Monday, February 29, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – Alaska Anchorage senior forward Megan Mullings was a near unanimous pick for Player of the Year, leading selections to the 2015-16 All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Team.

Mullings, who was also voted the Preseason Player of the Year, led the Seawolves to an 18-2 GNAC record, 31-2 overall and a No. 1 ranking in Division II. She paced the Seawolves with 16.6 points per game, fourth best in the GNAC, 6.1 rebounds per game and 50 blocks. The senior also leads the conference shooting 62.9 percent from the field and was one of four unanimous selections to the All-GNAC First Team.

Joining Mullings on the first team is teammate Jenna Buchanan. The senior guard averaged 12.9 points per game this season and was one of the most dangerous three-point threats in the GNAC. Buchanan led the league with 98 made three-pointers, shooting 44.5 percent from behind the arc. She was a Second Team All-GNAC selection as a junior and was the conference’s lone CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.

Western Washington finished in second place in the GNAC and matched Alaska Anchorage with two first team selections in senior center Kayla Bernsen and junior guard Taylor Peacocke. Bernsen was also named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year after pacing the conference with 84 total blocks. She also averaged 8.4 rebounds per game and led the GNAC with 3.9 offensive boards per contest.

Peacocke was a unanimous selection to the all-conference squad, ranking second in the GNAC with 16.8 points per game. Peacocke was one of two players, along with Alaska’s Jordan Wilson, to score in double-digits in every game this season. The junior was one of the top overall players in the conference, ranking third in the GNAC in three-point shooting percentage (.437), fourth in free-throw percentage (.859), fifth in minutes played per game (35.7) and steals per game (2.1) and 14th in assists per game (2.6).

Junior forward Alisha Breen represents Montana State Billings on the first team. Breen led the Yellowjackets to a third place finish and their first playoff berth since 2014. She was fifth in the GNAC in scoring at 16.5 points per game and 12th in rebounding, averaging 5.5 boards. The junior was also effective from behind the arc, shooting 38.9 percent from long range on 108 attempts.

Simon Fraser junior guard Ellen Kett rounds out the six first team selections. She leads all of Division II in three-point shooting percentage this season at 49.5 percent. Despite her scoring ability (11.6 points per game), Kett was most known this season for her passing touch. She led the conference with 182 assists and 7.3 assists per game and was second in the GNAC with a 2.4 assist/turnover ratio. The Melbourne, Australia native recorded a triple-double in the Clan’s final regular season road game against Alaska Anchorage, finishing with 14 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Montana State Billings head coach Kevin Woodin was named the GNAC Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Yellowjackets to a third place regular season finish. After being picked to finish tied for seventh in the GNAC Preseason Coaches Poll, Woodin pushed the Yellowjackets to a 15-5 GNAC record, 19-9 overall. It is his second Coach of the Year selection, having also received the honor following the 2013-14 season.

Central Washington guard Mandy Steward was selected the GNAC Freshman of the Year after averaging an even 10 points per game. Steward averaged 19.9 minutes per game for the Wildcats, appearing in all 28 games. She led the team with 45 made three-pointers and shot 41 percent from the field.

Alaska Anchorage senior guard Keiahnna Engel received the GNAC Newcomer of the Year award after transferring from Division I Boise State for her senior season. The Anchorage native was fourth on the team, averaging 9.3 points per game. She appeared in 28 games, making five starts and playing 18.4 minutes per contest. She shot 48 percent from the field and pulled down 3.8 rebounds per game for the top-ranked Seawolves.

The Seawolves led the all-conference team with five selections. Western Washington and Montana State Billings each placed three. There were a total of 13 repeat selections from 2014-15 and 10 first-time recipients.

2015-16 GNAC WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Player of the Year: Megan Mullings, Alaska Anchorage
Coach of the Year: Kevin Woodin, Montana State Billings
Defensive Player of the Year: Kayla Bernsen, Western Washington
Freshman of the Year: Mandy Steward, Central Washington
Newcomer of the Year: Keiahnna Engel, Alaska Anchorage