Eastern Washington University alumni Kim Exner and Michael Roos were officially inducted to the Big Sky Conference Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Northern Quest Resort and Casino on Saturday evening.
Established in 2020, the Big Sky Hall of Fame serves to honor those who have made outstanding contributions to Big Sky athletics as a student-athlete, coach and/or administrator. This year’s class was the second to be inducted; the first was announced in 2020 but delayed celebration until last year due to COVID-19.
Exner and Roos were two of a 14-person 2023 class and the first Eagles to be recognized.
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FOOTBALL:
Four Eagles named to Big Sky preseason All-Conference team
The Big Sky Conference announced its 2023 Football Preseason All-Conference Teams and polls on Monday. Eastern Washington placed four players on the All-Conference Team while ranking seventh in both the coaches’ and media polls.
Among the 37 players selected (16 offense, 16 defense, 5 special teams) were Eagle wide receiver Efton Chism III, eight end Blake Gobel, defensive back Marlon Jones Jr. and punter Nick Kokich.
Chism is a two-time All-Big Sky Third Team performer, including the 2022 season during which he pulled in 62 receptions for 607 yards and 6 touchdowns, adding 408 kick returns yards for over 1,000 all-purpose.
Gobel, a redshirt senior out of Banks, Ore., has played 35 career games as an Eagle, recording 27 receptions and 368 yards for 9 touchdowns.
Jones Jr. was a 2022 Big Sky Third Team honoree after tallying 52 tackles and 3 interceptions, adding 7 pass deflections and a pass break-up in 11 games played (9 starts).
Kokich earned Big Sky Second Team recognition last season after ranking second in the conference and seventh in the country in punting average at 43.8 yards, placing 14 of 55 punts inside the 20-yard line.
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Eagle football opens fall camp on Aug. 3
The regular season is just over a month away and Eastern Washington University football is ready to return to Cheney. Fall camp practices will officially start on Thursday, August 3 in preparation for the Eagles’ regular season opener against North Dakota State in Minneapolis on Sept. 2.
Eastern rookies report on Aug. 1 and veterans on Aug. 2 before the first of 21 camp practice sessions get underway on Aug. 3. The majority of fall camp will take place on EWU Sports and Recreation practice fields with select sessions and scrimmages on the red turf at Roos Field.
Camp includes two full pad scrimmages, currently slated for:
Saturday, Aug. 19 (1 p.m.)
Saturday, Aug. 26 (1:30 p.m.).
Time and location of all practices and scrimmages are tentative and subject to change.
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EWU 2023 home football game times announced
Home game times for the Eastern Washington University football team’s 2023 season have been announced, with three 1 p.m. kickoffs, one 4 p.m. and one that remains to be determined.
The Eagles will play five home regular season games at Roos Field this season, beginning with a 1 p.m. start in the home opener against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 16. They’ll also start at 1 p.m. on Sept. 30 when they host the Idaho Vandals.
Game time will push back to 4 p.m. for the Oct. 21 contest against Weber State as post-game fireworks are expected as part of EWU’s 100th Homecoming Weekend.
Kickoff will return to 1 p.m. for the Hometown Heroes game on Nov. 4 against Cal Poly. Official start time for Senior Day on Nov. 18 against Northern Arizona will be announced at a later date.
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