Monday, January 8, 2024
by Evan O'Kelly, Assistant Commissioner For Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. – After each leading their teams to a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference victories in the first week of 2024, Saint Martin’s senior Kyle Greeley and Alaska Anchorage junior Senya Rabouin were named the conference’s players of the week on Monday.

It was the first-career player of the week award for each of the guards, and the first honor of the 2023-24 season for their respective programs.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Player of the Week – Kyle Greeley, Saint Martin’s

First-career player of the week.

Greeley led all GNAC players in scoring last week, averaging 25.0 points while adding 7.5 rebounds to help No. 5 SMU extend its winning streak to five games. Greeley poured in a season-high 31 points in SMU’s 112-105 triumph over Western Washington, making 9 of 14 shots including three 3-pointers and adding six rebounds. That performance came after a near double-double in SMU’s 74-68 win over Simon Fraser, as Greeley finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals against the Red Leafs.

“That is a really tough road trip, and you can’t have success if you don’t have senior leadership,” SMU head coach Aaron Landon said on Greeley’s impact. “That is exactly what Kyle provided. He really helped us in a tough Simon Fraser game on the glass when we weren’t hitting shots. He has always been one of the best scorers from an efficiency standpoint, but to his teammates and coaches what has been special is the way he has stepped up on the glass and shown what he is capable of. His toughness has raised so much, and that’s what a senior has to do. He really cares about this team and our season, and I’ve been so happy with what he’s done on the glass. It has been huge for us and shows how invested he is in us.”

Also Nominated: Dillon Barrientos, UAA; Jaycson Bereal, UAF; Samaad Hector, CWU; Daniel Moody, MSUB; Zach Stone, SFU; Cameron Benzel, WOU; Kai Johnson, WWU.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Player of the Week – Senya Rabouin, Alaska Anchorage

First-career player of the week.

Rabouin led the Seawolves to a 61-54 upset of No. 14 Western Washington, before an 89-68 triumph over Simon Fraser to help UAA kick off 2024 with a pair of wins. Rabouin led all GNAC players in assists (5.0 per game) last week, totaling 10 while committing zero turnovers in her 46 minutes on the floor. Rabouin played a key role in the Seawolves’ defensive success against the Vikings, chipping in five points, four assists, two steals and a block. Rabouin was paramount in holding the Vikings, who averaged 70.1 points per game entering the week, to their lowest point total of the 2023-24 season. She followed that with her second-highest scoring total of the season, finishing with 21 points, six assists and three rebounds in the victory over the Red Leafs.

“Senya is one of the hardest workers we have,” said UAA head coach Ryan McCarthy. “It is super rare for a new player to come in and be one of the standard setters for work ethic, and she played outstanding basketball against Western and Simon. Those are two defensive teams that can cause a lot of turnovers, and Senya did a great job of taking care of the ball against both those teams. Defensively she is at the top of our press and defense. Coming from the junior college level to this level, defense is a whole different ballgame. She had to learn that at the beginning of the year, and we are seeing a new level of commitment from her on the defensive end. Her play has become a lot more consistent, and for her to quarterback us defensively was key to our success against both Western and Simon last week.”

Also Nominated: Emma McKenney, UAF; Sunny Huerta, CWU; Kola Bad Bear, MSUB; Lauryn Morris, SMU; Sophia Wisotzki, SFU; Kiylynn Dawkins, WOU; Riley Dykstra, WWU.