Monday, April 25, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – Securing a conference playoff berth on the final weekend of their first regular season as a GNAC member, Concordia swept this week’s softball honors to lead the list of honorees for GNAC Player of the Week.

Pitcher Mattie Boucher was selected as the Softball pitcher of the Week for the first time this season after she went 2-1 with a 0.71 earned run average in three games for the Cavaliers. Her line included three runs allowed, two earned, on 16 hits while striking out 16 in 19.2 innings. Her week was puncutated with a complete game six-hitter in the Cavaliers’ 6-0 shutout of Western Oregon.

Outfielder Meghan Luebbert earned selection as the Player of the Week for the third time this season after she hit .550 (11 for 20) with 10 runs, 11 RBI, two triples and five home runs in six games last week. She went 4 for 4 with three runs and seven RBI and tied the GNAC single game record with three home runs in Sunday’s 16-6, five-inning win in their opener at Simon Fraser. She also went 3 for 4 with three runs, three RBI, a triple and a home run in Thursday’s 6-0 shutout of Western Oregon.

Northwest Nazarene’s Ryan Johnson was named the Baseball Player of the Week after he helped the Crusaders take three of four games from Western Oregon to tighten up the GNAC race. Johnson went 9 for 16 with two doubles, a home run and five RBI in the series. Central Washington’s Justin Adams was named the Pitcher of the Week after he threw a complete game, seven-inning one-hitter to beat Saint Martin’s 6-0 in the series finale on Sunday. He allowed two walks and struck out six.

The Track and Field Athletes of the Week are led by another GNAC record performance. Western Washington’s Travis Milbrandt was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he reset his own GNAC record in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.19 seconds that won the event at the Spike Arlt Invitational. He bettered his previous record mark of 14.21 seconds set at the 2015 GNAC Championships.

Alaska Anchorage’s Jamie Ashcroft earned Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors after setting the Seawolves’ record in the 200 meters with a time of 24.07 seconds at the Triton Invitational in San Diego. The time is 12th best in Division II this season and is No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list.

Central Washington’s Armando Tafoya is your Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won the shot put, discus and hammer at the Wildcats’ Spike Arlt Invitational. Tafoya established a season best of 165 feet, 11 inches, in the discus, which ranks him 20th in Division II this season. Seattle Pacific’s Kyra Brannan was named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the long jump at the Spike Arlt Invitational with a leap of 19 feet, 1.5 inches. She set personal bests in the long jump, the 100 meters and 200 meters in the meet.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 34
BASEBALL PLAYER
Ryan Johnson (Northwest Nazarene, OF, 6-1, Sr., Boise, Idaho – Treasure Valley CC): Johnson led the Crusaders to a series victory over Western Oregon by going 9 for 16 with two doubles, a home run and five RBI. He went 2 for 4 in Friday’s 5-4 opening victory and went 5 for 5 with two runs, five RBI, a double and a home run in the 14-10 victory in the nightcap. Also Nominated: Kyle Durbin (Montana State Billings), Alec Hagerman (Saint Martin’s), Gerhett Moser (Concordia), Kyle Stahl (Central Washington).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Justin Adams (Central Washington, P/IF, Jr., Boring, Ore. – Chemeketa CC): Adams threw a complete-game one-hitter in the series finale against Saint Martin’s on Sunday, winning the game 6-0. He allowed two walks while striking out six and faced just three batters above the minimum in the seven-inning victory to improve to 5-1 on the season. Also Nominated: Austin Hadley (Concordia), Luke Hare (Saint Martin’s), Blake Mitchell (Northwest Nazarene), Jared Winslow (Montana State Billings).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Meghan Luebbert (Concordia, OF, 5-4, Jr., Sandy, Ore. - Sandy): Luebbert helped Concordia clinch a berth in the GNAC Championships by hitting .550 (11 for 20) in six games with 10 runs, 11 RBI, two triples and a home run. She went 3 for 4 with three runs, three RBI, a triple and a home run in Thursday’s 6-0 shutout of Western Oregon and tied the GNAC record with three home runs while going 4 for 4 with three runs and seven RBI in Sunday’s 16-6, five-inning rout of Simon Fraser. Also Nominated: Kailyn Campbell (Central Washington), Cassidy Fifield (Northwest Nazarene), Cori Gammon (Montana State Billings), Megan Miller (Saint Martin’s).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Mattie Boucher (Concordia, P, 5-8, So., Chehalis, Wash. – W.F. West): Boucher went 2-1 in three games for Concordia, compiling a 0.71 earned run average. She allowed three runs, two earned, on 16 hits and struck out 18 in 19.2 innings and did not allow a walk. Boucher threw a complete game six-hitter in the Cavs’ 6-0 shutout of Western Oregon on Thursday. Also Nominated: Kendall Goodwin (Northwest Nazarene), Amanda Roark (Montana State Billings), Makinlee Sellevold (Western Washington), Loryn Williams (Saint Martin’s).

MEN’S TRACK
Travis Milbrandt (Western Washington, Sr., Longview, Wash. – Mark Morris): MIlbrandt improved his Western Washington and GNAC record in 110-meter hurdles at the Central Washington Spike Arlt Invitational, winning the event in a time of 14.19 seconds. That bettered his previous record of 14.21 seconds set at the 2015 GNAC Championships. The time currently ranks 12th in Division II.

MEN’S FIELD
Armando Tafoya (Central Washington, Jr., George, Wash. - Quincy): Tafoya won all three throws he competed in at the Spike Arlt Invitational. He won the discus in a season-best 165 feet, 11 inches, ranking him 20th best in Division II. He also won the shot put with a mark of 49 feet, 6.25 inches and the hammer with a mark of 187 feet. Also Nominated: Josh Brown (Western Oregon), Mark Seely (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Jamie Ashcroft (Alaska Anchorage, Jr., Shawnigan Lake, B.C. – Frances Kelsey): Ashcroft set the Alaska Anchorage record in the 200 meters at the Triton Invitation in San Diego, placing sixth in a time of 24.07 seconds. The time is 12th best in Division II this season and No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list. Ashcroft also finished 11th in the 100 meters.

WOMEN’S FIELD
Kyra Brannan (Seattle Pacific, Jr., Kennewick, Wash. - Kamiakin): Brannan became the first GNAC athlete to exceed 19 feet in the long jump, winning the event at the Spike Arlt Invitational with a personal best mark of 19 feet, 1.5 inches. She also had personal bests in the 100 meters (12.18) and the 200 meters (25.21), marking the second straight week she has had personal bests in all three events. Also Nominated: Emily Wetherell (Western Oregon).