Monday, March 29, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – The second no-hitter in GNAC softball this season by Western Oregon’s Reilly Tidwell headlines the selections for GNAC Player of the Week awards.

The junior was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she threw the no-hitter in Friday’s 3-0 first-game victory at Northwest Nazarene. She allowed five walks and struck out four to notch the 15th no-hitter in Western Oregon history and the 28th no-hitter in GNAC history. Tidwell finished the week allowing one hit in two appearances with nine walks and six strikeouts.

Montana State Billings senior Hailee Gregerson earned the Softball Player of the Week award after she batted .389 in six games, going 7 for 18 with seven runs, 10 RBI and four home runs. She had the game-winning homer in Monday’s 13-12, eight-inning win over Central Washington and then had a two-run shot in Saturday’s 13-0 game one win over Humboldt State.

Northwest Nazarene earned a sweep of the baseball awards after the Nighthawks swept their four-game GNAC series with Saint Martin’s. Senior Shawn Grandmont was named the Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .562 in the four games, going 9 for 16 with five runs, 10 RBI, a double, a triple, two home runs and two stolen bases. He had a pair of three-run homers, including one that accounted for all of the scoring in Friday’s 3-0 second-game win.

Freshman Kyle Ethridge was named the Baseball Pitcher of the Week after he threw six innings of shutout baseball in the 3-0 win. He allowed two hits and two walks while striking out 12 to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Western Washington’s Calahan Warren and Hannah Nienaber repeated their Track Athlete of the Week awards. Warren was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after the senior won the 10,000 meters at the Ed Boitano Invitational in a time of 29:55.17. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark is No. 8 in Division II this season and No. 10 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Nienaber repeated as the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after the senior won the javelin at the Ed Boitano Invitational with a mark of 149 feet. The performance improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and ranks No. 6 in Division II this season.

Seattle Pacific freshman Ellie Rising earned the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week award after she won the 800 meters at the Ed Boitano Invitational with a GNAC-leading time of 2:13.95. The performance is a six-second improvement over the course of the season thus far and ranks No. 13 in Division II this season.

Central Washington senior Andrew Harris was selected as the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won the hammer at the Ed Boitano Invitational with a mark of 188 feet, 8 inches. The performance provisionally qualifies Harris for the NCAA Championships and ranks No. 14 in Division II this season.

Central Oklahoma’s varsity 8 boat was selected as the first Women’s Rowing Crew of the Week for the 2020-21 season. The Bronchos eight edged out Seattle Pacific in a pair of races at the Falcon Regatta in Seattle, clocking 6:53.6 in the opening flight and 6:51 in the second flight.

On the links, Western Washington junior Aidan Thain earned his second-straight Men’s Golf Player of the Week honor after he tied for fifth at the Saint Martin’s Regional Preview to lead all GNAC golfers. He turned in a two-round score of even-par 144, which included a 1-under-par 71 on the opening 18 holes.

Alaska Anchorage, which split with in-state rival Alaska over the weekend, swept this week’s volleyball awards. Freshman Nicole Blue was named the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 2.50 kills and one dig per set with a .404 hitting percentage. She finished with 10 kills in Friday’s three-set win and then added 14 kills, five digs, four blocks and a .462 hitting percentage in Saturday’s five-set loss.

Senior Vera Pluharova finished with 14 blocks in the two matches to earn Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honors. She finished with three blocks and six kills on Friday before adding 11 blocks and six more kills on Saturday.

Seattle Pacific swept the soccer offensive honors. Senior Sophia Chilczuk was named the Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for her two goals and an assist in the Falcons’ 4-0 season-opening win over Puget Sound on Saturday. She assisted on the opening goal in the 10th minute before connecting on goals of her own in the 19th and 67th minutes.

Sophomore Tyler Speer earned the Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week award after he scored two goals in the Falcons’ 3-1 win over Pacific Lutheran on Saturday. He connected on the match’s opening goal in the 23rd minute and added an insurance goal in the 55th minute.

Saint Martin’s swept the soccer defensive awards. Senior Stephen Murray was named the Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week after he anchored an SMU defense that allowed just four shots on goal against Seattle Pacific on Wednesday. He also had the game-winning goal in the 89th minute in the 2-1 win over the Falcons.

Sophomore Ali Campigotto was selected as the Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week after she earned the shutout in Thursday’s 1-0 win over Western Oregon. She made one save as the Saints limited the Wolves to eight total shots and one shot on goal.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 12
BASEBALL PLAYER
Shawn Grandmont (Northwest Nazarene, IF, 6-1, Sr., Lethbridge, Alta. – Coll. of Southern Idaho): Grandmont finished with a .562 batting average in the Nighthawks’ four-game sweep of Saint Martin’s, going 9 for 16 with five runs, 10 RBI, a double, a triple, two home runs and two stolen bases. Grandmont went 2 for 4 with an RBI single in Friday’s 6-2 game-one win. He accounted for all of the scoring in the 3-0 nightcap win with his three-run homer in the third. Grandmont went 3 for 5 in Saturday’s opener with another three-run homer before closing the series by going 3 for 3 in the nightcap with an RBI single and RBI triple. Also Nominated: Daniel Cipriano (Montana State Billings), Aaron Renaud (Saint Martin’s), Connor McCord (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Kyle Ethridge (Northwest Nazarene, P, 6-0, Fr., Alta Loma, Calif. – Los Osos): Ethridge improved to 3-0 on the season as he won Friday’s second game against Saint Martin’s. He allowed two hits and two walks while striking out 12 in six innings of work for the 3-0 victory. He threw 100 pitches, 66 for strikes. Also Nominated: Dylan Barkley (Montana State Billings), Tanner Inouye (Saint Martin’s), Matthew Dunaway (Western Oregon).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Hailee Gregerson (Montana State Billings, OF/P, 5-5, Sr., Park City, Mont. – Dawson CC): Gregerson finished with a .389 in six games last week, going 7 for 18 with seven runs, 10 RBI and four home runs. Gregerson opened the week by going 2 for 5 with the game-winning solo home run in Monday’s first game against Central Washington. She added a two-run shot in the second game. Gregerson hammered a two-run homer in Saturday’s opener with Humboldt State, a 13-0 win. She went 2 for 3 with a two-run single and a solo home run in Sunday’s opener before going 1 for 3 in the nightcap. Also Nominated: Sidney Booth (Northwest Nazarene), Bailey Kahele (Western Oregon).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Reilly Tidwell (Western Oregon, P, 6-0, Jr., Marana, Ariz. – Mountain View): Tidwell threw the second no-hitter in the GNAC this season and the 15th in Western Oregon history to beat Northwest Nazarene on Friday, 3-0. She allowed five walks and struck out four to complete the first seven-inning no-hitter in the GNAC since 2019. Tidwell also pitched three innings of relief in Saturday’s second game. In 10 innings on the week, Tidwell allowed one hit and struck out six. Also Nominated: Alyssa Etheridge (Montana State Billings), Jackie Vargas (Northwest Nazarene).

MEN’S TRACK
Calahan Warren (Western Washington, Sr., Auburndale, Fla. – Embry-Riddle Univ.): Warren earned his second-consecutive award after winning both the 10,000 meters and 800 meters at the Ed Boitano Invitational. Warren won the 10,000 on Friday in a time of 29:55.17. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time is No. 8 in Division II this season and No. 10 on the GNAC All-Time List. On Saturday, Warren won the 800 meters in a time of 1:55.88. Also Nominated: Zachary Davis (Central Washington), Carson Jessup (Montana State Billings), Tyler Shea (Northwest Nazarene), Jack Farrell (Saint Martin’s), Justin Crosswhite (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Andrew Harris (Central Washington, Sr., North Bend, Wash. – Mount Si): Harris won the hammer throw at the Ed Boitano Invitational with an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark of 188 feet, 8 inches. The mark currently ranks No. 14 in Division II this season. Harris also placed fourth in the discus with a mark of 139 feet, 2 inches. Also Nominated: Isaiah Girard (Montana State Billings), Dylan Hendry (Northwest Nazarene), Andrew Boyd (Saint Martin’s), JJ Walker (Western Oregon), Kacey Provo (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Ellie Rising (Seattle Pacific, Fr., Goldendale, Wash. – Goldendale): Rising won the 800 meters at the Ed Boitano Invitational, running 2:13.95. The time is No. 13 in Division II this season and marks a six-second drop in her time in the event this season. Rising also ran the second leg on the Falcons’ winning 4x400-meter relay team, which crossed the line in 3:59.91. Also Nominated: Lauryn Chandler (Central Washington), Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Lauren Wuertz (Northwest Nazarene), Cassidy Walchak-Sloan (Saint Martin’s), Maliyah Thompson (Western Oregon), Karlie Hurley (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Hannah Nienaber (Western Washington, Jr., Battle Ground, Wash. – Prairie HS): Nienaber extended her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the javelin, winning the event at the Ed Boitano Invitational. Her mark of 149 feet currently leads the GNAC and ranks No. 6 in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Avery Fisk (Central Washington), Kendall Lynn (Montana State Billings), Destany Herbert (Northwest Nazarene), Eden Mortensen (Saint Martin’s), Kaylee Wright (Western Oregon).

MEN’S GOLF
Aidan Thain (Western Washington, Jr., Bellevue, Wash. – Colorado Mesa Univ.): Thain was the top GNAC player at the Saint Martin’s Regional Preview. He tied for fifth place with a two-round score of even-par 144, which included a low-round of 1-under-par 71 on the first 18 holes. Thain led the Vikings to a tie for third place in the team standings in a tournament that was shortened due to inclement weather. Also Nominated: Garrett Woodin (Montana State Billings), Grayson Giboney (Northwest Nazarene), Tyler Fitchett (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S ROWING
Central Oklahoma Varsity 8+: The Bronchos won both of their races at the Falcon Regatta, the team’s first competition of the 2020-21 season. The crew won the first varsity 8 flight in a time of 6:53.6, finishing less than a second ahead of Seattle Pacific. They came back for the win in the second flight in a time of 6:51.0, once again just ahead of Seattle Pacific. The crew includes Madisyn Kitchell (coxswain), Cameron Blunk, Kateryna Klymenko, Megan Dwarshuis, Shelby Wackerly, Keyna Holleman, Faith Brooks, Sage Kroeker and Siobhan Quirke.

MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Tyler Speer (Seattle Pacific, M, 5-6, So., Grand Junction, Colo. – Fruita Monument): Speer opened the SPU men’s soccer season by scoring a pair of goals in the Falcons’ 3-1 victory over Pacific Lutheran on Saturday. He connected on the match’s opening goal in the 23rd minute off Titus Grant’s assist and added an insurance goal in the 55th minute off of Owen Gortner’s assist. Also Nominated: Jason Fairhurst (Saint Martin’s).

MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Stephen Murray (Saint Martin’s, D, 6-0, Sr., Bonney Lake, Wash. – Sumner): Murray anchored a Saint Martin’s defense that limited Seattle Pacific to one goal and four shots on goal and then contributed the game-winning goal in the 89th minute in the Saint’s 2-1 win over the Falcons on Wednesday. Also Nominated: Brandon Locke (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Sophia Chilczuk (Seattle Pacific, F, 5-11, Sr., Kent, Wash. - Kentridge): Chilczuk tallied two goals and an assist to lead Seattle Pacific to a 4-0 season-opening win over Puget Sound on Saturday. She assisted on the opening goal in the 10th minute before scoring goals of her own in the 19th and 67th minutes. Also Nominated: Kiersten Madsen (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Ali Campigotto (Saint Martin’s, GK, 5-4, So., Gig Harbor, Wash. – Peninsula): Campigotto collected her first shutout victory of the season in a 1-0 win over Western Oregon on Thursday. She made one save as the Saints’ defense limited the Wolves to eight shots and only one shot on goal.

VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE
Nicole Blue (Alaska Anchorage, OH, 5-9, Fr., Cerritos, Calif. – Cerritos): Blue averaged three kills and one dig per set with a .404 hitting percentage in the Seawolves’ split with Alaska. In Friday’s three-set win, Blue finished with 10 kills, three digs, one block and one ace. On Saturday, Blue finished with 14 kills and a .462 hitting percentage to go with five digs and four blocks. Also Nominated: Lahra Weber (Alaska), Kylie Coon (Saint Martin’s).

VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE
Vera Pluharova (Alaska Anchorage, MB/RS, 6-2, Sr., Nechanice, Czech Republic – Biskupske Gymnazium Bohuslava Balbina): Pluharova finished with 14 blocks and averaged 1.50 kills per set in the Seawolves’ split with Alaska. She finished with three blocks, three aces and six kills in Friday’s three-set victory. In Saturday’s five-set marathon, Pluharova finished with nine blocks (two solo, nine assists) to go along with six kills and two digs. Also Nominated: Kylie Alos (Saint Martin’s).