Monday, April 18, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – It is one thing to be able to toe the line against a world-class athlete. But when you beat the man with the title of “World’s Greatest Athlete,” that is enough to to earn you the GNAC’s Athlete of the Week award.

That’s exactly what Western Washington’s Alex Donigian did to win the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week Award. On Friday at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Donigian finished third in a loaded field in the 100 meters with a time 10.37 seconds. It was who he beat, though, that impressed everyone. Competing in the same heat as reigning decathlon world record holder Ashton Eaton, Donigian bettered the Olympian by one-hundreth of a second.

Later that day, Donigian succeeded in shattering the GNAC record in the 200 meters with his time 20.93 seconds. He became the first GNAC athlete to run under 22 seconds in the event to snap the previous record of 21.11 seconds set by Western Oregon’s Mike Hinshaw in 2002. The mark was the oldest standing record in the GNAC men’s record book.

Alaska Anchorage’s Joyce Chelimo collected the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she ran Division II’s best time in the 5,000 meters on Friday at the Mt. SAC Relays. Chelimo finished 14th in the elite section of the race in a time of 15:59.55, which automatically qualifies her for the NCAA Division II Championships. The time is also No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list. The next day, Chelimo also notched a career best and a provisional nationals qualifier in the 1,500 meters on Saturday at the Beach Invitational in a time of 4:32.78.

Concordia’s Josh Koch collected his second Men’s Field Athlete of the Week of the outdoor season after he took second at the Oregon Relays in the shot put with a mark of 58 feet, 4 inches. Tayler Fettig of Central Washington’s earned the women’s field honor. She placed third in the third flight of the high jump at the Bryan Clay Invitational with a mark of 5 feet, 7.25 inches. That ties her for the GNAC lead and for seventh in Division II.

Western Oregon succeeded in a sweep of the baseball awards as the Wolves solidified their hold on first place in the GNAC standings. Darrien Moran won the Pitcher of the Week award for the second straight week after posting another complete game shutout. Against Saint Martin’s on Sunday, Moran allowed eight hits and one walk while striking out 10 to beat the Saints 8-0. The win improved Moran to 4-3 on the season.

Cody Sullivan earned the Baseball Player of the Week award after he batted .500 (13 for 26) in six games against Saint Martin’s with five doubles, two triples, a home run and nine RBI. He also amassed a .517 on-base percentage and a .962 slugging percentage.

The Wolves also succeeded in a sweep of pitching honors. Alyson Boytz was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she compiled a 2-1 record in three appearances last week against Northwest Nazarene and Saint Martin’s. In 18.2 innings, Boytz allowed seven runs, six earned, 20 hits with 15 strikeouts. She allowed just one unearned run on three hits in Tuesday’s 12-1, five-inning win over Montana State Billings and then threw a complete game four-hitter on Saturday to beat Northwest Nazarene 6-0.

Concordia’s McKenzie Smith was named the Softball Player of the Week after she hit .588 (10 for 18) with eight runs, nine RBI, a double and three home runs to help the Cavaliers vault into second in the GNAC standings. She went 4 for 6 with a double and a home run in a critical doubleheader sweep of Saint Martin’s on Wednesday.

The Cavaliers closed the golf regular season by sweeping the final Player of the Week awards. Dylan Cramer was named the Men’s Golf Player of the Week after he tied for 18th at the Harry Stnaislaus Invitational with a score of 2-over-par 218. He was the top GNAC golfer in the field. Lynzie Furuya was selected as the Women’s Golf Player of the Week after she tied for 11th place at the Doc Housewright Invitational, carding a 5-over-par 149.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 33
BASEBALL PLAYER
Cody Sullivan (Western Oregon, OF, 6-0, 195, Sr., Port Angeles, Wash. – Port Angeles): Sullivan led a solid hitting week for Western Oregon by batting .500 (13 for 26) with five doubles, two triples, a home run and nine RBI. He accounted for 25 total bases, a .962 slugging percentage and a .517 on-base percentage. Sullivan went 4 for 5 in the first of six games against Saint Martin’s on Wednesday with three doubles. Also Nominated: Tyler Davis (Northwest Nazarene), Adam Eskil (Saint Martin’s), Gerhett Moser (Concordia), Cole Sternhagen (Montana State Billings).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Darrien Moran (Western Oregon, P, 6-0, 195, Sr., Federal Way, Wash. – Pierce CC): For the second straight, Moran threw a complete game shutout, this time to beat Saint Martin’s on the road 8-0. Moran allowed eight hits and just one walk while striking out 10 batters as he improved to 4-3 on the season as the Wolves solidified their hold on first place in the GNAC standings. Also Nominated: Cody Cooper (Montana State Billings), Jaramy Jacobs (Northwest Nazarene), Sean Moran (Concordia), Mickey Walker (Saint Martin’s).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
McKenzie Smith (Concordia, P, 6-2, Fr., Victoria, B.C. – Lambrick Academy): Smith helped the Cavaliers vault into second place in the GNAC standings by hitting .588 (10 for 18) with eight runs, nine RBI, a double and three home runs. She went 4 for 6 with a double, a home run and a RBI in Wednesday’s sweep of Saint Martin’s and went 2 for 2 with a run and three RBI in the opener on the weekend series at Montana State Billings. Also Nominated: Mercedes Green (Western Oregon), Alana Olague (Central Washington), Morgan Thome (Northwest Nazarene), Heather Tracy (Montana State Billings).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Alyson Boytz (Western Oregon, P, 5-9, Sr., Noti, Ore. – Clackamas CC): Boytz finished with a 2-1 record in three appearances, allowing seven runs, six earned, on 20 hits with 15 strikeouts in 18.2 innings of work. She allowed one unearned run on three hits with four strikeouts in Tuesday’s 12-1, five-inning win over Montana State Billings and threw a complete-game four-hitter in Saturday’s 6-0 win over Northwest Nazarene. Also Nominated: Megan Dettling (Montana State Billings), Kendall Goodwin (Northwest Nazarene).

MEN’S TRACK
Alex Donigian (Western Washington, Sr., Mission Viejo, Calif. – Univ. of Northern Colorado): Donigian set the GNAC record in the 200 meters, recording a time of 20.93 seconds at the Bryan Clay Invitational. That shattered the previous record of 21.11 seconds set by Western Oregon’s Mike Hinshaw in 2002. Earlier in the day, Donigian finished third in the 100 meters in 10.37 seconds and beat reigning decathlon world record holder Ashton Eaton by one-hundredth of a second. Also Nominated: Jasper Heckman (Saint Martin’s), Isaac Mitchell (Northwest Nazarene), Carlos Ortiz (Concordia), David Ribich (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Josh Koch (Concordia, So., Dayton, Nev - Dayton): Koch produced a lifetime best in the shot put at the Oregon Relays, placing second with a mark of 58 feet, 4 inches. The performance improved his No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list by three-and-a-half inches. Also Nominated: J.T. Conrad (Western Washington), Austin Lindquist (Montana State Billings), Nathan Moore (Northwest Nazarene), Mikel Smith (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Joyce Chelimo (Alaska Anchorage, Sr., Kapsowar, Kenya – American International Univ.): Chelimo ran the fastest time so far this season in Division II in the 5,000 meters, automatically qualifying for the NCAA Championships with her time of 15:59.55 in the elite section of the Mt. SAC Relays. The performance places Chelimo third on the GNAC all-time list in the event. She finished 14th in the elite section. Also Nominated: Taylor Deskins (Northwest Nazarene), Brittany Grant (Western Washington), Della Lyle (Montana State Billings), Nicole Pederson (Concordia), Shannon Porter (Saint Martin’s), Jalen Tims (Seattle Pacific), Suzanne Van De Grift (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Tayler Fettig (Central Washington): Fettig took third in the second flight of the high jump at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Her mark of 5 feet, 7.25 inches ties her for first in the GNAC and ties for her seventh among Division II athletes this season. Also Nominated: Rachael Huffman (Western Oregon), Jessica Johns (Northwest Nazarene).

MEN’S GOLF
Dylan Cramer (Concordia, Jr., Bend, Ore. – Utah State Univ.): Cramer led Concordia in the final tune-up prior to the GNAC Championships, the Harry Stanislaus Invitational. Cramer was the top GNAC golfer in the event, tying for 18th with a three-round score of 2-over-par 218 with a low 18-hole round of 72 in the second round. Also Nominated: Ryan Pickthorn (Saint Martin’s), Jack Strickland (Northwest Nazarene).

WOMEN’S GOLF
Lynzie Furuya (Concordia, Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii - Leilehua): Furuya tied for 11th place at the Doc Housewright Invitational with a 5-over-par 149 and hit a low-round 1-over-par 73 in the opening round.