College notebook: Paulsen-Mairs set to be inducted into UPS Athletic Hall of Fame

Heather Paulsen-Mairs will be inducted into the University of Puget Sound Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday.

A 1992 graduate of Columbia River High School, the former shortstop is the only three-time All-America selection in Loggers softball history, and still holds 10 school records.

She was a three-time First Team All-America selection for the 1995-97 seasons, when UPS was a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. She was Regional Player of the Year in 1996 and was named All-District in 1994 and 1995, in addition to First Team All-Northwest Conference honors in 1996 and 1997.

Puget Sound advanced to the NAIA national championship game in 1995.

Paulsen-Mairs earned her undergraduate degree from UPS in 1997 and a Master of Arts in Education degree in 1998. She was presented with the Alice Bond Award for most outstanding female student-athlete at Puget Sound in 1997.

Paulsen-Mairs in the UPS record book:

• Her 199 career hits are 16 more than anyone in Logger softball history. In 1995, she set a season record with 61 hits.

• Her .427 career batting average ranks first all-time, as does her .477 batting average for a single season (1997).

• She holds career records for triples (9), total bases (299), and stolen bases (31).

• She still holds the season record with 15 stolen bases, while ranking third all-time in home runs and RBI.

First Pac-12 honor for UW’s Richards

University of Washington men’s soccer senior forward Brent Richards was named the first Pacific-12 Conference Player of the Week.

The Camas High School graduate garnered his first career conference weekly honor after being named the Portland/Nike Invitational MVP.

Richards led the Huskies to the tournament championship with a 1-0 victory over Loyola-Chicago in overtime and a 1-1 draw with then-No. 22 Florida Gulf Coast.

He scored the game-winning goal vs. Loyola-Chicago in the 96th minute and had three shots in the game. Facing one of the best keepers in the country against Florida Gulf Coast, Richards took eight shots, four on goal.

Sych scores winner for WWU soccer

Western Washington sophomore midfielder Brina Sych scored nine minutes into overtime Saturday, leading the Vikings to a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame de Namur University of Belmont, Calif., in a non-conference contest at Orca Field in Bellingham.

The Union High School graduate’s game-winner came off a corner kick. The ball was played to the near post and headed to Sych, who was alone 6 yards out and headed it home.

Sych was an honorable mention All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection as a freshman, despite injury trouble for much of the second half of the season.

Black leading EWU women’s soccer

Eastern Washington freshman Cassie Black is the Eagles’ leading scorer so far this season.

The Battle Ground High School graduate has tallied three goals in six games, accounting for all of EWU’s scoring in two games at Boise State’s Bronco Invite in late August. Black put in a textbook header goal against Boise State, and tallied twice more against Air Force in the first 15 minutes of the contest.

NWC announces academic honors

The Northwest Conference announced 2010-11 Academic All-NWC honors. To be eligible, a student-athlete must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or higher at the end of the academic year, and must have participated throughout the entire varsity season.

Clark County honorees:

• Brooke Bekkedahl (Linfield College senior, Columbia River High School), women’s track and field, 3.69 GPA in athletic training.

• Rachel Chong (Pacific Lutheran University senior, Mountain View High School), women’s swimming, 3.57 GPA in economics.

• Sarah Click (Linfield senior, Skyview High School), women’s tennis, 3.98 GPA in chemistry.

• Kate Duvall (Whitworth University freshman, Hudson’s Bay High School), women’s swimming, 3.54 GPA in biology and Spanish.

• Cassie Irwin (George Fox University sophomore, Prairie High School), women’s volleyball, 3.69 GPA in elementary education.

• Angela Kern (PLU sophomore, Camas High School), women’s track and field, 3.88 GPA in nursing (intended).

• Caleb Malychewski (Pacific University freshman, Camas), men’s wrestling, 3.8 GPA in exercise science.

• Gregory Noll (PLU junior, Columbia River), men’s soccer, 3.56 GPA in engineering.

• Larissa Stiglich (Willamette University senior, Columbia River), women’s rowing, majoring in German and history. GPA not released by the school.

• Alyssa Turner (George Fox sophomore, Hudson’s Bay), women’s cross country and track and field, 3.65 GPA in biology.

• Andy Tweet (George Fox freshman, Camas), men’s tennis, 3.81 GPA in engineering.

• Keith Welch (Linfield sophomore, Columbia River), men’s track and field, 3.71 GPA in German.

• Ian Williams (Whitman College junior, Mountain View), men’s swimming, 3.56 GPA in history.

• Cori Jo Young (George Fox junior, Ridgefield High School), women’s soccer, 3.80 GPA in elementary education.

Suggestions for College Notebook? Contact Kurt Zimmer at 360-735-4563 or by e-mail at kurt.zimmer@columbian.com