Liz Boyden – Soccer
After missing an entire season due to injury, Boyden began her senior season where she left off two years ago when she was named to the all-WAC second team. Though the Vandals couldn’t pull off an upset in Friday’s season-opener against Texas Tech., Boyden’s shot-stopping abilities were on display in Lubbock. The Spokane native played her first full 90 since the second game of last season and made eight saves in the process. “She should take a lot of confidence from that performance,” coach Pete Showler said. “She pulled off some great saves, and it was never going to be easy with the number of shots they were taking.” In the team’s home-opener, Idaho needed overtime to oust the Coyotes of South Dakota as well as Boyden’s experience. She preserved the first clean sheet of the season for Idaho, making five saves in 104 minutes of play.
Ryan Bass- Football
The Arizona State transfer was primed to be one of Idaho’s main backs last fall but injury hampered Bass during his junior season. Healthy and ready for a breakout season, Bass led the rushing attack in Idaho’s final intra-squad scrimmage of fall camp. On 11 carries, the senior rushed for 68 yards and accounted for two of the Vandals’ five rushing touchdowns. Bass, who may prove to be Idaho’s most reliable back this fall, found the end zone from 11 yards and then one yard out. Redshirt freshman Todd Handley also ran for 68 yards, but on just seven carries. Handley added two rushing touchdowns with a long touchdown of 55 yards. “We made some big plays in the running game,” coach Robb Akey said. “I saw holes offensively I liked. We got some big runs out of them – some I thought might have been bigger, but that’s because the defense got things shut down.”
Allison Baker- Volleyball
As one of the Western Athletic Conference’s most lethal outside hitters, Allison (Walker) Baker may have an opportunity to throw her name into the WAC Player of the Year ring this fall. If Saturday’s intra-squad scrimmage was any indication of what Baker could do this season, anything less than another first team all-WAC award will be a major disappointment. Against her teammates, Baker recorded 20 kills, 11 more than any other Vandal. Her nine digs were also the third most amongst all players. Last season, Baker led the WAC in conference games with 4.31 kills per set and earned honorable mention All-West Region honors. The Vandals open their fall campaign with the Idaho Nike Invitational on Friday.