CALDWELL, Idaho — A new banner now hangs in the JA Albertsons Activities Center rafters on the College of Idaho campus in Caldwell. It was unveiled during the Night of Champions event the team put on Wednesday evening. It marked the first time the team had been celebrated in Idaho since they won the NAIA National Championship on Saturday in Kansas City.
The team was honored in front of fans, city officials, and students, and even got a shout-out from the Governor of Idaho Brad Little, declaring March 22nd College of Idaho Yotes National Champions day.
Speeches by players, head coach Colby Blaine, and Vice President of Athletics Reagan Rossi were the main events as well as four-year player and Eagle native, Connor Cooper, pulling down the banner that now hangs.
Cooper spoke to Idaho News 6 before the ceremony about what it means to bring back a national championship to the Treasure Valley.
“This just feels so unreal," Cooper said. "It feels great to bring this back to the Treasure Valley where I was born and raised and where I’ve grown and played with all my friends growing up. It just feels so surreal to actually happen.”
Since coming back the Yotes have been met with a lot of fan love, even getting ovations during class periods.
“Sometimes they try to make me feel like I’m on top of the world," guard Charles Elzie told Idaho News 6. He won the Chuck Taylor NAIA Tournament MVP Award. "We walk in the classroom, I’m rubbing the crust out of my eyes and they’re over here clapping for us. I’m just like 'yeah that’s dope'. Sometimes you just feel like nobody can tell you nothing when you got that under your belt."
During Blaine's speech, he thanked a lot of people. One group he made sure to mention was the fans.
"So I hope that everyone knows that anybody in our Yote Fam that’s spread positive energy, come to a game, whose just worn a Yotes' hat at lunch, you all played a major part in this, and I mean that," said Blaine.
