Wednesday, June 5, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore.  –   John Allen of Western Washington University and Micah Chelimo of the University of Alaska Anchorage have been voted the 2012-13 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Male Co-Athletes of the Year.

The selections are made by the conference’s athletic directors.

Each athlete received five first-place votes and a total of 22 ballot points.

Allen led the Vikings to a 31-3 record last winter and into the semifinal round of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.

Allen, who was named to three All-American teams, averaged 17.1 points and 4.1 assists in earning GNAC Player of the Year honors.

He finished his three-year career with the Vikings scoring 1,480 points.  He also had 348 career assists, 157 career steals and a school-record 89.4 career free throw percentage.

His point total ranks 17th in GNAC history and his free throw percentage is the third best in conference history.

Allen, who led WWU to the NCAA Division II national title in his junior season, earned first team Division II Bulletin and Basketball Times  All-American honors and was a third team Daktronics All-American selection.

He was also selected to both the Daktronics and NABC West Region all-star teams and to the West Regional all-tournament team. 

Allen was the Daktronics West Region Player of the Year.  The Daktronics team is selected by the region’s sports information directors.

Chelimo won a pair of national titles in two different sports.

In the fall, he became the first athlete in GNAC history to win the NCAA Division II individual cross country title in leading the Seawolves to a third-place team finish in the national meet.

That was his fourth straight cross country All-American award.

He also finished 40th in his freshman season, then placed 21st in 2010 and 15th in 2011.

In the winter, he won the NCAA Indoor 5,000 meter title in a time of 14:12.82.  He also finished fourth in the national meet in the 3,000 in a GNAC-record time of 8:11.73.

In the GNAC championship meet, Chelimo earned Outstanding Performer honors winning the mile (4:12.46), 3,000 (8:29.35) and 5,000 (14:55.17).

Chelimo was voted the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year and also was selected the USTFCCCA West Region Track Athlete of the Year.

Chelimo also is a standout in the classroom as well, posting a 3.25 GPA and earning GNAC and USTFCCCA academic honors.