NW Briefs | Former UW coach Bob MacDonald will be hitting coach for Everett AquaSox

EVERETT — The Everett AquaSox announced that Bob MacDonald, former University of Washington head baseball coach, has been named hitting coach.

MacDonald, 66, served as head baseball coach of the Huskies from 1977 to 1992 and compiled a record of 422-322-7. He was a five-time Pac-10 Northern Division Coach of the Year (1979-1981, 1985, 1990 and 1992). In 1994, MacDonald was hired as coach at Navy, where he was 178-152-3 in seven seasons. In 23 seasons, MacDonald's teams earned four NCAA tournament berths.

Rowing

Seattle Pacific was one of two varsity eight crews extended an at-large invitation to compete at the 2009 NCAA Division II Women's Rowing Championships May 29-31 on the Cooper River in Cherry Hill, N.J.

The Division II championship field also has four automatic entries. The third-ranked Falcons and No. 4 Dowling are at-large selections.

SPU is the nation's third-ranked varsity eight crew. Mercyhurst, the 2004 national champion, is ranked No. 1 and Western Washington is No. 2. WWU has won the last four Division II team and varsity eight championships.

Golf

Gene Webster of Cal State San Bernardino shot a 1-under-par 71 to take a one-shot lead after the first-round at the NCAA Division II men's championships being held at the Loomis Trail Golf Club in Blaine.

Barry and Sonoma State are tied for the team lead at 9-over 293. Western Washington's Jake Koppenberg of Everett is tied for 13th after shooting a 2-over 73.

Hockey

The Seattle Thunderbirds will be offering an unused ticket exchange program for full-season ticket holders during the 2009-10 season. The season ticket exchange program has been in place in years past. The exchange program was suspended this past season as the T-Birds moved into the new 6,025-seat ShoWare Center.

It has been a popular option for season-ticket holders by providing an opportunity to turn in unused tickets in exchange for tickets to designated games. It was created with hopes that those tickets may end up in the hands of potential new fans.

Notes

• Seattle University has signed Freddy Wilson of Franklin High to a national letter of intent to play men's basketball next season. Wilson helped the Quakers (28-1) win the Class 3A state title. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 10.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.8 steals.

• Marysville-Pilchuck High School junior John Crenshaw has given a verbal commitment to play soccer at Seattle University. Crenshaw, who has scored a school-record 20 goals for the third-ranked Tomahawks, led M-P to its first league title and district championship this season.

• UW women's tennis assistant coach Damon Coupe has been named the National Assistant Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

From sports-information reports.