Monday, February 3, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. – The performances at the UW Invitational yielded two more conference records to lead the GNAC Athlete of the Week awards.

Western Oregon junior Derek Holdsworth was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he blew away the conference record in the 800 meters. His winning time of 1:47.74 was nearly two seconds faster than the previous record of 1:49.68 run by the Wolves’ Badane Sultessa in 2016. The NCAA Championships automatic qualifying time is the third-fastest in all college divisions and is tied for ninth in the world this season.

Central Washington senior Aidan Cain replaced the oldest record on the GNAC men’s indoor books with his performance in the weight throw that earned Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. Cain placed second with a mark of 61 feet, 10.25 inches that displaced the previous record of 61 feet, 9 inches set by Western Oregon’s Anthony Marin in 2007. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark is No. 17 in Division II this season.

The honored women’s track and field athletes also impressed. Simon Fraser senior Addy Townsend earned her third straight Track Athlete of the Week selection after she automatically qualified for nationals in the 800 meters. She placed ninth at the UW Invitational with a time of 2:07.74, a time that leads Division II and is 21st across all college divisions. It also moves her up to No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List in the event.

Western Washington sophomore Aliyah Dawkins earned Women’s Field Athlete of the Week accolades after she set the WWU record in the pentathlon in Seattle. Dawkins placed fifth with a score of 3,310 points, an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark that ranks 25th in Division II. In the course of the pentathlon, Dawkins won the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 7.75 that moves her to No. 9 on the GNAC All-Time List.

On the court, Saint Martin’s senior forward Bria Thames earned Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for two big scoring performances on the Alaska road trip. Thames finished with a double-double of 28 points and 12 rebounds in Thursday’s 59-56 loss at Alaska Anchorage before turning in a career-high of 32 points in Saturday’s 82-73 loss at Alaska. For the week, Thames connected on 64.5 percent from the field and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Northwest Nazarene senior forward Olamilekan Adetunji was named the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after posting double-doubles in wins over Western Washington and Simon Fraser to move the Nighthawks into a tie for second in the GNAC standings. Adetunji finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds in Thursday’s 87-64 win over the Vikings before turning in 21 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday’s 81-77 win over SFU.

Simon Fraser junior Alex Ogg earned the first GNAC Softball Player of the Week award for 2020 after she batted .737 at the Desert Stinger to lead the Clan to a 3-2 record. Ogg went 14 for 19 with five doubles, a triple, seven runs and seven RBI. Her week was headlined by a 3 for 3 performance against Minot State on Friday with three runs, two doubles and two RBI.

Saint Martin’s senior Brandi Schoessler was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she earned three of the Saints’ four wins at the Desert Stinger. She amassed a 1.50 earned run average, allowing four runs, three earned, on 15 hits with eight strikeouts in 14 innings. Her ledger included a complete-game 6-2 win over Mary on Friday, allowing two runs, one earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts.

Concordia senior infielder Damon Peters is the first Baseball Player of the Week for 2020 after he batted .462 in the Cavaliers’ three-game series at UC San Diego, which included a 3 for 4 performance in Sunday’s finale. Montana State Billings’ freshman Matthew Houlihan earned Baseball Pitcher of the Week honors for his win in Friday’s 1-0 shutout of Point Loma. He allowed two hits, walked one and struck out six in four innings of the seven-inning game.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 23
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Olamilekan Adetunji (Northwest Nazarene, F, 6-7, Sr., Lagos, Nigeria – Capistrano Valley Christian): Adetunji posted double-doubles in both NNU wins as the Nighthawks moved into a tie for second place in the GNAC standings, finishing with 39 points and 26 rebounds over the week while shooting 66.7 percent from the field. Adetunji opened the week with 18 points and 14 rebounds in Thursday’s 87-64 win over Western Washington. He then posted totals of 21 points and 12 rebounds on 7 of 9 from the field and 7 of 11 from the free-throw line in Saturday’s 81-77 victory over Simon Fraser. Also Nominated: Tobin Karlberg (Alaska Anchorage), Jeryn Lucas (Central Washington), Hunter Sweet (Concordia), Brendan Howard (Montana State Billings), Logan Rooney (Saint Martin’s), Jasdeep Singh (Simon Fraser), Cameron Cranston (Western Oregon), Jalen Green (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Bria Thames (Saint Martin’s, F, 6-0, Sr., Beaverton, Ore. – Umpqua CC): Thames was big for the Saints on the Alaska road trip, finishing with 60 points and 21 rebounds in the two games while shooting 64.5 percent from the field and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line. Thames notched a double-double of 28 points and 12 rebounds in Thursday’s close 59-56 loss at Alaska Anchorage, making 10 of 14 from the field and 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. Thames then connected for a career-high 32 points with nine rebounds in Saturday’s 82-73 loss at Alaska. She made 10 of 17 from the field and 12 of 14 from the free-throw line. Also Nominated: Yazmeen Goo (Alaska Anchorage), Samantha Bowman (Central Washington), Marina Valles (Northwest Nazarene), Jessica Jones (Simon Fraser), Meadow Aragon (Western Oregon), Emma Duff (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Derek Holdsworth (Western Oregon, Jr., Williamsburg, Va. – Trinidad CC): Holdsworth set the GNAC record in the 800 meters, beating a Division I laden field at the UW Invitational. Holdsworth’s winning time of 1:47.74 blew past the GNAC record set by the Wolves’ Badane Sultessa in 2016 and automatically qualifies Holdsworth for the NCAA Championships. The performance is the top mark in Division II this season, No. 3 in all college divisions and is among the top-10 times run in the world in the event this indoor season. Also Nominated: Bobby Widmar (Central Washington), Colby Otero (Seattle Pacific), Jeremiah Lauzon (Simon Fraser), Ryan Greenwalt (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Aidan Cain (Central Washington, Sr., Monroe, Wash. – Monroe): Cain set the GNAC record in the weight throw while taking second in the event at the UW Invitational. His mark of 61 feet, 10.25 inches eclipsed the former record of 61 feet, 9 inches set by Western Oregon’s Anthony Marin in 2007, which was the oldest remaining record on the GNAC men’s indoor list. An NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark, it is also No. 17 on the Division II season-best list. Cain also placed 12th in the shot put with a mark of 48 feet, 8.25 inches. Also Nominated: Chris Brake (Alaska Anchorage), Seth Bridge (Concordia), Seren Dances (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Addy Townsend (Simon Fraser, Sr., Coquitlam, B.C. – Charles Best): Townsend had another personal best in the 800 meters and hit an NCAA Championships automatic qualifying mark at the UW Invitational to win her third straight award. The top non-Division I or professional finisher, Townsend placed ninth in a time of 2:07.74. That leads Division II and moves Townsend into No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List. The time is also 21st this season across all college divisions. Also Nominated: Emmah Chelimo (Alaska Anchorage), Erykah Weems (Central Washington), Grace Knapp (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Aliyah Dawkins (Western Washington, So., North Mankato, Minn. – Mankato West): Dawkins provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships and set the WWU record in the pentathlon at the UW Invitational. Dawkins finished fifth with a score of 3,310 points that ranks her 25th in Division II this season. During the five-event discipline, Dawkins won the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 7.75 inches that moves her to No. 9 on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Samantha La Rue (Central Washington), Sasha Korolenko (Concordia), Moana Gianotti (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL
Player: Damon Peters (Concordia, IF, 5-11, Sr., Cornelius, Ore. – Linn-Benton CC): Peters led all GNAC hitters with a .462 batting average in the Cavaliers’ season-opening three-game series at UC San Diego. Peters went 2 for 5 in Saturday’s second game and closed out the week by going 3 for 4 with a double, a walk and an RBI in Sunday’s contest.

Pitcher: Matthew Houlihan (Montana State Billings, P, 6-4, Fr., Renton, Wash. – Great Falls): Houlihan picked up the win in the Yellowjackets’ 1-0 win at Point Loma to close out a doubleheader sweep of the Sea Lions on Friday. In the seven-inning game, Houlihan allowed two hits, walked one and struck out six in four innings as he picked up his first collegiate win.

SOFTBALL
Player: Alex Ogg (Simon Fraser, 3B, 5-6, Jr., Surrey, B.C. – Earl Marriott): Ogg led Simon Fraser to a 3-2 week at the Desert Stinger, batting .737 in the five games. She was 14 for 19 with five doubles, a triple, seven runs and seven RBI. Ogg opened the tourney by going 3 for 3 with three runs, two doubles and two RBI in Friday’s 15-7, five-inning win over Minot State. She went 3 for 4 with a double, an RBI and a run against Texas Tyler on Friday, went 4 for 4 with a double, a run and an RBI against Mary on Saturday before closing with 2 for 4 performances against Academy of Art on Saturday and San Francisco State on Sunday. Also Nominated: Alyssa Benthagen (Central Washington), Hannah Self (Concordia), Britzy Hockett (Montana State Billings), Brittany Genuardi (Northwest Nazarene), Emery Norwood (Saint Martin’s), Logan Carlos (Western Oregon), Dakota Brooks (Western Washington).

Pitcher: Brandi Schoessler (Saint Martin’s, P/IF, 5-6, Sr., Walla Walla, Wash. – Walla Walla CC): Schoessler led all GNAC pitchers in the opening weekend of the season, winning all three appearances while compiling a 1.50 earned run average. In 14 innings, she allowed four runs, three earned, on 15 hits and struck out eight with no walks. Schoessler went the distance in Friday’s 6-2 win over Mary, allowing two runs, one earned, on eight hits with three strikeouts. She allowed just two hits in four innings in a 6-0 shutout of Academy of Art on Saturday. She then threw three innings of relief against Minot State on Sunday, earning the win as she allowed two runs on five hits with four strikeouts. Also Nominated: Samantha Stanfield (Central Washington), Sally Bowles (Concordia), Anissa Zacharczuk (Simon Fraser), Anna Kasner (Western Washington).