2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

Thursday, Aug. 26

Volleyball: Seawolves Sweep Drury In Opener

Lundberg

Cortney Lundberg had eight kills and eight blocks as Alaska Anchorage kicked off the 2010 season with a 3-0 sweep of Drury in the Extended Stay Deluxe Invitational at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex in Anchorage.

Outside hitters Jackie Matthisen and McKenzie Moss combined for 14 kills and 21 digs as the Seawolves led virtually the entire match in a 25-21, 25-20, 25-16 decision.

Drury, from Springfield, Mo., was led by eight kills from middle blocker Kayla Hellebusch and 25 assists from setter Austin Warren.

UAA outhit the Panthers .210 to .115 and held big advantages in blocks (10-4) and aces (8-3).

Matthisen served six straight points to give the Seawolves a commanding 14-6 lead in the first set.

The visitors kept the second set a tighter affair at 19-18, but outside hitter Lee Golden blasted one of her four kills to start a three-point surge, securing the set for the Seawolves.

Lundberg had five block assists in the second frame and wound up hitting .500 (8-1-14) on the night.

Although they never trailed in the third set, UAA led just 18-15 before freshman middle blocker Robyn Burton (6 kills) ripped a kill to start a clinching five-point run.

The Seawolves used all three of their setters in the match, with Adriana Aukusitino leading the way with 15 assists and six digs. Freshman Siobhan Johansen tallied 11 assists, and Northern Michigan transfer Maddie Ogden accounted for three assists and a pair of aces in the third set.

Women's Soccer: SPU Hopes To Extend Playoff Streak

Sawyer

Seattle Pacific has made seven consecutive NCAA Division II women's soccer playoff appearances, and there doesn't appear to be any reason the six-time GNAC champions (2002-05, 2007 & 2009) won't make it eight this fall.

The Falcons return eight starters including a league-best four first-team all-stars off last year's team that edged Western Washington by one point for the conference title.

Chuck Sekyra, who has guided his teams to a phenomenal 134-14-12 record over the past seven seasons is optimistic the Falcons will once again be playing well into November.

“Our kids came in (to camp) very fit,” Sekyra said. “The energy at practice and level of play has been outstanding. This looks like a very confident, fit, high-playing team, so we're real excited.”

Seattle Pacific won the national title in 2008 and was eliminated on penalty kicks in last year's regionals, yet they are winless (0-2-2) in their last four regular-season outings against Western Washington.

So they should once again get one of their stiffest challenges from WWU though the Vikings did graduate goalkeeper Kylie Broadbent who had eight shutouts and Kelly Irving who tied a school-record with 26 career assists.

Up-and-coming Saint Martin's may be the “best of the rest” though the addition of two-time NAIA champion Simon Fraser definitely adds another dimension to the conference race.

The Clan is playing a full conference schedule though it will still compete in the NAIA playoffs for at least another year before becoming eligible for the NCAA post-season.

Seattle Pacific garnered six of the eight first-place votes in the GNAC Coaches pre-season poll in outpointing Western Washington 62-56. Saint Martin's was a distant third with 43 points.

The Vikings and Central Washington, which tied Simon Fraser for fourth in the poll with 34 points, each were listed on one ballot as the No. 1 team.

While Seattle Pacific has an abundance of talent, its losses were not insignificant. GNAC scoring champion Jocelyn Charette (15 goals, 7 assists), all-region midfielder Janae Goday and freshman honorable mention all-league defender Taylor Lundquist were among the losses.

Lundquist played a key role last season on a defense that enabled goalkeeper Maddie Dickinson to set a conference record by not allowing a goal for 1,012 minutes and 12 seconds, a streak that extended back to SPU's 2008 title run.

Meanwhile, Charette had eight game-winning goals and Goday had five assists.

Charette is the only player not returning in the GNAC who was among the Top 10 scorers in the conference.

SPU midfielder Kelsey Jenkins (5-8, Jr., Kent, WA – Kentwood) finished 10th in scoring with 18 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in earning National Soccer Coaches Association third team All-American honors.

Megan Lindsay (5-7, So., Spokane, WA – Gonzaga Prep), meanwhile, ended up ninth based on points per game. She had 16 points (6 goals, 4 assists) in 18 contests.

Lindsay, however, is not one of SPU's five returning all-stars. Earning first team honors in addition to Jenkins were Dickinson (5-8, Sr., Vancouver, WA – Skyview), forward Amanda Johnson (5-7, Sr., Duvall, WA – Cedarcrest) and defender Taylor Sawyer (5-5, So., Gig Harbor, WA – North Mason).

Sawyer was also voted to the NSCAA first-team All-American team. When she was in the lineup, SPU's defense was almost impenetrable. Five of the 11 goals the Falcons surrendered came in two of the games Sawyer missed to injuries.

Johnson was a force up front, scoring three goals and contributing five assists, while Dickinson recorded the league's best goals against average (0.57) and the best save percentage (8.62) in earning third team All-American accolades. Her career 0.49 GAA ranks second in conference history.

Cross Country: Vikings, Seawolves Ranked In Top 10

Halsell

Three Great Northwest Athletic Conference cross country teams are ranked in the Top 10 in the USTFCCCA pre-season national polls.

PeeWee Halsell's Western Washington men's and women's squads are ranked sixth and seventh, respectively. Alaska Anchorage's women are ranked third and coach Michael Friess' men are ranked 16th.

Also ranked are Seattle Pacific's women (14th) and Western Oregon's men (20th).

USTFCCA National (Pre-Season): Men - 6. Western Washington, 16. Alaska Anchorage, 20. Western Oregon.. Women - 3. Alaska Anchorage, 7. Western Washington, 14. Alaska Anchorage. Regional (Pre-Season): Men – 1. Chico State; 2. Western Washington; 3.Alaska Anchorage; 4. Western Oregon; 5. Cal Poly Pomona; 6. Humboldt State; 7. Northwest Nazarene; 8. UC San Diego; 9. CSU Stanislaus; 10. BYU-Hawaii. Women – 1. Alaska Anchorage; 2. Chico State; 3. Western Washington; 4. Seattle Pacific; 5. Northwest Nazarene; 6. Cal Poly Pomona; 7. UC San Diego; 8. Cal State L.A.; 9. Western Oregon; 10. BYU-Hawaii.

Wednesday, Aug. 25

Men's Soccer: Saints Favored, But Race Should Be Tight

Xan Nixon

Just about every men's soccer team in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference has high hopes and expectations entering the 2010 season that begins next Thursday (Sept. 2).

A year ago, Saint Martin's won its first-ever GNAC team championship in the nine-year history of the conference --- in any sport.

With virtually every player returning including eight all-stars the Saints figured to be the favorite in the GNAC's pre-season coaches poll.

And they are. But they are certainly not a sure thing.

A year ago, the top four teams in the conference race were separated by just two games. With the addition of perennial NAIA powerhouse Simon Fraser to the mix, it figures to be another extremely tight race.

At least that's the way the coaches see it. The Saints did receive three first-place votes in the coaches' poll, but finished just four points ahead of Simon Fraser and Seattle Pacific in the balloting and only six ahead of Western Washington.

SFU, which reached the NAIA national semifinals last season, earned two first-place votes, while Seattle Pacific received one.

Montana State Billings, which graduated Daktronics NCAA Division II National Player-of-the-Year Sam Charles, finished fifth in the balloting six points ahead of Northwest Nazarene.

Nine of the top 10 scorers from a year ago are back and every team except Western Washington returns its starting goalkeeper.

Every team in the conference also has at least four returning all-stars, but none have more than the Saints which posted the first winning season in the three-year history of their program under 2009 GNAC Coach-of-the-Year Rob Walker (9-27-1, 3 years).

Walker's lineup will feature three first-team all-conference players, including forward Xan Nixon (6-1, Jr., Seattle, WA - Roosevelt), midfielder Ruben Orozco (5-11, Sr., Des Moines, WA – Mt. Rainier) and six-six goalkeeper Zac Lubin (Sr., Bozeman, MT).

Tuesday, Aug. 24

Volleyball: Western Washington Favored in GNAC

Matthisen

Alaska Anchorage returns four starters from last year's NCAA Division II Regional semifinalists and Western Washington has everyone back from its team that barely missed the playoffs a year ago.

Those two squads figure to fight it out this fall for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference volleyball championship.

Each team received four first-place votes in the GNAC Coaches poll though the Vikings, who are seeking a fifth GNAC title, outpointed the Seawolves 72-67 in the overall balloting.

That is a reversal of their finish in the AVCA national poll where UAA earned a 24th place national ranking and WWU was among “others receiving votes”.

Western Washington returns 11 letter winners, all seven starters including its libero and six all-stars. All those numbers are the best in the conference.

“When you have (that many) people in the off-season, there's a lot of competition within the team,” WWU coach Diane Flick, who earned her 200th career win last season, said.

“That competition was a driving factor during the off season,” Flick, who ranks 10th in career wins among active Division II coaches with a 213-60 record, added.

Alaska Anchorage, however, won't give up its title without a fight. The Seawolves posted a 23-8 record in Chris Green's second season in Anchorage and feature the GNAC's top returning kill producer in outside hitter Jackie Matthisen and the conference's 2009 blocking champion in middle blocker Cortney Lundberg who averaged 1.14 per set.

Seattle Pacific, which qualified for the NCAA playoffs last season, and Central Washington also appear to have the talent to challenge for the title or at least for a post-season berth.

The Falcons return four starters, including a pair of all-stars and the Wildcats have the second most letter winners (10), starters (6) and all-stars (3). Only the Vikings have more.

Women's Soccer: Howieson Chosen for NAIA Hall

Howieson

Simon Fraser University women's soccer coach Shelley Howieson will be inducted into the NAIA Hall-of-Fame this November.

Induction ceremonies will occur at the 2010 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Nov. 28 at Decatur, Ala.

Howieson has been the head coach at SFU since the program was founded in 1988. In 22 seasons, she has a career record of 259-111-41.

She led SFU to NAIA national championships in 1996 and 2000 and a pair of runnerup finishes in 1997 and 1998. SFU quaified for the NAIA national tournament in 10 of the past 13 seasons.

The Clan will begin competing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this fall.

Friday, Aug. 20

Football: CWU Favored After Reloading With Transfers

Cate

A year ago Central Washington may have been just a blocked extra point away from winning a NCAA Division II football national championship.

However, most of the key players off of that team that lost 21-20 to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals are gone.

Just seven of 22 starters and three of 18 players who received Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-star recognition return.

Among the losses were first team All-American linebacker Buddy Wood who had 111 tackles including 17 for losses, and wide receiver Johnny Spevak who ended his career as the second leading receiver in NCAA Division II history with 318 catches for 4,426 yards.

Graduation losses also cost the Wildcats the services of Prince Hall who had 104 tackles, 16 of them for losses, running back Randall Eldridge who led the GNAC in rushing with 935 yards and 12 touchdowns and kicker Garrett Rolsma who made 20 of 25 field goals and 40 of 42 extra points including 99 in a row at one point in his career.

Third-year coach Blaine Bennett, however, reloaded adding 14 Division I transfers perhaps the biggest one-year influx of talent from major college programs in school and conference history.

The Wildcats are thus once again a solid favorite to win the GNAC title, receiving all five first-place votes in the annual coaches pre-season poll.

Among the newcomers who could start is a quarterback from Oklahoma State (Alex Cate), an offensive lineman from the University of Richmond (Brian Agnis), linebackers from Nevada (Jared Silva-Purcell) and Illinois State (Paul Wright) and a defensive back from the University of Idaho (Eric Hunter).

CWU has won five GNAC titles in the seven-year history of the football conference, compiling a conference record of 31-4.

They are a perfect 14-0 in GNAC games in Bennett's two seasons, losing just two playoff games and a 38-35 regular-season road decision to the University of Montana during that time.

Western Oregon once again appears to be the No. 1 threat to end the Wildcat title run.

WOU returns a league-best 51 letter winners. However, the Wolves will have a new starting quarterback and running back and also graduated their top receiver from a year ago.

Dixie State, which finished third in the coaches' poll, also will be taking the field with a new starting quarterback and running back.

The Red Storm, do, however, have the top two tacklers in the GNAC from a year ago (linebackers Nick Cragin and Keauntea Bankhead) – and the nation's seventh ranked punter (Mike Langston).

Humboldt State, which is coming off its first .500 season since 2006, is the only team in the conference returning its No. 1 QB (Mike Proulx) though CWU's Ryan Robertson did make eight starts as a freshman before being replaced late in the year by senior Cole Morgan.

The Lumberjacks also return a league-best 16 starters – nine on offense and seven on defense - and the GNAC's top returning receiver (Matt Devlin) from the 2009 season.

Simon Fraser is a new addition to the conference after going 3-5 in the Canada West Conference a year ago.

The Clan, which finished fifth in the pre-season poll, is the first Canadian school to be granted NCAA membership.

Central Washington and Dixie State will be the first GNAC teams to open their seasons as they had signed contracts for August games prior to the NCAA voting to move the official opening date back a week to the first week of September.

The Wildcats face Minnesota Duluth next Saturday (Aug. 28) in a regionally-televised game (SWX-TV, Spokane) with national playoff implications.

The Bulldogs are ranked fourth in the American Football Coaches Association pre-season national poll, while the Wildcats are ranked fifth.

Dixie State, meanwhile, will debut on the road against Adams State (Colo.) from the Rocky Mountain Conference.

Thursday, Aug. 19

Cross Country: Patton Named Interim SPU Coach

Letiwe Patton

Letiwe Patton, who has displayed her running talents to the world as a member of the Zimbabwe national team, will coach Seattle Pacific University's cross country team this fall while head coach Erika Daligcon is on maternity leave.

Daligcon and her husband, SPU assistant men's soccer coach Nate Daligcon, are expecting the birth of their first child in a few days. Her leave runs through mid-October.

Until then, Patton, who was a volunteer assistant this past spring for outdoor track, will be guiding the Falcons through their preseason workouts and their first several meets of the fall.

“I pretty much know what to expect from the athletes and what they should expect from me,” Patton said.

“We're really thrilled to have her on the coaching staff,” Daligcon said. “She brings a lot of her expertise to this as well as being very open to doing things in a slightly different way. And the fact that she already has rapport with the returning athletes is going to make a big difference.”

Volleyball: Seawolves Ranked 24th in AVCA Poll

Alaska Anchorage is ranked 24th in the American Volleyball Coaches Association pre-season national poll. The Seawolves are one of five West Region teams ranked.

Cal State San Bernardino is ranked second, UC San Diego is eighth and Cal State L.A. is ranked 14th. Hawaii Hilo is ranked 23rd.

Western Washington is among "others receiving votes" and is 29th overall. Concordia - St. Paul is the No. 1 ranked team.

The GNAC pre-season coaches poll will be released next Tuesday.

Wednesday, Aug. 11

Football: CWU Fifth In AFCA National Poll

Bennett

Central Washington is ranked fifth in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II preseason poll.

This marks the third consecutive season that Blaine Bennett's Wildcats have been ranked in the Top 25 by the AFCA heading into the season. The Wildcats were listed 11th in the 2008 preseason poll and 14th last season.

A year ago, CWU finished the regular season unbeaten and ranked first. The Wildcats reached the quarterfinals before losing to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State 21-20 on a blocked extra point with six seconds remaining in regulation.

Central opens its season Aug. 28 against fourth-ranked Minnesota Duluth. Kickoff at CWU's Tomlinson Stadium will be 1 p.m. The game is the first of three to be televised on SWX.

A total of 60 teams received votes in the pre-season poll, including Western Oregon, which tied for 56th with one ballot point.

Academics: Thirty WWU Athletes Honored

Thirty Western Washington University student-athletes have been named recipients of the 2009-10 Division II Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement awards.

The DII ADA Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level.

To receive the honor, a student-athlete must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, have completed a minimum of two years (six quarters) of college level work, and been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.

They must also be nominated by their university.

Leading the Vikings were six student-athletes with GPAs of 3.90 and above.

Among the six were two track and field athletes - Diana DiMarco (Biology/Anthropology, Jr., 3.91, Bozeman, MT) and Anthony Zackery (Business Administration & Finance, Jr., 3.93, Spokane, WA - Ferris) and one cross country athlete - Phoebe Hartnett (Special Education - Elementary, Jr., 3.90, San Diego, CA - Patrick Henry).

Also on the list were volleyball player Kathryn Mertens (Biology/Anthropology, Jr., 3.90, Olympia, WA); golfer Katie Sharpe (Elementary Education, Jr., 3.93, Bellingham, WA) and rower Miranda Steward (Art, Sr., 3.97, Kenmore, WA - Inglemoor).

Saturday, Aug. 7

Baseball: MSUB Hires Miles CC Coach

Rob Bishop

Rob Bishop, the head baseball coach and athletic director at Miles Community College, has been named the head baseball coach at Montana State Billings

Bishop replaces Chris Brown who led the Yellowjackets the past five seasons.

“We're very excited that Coach Bishop has accepted our offer to become our head baseball coach,” MSUB athletic director Dr. Gary Gray said.

Bishop has been the head baseball coach for the Pioneers for 10 seasons and the athletic director for the past five, helping put MCC on the map both regionally and nationally. 

He led MCC to 10 conference championships, five consecutive regional championships (2006-2010) and to the 2007 NJCAA College World Series.

“Leading Yellowjacket baseball is a terrific opportunity for me, and I am looking forward to working with the student-athletes currently in the program as well as bringing in quality players from around the region,” Bishop said.

He won an impressive 71 percent of his games at Miles (414-169) and in earning NJCAA Region IX Coach of the Year honors four consecutive years (2007-2010). 

He also was the Mon-Dak Athletic Conference Coach of the Year each of his 10 years at Miles.  Bishop took over the athletic director position in July of 2005.

Prior to Miles, he was the head coach at Huron University in Huron, S.D. for one season after serving as a graduate assistant coach at South Dakota State between 1997 and 1999.

He graduated with his bachelor's degree in history/political science with a minor in secondary teaching from Jamestown College in 1994 and earned his master's degree in sports pedagogy with a teaching emphasis from South Dakota State in 1999.

Bishop is the second baseball coach to be hired at MSUB since the sport was reinstated six years ago.  The Yellowjackets began play in the Heartland Conference in 2006 for two years before joining the GNAC.

“He (Bishop) is a proven coach who is dedicated to developing his student-athletes in every way possible,” Gray said.  “It's an honor to welcome Coach Bishop as our newest Yellowjacket coach.”

Friday, Aug. 6

Three Selected For NCAA Women of the Year Award

Pixler	Coon	Gruwell

Seattle Pacific track and field and cross country standout Jessica Pixler, Alaska Anchorage basketball player Tamar Gruwell and Western Washington University rower Audrey Coon are among 117 student-athletes representing multiple sports in all three divisions selected as candidates for the 20th annual NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The NCAA chose the athletes this week from 452 nominees submitted by conferences and independent institutions for the award which honors senior student-athletes for their collegiate achievements in service, leadership, athletics and academics.

Later this month 30 finalists – 10 nominees from each of the NCAA's three divisions – will be named.  The top nine – three each from Divisions I, II and III - will be honored and the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year announced at a dinner in Indianapolis on Oct.  17.

Pixler and Gruwell were the GNAC nominees for the award, while Coon earned an at-large nomination for the award.

Pixler (Sammamish, WA) had a spectacular year winning four national titles in three sports and earning NCAA Division II National Athlete of the Year honors in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field

Gruwell (Fairfield, CA) averaged 11.1 points and made 74 of 187 three-pointers in earning second team all-conference honors last winter for Alaska Anchorage in earning Team MVP honors.

Coon (Anchorage, AK) led Western Washington to three consecutive rowing national titles between 2007 and 2009 and was a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-American in 2009. During her three years in Varsity 8 shell, the Vikings did not lose to a non-Division I school.

Baseball: CWU's Snowdon Signs With Phillies

Andrew Snowdon, who played for Central Washington in 2008 and 2009, has signed a professional contract with the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Snowdon, who had most recently been playing for the Tucson Toros of the independent Golden West League, had his contract purchased by the Phillies and has reported to the club's rookie-league affiliate in the Gulf Coast League in Clearwater, Fla.

During his playing career at CWU, Snowdon was a first-team GNAC selection as a catcher and a second-team pitcher. He batted .323 with three home runs and 20 runs batted in and threw out 38 percent of would-be base stealers as a catcher.

On the mound, Snowdon made just five pitching appearances but posted a 3-1 record with one save and led the Wildcats with a 3.60 earned-run average. He struck out 21 and walked just five in 20 innings of work.

Since completing his time with the Wildcats, Snowdon starred in the Golden West League, representing Tucson in the 2010 International All-Star Game and throwing a scoreless inning against the Northern League All-Stars in a 9-3 defeat.

He had a 2-2 record and 2.97 earned-run average in 39 1/3 relief innings for the Toros in 2010, striking out 34 hitters and holding opponents to a .250 batting average.

Wednesday, Aug. 4

NNU Wins Third Straight GNAC Academic Title

Sanders

Northwest Nazarene University posted the best team grade point average in three sports in winning the 2009-10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Academic All-Sports title for the third year in a row.

The Crusaders won titles in men's basketball, women's soccer and women's track and field in out pointing Seattle Pacific 131-125 to win the overall title. Montana State Billings was third with 117 points, 17 ahead of fourth-place Saint Martin's.

NNU also won its third straight women's title and its sixth overall edging MSUB 77-73. Seattle Pacific finished third with 67 points and Saint Martin's was fourth with 52 points.

SPU won the men's title with 58 points, four ahead of Northwest Nazarene. Saint Martin's and MSU Billings finished third and fourth with 48 and 44 points, respectively. The title was the sixth overall for the Falcon men, but their first since 2005-06.

“I would like to congratulate our student-athletes for once again balancing their academics and athletics,” Northwest Nazarene University athletic director Rich Sanders said. “I would also like to thank our faculty for their continued work with our student-athletes during their demanding in-season travel schedules.”

Seattle Pacific matched NNU's team title total, also earning the best cumulative team GPA in three sports including men's soccer, men's track and field and women's cross country.

MSU Billings (softball, women's basketball), Saint Martin's (baseball, golf) and Alaska Fairbanks (volleyball, men's cross country) led the way in two sports each, while Western Oregon was the leader in one (football).

Saint Martin's baseball team academic title was its ninth in a row. The Saint baseball squad is the only team to win the academic team in all nine years of the award.

Seattle Pacific's women's cross country team posted the best GPA of any GNAC team finishing with a 3.73 average.

Fifty-three of the conference's 92 teams (57.6 percent) posted cumulative GPAs of 3.00 or better, including all nine women's cross country teams and all eight women's track and field squads.

Seven of the conference's nine volleyball teams had cumulative GPAs of 3.00 or better, while six of the seven softball teams and six of the nine women's hoop squads also reached that figure. In all 40 of the GNAC's 48 women's teams (83.3 percent) had cumulative GPAs of at least 3.00.

On the men's side, 13 of the 44, teams including five in cross country and three in track and field also had GPAs of 3.00 or better.

The Academic all-sports standings are based on the cumulative grade point averages of all the athletes on the official team rosters including redshirts.

Individual sport academic winners included:

Men: Cross Country – Alaska Fairbanks 3.48. Soccer – Seattle Pacific 3.24. Basketball – Northwest Nazarene 3.22. Baseball – Saint Martin's 2.92. Track-and-Field – Seattle Pacific 3.22. Golf – Saint Martin's 3.20. Football – Western Oregon 2.70.

Women : Volleyball – Alaska Fairbanks 3.47. Cross Country – Seattle Pacific 3.73. Soccer – Northwest Nazarene 3.50. Basketball – MSU Billings 3.45. Softball – MSU Billings 3.15. Track and Field – Northwest Nazarene 3.39.

Tuesday, Aug. 3

Track and Field: Nine Earn Team Award

Five Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's track and field teams and four men's teams have earned the USTFCCCA All-Academic team award.

The award goes to teams with a cumulative team grade point average of 3.00 or better. Nationwide, a total of 67 women's teams and 34 men's teams earned the award.

GNAC award winners included the women's and men's teams teams from Alaska Anchorage, Montana State Billings, Northwest Nazarene and Seattle Pacific and the women's team from Saint Martin's.

Friday, July 30

USTFCC: Pixler Heads Up USTFCCCA Academic Team

Pixler

Another organization has selected Seattle Pacific track standout Jessica Pixler as its 2010 Scholar Athlete-of-the-Year.

Earlier this summer CoSIDA (Sports Information Directors Association) named Pixler the top scholar-athlete in Division II for all sports.

Now the United States Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association has selected Pixler as the top Division II scholar-athlete for both indoor and outdoor track-and-field.

Its the second year in a row GNAC athletes have swept the two track and field academic awards from the USTFCCCA.

A year ago, it named Pixler as the Indoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year and voted Ashley Puga of Northwest Nazarene as the Outdoor Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The USTFCCCA also named 30 GNAC athletes - 10 men and 20 women - to its Division II All-Academic Track & Field team. They were among 432 athletes - 156 men and 276 women - selected nation-wide.

To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, the student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have met either the NCAA Division II indoor or outdoor automatic or provisional qualifying standard.

FEMALE: Alaska Anchorage - Laura Carr, Ardrienna Everett, Ruth Keino, Miriam Kip'ngeno. Central Washington - Torrie Self. Northwest Nazarene - Michelle Phillips, Jaclyn Puga, Laura von Arx. Seattle Pacific - Amanda Alvarez, Lisa Anderberg, Kate Harline, Jane Larson, Jennifer Pike, Jessica Pixler, Natty Plunkett. Western Oregon - Ashley Potter. Western Washington - Lauren Breihof, Monika Gruszecki, Rachael Johnson, Courtney Olson.

MEN: Alaska Anchorage - Micah Chelimo, Alfred Kangogo, Bradley Truax. Central Washington - Tyler Fischer. Seattle Pacific - Chad Meis, Nate Seely. Western Oregon - Chris Reed. Western Washington -Tim Clendaniel, Alex Harrison, Jordan Welling.

Softball: CWU Names Holtman Head Coach

Holtman

Mallory Holtman, who served as a graduate assistant coach the past two seasons, has been selected as the third head coach in the history of Central Washington University's softball program

"Mallory is a rising star in the sport of softball," CWU athletic director Jack Bishop said. "She has been the face of this program (as a player and as a graduate assistant coach) for quite a long time now.

"She bleeds Central softball and we are very excited about the direction in which she can lead this program (as head coach) for years to come."

Holtman, 25, has been involved with the CWU program for more than one-third of its 18-year existence.

The White Salmon, Wash., native played five seasons (2004-08 including a medical hardship season in 2005) before joining the coaching staff.

After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from CWU in 2008, Holtman enrolled in the athletic administration graduate program at Central Washington and embarked on her first collegiate coaching stint.

Over the past two seasons as a graduate assistant coach for longtime Wildcat mentor Gary Frederick, Holtman was responsible for coaching the hitters and infielders and assisted with recruiting of student-athletes.

Central set school records for single-season victories both years in which Holtman assisted, totaling 73 wins over the 2009 and 2010 seasons and earning the program's first-ever postseason berth this past spring. She completed requirements for her Master's degree in June.

"You cannot replace an individual like Gary Frederick," Holtman said. "But to be able to have the opportunity to step into his shoes and continue his legacy is truly an honor."

With Holtman's influence, Central shattered the previous single-season school record for batting average (.337), runs scored (312), and home runs (50) this past season.

The Wildcat defense also posted a .959 fielding percentage in 2010 -- the second-best mark in the program's history. She was also an integral part in the recruitment of three of the program's top performers from the 2010 squad in transfers Kelsey Haupert, Samantha Petrich and GNAC Pitcher of the Year Lauren Hadenfeld.

As a player, Holtman set numerous school statistical records and capped her career by earning GNAC Player of the Year honors as a senior.

One of only two players in conference history to earn first-team all-GNAC honors four times, she batted .365 with school-record totals of 35 home runs, 128 runs batted in and 206 hits.

During her final season as a student-athlete, she was also instrumental in putting Central Washington University and Ellensburg on the national map, when her act of sportsmanship in assisting an injured Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon University during a game garnered national and international media attention.

Holtman, former teammate Liz Wallace, and Tucholsky all received ESPY Awards in July, 2008 for their involvement in the sportsmanship act.

Holtman becomes just the third head coach the program has known since becoming an intercollegiate varsity sport in 1993.

Nancy Katzer coached the Wildcats for two seasons before Frederick took over coaching duties prior to the 1995 season and guided the program for the next 16 years. All three head coaches in the program's history are alumni of CWU.

Tuesday, July 27

Football: Reilly Signs With BC Lions

Former Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly has been signed to the practice squad of the British Columbia Lions.

Reilly, who had signed with the Seattle Seahawks in May but was released just after one week, will join a BC Lions roster that already has three quarterbacks -- former Division I standouts Casey Printers, Travis Lulay, and Jarious Jackson -- on its roster.

The Lions, who are in Week 5 of a 19-week season in the Canadian Football League, will be the fifth professional organization with whom Reilly has been affiliated over the past 15 months.

Reilly originally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in April,2009 and also spent time with the Green Bay Packers and St. Louis Rams during the 2009 NFL season. He was claimed off waivers by Seattle in May 2010 but was released after the Seahawks signed pro veteran J.P. Losman.

Reilly is now one of two former Wildcats to be playing professional football in North America. Former CWU quarterback Jon Kitna is a longtime NFL veteran currently playing with the Dallas Cowboys.

One of Reilly's former teammates, defensive back Courtney Smith, had signed with the Baltimore Ravens in May but has since been released by the club.

AVCA: Nanooks, Vikings Earn Academic Award

Alaska Fairbanks and Western Washington University have earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for the 2009-10 season.

The Nanooks and Vikings were the only NCAA Division II West Region teams to receive the award, which goes to schools with cumulative team GPAs of 3.30. Nationally only 55 Division II teams were honored.

Alaska Fairbanks led all GNAC schools with a 3.47 GPA, while Western Washington finished second with a 3.31 GPA.

Thursday, July 22

Basketball: Saints, MSUB Rank In WBCA Top 25

Saint Martin's and Montana State Billings both ranked in the WBCA's Top 25 in team grade point averages in Division II during the 2009-10 season

The Saints ranked fourth with a 3.59 GPA, while the Yellowjackets finished 19th with a team GPA of 3.451. 

Michigan Tech led the way with an impressive 3.732 average, followed by Chadron State (3.641) and Rockhurst University (3.635). 

Wednesday, July 21

Football: Three CWU Home Games To Be on SWX-TV

SWX-TV will televise three home Central Washington University football games this fall including the Wildcats' season opener against the University of Minnesota Duluth on Aug. 28. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

Central finished the 2009 regular season ranked No. 1 nationally and was the only undefeated team in Division II football. Earlier this summer, Sporting News ranked the Wildcats seventh in its 2010 pre-season national ranking.

SWX's coverage area is from the Cascade Mountains to northern Idaho, and from the U.S.-Canada border to as far south as Umatilla and Wallowa counties in northeast Oregon.

In addition to the opener, CWU's Sept. 18 game against Dixie State and its Nov. 6 contest against Simon Fraser will be televised.

“It will be great to have a significant presence in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, as we have a strong following in that area,” said CWU head coach Blaine Bennett .

“The exposure on SWX will also allow for a greater base of people within our region to see the quality of football that is played at the Division II level,” Bennett said.

Saturday, July 17

Football: Another ESPY For Former GNAC Athlete

Charleston

Another former Western Oregon University football player has won an ESPY award.

Jeff Charleston, who played for the Wolves for three seasons before completing his career at Idaho State, earn an ESPY at the 18th annual awards with the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints as the Best Team of the Year.

Two years ago former Western Oregon tight end Kevin Boss and his New York Giant teammates won ESPYs for "Best Game" and "Best Upset".

In all six GNAC athletes have won ESPYs in recent years.

In 2008, Mallory Holtman and Liz Wallace of Central Washington and Sara Tucholsky of Western Oregon earned an ESPY in the "Best Moment" category was the act of sportsmanship in a Western Oregon - Central Washington softball game.

Holtman and Wallace carried Tucholsky around the bases to complete her home run trot after Tucholsky went down with a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rounding first base. Montana State Billings softball player Shay Oberg also won a ESPY in the "Best Female Athlete with a Disability" award.

Softball: Vikings Name Ex-Husky New Coach

“Amy has an outstanding resume, and I believe that she is the right person to take our program to the next level,” said WWU athletic director Lynda Goodrich said.

“She’s had a variety of experiences both as a coach and teacher of the game. Her educational background is outstanding and her passion for softball shines through.”

The 29-year-old Suiter, who coached at her alma mater Mount Vernon (Wash.) High School last spring, was the interim head coach at Texas Tech in 2009 after three years as an assistant for the Red Raiders.

Suiter (maiden name Hanson) attended the University of Washington where she was a catcher for the nationally ranked Huskies. She was the team captain as a junior and senior, team co-MVP as a junior, Golden Glove award winner as a senior, and most improved as a freshman.

Washington qualified for NCAA post-season play in each of Suiter’s four years there, participating in the College World Series in 2000 and 2003.

After graduating from Washington in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Suiter was co-owner of a softball/baseball academy in Redmond, Wash., for two years working with individuals and teams ranging from ages 8-18.

Suiter was named an assistant coach at Texas Tech in 2006. She is currently working on a doctorate degree in Educational Psychology with an emphasis on sports psychology.

Suiter, who officially begins her duties at Western on August 1, and husband Dustin, have a daughter, Haley, seven months.

A 1999 graduate of Mount Vernon, Suiter was a four-year Skagit Valley Herald all-Area and all-league pick for Bulldogs. She becomes the fourth coach in the history of Western’s softball program which began in 1993.

Suiter replaces Lonnie Hicks, who resigned last May after nine seasons as Western’s coach. The Vikings posted a 27-25 record in 2010 and placed third in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings at 22-17.

Friday, July 16

Academics: Pixler Wins All-Sports Academic Award

Jessica Pixler, a 12-time NCAA Division II champion who earlier this month earned academic All-American honors for track and field and cross country, has been named the overall Academic All-American of the Year by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and ESPN The Magazine.

Pixler received the top national honor in the College Division (NCAA Divisions II and III and NAIA schools). Swimmer Justine Schluntz of Arizona was the University Division winner.

“I am honored to receive this award,” Pixler said. “It has been a privilege to compete these past four years for Seattle Pacific. I owe my success to the support of my coaches and teachers.”

In the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine program, 12 Academic All-America teams are selected each year at both the College and University (NCAA Division I) levels -- men's and women's track and field and cross country, soccer and basketball, along with football, baseball, softball, and men's and women's at-large (sports that are not among the aforementioned).

From each of those teams, an individual Academic All-America of the Year is chosen -- as was Pixler for women's track and field. Those 12 individuals are then considered for the overall Academic All-America of the Year honor.

Pixler was chosen from a remarkable field that had an average GPA of 3.94.

Pixler is the most decorated cross country and track and field athlete in Seattle Pacific history. Her 12 NCAA titles included three in cross country, four in the indoor track mile, one in the indoor 5,000 meters, three in the outdoor 1,500 meters, and one as a member of the indoor distance medley relay.

Her collection in the just-concluded school year included cross country, the indoor mile and distance medley, and the outdoor 1,500.

The recipient of an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, Pixler was named as the GNAC Athlete of the Year in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track this year. During her career, she was named as the GNAC Athlete of the Year 10 times out of a possible 12 opportunities.

Pixler will use that NCAA postgrad scholarship at the University of Colorado during the upcoming school year. She also will run one season of outdoor track for the Buffs, as she has one year of eligibility remaining in that sport, due to missing her sophomore outdoor season at SPU with an injury.

In addition to winning the GNAC Athlete of the Year award in cross country four times, she was also honored as the GNAC Athlete of the Year in indoor track four times and won the outdoor track award twice. She also was this year's GNAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

"Every year, there are more than 14,000 outstanding scholar-athletes nominated for Academic All-America recognition in 24 programs,” said Bentley University's Dick Lipe, the chairman of the CoSIDA Academic All-America Committee.

“The Academic All-America® of the Year awards are the epitome of what it means to be a successful Scholar-Athlete. It is an incredible honor to be selected as the best of the best and we congratulate Justine and Jessica on their remarkable awards.”

Pixler joins an elite group that includes former overall winners Rebecca Lobo and Stacey Dales-Schuman from women's basketball, Peyton Manning and Chad Pennington from football, and Emeka Okafor from men's basketball.

Monday, July 12

Track and Field: Pixler To Finish Career at Colorado

She moved here with her family at age 7. Her parents both ran track for the Buffs (dad Jeff was an 800-meter man; mom Nancy specialized in the 1,500).

“I was kind of looking at a couple other schools, But I think the big thing for me was I really have a family tradition there,” Pixler said of choosing Colorado. “Most of my aunts and uncles went there. I took my visit there and it went really well. I really liked the coaches and the team.”

The feeling was mutual, according Wetmore.

“The thing we can do for her is to help her take another step in improving,” he said. “An athlete her age will naturally get better and better with another year of age and growth and maturity."

Pixler, Anderberg on CoSIDA Academic All-American Team

Jessica Pixler and Lisa Anderberg have been selected to the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic Track and Field and Cross Country All-America team.

The two were the only GNAC athletes selected to the team. Pixler, who was a first team selection, received the Academic All-America of the Year for the College Division. Anderberg was a second team pick.

Pixler earned her third CoSIDA Academic All-America award. She was also a first team pick in 2008 and was named to the second team in 2009.

She is the first GNAC athlete in any sport to receive three CoSIDA Academic All-American awards and is also the first to be named to the first time on two different occasions.

First Team - Jessica Pixler, SPU (English, Sr., 3.93, Sammamish, WA). Second Team - Lisa Anderberg, SPU (Global Development Studies, Sr., 3.92, Edmonds, WA).

Friday, July 9

Track and Field: Porter Wins 10K at NACAC

Mexico’s Dianna Cisneros was second in 36:59.66. Team USA runner Amanda Goetschius was third in 37:18.81 and Mexico’s Beatriz S. Hernandes was fourth in 39:43.05.

Porter was selected for the NACAC meet by Team USA after posting one of the two fastest times in the country for women 23 years of age and under.

The NACAC Athletic Association's U23 Championships are held every two years in one of the 32 member nations of the North America, Central America and Caribbean Athletic Association, one of six regional athletics associations affiliated with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Porter, who will be a senior at Western this fall, competed in the 10,000 at the USA Championships last month, but failed to finish as the heat and humidity stalled her attempt for a personal best time.

Men's Golf: Dailly All-America Scholar

Western Washington's Xavier Dailly, a junior from Burlington, has been named a NCAA Division II Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar.

Dailly, a business administration-finance major, is maintaining a 3.89 (4.0 scale) grade point average.

A graduate of Burlington-Edison High School , Dailly led the Vikings with a 72.3 scoring average, placing among the top 10 individually in six of nine regular-season tournaments.  He also took medalist honors at the GNAC Championships.

A transfer from Washington State, Dailly earned Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) PING All-America honorable mention in late May was named 2010 GNAC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

Western won its third straight GNAC title last spring and tied for seventh at the Central/West Super Regional.  The Vikings ranked No.20 nationally in the final GCAA Top 25.

NCAA: Anderberg Earns Post-Graduate Scholarship

In March, Jessica Pixler, Jane Larson and Suzie Strickler were named post-grad scholarship winners.

Anderberg finished with a 3.92 grade-point average while participating in three sports. Last November, she was part of the Falcons' cross country team that came home from the NCAA Division II national meet with the fourth-place trophy.

During the winter, she ran the third leg (800 meters) on the indoor track 4,000-meter distance medley relay team that won the NCAA championship.

She capped her Falcon career this spring on the outdoor track with an eight-place -- and All-American -- finish in the NCAA 800 meters.

Seattle Pacific student-athletes now have won 29 NCAA post-grad scholarships. The four won for the just-completed school year is the highest single-year total in school history.

Football: CWU Ranked Seventh In Pre-Season

Central Washington, which won a school-record 12 games last season, is ranked seventh in the 2010 Sporting News Division II preseason national poll.

The Wildcats were the top-ranked team in Division II football at the conclusion of the 2009 regular season and were ranked third nationally at the conclusion of the playoffs.

CWU advanced to the Division II quarterfinals, losing 21-20 to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State. Central returns seven starters and 32 total lettermen from last season's squad.

Friday, June 25

Track & Field: Porter Competes at USA Championships

She ran a school-record time of 33:36.83, placing 15th in the 10,000 at the Stanford Payton Jordan Invitational, one of the nation’s elite meets. That bettered her previous personal-best time by nearly 54 seconds .

In 2009-10, Porter earned All-America honors in three sports for the second straight year, placing second in the 10,000 at the NCAA II national outdoor championships and being runner-up at the cross country nationals..

Porter earned All-America honors in both the 10,000 and 5,000 at outdoor nationals, placing third in the latter event with a school-record time of 16:23.52.

Last winter, she set school indoor records in the 3000 (9:44.31) 5,000 (16:47.07) and distance medley relay (11:46.27). She placed fourth at nationals in the 5,000 (17:26.05) and helped the distance medley relay finish seventh (12:02.32),

In all, Porter has made nine national championship appearances during her three-year career, going three times each in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. She shared WWU Female Athlete of the Year honors in 2008-09.

Porter next competes at the North America Central America Caribbean Championships on July 9-11 at Miramar, Florida, as part of the NACAC U23 team.

Thursday, June 24

National All-Sports: WWU Sixth In National Rankings

Goodrich

Paced by a sixth straight national title in women's rowing and fourth and eighth place national finishes in men's and women's cross country teams, Western Washington placed sixth among 310 NCAA Division II schools in the final 2009-10 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings.

Western's sixth-place national finish is the highest ever national finish by a GNAC school and led all West Region schools, beating out UC San Diego which was eighth with 626 points.

The previous best-ever finish by a GNAC school was Western Washington's 10th place last year.

“I'm ecstatic about our finish and where that puts us among the best programs in Division II,” said WWU Director of Athletics Lynda Goodrich.  “That certainly reaches our goal of being among the Top 20, and hopefully this stretch of Top 10 finishes will continue for some time.”

Western finished with 642 3/4 points, 206 1/2 of those in the spring, 146 in the fall and 191 1/4 in the winter.

The Vikings tied for 14th in the women's division and tied for 16th in the men's division at the indoor track and field nationals, and the men's and women's outdoor track and field teams both tied for 18th at nationals.

Western reached the regional semifinals in men's basketball and the first round in women's basketball.  The women's golf squad placed seventh at the Super West Regional and the men's golf team tied for seventh at the Central/West Super Regional.

Grand Valley State captured its fifth straight Division II championship with 1021 1/2 points. 

Western, which was the GNAC combined sports team champion for 2009-10, won league titles in men's cross country, men's golf and men's outdoor track & field.  The Vikings also took the Northwest Collegiate Rowing Conference championship.

Three other GNAC teams - Seattle Pacific (24th), Alaska Anchorage (46th) and Alaska Fairbanks (99th) - all finished in the Top 100.

Learfield Sports Directors Cup (Final Standings) - 1. Grand Valley State MI 1021 1/2, 6. Western Washington 642 3/4, 24. Seattle Pacific 447, 46. Alaska Anchorage 345 1/2, 99. Alaska Fairbanks 206, 127. Central Washington 160 1/2, 208. Western Oregon 38 1/2, 210. Montana State Billings 37, 233. Saint Martin's 5.

Tuesday, June 22

Sportmanship: Walker, Hansen Earn Awards

Walker	Hansen

Alaska Anchorage men's basketball player Brandon Walker and Montana State Billings women's basketball player Rachel Hansen have been selected the winners of the seventh annual GNAC NCAA Sportsmanship award.

Walker and Hansen are now finalists for the 2010 NCAA Division II National Sportsmanship award, which honors one male and one female athlete (or team) from each of the three NCAA divisions who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior.

Walker, a junior from Hayward, Calif., has been a two-year starter for Alaska Anchorage. This past season he led the Seawolves in scoring (15.4) and ranked second in assists with 64 in earning first team all-league honors. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds per game.

In his sophomore season, Walker averaged 11.4 points per game and 5.7 rebounds. In two seasons, he has scored 747 points and also has 310 rebounds and 101 assists.

“Brandon has been the consummate student-athlete in his two years,” UAA coach Rusty Osborne said. “Brandon just plays the game and does not argue with officials. He is a model citizen on and off the court and represents UAA with class, character and dignity wherever he goes.”

Walker received the 2009-10 Bob Zundel Memorial Trophy which goes annually to the UAA men's basketball player who displays the best sportsmanship and integrity.

“Brandon has been a great role model for both his teammates and young fans alike,” Osborne said. “He has done an especially good job working with young people during camps and clinics and he has participated in UAA's annual ‘Reading with the Seawolves' Day.”

Hansen, who was a part-time starter for Montana State Billings last winter, spearheaded the “Threes for Susan” fundraiser that helped raise money to pay for medical costs incurred by local resident Susan Costello in her battle with breast cancer.

Hansen sought out donations from local business and MSUB fans for every three-pointer made during MSUB's non-conference schedule. A total of $3500 was raised in the fundraiser that coincided with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association “Think Pink” program.

In addition to the fundraiser, Hansen, a fifth-year senior from Lola, Mont., has consistently demonstrated sportsmanship and ethical behavior in her daily participation in intercollegiate athletics while at the same time maintaining a 3.47 GPA and twice earning GNAC Academic all-conference honors.

Hansen, who majored in biology and served on MSUB's Student Athletic Advisory Committee for three years, was MSUB's co-captain last winter.

“During her career, she exemplified the values of respect, caring, fairness, civility, honesty, integrity and responsibility by taking time out of her busy schedule to volunteer in the community as an elementary school reading tutor, volunteer basketball coach and volunteer at a local hospital's pediatric clinic,” MSUB women's basketball coach Kevin Woodin said.

Monday, June 21

NCAA: Three Earn Women of the Year Nominations

Pixler	Coon	Gruwell

Track and field and cross country standout Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific University and basketball player Tamar Gruwell of Alaska Anchorage have been chosen as the GNAC candidates for the 20th annual NCAA Woman of the Year award.

In addition, Audrey Coon of Western Washington earned an at-large nomination for the award. Coon competed in rowing for the Vikings, which isn't an officially recognized GNAC sport.

The NCAA Woman of the Year award honors senior student-athletes for their collegiate achievements in service, leadership, athletics and academics.

Later this summer 30 finalists – 10 from each of the NCAA's three divisions – will be named. The top nine – three each from Divisions I, II and III - will be honored and the 2010 NCAA Woman of the Year announced at a dinner in Indianapolis on Oct. 17.

Pixler (Sammamish, WA) had a spectacular year winning four national titles in three sports and earning NCAA Division II National Athlete of the Year honors in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field

Last fall she won her fourth straight GNAC cross country title, her fourth straight regional title and her third straight national title becoming the first female in Division II history to win three individual titles and only the third in any division to accomplish that feat.

She won the conference title in a time of 21:03, then added regional and national titles in times of 20:08.9 and 20:22.6. Both her conference and regional times established course records.

Last winter, she won her fourth straight NCAA Indoor national title in the mile in a time of 4:46.42 and also led the Falcons to a national title in the distance medley relay. She ran the anchor leg as the Falcons posted a winning time of 11:29.88.

In the indoor conference meet, she won the 800 meters and mile in meet-record times of 2:08.28 and 4:40.39, respectively, and also led SPU to a conference title in the distance medley relay in a time of 11:36.32.

This spring she won the 1500 meters at the NCAA national meet – her 12 th career national title - with a time of 4:15.43 after earlier sweeping the 800 and 1500 meters at the conference meet with meet-record times of 2:06.38 and 4:24.01 and anchoring SPU to a win the 4x400 relay in a time of 3:53.78.

In addition to winning 12 national titles including three in cross country, six in indoor track and three in outdoor track, she won 10 career GNAC Athlete-of-the-Year awards, including four in cross country (2006-09), four in Indoor Track and Field (2007-10) and two in Outdoor Track and Field (2007, 2010).

Pixler was selected the GNAC Athlete and Scholar-Athlete of the Year. An English major, she posted a cumulative GPA of 3.93 and three different times was selected the USTFCCCA Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and twice earned the award for Indoor Track and Field.

Gruwell (Fairfield, CA) averaged 11.1 points and made 74 of 187 three-pointers in earning second team all-conference honors last winter for Alaska Anchorage in earning Team MVP honors.

In 2008-09, she averaged 7.0 points a game on a UAA team that reached the NCAA Division II national semifinals for the second year in a row and posted a 31-4 record. She earned all-tournament honors in the NCAA West Regionals.

Academically she majored in history and earned a 3.93 GPA. She was selected to the Dean's List and Chancellor's List and was a GNAC All-Academic selection. She also serviced on the UAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and participated in the UAA Blood Drive and “Reading With the Seawolves” program.

Coon (Anchorage, AK) led Western Washington to three consecutive rowing national titles between 2007 and 2009 and was a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-American in 2009. During her three years in Varsity 8 shell, the Vikings did not lose to a non-Division I school.

Academically, she earned a 3.96 GPA earning a degree in Spanish and Elementary Education, graduating Magna Cum Laude last December. Among her numerous academic awards, she twice earned CoSIDA Academic All-American honors and was a three-time CoSIDA District 8 Academic all-district selection.

Wednesday, June 16

Cross Country: Spokane To Host NCAA Nationals

The 2011 and 2013 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships will be held in Spokane, Wash., the NCAA Division II Championship Committee announced earlier this week.

The championships will be co-hosted by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the Spokane Regional Sports Commission in partnership with the Plantes Ferry Athletic Complex and the Mirabeau Park Hotel.

The 2011 championships will be held Saturday, Nov. 19 at the Plantes Ferry Sports Complex. The 2013 championships will be Saturday, Nov. 23 at the same site.

“We are always excited and honored anytime we have the opportunity to host an NCAA Championship in our community,” Eric Sawyer, President and CEO of the Spokane Regional Sports Commission said.

“But, in this community, a community that really values and appreciates cross country running, excited and honored would be understatements,” Sawyer added.

“Over the past few years, the GNAC has established itself as one of the top two or three Division II cross country running conferences in the country so we are very pleased the NCAA has awarded us the national championships,” GNAC Commissioner Richard Hannan said.

“We are excited about working with Eric Sawyer, Chris Frye (Vice President of Sports Marketing and Research for the Sports Commission) and the Spokane Sports Commission in bringing two more NCAA national championships to Spokane,” Hannan said.

The Spokane Regional Sports Commission has a strong track record in hosting cross country national championships as well as various other national events.

It hosted the 2010 USA Cross Country Nationals last spring and is slated to host the 2010 and 2011 USATF 15 kilometer Trail Running National Championships. It also hosted the 2008 USA Club Cross Country Nationals, the 2008 USATF Masters Track and Field Championships and the 2006 USATF Junior Olympic Cross Country National Championships.

Last fall, five GNAC teams qualified for the NCAA Division II cross country national championships. In the women's division, Seattle Pacific (4th), Alaska Anchorage (5th) and Western Washington (8 th) all placed in the Top 10 and the top two individual finishers – Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific (1st) and Sarah Porter of Western Washington (2nd) – were GNAC athletes.

Western Washington and Alaska Anchorage, meanwhile, earned fourth and 17th place finishes in the men's division.

Tuesday, June 15

GNAC OKs Basketball, Soccer Tournaments

Hannan

The Great Northwest Athletic Conference Management Council has approved inaugural post-season conference championship tournaments in men's and women's basketball and men's and women's soccer, GNAC Commissioner Richard Hannan announced Tuesday.

The first basketball tournaments will be held this coming season, however the first soccer events will not be held until Nov., 2011 due to conflicts with previously scheduled contests.

The GNAC has been just one of two NCAA Division II conferences (along with the PacWest Conference) that has not held a basketball post-season tournament to determine its automatic qualifiers for the NCAA tournament.

All games in the two basketball tournaments will be played at host sites. Eight men's teams and eight women's teams will compete in the opening round on Saturday, Feb. 26 with the top four regular-season finishers hosting games.

The two highest surviving seeds will host semifinal games on Tuesday, Mar. 1. The top remaining men's and women's seed will then host the championship games on Saturday, Mar. 5.

The soccer tournaments will include four men's and four women's teams and will be held at a site to be determined. The women's tournament will determine the GNAC's automatic berth in the playoffs. Currently no automatic berth to the NCAA playoffs is granted in men's soccer.

“We're really excited about adding post-season tournaments in basketball this coming season and in soccer in 2011,” Hannan said. “We're still a fairly young conference and we see this as another step in the continual growth and development of our conference.

“This is something the athletic directors and our Management Council have examined for years,” Hannan said. “Due to travel challenges because of our geographical setting we have been unable to move forward.

“The Management Council felt it was time to explore this format and the opportunities it presents.”

Basketball: Simon Fraser Hires Blake As New Coach

James Blake

James Blake has been named the new head coach of the men's basketball team at Simon Fraser University. Blake is the sixth head coach in the 45-year history of men's basketball at SFU. He replaces Scott Clark, who resigned in May.

“We are extremely pleased to have James Blake join the Simon Fraser University athletics family,” said SFU Senior Director of Athletics Dr. David Murphy.

“It's an exciting time for the men's basketball program, and the breadth of James' playing and coaching experience matches perfectly with our department as we transition into NCAA Division II and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.”

Last season Blake was the associate head coach at Columbia College. Prior to that opportunity, Blake spent two seasons as an assistant coach helping California State University, Northridge (NCAA Division I) win two Big West Titles, and earned an NCAA Tournament first round appearance against Memphis in 2009. 

Before moving to Northridge, Blake served as the head assistant men's basketball coach at California State Stanislaus.

“I can't wait to get started,” said Blake. “I'm extremely excited to have this opportunity. I've talked to the majority of returning players and to the incoming players and I look forward to working with each of them.”

Blake hails from Victoria and played collegiately at Brandon (1995-97) and for the University of Victoria (1998-2000). Blake graduated from Victoria with a B.A. degree in History, and later graduated from the Masters Coaching Program at The National Coaching Institution in Victoria.

“Recruiting is my number one priority right now, I will be all over Canada and the U.S. during the July recruiting period, as well as burning the phone lines to chase down players,” says Blake.

“I have coached Canadian players in the U.S. and they have all said that if there was an NCAA school in Canada they would have loved the opportunity to stay at home and play NCAA basketball in Canada.”

Monday, June 14

Baseball: Keitzman, Pettit Selected In Free-Agent Draft

Keitzman	Pettit

Western Oregon pitchers Blake Keitzman and Jacob Pettit were selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur draft last week.

Keitzman was picked by the Colorado Rockies in the 27th round. Keitzman (6-0, 190, Roseburg, OR) went 830rd overall in the draft and was the 14th pitcher and the fourth lefty of the day selected by the Rockies.

This season, Keitzman was named to the All-West region team on both the Daktronics and National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association ballots after posting a record of 7-3 and a 3.84 earned run average.

He also led the GNAC with eight complete games in 12 starts. He struck out 76 batters in 75 innings, while issuing only 23 walks.

Keitzman was also selected in the 2009 draft, by the Seattle Mariners, but decided to return to Western Oregon for his senior season. He came to WOU after spending his first two season in the Oregon State bullpen.

Pettit was selected in the 42nd round by the Baltimore Orioles.

Pettit (6-1, 185, Orting, WA) was the 2010 GNAC Pitcher of the Year after posting a league-record 1.80 earned run average to go along with a 7-1 record.

He ended the season with 20 consecutive scoreless innings and was named to all three all-regional teams. Opponents hit just .238 off of him and he tied for the conference lead in wins and shutouts.

Pettit came to WOU after two seasons at Green River Community College. He was the 1,258 overall pick.

Brown Not Returning at Montana State Billings

Chris Brown will not be returning as the head baseball coach at Montana State Billings for the 2011 season.

“We appreciate everything Coach Brown did to get baseball re-launched at MSUB back in 2005-06,” MSUB athletic director Dr. Gary Gray said. 

Brown posted an 88-162 record overall in five seasons at MSUB.  He was hired in 2005 to begin recruiting and reinstate the baseball program after a 30-year hiatus in 2006. 

Brown guided the Yellowjackets to two 24-win seasons in 2007 and 2009.  In 2009, the Yellowjackets finished a school-record 16-16 in the GNAC, placing second.

Prior to MSUB, Brown served as head coach at Bemidji State University where he compiled a 29-61 record in two seasons as head coach. 

He became the first coach to lead the Beavers to back-to-back 10-plus win seasons in conference play for the first time in the program's 54-year history.

Friday, June 11

Women's Basketball: Burgess New Coach at UAF

Cody Burgess has been named the head women's basketball coach at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Burgess is the 11th coach in program history.

"Cody has the plan, passion and broad support necessary to provide the foundation that Nanook women's basketball has been missing,” said UAF athletic director Forrest Karr.

“She is an emerging leader that brings integrity, trust, stability and coaching ability to the job, and I cannot imagine a better candidate for this position."

A UAF alumnae, Burgess was a power forward for the Nanooks between 2002 and 2005.  She brings nine years of combined playing and coaching experience at a diverse range of college levels, and hands on knowledge of Fairbanks and UAF to the position.

"This is an exciting time in my life to be coming back to coach at Alaska,” said Burgess. “My playing experience was positive and memorable. I hope to offer that same experience to the young women I will be coaching.”

This season she was an assistant coach at Moberly Area Community College (Moberly, MO). She helped guide the Lady Greyhounds to a 17-14 record.

Prior to MACC, Burgess spent two seasons as an assistant coach at NAIA William Woods University.

After closing out her collegiate career Burgess spent one season as the girl's basketball assistant coach for North Pole High School.

As a player, Burgess led the GNAC in scoring during the 2003 and 2005 seasons, earning second team all-league honors each season. She holds GNAC career records for scoring average in all games (19.3) and in league games (20.0).

Before playing at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Burgess played two seasons at Wenatchee Valley College where she was a NWAACC all-star.

Burgess received her Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management from UAF and a Master's in Education in Athletic Administration at William Woods University.

“There is a lot of work ahead for all involved,” added Burgess, “but I am confident that I can lead the program in the right direction. I am blessed to have this opportunity and look forward to the journey ahead."

Wednesday, June 9

All-Sports: Spevak, Charles Earn Top Awards

Spevak	Charles

Central Washington football standout Johnny Spevak and men's soccer All-American Sam Charles of Montana State Billings have been selected the 2009-10 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Male Athlete of the Year and Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, respectively.

Charles is the first male athlete to win the academic award twice, while Spevak is the second CWU football player in as many years to win the Athlete-of-the-Year award. The two awards are chosen by a vote of the athletic directors at the nine Great Northwest Athletic Conference schools.

Spevak, who was also a four-year starter and an outstanding defensive player for CWU's basketball team between 2005-06 and 2008-09, capped a brilliant football career last fall, nearly leading the Wildcats to a berth in the NCAA Division II national semifinals. CWU's only loss of the season was a 21-20 heartbreaker to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State in the quarterfinals.

Spevak, who prepped at Puyallup High School, caught 74 passes for 1,020 yards and 12 touchdowns in earning GNAC Offensive Player of the Year honors and finished his career as the No. 2 all-time leading receiver in NCAA Division II football history with 318 receptions for 4,426 yards and 54 touchdowns.

Spevak was also an outstanding scholar, graduating in the fall of 2009 with a 3.61 GPA and a degree in accounting.

Charles (Chiswell, England - Budmouth Tech) had a brilliant career on the field and in the classroom. He led the GNAC in scoring each of the past three seasons, capping his career by scoring a GNAC single-season record 24 goals and 55 points last season. He led the nation in goals scored and was selected the Ron Lenz Daktronics Division II National Player of the Year.

Charles, who was the runner-up to Spevak in the Athlete-of-the-Year balloting, finished his career with 69 goals, 18 assists and 156 points, including 62 goals, 16 assists and 140 points over the past three seasons. Twice (2007 and 2009) he was voted the GNAC Player of the Year.

In the classroom, the Health and Human Performance major earned a 3.58 GPA and was voted to the second team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American team.

“Sam was a great student-athlete for us,” MSUB coach Dan McNally said. “He helped establish our program as a contender in the West Region over the last three years and he was as dedicated in the classroom as on the soccer field. Sam had an outstanding career and I'm very proud of everything he accomplished.”

Softball: Frederick Resigns at Central Washington

Dr. Gary Frederick, who has been the head coach of the Central Washington for the past 16 seasons, has resigned from the position effective immediately.

Frederick, 72, is coming off the two most successful seasons in the softball program's 18-year history. The Wildcats set school records for victories in a season with 33 in 2009, and then surpassed that mark with a 40-15 record and the program's first-ever conference championship this past spring.

Frederick, who won or shared GNAC Coach of the Year honors each of the past two years, led CWU to the 2010 NCAA Division II West Region Tournament, where the Wildcats lost to eventual national champion Hawaii Pacific.

“I have enjoyed my many, many years coaching at Central,” Frederick said, “and I would like to remain active with the program in any way that I can. I am still healthy, still love coaching, and would like to be able to stay involved (with the program) should the opportunity present itself.”

Frederick, a 1959 Central graduate who later added a Master's degree from the university in 1965 and a Doctorate in Education from Idaho in 1974, has been a head coach in the CWU Athletic Department for all but five years since returning to Ellensburg in 1967.

He spent 11 seasons as the head baseball coach (1968-78) and 11 more as the head women's basketball coach (1982-93), and was the school's athletic director from 1980-99.

He won a total of 718 games, including 234 in baseball where he coached future major leaguers Dave Heaverlo and Billy North, 164 in basketball and 320 in softball.

Among the many accomplishments of Frederick's career include inductions into the CWU Athletics Hall of Fame as an individual and as the head coach of three Wildcat teams -- the 1968 and 1970 baseball teams, and the 1987-88 women's basketball squad -- as well as a 1997 induction into the NAIA Hall of Fame.

Frederick was also the NAIA National Administrator of the Year for 1988-89 and spent one year on sabbatical leave from CWU to serve as the Interim Director of Championships for the NAIA in 1992-93. The softball field on the CWU campus was also renamed in honor of Frederick and his late wife, Bobbi, in April 2009.

Tuesday, June 8

All-Sports: Pixler Voted Top Athlete, Scholar-Athlete

Pixler

Seattle Pacific's Jessica Pixler, who won four national titles in three sports and was selected the NCAA Division II National Athlete of the Year in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field, has been selected the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Year for the third time in the past four seasons.

Pixler also has been voted the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year joining volleyball player Liz Bishop of Western Washington as the only athlete to sweep the two major season-ending conference awards. Bishop won both during the 2003-04 season.

The awards are voted upon by the athletic directors at the GNAC's nine member institutions. Pixler also won the GNAC Athlete-of-the-Year award in her freshman (2006-07) and junior seasons (2008-09) and is the only athlete to win that award more than once.

"Her receiving both of these awards really sums it up as far as how incredibly gifted Jessica is, and that she is being rewarded for that hard work,” SPU cross country coach Erika Daligcon said. “ She has that work ethic and has demonstrated it, not only on the athletic field but in the classroom. This is a fitting tribute to what she has displayed over the last four years."

Last fall Pixler won her fourth straight GNAC cross country title, her fourth straight regional title and her third straight national title becoming the first female in Division II history to win three individual titles and only the third in any division to accomplish that feat.

She won the conference title in a time of 21:03, then added regional and national titles in times of 20:08.9 and 20:22.6. Both her conference and regional times established course records.

Last winter, she won her fourth straight NCAA Indoor national title in the mile in a time of 4:46.42 and also led the Falcons to a national title in the distance medley relay. She ran the anchor leg as the Falcons posted a winning time of 11:29.88.

In the indoor conference meet, she won the 800 meters and mile in meet-record times of 2:08.28 and 4:40.39, respectively, and also led SPU to a conference title in the distance medley relay in a time of 11:36.32.

This spring she won the 1500 meters at the NCAA national meet – her 12 th career national title - with a time of 4:15.43 after earlier sweeping the 800 and 1500 meters at the conference meet with meet-record times of 2:06.38 and 4:24.01 and anchoring SPU to a win the 4x400 relay in a time of 3:53.78.

In addition to winning 12 national titles including three in cross country, six in indoor track and three in outdoor track, she won 10 career GNAC Athlete-of-the-Year awards, including four in cross country (2006-09), four in Indoor Track and Field (2007-10) and two in Outdoor Track and Field (2007, 2010). She also set conference records during the regular-season in the 800 meters (2:04.89), 1500 (4:11.06) and 5000 (15:44.07).

As spectacular as her running career has been , her academic accomplishments are almost as impressive. Pixler, who is an English major, has a cumulative GPA of 3.93 and three different times was selected the USTFCCCA Cross Country Scholar-Athlete of the Year and twice earned the award for Indoor Track and Field.

Friday, June 4

Track and Field: Pixler Wins National Award

Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific has been named the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

That gives the Falcon senior a sweep of this year's three national awards.

Last fall, the USTFCCCA named Pixler (Sammamish, Wash. - Eastlake) its Cross Country Athlete of the Year for D-2, and in March, she was honored as the Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.

Pixler is just the second woman to win all three of those awards in the same school year. The only one to do so previously was Mandy Zemba of Grand Valley State (Mich.) in 2005-06.

Last weekend at the Division II national outdoor finals in Charlotte, N.C., Pixler won the 1,500 meters for the second straight year and for the third time in her career.

That was Pixler's 12th NCAA championship. In addition to those three in outdoor track, she also won three cross country titles, four indoor mile titles, an indoor 5,000-meter title, and was part of this past winter's victorious indoor distance medley relay team.

Men's Golf: Dailly Earns Ping All-American Honors

Western Washington's Xavier Dailly, a junior from Burlington, received honorable mention recognition on the 2010 Golf Coaches Association of America PING All-America team.

“To be recognized with All-America honors is a tremendous accomplishment for Xavier,” said Western coach Steve Card.  “He had a great year and deserves all the recognition he is receiving.  We are fortunate to have him as part of our team.”

Dailly, a graduate of Burlington-Edison High School , led the Vikings with a 72.3 scoring average, placing among the top 10 individually in six of nine regular-season tournaments.  He also took medalist honors at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships.

A transfer from Washington State University , Dailly was named GNAC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.

Thursday, June 3

Track and Field: Brown, Pixler Top Athletes

Brown

Ryan Brown of Western Washington and Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific have been selected the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Male and Female Track and Field Athletes of the Year. Both athletes also won the same award earlier this season for Indoor Track and Field.

Brown, a junior from Bellingham, won the NCAA Division II national title last weekend, vaulting a GNAC-record 17-8 ½. That mark is the 10th best this spring among all collegians and was more than a foot higher than the second-place finisher at the national meet.

Earlier he also won the GNAC outdoor title with a vault of 16-10 ¾ and also finished seventh in the high jump with a leap of 5-10 ¾.

Pixler, a senior from Sammamish, won the NCAA national title in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:15.43 after earlier sweeping the 800 and 1500 meters at the conference meet with meet-record times of 2:06.38 and 4:24.01 and anchoring SPU to a win the 4x400 relay in a time of 3:53.78.

The GNAC Athlete of the Year award is the 10th for Pixler, who has won 12 national titles including three in cross country, six in indoor track and three in outdoor track.

She won the GNAC Cross Country Athlete of the Year (2006-09) and the GNAC Indoor Track Athlete of the Year award (2007-10) four times each. It is her second GNAC Outdoor Athlete of the Year award. She previously won it in her freshman season in 2007.

During the regular season, she also set conference records in the 800 meters (2:04.89), 1500 (4:11.06) and 5000 (15:44.07).

Also winning special awards were Crystal Sims of Seattle Pacific, Anthony Zackery of Western Washington, Anthony Wright of Central Washington, Micah Chelimo of Alaska Anchorage and Carolanne Powers of Western Oregon.

Sims and Zackery were voted the GNAC Female and Male Newcomers of the Year, respectively. Wright and Chelimo tied in the balloting for the GNAC Male Freshman of the Year, while Powers was selected the GNAC Female Freshman of the Year.

Honored with GNAC Men's Team and Women's Team Coach of the Year awards were Kelven “Pee Wee” Halsell of Western Washington and Karl Lerum of Seattle Pacific, respectively.

Sims (Jr., Portland, OR) scored 35 points in the conference meet – the ninth highest total in meet history - and won five all-conference awards, the most for any track and field athlete since 2005 to lead Seattle Pacific to the conference team title. She won the heptathlon (4,769), finished second in the 200 (25.37) and 100 hurdles (14.73) and third in the 100 (12.50). She also ran on SPU's winning 4x400 relay team.

Zackery (Jr., Spokane, WA) placed sixth in the 100 meters (11.12) in the conference meet. During the season, he had the eighth best 100-meter time (10.97) and the eighth best long jump (21-11 ½).

Wright (Lakewood, WA) set two conference records and three meet records and had three provisional national qualifying times in the conference meet. He won the 100 in a meet and conference record time of 10.43 and the 200 in a meet-record time of 21.36. He also led CWU to a meet and conference record in the 4x100 relay with a time of 41.10. He finished 10 th in the 100 meters at the national meet in a time of 10.57.

Chelimo (Kapkoi, Kenya) placed seventh in the steeplechase at the national meet in a time of 8:59.23 after winning the same event in the conference meet in a time of 9:02.79. He also placed third in the 5000 (14:46.69) and fourth in the 1500 (3:51.91) at the conference meet. Earlier in the season he set the GNAC record in the steeplechase with a time of 8:49.31.

Powers (Keizer, OR) placed fifth in the national meet in the women's javelin (144-9) after winning the conference title with a meet-record throw of 154-9, which is the third best in conference history.

Halsell, a 1981 graduate of Wayland Baptist, earned the Men's Coach of the Year award. It is his ninth GNAC Coach of the Year award, including four in men's cross country, two in men's indoor track and field, two in men's outdoor track and field and one in women's outdoor track and field.

Lerum, a 1998 graduate of Pacific Lutheran, claimed his seventh GNAC Coach-of-the-Year prize, including his third in Women's Outdoor Track and Field. He also was the Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007. He has won the same award in Indoor Track and Field each of the past four seasons.

Thirteen Named To CoSIDA Academic Team

Thirteen Great Northwest Athletic Conference athletes have been named to the CoSIDA Track and Field and Cross Country Academic all-district team.

Of the 13, 11 were first team selections and are now eligible to be considered for the CoSIDA Academic All-American team.

Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific was selected to the team for the third time, while SPU's Suzie Strickler earned her second all-district selection. She was also voted to the team in 2008. Jordan Welling of Western Washington was a repeat selection from last season.

Men: First Team - Anthony Zackery, WWU (Business Administration & Finance, Sr., 3.93, Spokane, WA); Alex Harrison, WWU (Kineisiology/Pre Physical Therapy, Jr., 3.89, Edmonds, WA); Eric Brill, WWU (English, Jr., 3.86, Kent, WA); Einar Often, UAF (Resource and Applied Economics, Sr., 3.70); Jordan Welling, WWU (Manufacturing, Jr., 3.56, Burlington, WA); Chad Meis, SPU (Electrical Engineering, Sr., 3.51, Renton, WA).

Women: First Team - Suzie Stricker, SPU (Exercise Science, Sr., 3.99, Richland, WA); Jessica Pixler, SPU (English, Sr., 3.93, Sammamish, WA); Lisa Anderberg, SPU (Global Development Studies, Sr., 3.92, Edmonds, WA); Jane Larson, SPU (English, Sr., 3.83, Fall City, WA); Laura Carr, UAA (Art, 3.59, Sr., South Bend, Ind.). Second Team - Theresia Schnurr, UAF (Physics, So., 3.98, Buhlertal, Germany); Natty Plunkett, SPU (Psychology, So., 3.94, Bellevue, WA).

Saturday, May 28

Track and Field: Pixler, Brown Win 1500, Pole Vault

Pixler	Brown

Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific won her 12th NCAA Division II national title in the 1500 meters and Ryan Brown of Western Washington went unchallenged in winning the pole vault Saturday at the NCAA Division II Track and Field championships in Charlotte, N.C.

Pixler won the 1500 in a time of 4:15.43, finishing 7 1/2 seconds ahead of the field. However, she wasn't able to complete a double as she dropped out early in the 800 meters due to pain in her ankle. She came into that event with the top seeded time.

Brown vaulted a school and GNAC record 17-8 1/2, adding 1 1/2 inches to his own school and conference record. He vault was more than a foot higher than the runnerup in the event.

Brown's record was one of three school records set by Western Washington Saturday, though only two earned points. Sarah Porter shaved 16 seconds off her own record in finishing third in the women's 5,000 with a time of 16:23.52. That mark ranks second in GNAC history.

That made Porter a two-event All-American as she also placed second in the 10,000 on Thursday.

Courtney Olson broke the WWU and GNAC record in the women's steeplechase with a time of 10:35.32, bettering the conference record of 10:36.95 set by Kelly Fullerton of Seattle University in 2005. Olson, however, was just ninth in the race.

Marko Cheseto of Alaska Anchorage joined Porter as the GNAC's only two-event All-American at the national championships, finishing sixth in the men's 5,000 in a time of 14:15.12. He was also sixth in Thursday's 10K.

Porter and Cheseto were among 11 GNAC athletes to earn All-American honors with Top 8 finishes Saturday. That gave the conference a total of 15 for the meet.

The javelin produced four of the 15 as Brittnay Aanstad of Seattle Pacific finished fourth and Western Oregon freshmen Carolanne Powers and Amanda Schumaker of Western Oregon placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in the women's event.

Meanwhile, Alex Harrison of Western Washington earned a fifth-place finish in the men's javelin with a throw of 200-9.

Aanstad, Powers and Schumaker had marks of 145-8, 144-9 and 144-5, respectively.

Other Saturday point earners in addition to Pixler, Brown, Porter, Cheseto and the four javelin throwers were Lisa Anderberg of Seattle Pacific in the women's 800, Alfred Kangogo of Alaska Anchorage in the men's 1500 and UAA's Micah Chelimo in the men's steeplechase.

Anderberg finished eighth in the 800 a time of 2:10.37, while Kangogo was also eighth in the 1500 in a time of 3:49.65. Chelimo placed seventh in the men's steeplechase in a time of 8:59.23.

Alaska Anchorage had the best team finish in the meet among GNAC schools, placing 14th in the men's division with 17 points. Western Washington was 18th with 14 points.

Seattle Pacific finished just ahead of the Vikings in the women's division, placing 17th with 16 points. WWU was 18th with 14 points.

SATURDAY'S RESULTS:

Men's Team Scores - St. Augustine's 82, Abilene Christian 62, Central Missouri 39, Adams State 37, Lincoln (Mo.) 34 (14. Alaska Anchorage 17; 18. Western Washington 14, 57. Central Washington 1). Saturday: 1500 – 8. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 3:49.65. 5000 – 6. Marko Cheseto, UAA, 14:15.12; 9. Jordan Welling, WWU, 14:25.11; 10. Chris Reed, WOU, 14:35.35; 16. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 15:16.00. 3000 Steeplechase – 7. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 8:59.23. Pole Vault – 1. Ryan Brown, WWU, 5.40 - 17-8 1/2. Javelin – 5. Alex Harrison, WWU, 61.20 - 200-9; 10. Nick Wilson, MSUB, 58.19 – 190-11; 15. Nathan Rowlett, WOU, 53.39 - 175-2; 16. Will Crook, WOU, 53.17 - 174-5.

Women's Team Scores - Angelo State 87, Lincoln (Mo.) 73, Grand Valley State 47, Abilene Christian 38, Fort Valley State 29 (17. Seattle Pacific 16, 18. Western Washington 14, 35. Western Oregon 7). Saturday: 800 – 8. Lisa Anderberg, SPU, 2:10.37; 13. Michelle Phillips, NNU, 2:11.26. 1500 – 1. Jessica Pixler, SPU, 4:15.43. 5000 – 3. Sarah Porter, WWU, 16:23.52; 11. Ruth Keino, UAA, 16:44.24; 13. Miriam Kipng'eno, UAA, 16:57.76. Steeplechase – 9. Courtney Olsen, WWU, 10:35.32.Pole Vault – 11. Melissa Peaslee, SPU, 3.63 - 11-10 3/4. Triple Jump – 11. Ashley Potter, WOU, 11.82 - 38-9 1/2; 15. Amanda Alvarez, SPU, 11.60 - 38-0 3/4. Javelin – 4. Brittany Aanstad, SPU, 44.40 - 145-8; 5. Carolanne Powers, WOU, 44.11 - 144-9; 6. Amanda Schumaker, WOU, 44.01 - 144-5; 11. Elisha Harris, UAA, 41.08 - 134-9; 12. Lakiesha Nilles, NNU, 40.05 - 131-5; 17. Jillian Stray, SMU, 37.27 - 122-3.

THURSDAY: Men's Finals: Decathlon - 11. Alex Harrison, WWU, 3280 (100 - 10th, 11.55; Long Jump - 12th, 6.25 - 20-6 1/4; Shot Put - 3rd, 12.34 - 40-6; High Jump - 12th, 1.68 - 5-6; 400 - 7th, 51.60). Hammer – 8. Tyler Fischer, CWU, 58.88 - 193-2; 11. Michael Hoffman, WWU, 57.61 - 189-0. Long Jump - 2. Demietrius Preston, UAA, 7.70 - 25-3 1/4. 10,000 – 6. Marko Cheseto, UAA, 30:36.40; 9. Chris Reed, WOU, 30:52.21; 11. Jordan Welling, WWU, 31:21.70; 14. Bennett Grimes, WWU, 31:37.57. Men's Prelims: 100 - 10. Anthony Wright, CWU, 10.57. 1500 - 4. Alfred Kangogo, UAA. 3:51.32 (advances). Steeplechase - 1. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 8:56.46 (advances). Women's Finals: Hammer – 14. Torrie Self, CWU, 49.54 - 162-6. 10,000 – 2. Sarah Porter, WWU, 34:49.60; 14. Ruth Keino, UAA, 36:28.34; 17. Laura Carr, UAA, 37:43.00. Women's Prelims: 1500 – 1. Jessica Pixler, SPU, 4:28.68 (advances); 13. Miriam Kipng'eno, UAA, 4:36.81. Steeplechase Prelims – 11. Courtney Olsen, WWU, 10:49.85 (advance); 15. Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 10:57.68.

FRIDAY: Decathlon - 10. Alex Harrison, WWU, 6142 (110 Hurdles - 6th, 15.77; Discus - 4th, 37.80 - 124-0; Pole Vault - 3rd, 4.35 - 14-3 1/4; Javelin - 2nd, 59.31 - 194-7; 1500 - 12th, 7:16.62).