Monday, February 7, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – A pair of solid scoring performances that took place in the 49th state led the way as Alaska Anchorage senior forward Oggie Pantovic and Central Washington senior forward Kassidy Malcolm lead the GNAC Player of the Week awards.

Pantovic was named the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he averaged 24 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in a 2-1 week for the Seawolves. He opened with a 20-point, nine-rebound performance in Monday’s 93-91 overtime loss at Western Washington. Pantovic added 22 points and nine rebounds in Thursday’s 71-59 win over Simon Fraser before connecting for 30 points and seven rebounds in Saturday’s 81-75 win in the rematch with the Vikings.

Malcolm was selected as the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after she averaged 27.3 points per game in a 2-1 week for the Wildcats. On Wednesday, Malcolm scored 24 points to go with seven rebounds and three assists in a 67-52 win at Alaska. She delivered again the next night against the Nanooks, scoring 30 points on 11 of 16 from the field to go with seven rebounds and five assists in the 80-67 victory. Malcolm led all scorers with 28 points in Saturday’s 78-68 loss at Alaska Anchorage, adding three rebounds and three assists.

Central Washington senior Austin Albertin was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he placed third in the 400 meters at the WSU Open on Friday. His time of 49.40 seconds was the top non-Division I performance in the race, which featured 38 finishers.

Western Washington junior Ethan Sterkel repeated as the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he placed third in the long jump at the WSU Invitational on Saturday with a mark of 23 feet, 5.5 inches. He also placed 11th in the high jump at the WSU Open, clearing 6 feet, 2.75 inches.

Western Oregon swept the women’s track and field awards. Sophomore Ana Popchock was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she placed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles at the WSU Open. Her time of 8.83 seconds is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time. It leads the conference and ranks 22nd in Division II this season.

Sophomore Jenelle Hurley repeated as Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she hit an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the pentathlon at the WSU Invitational. Her score of 3,436 points leads the GNAC and is 20th in Division II this season.

The Wolves also swept the first softball weekly awards of the season after going 5-2 over the opening week. Sophomore catcher/infielder Natalie Willoughby was named the Softball Player of the Week after batting .444 in the seven games, going 8 for 18 with seven runs, 10 RBI, a double and three home runs. She had two homers in Tuesday’s second game with Bushnell and went 2 for 2 with a solo home run in the 8-2 win over Cal State Domingez Hills on Friday that opened the California Kickoff Classic.

Senior pitcher Maddie Mayer was selected as the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she went 3-0 with a save in five appearances and three starts with a 0.79 earned run average. Mayer was the winner in the 4-2 opener over Bushnell on Tuesday, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts in six innings. She earned the 4-1 win over Stanislaus State on Saturday by allowing five hits and striking out three in six shutout innings before earning the win in two relief innings in Sunday’s 10-8 victory over San Francisco State. For her efforts, Mayer was named to the California Kickoff Classic’s All-Tournament Team.

Northwest Nazarene sophomore Walker Moore is the first Baseball Player of the Week for 2022 after he went 4 for 7 with four RBI, a double and a home run as the Nighthawks went 2-1 at No. 25 Azusa Pacific. Moore entered Friday’s opener as a pinch-hitter in the eighth and proceeded to go 2 for 2 with a double and scored the winning run in the ninth in the 4-3 victory. Moore also went 2 for 4 in Saturday’s second game, a 7-3 victory, breaking a 2-2 tie with a three-run homer in the ninth.

Montana State Billings junior Dylan Barkley was named the Baseball Pitcher of the Week after he threw five shutout innings to open the season at Cal State LA on Friday. He allowed two hits and two walks in the start as he threw 94 pitches, 62 for strikes, in an eventual 6-2 loss.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 24
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Oggie Pantovic (Alaska Anchorage, F, 6-7, Sr., Kovin, Serbia – Utah State Eastern): Pantovic averaged 24 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game and shot 65.1 percent from the field, 30 percent from three-point range and 76.5 percent from the free-throw line to lead Alaska Anchorage to a 2-1 week. On Monday, Pantovic finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists in a 93-91 overtime loss at Western Washington. He connected for 22 points and nine rebounds in Thursday’s 71-59 win over Simon Fraser, making 10 of 13 from the field. On Saturday, Pantovic scored a season-high 30 points to go with seven rebounds and six assists in an 81-75 win in the rematch with the Vikings. Also Nominated: Quin Barnard (Alaska), Xavier Smith (Central Washington), Carrington Wiggins (Montana State Billings), George Reidy (Northwest Nazarene), Christian Haffner (Saint Martin’s), Wilfried Balata (Simon Fraser), Cameron Cranston (Western Oregon), D’Angelo Minnis (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Kassidy Malcolm (Central Washington, F, 5-11, Sr., Ellensburg, Wash. – Ellensburg): Malcolm averaged 27.3 and 5.7 points per game as the Wildcats went 2-1 in Alaska last week. Malcolm opened the week with 24 points, seven rebounds and three assists in Wednesday’s 67-52 win over Alaska. The next night, Malcolm scored 30 points on 11 of 16 from the field to go with seven rebounds and five assists in an 80-67 win over the Nanooks. At Alaska Anchorage on Saturday, Malcolm led all scorers with 28 points on 10 of 17 from the field with three rebounds and three assists in a 78-68 loss to the Seawolves. For the week, Malcolm shot 56.3 percent from the field, 52.9 percent from three-point range and 95 percent from the free-throw line. Also Nominated: Pearle Green (Alaska), Tennae Voliva (Alaska Anchorage), Erin Jenkins (Northwest Nazarene), Claire Dingus (Saint Martin’s), Georgia Swant (Simon Fraser), Meadow Aragon (Western Oregon), Emma Duff (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Austin Albertin (Central Washington, Sr., Finley, Wash. - Kennewick): Albertin placed third in the 400 meters at the WSU Open on Friday in Spokane. The top non-Division I placer out of 38 finishers, Albertin crossed the line in a time of 49.40 seconds. Also Nominated: Tyler Shea (Northwest Nazarene), Kainalu Pagente (Saint Martin’s), Keeton Sanchez (Western Oregon), Kevin McDermott (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Ethan Sterkel (Western Washington, Jr., Longview, Wash. – RA Long): Sterkel placed third in the long jump at the WSU Invitational with a mark of 23 feet, 5.5 inches. He was one of just three individual GNAC top-three finishers at either WSU meet over the weekend. Sterkel also placed 11th in the high jump at the WSU Open with a clearance of 6 feet, 2.75 inches. Also Nominated: Steven Schmidt (Northwest Nazarene), Owen Collins (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Ana Popchock (Western Oregon, So., Maupin, Ore. – South Wasco County): Popchock finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles at the WSU Open. Her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 8.83 seconds leads the GNAC and is tied for 22nd in Division II this season. Popchock also placed fifth in the triple jump with a lifetime best mark of 36 feet, 10.5 inches. Also Nominated: Abbey Wood (Northwest Nazarene), Sara Sabra (Saint Martin’s), Ila Davis (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Jenelle Hurley (Western Oregon, So., Grants Pass, Ore. – Hidden Valley): Hurley hit the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the pentathlon at the WSU Invitational on Thursday, placing 10th with a score of 3,436 points. The total leads the GNAC and is 20th in Division II this season. One of just three non-Division I athletes in the field, Hurley tied for fifth in the high jump (5-3.75). Also Nominated: Meagan Smallbeck (Central Washington), Kinsey Langin (Northwest Nazarene), Aliyah Dawkins (Western Washington).

BASEBALL PLAYER
Walker Moore (Northwest Nazarene, IF, 5-10, So., Provo, Utah – Provo): Walker went 4 for 7 with four RBI, a double and a home run as the Nighthawks went 2-1 with No. 25 ranked Azusa Pacific. Moore entered in the eighth inning of Friday’s series opener and proceeded to go 2 for 2 with a double and scored the winning run in the ninth in the 4-3 victory. In Saturday’s second game, Moore went 2 for 4 in his first start of the season as the designated hitter, breaking a 2-2 tie with a three-run homer in the ninth en route to the 7-3 win. Also Nominated: Austin Ohland (Central Washington), Dominick Buso (Montana State Billings), Mark Steward (Saint Martin’s), Spencer Weston (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Dylan Barkley (Montana State Billings, LHP, 5-11, Jr., Missoula, Mont. – Missoula): Barkley was just short of perfect in making the first start of the season for the Yellowjackets at Cal State LA on Friday. In five innings, Barkley allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out nine in the eventual 6-2 loss. Barkley threw 94 pitches, 62 for strikes. Also Nominated: Josh Touhey (Central Washington), Max Holtzclaw (Northwest Nazarene), Ryan Driscoll (Saint Martin’s), Arturo Alvarez (Western Oregon).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Natalie Willoughby (Western Oregon, C/IF, 6-0, So., Junction City, Ore. – Willamette): Willoughby batted .444 in the Wolves’ seven games, going 8 for 18 with seven runs, 10 RBI, a double and three home runs. Willoughby had two hits in each of the season-opening games with Bushnell on Tuesday, including a two-run homer and a three-run homer in the second game. She opened the California Kickoff Classic by going 2 for 2 in Friday’s 8-2 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills, including a solo homer in the second, and had single hits against Cal State San Marcos on Saturday and San Francisco St. on Sunday. Also Nominated: Maycen O’Neal (Montana State Billings), Sidney Booth (Northwest Nazarene), Tatum Dow (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Maddie Mayer (Western Oregon, LHP, 5-8, Sr., Portland, Ore. – Rex Putnam): Mayer compiled a 0.79 earned run average in five appearances and two starts, going 3-0 with a save in 17.2 innings pitched. Mayer went six innings to win the opener against Bushnell on Tuesday, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts. She earned the save in Friday’s 8-2 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills, allowing just one hit and striking out two over three innings. Mayer won in her start against Stanislaus State on Saturday, allowing five hits with three strikeouts in six shutout innings. She earned her third win in relief against San Francisco St. on Sunday, allowing one run on one hit with four strikeouts in two innings. For her efforts, Mayer was named to the California Kickoff Classic All-Tournament Team. Also Nominated: Julia Qualteri (Montana State Billings), Sidney Booth (Northwest Nazarene), Joie Baker (Western Washington).