Thursday, April 13, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – The 2017 men’s golf regular season came to a close this week with three GNAC teams in action at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational. All six GNAC teams will now shift their attention to the 2017 GNAC Championships, which begins on April 24 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Concordia posted its best result of the spring in Turlock, California, finishing in second place out of 15 teams at the event. The Cavaliers scored a 12-over-par 876, which was tied with Chico State and one stroke behind champion Sonoma State. Concordia won the tiebreaker against Chico State with the lowest fifth score from the third round.

Concordia was led by Dylan Cramer, who shot 2-over-par 218 to finish in a tie for fifth place individually. Jarred Gomez was just one stroke behind at 3-over-par 219 for seventh place.

Defending GNAC Golfer of the Week, Andrew Raab, led Saint Martin’s to a 12th-place team finish. The junior took 39th place with a score of 12-over-par 228. Northwest Nazarene came in 13th place behind the Saints by five strokes at 67-over-par 931. Jack Strickland led the Crusaders with a 46th-place finish, carding a 14-over-par 230.

Montana State Billings and Western Washington wrapped up their regular seasons at the Mustang Intercollegiate in Goodyear, Arizona. Western Washington claimed fifth place with a score even-par 864. The Vikings had three players finish at par or better, led by Jeffrey Marcum’s 3-under-par 213 for 10th place out of 104 golfers. Montana State Billings finished in 14th place at 19-over-par 883. Garrett Woodin shot a 1-under-par 215 to lead the Yellowjackets with a 16th-place finish individually.

Simon Fraser finished its regular season early, but did so in style, winning the 2017 NNU Invitational with a score of 9-over-par 873. Chris Crisologo won the tournament with a score of 4-under-par 212, while teammate Craig Titterington grabbed a tie for fourth-place finish at 4-over-par 220. That same week, Montana State Billings won the MSUB Yellowjacket Invitational with a score of 10-over-par 874 to earn selection as the Red Lion/GNAC Team of the Week.

In the first set of NCAA Regional Rankings, which help determine which 12 teams will advance to the postseason, Western Washington was ranked No. 6 followed by Saint Martin’s at No. 8. The next set of rankings will come out on Friday.

2016-17 Individual Tournament Winners (3 teams or more)

• Chris Crisologo (SFU): Western Washington Invitational, Sept. 26-27 (5-under 211)
• Austin Spicer (SMU): Grays Harbor College Invitational, Oct. 10-11 (1-under 143)
• Frisby Trevor (SMU): Grays Harbor College Invitational, Oct. 10-11 (1-under 143)
• Chris Crisologo (SFU): Otter Invitational, Oct. 17-18 (8-under 208)
• Tanner Huddleston (CU): Concordia Invitational, Oct. 17-18 (1-over 214)
• Ryan Melnychuk (CU): Concordia Invitational, Oct. 17-18 (1-over 214)
• Chris Crisologo (SFU): 2017 NNU Invitational, March 27-28 (4-under-par 212)

2016-17 Team Tournament Winner (3 teams or more)

• Saint Martin’s: Grays Harbor College Invitational, Oct. 10-11 (1-under 571)
• Concordia: Concordia Invitational, Oct. 17-18 (10-over 862)
• Montana State Billings: MSUB Yellowjacket Invitational, March 27-28 (10-over-par 874)
• Simon Fraser: 2017 NNU Invitational, March 27-28 (9-over-par 873)

2016-17 GNAC Golfers of the Week

Sept. 19-25: Ryan Melnychuk (Concordia, Sr., Grants Pass, Ore. – Univ. of Idaho): Melnychuk was the top GNAC finisher at the Saint Martin’s Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The senior tied for third with a 36-hole score of even-par 142 and finished just four strokes out of the top spot. Also Nominated: Ian Briske (Northwest Nazarene), Chris Hatch (Western Washington).

Sept. 26-Oct. 2: Chris Crisologo (Simon Fraser, 5-9, Jr., Richmond, B.C. – Vancouver Coll.): Crisologo was the medalist at Western Washington Invitational, carding a three-round score of 5-under-par 211 to finish one stroke ahead of four other competitors. He shot low rounds of 3-under-par 69 in both the first and second rounds. Also Nominated: Ryan Pickthorn (Saint Martin’s), Caleb Stetzner (Montana State Billings), Brett Johnson (Western Washington), Ryan Melnychuk (Concordia), Justin Higgins (Northwest Nazarene).

Oct. 3-9: Connor Miele (Montana State Billings, Sr., Edmonds, Wash. – Saint Martin’s Univ.) Miele finished second at the Rocky Mountain College Invitational, shooting 7-under-par 206 in three rounds. He shot a personal best with back-to-back rounds of 68 in the first two rounds. Also Nominated: Jack Strickland (Northwest Nazarene), Brett Johnson (Western Washington), Ryan Melnychuk (Concordia).

Oct. 10-16: Trevor Frisby (Saint Martin’s, So., Edmonds, Wash. - Meadowdale) Frisby collected his first collegiate win at the Grays Harbor CC Ann Swanson Cup. He finished with a two-round score of 142, carding identical rounds of 71 to beat teammate Andrew Raab by two strokes and tie Austin Spicer, while leading the Saints to the team title.

Oct. 17-23: Tanner Huddleston (Concordia, Jr., Woodland, Wash. – Woodland) Huddleston won the Concordia Invitational last Tuesday, firing a three-round score of 214 and beating teammate Ryan Melnychuk in a one-hole playoff. Huddleston helped Concordia win its first tournament since joining the GNAC in 2015. Two of his three individual rounds came in under par. Also Nominated: Ian Briske (Northwest Nazarene), Ryan Pickthorn (Saint Martin’s)

Oct. 24-30: Austin Spicer (Saint Martin’s, Sr., Gresham, Ore. – Gresham) Spicer led the Saints with a 13th place finish at the Cal State San Marcos Fall Classic, carding a score of 13-over-par 226. He had a low round of 74 in the opening round.

Feb. 13-19: Jeffrey Marcum (Western Washington, Sr., Richland, Wash. – South Mountain CC): Marcum was the GNAC’s leading player at the Visit Stockton Spring Thaw last Monday and Tuesday, tying for sixth place with a score of 5-under-par 139. He finished with a low round of 3-under-par 69 on the second day and was just three strokes behind medalist Greg Gonzales of Cal Baptist. Also Nominated: Sy Lovan (Simon Fraser).

Feb. 20-26: Philip Kennedy (Concordia, Jr., Eagle, Idaho – Eagle): Kennedy led Concordia as he tied for 14th individually at the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout in Vallejo, Calif., with a three-round score of 8-over-par 221. He shot a low round of 2-under-par 70 in the final round and led the Cavaliers to a fourth-place team finish. Also Nominated: Sy Lovan (Simon Fraser).

Feb. 27-March 5: Ryan Pickthorn (Saint Martin’s, Sr., Damascus, Ore. – Clackamas): Pickthorn finished fourth individually at the East/West Bay Area Invite, carding a three-round score of 3-over-par 219 as he shot a 1-over-par 73 in all three rounds. He led the Saints to a fourth-place team finish. Also Nominated: Caleb Stetzner (Montana State Billings), Ryan Melnychuk (Concordia).

March 6-12: Henry Bernard (Northwest Nazarene, Fr., Boise, Idaho – Rocky Mountain): Bernard won Northwest Nazarene’s dual match with College of Idaho on Friday, carding a two-under-par 70. He led the Crusaders to the team victory at 2-under-par 286. Also Nominated: Michael Porter (Montana State Billings).

March 13-19: Chris Crisologo (Simon Fraser, Jr., Richmond, B.C. – Vancouver Coll.): Crisologo tied for third individually at the Notre Dame de Namur Invitational with a three-round score of 1-under-par 215, leading the Clan to a seventh-place team finish. He tied for the tournament’s low round with a 4-under-par 68 in the second round. Also Nominated: Jack Strickland (Northwest Nazarene).

March 20-26: Chris Crisologo (Simon Fraser, Jr., Richmond, B.C. – Vancouver Coll.) and Jeffrey Marcum (Western Washington, Sr., Richland, Wash. – South Mountain CC): The two players tied for fourth at the CBU Men’s Invitational, carding three-round scores of 2-over-par 218. Crisologo tied the tournament low round with a 4-under-par 68 on the final round while Marcum had a low round of 1-over-par 73 on the final round. Also Nominated: Dylan Cramer (Concordia).

March 27-April 2: Chris Crisologo (Simon Fraser, Jr., Richmond, B.C. – Vancouver Coll.): Crisologo won the Northwest Nazarene Invitational by two strokes carding a three-round score of 4-under-par 212. He led Simon Fraser to an 11-stroke team win with a score of 9-over-par 873 Also Nominated: Chris Hatch (Western Washington), Connor Miele (Montana State Billings)

April 3-9: Andrew Raab (Saint Martin’s, Jr., Yakima, Wash. – East Valley): Raab was the top GNAC individual finisher at the Western New Mexico Mustang Intercollegiate, tying for seventh place with a three-round score of 4-under-par 212. He turned in very consistent rounds, scoring 1-under-par 71 in the first and third rounds and 2-under-par 70 in the second round. Raab led the Saints to a seventh-place team finish. Also Nominated: Jeffrey Marcum (Western Washington), Garrett Woodin (Montana State Billings).