Monday, April 10, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – Seattle Pacific returned to Southern California last weekend and came home with a pair of men’s track and field performances that lead the GNAC Athlete of the Week awards.

Senior David Njeri was selected as the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won both the triple jump and the long jump at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Saturday. His season-best mark of 49 feet, 7.25 inches in the triple jump is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and ranks eighth in Division II this season. Njeri won the long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 6 inches, to mark the second meet in a row that he has swept the horizontal jumps.

Sophomore Isaiah Archer was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he won the 400 meters at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational in a school-record time of 48.24 seconds. That just edged the 17-year-old SPU record of 48.27 seconds set by Chris Randolph in 2006 and is the third-fastest in the GNAC this season.

Western Washington swept the women’s track and field awards thanks to a pair of victories at the Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday. Freshman Ashley Reeck collected Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors after she won the steeplechase in a time of 11:05.35. The time is second-best in the GNAC this season and just missed the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 11:01.26.

Freshman Mara Parks was named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the shot put with a mark of 41 feet, 7.25 inches that ranks third in the GNAC this season.

Northwest Nazarene freshman Elle McCord picked up her second straight Women’s Golf Player of the Week award after she placed fourth at the Sonoma State Women’s Spring Invite. McCord carded a two-round score of 6-over-par 150, which included an even-par 72 in the opening round for her third top-10 finish in as many tournaments.

Montana State Billings junior Carson Garner was named the Men’s Golf Player of the Week after leading GNAC golfers at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic with a three-round score of 12-over-par 228 that tied him for 37th place.

On the water, the Western Washington varsity 4+ was named the Women’s Rowing Crew of the Week for its victory at the Covered Bridge Regatta on Saturday. The Vikings won in a time of 8:11.24, three seconds ahead of conference rival Cal Poly Humboldt. It was one of three victories for the Vikings on the day.

Northwest Nazarene sophomore Clarissa Moreno was selected as the Softball Player of the Week after she batted .545 in the Nighthawks’ series win over Western Washington. She had two hits in both games on Friday and had the game-winning RBI in the 3-2 win in the second game. Moreno had a solo home run in Saturday’s opener before hitting a three-run shot in the 9-1, six-inning win in the finale.

Western Oregon senior Maddie Mayer earned her second straight Softball Pitcher of the Week award after she won both of her starts against Central Washington, allowing three runs, two earned, in 14 innings. She allowed all of the runs in Friday’s opener on two hits and four walks with two strikeouts for a 4-3 win. Mayer threw a five-hit shutout in Saturday’s opener, allowing three walks and striking out six for the 4-0 victory.

Northwest Nazarene sophomore Colby Moran received Baseball Player of the Week honors after he batted .571 in the series victory over Western Oregon. Moran went 2 for 3 in Friday’s 11-7 second-game win, which included a double and a solo home run. He went 3 for 4 in Saturday’s 6-5 first-game win with a pair of two-run homers before going 3 for 3 with a triple in the 9-1 second-game victory.

Central Washington sophomore Reid Rasmussen was named the Baseball Pitcher of the Week after he earned the complete-game win in Saturday’s 12-3 win over Saint Martin’s. He allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three to improve to 2-1 on the season.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 33
BASEBALL PLAYER
Colby Moran (Northwest Nazarene, IF, 6-2, So., Murrieta, Calif. – Murrieta Mesa): Moran batted .571 for the Nighthawks in the series victory over Western Oregon, going 8 for 14 with four runs, two doubles, a triple, two home runs and five RBIs. He finished the week with a 1.286 slugging percentage and 1.857 OPS. Moran went 2 for 3 in Friday’s 11-7 second-game win with a double and a solo home run. He went 3 for 4 Saturday’s 6-5 first-game win a pair of two-run homers before closing the week by going 3 for 3 with a triple and a run scored in the 9-1 second-game win. Also Nominated: Austin Ohland (Central Washington), Carson Green (Montana State Billings), Derek Maiben (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Reid Rasmussen (Central Washington, P, 6-3, So., Selah, Wash. – Yakima Valley CC): Rasmussen picked up the complete-game victory in Saturday’s 12-3 win over Saint Martin’s. He allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three to improve to 2-1 on the season. Rasmussen threw 115 pitches, 71 for strikes. Also Nominated: Daniel Naughton (Montana State Billings), Joseph Ihli (Northwest Nazarene), Dylan Chalmers (Western Oregon),

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Clarissa Moreno (Northwest Nazarene, IF, 5-6, So., Selma, Calif. – Boise State Univ.): Moreno led the Nighthawks to a series win over Western Washington with a .545 batting average, going 6 for 11 with five runs, a double, two home runs and five RBIs while also walking five times. She amassed a .706 on-base percentage and a 1.182 slugging percentage in the four games. Moreno had two hits in both games on Friday, including going 2 for 4 in the nightcap with the game-winning RBI single in the fourth for the 3-2 victory. She had a solo home run in Saturday’s opener and had a three-run shot in the second game, a 9-1, six-inning win. Also Nominated: Brooke Jordan (Central Washington), Kekai Schultz (Saint Martin’s), Abby McGlynn (Simon Fraser), Kaylie Kahele (Western Oregon), Amaya Davis (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Maddie Mayer (Western Oregon, P, 5-8, Sr., Portland, Ore. – Rex Putnam): Mayer won both of her starts against Central Washington, allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits and seven walks with eight strikeouts in 14 innings. Mayer claimed the 4-3 victory in Friday’s opener, allowing three runs, two earned, on just two hits with four talks and two strikeouts. She opened Saturday’s doubleheader with a five-hit shutout, allowing three walks and striking out six in the 4-0 victory to improve to 12-8 on the season. Also Nominated: Isabel Womack (Central Washington), Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene), Abby Runyon (Saint Martin’s), Shaneika Hollingworth (Simon Fraser), Mareena Ramirez (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Isaiah Archer (Seattle Pacific, So., Silverdale, Wash. – Central Kitsap): Archer broke Seattle Pacific’s 17-year-old record in the 400 meters at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Saturday, winning in a time of 48.24 seconds. That surpassed the previous record of 48.27 seconds set by Chris Randolph in 2006. Archer’s time ranks third in the GNAC this season.  Also Nominated: Johan Correa (Central Washington), Ben Ralston (Montana State Billings), Bryaden Durfee (Northwest Nazarene), Jesaiah Penson-Mccoy (Simon Fraser), Emmett Klus (Western Oregon), Jaden Edwards (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
David Njeri (Seattle Pacific, Sr., Tacoma, Wash. – Wilson): For the second meet in a row, Njeri won both the long jump and the triple jump, this time at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational. He leaped to a season-best of 49 feet, 7.25 inches in the triple, an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark that ranks eighth in Division II this season. Njeri went on to win the long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 6 inches. Also Nominated: Chris Hines (Central Washington), Isaac Perkins (Montana State Billings), Bryan Cortes (Simon Fraser), Miller Campbell (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Ashley Reeck (Western Washington, Fr., Lake Steven, Wash. – Lake Stevens): Reeck won the steeplechase at the Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday in a time of 11:05.35 that ranks second in the GNAC just missed the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 11:01.26.  Also Nominated: Juliette Williams (Central Washington), Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Abbey Wood (Northwest Nazarene), Megan Roxby (Simon Fraser), Caitlin Heldt (Western Oregon),

WOMEN’S FIELD
Mara Parks (Western Washington, Fr., Missoula, Mont. – Hellgate): Parks won the shot put at the Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday. Her mark of 41 feet, 7.25 inches was a season best and ranks third in the GNAC this season. Also Nominated: Tehya Moore (Central Washington), Grace Jones (Montana State Billings), Maddy Prugh (Simon Fraser).

MEN’S GOLF
Carson Garner (Montana State Billings, Jr., Hot Springs, Ark. – Univ. of Arkansas-Monticello): Garner led all GNAC golfers at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic, tying for 37th place with a three-round score of 12-over-par 228. He shot his lowest score of 1-under-par 71 in the opening round and led the Yellowjackets to a tie for 12th place in the team standings.

WOMEN’S GOLF
Elle McCord (Northwest Nazarene, Fr., Star, Idaho – Eagle): McCord led the Nighthawks once again at the Sonoma State Women’s Spring Invite, finishing fourth with a two-round score of 6-over-par 150. Her tournament included an even-par 72 in the opening round as Northwest Nazarene finished sixth. It was McCord’s third top-10 finish in as many tournaments and her second top-five finish in the last three tournaments. Also Nominated: Megan Billeter (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S ROWING
Western Washington Varsity 4+: The Vikings opened the day at the Covered Bridge Invitational with a victory. The crew’s winning time of 8:11.24 was three seconds better than second-place Cal Poly Humboldt and 12 seconds ahead of the club team from Oregon. It was one of three victories for WWU on the day, all in the fours. Members of the crew include Janisa Cook (coxswain), Taylor Wall, Jenna Buckholt, Mia Marie Knipe and Reed Chesnek.