai is what drives her. “He is the reason I keep (persevering) in anything I do.”
In volleyball, like other sports, not every set will be won. If you cannot learn from mistakes, it will be difficult to grow into a consistent player on the court.
“Being okay with making mistakes and you can’t be perfect,” is a key lesson that volleyball has taught her, she says.
Little mistakes that likely “won’t be remembered in two years” is a message she spreads to her teammates to create a healthy environment for improvement. Constant learning is what continues to develop the junior exercise science major into the well-rounded studentathlete she is today.
TED WILSON GYMNASIUM
Ted Wilson Gymnasium bears the name of the man who coached the Linfield basketball team to more championships than any individual in school history
Over 20 seasons, Wilson directed the Wildcats in over 500 games, compiling a 324-213 record. Riley Gymnasium was nicknamed the “House of Hustle” out of respect for Wilson’s high-scoring teams, which averaged a school-record 96.5 points a game during the 1977-78 season. The nickname remained when Wilson Gym replaced Riley Gym in 1989.
The numerous accomplishments of past championship teams and individuals from each of Linfield’s varsity sports programs now proudly encircle Wilson Gym’s court. Sixtysix banners now surround Wilson Gym’s playing surface and include every program with championship success. All team and individual national champions are recognized, as well as all national runners-up, both team and individual.
Additionally, a summary of every sport’s conference championship history is displayed, with some conference championship listings dating as far back as the 1930s.
The full-service facility contains locker rooms, offices and classrooms, a fully equipped athletic training room along with display areas that house the trophies and recognitions
of past Linfield teams and athletes.
In 1920, Riley Gym was built adjacent to historic Pioneer Hall at a cost of just over $25,000. Riley Gym served as the basketball home of the Wildcats for 67 seasons. A granddaddy of small college gyms, Riley played host to its first game in December, 1921, and its last game in February, 1989.
Linfield’s first on-campus basketball court was located on the north end of campus in the building now known as Newby Hall. The floor was miniature by today’s standards and there were no boundary lines. The surrounding walls prevented players from leaving the playing area. As a game was about to start, someone would check that all the doors were closed tight, the ball would be tipped off at center court, and it was every player for himself.
Up until 1907, Newby Hall, nicknamed the “Chem Shack,” was illuminated by candles with tin reflectors. In this era, many of the gyms the Wildcats played in were smaller and even more primitive than the one on the Linfield campus. Around 1900, Linfield played its home basketball games in the old pavilion in the city park. Following practices and games, players had to heat their own shower water using a wood-burning boiler.
TED WILSON GYMNASIUM
HEAD COACH LACEY BELL
no stranger to the sport
Though Linfield is Lacey Bell’s first collegiate head coaching job, she’s not new to leading high-caliber volleyball programs
Lacey Bell has been named interim head coach of the Linfield University volleyball program, bringing with her 15 years of professional and semi-professional international playing experience to her new position.
Bell comes to Linfield from Pacific University, where her most recent role came as an assistant varsity coach and recruiting coordinator. She also was in charge of leading the Boxers’ junior varsity program.
Her volleyball resume is unique, combining extensive playing and coaching opportunities. As noted, she has 15 years of professional and semi-professional international playing experience, most notably as player-coach and seniors elite team captain with Volley Ball Pexinois Niort France, a club team located in France’s central-west coast region.
While in France, she taught American culture and language to students in grades 5-12 and headed Volley Ball Pexinois Niort France’s
development youth program, coaching boys and girls ages 6-17.
Bell began her collegiate playing career at Eastern Washington University before transferring to Gonzaga University for her final three seasons. She completed a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science at Gonzaga, where she was a member of the Bulldogs volleyball squad as a right-side hitter and outside hitter.
Bell earned a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Poitiers in France. She holds regional and national French Volleyball Federation coaching certifications.
She becomes just the fifth Wildcats head coach in the last 45 years, succeeding Haley Domeck, who led the program for four seasons.
Linfield enters the week with a record of 3-6 overall and 0-3 in the Northwest Conference. The ‘Cats look to right the ship and secure their first Northwest Conference win of the season. Whitworth (10-2, 2-0 NWC) is off to its best start since the 2021 and is aiming for its fourth straight win over the Wildcats.
LINFIELD AT A GLANCE
The ‘Cats are paced by Nora Myre who has an impressive 82 kills on the season. Araeya Watanabe and Marina Erosa have impressed on the offensive end as well with Watanabe recording 52 kills while Erosa has tallied 45. Freshman Madison Millard has been Linfield’s all-around player as she sits at 20 kills to go along with a team-high 31 blocks. Kanoe Contreras has been the Wildcats’ distributor with 156 assists in 2024.
WHITWORTH AT A GLANCE
The Pirates’ two-headed attack of Ella Jimenez and Amblessed Okemgbo lead the way, each notching over 100 kills so far this season. Taylor Miche and Cassidy Franklin anchor the Whitworth defense with Miche accumulating 182 digs and Franklin tallying 35 blocks.
SERIES HISTORY
Linfield’s all-time record against Whitworth sits at 23-35 in favor of the Pirates. The Wildcats are aiming to snap a threematch losing streak to the Pirates and hold a 13-15 home record in the series.
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
vollEYball STANDINGS
10 kaitlyn hough
LINFIELD’S WILDCAT TURNS 100
First called “Wildcats” in 1924, Linfield teams have always been known for their scrapiness to the school’s early heritage, or the “Cardinal and Purple,” a reference to the school colors.
It has been a century since Linfield athletic teams were first called “Wildcats” and to honor the occasion, we are throwing a birthday party for the Wildcat that will include birthday cake and a special giveaway.
The Linfield Spirit Squad invites fans and alumni to join us during the Homecoming football game on October 12 for a special celebration marking 100-year birthday of the Linfield Wildcat.
According to historical accounts, as competitive athletics grew in popularity and prominence during the 1920s, the Linfield student body voted in 1924 that the college’s athletic mascot would be known as a “Wildcat” because Linfield was “a small school with a lot of fight and scratch.”
Before the 1924 vote, spectators at Linfield sports events cheered for the “Baptists,” owing
The current Linfield athletic logo, showing a scowling Wildcat wearing a jauntily cocked sailor’s cap, first became a visual fixture on the sides of the football team’s helmets in 1963 under Hall of Fame coach Paul Durham. Though that version of the Wildcat logo underwent minor cosmetic changes over the next six decades, the basic logo from the 1960s remains the recognizable symbol of all Linfield varsity athletic teams today and by extension, it has come to represent many periphery segments of campus life, too.
Join us as we celebrate 100 years of the Wildcat during the Homecoming football game, Saturday, October 12, when Linfield takes on the Lewis & Clark Pioneers at 1 p.m.
• Jeff Brooks ‘87
• Emily (Fellows) Terry ‘14
• Emily (Keagbine) Conner ‘12
• Karleigh (Prestianni) Potter ‘13
• Melody (Sherman) Rosen ‘06
• 2013 Linfield Baseball Team
PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE golinfieldwildcats.com/halloffame2024
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.
Five game-changing individuals, plus a national championship team, have been selected for induction into the Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame
The 26th Linfield Athletics Hall of Fame class is set to be enshrined inside Ted Wilson Gymnasium on Saturday, October 26. Pacific Office Automation again is serving as title sponsor of the annual event, which follows that afternoon’s football game. This year’s class includes two former soccer players: all-time leading goal scorers Jeff Brooks of the Class of 1987 and Emily (Fellows) Terry, from the Class of 2014. Joining them this year are softball standouts Emily (Keagbine) Conner ’11 and Karleigh (Prestianni) Potter ’14, track and field sprint champion Melody Sherman ’00, and the 2013 national championship baseball team. Get tickets at golinfieldwildcats.com/halloffame2024.
THE LINFIELD SPORTS NETWORK
All LSN broadcasts, both live and on demand, can be accessed at golinfieldwildcats.com/watch or from within the Linfield Athletics app on mobile, tablet or smart TVs
The Linfield Sports Network continues to bring fans live action of all home Linfield volleyball matches in 2024. Fans can enjoy live video webcasts and play-by-play commentary on their computer, tablet, mobile device or Smart TV.
Live coverage begins 15 minutes prior to the start of each match. Broadcasts include a postgame wrap-up.
LSN live broadcasts are under the direction of Joe Stuart, the athletic department’s Broadcast Operations Coordinator.
In his fourth year in the position, Stuart oversees all technical production and management of LSN broadcasts as well as providing play-by-play commentary on football, basketball, baseball and softball webcasting in addition to assisting with other athletics communications needs.
Linfield junior Brian Kice begins his second season as the play-by-play voice of Wildcats volleyball. Kice, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, began his broadcasting experience with the LSN last season. Sophomore Eric Albios, a secondgeneration Wildcat, returns as program director for all volleyball broadcasts this fall.
brian kice
joe stuart eric albios
LINFIELD ATHLETIC BAND
The new-look band no longer marches but director Joe Ready is excited for the group’s long-range potenital
Linfield sports fans may notice a new look to the band performing at games this fall. Previously known as the Linfield Marching Band, the revitalized Wildcat Athletic Band will continue supporting Linfield’s athletic teams by performing a variety of musical tunes and bringing a fun atmosphere to events.
“The Wildcat Band is focused on musical excellence and entertaining audiences,” Ready said. “Fans and community members should expect engaging, higher quality music performances during athletic and community events.”
Leading the Wildcat Athletic Band is Joe Ready, who began at Linfield in August. Ready earned his Bachelor of Music from the University of Oregon, and Master of Music from Bowling Green State University, both in tuba performance. Prior to moving back to Oregon in 2018, Ready was an associate member with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.
“The unlimited potential of what the Wildcat Band can be is what attracted me to this position,” Ready said. “I appreciate the sense of community and culture at Linfield.”
The band – currently 18 members strong – made its debut at the Sept. 7 home football game against Denison. Linfield students of all majors and skill levels are welcome to join. As a bonus, band members are eligible for up to $2,000 in scholarships and can earn paracurricular credit for participating. On average, the band rehearses five hours per week, with performances on nights and weekends during football and basketball seasons.
NEW TO LINFIELD
Aiyana Henderson played collegiately at three schools before embarking on a club coaching career that has included both indoor and beach volleyball programs
Aiyana Henderson joined the Linfield coaching staff as an assistant volleyball coach in September. She brings experience coaching both club indoor volleyball and club beach volleyball for the past four years in Washington, California, and Oregon.
Henderson played collegiate indoor and beach volleyball at Multnomah University, Corban University, and Los Angeles Harbor College.
At Los Angeles Harbor College, she earned first team all-South Coast Conference recognition and was among the top five producers in the SCC in eight different statistical categories for indoor volleyball.
At Corban, she was a part of the 2023 Warriors team that reached the NAIA Beach Volleyball Championships before finishing as the national runner-up.
She graduated from Multnomah University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing.
The Spokane native is a graduate of Ferris High School where she competed in varsity volleyball and track and field.
AIYANA HENDERSON
NEW TO LINFIELD
Alex Glaudé, a two-time national champion, joins the Linfield wrestling coaching staff and will focus on freestyle technique
Alex Glaudé is joining the Linfield University wrestling coaching staff for the 2024-25 season, head coach Frank Johnson announced this week.
A current member of Team USA, Glaudé will work with both the Wildcat men’s and women’s wrestling squads. With a primary focus on the women’s program, she will specialize in teaching freestyle technique (college men wrestle folkstyle, while women wrestle freestyle). She is expected to begin actively coaching October 1.
“We are excited to welcome Alex to the Wildcat family,” said Johnson, in announcing Glaudé’s appointment. “In her interactions with the team, it was immediately clear she would be a great fit. She’s going to be a remarkable addition to our staff and the team is eager to start working with her. We’re looking forward to having her in the room, as well
as supporting her in her quest to make World and Olympic teams.”
A native of West Sacramento, California, Glaudé is a two-time collegiate national champion at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois and is also a U.S. Open champion.
Internationally, she won gold at the 2021 Pan American Championship and earned a U23 World bronze medal in 2018. This past year, she finished third at the U.S. Olympic Trials at 68 kg.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the Linfield wrestling staff,” said Glaudé, a four-time senior national team member. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with this team and continue building on the amazing dynamic they’ve already created.”
She and her husband, David, reside in Corvallis, where she continues to train at the Beaver Dam RTC and will compete through the next four-year Olympic cycle.
