Monday, April 24, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – Another record performance for another Concordia track and field thrower leads this week’s honorees for GNAC Players and Athletes of the Week.

Cavaliers’ freshman Caleb Bridge was honored as the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he snapped the conference record in the discus at the Triton Invitational. His mark of 182 feet, 8 inches, placed second in the competition better the previous record of 177 feet, 5 inches, set by Western Washington’s Ryan Macdonald in 2015.

Saint Martin’s Kirby Neale earned the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the hammer at the CWU Spike Arlt Invitational. Her mark of 181 feet, 8 inches, was just short of her season best and won the competition by nearly 22 feet.

Simon Fraser swept the weekly honors on the track. Daniel Kelloway was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he ran 47.80 seconds in the 400 meters at the Triton Invitational. The time is 29th best in Division II this season and currently leads the conference. Chantel Desch netted the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week award after she placed second in the 400 meters at the Triton Invitational with a lifetime best of 55.16 seconds. The mark is 15th in Division II and improves Desch’s No. 6 time on the GNAC all-time list.

A pair of western athletes captured the softball weekly honors. Makinlee Sellevold of Western Washington garnered Softball Player of the Week honors after she hit .588 in six games for the Vikings, including three doubles, two home runs, six runs and 14 RBIs. She topped her week by going 5 for 5 in Sunday’s doubleheader with Concordia. Sellevold also posted a 1.79 earned run average in four pitching appearances.

Western Oregon’s Haley Fabian was selected as the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she won in all three of her appearances last week, compiling a 2.00 earned run average. She allowed one run on three hits with six strikeouts in Friday’s 6-1 win over Western Washington. She then turned around to allow six hits and a walk in Saturday’s 1-0 shutout of the Vikings.

Central Washington’s Kyle Stahl was named the Baseball Player of the Week after he hit .600 to lead the Wildcats to three wins and a series victory over Northwest Nazarene. He went 9 for 15 in the four games with three doubles, a home run, five runs, three RBIs and a 1.000 slugging percentage. His effort was led by a 3 for 3 performance in Saturday’s 8-7 second game victory.

Concordia’s Jake Brewer picked up Baseball Pitcher of the Week accolades for his complete-game victory over Western Oregon on Friday. He allowed two runs on five hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 34
BASEBALL PLAYER
Kyle Stahl (Central Washington, UT, 5-9, Sr., Huntington Beach, Calif. – Golden West Coll.): Stahl went .600 in the series victory over Northwest Nazarene, going 9 for 15 with three doubles, a home run, five runs, three RBIs and a 1.000 slugging percentage. He went 2 for 4 in Friday’s opening 7-4 win, went 2 for 4 and scored the winning run in Saturday’s 6-5 opening win. Stahl then went 3 for 3 as the Wildcats won 8-7 in the nightcap. Also Nominated: Nyles Nygaard (Western Oregon), Steven Sordahl (Saint Martin’s), Casey Merritt (Montana State Billings), Colton McCluskey (Northwest Nazarene).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Jake Brewer (Concordia, P, 6-6, Sr., Sammamish, Wash. – Tacoma CC): Brewer picked up the five-hit complete game victory to help lead the Cavaliers to the 9-2 win in Friday’s opener over Western Oregon as Concordia completed the doubleheader sweep. He gave up two runs on five hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts. Also Nominated: Trey Smith (Western Oregon), Aaron Shoup (Saint Martin’s), Tristan Shockley (Montana State Billings), Jaramy Jacobs (Northwest Nazarene).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Makinlee Sellevold (Western Washington, P/IF, 5-4, Jr., Everett, Wash. - Cascade): Sellevold batted .588 in six games for the Vikings as she went 10 for 17 with three doubles, two home runs, six runs and 14 RBIs as the Vikings went 4-2. She went 5 for 5 with four runs and five RBIs in Sunday’s doubleheader sweep of Concordia, which included a 3 for 3 effort in the opener. In addition, Sellevold posted a 1.79 earned run average in four pitching appearances and earned the win in Sunday’s opening game with Concordia. Also Nominated: Jenna Kelly (Western Oregon), Corrie Wilson (Saint Martin’s), Chelsea Hotner (Simon Fraser), Bella Rovens (Montana State Billings), Kylie Orr (Northwest Nazarene).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Haley Fabian (Western Oregon, P, 5-9, So., East Wenatchee, Wash. – Eastmont): Fabian picked up all three of Western Oregon’s wins in the circle last week and compiled a 2.00 earned run average. She allowed eight runs. Six earned, on 18 hits with three walks and 16 strikeouts in 21 innings. She allowed one run on three hits and struck out six in the Wolves’ 6-1 win over Western Washington on Friday’s and then allowed six hits and a walk in Saturday’s 1-0 shutout of the Vikings. Also Nominated: Lauren Maley (Saint Martin’s), Brooke Bonsen (Northwest Nazarene).

MEN’S TRACK
Daniel Kelloway (Simon Fraser, Sr., Mount Pearl, N.L. – O’Donel): Kelloway placed third out of 26 athletes in the 400 meters at the Triton Invitational with a time of 47.80 seconds. The time is the best in the GNAC this season and sits 29th in Division II. Also Nominated: Michael Chin (Western Oregon), Levi Schilter (Saint Martin’s), Sam Zook (Montana State Billings), Ebu Camara (Northwest Nazarene).

MEN’S FIELD
Caleb Bridge (Concordia, Fr., Ocean Shores, Wash. – North Beach): Bridge set a GNAC record in the men’s discus at the Triton Invitational. His second place throw of 182 feet, 8 inches bettered the former record of 177 feet, 5 inches, set by Western Washington’s Ryan Macdonald in 2015. Bridge also placed second in the shot put with a mark of 55 feet, 6.25 inches, which puts Bridge No. 4 on the GNAC all-time list and best in the conference this season. Also Nominated: Brandon Bowen (Northwest Nazarene), Mikel Smith (Saint Martin’s), Chuck Carr (Montana State Billings), Alex Barry (Western Washington), Phillip Gwin (Northwest Nazarene).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Chantel Desch (Simon Fraser, Sr., Abbotsford, B.C. – Yale): Desch took second place in the women’s 400 meters at the Triton Invitational in a personal best time of 55.16 seconds. The performance improves Desch’s No. 6 mark on the GNAC all-time list and is No. 15 in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Grayson Burke (Western Oregon), Grace Hamre (Saint Martin’s), Michaela Johnson (Montana State Billings), Savannah Smith (Western Washington), Lexi Tubbs (Northwest Nazarene).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Kirby Neale (Saint Martin’s, Sr., Coos Bay, Ore. – Marshfield): Neale won the hammer at the CWU Spike Arlt Invitational with a mark of 181 feet, 8 inches, which was just short of her season best. She won the event by almost 22 feet. Also Nominated: Rachael Huffman (Western Oregon), Hailey Steinbeisser (Montana State Billings), Megan Mortensen (Western Washington), McKenzie Warren (Concordia), Nice Loufoua (Northwest Nazarene).