Monday, January 27, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. – It is less than a month into his college career and Simon Fraser freshman Jeremiah Lauzon has already notched his name in the conference record books.

Lauzon’s record in the men’s 200 meters, run at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston on Saturday, earned Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors and leads the selections for GNAC Athletes of the Week. Lauzon placed seventh out of 191 competitors in the race with a time of 21.55 seconds. That bettered the previous GNAC record of 21.56 seconds set by Concordia’s Carlos Ortiz in 2018. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time ties him for 10th in Division II this season.

His Simon Fraser teammate, senior Addy Townsend, was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week for the second consecutive week. Townsend ran the fastest Division II time in the 800 meters this season in Boston, placing 12th in a time of 2:08.47. She also ran the anchor leg on the Clan’s winning distance medley relay team. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 11:36.73 also leads Division II this season.

Saint Martin’s sophomore Tyler Cronk earned Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors for a pair of second-place finishes at the Portland Indoor No. 1 meet. In Saturday’s session in Newberg, Oregon, Cronk placed second in the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 7 inches, and added a second-place finish in the long jump at 22 feet, 7.75 inches. The long jump mark leads the GNAC this season.

Central Washington senior Samantha La Rue earned the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week award for her effort in the shot put at Thursday’s Idaho Open. La Rue placed third in the event with a mark of 46 feet, 2.5 inches. The mark ranks No. 8 on the GNAC All-Time List and ranks No. 19 in Division II this season. La Rue also placed fourth in the weight throw with a mark of 53 feet, 2.75 inches.

On the courts, Alaska junior guard Shadeed Shabazz was named the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he put up impressive numbers of 70 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 15 steals. Shabazz opened the week with 32 points, eight assists, five steals and four rebounds in Tuesday’s 105-86 loss at Alaska Anchorage. He then finished just short of a triple-double with totals of 38 points, 10 steals and eight rebounds in Saturday’s 86-78 win at Montana State Billings.

Montana State Billings senior guard Jeanann Lemelin was selected as the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week as she scored 48 points in two games, shooting 60.7 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from three-point range. Lemelin set an MSUB single-game record with eight three-pointers in Saturday’s 72-64 win over Saint Martin’s. She finished with 30 points and four rebounds in the win. Lemelin opened the week with 18 points in Thursday’s 69-63 loss to Seattle Pacific.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 22
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Shadeed Shabazz (Alaska, G, 6-1, Jr., Seattle, Wash. – Iowa Western Coll.): Shabazz put up another incredible week, finishing with 70 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 15 steals as the Nanooks split a pair of road games. At Alaska Anchorage on Tuesday, Shabazz finished with 32 points, eight assists, five steals and four rebounds in the 105-86 loss. He shot 14 of 24 from the field and played all but one minute. In Saturday’s 86-78 win at Montana State Billings, Shabazz finished just short of a triple-double with totals of 38 points, 10 steals and eight rebounds to go with four assists. The performances were the sixth and seventh 30-plus point performances for Shabazz this season and the 38 points was his second-best scoring output of the season. Also Nominated: Oggie Pantovic (Alaska Anchorage), Marqus Gilson (Central Washington), Hunter Sweet (Concordia), Olamilekan Adetunji (Northwest Nazarene), Divant’e Moffitt (Seattle Pacific), Wilfried Balata (Simon Fraser), Jaylyn Richardson (Western Oregon), Trevor Jasinsky (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Jeanann Lemelin (Montana State Billings, G, 5-6, Sr., Billings, Mont. – Billings Senior): Lemelin led the Yellowjackets to a home split last week with 48 points, shooting 60.7 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from three-point range. Lemelin set an MSUB record with eight three-pointers made in Saturday’s 72-64 win over Saint Martin’s. That also ties her for the sixth-best single-game performance in GNAC history. Lemelin scored 30 points in the win to go with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Lemelin opened the week with 18 points in Thursday’s 69-63 loss to Seattle Pacific, connecting on 7 of 12 from the field and 4 of 7 from long range. Also Nominated: Taylor Shaw (Central Washington), Dorcas Wu (Concordia), Erin Jenkins (Northwest Nazarene), Tierney DeDonatis (Saint Martin’s), Ozioma Nwabuko (Simon Fraser), Cali McClave (Western Oregon), Emma Duff (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Jeremiah Lauzon (Simon Fraser, Fr., Red Deer, Alta. – Lindsay Thurber and Gateway Christian): Lauzon set the GNAC indoor record in the 200 meters on Saturday at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston. Lauzon was the top non-Division I finisher in the race, placing seventh in 21.55 seconds. That bettered the previous record of 21.56 seconds set by Concordia’s Carlos Ortiz in 2018. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time ties him for 10th in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Trevor Allen (Central Washington), Jordan Gloden (Concordia), Logan Blake (Northwest Nazarene), Michael Russell (Saint Martin’s), Hunter Hutton (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Tyler Cronk (Saint Martin’s, So., Kent, Wash. – Kentridge): Cronk finished second in both the high jump and long jump at the Portland Indoor #1 meet’s Saturday session in Newberg, Oregon. Cronk placed second in the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 7 inches, and then added a second-place finish in the long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 7.75 inches. The performance in the long jump is the top mark in the GNAC this season while his mark in the high jump was his second-best of the season. Also Nominated: Chris Brake (Alaska Anchorage), Aidan Cain (Central Washington), Joe Denniston (Concordia), Colton Sedlack (Northwest Nazarene), Seren Dances (western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Addy Townsend (Simon Fraser, Sr., Coquitlam, B.C. – Charles Best): Townsend earned the award for the second week in a row thanks to a pair of impressive performances at the John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston. On Saturday, Townsend ran the leading time in Division II this season in the 800 meters, placing 12th out of 150 runners in a time of 2:08.47. The time leads Division II by nearly a second and a half. Townsend also ran the anchor leg on the Clan’s winning distance medley relay team. The winning time of 11:36.73 is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and leads Division II. Also Nominated: Tylantiss Atlas (Alaska Anchorage), Erykah Weems (Central Washington), Paige Johnson (Concordia), Lauren Wuertz (Northwest Nazarene), Hannah Cook (Saint Martin’s), Maya Hopwood (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Samantha La Rue (Central Washington, Sr., Covington, Wash. – Kentwood): La Rue improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and spot on the GNAC All-Time List in the shot put at the Idaho Open on Thursday. La Rue was the top non-Division I placer in the event, placing third with a mark of 46 feet, 2.5 inches. That moves La Rue to No. 8 on the GNAC All-Time List and No. 19 in Division II this season. La Rue also placed fourth in the weight throw with a mark of 53 feet, 2.75 inches. Also Nominated: Kori Sprague (Concordia), Brenna Beckett (Montana State Billings), Madi VonBrethost (Northwest Nazarene), Ashley Vest (Saint Martin’s), Jenelle Hurley (Western Oregon).