Monday, November 6, 2023
by Evan O'Kelly

PORTLAND, Ore. – Kicking off the 2023-24 basketball season with notable performances last week, Central Washington’s Asher Cai and Alaska Anchorage’s Tyson Gilbert claimed the first Great Northwest Athletic Conference Basketball Player of the Week awards of the year.

Cai led all GNAC women’s players in scoring with 21.7 points per game and helped the Wildcats end their opening weekend with an upset of No. 7 Texas Tyler on Sunday. Gilbert, meanwhile, delivered an all-around standout performance and helped the Seawolves start the season with a pair of wins over Cal Maritime.

VOLLEYBALL

Offensive Player of the Week – Emily Garten, Saint Martin’s

First-career GNAC Player of the Week.

Garten led the Saints on the offensive end, averaging 3.86 kills per set while racking up 27 total in her team’s two matches. In the Saints’ road sweep of Alaska last Thursday, Garten led all players with 13 kills while posting a .393 hitting percentage. She followed that with a 14-kill effort against Alaska Anchorage, while adding four service aces against the Seawolves.

Also Nominated: Isabel Evans, UAA; Lily Stewart, UAF; Ellie Marble, CWU; Sarah Brachvogel, SPU; Jocelyn Sherman, SFU; Madison Hornback, WOU; Karli Tri, WWU.

Defensive Player of the Week – Reilly Plumhoff, Alaska Anchorage

First-career GNAC Player of the Week.

Plumhoff propelled the Seawolves to a pair of victories at home, leading all GNAC players in both digs per set (5.00) and service aces (0.88) in last week’s matches. The hometown junior kicked off her big week with 21 digs in the Seawolves’ 3-1 win over Western Oregon on Thursday, while adding six assists which was her second-highest single-game total of the year. Plumhoff followed with 19 digs in her team’s 3-1 win over Saint Martin’s on Saturday, while adding a season-high five service aces.

Also Nominated: Kristina Head, UAF; Tia Andaya, CWU; Sirena Peredo, SMU; Hannah Hair, SPU; Macyn Unger, SFU; Bella MacLellan, WOU; Emily Vossenkuhl, WWU.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Player of the Week – Tyson Gilbert, Alaska Anchorage

First-career GNAC Player of the Week.

Gilbert got his senior season started with a bang, leading the Seawolves to consecutive wins over Cal Maritime at the outset of the 2023-24 campaign. Gilbert averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 rebounds in a strong overall performance in the two games. The second-year Seawolf shot 60.0% from the floor (12-for-20) including a mark of 50.0% from 3-point range (7-for-14). Gilbert capped his week with 22 points in UAA’s 88-53 trouncing of Cal Maritime on Saturday.

Also Nominated: Shaw Anderson, SPU; Elliot Dimaculangan, SFU; Kai Johnson, WWU.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Player of the Week – Asher Cai, Central Washington

First-career GNAC Player of the Week.

Cai led all GNAC players in scoring on opening weekend, chipping in 21.7 points per game to kick off her sophomore season. Cai’s top scoring effort was 26 points against Texas A&M International as she knocked down five 3-pointers. She followed with 20 points in the Wildcats’ 64-61 upset of No. 7 Texas Tyler, and she capped the week averaging 6.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists as well.

Also Nominated: Jazzpher Evans, UAA; Destiny Reimers, UAF; Kola Bad Bear, MSUB; Jessica Wisotzki, SFU.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Offensive Player of the Week – Jacqueline Blakeley, Seattle Pacific

Second-career GNAC Player of the Week, first this season.

Blakeley put an exciting finishing touch on a stellar regular season, with her seventh goal of the year counting as the game-winner in the Falcons’ 2-0 triumph over Western Washington. The win gave SPU its 10th GNAC regular-season crown, and secured the No. 1 seed for the Falcons at the upcoming GNAC Championships.

Also Nominated: Casey Park, CWU; Ravyn Mummey, SMU; Mikayla Tupper, SFU.

Defensive Player of the Week – Mercedes Cullen, Seattle Pacific 

Third-career GNAC Player of the Week, second this season.

Cullen matched her season high with seven saves in the Falcons’ 2-0 shutout of Western Washington, which secured the regular-season title and No. 1 seed in the GNAC Championships. The shutout was the fifth of the season for the sophomore, who saw her goals-against average improve to 0.77 and her save percentage improve to .844. After the win over WWU, Cullen made five more saves while facing a season-high 18 shots in her team’s 1-1 draw against Simon Fraser.

Also Nominated: Kassandra Jaggard, CWU; Payton Aselton, SMU; Sarah Loewen, SFU; Sophia Pierce, WOU.

MEN’S SOCCER

Offensive Player of the Week – Raymundo Mendez, Seattle Pacific

Second-career GNAC Player of the Week, second this season.

Mendez completed the conference’s fourth hat trick of the season, finding the back of the net three times in the Falcons’ 3-3 draw at Western Oregon last Saturday. Mendez was a constant menace in the attacking third, landing three of his five shots on target in 88 minutes played. Mendez spotted his team an early 2-0 advantage, scoring in the sixth minute and turning in the brace in the 17th minute. Mendez struck again just before halftime, completing his hat trick in the 43rd minute. The big week lifted Mendez into a tie for second in the GNAC with 11 goals scored this fall.

Also Nominated: Xander Koenig, SMU; Hamish Ogden, SFU; Andres Labate, WOU; Eric Bunnell, WWU.

Defensive Player of the Week – Justyn Sandhu, Simon Fraser

Third-career GNAC Player of the Week, third this season.

Simon Fraser was the lone GNAC side to record a shutout last week, and it came at the hands of goalkeeper Justyn Sandhu. The Red Leafs’ last line of defense came away with six saves in SFU’s 1-0 triumph over Northwest Nazarene, a match in which he was tested with a dozen shot attempts. Sandhu leads the GNAC in both goals-against average (0.80) and save percentage (.826).

Also Nominated: Nick Mueller, SMU.