Tuesday, April 7, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – Guests for episode 60 of GNAC Insider included Montana State Billings center fielder Bella Rovens, Northwest Nazarene athletic director Kelli Lindley and Saint Martin's golfer Jennifer Liedes.

Rovens is in her sophomore year with the Yellowjackets. Rovens, who ranks in the top two in the conference in on-base percentage, walks and stolen bases, ripped her first home run of the year in walk-off fashion as she propelled MSUB to 12-10 win Friday. The sophomore would score seven runs on eight hits while driving in five runners on the weekend, earning GNAC co-Player of the Week honors for her efforts. The Yellowjackets would go onto win the series three-games to one while entangling themselves with three other teams in a virtual tie for second-place in the conference. Rovens was asked about what she was thinking before her walk-off home run and about her team’s offense.

Lindley was named Northwest Nazarene’s full-time athletic director on March 16 after serving as the interim AD since December of 2014. The most successful coach in NNU history, Lindley steps into her athletic director role after serving two years as the schools associate AD and 12 years as its women’s basketball coach. As the Crusaders coach, Lindley compiled a 202-131 record and led the team to the NCAA postseason five times, most recently in 2013. As the associate, interim and full-time athletic director at NNU this year, the Crusaders have won a GNAC volleyball title while receiving GNAC or NCAA postseason bids for men’s soccer, men’s basketball, indoor track & field and cross country. Lindley commented on her basketball career and discussed the success of her sports program this year.

Liedes entered her junior year with the Saints last fall. In her second full year at Saint Martin’s, Liedes has finished in the top 12 in every event she’s played in, averaging the second lowest round in the conference at 76.8. During the fall season, she was the individual champion at the Saint Martin’s Invitational and was the runner-up at the Dennis Rose Invitational in late October. Recently, the Olympia native tied for 11th at the Western New Mexico Invitational in Goodyear, Ariz., where she was the GNAC’s top finisher. The next event for Liedes and her SMU teammates is the GNAC Golf Championships April 20-21 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course in Idaho. Liedes talked about her golf season up to this point and how she is progressing her game before the championships.

GNAC Insider airs live at 7 p.m. Pacific every Tuesday and is produced by the conference office. All episodes become available as free podcasts via iTunes, and for archived listening via GNAC.TV.