Monday, April 8, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – It is not often that the conference’s top performances come out of the same series, but it happened in both baseball and softball this week to lead the selections of GNAC Players of the Week.

The series between Montana State Billings and Saint Martin’s yielded both baseball winners. Yellowjackets’ junior Andrew Schleusner was named the Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .562 to help lead MSUB to the series victory. He went 9 for 16 with four runs, eight RBI, four doubles and a home run. Schleusner went 3 for 4 with a pair of RBI doubles in Saturday’s opener and then went 4 for 5 with three runs, a two-run homer and an RBI double in Sunday’s first game.

Saints’ senior Ryan Dorney was named the baseball Pitcher of the Week for his efforts to give Saint Martin’s its lone win of the series on Sunday. He allowed two hits and one walk while striking out six in the eventual 6-2 victory.

The four-game series between Northwest Nazarene and Western Oregon produced both softball weekly honorees. Wolves’ sophomore Ayanna Arceneaux batted .667 in the four games, going 8 for 12 with a t=run, three RBI and a double. She went 3 for 3 in Friday’s opener, 2 for 2 in Saturday’s opener and 2 for 3 in Saturday’s nightcap.

Nighthawks’ sophomore Jordan Adams was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she allowed junt one run on 10 hits and struck out 14 in 14 innings at Western Oregon. Adams allowed one run on six hits and four walks while striking out four to win Friday’s opener 3-1. She returned in Saturday’s opener to allow just four hits and one walk while striking out six in the 1-0 win. In the 14 innings, Adams did not allow an extra-base hit.

Two of the four track weekly award winners competed at the WWU Team Invitational on Friday. The Vikings’ Karlington Anunagba was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he won the 100 meters in his collegiate debut. His time of 10.77 seconds leads the GNAC and is the fifth-fastest time in WWU history.

Saint Martin’s senior Liz Larson was selected as the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the hammer by 27 feet. Her mark of 188 feet, 3 inches, moves her to No. 5 in Division II this season and No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Concordia senior Sam Nichols earned Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors after he won the discus at the John Knight Twilight on Friday. His mark of 170 feet, 2 inches, is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and ranks second in the GNAC and 15th in Division II.

Central Washington sophomore Sidney Trinidad was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she earned an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the 400-meter hurdles at the War XII Meet. Her time of 1:00.44 not only ties her for 10th in Division II this season, but is also No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Simon Fraser senior Aidan Goodfellow was selected as the Men’s Golf Player of the Week after he tied for second at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational. Goodfellow turned in back-to-back scores of 3-under-par 69 in the final two rounds to finish with a 5-under-par 211 to lead the Clan to a tie for second place in the team standings.

Montana State Billings’ senior Shealyn Hafer earned Women’s Golf Player of the Week honors after she carded a 7-over-par 158 to lead all GNAC players at the Mustang Intercollegiate in Goodyear, Ariz.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 32
BASEBALL PLAYER
Andrew Schleusner (Montana State Billings, C, 5-11, Jr., Kalispell, Mont. - Kalispell): Schleusner batted .562 in the Yellowjackets’ series victory over Saint Martin’s in the program’s first home games of the season, going 9 for 16 with four runs, eight RBI, four doubles and a home run. Schleusner opened the series by going 3 for 5 in Saturday’s opener, which included a pair of RBI doubles. He then went 2 for 3 with a two-RBI double in the nightcap and opened Sunday by going 4 for 5 with three runs, a two-run home run and an RBI double. Also Nominated: Colton Turner (Central Washington), Damon Peters (Concordia), Ryne Oshiro (Saint Martin’s), Collin Runge (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Ryan Dorney (Saint Martin’s, RHP, 6-2, Sr., Bothell, Wash. – Archbishop Murphy): Dorney threw five strong innings to help give Saint Martin’s its lone win in its series with Montana State Billings. He allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out six to pick up his second victory of the season. Also Nominated: James Brooks (Central Washington), Dylan Barkley (Montana State Billings), Alex Roth (Western Oregon).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Ayanna Arceneaux (Western Oregon, OF, 5-4, So., Puyallup, Wash. – Emerald Ridge): Arceneaux led the Wolves offensively by batting .667 in four games against Northwest Nazarene, going 8 for 12 with a run, three RBI and a double. After going 3 for 3 in Friday’s opener, Arceneaux used her only hit in game two to score the Wolves’ first run of the game in an eventual 12-5 win. She opened Saturday by going 2 for 2 and then went 2 for 3 in the nightcap with an RBI single in the Wolves’ seven-run fourth inning. Also Nominated: Katie Kastning (Central Washington), Mckenzie Smith (Concordia), Sidney Pollard (Montana State Billings), Alyssa French (Saint Martin’s), Alex Ogg (Simon Fraser), Paityn Cyr (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Jordan Adams (Northwest Nazarene, P, 5-8, So., Gig Harbor, Wash. – Gig Harbor): Adams pitched two wins for the Nighthawks at Western Oregon, allowing just one run on 10 hits and five walks while striking out 14 in 14 innings. She did not allow an extra-base hit in her two starts. In Friday’s opener, Adams allowed the one run on six hits and four walks while striking out four in the 3-1 victory. She then threw a four-hit shutout in Saturday’s opener, walking one and striking out six in a 1-0 victory. The games were the 10th and 11th wins of the season for Adams. Also Nominated: Lexie Strasser (Central Washington), Allie Hancock (Concordia), Brandi Schoessler (Saint Martin’s), Jessica Fasolino (Simon Fraser), Maddie Mayer (Western Oregon), Makinlee Sellevold (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Karlington Anunagba (Western Washington, Fr., Lagos, Nigeria – Atlantic Hall): Making his collegiate debut at the WWU Team Invitational, Anunagba won the 100 meters in a time of 10.77 seconds. The GNAC-leading time ranks No. 5 on Western Washington’s all-time list. Also Nominated: Braydon Maier (Central Washington), Sam Zook (Montana State Billings), Michael Russell (Saint Martin’s), Rowan Doherty (Simon Fraser), Hunter Mosman (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Sam Nichols (Concordia, Sr., Sparks, Nev. – Lane CC): Nichols won the discus at the John Knight Twilight on Friday, notching an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the process. Nichols threw 170 feet, 2 inches, ranking him second in the GNAC this season and 15th in Division II. Also Nominated: Ethan Tonder (Central Washington), Craig Boyle (Saint Martin’s), Sam Cole (Western Oregon), Seren Dances (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Sidney Trinidad(Central Washington, So., Arlington, Wash. – Arlington): Trinidad won the 400-meter hurdles at the War XII Meet in Spokane. Her time of 1:00.04 is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier, ranks No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List and is tied for 10th in Division II this season. Trinidad also placed third in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.96 seconds. Also Nominated: Karlie Hurley (Concordia), Ashley Vest (Saint Martin’s), Miryam Bassett (Simon Fraser), Grayson Burke (Western Oregon), Talia Dreicer (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Liz Larson(Saint Martin’s, Sr., Snoqualmie, Wash. – Mount Si): Larson won the hammer throw and improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark at the WWU Team Invitational. Larson won by 27 feet with a mark of 188 feet, 3 inches, moving her to No. 5 in Division II this season and No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Halle Irvine (Central Washington), Holly Taylor (Simon Fraser), Moana Gianotti (Western Oregon), Chanelle Eddy (Western Washington).

MEN’S GOLF
Aidan Goodfellow (Simon Fraser, Fr., Parksville, B.C. – Kwalikum): Goodfellow led all GNAC golfers at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational, tying for second place with a three-round score of 5-under-par 211. After shooting 1-over-par 73 in the opening round, Goodfellow turned in back-to-back scores of 3-under-par 69 in the final two rounds. Goodfellow also finished with 10 birdies and two eagles in the 54 holes, leading the Clan to a tie for second place in the team standings. Also Nominated: Jordan Lee (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S GOLF
Shealyn Hafer (Montana State Billings, Sr., Butte, Mont. – Butte): Hafer was the top GNAC competitor at the Mustang Intercollegiate, carding a two-round score of 7-over-par 158. She shot a collegiate-low round of 73 in the opening round and finished in a tie for 30th place individually. Also Nominated: Sarah Shea (Western Washington).