Friday, March 10, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington has led all GNAC programs in two of the first events of the spring portion of the golf season, taking sixth at the PLNU Reach and the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout. At the CBU Women’s Invitational, Simon Fraser led all GNAC teams with a fourth-place finish out of 18 teams at 52-over 628.

Lucky 13: Three GNAC athletes tied for third place in the CBU Women’s Invitational with Simon Fraser’s Emily Leung recording the best single round, scoring a 1-over 73 in the first round. Concordia’s Shantel Antonio and Northwest Nazarene’s Samantha Miller also finished the two-round event at 10-over 154.

Border Rivalry Renewed: Simon Fraser and Western Washington went head to head for the first time this season with the Vikings finishing better overall while the Clan posted the best individual performance. Western Washington took sixth place out of 14 teams at 65-over 641 led by Jenn Paul at 10-over 154 for 14th place individually. Simon Fraser was led by Leung in 10th place at 8-over 152 and the team finished in ninth place at 72-over 648.

2016-17 Individual Tournament Winners (3 teams or more)

• Stan McKenzi (CU): Saint Martin’s Invitational, Oct. 7-8 (4-over 77)
• Sammy Walter (MSUB): Western Washington Invitational, Oct. 10-11 (Even 146)

2016-17 Team Tournament Winner (3 teams or more)

• Concordia: Saint Martin’s Invite (1-under 571)
• Western Washington: Western Washington Invitational Oct. 17-18 (10-over 862)

2016-17 GNAC Golfers of the Week

Sept. 19-25: Audrey Orem (Western Washington, Sr., Bellingham, Wash. – Bellingham): Orem led Western Washington at the season-opening Western New Mexico Fall Intercollegiate, tying for 19th place at 7-over-par 151. She finished with a low round of even-par 72 on the second day of competition. Also Nominated: Bailee Dexter (Montana State Billings).

Oct. 3-9: Bailee Dexter (Montana State Billings, Jr., Townsend, Mont. – Butte) Dexter finished second at the Rocky Mountain College Invitational with a two-round score of 150. She missed first place by three strokes. Dexter went on to tie for 12th place in the rain-shortened Saint Martin’s Invitational. Also Nominated: Erin Farner (Simon Fraser), Samantha Miller (Northwest Nazarene), Chloe Read (Saint Martin’s), McKenzi Stan (Concordia).

Oct. 10-16: Sammy Walter (Montana State Billings, Jr., Billings, Mont. – Billings Senior) Walter tied for first at the Western Washington Invitational and tied the Montana State Billings record for a two-round score with a 146. Her first round score of 72 was a personal best. Walter tied with Kat Kennedy of British Columbia, with Kennedy earning medalist honors based on lowest single round score. Also Nominated: Samantha Miller (Northwest Nazarene), Stephanie Sewell (Western Washington), Celia Beyke (Saint Martin’s), Cammie Decker (Concordia).

Oct. 17-23: Cammie Decker (Concordia, Fr., Keizer, Ore. – McNary) Decker led Concordia with a fourth-place finish at the Concordia Invitational, carding a score of 150 to place fourth overall behind three Division I players. She led the Cavaliers to a second-place team finish, their third straight top-five finish of the fall. Also Nominated: Samantha Miller (Northwest Nazarene), Celia Beyke (Saint Martin’s), Stephanie Sewell (Western Washington).

Oct. 24-30: Stephanie Sewell (Western Washington, So., Kent, Wash. - Kentridge) Sewell led GNAC golfers as she tied for 11th at the Dennis Rose Invitational in Hawaii with a three-round score of 236. She had a low round of 74 in the opening round. Also Nominated: Chloe Read (Saint Martin’s).

Feb. 20-26: Shantel Antonio (Concordia, So., Hilo, Hawaii – Kamehameha-Hawaii) Emily Leung (Simon Fraser, So., Richmond, B.C. – Yew Chung International School), and Samantha Miller (Northwest Nazarene, Sr., Hillsboro, Ore. – Liberty) The three players tied for 13th place at the CBU Women’s Invitational in Corona, Calif., with scores of 10-over-par 154. All three players had low rounds on the opening day, with Leung shooting 1-over-par 73 while Antonio and Miller shot 3-over-par 75.