Monday, April 3, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – Simon Fraser’s Marie-Éloïse Leclair seemingly can’t step on the track without setting a record.

The sophomore set two more conference records at the Stanford Invitational over the week to lead the GNAC Athlete of the Week recipients. Leclair was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week with record runs in the 100 and 200 meters. In the 100, Leclair won with a time of 11.45 seconds that smashed the previous GNAC record of 11.64 seconds set by Alaska Anchorage’s Jamie Ashcroft in 2016. The time not only ranks No. 4 in Division II this season but is tied for No. 23 on the Division II all-time list.

Leclair went on to reset her own record in the 200 meters by one-thousandth of a second, placing third in a time of 23.61 seconds.

Western Washington sophomore Kevin McDermott earned Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors after he placed fifth in the 5,000 meters at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in San Francisco. His time of 14:11.90 is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier, ranks No. 6 in Division II this season and No. 7 on the GNAC all-time list.

Western Oregon senior Jenelle Hurley picked up Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors after she provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the heptathlon, winning at the Pacific Multi-Event with a score of 4,720 points that ranks fourth in Division II this season. Hurley finished in the top two out of 22 athletes in four of the seven disciplines. She won the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 5.75 inches that just missed the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark. She also won the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 2.25 inches.

Montana State Billings senior Forrest Cross was named the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after two first-place finishes and a second-place finish in the throws at the Yellowjackets/Battlin’ Bears Open. Cross won the discus with a mark of 152 feet, 9 inches and then won the hammer with a personal-best mark of 159 feet, 2 inches that ranks seventh in the GNAC this season. He went on to place second in the shot put with a mark of 51 feet, 6.5 inches that ranks No. 2 in the GNAC this season.

Saint Martin’s junior Destiny Conerly was selected as the Softball Player of the Week after leading the Saints to a 4-1 record at the Tournament of Champions and earning selection to the All-Tournament Team. Conerly batted .500 in the five games, going 8 for 16 with six runs, two doubles, two RBIs and five stolen bases. Conerly went 2 for 2 with three runs and an RBI single in Friday’s 9-1, six-inning win over Hawaii Hilo. She went 3 for 3 with an RBI single and a run in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Chico State and went 2 for 4 in Saturday’s 5-0 win over Cal State East Bay.

Western Oregon senior Maddie Mayer was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she went 3-1 and compiled a 0.52 ERA in four starts last week, allowing three runs, two earned, on 13 hits with 21 strikeouts in 27 innings. Mayer allowed four hits and four walks while striking out five in Monday’s 10-0, six-inning win over Western Washington. She opened the Tournament of Champions by allowing two hits and striking out seven in Friday’s 8-0 win over Academy of Art. Mayer then allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in Sunday’s 3-2, eight-inning win over Chico State.

Central Washington junior Austin Ohland earned Baseball Player of the Week honors after he batted .471 in the Wildcats’ four-game sweep of Montana State Billings, going 8 for 17 with six runs, three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs. Ohland had two hits in each of the four games. He went 2 for 5 with an RBI single and a three-run homer in Thursday’s 9-7 opening-game win and then went 2 for 3 with two doubles, including a two-run double, in the 4-3 second-game win. Friday was highlighted by going 2 for 5 with a double and three runs in the 9-8 opening-game win.

Western Oregon senior Chris Hardin picked up the Baseball Pitcher of the Week award after he picked up the win in the Wolves’ 3-0 shutout of Saint Martin’s on Thursday. He allowed four hits and struck out four in six innings of work to improve to 4-2 on the season.

On the links, Western Washington senior Jordan Lee was named the Men’s Golf Player of the Week after he won the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational with a three-round score of 4-under-par 212. Lee won by two strokes, carded two rounds of 2-under-par 70, and led Western Washington to its second title in the tournament in as many years.

Northwest Nazarene freshman Elle McCord earned Women’s Golf Player of the Week honors after a pair of top-10 finishes in two tournaments last week. McCord placed third at the San Marcos Shootout with a two-round score of 5-over-par 149. She then tied for ninth place at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic with a two-round score of 4-over-par 148. She was the leading GNAC golfer in both events.

Seattle Pacific’s varsity 8+ was named the Women’s Rowing Crew of the Week after the Falcons picked up two wins over Western Washington at the Falcon Regatta. The Falcons won by four seconds in the opening session with a time of 7:15.9 before posting a nine-second win in the second session with a time of 7:13.4.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 32
BASEBALL PLAYER
Austin Ohland (Central Washington, C, 6-1, Jr., Maple Valley, Wash. – Lafayette): Ohland batted .471 to lead the Wildcats in a four-game sweep of Montana State Billings, going 8 for 17 with six runs, three doubles, a home run and seven RBIs. Ohland went 2 for 5 in Thursday’s 9-7 opening game win with an RBI single in the third and a three-run homer in the sixth. He went 2 for 3 in the nightcap with two doubles, including a two-run double that secured the 4-3 win. Ohland opened Friday by going 2 for 5 with a double and three runs in the 9-8 victory before going 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the 9-4 second-game win. Also Nominated: Michael Yamaguchi (Saint Martin’s), Derek Maiben (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Chris Hardin (Western Oregon, P, 6-2, Sr., Highland, Calif. – Univ. of Redlands): Hardin picked up his fourth win of the season in the Wolves’ 3-0 shutout of Saint Martin’s on Thursday. In six innings, he allowed just four hits and struck out four to improve to 4-2 on the season. Hardin threw 70 pitches, 50 for strikes. Also Nominated: Alex Brady (Central Washington), Carson Jones (Saint Martin’s).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Destiny Conerly (Saint Martin’s, IF, 5-9, Jr., Spanaway, Wash. – Puyallup): Conerly was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Tournament of Champions after leading the Saints offensively with a .500 batting average, going 8 for 16 with six runs, two doubles, two RBIs and five stolen bases. Conerly opened the tournament with a 2 for 2 performance with three runs and an RBI single in Friday’s 9-1, six-inning win over Hawaii Hilo. On Saturday, Conerly went 3 for 3 with an RBI single and a run scored in a 2-1 win over Chico State. She then went 2 for 4 and scored the opening run in Saturday’s 5-0 win over Cal State East Bay. Also Nominated: Laney Kaysner (Central Washington), Teagan Seeton (Montana State Billings), Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene), Amy Hughes (Simon Fraser), Chelby Smalley (Western Oregon), Hailey Rath (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Maddie Mayer (Western Oregon, P, 5-8, Sr., Portland, Ore. – Rex Putnam): Mayer compiled a 0.52 ERA and went 3-1 in four starts last week, allowing three runs, two earned, on 13 hits with 21 strikeouts in 27 innings. Mayer opened the week by allowing just four hits and four walks while striking out five in Monday’s 10-0, six-inning win at Western Washington. She opened the Tournament of Champions by allowing just two hits and striking out seven in Friday’s 8-0 win over Academy of Art. Against Holy Names on Saturday, Mayer allowed one run on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in a 1-0 loss to Holy Names. She rebounded to allow two runs, one earned, on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in Sunday’s 3-2, eight-inning win over Chico State. Also Nominated: Payton Kessler (Central Washington), Alyssa Etheridge (Montana State Billings), Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene), Chloe Leverington (Saint Martin’s), Mareena Ramirez (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Kevin McDermott (Western Washington, So., Port Orchard, Wash. – South Kitsap): McDermott moved into No. 7 on the GNAC all-time list with a fifth-place finish in the 5,000 meters at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic. His time of 14:11.90 ranks No. 2 on the WWU all-time, is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time and ranks No. 6 in Division II this season.  Also Nominated: Maximilian Kresmer (Alaska Anchorage), Austin Albertin (Central Washington), Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings), Charlie Dannatt (Simon Fraser), Justin Conklin (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Forrest Cross (Montana State Billings, Sr., Sundance, Wyo. – Sundance): Cross won two throwing events and took second in a third at the Yellowjackets/Battlin’ Bears Open. Cross won the discus with a mark of 152 feet, 9 inches and then won the hammer with a personal best of 159 feet, 2 inches that ranks seventh in the GNAC this season. Cross went on to finish second in the shot put with a mark of 51 feet, 6.5 inches that ranks second in the GNAC this season. Also Nominated: Collin Sample (Alaska Anchorage), Angus Beaton (Central Washington), Blake Furtado (Simon Fraser), Seren Dances (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Marie-Éloïse Leclair (Simon Fraser, So., Candiac, Que. – College Durocher): Leclair set GNAC records in both the 100 and 200 meters at the Stanford Invitational. She won the 100 meters on Friday in a time of 11.45 seconds that broke the GNAC record of 11.64 seconds set by Jamie Ashcroft of Alaska Anchorage in 2015 and ties for the 23rd best time all-time in Division II. The performance ranks No. 4 in Division II this season. On Saturday, Leclair broke her own record in the 200 meters, placing third in a time of 23.61 seconds. The time ranks ninth in Division II this season. Leclair also ran as part of the Red Leafs’ 4x400-meter relay team that ran an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 3:47.65.  Also Nominated: Olivia Manley (Alaska Anchorage), Lauryn Chandler (Central Washington), Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Ila Davis (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Jenelle Hurley (Western Oregon, Sr., Grants Pass, Ore. – Hidden Valley): Hurley beat a field of 22 competitors in the heptathlon at the Pacific Multi-Event, winning with an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying score of 4,720 points. The score ranks fourth in Division II this season. Hurley placed in the top two in four of the seven disciplines, winning the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 5.75 inches that just missed the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 2.25 inches. Also Nominated: Erica Cabanos (Central Washington), Kendall Lynn (Montana State Billings), Kennedy Primrose (Simon Fraser),

MEN’S GOLF
Jordan Lee (Western Washington, Sr., Tacoma, Wash. – Bellarmine Prep): Lee earned medalist honors at the Hanny Stanislaus Invitational, winning by two strokes with a three-round score of 4-under-par 212. Lee shot two rounds of 2-under-par 70 to lead the Vikings to the team title at the tournament for the second year in a row. Also Nominated: Jordan Bean (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S GOLF
Elle McCord (Northwest Nazarene, Fr., Star, Idaho – Eagle): McCord posted two top-10 finishes last week. She opened the week by placing third in the San Marcos Shootout, carding a two-round score of 5-over-par 149 to lead the Nighthawks to a tie for seventh in the team standings. At the RJGA Palm Valley Classic, McCord led all GNAC golfers as she tied for ninth with a two-round score of 4-over-par 148. The tournament included her low round of the week of 1-under-par 71. Also Nominated: Sueah Park (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S ROWING
Seattle Pacific Varsity 8+: The Falcons won both varsity 8+ races at the Falcon Regatta on Saturday in Seattle. In the opening session, SPU clocked a time of 7:15.9 to finish four seconds ahead of Western Washington. In the second session, the Falcons extended to a nine-second lead over the Vikings with a winning time of 7:13.4. Members of the crew include Moxie McCandless (coxswain), Jacinta Grandel, Natalie Korolenko, Macie Leach, Kalais Samuelson, Audrey Rekedal, Anna Boatman, Magan Popielak and Kristin Grassell.