Tuesday, June 7, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – Shayla Page knows what it is like to excel both on the soccer field and in the classroom.

The Seattle Pacific women’s soccer defender and two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American adds another prestigious title to her resume: that of 2015-16 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Page led a Falcons’ defense in 2015 that proved to be one of the hardest to score upon in Division II women’s soccer. Seattle Pacific allowed just 17 goals in 21 matches with their 0.78 goals against average ranking second in the GNAC and 43rd among NCAA Division II squads. Page anchored a SPU defense that allowed nine shutouts, the most in the GNAC this season.

That defense, with Page at the lead, paced Seattle Pacific to a second place finish in the GNAC regular season standings and a run to the GNAC Championships final, where the Falcons fell to eventual NCAA Division II national semifinalist Western Washington. The Falcons reached the NCAA Tournament for the 13th consecutive season, losing in the first round to the Vikings.

A four-time All-GNAC selection as a defender, Page’s ability to be an outstanding performer on the pitch and in the classroom have long been recognized. With a 3.95 cumulative grade point average as a double major in nursing and communications, Page is a three-time GNAC All-Academic Team selection and three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 selection.

Page has twice been selected as a First Team CoSIDA Division II Women’s Soccer Academic All-American. She was the only repeat first team selection on this year’s squad and became the first in a long list of Seattle Pacific women’s soccer academic performers to be named an Academic All-American more than once.

Prior to Seattle Pacific’s commencement exercises, which take place this Saturday, Page was recognized with both the SPU Club 101 Award and the Falcon Award for Excellence. The Club 101 Award is awarded to the student-athlete with the highest grade point average among the school’s senior athletes. The Falcon Award for Excellence is the highest honor SPU bestows upon student-athletes, taking into account a student-athlete’s academic, athlete and leadership qualities.

Following graduation, Page will not be too far away from her former SPU teammates. She will attend Seattle Pacific’s nursing school in the fall.

Other nominees for the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year included Jamie Ashcroft of Alaska Anchorage (track and field), Anna Chizum of Concordia (golf), Tayler Fettig of Central Washington (cross country/track and field), Taylor Guenther of Western Washington (cross country/track and field), Jennifer Liedes of Saint Martin’s (golf), Della Lyle of Montana State Billings (track and field) and Taylor Van Valey of Northwest Nazarene (volleyball/track and field),

GNAC FEMALE SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
2015-16: Shayla Page, Seattle Pacific (Soccer)
2014-15: Suzanna Ohlsen, Seattle Pacific (Basketball)
2013-14: Lacey McGladrey, Saint Martin’s (Softball)
2012-13: Helen Crofts, Simon Fraser (Track and Field)
2011-12: Kelsey Jenkins, Seattle Pacific (Soccer)
2010-11: Dara Jack, Saint Martin’s (Basketball)
2009-10: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific (Cross Country/Track and Field)
2008-09: Ashley Puga, Northwest Nazarene (Cross Country/Track and Field)
2007-08: Amanda Peters, Northwest Nazarene (Soccer/Track and Field)
2006-07: Ana Gutierrez, Seattle (Soccer)
2005-06: Mullen, Central Washington (Track and Field)
2004-05: Martina Kartikova, Saint Martin’s (Basketball)
2003-04: Liz Bishop, Western Washington (Volleyball)
2002-03: Nichole Sauvageau, Seattle (Soccer)
2001-02: Nichole Sauvageau, Seattle (Soccer)