Monday, April 23, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – A trio of GNAC records from track and field athletes in Southern California and a Division II record for Western Oregon’s David Ribich leads the list of honorees for GNAC Athletes of the Week.

Ribich shattered both the GNAC and NCAA Division II records in the 1,500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational to earn Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors. He placed sixth in the elite section of the race with a time of 3:37.35, which eclipsed the previous Division II record of 3:38.91 set by Kip Cheruiyot of Mount St. Mary’s in 1987. The performance is also the 14th fastest time in the world this season.

Alaska Anchorage’s Caroline Kurgat set her second GNAC record of the season and earned NCAA Championships automatic qualifying marks in the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters at the Bryan Clay to earn Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors. Kurgat placed second in the first section of the 5,000 meters on Thursday with a time of 15:43.95, which bettered the previous GNAC record of 15:44.07 set by Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler in 2010. On Friday, Kurgat ran 4:21.18 in the 1,500 meters, moving into No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Concordia’s Christina MacDonald was honored as the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she smashed the conference record in the women’s hammer in the Cougar Open in Oregon City, Ore. She became the first GNAC women’s athlete to surpass 200 feet in the event with her winning mark of 203 feet, 6 inches. The performance is an NCAA Championships automatic qualifier and is No. 3 in Division II this season. MacDonald was also a winner in the shot put with a mark of 49 feet, 1.75 inches, which is No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Central Washington’s Kodiak Landis was named the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he moved up to No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List and set a CWU record in the decathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Landis placed second in the meet’s second group of decathletes with a score of 7,187 points. He won both the 100 meters and 400 meters and his time of 47.87 seconds in the 400 is No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Saint Martin’s Alyssa French was named the Softball Player of the Week after she helped keep the Saints in the GNAC Championships picture by batting .571 in four games. She went 8 for 14 with two runs, two RBIs and two doubles. Central Washington’s Taylor Williams was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she threw the sixth no-hitter in school history in Sunday’s 8-0, five-inning win over Western Washington.

The Saints’ Adam Eskil was selected as the Baseball Player of the Week after he went 7 for 12 in the team’s four-game series against Western Oregon. Eskil finished with four runs scored, three home runs and nine RBIs. Montana State Billings’ Steen Fredrickson was named the Baseball Pitcher of the Week after he earned his sixth win of the season over Concordia on Saturday, allowing one hit in seven innings of work.

Northwest Nazarene’s Justin Higgins and Montana State Billings’ Bailee Dexter were the final Golf Player of the Week selections for the season. Higgins earned the men’s award after he shot a 4-under-par 68 to win the Nighthawks’ dual against the College of Idaho. Dexter earned the women’s honor after she shot a two-round score of 155 to win the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 34
BASEBALL PLAYER
Adam Eskil (Saint Martin’s, P/IF, 6-0, Sr., Walla Walla, Wash. – DeSales Catholic): Eskil had an outstanding week for the Saints, going 7 for 12 in their four-game series with three home runs and nine RBIs. He went 2 for 2 in Saturday’s second game, which included a two-run homer in the first and an RBI single in the fifth. Eskil opened Sunday by going 2 for 3 in the opener, which included a two-run homer. Eskil then went 2 for 3 in the nightcap and opened his game with a three-run homer in the first inning. Also Nominated: Ty Deckwa (Central Washington), Mitch Bevacqua (Concordia), Griffey Halle (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Steen Fredrickson (Montana State Billings, P, 6-1, Jr., Ashland, Ore. - Ashland): Fredrickson improved to 6-0 on the season as he earned the victory in the Yellowjackets’ 16-0 rout of Concordia. He allowed one hit in seven innings with six walks and six strikeouts and allowed just one runner past second base. Also Nominated: Seth Pedersen (Central Washington), Dylan Diaz (Concordia), Adam Paulson (Northwest Nazarene), Alex Roth (Western Oregon).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Alyssa French (Saint Martin’s, OF, 5-8, Jr., Chino Hills, Calif. – Chino Hills): French helped keep Saint Martin’s alive for a GNAC Championships spot by batting .571 in four games, going 8 for 14 with two runs, two RBIs and two doubles. She went 2 for 3 in both games against Western Washington on Saturday. French then went 2 for 4 in the opener against Simon Fraser on Sunday, which included an RBI single and double, and scored what was eventually the winning run. Also Nominated: Sydney Brown (Central Washington), Abigail Otto (Northwest Nazarene), Ryanne Huffman (Western Oregon), Carlie Richards (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Taylor Williams (Central Washington, P, 5-8, So., Brea, Calif. – Brea-Olinda): Williams threw the sixth no-hitter in Central Washington history as she beat Western Washington on Sunday, 8-0 in five innings. She allowed only two walks and struck out four, facing two batters over the minimum. Williams also threw 3.1 innings of relief in Saturday’s 7-1 loss to Simon Fraser, allowing two runs on four hits. Also Nominated: Jordan Adams (Northwest Nazarene), Lauren Maley (Saint Martin’s), Lizzet Dominguez (Western Oregon), Kira Doan (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
David Ribich (Western Oregon, Sr., Enterprise, Ore. – Enterprise): Ribich set the NCAA Division II record and the 14th fastest time in the world this year in the 1,500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. He placed sixth with a time of 3:37.35, which eclipsed the previous Division II record of 3:38.91 set by Kip Cheruiyot of Mount St. Mary’s in 1987. Ribich is now automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 800 meters and 1,500 meters. Also Nominated: Carlos Ortiz (Concordia), Jasper Heckman (Saint Martin’s), Kyler Sager (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Kodiak Landis (Central Washington, Sr., Snohomish, Wash. – Everett CC): Landis moved up to No. 3 in the nation this season and broke the CWU school record in the decathlon at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Landis placed second in group three of the competition with a score of 7,187 points, a total which ranks No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List. In the process, Landis won both the 100 meters (10.74) and the 400 meters (47.87). His time in the 400 meters is No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List while his mark of 23 feet, 11 inches, in the long jump is No. 10 on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Jakob Chamberlin (Concordia), Payton Lewis (Northwest Nazarene), Josh Schulz (Saint Martin’s), Tupre Wickliff (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Caroline Kurgat (Alaska Anchorage, Sr., Eldoret, Kenya – Kapkenda): Kurgat set the GNAC record in the 5,000 meters and posted NCAA Championships in both the 5,000 meters and the 1,500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. On Thursday, Kurgat placed second in the first section of the 5,000 with a time of 15:43.95, eclipsing the former GNAC record of 15:44.07 set by Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific in 2010. It is the best time in Division II this season. On Friday, Kurgat set the UAA record in the 1,500 meters as she ran 4:21.18, which is No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List and No. 2 in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Alexa Shindruk (Central Washington), Renick Meyer (Seattle Pacific), Olivia Woods (Western Oregon), Savannah Smith (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Christina MacDonald (Concordia, Sr., Myrtle Creek, Ore. – Oregon State Univ.): MacDonald broke the GNAC record in the women’s hammer and became the first woman in conference history to surpass 200 feet in the event at the Cougar Open. MacDonald won the event with a mark of 203 feet, 6 inches, which is No. 3 in Division II this season and is an NCAA Championships automatic qualifier. MacDonald also won the shot put with a season-best mark of 49 feet, 1.75 inches, which is No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Erykah Weems (Central Washington), Scout Cai (Seattle Pacific), Maddie Taylor (Western Washington).

MEN’S GOLF
Justin Higgins (Northwest Nazarene, Jr., Nampa, Idaho – Skyview): Higgins closed the Nighthawks’ regular season by shooting a 4-under-par 68 to win NNU’s dual last Monday against the College of Idaho. He led a top-four individual sweep for the Nighthawks, who won the dual match by 27 strokes. Also Nominated: Caleb Stetzner (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN’S GOLF
Bailee Dexter (Montana State Billings, Sr., Townsend, Mont. – Broadwater): Dexter earned medalist honors at the MSUB Yellowjacket Spring Invitational, leading a top-three sweep for the Yellowjackets with a two-round score of 11-over-par 155. She shot a tournament-low score of 75 on the final day.