NW Briefs | Canada soccer team to bring 6 MLS players

Six Major League Soccer players, including Houston Dynamo star midfielder Dwayne De Rosario, highlight Canada's roster for its soccer friendly against Brazil on May 31 at Qwest Field.

In addition, news reports say Kaká, FIFA's World Player of the Year, is scheduled to have minor knee surgery today that may rule him out of Brazil's World Cup soccer qualifiers next month. It would also likely rule him out of the friendly with Canada.

The Canadians are coached by Dale Mitchell, a former Portland Timbers and Tacoma Stars player. Canada will also have another top player, midfielder Julian De Guzman (Deportivo La Coruna of Spain), on the roster.

De Rosario, 30, has been a part of four MLS Cup championship teams (San Jose and Houston twice each) and was the title game's Most Valuable Player in 2001 and 2007. He also has won the MLS Goal of the Year honor twice, in 2004 and 2005. He has 46 senior national-team appearances, or caps.

De Guzman, 27, was named MVP of the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament, in which he scored three goals.

The Canadian team is scheduled to arrive in Seattle on Sunday to begin preparations for their match. Tickets are still available.

Ex-coach of Beavers joins UW staff

Former Oregon State head coach Judy Spoelstra, the 2000 Pac-10 coach of the year, will join the Washington women's basketball staff.

The Washington native will begin at UW on June 1, Huskies coach Tia Jackson announced Thursday.

Spoelstra has a 16-year head-coaching resume that includes 10 years at Oregon State (1995-2005) and a six-year stint at Montana State (1989-95).

She compiled an overall record of 133-158 at OSU.

Since her time at Oregon State, Spoelstra has coached youth basketball and worked in private business in the San Diego area. She also served as a scout for the WNBA New York Liberty.

Spoelstra is a 1978 graduate of Eastmont High School in East Wenatchee. She also lived in Everett and Marysville until the age of 13.

WSU defensive end

granted extra year

Washington State University senior Matt Mullennix has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, the university announced Thursday.

Mullennix, a defensive end from Spangle, missed the entire 2006 season after suffering a knee injury before the school's football opener at Auburn. Additionally, Mullennix suffered a season-ending injury early in the 2004 campaign.

Three commit

to WSU track team

Three state athletes, including two from the Puget Sound area, have signed letters of intent to join the Washington State track and field team, Cougars head coach Rick Sloan announced Thursday.

Ezra John Griffey, a sprinter from Decatur High in Federal Way, J Hopkins, a hurdler and sprinter from Everett High, and Ross VanZanten, a high jumper from Mark Morris High in Longview, signed letters committing to WSU for the 2009 season.

Notes

• UW swimmer Yonatan Cohen was named a second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VIII selection. The junior from Israel carries a 3.98 grade-point average and is majoring in physics.

• Seattle Pacific's Jane Larson and Seattle University's Katie Hansen advanced to tonight's finals in the 3,000-meter run at the Division II track and field championships, with times of 9:59.07 and 10:05.07, respectively. Brittany Bekins of SPU is in 11th place after day one of the heptathlon.

Sports-information

and wire reports contributed.