Monday, January 30, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – Boston is Simon Fraser’s kind of town as a pair of standout performances at the John Thomas Terrier Classic lead the GNAC Athlete of the Week awards.

Sophomore Marie-Éloïse Leclair was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she set the GNAC record in the 200 meters on Friday. Her third-place time of 23.80 seconds bettered the previous record of 24.09 seconds set by Alaska Anchorage’s Jamie Ashcroft in 2017 and is the best time by a Canadian athlete this season. Leclair also placed third in the 60 meters in a time of 7.46 seconds and ran the second leg on the Red Leafs’ distance medley relay team, which placed second in a time of 11:52.60 that ranks No. 2 in Division II this season.

Junior Charlie Dannatt was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after running 7:58.32 in the 3,000 meters in Boston. Placing 21st in the competition, Dannatt became just the third athlete in GNAC history to run under eight minutes in the event. The time ranks No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 4 in Division II this season. Dannatt also ran the anchor leg on the Red Leafs’ winning distance medley relay team, which ran a Division II-leading time of 9:42.77.

In the field events, Western Washington sophomore Miller Campbell earned Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won the weight throw at the UW Invitational. His mark of 56 feet, 7.5 inches leads the GNAC and was a four-inch victory over second-place Nate Franz of Utah State.

Montana State Billings sophomore Kendall Lynn was selected as the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won both horizontal jumps at the Don Holst Classic. Lynn won the long jump with a mark of 16 feet, 9.25 inches and took top honors in the triple jump with a mark of 36 feet, 8.25 inches.

The Yellowjackets swept the basketball weekly awards as both teams took a pair of victories on the road. Senior forward Bilal Shabazz earned the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week award after he averaged 16.5 points and nine rebounds per game. He had a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s 60-58 win over Northwest Nazarene. Shabazz then put together 18 points, seven rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals in Saturday’s 70-69 win at Central Washington.

Sophomore forward Dyauni Boyce was honored as the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after she averaged 18 points and five rebounds per game as MSUB extended its seven-game win streak. Boyce led all scorers with 15 points to go with five rebounds in Thursday’s 63-53 victory at Northwest Nazarene. She then led MSUB with 21 points and five rebounds in Saturday’s 75-66 win at Central Washington.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 23
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Bilal Shabazz (Montana State Billings, F, 6-8, Sr., Milwaukee, Wis. – Montana State Univ.): Shabazz helped the Yellowjackets retain first place in the GNAC standings with two road wins, averaging 16.5 points and nine rebounds per game and shot 54.2% from the field. Shabazz finished with a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s 60-58 win at Northwest Nazarene. On Saturday, Shabazz finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, four steals, three assists and two steals in a 70-69 win at Central Washington. He made 7 of 11 from the field and 4 of 8 from three-point range and had his final block on the Wildcats’ potential game-winning shot with time expiring. Also Nominated: Bryan Nguyen (Alaska), Caleb Larsen (Alaska Anchorage), Gabriel Murphy (Northwest Nazarene), Jaden Nielsen-Skinner (Saint Martin’s), Jahmal Wright (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Dyauni Boyce (Montana State Billings, F, 5-11, So., Winifred, Mont. – Winifred): Boyce averaged 18 points and five rebounds per game, making 52.2% of her shots from the field and 66.7% from three-point range at the Yellowjackets extended their seven-game win streak with two road wins. Boyce led all scorers with 15 points in Thursday’s 63-53 victory at Northwest Nazarene to go with five rebounds and four steals. She added a 21-point, five-rebound performance in Saturday’s 75-66 win at Central Washington, making 8 of 11 from the field and going 3 of 3 from long range. Also Nominated: Destiny Reimers (Alaska), Nicole Pinkney (Alaska Anchorage), Asher Cai (Central Washington), Clare Eubanks (Northwest Nazarene), Jessica Wisotzki (Simon Fraser), Brooke Walling (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Charlie Dannatt (Simon Fraser, Jr., North Vancouver, B.C. – Univ. of British Columbia): Dannatt moved into No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list in the 3,000 meters, running 7:58.32 in the event on Friday at the John Thomas Terrier Classic. He is just the third athlete in GNAC history to under eighth minutes and the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time ranks No. 4 in Division II this season. Dannatt also ran the anchor leg on the Red Leafs’ distance medley relay team which won in 9:42.77. That NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time leads Division II this season. Also Nominated: Coleman Nash (Alaska Anchorage), Aiden Wise (Central Washington), Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings), Brayden Durfee (Northwest Nazarene), Drew Weber (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Miller Campbell (Western Washington, So., Bremerton, Wash. – Olympic CC): Campbell won the weight throw at the UW Invitational with a season-best mark of 56 feet, 7.5 inches, scoring a four-inch victory over Utah State’s Nate Franz. The mark leads the GNAC and improved Campbell’s No. 4 mark on the Western Washington all-time list. Also Nominated: Collin Sample (Alaska Anchorage), Braydon Maier (Central Washington), Dylan Hendry (Northwest Nazarene), Blake Furtado (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Marie-Éloïse Leclair (Simon Fraser, So., Candiac, Que. – College Durocher): Leclair set the GNAC record in the indoor 200 meters at the John Thomas Terrier Classic. Her third-place time of 23.80 seconds broke the previous record of 24.09 seconds set by Jamie Ashcroft of Alaska Anchorage in 2017 and is the fastest time by a Canadian athlete this season. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time ranks No. 4 in Division II this season. Leclair also finished third in the 60 meters in 7.46 seconds and ran the second leg on the Red Leafs’ distance medley relay that placed second in 11:52.60. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time ranks No. 2 in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Joei Vidad (Alaska Anchorage), E’lexis Hollis (Central Washington), Tatum Hull (Montana State Billings), Abbey Wood (Northwest Nazarene), Vanessa Aniteye (Seattle Pacific), Matty Lagerwey (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Kendall Lynn (Montana State Billings, So., Three Forks, Mont. – Three Forks): Lynn won both horizontal jumps at the Don Holst Open on Saturday. Lynn won the long jump with a mark of 16 feet, 9.25 inches, finishing less than an inch ahead of teammate Madison Thompson. She was a winner by almost a foot in the triple jump with a leap of 36 feet, 8.25 inches. Also Nominated: Destany Hebert (Northwest Nazarene), Kennedy Primrose (Simon Fraser), Katie Potts (Western Washington).