Wednesday, May 24, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – Seven GNAC rowers and four golfers have been recognized for athletic and academic achievement with selection to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Division II Academic All-District At-Large Teams.

The at-large teams recognize student-athletes who compete in NCAA championship sports that do not have their own team within the Academic All-America program. The includes student-athletes competing in women’s beach volleyball, women’s bowling, women’s rowing, fencing, women’s field hockey, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, men’s volleyball, water polo and men’s wrestling.

Seattle Pacific had five rowers recognized, led by the Falcons’ lone First Team All-GNAC selection in senior Macie Leach. The selections include sophomores Addie Clark, Kristin Grassell and Audrey Rekedal and senior Kalais Samuelson.

Western Washington had two rowers and a women’s golfer recognized. The rowers include senior Clarice Ruhlin-Hicks, a First Team All-GNAC selection and the 2022 NCAA Division II Rowing Championships Elite 90 Award winner, and junior Morgan MacIntyre. The golf team was represented by senior Megan Billeter, a Second Team All-GNAC selection.

Northwest Nazarene had three golfers named to the Academic All-District Teams. The men’s team is represented by junior Cole Evarts, Second Team All-GNAC selection, and junior Grayson Giboney while sophomore Paige Vancil represented the women’s program.

In addition to the 11 student-athletes recognized in GNAC championship programs, 17 other student-athletes at conference institutions participating in non-championship programs were named to the Academic All-District At-Large Teams. This includes student-athletes from Alaska, Alaska Anchorage and Simon Fraser.

Nominees to the CSC Academic All-District Teams must be of sophomore standing or greater, be a starter or important reserve on their team with a minimum GPA of 3.50 or greater and must have participated in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests.

In a change to the program for 2022-23, all nominees who met the selection and were nominated by their institutions were named to the Academic All-District Teams. Institutions could nominate a maximum of five players per gender for the at-large teams.

With their selections to the Academic All-District Teams, student-athletes are now eligible for selection to the CSC Academic All-America At-Large Teams. The men’s team will be announced on June 21 while the women’s team will be announced on June 22.

CSC DIVISION II ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT AT-LARGE TEAMS
Honorees From GNAC Institutions
MEN
Alaska: Gavin Barnick (Rifle), Harrison Israels (Hockey), Rylan Kissell (Rifle), Payton Matsui (Hockey), Mike Ophoff (Skiing)
Alaska Anchorage: Hunter Eid (Skiing), Leon Nikic (Skiing), Magnus Noroey (Skiing), Jan Ronner (Skiing)
Northwest Nazarene: Cole Evarts (Golf), Grayson Giboney (Golf)
Simon Fraser: Owen Gudmundson (Wrestling)

WOMEN
Alaska: Sara Karasova (Rifle), Kendall Kramer (Skiing), Mariel Pulles (Skiing)
Alaska Anchorage: Tuva Bygrave (Skiing), Alyssa Hill (Skiing), Nicole Mah (Skiing), Pascale Paradis (Skiing)
Northwest Nazarene: Paige Vancil (Golf)
Seattle Pacific: Addie Clark (Rowing), Kristin Grassell (Rowing), Audrey Rekedal (Rowing), Kalais Samuelson (Rowing), Macie Leach (Rowing)
Western Washington: Megan Billeter (Golf), Morgan MacIntyre (Rowing), Clarice Ruhlin-Hicks (Rowing)