Monday, October 24, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – In the final tune-up for the GNAC Cross Country Championships against some of Division II’s best teams at the Division II Pre-Nationals, it was a pair of sophomores from the state of Alaska that led the conference and landed Player of the Week awards.

Alaska sophomore Naomi Bailey was named the Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week after she won the women’s invitational race at the meet, covering the 6,000-meter course in a time of 20:46.1. Bailey was 11 seconds faster than second-place Katie Doucette of Western Colorado and led three UAF runners to place in the top 20.

Alaska Anchorage sophomore Coleman Nash earned his fourth Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week award this season after he led all GNAC runners with a fourth-place finish in the men’s invitational race. His time of 23:47.34 over 8,000 meters led three GNAC athletes to place in the top 20.

Seawolves’ senior right-side hitter Eve Stephens added to her impressive list of awards with another selection as the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week. Stephens averaged 6.88 kills, 2.88 digs, 0.62 blocks and 0.25 aces per set. She posted totals of 22 kills, 14 digs, three blocks and two assists in Thursday’s four-set loss at Simon Fraser. Stephens set a GNAC record for kills in a four-set match in Saturday’s win over Western Washington, smashing 33 kills to go with nine digs, two blocks, three assists and an ace.

Seattle Pacific junior middle blocker Allison Wilks earned Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honors after averaging 1.89 blocks and 1.56 kills per set. She finished with 10 blocks, five kills, four digs and an ace in Thursday’s five-set win over Central Washington before coming up with seven blocks, nine kills, one dig and an ace in Saturday’s four-set loss to Northwest Nazarene.

Western Washington swept the women’s soccer weekly honors on the strength of the No. 7 Vikings’ 1-0 shutout of No. 25 Northwest Nazarene on Saturday. Senior defender Karina Provo picked up the offensive honor thanks to her game-winning goal in the 74th minute of the victory. Senior goalkeeper Claire Henninger made two saves against the Nighthawks and two more saves in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Central Washington to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Vikings senior goalkeeper Patrick Restum picked up the Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week award thanks to his two saves in Thursday’s 2-0 victory over Simon Fraser. It was Restum’s seventh shutout of the season.

Montana State Billings junior midfielder Jeremie Briquet was named the Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week thanks to his two goals and an assist in the Yellowjackets’ eight-minute scoring barrage in Saturday’s 4-1 upset of No. 22 Northwest Nazarene. Briquet tallied goals in the 54th and 60th minutes and assisted on the final goal of the run in the 62nd minute.

Yellowjackets senior Blake Finn was selected as the Men’s Golf Player of the Week after he won two of his three matches in the annual Mike Grob Cup match-play competition against Rocky Mountain. Finn was paired with Kevin Kolb on Thursday for a 3 and 1 win over Hadyn Driver and Will Dexheimer. Finn then best Dexheimer solo on Saturday, 4 and 3.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 11
MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Jeremie Briquet (Montana State Billings, M, 6-3, Jr., Cannes, France – Dodge City CC): Briquet fueled the Yellowjackets’ eight-minute second-half scoring barrage on Saturday, scoring two goals as Montana State Billings upset No. 22 Northwest Nazarene 4-1. Briquet scored the opening goal of the run in the 54th minute, contributed an unassisted strike in the 60th minute and assisted on the final goal in the 62nd minute. Also Nominated: Jimmy Koufidakis (Northwest Nazarene), Mark Talisuna (Simon Fraser), Abraham Villalobos (Western Oregon), Andrew Rotter (Western Washington).

MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Patrick Restum (Western Washington, GK, 6-1, Sr., Okemos, Mich. – Northern Michigan Univ.): Restum posted his seventh shutout of the season, making a pair of saves in Western Washington’s 2-0 shutout of Simon Fraser. The victory helped Western Washington keep pace with Northwest Nazarene in the chase for the GNAC championship. Also Nominated: Jeremi Campagnolo (Montana State Billings).

WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Karina Provo (Western Washington, D, 5-1, Sr., Federal Way, Wash. – Federal Way): Provo tallied the game-winning goal off of a free kick in the 74th minute in the Vikings’ 1-0 shutout of No. 25 Northwest Nazarene. The win over the two nationally-ranked programs helped solidify Western Washington’s spot at the top of the conference standings entering the final week of the season. Also Nominated: Emily Darcy (Central Washington), Sydney Torres (Montana State Billings), Jacqueline Blakeley (Seattle Pacific), Giuliana Zaurrini (Simon Fraser), Chloe Smith (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Claire Henninger (Western Washington, GK, 5-10, Sr., Sequim, Wash. – Sequim): Henninger posted her sixth shutout of the season in Saturday’s 1-0 shutout of No. 25 Northwest Nazarene, making two saves in the victory. Henninger opened the week with two more saves in Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Central Washington. Also Nominated: Kassandra Jaggard (Central Washington), Clare Keenan (Montana State Billings), Alexis Montoya (Northwest Nazarene).

VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE
Eve Stephens (Alaska Anchorage, RS, 6-1, Sr., Palmer, Alaska – Colony): Stephens averaged 6.88 kills, 2.88 digs, 0.62 blocks and 0.25 aces per set in the Seawolves’ 1-1 week. Stephens led the Seawolves with 22 kills, 14 digs, three blocks, two assists and an ace in the four-set loss at Simon Fraser. She then finished with 33 kills in Saturday’s four-set win over No. 10 Western Washington, setting a GNAC record for kills in a four-set match. She also had nine digs, two blocks, three assists and an ace in the victory. Also Nominated: Ella Bines (Alaska), Paiten Langston (Montana State Billings), Natalie Sullivan (Northwest Nazarene), Brooke Dexter (Simon Fraser), Laney O’Neil (Western Oregon), Calley Heilborn (Western Washington).

VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE
Allison Wilks (Seattle Pacific, MB, 6-1, Jr., Bothell, Wash. – North Creek): Wilks averaged 1.89 blocks per set to go with 1.56 kills per set to lead Seattle Pacific to a 1-1 week. On Thursday, Wilks finished with 10 blocks to go with five kills, four digs and an ace in a five-set victory over Central Washington. She added totals of seven blocks, nine kills, one dig and one ace in Saturday’s four-set loss to Northwest Nazarene.  Also Nominated: Elizabeth Jackson (Alaska), Talia Leauanae (Alaska Anchorage), Emma Daoud-Hebert (Central Washington), Kennedy Juranek (Montana State Billings), Olivia Wright (Northwest Nazarene), Jennifer Soha (Saint Martin’s), Abby Willett (Simon Fraser), Chloe Roetcisoender (Western Washington).

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Coleman Nash (Alaska Anchorage, So., Littleton, Colo. – Littleton): Nash was the top GNAC finisher in the men’s invitational race at the Division II Pre-Nationals, placing fourth in a time of 23:47.4 over 8,000 meters. He was one of three GNAC runners to crack the top 20 and led Alaska Anchorage to a 12th-place team finish. Also Nominated: Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings), Charlie Dannatt (Simon Fraser), Kevin McDermott (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Naomi Bailey (Alaska, So., Fairbanks, Alaska – West Valley): Bailey won the women’s invitational race at the Division II Pre-Nationals, turning in a time of 20:46.1 over 6,000 meters. Bailey finished 11 seconds ahead of second-place Katie Doucette of Western Colorado and led four GNAC runners to place in the top 20. Bailey led Alaska to a 10th-place team finish. Also Nominated: Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Grace Chalk (Simon Fraser), Mia Crocker (Western Washington).

MEN’S GOLF
Blake Finn (Montana State Billings, Jr., Big Timber, Mont. – Sweet Grass County): Finn won two of his three competitions in the Yellowjackets’ annual Mike Grob Cup match play tournament against Rocky Mountain. Paired with Kevin Kolb on Thursday, the duo defeated Hadyn Driver and Will Dexheimer 3 and 1. Playing solo on Saturday, Finn beat Dexheimer 4 and 3. Also Nominated: Jordan Bean (Simon Fraser).