Monday, February 11, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – Big weeks are nothing new for either Concordia senior guard Jarrett Gray or Seattle Pacific senior forward Coleman Wooten, but their performances in a pair of sweeps have helped the two share a selection as GNAC Players of the Week.

Gray and Wooten shared selection as the conference’s Men’s Basketball Player of the Week. Gray finished with 42 points and 12 rebounds as he shot 57.1 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from three-point range to lead the Cavaliers to a sweep of Western Oregon and Montana State Billings. Gray’s best game came against the Wolves, leading all scorers with 23 points on 7 of 12 from the field, 4 of 5 from three-point range and 5 of 6 from the free throw line.

Wooten finished with 34 points and 22 rebounds in the Falcons’ road wins at Alaska Anchorage and Alaska, shooting 75 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. Wooten capped the road trip with a double-double of 20 points and 14 rebounds in Saturday’s 89-52 win at Alaska, making 9 of 12 from the field.

Central Washington senior guard Sadie Mensing was named the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after she led the Wildcats with 40 points and 10 rebounds in a road sweep of Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin’s. Mensing led all scorers with 25 points and five rebounds, shooting 12 of 19 from the field, in Thursday’s 74-56 win at Seattle Pacific before scoring 15 points with five rebounds in Saturday’s 84-62 win at Saint Martin’s.

In the last week before the GNAC Indoor Championships, Western Oregon took a sweep of the track awards. Senior Olivia Woods was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she reset her own WOU record in the 400 meters and hit an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier in the 800 meters at the GVSU Big Meet. Woods placed second in the 400 in 56.71 seconds, surpassing her own record of 57.54 set in 2016. Woods was fourth in the 800 meters with a time of 2:09.35.

Junior Justin Crosswhite earned Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors after he notched a 10-second season best in the mile, provisionally qualifying for nationals with a time of 4:10.47. Crosswhite also ran on the Wolves’ distance medley relay team that improved to No. 12 in Division II this season with a time of 9:54.85.

Saint Martin’s freshman Tyler Cronk earned his third Men’s Field Athlete of the Week award of the season after he won the high jump at the Husky Preview on Friday. Cronk became just the second athlete in GNAC history, indoors or outdoors, to clear seven feet in the event with his winning leap of 7 feet, 1 inch.

Northwest Nazarene junior Jackie Mahowald earned Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors after she reset her own school record in the triple jump at the Bronco Challenge. Mahowald finished second with a mark of 38 feet, 5 inches, provisionally qualifying her for nationals and tying her for 10th on the GNAC All-Time List.

The Nighthawks picked up a sweep of the softball weekly awards after going 3-2 at the Courtyard Dixie State Classic. Sophomore Jordan Adams was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after going 2-0, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts in two outings. She threw the 24th no-hitter in GNAC history in Thursday’s 9-0 win over CSU-Pueblo, walking one and striking out eight in the process.

Sophomore Ivy Hommel was named the Softball Player of the Week after she hit .571 in the five games, going 8 for 14 with a double, a home run, four runs, five RBI and six stolen bases. She had two hits in four of the games, led by going 2 for 3 with a home run and two stolen bases in Thursday’s 7-6, eight-inning win over Chadron State.

Northwest Nazarene also had the Baseball Player of the Week in senior infielder Kyle Redford, who led the Nighthawks offensively in season-opening series with Dixie State and Colorado Mesa. His week was topped by a 2 for 3 performance in Friday’s 6-5 win at Dixie State. Central Washington senior Connor Stevenson was named the Baseball Pitcher of the Week after he threw 5.1 innings in a strong start at Academy of Art on Sunday, allowing six hits while striking out two.

Concordia junior Cammie Decker earned the first Women’s Golf Player of the Week of the spring season after she led the Cavaliers to a sixth-place finish at the rain-shortened PLNU Sea Lion Invitational. Decker finished in a five-way tie for 11th, carding a six-over-par 78.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 24
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jarrett Gray(Concordia, G, 6-3, Sr., Beaverton, Ore. – Valley Catholic): Gray led Concordia to a home sweep of Western Oregon and Montana State Billings by scoring 42 points with 12 rebounds, shooting 57.1 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from three-point range. Gray led all scorers with 23 points in Tuesday’s 77-72 win over the Wolves, connecting on 7 of 12 from the field, 4 of 5 from three-point range and 5 of 6 from the free throw line to go with five rebounds. Gray added 19 points in Thursday’s 73-66 win over the Yellowjackets to go with seven rebounds and four assists.

Coleman Wooten (Seattle Pacific, F, 6-5, Sr., Maple Valley, Wash. – Tahoma): Wooten finished with 34 points and 22 rebounds to lead the Falcons to a sweep of their games in Alaska. He shot 75 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. Wooten opened with 14 points and eight rebounds with two assists in Thursday’s 65-64 win at Alaska Anchorage. He then notched a double-double of 20 points and 14 rebounds and shot 9 of 12 from the field in Saturday’s 89-52 win at Alaska. Also Nominated: Gamaun Boykin (Central Washington), Brendan Howard (Montana State Billings), Obi Megwa (Northwest Nazarene), BJ Standley (Saint Martin’s), Jasdeep Singh (Simon Fraser), Kaleb Warner (Western Oregon), Trevor Jasinsky (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Sadie Mensing(Central Washington, G, 5-9, Sr., Snohomish, Wash. – Glacier Peak): Mensing led Central Washington to a road sweep of Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific with 40 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, connecting on 66.7 percent from the field. Mensing led all scorers with 25 points and five rebounds in Thursday’s 74-56 win at Seattle Pacific, connecting on 12 of 19 from the field to go with four assists. Mensing then led the Wildcats with 15 points and five rebounds and three assists in Saturday’s 84-62 win at Saint Martin’s. Also Nominated: Keesha Sarman (Concordia), Taryn Shelley (Montana State Billings), Marina Valles (Northwest Nazarene), Bria Thames (Saint Martin’s), Natalie DeLonge (Western Oregon), Emma Duff (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Justin Crosswhite (Western Oregon, Jr., Hood River, Ore. – Hood River Valley): Crosswhite notched an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the mile at the GVSU Big Meet, running 4:10.47 to finish 10th in the 61-man field. The mark is a 10-second season-best and ranks fourth in the GNAC and 25th in Division II. Crosswhite was also part of a WOU distance medley relay team that finished sixth in 9:54.85, a time that is 12th in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Logan Blake (Northwest Nazarene), Jackson Hand (Saint Martin’s), Rowan Doherty (Simon Fraser).

MEN’S FIELD
Tyler Cronk(Saint Martin’s, Fr., Kent, Wash. – Kentridge): Cronk became just the second athlete in GNAC history, indoors or outdoors, to surpass seven feet in the high jump as he won the event at the Husky Classic with a clearance of 7 feet, 1 inch. The mark is No. 4 in Division II this season, an NCAA Championships automatic qualifier and ranks No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List behind the 7 feet, 3.25 inches set in 2017 by Saint Martin’s standout Mikel Smith. Also Nominated: Braydon Maier (Central Washington), J.T. Konrad (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Olivia Woods (Western Oregon, Sr., Troutdale, Ore. – Reynolds): Woods set an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and broke the WOU record in the 400 meters at the GVSU Big Meet. Woods was fourth in the Friday sections of the 800 in a time of 2:09.35, moving her to seventh in Division II this season. On Saturday, Woods finished second in the 400 meters in a time of 56.71 seconds, surpassing her own previous record mark of 57.54 set in 2016. Also Nominated: Alexa Shindruk (Central Washington), Bethany Danner (Northwest Nazarene).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Jackie Mahowald (Northwest Nazarene, Jr., Nine Mile Falls, Wash. – Lakeside): Mahowald reset her own school record and set an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the triple jump at Saturday’s Bronco Challenge. She finished second with a mark of 38 feet, 5 inches, bettering her previous best of 38 feet, 1.5 inches. The performance is tied for 40th in Division II this season and ties Mahowald for 10th on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Heather Faretta (Western Washington).

BASEBALL PLAYER
Kyle Redford (Northwest Nazarene, IF, 6-1, Sr., Meridian, Idaho – Meridian): Redford led the Nighthawks offensively in their season-opening series with Dixie State and Colorado Mesa. Redford’s week was topped by a 2 for 3 performance in Friday’s 6-5 win at Dixie State in which he had two RBI, a run scored and a stolen base. Also Nominated: Trevor Tripoli (Central Washington).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Connor Stevenson (Central Washington, RHP, 5-11, Sr., Camas, Wash. – Mt. Hood CC): Stevenson was effective in his start at Academy of Art on Sunday, allowing just six hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 5.1 innings of his start. He threw 78 pitches.

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Ivy Hommel (Northwest Nazarene, UT, 5-5, So., Kuna, Idaho – Kuna): Hommel led the Nighthawks offensively with a .571 batting average in five games, going 8 for 14 with a double, a home run, four runs, five RBI and six stolen bases as NNU went 3-2 at the Courtyard Dixie State Classic. She had two hits in four of the Nighthawks’ five games. Hommel went 2 for 3 with a home run and a pair of stolen bases in Thursday’s 7-6, eight-inning win over Chadron State and then went 2 for 3 with two more stolen bases in Friday’s 6-2 loss to Metro State. Also Nominated: Theresa Moyle (Central Washington), Emily Benson (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Jordan Adams (Northwest Nazarene, P, 5-8, So., Gig Harbor, Wash. – Gig Harbor): Adams improved to 3-0 on the season as she allowed one run on five hits with two walks and 14 strikeouts to win a pair of games at the Courtyard Dixie State Classic. Adams opened by throwing the 24th no-hitter in GNAC history and just the sixth seven-inning no-hitter by a single pitcher, in a 9-0 win over CSU-Pueblo on Thursday, walking one and striking out eight in the process. She then allowed one run on five hits with a walk and six strikeouts in Friday’s 4-1 win over Western New Mexico. In 18 innings so far this season, Adams has allowed just one earned run. Also Nominated: Lexie Strasser (Central Washington), Sally Bowles (Concordia), Makinlee Sellevold (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S GOLF
Cammie Decker (Concordia, Jr., Keizer, Ore. – McMary): Decker opened the spring season as the top GNAC finisher in a rain-shortened PLNU Sea Lion Invitational in San Diego. She carded an 18-hole score of 6-over-par 78 to finish in a five-way tie for 11th place. Decker led the Cavaliers to a sixth-place team finish in a field of 18 teams.