What if Pacific University held a football game and nobody showed up? Now spectators will likely attend a game, especially after an 18-year hiatus. But drawing a passionate fan base from on campus might be another matter to consider. Students and faculty have voiced most of the unease about the proposal to bring back football, with a common theme emerging from discussions.
This year, the Pacific women's tennis team benefited greatly from the presence of their only two freshmen, Cat Goya and Megan Yoshimoto. Even after their second place finish in the ITA Regional Tournament as a doubles duo last fall, facilitating the team's most successful NWC Championship finish since 1983, and their first and second team All-NWC selections, Goya and Yoshimoto still give off the laid-back vibe of dedicated and sensible athletes.
Allow me to preface this inaugural column with the following: spending time figuring out who's to blame for the muddy condition of the fields at Chuck Bafaro and Sherman/Larkins stadiums will not resolve the problem. The issue at hand is finding a way to get a permanent solution in place so both Pacific baseball and softball doesn't have to go through another year like this.
Last year, after a remarkable freshman season, Max Bonk qualified for the national Division III golf championship. Now a sophomore, his credentials are even more impressive. He won his second straight Northwest Conference Championship; won every tournament he participated in this year and led the Boxers to five tournament victories throughout the season.
On Feb. 28, 2009, Pacific's baseball team opened their Northwest Conference season against George Fox University at Chuck Bafaro Stadium, their year-old home. The Boxers had the lead 5-3 in the top of the eighth and two outs when Bruins first baseman, Seth Anderson, pulled a fly ball down the left field line.
Coming into Saturday's meet, Risa Allen (Sr., Portland, Ore.) needed an improvement of at least a foot to have a legitimate shot of securing a spot at the NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships. She got the improvement she needed and more, smashing her season best and the school record in the triple jump at the Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field.