Monday, October 31, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – In a week where two teams clinched GNAC championships, players from those teams lead the list of GNAC Player of the Week selections.

Azusa Pacific players received two of the week’s three football awards after beating Central Washington 44-7 to clinch its third GNAC title in four years. Wide receiver Weston Carr was named the Offensive Player of the Week after he caught 11 passes for 189 yards and four touchdowns, topped by a 45-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Cornerback C.J. Broussard was named the Defensive Player of the Week after he finished with five tackles and a pair of interceptions, his league-leading fourth and fifth of the season

Simon Fraser goalkeeper Brandon Watson earned the Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week award after he made six saves in two shutouts as the Clan clinched the GNAC championship. The shutouts were the 29th and 30th of his career, established Watson as the all-time career leader in the category.

Humboldt State’s Cameron Southward was named the Football Special Teams Player of the Week after he made two field goals and went 4 of 5 on extra point attempts as the Lumberjacks scored a 47-9 win over Simon Fraser.

Western Washington forward Eleazar Galvan was named the Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after he led the Vikings to two wins with a goal and an assist. The Vikings scored a pair of 2-0 shutouts over Montana State Billings and Northwest Nazarene.

Seattle Pacific swept the women’s soccer awards as the Falcons secured a spot in this week’s GNAC Championships in the final weekend of the regular season. Hannah Huesers earned the Offensive Player of the Week award after she scored a goal and an assist in two matches, including the golden goal in the 100th minute on a 1-0 win over Concordia that secured the tournament invitation. Goalkeeper Molly Stinson earned the Defensive Player of the Week award after she had 20 saves in the two wins, including a school-record 13 saves in the win over Concordia.

Simon Fraser setter Tamara Nipp earned Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week honors after finishing with 81 assists in a pair of three-set sweeps of Western Oregon and Concordia. Western Washington’s Mae Thungc was named the Defensive Player of the Week with her 33 digs in three-set sweeps of Western Oregon and Concordia.

On the course, Western Washington’s Stephanie Sewell was named the Women’s Golf Player of the Week after she tied for 11th at the Dennis Rose Invitational with a three-round score of 236. Saint Martin’s Austin Spicer earned the Men’s Golf Player of the Week award after tying for 13th at the Cal State San Marcos Fall Invitational with a score of 226.

This week’s GNAC Player of the Week awards honor 11 student-athletes from six conference schools. Western Washington had three selections while Azusa Pacific, Seattle Pacific and Simon Fraser each had two selections.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 9
FOOTBALL
Offensive: Weston Carr (Azusa Pacific, WR, 6-1, 195, Fr., Benicia, Calif. – Benicia): Carr finished with 189 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 11 receptions, leading Azusa Pacific in its GNAC title clinching 44-7 win over Central Washington. His night included a long 45-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Also Nominated: Robert Webber (Humboldt State).

Defensive: CJ Broussard (Azusa Pacific, CB, 6-0, 198, Sr., Clovis, Calif. – Clovis): Broussard finished with five tackles for the Cougars and also had two of Azusa Pacific’s three interceptions in the game in a 44-7 win over Central Washington. Broussard now has five interceptions on the season. Also Nominated: Cameron Buell (Humboldt State).

Special Teams: Cameron Southward (Humboldt State, K, 6-1, 200, Sr., Auburn, Calif. – American River Coll.): Southward made two field goals, including a long of 31 yards, and went 4 for 5 on PAT opportunities in the Lumberjacks’ 47-9 victory at home over Simon Fraser. Also Nominated: Jacob Hall (Azusa Pacific).

MEN’S SOCCER
Offensive: Eleazar Galvan (Western Washington, M, 5-6, Sr., Chelan, Wash. – Skagit Valley CC): Galvan finished with a goal and two assists to lead the Vikings in a pair of 2-0 shutouts. He scored the game-winner and had an assist in Saturday’s win over Montana State Billings. Also Nominated: Alex Mitrovic (Northwest Nazarene), Julien Dragomir (Montana State Billings), Anthony Dean (Western Washington), Sebastian Navarro (Saint Martin’s), Magnus Kristensen (Simon Fraser), Michael Mollay (Northwest Nazarene), Erick Uruza (Concordia).

Defensive: Brandon Watson (Simon Fraser, GK, 6-1, Sr., Victoria, B.C. – Coastal Carolina Univ.) Watson finished with two shutouts and became the GNAC career leader with 30 shutouts as the Clan clinched the 2016 GNAC championship. He finished with four saves in a 4-0 shutout of Montana State Billings on Thursday and made two stops in a 4-0 shutout of Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. Also Nominated: Tyler Visten (Western Washington), Alejandro Basulto-Merito (Northwest Nazarene).

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Offensive: Hannah Huesers (Seattle Pacific, F, 5-10, Sr., Lake Stevens, Wash. – Lake Stevens): Huesers had a goal and an assist in two wins to lead the Falcons to a berth in the GNAC Championships. She had an assist in Thursday’s 2-0 win at Western Oregon and had the golden goal in the 100th minute that secured SPU’s berth in the conference tournament. Also Nominated: Emily Webster (Western Washington), Hayley Warren (Montana State Billings), Sydney Kuehn (Northwest Nazarene), Bobbi Eckler (Concordia).

Defensive: Molly Stinson (Seattle Pacific, GK, 6-0, Jr., Woodinville, Wash. – Woodinville): Stinson finished with 20 saves in two shutout victories last week. She had seven saves in a 2-0 win over Western Oregon on Thursday and had a school record 13 saves in Saturday’s 1-0 overtime win over Seattle Pacific, helping the Falcons clinch a GNAC Championships berth. Also Nominated: Kari Kastelic (Montana State Billings), Daniele Ortiz (Northwest Nazarene), Olivia Brock (Concordia).

VOLLEYBALL
Offensive: Tamara Nipp (Simon Fraser, S, 5-9, Sr., Vancouver, B.C. – Crofton House): Nipp finished with 81 assists in six sets, averaging 13.50 per set, as the Clan scored three-set sweeps of Concordia and Western Oregon to go along with 14 digs, five blocks and an ace. She has 39 assists and four blocks in the win over Concordia on Friday and added 42 assists in the win over Western Oregon. Also Nominated: Kayleigh Harper (Western Washington), Hannah Lautenbach (Seattle Pacific), Morgan Hooe (Alaska Anchorage), Madi Farrell (Northwest Nazarene), Lindsey Dorsey (Concordia), Stormy Siemion (Montana State Billings).

Defensive: Mae Thungc (Western Washington, DS/L, 5-4, Fr., Kent, Wash. – Kentridge): Thungc finished with 33 digs in six matches, averaging 5.50 digs per set, as the Vikings scored three-set sweeps over Western Oregon and Concordia. She finished with 21 digs in the win over the Wolves and 12 in the win over Concordia. Also Nominated: Shayli Siegfreid (Northwest Nazarene), Allie Spear (Concordia), Faith Taylor (Montana State Billings).

GOLF
Men: Austin Spicer (Saint Martin’s, Sr., Gresham, Ore. – Gresham) Spicer led the Saints with a 13th place finish at the Cal State San Marcos Fall Classic, carding a score of 13-over-par 226. He had a low round of 74 in the opening round.

Women: 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).