Monday, April 17, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – Western Washington senior Jordan Lee has been hot all season but is putting his biggest performances together at the right time as he leads the GNAC Player of the Week honorees.

Lee was named the Men’s Golf Player of the Week after he shared medalist honors at the NCAA West Regional Spring Preview in Rohnert Park, California. He carded a three-round score of 8-under-par 208 to tie with Matthew Pennington of Cal State San Marcos. His scorecard included two rounds of 3-under-par 69 for his second victory of the season as he led the Vikings to a fourth-place team finish.

On the track, Simon Fraser sophomore Marie-Éloïse Leclair continued her record-setting ways to earn Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors. After winning the 100 meters at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate in 11.46 seconds, just missing her GNAC record of 11.45 seconds, Leclair placed fourth in the 200 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational in 23.42 seconds to better her own conference record. She also ran an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 54.38 seconds in the 400 meters, ranking fourth on the GNAC all-time list.

Western Washington sophomore Drew Weber collected Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors after he provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 800 and 1,500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. His time of 1:49.34 in the 800 meters is a school record and ranks No. 6 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 8 in Division II this season. Weber’s time of 3:44.83 in the 1,500 ranks No. 6 in Division II this season and No. 7 on the GNAC all-time list.

Western Oregon junior Ujunwa Nwokoma was honored as the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the long jump at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. She placed third with a school-record leap of 19 feet, 6.75 inches which ranks No. 6 on the GNAC all-time list and 22nd in Division II this season.

Simon Fraser junior Bryan Cortes speared Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors for his NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the javelin at the Bryan Clay Invitational. His throw of 195 feet, 8 inches leads the GNAC and ranks No. 28 in Division II this season.

The Central Oklahoma varsity 4+ was named the Women’s Rowing Crew of the Week after winning the Club – DII/DIII grand final at the Knecht Cup in New Jersey over the weekend. The Bronchos won in a time of 8:04.80, six seconds ahead of second-place New Hampshire and 16 seconds ahead of GNAC rival Seattle Pacific. Crew members include Sydney Large (coxswain), Sam Hutchings, Danielle Holle, Audra Hempfling and Meyton Meiler.

On the diamond, Western Oregon junior AJ Cortese was named the Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .538 to lead the Wolves to a four-game sweep of Central Washington. His weekend included a 2 for 3 performance with a two-run double in Saturday’s 10-2 win. He also went 2 for 4 in Sunday’s 14-1 opening-game win and 2 for 2 in the 5-2 finale win, which included a solo home run.

Montana State Billings junior Trevor Cassell earned Baseball Pitcher of the Week accolades for his complete-game win in Friday’s 2-0 shutout of Northwest Nazarene. Cassell allowed just two hits and four walks while striking out nine for his third win of the season.

Yellowjackets junior Marin Penney was named the Softball Player of the Week after she batted .455 to help lead MSUB to the series win over Western Oregon. She went 5 for 11 with three runs, a home run and five RBIs. She had two hits in both of Friday’s victories, including a three-run homer in the 8-7 second-game win.

Northwest Nazarene senior Tori Hensley was selected as the Softball Pitcher of the Week after she allowed just seven hits over 12 shutout innings for two of the Nighthawks’ four wins over Central Washington. She allowed three hits and struck out five in Friday’s 8-0, five-inning victory. She then allowed four hits and a walk while striking out five in Saturday’s 4-0 win.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 34
BASEBALL PLAYER
AJ Cortese (Western Oregon, IF, 6-1, Jr., Loveland, Colo. – Loveland): Cortese batted .538, going 7 for 13 with five runs, three doubles, a home and six RBIs to lead the Wolves to a four-game sweep of Central Washington. Cortese went 1 for 4 in Saturday’s 9-3 opening-game win before going 2 for 3 with a sacrifice fly and a two-run double in the 10-2 second-game win. He opened Sunday by going 2 for 4 with an RBI single and a bases-loaded walk in the 14-1 blowout before adding a 2 for 2 performance in the 5-2 finale, including a solo home run. Also Nominated: Ben Leid (Central Washington), Kaden Kirshenbaum (Montana State Billings), Kaleb Karpstein (Northwest Nazarene), Kelton Tom (Saint Martin’s).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Trevor Cassell (Montana State Billings, P, 5-11, Jr., Enumclaw, Wash. – Skagit Valley CC): Cassell hurled a complete-game shutout for his third win of the season in Friday’s 2-0 shutout of Northwest Nazarene. He allowed just two hits and four walks while striking out nine in the seven-inning effort. Cassell threw 96 pitches, 59 for strikes, as MSUB split the weekend series. Also Nominated: Daniel Charron (Central Washington), Finley Butler (Saint Martin’s), Arturo Alvarez (Western Oregon).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Marin Penney (Montana State Billings, 3B, 5-6, Jr., Lake Oswego, Ore. – Lake Oswego): Penney batted .455 as Montana State Billings took the season series from Western Oregon and moved into fourth place in the GNAC standings. She went 5 for 11 with three runs, a home run and five RBIs. Penney went 2 for 3 in Friday’s opener, including a two-RBI single in the 4-3 victory. She then went 2 for 3 in the nightcap, which included a three-run homer in the third that started the comeback for the eventual 8-7 win. Penney went 1 for 3 in Saturday’s opening game. For the week, Penney amassed a .500 on-base percentage and a .727 slugging percentage. Also Nominated: Harlee Carpenter (Central Washington), Madison Felter (Northwest Nazarene), Kekai Schultz (Saint Martin’s), Kristen Davyduke (Simon Fraser), Isabelle Lewis (Western Oregon), Kinzey Williams (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Tori Hensley (Northwest Nazarene, P, 5-9, Sr., Kirkland, Wash. – Boise State Univ.): Hensley allowed just seven hits and one walk while striking out 10 in two complete-game wins over Central Washington. On Friday, Hensley allowed just three hits and struck out five in the Nighthawks’ 8-0, five-inning win. In Saturday’s finale, Hensley allowed four hits and a walk while striking out five for the 4-0 shutout to improve to 12-5 on the season. Also Nominated: Ashlee Laver (Central Washington), Alyssa Etheridge (Montana State Billings), Tia Ridings (Saint Martin’s), Maddie Mayer (Western Oregon), Joie Baker (Western Washington).

MEN’S TRACK
Drew Weber (Western Washington, So., Vancouver, Wash. – Fort Vancouver): Weber picked up NCAA Championships qualifying times in two events at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Weber ran 1:49.34 in the 800 meters to set a WWU record. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifier ranks No. 8 in Division II this season and No. 6 on the GNAC all-time list. Weber also ran a time of 3:44.83 in the 1,500 meters, ranking him No. 6 in Division II this season and No. 7 on the GNAC all-time list.  Also Nominated: Michael Zapherson (Alaska Anchorage), Johan Correa (Central Washington), Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings), Brayden Durfee (Northwest Nazarene), Jon Owen (Seattle Pacific), Charlie Dannatt (Simon Fraser).

MEN’S FIELD
Bryan Cortes (Simon Fraser, Jr., Port Coquitlam, B.C. – Terry Fox): Cortes hit the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the javelin at the Bryan Clay Invitational. His throw of 195 feet, 8 inches leads the GNAC and ranks No. 28 in Division II this season. Cortes also threw at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate, placing 10th with a mark of 191 feet, 1 inch. Also Nominated: Chris Hines (Central Washington), Forrest Cross (Montana State Billings), Dylan Hendry (Northwest Nazarene), Jaydon Tryon (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Marie-Éloïse Leclair (Simon Fraser, So., Candiac, Que. – College Durocher): Leclair reset her own GNAC record in the women’s 200 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. She placed fourth with a time of 23.42 seconds that clipped two-tenths of a second off her previous record and ranks No. 5 in Division II this season. Leclair won the 100 meters at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate in a time of 11.46 seconds, just missing her GNAC record of 11.45 seconds, and also ran 54.38 in the 400 meters at the Bryan Clay, a time that ranks No. 4 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 14 in Division II this season. Leclair was also part of the SFU 4x100-meter relay team that ran an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 46.66 seconds at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate.  Also Nominated: E’lexis Hollis (Central Washington), Abbey Wood (Northwest Nazarene), Annika Esvelt (Seattle Pacific), Maliyah Thompson (Western Oregon), Marian Ledesma (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Ujunwa Nwokoma (Western Oregon, Jr., Clackamas, Ore. – Mt. Hood CC): Nwokoma notched an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the long jump at the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate. She placed third with a school-record leap of 19 feet, 6.75 inches. The mark leads the GNAC, ranks 22nd in Division II this season and No. 6 on the GNAC all-time list. Also Nominated: Kendall Lynn (Montana State Billings), Destany Herbert (Northwest Nazarene), Olivia Windbiel (Simon Fraser), Matty Lagerwey (Western Washington).

MEN’S GOLF
Jordan Lee (Western Washington, Sr., Wash. – Bellarmine Prep): Lee tied for medalist honors at the NCAA West Regional Spring Preview, carding a three-round score 8-under-par 208 to finish tied with Cal State San Marcos’ Matthew Pennington. His scorecard included scores of 3-under-par 69 in the first and third rounds as he led Western Washington to a fourth-place team finish. Also Nominated: Aidan Goodfellow (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S ROWING
Central Oklahoma Varsity 4+: Competing at the Knecht Cup in New Jersey, the Bronchos won the Women’s Club Four – DII/DIII grand final on Sunday in a time of 8:04.80. Central Oklahoma was six seconds better than second-place New Hampshire and 16 seconds ahead GNAC rival Seattle Pacific. Central Oklahoma won Saturday’s opening heat in a time of 8:13.93, 11 seconds ahead of Seattle Pacific. Members of the crew include Sydney Large (coxswain), Sam Hutchings, Danielle Holle, Andra Hempfling and Peyton Meiler. Also Nominated: Seattle Pacific Varsity 8+.