Ida B Wells Athletics Weekly
2025-2026 Winter Season Preview
For a complete listing of the weekly athletic schedule, please visit the athletic dept. website:IBW Athletics/THIS WEEK. Links to team schedules can also be found on their team pages on the athletic website and in the 2025-26 Winter Season Media Guide. Use the QR Code or this link 2025-26 Winter Season Media Guide
A New Chapter Begins!
The anticipation and excitement for the 2025-26 IBW Women’s Basketball season has been growing since practice began November 17. The program embraces a year defined by growth, energy, and fresh talent.
This season marks a significant transition for the program, following the graduation of a memorable class of eight seniors. A committed group of six seniors return and will be the bedrock of our program this year.
Senior Leadership will be vital this season. The primary focus for our veteran players will be to
provide steady leadership, strong play and positive guidance. The varsity roster is young,
featuring many student-athletes stepping onto the varsity court for the first time. The seniors
experience and mentorship will be crucial in setting a competitive and positive tone for the team.
The Future is Now. In addition to an excellent sophomore class, our program is energized by an
exceptionally strong incoming freshmen class of 19 student-athletes. This large, talented group
provides tremendous depth and excitement for the future of the program at every level.
We are fortunate to have our incredible coaches returning to lead our student-athletes. Their
collective experience and commitment are invaluable to develop our players both on and off the
court. A special welcome to Valerie Jackson, who joins the program as our new JV2 coach!
From the first whistle, this group has demonstrated the characteristics that make coaching truly
rewarding. A great group of student-athletes who bring tons of energy to practice every day.
They work incredibly hard and are exceptionally coachable. We are focused on development and
teamwork, and we are excited to see the IBW Women’s Basketball program continue to grow
together throughout the season.
Expect to see teams competing with passion and improve with every game!
Let’s GO GUARDIANS!!!
- Head Coach, Glen Coblens
Ahmad has had a strong start to the season on both ends of the floor. His leadership has helped lift up his teammates, his inspired play has brought energy, and his voice has been a strong presence on the court and in the locker room. Ahmad can create, knock down 3’s, make impressive shifty finishes in the lane, find teammates that are open, and play scrappy defense. Ahmad is a senior on a mission, and he wants to make the most of his final season in a Wells uniform. Wells has played some of the best teams in the State of Oregon to start their season, and Ahmad has made sure our team fought hard. We expect big things from Ahmad throughout the season, great job, keep it up Ahmad!
Girard is a powerful and indispensable new asset to the Ida B Wells swim team. He is defined by his incredible work ethic and consistently gives his all. He listens intently to coaching, allowing him to quickly improve and adapt, even if he sometimes underestimates his own talent.
With his good habits and flexibility, he is a true team player who steps up wherever needed. Girard is set for great things and will certainly be a foundational part of the future success of our team!
The IBW Swim Team is lucky to have Neea Mende, one of our remarkable team captains, who is truly the heart and backbone of our program.
For four years, Neea has been integral to IBW Swimming, shaping our culture with her positive attitude and commitment. She is an exceptional mentor, always cheering and supportive, and consistently leads by example. Neea reliably steps in wherever she is needed, embodying the spirit of a true team player.
Neea kicked off her final season with a spectacular performance at our first meet, achieving personal bests in every single event! Even more impressively, the first-half splits of all her races were personal bests for those distances as well.
We can't wait to watch Neea continue to improve, excel, and inspire her teammates as the season progresses.
Lena Mende, Senior
Week of December 8
In only her second year of wrestling, Lena has developed into an incredible team leader and difficult opponent on the mat. Saturday she finished 4th at 105 pounds, her first placement in her young career. Lena's wins showcased how much she learned and are near perfect copies of everything we teach. She is a relentless worker and fierce competitor, yet one of the nicest, most empathetic individuals on the team. She isn't afraid to teach others what she has learned and is gaining more and more confidence with her ability every match. The future is bright for Lena and we are excited to see her succeed.
Saya Grigg, Junior,
Week of December 15
Saya continued her winning ways at Lincoln, this time wrestling to an impressive 2nd place finish. Saya had some crazy matches throughout the day and ended up going 3-1 with three pins. She is working diligently at practice and taking time to help new wrestlers learn from her experience and knowledge. We continue to see her gain confidence and learn from her mistakes, all of which point to a very successful season.
Isaac Freeman, Junior
Week of December 8
We are so excited to have Isaac back wrestling with us. After missing almost 2 years due to injuries, Isaac had a tremendous opening weekend, going 5-3. Isaac is an incredibly hard worker and is always open to learning more to become a better wrestler. He isn't afraid to try new techniques in matches, and treats every opponent with respect. When he isn't preparing for his own match, he is almost always matside for his teammates, rooting them on. We are thrilled at the progress Isaac has made in such a short time and can't wait for what the rest of the season has in store.
Art Summers, Sophomore
Week of December 15
Art matched Saya's earlier 2nd place finish with one of his own. Art spent the majority of the off-season working out and improving his wrestling. It is definitely starting to show, with this being his best tournament performance of his young high school career. Art never backs down from challenges at practice and learning to adapt to his opponents. He is courteous to his coaches, opponents, and officials, and we are excited to see Art continue to have success.
Volunteer for Winter Sports Concessions
They just recently posted their schedule for concessions for winter! Sign up here to volunteer!
Hello from your friendly neighborhood athletic trainer! Here’s a brief recap of our Fall season from the injury side:
Injuries Reported: 134
Unique Athlete Visits: 100 (~22% of all Fall athletes)
Top 5 Injuries:
1. Concussion (29)
2. Ankle Sprain (15)
3. Knee Sprain (8)
4. Shoulder Sprain (6)
5. Lower Leg Strain (4)
A huge THANK YOU to parents and coaches who walked along side all our injured athletes through last season!
Going in to Winter season, here are a few things you should know:
1. Concussion protocol has changed. There is a new law that requires medical documentation of a
concussion to receive school accommodations. If your athlete sustains a concussion during
athletics or extracurricular activities (eg: car accident, snowboarding, etc) they will need to go in
to see their medical provider and get a written diagnosis of a concussion.
2. Student health centers are FREE for students. And they usually have pretty short waiting times.
If your athlete needs to be seen after a concussion or if they need to renew their physical, the
Student Health Centers are available free of cost. Cleveland High School’s clinic is the nearest
location to us.
3. Wash your hands! As we head into winter illness season, please remind your student athlete to
wash their hands and avoid going to practice if they are sick.
Thank you, and Happy Holidays!
Monica Ng, ATC, LAT, CSCS
