Wednesday, September 16, 2015

GNAC ROLLS IN THE CROSSOVER: For the second straight year, the GNAC proved the dominant team in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover. In their host year, the GNAC went 17-15 against the PacWest in the three-day tournament. The ledger include a 7-1 record of GNAC programs against the PacWest’s top-25 ranked program. In the two years of the tournament, the GNAC has a 37-27 record against the PacWest.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM: The GNAC was awarded five of six positions on the GNAC/PacWest All-Tournament Team. Honored were Alaska Anchorage’s Katelyn Zanders and Leah Swiss, Western Washington’s Rachel Roeder and Central Washington’s Linden Firethorne and Kaitlin Quirk. The one PacWest selection was Savannah Wedemeyer of Point Loma.

CROSSOVER TO INCLUDE CCAA IN 2016: The annual volleyball crossover tournament between the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and the Pacific West Conference will become a truly regional affair next year as the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) will participate in 2016.

The three conferences have put into place a three-year agreement to participate in a West Region Crossover Tournament, which will provide 30 teams a full weekend of in-region competition each September. The conferences will rotate hosting duties with matches spread out across five different sites.

“The crossover concept in volleyball has been well received the past two seasons and we’re excited to broaden its scope to include all three West Region conferences in 2016,” said GNAC Commissioner Dave Haglund. “In-region non-conference play is vitally important to the regional ranking process and ultimate determination of postseason bids. Having a majority of programs from all three conferences facing off in a structured format will only benefit everyone in our region. We’re excited to have worked out a format that will showcase Division II volleyball in the west.”

The new West Region Crossover will feature the top-10 teams from the three conferences competing at five sites throughout the host conference with each team playing four matches. Pairings will be determined based on the program’s conference finish the previous season. The CCAA will host the crossover in 2016, followed by the GNAC in 2017 and the PacWest in 2018. Read Full Release

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Rachel Roeder, Western Washington
OH • 6-1 • Senior • Sammamish, Wash.

Roeder was named to the GNAC/PacWest Crossover All-Tournament Team after leading the Vikings to a 4-0 record in the tournament, including wins over No. 20 Point Loma and No. 21 BYU-Hawaii. She finished with 41 kills and a .347 hitting percentage, topped by a 12-kill performance in their Thursday sweep of Dixie State. Roeder hit .409 (10-1-22) in Sunday’s win over Point Loma. Also Nominated: Madi Farrell (Northwest Nazarene), Sam Harthun (Alaska), Ashley Jibby (Concordia), Kaitlin Quirk (Central Washington), Julia Wabinga (Saint Martin’s), Katelynn Zanders (Alaska Anchorage).

DEFENSIVE
Kyla Militante-Amper, Alaska Anchorage
L/DS • 5-3 • Freshman • Hillsboro, Ore.

 The freshman finished with 65 digs (4.33 digs per set) to help lead the Seawolves to a 4-0 record at the GNAC/PacWest Crossover. She had a career-high 23 digs in a four-set win over No. 20 Point Loma and added 18 digs and five assists in UAA’s five-set come-from-behind win over No. 21 BYU-Hawaii. Also Nominated: Meagen Olsen (Alaska), Linnea Phillips (Northwest Nazarene), Jenessa Taylor (Concordia).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA
• The struggles continued for the Nanooks, who went 0-4 in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover. Alaska dropped three-set matches to Cal Baptist and Hawaii Pacific and lost four-set affairs to Academy of Art and Azusa Pacific.

• Senior outside hitter Sam Harthun added to her impressive career numbers, finishing with 42 kills in the four matches of the crossover, which included a double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs against Hawaii Pacific. Her career total of 1,188 kills is just 25 away from No. 3 on the Alaska all-time list and moves her into No. 16 on the GNAC all-time list. Harthun enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in kills (3.25 per set) and fifth in points (3.61 per set).

• Sophomore middle blocker Riley Podowicz finished the weekend with 28 kills and had a team-best .311 hitting percentage in the four matches.

• In a show of improvement, Alaska enters the week having won seven sets in their eight matches. It took the Nanooks until Oct. 2 last year to reach that milestone.

• Alaska continues to lead the GNAC in service aces (51) and service aces per set (1.82). Riley Podowicz is fifth in the conference individually, averaging 0.43 per set. Miranda Grieser is tied for sixth with an average of 0.38 aces per set.

• Junior libero Meghan Olsen is ranked ninth in the GNAC in digs, averaging 3.96 per set. Olsen had 55 digs over the weekend and a total of 111 on the year.

• Alaska will be the first conference match opponent for GNAC newcomer Concordia on Thursday. The Cavaliers enter the week with an 8-0 record.

ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage moved up two spots in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll to No. 12 after marching to a 4-0 record in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover.

• The Seawolves’ four wins included a four-set victory over then No. 20 Point Loma and a five-set win over then No. 21 BYU-Hawaii. It was UAA’s first five-set match of the season. Alaska Anchorage has now won five straight and six of their last seven against nationally-ranked opponents.

• The Seawolves’ 8-0 start is the second best in school history, trailing only the 10-0 start of the 1988 squad.

• Freshman libero Kyla Militante-Amper was named the GNAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week after leading UAA with 65 digs in the tournament, including a season-high 23 against Point Loma. She enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 4.35 digs per set.

• Freshman outside hitter Leah Swiss was named to the GNAC/PacWest Crossover All-Tournament Team after picking up 42 kills and leading the tourney with a .419 hitting percentage. Swiss enters the week ranked 11th in the GNAC with a .292 hitting percentage and is 10th in points (3.16 per set).

• Senior outside hitter Katelynn Zanders was also named to the GNAC/PacWest Crossover All-Tournament Team, her second all-tourney squad in as many weeks. She led the crossover with 59 kills and had a .297 hitting percentage. Zanders leads the GNAC and is ranked 22nd in Division II with an average of 4.10 kills per set. She now has 1,136 career kills, No. 3 on the UAA all-time list and just outside of the GNAC top-20.

• Junior middle blocker Erin Braun enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in blocks (1.31 per set) and fifth in hitting percentage (.327). She is ranked 16th in Division II in total blocks (38) and 22nd in blocks per set. Junior setter Morgan Hooe leads the GNAC and is ranked 20th in Division II with 11.07 assists per set. She is also 25th in Division II with 321 total assists.

• As a team, Alaska Anchorage leads the GNAC in hitting percentage (.303), kills (14.03 per set) and assists (13.03) while ranking second in opponent hitting percentage (.139) and blocks (2.79 per set). The Seawolves are ranked third in Division II in hitting percentage, ninth in blocks per set and total blocks (81.0), 17th in kills per set and 28th in assists per set.

• The conference’s two undefeated teams will square off on Saturday with Alaska Anchorage traveling to Concordia. Both teams started the season 8-0.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• After going 4-0 on their home floor at the GNAC/PacWest Crossover, which included wins over top-25 opponents in Point Loma and BYU-Hawaii, Central Washington earned the first GNAC victory of the year when they defeated Northwest Nazarene in four sets on Monday.

• After losing their first three matches of the season, the Wildcats have won five straight. The performance saw CWU receive 27 points in the latest AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll.

• Senior outside hitter Linden Firethorne was named to the GNAC/PacWest Crossover All-Tournament Team after finishing with 57 kills and a .287 hitting percentage in the four matches, topped by 15 kills and .600 hitting percentage in a three-set sweep of No. 21 BYU-Hawaii. Firethorne enters the week ranked second in the GNAC and 47th in Division II with 3.73 kills per set.

• Senior middle blocker Kaitlin Quirk was also named to the GNAC/PacWest Crossover All-Tournament for 21 blocks and an average of 1.40 blocks per set in the four matches. She enters the week ranked second in the GNAC with 1.40 blocks per set. Sophomore middle blocker Sabrina Wheelhouse leads the GNAC with her average of 1.41 blocks per set and is fourth in hitting percentage (.336).

• Junior setter Catie Fry moved up to second in the GNAC with 10.60 assists per set and is ranked 35th nationally.

• As a team, Central Washington leads the GNAC and is third in Division II with an average of 3.15 blocks per set. The Wildcats are second in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.240), kills (12.87 per set) and assists (12.20 per set).

CONCORDIA
• One of three GNAC teams not to play in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover, the Cavaliers went 4-0 at the Western Oregon Invitational in Monmouth. Concordia scored three set victories over Daemen, Wis.-Parkside and Notre Dame de Namur and took a five-set win from Chico State.

• Sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Dorsey is leading the way for the Cavaliers offensively with 82 kills and a .311 hitting percentage, which ranks eighth in the GNAC. She also ranked eighth in the GNAC in kills (2.93 per set) and is tied for sixth in service aces (0.39 per set). Concordia benefits from a balanced hitting attack, with four players with 60 kills or better in eight matches.

• Senior setter Jenessa Taylor enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in assists, averaging 10.50 per set. She notched a seaosn-high 50 assists in the five-set win over Chico State on Saturday.

• The Cavaliers enter the week leading the GNAC in digs with an average of 16.72 per set. Senior libero Shantel Gritsch leads the league individually with an average of 5.86 digs per set, which included a 30-dig effort against Chico State and 26 against Notre Dame de Namur.

•  Concordia also leads the GNAC with an opponent hitting percentage of .102. The Cavaliers enter the week second in service aces at 1.79 per set and third with a .236 hitting percentage.

• Concordia will play host to Alaska and Alaska Anchorage in their first GNAC counting matches. The Cavaliers host the winless Nanooks on Thursday and host the Seawolves in a matchup between the GNAC’s two undefeated teams on Saturday.

• Concordia is in the second year of a three-year transition process to NCAA Division II membership. This is their first year playing full Division II and GNAC schedules. While the Cavaliers are eligible to win the GNAC championship, they are not eligible for postseason competition.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings will have a tough start to the GNAC season after going 0-4 at the GNAC/PacWest Crossover. The Yellowjackets will host Central Washington on Thursday and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday.

• In the crossover, the Yellowjackets opened with a four-set loss in their rematch with Academy of Art before taking three-set losses to Azusa Pacific, Hawaii Pacific and Cal Baptist.

• Junior outside hitter Ashlynn Ward and freshman outside hitter Taylor Albertson both lead the Yellowjackets with a .243 hitting percentage. Ward enters the week ranked seventh in the GNAC in kills (2.94 per set) and ninth in the league in points (3.17 per set).

• While Montana State Billings is ranked fifth in the GNAC in aces with 1.50 per set, the Yellowjackets have two players individually ranked in the top-10. Freshman middle blocker Miranda McConnell is ranked second with 0.46 aces per set while senior setter Kyndal Williams is fourth with an average of 0.44 aces per set. Williams is also fifth in assists at 9.41 per set.

• Junior defensive specialist Kimmy Kirk enters the week ranked eighth in the GNAC in digs, averaging 4.16 per set.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• The Crusaders entered the GNAC season with a split 4-4 record. Northwest Nazarene went 2-2 in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover, carding a three-set sweeps of No. 21 BYU-Hawaii and Fresno Pacific.

• The Crusaders’ title defense began with a loss as NNU fell in four sets at Central Washington in a rare Monday start to the conference schedule. Northwest Nazarene fell despite a .232 team hitting percentage, led by 14 kills and seven blocks by senior right side Taylor VanValey.

• The 2-2 record in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover spelled the end of the Crusaders’ one-week flirtation with the AVCA Top-25 Poll. In the Sept. 7 poll, NNU was among teams receiving votes with 38 points.

• Sophomore middle blocker Madi Farrell enters the week ranked third in the GNAC with a .338 hitting percentage and sixth with her average of 1.12 blocks per set. Senior middle blocker Jenna Caywood is seventh in the league with 1.09 blocks per set..

• Northwest Nazarene’s statistical strength so far this season has been at the net. The Crusaders are ranked third in the GNAC and 16th in Division II with 2.62 blocks per set. Northwest Nazarene is also tied for 12th in Division II with Simon Fraser with a team total of 76 blocks.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s ended a five-match losing streak in their lone match of the week on Saturday, dispatching Douglas (B.C.) in three sets. Senior outside hitter Julia Wabinga led the Saints’ offensive effort with 13 kills and a .370 hitting percentage.

• The victory over Douglas snapped a 19-match losing streak that dated back to September 2014. The Saints will be looking to end a 13-match losing streak to GNAC teams on the road at Western Washington on Thursday and at Simon Fraser on Saturday. The Saints last won a GNAC match on Sept. 27, 2014, beating Western Oregon in five sets.

• Wabinga leads Saint Martin’s offensively with 46 kills and an average of 2.56 kills per set. Senior middle blocker Kyra Davidson has amassed 17 blocks, an average of 0.85 per set, while junior setter Cassandra Fenton is averaging 1.35 digs per set.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific is hoping for a rebound as they open GNAC play. The Falcons went 1-3 on their home floor at the GNAC/PacWest Crossover, beating Academy of Art in four sets and falling to Azusa Pacific, Cal Baptist and Hawaii Pacific in three sets.

• During the crossover, the Falcons received double-double performances from sophomore outside hitter Hannah Lautenbach and freshman setter Symone Tran. Lautenbach finished with 11 kills and 15 digs to lead SPU past Academy of Art on on Friday. Tran finished with 25 assists and 11 digs in the tournament-ending three-set loss to Hawaii Pacific.

• Tran enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC in assists, averaging 8.04 per set. Senior libero Breanne Wiekamp enters the week ranked sixth in digs, averaging 4.50 per set, and eighth in service aces, averaging 0.38 per set.

• As a team, Seattle Pacific is ranked fourth in the GNAC in service aces, averaging 1.58 per set.

• While Seattle Pacific is 10th in hitting percentage in the GNAC at .124, the Falcons have had the highest single match hitting percentage this season when they hit .410 (43 kills, 11 errors, 78 attempts) against Molloy on Sept. 4.

• Seattle Pacific will open GNAC play with road matches at Simon Fraser on Thursday and at No. 16 Western Washington on Saturday. The Falcons are 8-6 all-time in GNAC season openers, including a 5-4 mark when that opening match is on the road.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser split their tournament matches for the second weekend in a row. The Clan beat Hawaii Pacific on Thursday in fives, fell in three sets to Cal Baptist on Friday and split three-set sweeps on Saturday, beating Academy of Art and losing to Azusa Pacific.

• The Clan turned in the highest output offensive match of the season on Friday, cranking out 67 kills in the five-set win over Hawaii Pacific. The Clan had 229 total attempts and 62 assists in the match, which are also GNAC team season highs.

• Junior outside hitter Devon May had 18 kills to lead the Clan against Hawaii Pacific. She enters the week leading SFU and ranking sixth in the GNAC with her average of 2.94 kills per set. May is also ranked 12th in Division II in total attacks with 365.

• Freshman middle blocker Tessa May is fifth in the GNAC and 36th in Division II in blocks, averaging 1.21 per set. She is tied for 11th with Central Washington’s Kaitlin Quirk with 40 total blocks. Tessa May leads a Simon Fraser squad that ranks fourth in the GNAC in blocks, but is also 32nd nationally at 2.30 per set.

• Junior libero Alison McKay enters the week second in the GNAC and 36th in Division II with her average of 5.36 digs per set. She had a GNAC high of 34 digs in the Clan’s five-set win over Hawaii Pacific.

• As a team, Simon Fraser ranks second in the GNAC in digs (15.91 per set) and third in opponent hitting percentage (.173). The Clan ranks 11th in Division II in total attacks (1,272), 12th in total blocks (76.0) and 27th in team attacks per set (38.55).

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon rebounded from an 0-4 start to the season to split their matches at their own Western Oregon Invitational and go 3-2 on their home court last week. In the tournament, WOU collected a four-set win over Adelphi and a five-set win over Notre Dame de Namur.

• Sophomore outside hitter Alisha Bettinson has paced the WOU offense during non-conference play, racking up 88 kills in their nine non-conference matches. Her top performance came against Adelphi on Thursday as Bettinson collected 22 kills.

• Sophomore middle blocker Sydney Blankinship enters GNAC play ranked second in the league with a .341 hitting percentage (42-11-91). Blankinship’s 42 kills have come in 27 sets, paced by an 11-kill performance against Lewis & Clark last Monday.

• Junior libero Christie Colasurdo enters the conference season ranked third in the GNAC and 39th in Division II with her average of 5.32 digs per set. She also ranks 10th in Division II with her 181 total digs. Colasurdo posted her seaosn high of 30 digs against Wis.-Parkside on Friday and had 29 against Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday.

• Western Oregon will open their GNAC schedule by hosting No. 12 Alaska Anchorage on Thursday and Alaska on Saturday. The matches will conclude a season-long seven-match home stand for the Wolves. Of their 14 September matches, eight will be in their home arena, the New P.E. Building.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• The Vikings joined Alaska Anchorage and Central Washington as the GNAC’s only undefeated teams in the GNAC/PacWest Crossover. Western Washington swept through the Ellensburg venue with three-set sweeps of Dixie State and No. 20 Point Loma and four-set victories over Fresno Pacific and BYU-Hawaii.

• In the AVCA Poll, the Vikings have leapt eight spots since the preseason rankings. They enter the week ranked No. 16 after being slotted at No. 19 a week ago.

• Of Western Washington’s first eight matches, five have come against nationally-ranked teams. The Vikings have a 3-2 record in those matches.

• Senior outside hitter Rachel Roeder was named the GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week and was the only WWU player selected to the GNAC/PacWest Crossover All-Tournament Team. Roeder finished with 41 kills and a .347 hitting percentage in the four matches, led by a 12-kill performance against Dixie State. She enters the week ranked ninth in the GNAC in kills (2.75 per set).

• Redshirt freshman middle blocker Kayleigh Harper has been a force at the net. She has racked up 36 kills in the eight non-conference matches and ranks fourth in the GNAC and 24th in Division II with her 1.29 blocks per set.

• Senior opposite Jennica McPherson leads the GNAC in aces, averaging 0.56 per set (15 total in eight matches). As a team, the Vikings are third in the league in aces at 1.61 per set.

• While ranking no better than third in any GNAC statistical category, Western Washington ranks 39th in Division II with it’s 2.25 blocks per set.

• Western Washington will play all of their 2015 home matches at Bellingham’s Whatcom Community College while their on-campus arena, Carver Gymnasium, undergoes a two-year renovation.