Monday, October 5, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – Four record-setting performances in football, volleyball and golf lead this week’s honorees for GNAC Players of the Week.

Humboldt State running back Ja’Quan Gardner was named the Football Offensive Player of the Week for the third time in five weeks after a record-setting performance in the Lumberjacks’ 59-10 road win at South Dakota Mines. Gardner tied the GNAC records by scoring five rushing touchdowns and 30 points, capping a night where he rushed for 208 yards on 22 carries as Humboldt State set a GNAC single game record with 498 yards rushing.

Alaska outside hitter Sam Harthun was selected as the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week after she led the Nanooks to their first two wins of the season. The senior finished the week with 35 kills, 10 aces and 16 digs in the two wins over Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific. The performance ran Harthun’s career kills total to 1,274, which is No. 2 all-time for the Nanooks and ties her at No. 9 on the GNAC all-time list.

Northwest Nazarene senior Michael Delie earned Men’s Golf Player of the Week honors for a school-record 5-under-par 67 in the Crusaders’ opening competition of the season, the Crusaders-Coyotes Dual on Wednesday in Nampa, Idaho. Montana State Billings freshman Kortney McNeil received the women’s golf honor after she finished tied for eighth in the GolfScrimmages.com National Championship Preview. Her round of 1-under-par 71 in the opening round helped the Yellowjackets card a team score of 297 on the opening day, whch set a school record.

In all, the fifth week of GNAC Player of the Week selections honored 13 student-athletes from eight member schools. Concordia led this week with three selections in cross country and women’s soccer while Northwest Nazarene, Simon Fraser and Humboldt State had two selections apiece.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 5
FOOTBALL
Offensive: Ja’Quan Gardner (Humboldt State, RB, 5-7, 190, So., Ceres, Calif. – Central Valley): Gardner led Humboldt State in their 59-10 victory at South Dakota Mines, rushing 22 times for 208 yards as the Lumberjacks set a GNAC record with 498 rushing yards. He tied GNAC and Humboldt State records with five rushing touchdowns and 30 points scored. His ledger included four runs of 20-plus yards, including a season-long 54-yard run for a touchdown. Also Nominated: Arthur Burns (Central Washington), Joe Harris (Western Oregon), Nate Stephens (Dixie State).

Defensive: Kevin Haynes (Central Washington, LB, 6-0, 237, So., Battle Ground, Wash. – Battle Ground): Haynes led the Wildcats’ defense with 10 tackles, two sacks, a pass breakup and three quarterback hurries. He also forced a fumble on the 1-yard line to stop a potential score in Central Washington’s 24-21 road win at Azusa Pacific. Also Nominated: Colton Olson (Dixie State), Eric Paopao (Humboldt State).

Special Teams: Cameron Southward (Humboldt State, K/P, 6-1, 185, Jr., Auburn, Calif. – American River JC): Southward pulled double duty as the Lumberjacks’ kicker and punter in their victory over South Dakota Mines. He went 8 for 8 on point-after opportunities and also kicked a 50-yard field goal, the longest in the league this season. Southward also punted four times, averaging 42 yards per punt with two landing inside the 20-yard line. Also Nominated: Paul Revis (Western Oregon).

MEN’S SOCCER
Offensive: Mamadi Camara (Simon Fraser, M, 6-3, 180, Fr., Montreal, Que. – Champlain Coll. Saint-Lambert): Camara scored three goals in two matches and netted the game-winner in the 15th minute that gave the Clan a 1-0 victory over No. 7 Seattle Pacific. He scored two goals in a 4-0 shutout of Saint Martin’s on Thursday where he eluded most of the Saints’ defense on his way to the goal. Also Nominated: Julio Castillo (Northwest Nazarene), Matt Paine (Concordia), Ricardo Palomino (Montana State Billings).

Defensive: Brandon Watson (Simon Fraser, GK, 6-1, 175, Jr., Victoria, B.C. – Coastal Carolina Univ.): Watson recorded two shutouts as the Clan improved to 2-1-2 in GNAC play. He recorded two shutouts on Thursday against Saint Martin’s and then added six saves on eight shots in the 1-0 shutout of No. 7 Seattle Pacific. Also Nominated: Luke Broz (Northwest Nazarene), Cameron Lee (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offensive: Makana Pundyke (Western Oregon, F, 5-5, Sr., Kula, Hawaii – Kamehameha Maui): Pundyke had her second multi-goal match of the season as she scored the equalizer and game-winner in the Wolves’ 2-1 victory over Central Washington. Pundyke leads the Wolves with five goals and 11 points on the season. Also Nominated: Ashley Cook-Cox (Northwest Nazarene), Bailey Griglio (Montana State Billings), Hannah Huesers (Seattle Pacific), Caitlyn Jobanek (Western Washington)

Defensive: Olivia Brock (Concordia, GK, 5-10, Jr., Olympia, Wash. - Olympia): Brock improved to 4-0-1 on the season with two wins. She stopped a career-high 10 shots in the Cavaliers’ 3-1 road win at Simon Fraser on Saturday and made three saves against Saint Martin’s on Thursday. Brock leads the GNAC with a 0.28 goals against average. Also Nominated: Chloe Hopps (Montana State Billings), Kayla Williams (Montana State Billings).

VOLLEYBALL
Offensive: Sam Harthun (Alaska, OH, 6-1, Sr., Oregon City, Ore. – Oregon City): Harthun led Alaska to their first two wins of the season with 35 kills, 10 aces, 16 digs and a .200 hitting percentage. She finished with 20 kills, seven aces and nine digs in Thursday’s five-set win over Saint Martin’s and added 15 kills, three aces and seven digs in the four-set win over Seattle Pacific on Saturday. Harthun now has 1,274 kills, No. 2 all-time at Alaska and No. 9 on the GNAC all-time list. Also Nominated: Sabrina Wheelhouse (Central Washington), Elayna Rice (Northwest Nazarene), Arielle Turner (Western Washington), Katelynn Zanders (Alaska Anchorage).

Defensive: Madi Farrell (Northwest Nazarene, MB, 6-2, So., Coeur D’Alene, Idaho – Coeur D’Alene): Farrell finished with 12 blocks and 22 kills to help lead the Crusaders to two victories. She finished with 11 blocks (second best individual match performance in the GNAC this season) and 11 kills in their five-set win over Concordia on Thursday. Farrell then added 11 kills in a block in NNU’s three-set sweep Saturday at Western Oregon. Also Nominated: Kyra Davidson (Saint Martin’s), Samantha Hesterman (Alaska), Jennica McPherson (Western Washington), Kyla Militante-Amper (Alaska Anchorage), Kaitlin Quirk (Central Washington).

CROSS COUNTRY
Men: Jared Seckel (Concordia, Jr., Veradale, Wash. – Spokane CC): Seckel was the top GNAC finisher in the Men’s Cardinal Race at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational. He placed 13th, covering the 8,000-meter course in a season best 25:32.9. Seckel led Concordia to a seventh place team finish.

Women: Megan Fristoe (Concordia, Jr., Bend, Ore. - Summit): Fristoe posted a season-best by 10 seconds per mile in the Women’s Cardinal Race at the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational. Fristoe placed 11th, covering the 5,000-meter course in 18:04.7.

MEN’S GOLF
Michael Delie (Northwest Nazarene, Sr., Boise, Idaho – Mountain View): Delie won the Crusaders-Coyotes Dual on Wednesday as he carded a school-record 5-under-par 67.

WOMEN’S GOLF
Kortney McNeil (Montana State Billings, Fr., Billings, Mont. - Billings): McNeil tied for eighth place at the GolfScrimmages.com National Championship Preview, carding a 2-over-par 146. She shot a 1-under-par 71 in the first round, leading the Yellowjackets to a school record single round team score of 297. Also Nominated: Lynsie Furuya (Concordia), Haley Gochnour (Northwest Nazarene), Jennifer Liedes (Saint Martin’s).