SALEM, OR -- Five Willamette University football players have been named to the second annual class of the Hampshire Honor Society, which was formed by the National Football Foundation in the spring of 2007. The honor goes to college football players from all divisions of play who were seniors and maintained at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average.
BELLINGHAM, WASH. -- Kefense Hynson ('03), a standout defensive back for the Willamette University football team from 1999-02 and the wide receiver coach for the Bearcats in 2003, is now the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Washington University. Hynson coached the Vikings' running backs and was the special teams coordinator in 2006, before moving into the offensive coordinator position prior to the 2007 season.
WACO, TEX. -- Willamette senior offensive tackle Brandon Bennett (San Marcos, CA/La Costa Canyon HS) has been selected to play for the American Football Coaches Association�??s Division III all-star team that will represent the United States against the Mexican National Team in the 2007 Aztec Bowl on Dec. 8 in Chihuahua, Mexico. Bennett was named First Team All-Northwest Conference three consecutive seasons, after earning Honorable Mention All-NWC recognition as a freshman. He was selected for the AFCA All-America Team as a junior in 2006.
SALEM, ORE. -- Six Willamette University football players have been named First Team All-Northwest Conference for the 2007 season, as selected by the NWC head coaches. An additional four Bearcats received Second Team All-NWC honors and seven WU players were chosen for Honorable Mention.
SALEM, ORE. -- Pacific Lutheran University built a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, then held off Willamette University for a 17-10 win on Saturday, Nov. 10, in a Northwest Conference game at McCulloch Stadium. PLU improved to 7-2 overall, 4-2 in the NWC. Willamette ended its season at 4-6 overall, 3-3 in the NWC.
BOISE, IDAHO -- Almost four years ago, Capital High football coach Todd Simis ('90 BS, '91 MAT) was the subject of controversy.
SALEM, ORE. -- Matt Bicocca (Sr., PK, San Andreas, CA/Calaveras HS) of Willamette University has been named Northwest Conference Football Special Teams Player of the Week for his place-kicking efforts in the Bearcats' 77-17 win over Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, Nov. 3 in Portland, Ore. Bicocca set a school record by connecting on 11 of 11 extra points against the Pioneers.
PORTLAND, ORE. -- Willamette University ran the ball 59 times with 19 different players and never had to punt, as the Bearcats routed Lewis & Clark College, 77-17, in a Northwest Conference game at Fred Wilson Field on Saturday, Nov. 3. Willamette set school records for points in a game, touchdowns in a game (11), rushing touchdowns in a game (11) and rushing yards in a game (599).
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University football Head Coach Mark Speckman will be one of three coaches featured this weekend on the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Spotlight on ABC-TV. The 30-minute show will air on Saturday, Nov. 3 and will be shown at 4 p.m. (PDT) on KATU-TV in Portland, Ore. Please check your local listings for the time of the show in your area. Also featured this week will be Art Briles, head coach at the University of Houston, and Dino Mangiero, head coach at Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, N.Y.
SALEM, ORE. -- Whitworth University place-kicker Andy Largent kicked a 33-yard field goal in the first overtime period to give the Pirates a 20-17 victory over Willamette University on Saturday, Oct. 27 at McCulloch Stadium. Whitworth improved to 6-2 on the season and remained undefeated in the Northwest Conference at 4-0. Willamette fell to 3-5, 2-2 in the NWC.
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University senior punter Clinton Moran (Mission Viejo, CA/Capistrano Valley HS) has been selected as the Northwest Conference Football Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in Willamette's 32-14 win at Menlo College on Saturday, Oct. 20. Moran placed two of his three punts inside the Menlo 20-yard line and averaged 36.7 yards per punt.
ATHERTON, CALIF. -- Willamette University held Menlo College to just 61 yards and only 40 offensive plays, as the Bearcats defeated the Oaks, 32-14, in a Northwest Conference game on Saturday, Oct. 20. Willamette improved to 3-4 on the season, including 2-1 in the NWC. Menlo fell to 1-7 overall, 1-3 in the NWC.
The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award is again up for grabs, and Coach Speckman has an opportunity to win a $50,000 cash award to support his civic and charitable activities, as well as a $20,000 scholarship to be donated to the alumni association of the winning coach's school.
SALEM, ORE. -- For those who were on hand at McCulloch Stadium on Oct. 18, 1997 it may be hard to believe, but it is now the 10th anniversary of Liz Heaston becoming the first female to play and to score in a college football game when she competed for Willamette University against Linfield College a decade ago. Heaston, who also was a star player on Willamette's women's soccer team, kicked two extra points in the Bearcats' 27-0 Homecoming victory over the Wildcats. She also played against Southern Oregon University one week later, but missed two extra points against the Raiders.
TACOMA, WASH. -- The University of Puget Sound edged Willamette University, 13-7, when UPS offensive lineman Cody Dean recovered a fumble in the end zone with 2:20 left in a Northwest Conference game at Baker Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 13. Dean came to the Loggers' rescue after teammate James Olcott fumbled at the Willamette 1-yard line on a 3rd-and-goal play that began three yards from the end zone. The timely recovery allowed UPS to improve to 3-3 overall, 1-2 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 2-4, 1-1 in the NWC.
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University senior place-kicker Matt Bicocca (San Andreas, CA/Calaveras HS) has been named Northwest Conference Football Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Bearcats' 33-32 victory over 12th-ranked (D3Football.com) Linfield College on Saturday, Sept. 29. Bicocca scored the winning point in a 42-yard field goal with four seconds left in the game.
SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University place-kicker Matt Bicocca (Sr, San Andreas, CA/Calaveras HS) connected on a 42-yard field goal with four seconds remaining to send the Bearcats to a 33-32 victory over arch rival Linfield College, in the Northwest Conference opener for both teams, Saturday, Sept. 29 at McCulloch Stadium. Linfield, ranked #12 in NCAA Division III (D3Football.com), fell to 1-2 on the season, 0-1 in the NWC. Willamette improved to 2-3 overall, 1-0 in the NWC.
SALEM, ORE. -- James Yamashita (Jr., WR/KR, Walnut Creek,CA/Diablo Valley College) has been named Northwest Conference Football Special Teams Player of the Week for games played on Saturday, Sept. 22. Yamashita returned two kickoffs for 109 yards, including a second-quarter 89-yard touchdown, against Southern Oregon in a 34-27 loss.
SALEM, ORE. -- Southern Oregon University quarterback Bryan Lee-Lauduski completed 22 of 31 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns, and Shane Van Zant scored on a 2-yard run with 10:53 remaining in the game, as the visiting Raiders edged past Willamette University, 34-27, on Saturday, Sept. 22 at McCulloch Stadium. The non-conference win improved Southern Oregon of the NAIA to 2-2 on the season. The Bearcats, from NCAA Division III, fell to 1-3.
SALEM, ORE. -- The first Bearcat Club luncheon of 2007-08 will take place Wednesday, September 19 at 12 p.m. (PDT) at the Mission Mill Museum's Dye House in Salem, Ore., and will feature three former Bearcats discussing their teams' championship seasons. All three teams are members of the Willamette Athletics Hall of Fame, with the 1997 team set to be inducted October 27, 2007.
SALEM, ORE. -- Junior quarterback Grant Leslie (Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) and senior running back C.J. Washington (Spokane, WA/Shadle Park HS) each scored a rushing touchdown, and the Willamette University defense allowed just 115 total yards, as the Bearcats defeated California Lutheran University, 14-7, Saturday, Sept. 15 at McCulloch Stadium. Willamette, playing its first home game of the season, improved to 1-2. California Lutheran fell to 0-2.
ST. PETER, MINN. -- Gustavus Adophus College scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally from a 17-13 deficit and defeat visiting Willamette University, 34-25, on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Hollingsworth Field. The win allowed the Gusties to open the season at 1-0, while Willamette fell to 0-2.
SALEM, ORE. -- Remember to get an early start to your day if you want to catch Bearcat football on Saturday, Sept. 8. The Bearcats will play at Gustavus Adolphus College, with kickoff at 11 a.m. on the West Coast.
MONMOUTH, ORE. -- Western Oregon University built a 16-0 lead in the first half of its 23-9 win over Willamette University on Saturday, Sept. 1 at McArthur Field. Even so, Willamette outscored the Wolves 9-7 in the second half and ended the game with an impressive 10-play drive for the final touchdown of the night. The non-conference season opener matched the Bearcats, who compete in NCAA Division III, against WOU, which competes in NCAA Division II.
SALEM, ORE. -- All of Willamette's football games this season will be broadcast on the Internet. Mike Allegre and Michael Plank will provide play-by-play and commentary of tonight's game at Western Oregon University.
SALEM, ORE. -- Head Coach Mark Speckman and the Willamette University football team have set high expectations for themselves regarding the 2007 season. The players and coaching staff concentrated on quality during spring practices, remained focused throughout the offseason and arrived at preseason camp ready to practice and compete with great effort and determination. As a result, Speckman and his team anticipate great improvement over 2006, when the Bearcats finished 2-7, including 2-4 in the Northwest Conference (5th place).