NW Briefs | Royals name Turner first coach

The King County Royals, an expansion team in the American Basketball Association, have announced the signing of the team's first head coach — Rick Turner.

Turner, who coached at Bellevue Community College for six years and was also the head of Sonics broadcasting from 1989-97, will also be the team's general manager.

The team also announced it will be playing its home games at North Seattle Community College in the Northgate area, and at Green River Community College in Auburn.

After leading Bellevue to the conference championship semifinals and being named the NWAACC's coach of the year in 2003, Turner left to volunteer with the University of Washington men's basketball program under coach Lorenzo Romar for one season.

In 2004, Turner joined the pro coaching ranks when he joined the Bellevue Blackhawks for their inaugural ABA season. Turner led the Blackhawks to the 2005 championship game, which the team lost to the Arkansas Rimrockers.

The Royals will kick off their first ABA season against the Bellingham Slam Nov. 12 at North Seattle CC. For more information, visit the team's Web site at www.kingcountyroyals.com.

Morrison earns Pac-10 honor

Christal Morrison, Washington's All-American outside hitter, was named Pac-10 volleyball player of the week (Oct. 23-29), the conference announced Monday.

Morrison, a graduate of Puyallup High School, helped the Huskies defeat two higher-ranked opponents, USC and UCLA, last Thursday and Friday. The victories boosted Washington (19-3, 9-2 Pac-10) from sixth to No. 4 in this week's national poll.

Against USC, the junior led Washington with 17 kills and a career-best 21 digs. Against UCLA she posted 25 kills, one shy of her career record, and 13 digs. Morrison, who also received player of the week honors on Sept. 25, has 11 double-doubles this season.

Golf

The Washington men were eliminated from the Callaway Golf Collegiate Match Play Championship, falling in the third round of the consolation bracket 3-2 to UNLV in Fort Worth, Texas. The 12th-seeded Huskies got wins from Erik Olson (6 and 5) and Chris Killmer (2 and 1), but they weren't enough to surpass the Rebels.

• The Washington women are tied for 12th after the first round of the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown. The Huskies shot 14-over 302, tying Kent State 10 shots behind leaders Arizona State and Oklahoma State.

Molly Boyle and Kim Shin both shot 2-over 74s to lead the Huskies, tying for 27th. The pair will begin the second round five strokes behind leader Sarah Bradley of Oklahoma State.

• The Western Washington men are tied for ninth after first-day action at the Maunu Lani/University of Hawaii Hilo Intercollegiate.

The Vikings posted a 36-hole score of 600, 24 strokes behind leader Stanislaus State. Sean Packer shot a 2-over-par 145 to lead the Vikings and is tied for 12th in medalist play.

Men's basketball

• The conventional wisdom is that the Gonzaga men's basketball team might be in a rebuilding year, although its teams have made eight consecutive trips to the NCAA basketball tournament.

"We do need to build our own identity," forward Josh Heytvelt said of the Bulldogs, who have no returning superstars, on media day Monday.

Gonzaga finished last season ranked No. 10, but may not be ranked at the beginning of this season.

"We kind of like that better, being underdogs," guard Derek Raivio said. "People don't expect that much out of us. It's a little added motivation."

Conference honors

• Western Washington libero Courtney Schneider has been named Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball player of the week.

• Western Washington free safety Todd McClellan has been named North Central Conference co-defensive player of the week

Compiled from sports-information reports and other sources.