Wiggs leaves men’s basketball
In a post made on his Instagram account, Sekou Wiggs announced that his career with the Idaho men’s basketball team is over. The sophomore guard from Seattle didn’t return messages from The Argonaut, but told the Mosow-Pullman Daily News he is leaving because he doesn’t feel Idaho is the right fit for him to play up to his strengths. He said Idaho is the closest team he has ever played for, but he had to leave to do what is best for him and his family.
In two seasons with Idaho, Wiggs quickly became one of the key players for Idaho coach Don Verlin. As a freshman, he averaged 23.5 minutes per game and scored just under 10 points per game. Last season, he increased his total to 11.5 points per game while receiving an average of 26.3 minutes per game.
With point guard Mike Scott graduating this year, Wiggs figured to be the frontrunner for the starting point guard position. With the departure of Wiggs, Idaho now has to replace four of its top five scorers from last season.
Spring soccer starts Saturday
The Idaho soccer team’s official season is in the fall, but the team is slated to play in seven spring games starting Saturday against Gonzaga. Idaho hosts Gonzaga — where coach Derek Pittman formerly coached as an assistant — at 3 p.m. Saturday at Guy Wicks Field. The spring exhibition season offers Idaho a chance to play against some tough competition during the offseason, though the Vandals will not face any conference competition this spring.
After Gonzaga, Idaho has games against Concordia, Corban, Spokane Fall Community College and North Idaho College in the coming weeks before concluding the schedule with a 7-on-7 tournament hosted by Gonzaga.
Barr receives WBCA honor
Senior guard Stacey Barr earned an All-Region nominee spot for the 2015 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division I Coaches’ All-America Team. The selection committee will select the 10-member WBCA Division I Coaches All-America Team from a total of 52 candidates from its eight regions. Barr was the lone Big Sky representative picked to the team after finishing the season with a conference best 21.3 points per game.
“I think this is a great honor for Stacey,” Idaho coach Jon Newlee said. “It is certainly well deserved. She had a fantastic senior year to close an amazing career here at Idaho. To see her be rewarded by the WBCA is fantastic.”
Big Sky honors Sutton
After playing in his second tournament of the spring, freshman Daniel Sutton was selected as the Big Sky Conference Men’s Golfer of the Week. The Birmingham, England, native finished tied for second place Saturday at the Desert Shootout in Goodyear, Arizona. He led the Vandals to a fourth-place finish in the tournament.
“This recognition is well deserved,” Idaho coach John Means said. “He’s been working very hard to break out of his comfort zone and how he played in Phoenix was the reason I recruited him to be a Vandal.”