Highline College Athletics
Highline Announces its New Softball Head Coach
Kristine Foley joins the Highline coaching staff in 2021. Kristine has played softball at a variety of levels since she was strong enough to hold a bat. She has coached select softball for five years, as well as high school teams, even starting her own softball organization, which currently boasts 4 teams across varying age groups.
Kristine’s coaching philosophy is centered around supporting young women and focusing on how their individual contributions and responsibilities contribute to the team. She places an emphasis on the team bond on and off the field and women supporting each other – athletically and academically.
Basketball Scheduling Update
Due to Health/Safety concerns, the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) has delayed the start of conferfence play for Men’s and Women’s Basketball to January 19.
NOTE: beginning Oct. 28, 2021, for all home athletic events in the Highline College Pavilion, spectators will be required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination before being able to enter.
Watch home games of Women’s Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, and Men’s and Women’s Basketball on the Highline College Athletics Youtube Channel
Basketball Teams Look for Better Things After the Holiday Break
Season resumes Jan. 19, 2022
Men’s Basketball
December 20, 2021 – the Men’s team heads into the holiday break at 3-9, losing three in a row and five of its last six contests. With league play starting in January, the T-Birds still have time to turn its season around and vie for a playoff spot.
Micah Jessie, shooting over 50% from the field, leads the team at 19.8 points per game, playing about 39 minutes a contest. Others averaging double figure scoring are Bradley Graham (18 ppg); Kenny Curtis (15.4 ppg); Luke Brower (11.5 ppg); and Earl Lee (10.6 ppg). Kenny Curtis leads the team with 4 assists and 2.4 steals a game and Rakim Nelson pulling down almost 8 rebounds a game.
See photos from the Highline Crossover Tournament (Dec. 16-18) on the Men’s Basketball homepage.
Kenny Curtis is third on the team in points per game and leads the team in steals and assists per game.
Women’s Basketball
December 20, 2021 – the holiday break finds the Women’s Team at 3-5 with league games beginning in January. The break will give the team time to get some injured players back, with the team sometimes playing with 6 or 7 players suited up.
Kylie Lunday has maintained her All-Star level play, leading the team in points (17.1), rebounds (14.1), minutes per game (35.4), and shooting percentage (46.2). She is also among the league leaders in rebounds (1st), blocks (6th), and points per game (8th).
One bright spot for the Thunderbirds has been the recent play of freshman guard Hiilani Arai, who went off for a career high 20 points on 9-14 shooting in the team’s loss to Wenatchee Valley.
See photos from the Women’s win over Skagit Valley (Dec. 1) on the Women’s Basketball homepage.
Highline’s guard Hiiali Arai has been showing steady improvement in her freshman year .
Early Season Basketball
Men’s Soccer Wins NWAC Championship
Defeats Whatcom 4-3 in Thriller
“That was about as good of a game
as it gets in a championship”
Highline Head Coach Steve Mohn
Nov. 14, 2021 – it was truly a contest worthy of a championship game, seeming to have a little of everything. A steady, wind-blown rain from a slate gray sky provided the atmosphere and the play provided the drama. There were exquisite passes, keepers making lunging saves, players slipping at key times on the wet turf, physical and at times chippy play (Whatcom with five yellow cards), shots clanging off crossbars, a penalty kick, a disallowed goal later allowed (it wasn’t offsides), comebacks by both teams, and a winning goal by Highline’s Alex Velasco, assisted by Jesus Jeronimo in the 88th minute.
The championship is Highline’s third in the last seven years, following titles in 2014 and 2017, all under Head Coach Steve Mohn.
Read the NWAC story of the game.
“It doesn’t get much better than winning a championship. This one was a wild game. It never really gets old winning a championship.”
Highline Head Coach Steve Mohn
The Championship Goal
Alex Velasco (on the left) scores at 88 minutes to put Highline ahead for good in its 4-3 win over Whatcom in the championship game.
Steve Mohn Named NWAC Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year
(From the NWAC website)
Highline College head men’s soccer coach Steve Mohn was named the 2021 NWAC Coach s of the Year on Wednesday. According to the NWAC announcement “Mohn led the Thunderbirds to their fourth NWAC title overall. It is Mohn’s third championship as head coach and fourth overall as he was a player on the team in Highline’s first championship in 2004.
“This season, Mohn helped lead Highline to a 14-5-0 overall record, which included a seven-game winning streak to end the year. The Thunderbirds finished second in the West Region, but won four-straight playoff games to win the title. The championship game was a thriller, with Highline scoring in the 89th minute to defeat Whatcom 4-3.”
Highline’s Meredith Udovich Named 2021 NWAC Baden Women’s Soccer Player of the Year
Highline College women’s soccer player Meredith Udovich were named the 2021 NWAC Baden Players of the Year on Tuesday. From the NWAC press release, “Udovich was the conference’s best player at setting up her teammates, leading the NWAC by a considerable margin in assists with 18. Anytime Udovich had possession of the ball, there was an opportunity for the Thunderbirds to score thanks to her playmaking ability.”
Women’s Volleyball Ousted in Playoffs
Highline ran into some bad luck and inspired play by their opponents in losing to both Rogue and Bellevue in the first round,marking the end to their season. The team finishes 17-10 for the season and 10-2 in league, finishing second in the NWAC West Division.
Kylie Lunday not only led Highline with 200 kills, she led the entire league with a .401 hitting percentage. Lauren Clark, wiht 780 assists, was sixth in the league averaging 8.18 per set. Vanessa Mendez took team honors with 306 digs and 29 service aces.
Women’s Soccer Falls in Playoff Semifinals
A fine season by the Highline Women’s team ended in the semifinals with a 2-1 loss to Clark College. Overall, the team went 12-3-1 and 9-2-1 in league play, winning the NWAC West Division.
Midfielder Meredith Udovich, with 8 goals and 18 assists, was named West Region MVP. Abby Carmel, Myka Carr, and Andrea Guiton were all named to the All-Star team with Head Coach Tom Moore once again received Coach of the Year honors for the West Division.
Meredith Udovich (West Region MVP)
The Highline Golf Team participated in the NWAC Invitational at Apple Tree Golf Club in Yakima.
Oct. 17-18
The women finished 7th out of 10 teams
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Brooklyn Grant shot 82-85 to finish 9th
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Ashlynn Verhaeren shot 90-91 to finish 25th
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Faylisa Valle shot 92-91 to finish 26th
Faylisa Valle
