Mid-Columbia roundup: Tri-City Americans; Big Sky academic honors; WWU softball top pick in GNAC

Americans sign prospect Riley Sawchuk

The Tri-City Americans signed 2014 bantam draft pick Riley Sawchuk to a standard WHL player’s agreement.

Sawchuk was taken in the sixth round (116th overall) in 2014.

The native of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, plays for the Prince Albert Mintos team in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League. Sawchuk, 16, is third in the league in scoring with 22 goals and 21 assists in 35 games. Sawchuk played for Team Saskatchewan in the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

EWU athletes make Big Sky All-Academic squad

Three Eastern Washington University student-athletes from the Tri-Cities appeared on the Big Sky Conference All-Academic team for the fall quarter.

Senior football player Aaron Neary (Hanford High School/social studies education major), senior cross country runner Katie Mahoney (Richland/communications) and freshman soccer player Alexis Stephenson (Chiawana/undeclared) made the team.

Also recognized was sophomore soccer player Delaney Romero (Walla Walla Community College/health and fitness).

To qualify, student-athletes must have a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and play in half their team’s competitions. Cross country or track and field athletes must at least compete in the Big Sky championships.

WWU softball picked to finish first in GNAC preseason poll

The Western Washington University softball team was picked to win the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this spring, receiving 5 of 8 first-place votes from GNAC coaches.

The Vikings, who went 30-18 last season and fell short of the NCAA Division II tournament, got 61 points in the 2016 preseason poll. Saint Martin’s was second with 47.

Former Kamiakin standouts Emily Benson and Carlie and Cylie Richards are on the WWU squad with Utah Valley University transfer McKenna Mathis (Connell).

This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 11:03 PM with the headline "Mid-Columbia roundup: Tri-City Americans; Big Sky academic honors; WWU softball top pick in GNAC."