Monday, May 8, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – In its last tune-ups prior to the GNAC Championships, Simon Fraser claimed three of four track and field awards to lead the final GNAC Athlete of the Week selections for the 2022-23 season.

Junior Charlie Dannatt leads the way after he earned Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors for his run in the 1,500 meters at the On Track Classic on Saturday in Walnut, California. He placed second in his section with a time of 3:41.36 that moves him to No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list. It also improved his NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark, which ranks No. 2 in Division II this season.

Junior Bryan Cortes was named the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he threw the best mark in the conference this season in the javelin at the Jennifer Rogers Swan Memorial Meet in Abbotsford, British Columbia. The only competitor in the event, Cortes’ mark of 198 feet, 5 inches improved his NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and ranks No. 29 in Division II this season.

Sophomore Marie-Éloïse Leclair claimed Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors for a trio of solid performances at the Oxy Invitational in Los Angeles. She placed fourth in the 100 meters in 11.57 seconds and was fifth in the 200 meters in 23.54 seconds. She also ran a leg on the Red Leafs’ winning 4x100-meter relay team, which won in a time of 46.56 seconds that ranks No. 10 on the GNAC all-time list.

Western Oregon freshman Amariyah Clay received the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week award after winning the triple jump at the Linfield Open on Saturday in McMinnville, Oregon. Her mark of 39 feet, 3.25 inches is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark, ranks second in the GNAC and is 40th in Division II this season.

 The Seattle Pacific varsity 4+ received the final Women’s Rowing Crew of the Week award after the team placed second in the collegiate varsity 4+ race at the Windermere Cup/Opening Day Regatta on Saturday in Seattle. The Falcons clocked a time of 7:59.36. Members of the crew included coxswain Lucy Sandahl and rowers Megan Popielak, Anna Boatman, Megan Rouse and Bella Lisenby.

On the diamond, Western Oregon sophomore John Oleson was selected as the Baseball Player of the Week after he went 5 for 8 with four runs scored and four RBIs in the Wolves’ doubleheader at Saint Martin’s on Thursday. Oleson went 4 for 5 in the 13-2 first-game win, which included a pair of RBI singles and a solo home run in the second inning. He then went 1 for 3 with a run scored in the 3-2 second-game loss.

Saint Martin’s junior Justice Yamashita was named the Baseball Pitcher of the Week for his complete-game effort in the 3-2 win over Western Oregon on Thursday, ending the Wolves’ 11-game win streak. Yamashita allowed two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts to finish the season with a 5-5 record.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 37
BASEBALL PLAYER
John Oleson (Western Oregon, IF, 6-4, So., Portland, Ore. – Ventura Coll.): Oleson went 5 for 8 with four runs scored and four RBIs in Thursday’s doubleheader at Saint Martin’s. In the opener, Oleson went 4 for 4 with a pair of RBI singles and a solo home run and scored three runs in the 13-2 victory. He then went 1 for 3 with a run scored in 3-2 second-game loss. Also Nominated: Ben Leid (Central Washington), Payton Flynn (Montana State Billings), Alohi Arecchi (Saint Martin’s).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Justice Yamashita (Saint Martin’s, P, 5-10, Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii – Maryknoll): Yamashita ended his season with the win, going the distance to beat Western Oregon 3-2 and end the Wolves’ 11-game win streak. He allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out five to improve to 5-5 on the season. Also Nominated: Alex Brady (Central Washington), Ty Wilson (Montana State Billings), Dylan Chalmers (Western Oregon).

MEN’S TRACK
Charlie Dannatt (Simon Fraser, Jr., North Vancouver, B.C. – Univ. of British Columbia): Dannatt moved to No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list with his second-place finish of his section of the 1,500 meters at the On Track Classic in Walnut, California on Saturday. His time of 3:41.36 was a season best and ranks No. 2 in Division II this season.  Also Nominated: Garrett Hough (Central Washington), Bradley Graves (Montana State Billings), Kevin McDermott (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Bryan Cortes (Simon Fraser, Jr., Port Coquitlam, B.C. – Terry Fox): Depsite being the only competitor in the open javelin at the Jennifer Rogers Swan Memorial Meet in Abbotsford, British Columbia on Saturday, Cortes threw the best mark in the conference entering the GNAC Championships. His career-best mark of 198 feet, 5 inches improved his NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and ranks No. 29 in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Brandon Geck (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Marie-Éloïse Leclair (Simon Fraser, So., Candiac, Que. – College Durocher): Leclair performed well at the Oxy Invitational on Saturday in Los Angeles. She placed fourth in the 100 meters with a time of 11.57 seconds and fifth in the 200 meters in 23.54 seconds, both just off of her GNAC record season bests. Leclair also ran a leg on the Red Leafs’ 4x100-meter relay that won a time of 46.56 seconds that ranks 10th on the GNAC all-time list and 44th in Division II this season.  Also Nominated: Alexa Neff (Central Washington), Bella Klein (Montana State Billings), Marian Ledesma (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Amariyah Clay (Western Oregon, Fr., Beaverton, Ore. – Beaverton): Clay added her name to the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying list in the triple jump by winning the event at the Linfield Open on Saturday. Her mark of 39 feet, 3.25 inches is second in the GNAC this season and 40th in Division II.  Also Nominated: Ryann Moline (Montana State Billings), Sydney Kania (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S ROWING
Seattle Pacific Varsity 4+: The Falcons finished second in the collegiate varsity 4+ race at Windermere Cup/Opening Day Regatta on Saturday in Seattle, posting a time of 7:59.36. Members of the crew included Lucy Sandahl (coxswain), Megan Popielak, Anna Boatman, Megan Rouse and Bella Lisenby.