Monday, February 25, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – Northwest Nazarene capped its non-conference baseball schedule by taking three of four games on the road at Academy of Art with the weekend’s leading performances topping the GNAC Player of the Week award winners.

Senior infielder Kyle Redford was named the Baseball Player of the Week after he hit .615 in the series, going 8 for 13 with five runs, two RBI, three doubles, five walks and four stolen bases. He opened the series by going 3 for 4 with three doubles and two runs in Friday’s 12-4 opening-game victory and followed that up by 2 for 4 with an RBI single and a run in the 6-3 nightcap win. Redford closed the series by going 2 for 2 with a run and two stolen bases in Saturday’s nightcap.

Nighthawks’ hurler Cooper Webster earned Baseball Pitcher of the Week honors for his solid starting work in the 6-5 victory on Saturday. In seven innings, Webster allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out five to earn his first win of the season. He threw 84 pitches, 55 for strikes, and faced just two batters over the minimum.

Northwest Nazarene also earned the Softball Player of the Week in junior Madison Strickler after she helped lead the Nighthawks to four wins in their home openers. Strickler hit .667, going 8 for 12 with five runs, five RBI and two home runs. She opened the weekend by going 2 for 3 with three RBI, including a two-run homer, in Friday’s 7-3 opening-game win over Menlo, and went 3 for 4 in the nightcap with a three-run homer in the 11-8 nightcap victory. Stricker had three hits in Saturday’s victories over Willamette.

Concordia’s Mckenzie Smith was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she limited Northwest (Wash.) scoreless in an 8-0, five-inning win at the Cavalier Classic on Saturday. She allowed three hits and four walks while striking out four to improve to 2-3 on the season and earn selection to the Cavalier Classic All-Tournament Team.

On the hardwoods, Alaska senior Michael Kluting was named the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he posted a pair of monster double-doubles in the Nanooks’ two home games last week. Kluting finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds on Thursday against Simon Fraser and then led all players with 28 points and 17 rebounds against Western Washington on Saturday. For the week, Kluting finished with 45 points and 33 rebounds, shooting 54.5 percent from the field.

Concordia senior Keesha Sarman earned Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors with her 38 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists and seven steals in the Cavaliers’ two victories. She led all players with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds in Tuesday’s 64-47 win over Western Oregon and then added 20 points and five rebounds in Saturday’s 75-61 win over Montana State Billings to go with five assists and three steals.

Northwest Nazarene senior Jake Knight was named the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he reset his own school record in the shot put at the SPU Final Qualifier. His winning mark of 57 feet, 11.25 inches moves Knight to No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List and to No. 19 in Division II this season. Western Washington senior Anna Paradee was named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she improved her season-best with a second-place mark of 12 feet, 8.25 inches in the pole vault at the SPU Final Qualifier. The performance ties her for No. 11 in Division II this season.

On the track, Central Washington senior Alexa Shindruk was selected as the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after posting a 13-second victory in the 3,000 meters at the SPU Final Qualifier in a time of 9:52.57. Western Oregon freshman Max Carmona earned the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week award after he ran 1:54.56 at the SPU Final Qualifier, the third-fastest time in the GNAC this season.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 26
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Michael Kluting(Alaska, F, 6-7, Sr., Palmer, Alaska - Palmer): Kluting finished with 45 points and 33 rebounds in the Nanooks’ two home games, shooting 54.5 percent from the field as he registered a pair of huge double-doubles. Kluting opened the week with 17 points and 16 rebounds against Simon Fraser, shooting 7 of 13 from the field to go with an assist, a block and a steal. He then led all players with 28 points and 17 rebounds against Western Washington on Saturday, connecting on 11 of 20 from the field and 5 of 6 from the free throw line. Also Nominated: Jarrett Gray (Concordia), Adonis Arms (Northwest Nazarene), Jordan Kitchen (Saint Martin’s), Nikhil Lizotte (Seattle Pacific), Wilfried Balata (Simon Fraser), Riley Hawken (Western Oregon), Trevor Jasinsky (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Keesha Sarman(Concordia, G, 5-6, Sr., Union, Ore. – Union): Sarman led Concordia with 38 points and 17 rebounds as the Cavaliers stayed alive in the GNAC Championships hunt. She finished the week shooting 62.5 percent from the field and also had 10 assists and seven steals. Sarman led all players with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds in a 64-47 win over Western Oregon on Tuesday, shooting 7 of 12 from the field to go with five assists and four steals. Sarman finished with 20 points and five rebounds in Saturday’s 75-61 win over Montana State Billings, connecting on 8 of 12 from the field to go with five assists and three steals. Also Nominated: Kian McNair (Alaska Anchorage), Kaelie Flores (Central Washington), Vanessa Stavish (Montana State Billings), McKenna Walker (Northwest Nazarene), Claire Dingus (Saint Martin’s), Natalie DeLonge (Western Oregon), Lexie Bland (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Max Carmona (Western Oregon, Fr., Ojai, Calif. – Ventura JC): Carmona closed his indoor season with a second-place finish in the 800 meters at the SPU Final Qualifier. His time of 1:54.56 is the third-fastest time in the GNAC this season. Also Nominated: Rowan Doherty (Simon Fraser), Seren Dances (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Jake Knight (Northwest Nazarene, Sr., Meridian, Idaho – Boise State Univ.): Knight reset his own Northwest Nazarene record in the shot put at the SPU Final Qualifier, winning the event with a mark of 57 feet, 11.25 inches. The performance bettered his previous record of 56 feet, 8.25 inches set back in December. The mark moves Knight to No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List and No. 19 in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Braydon Maier (Central Washington), Mont Child (Western Oregon), Tupre Wickliff (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Alexa Shindruk(Central Washington, Sr., Bellingham, Wash. – Lynden): Shindruk closed the indoor regular season with a victory in the 3,000 meters at the SPU Final Qualifier. She clocked a time of 9:52.57 to win the race by 13 seconds.

WOMEN’S FIELD
Anna Paradee (Western Washington, Sr., Tacoma, Wash. – Decatur): Paradee improved her provisional qualifying spot for the NCAA Indoor Championships by placing second in the pole vault at the SPU Final Qualifier. She cleared a season-best of 12 feet, 8.25 inches, moving her into a tie for 11th in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Brooke Williams (Central Washington), Moana Gianotti (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PLAYER
Kyle Redford (Northwest Nazarene, IF, 6-1, Sr., Meridian, Idaho – Meridian): Redford led the Nighthawks offensively with a .615 batting average, going 8 for 13 with five runs, two RBI, three doubles, five walks and four stolen bases as NNU took three of four games at Academy of Art. Redford opened the road trip by going 3 for 4 with three doubles and two runs in Friday’s opener. He went 2 for 4 with an RBI single and a run in the nightcap and closed the series by going 2 for 2 with a run and two stolen bases in Saturday’s nightcap. Also Nominated: Wyatt Setian (Montana State Billings), Jared McDonald (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Cooper Webster (Northwest Nazarene, RHP, 5-10, Sr., Portland, Ore. – Lane CC): Webster pitched seven effective innings to earn his first win of the season in Saturday’s 6-5 victory at Academy of Art on Saturday. In seven innings, Webster allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out five. He threw 84 pitches, 55 for strikes, and faced just two batters over the minimum. Also Nominated: Sam Muskat (Montana State Billings), Jacob Fricke (Western Oregon).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Madison Strickler (Northwest Nazarene, OF, 5-9, Jr., Eagle, Idaho – Eagle): Strickler led the Nighthawks to a sweep of their first four home games of the season by hitting .667, going 8 for 12 with five runs, five RBI and a pair of home runs. Stricker opened the weekend by going 2 for 3 with three RBI, including a two-run homer, in Friday’s 7-3 opening win over Menlo. She then went 3 for 4 in the nightcap, punctuated by a three-run homer in the sixth that broke an 8-8 tie en route to the 11-8 win. Strickler finished by going 2 for 3 and 1 for 2 in Saturday’s games against Willamette, 9-1 and 10-2 victories. Also Nominated: Alycia Bannan (Central Washington), Hannah Self (Concordia), Sabrina Hicks (Saint Martin’s), Emily Benson (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Mckenzie Smith (Concordia, UT, 6-2, Sr., Victoria, B.C. – Lambrick Academy): Smith improved to 2-3 on the season and was named to the Cavalier Classic All-Tournament Team after she picked up the win in Concordia’s 8-0, five-inning victory on Saturday over Northwest (Wash.). She allowed just three hits and four walks while striking out four. Also Nominated: Lexie Strasser (Central Washington), Jordan Adams (Northwest Nazarene), Brandi Schoessler (Saint Martin’s), Makinlee Sellevold (Western Washington).