Monday, April 5, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – It was one of the best throws in GNAC history and one of the best in all of college track and field this season that leads the performances by our GNAC Athlete of the Week selections.

The effort by Montana State Billings’ Beau Ackerman earned the senior Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors after he uncorked a throw of 232 feet, 11 inches, in the javelin at Thursday’s MSUB/Rocky Meet. The effort was not only an MSUB school record but moved Ackerman to No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List. The mark automatically qualifies Ackerman for the NCAA Championships, ranks No. 3 in Division II this season and is No. 16 across all college divisions.

Adding yet another NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark was Western Washington senior Calahan Warren, who earned his third Men’s Track Athlete of the Week award. Warren won the 1,500 meters at Saturday’s WWU Invitational by 12 seconds in a time of 3:44.82. The time is currently No. 2 in Division II, set a WWU school record and moves Warren into No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Vikings’ senior Karlie Hurley was named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won both horizontal jumps and collected a provisional qualifying mark at the WWU Invitational. The provisional mark came in the triple jump, where Hurley won with a mark of 39 feet, 6 inches that ranks No. 19 in Division II this season. Hurley also won the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 6.5 inches.

Alaska Anchorage senior Elena Cano was tabbed as the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after winning the 400-meter hurdles and taking third in the 100-meter hurdles at the WWU Invitational. Cano won the long hurdles in 1:03.60, the second-best time in the GNAC this season. Cano also ran the leadoff leg on the Seawolves’ winning 4x400-meter relay team and took third in both the long jump and high jump.

On the diamond, Western Oregon senior Chandler Bishop was named the Softball Player of the Week after she batted .636 and went 7 for 11 with four runs, nine RBI, a double and three home runs as the Wolves took three of four games from Northwest Nazarene. Her ledger included a two-run homer in Friday’s opener and a game-winning grand slam in the 13-9, 11-inning nightcap win where she went 3 for 5.

Western Washington senior Anna Kasner was named the Softball Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season after she collected a win and a save as the Vikings took three of four games from Montana State Billings. Kasner earned the save in Friday’s opener, allowing one walk and striking out six in three innings. She earned her seventh win of the season in Saturday’s finale, allowing one run on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts in five innings.

Central Washington sophomore Tyler McClain was selected as the Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .400 as the Wildcats took three of four games from Montana State Billings. McClain went 6 for 15 in the series with three runs, eight RBI and three home runs. His week was capped by going 2 for 5 with six RBI in Saturday’s 21-15 win, which included a two-run homer in the fifth and a grand slam in the seventh.

Western Oregon senior Mike Peterson earned his second Baseball Pitcher of the Week award of the season after he threw eight strong innings in Friday’s 4-0 series-opening win over Saint Martin’s. He allowed one hit, did not allow a walk, struck out nine and faced just two batters over the minimum to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Western Washington swept the golf awards. Junior Aidan Thain earned his third Men’s Golf Player of the Week award after he led all GNAC golfers with a 6-over-par 220 at the SeattleU Redhawk Invitational, placing in a tie for 36th. Sophomore Sarah Shea was named the Women’s Golf Player of the Week after she tied for 14th place at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic, carding a two-round score of 4-over-par 148.

Seattle Pacific swept the women’s soccer awards on the heels of its 4-0 shutout of Saint Martin’s on Thursday. Senior Sophia Chilczuk earned the Offensive Player of the Week honor after she netted her second consecutive two-goal match, connecting on goals in the 24th minute and 60th minute. Sophomore Ally Veenhuizen was named the Defensive Player of the Week as she had an assist while anchoring an SPU defense that allowed Saint Martin’s just two shots on goal.

Alaska senior Cate Whiting earned Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week accolades after she finished with 75 assists, five kills, 25 digs, two aces and five blocks in a split at Northwest Nazarene. She had 50 assists and 16 digs in the five-set win on Saturday that was the Nighthawks’ first home loss of the season.

Nighthawks’ junior Tayler Markland earned the Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week award, finishing with 26 blocks and 21 kills as NNU went 3-1 last week. Her week was topped by her 12 blocks and five kills in Tuesday’s win over Colorado Christian.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 13
BASEBALL PLAYER
Tyler McClain (Central Washington, OF, 6-2, So., Bonney Lake, Wash. – Everett Valley CC): McClain batted .400 as the Wildcats took three of four games from Montana State Billings. For the series, McClain went 6 for 15 with three runs, eight RBI and three home runs. McClain went 2 for 5 in Saturday’s 21-15 opening-game win and had six RBI with a two-run homer in the fifth and a grand slam in the seventh. He had one hit in the nightcap, an RBI single. In Saturday’s second game, McClain went 3 for 4 with an RBI single to open CWU’s scoring in the first. Also Nominated: Aaron Renaud (Saint Martin’s), Connor McCord (Western Oregon).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Mike Peterson (Western Oregon, P, 6-5, Sr., Pullman, Wash. – Walla Walla CC): Peterson pitched eight strong innings to lead the Wolves to a 4-0 win over Saint Martin’s in Friday’s series opener. He allowed just one hit, did not allow a walk, struck out nine and faced just two batters over the minimum to improve to 3-0 on the season. Of his 101 pitches, 70 were for strikes. Also Nominated: Dillon Larsen (Central Washington), Tanner Inouye (Saint Martin’s).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Chandler Bishop (Western Oregon, P/IF, 6-0, Sr., Arlington, Wash. – Arlington): Bishop led Western Oregon in taking three of four games from Northwest Nazarene. She batted .636, going 7 for 11 with four runs, nine RBI, a double and three home runs. Bishop opened the series with a game-tying two-run homer in Friday’s 4-3 first-game win before going 3 for 5 in the nightcap with the game-winning grand slam in the 11th inning of the 13-9 win. She opened Saturday by going 2 for 3 with an RBI double in the opener and ended with a first-inning two-run homer in the nightcap. Also Nominated: Harlee Carpenter (Central Washington), Brittanee Fisher (Montana State Billings), Emma Mulligan (Northwest Nazarene), Julia Lucas (Saint Martin’s), Tatum Dow (Western Washington).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Anna Kasner (Western Washington, P, 5-8, Sr., Milton, Wash. – Fife): Kasner went 1-0 and had a save in three appearances as the Vikings took three of four games from Montana State Billings. Kasner earned the save in Friday’s opener, allowing one walk and striking out six in three innings for the 3-1 victory. She started the nightcap and took a no-decision, allowing one run on four hits with a walk and three strikeouts in five innings. Kasner earned the complete-game win in Saturday’s finale, allowing four hits and a walk while striking out seven. For the week, Kasner allowed one run on eight hits and stuck out 16 in 15 innings. Also Nominated: Samantha Stanfield (Central Washington), Sidney Booth (Northwest Nazarene), Abby Runyon (Saint Martin’s), Reilly Tidwell (Western Oregon).

MEN’S TRACK
Calahan Warren (Western Washington, Sr., Auburndale, Fla. – Embry-Riddle Univ.): Warren continues an impressive season as he won the 1,500 meters in a time of 3:44.82 at Saturday’s WWU Invitational. He won the race by 12 seconds as he posted a time that is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier, is No. 2 in Division II this season and No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Joshua Wagner (Alaska Anchorage), Hunter Hutton (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Beau Ackerman (Montana State Billings, Sr., Glendive, Mont. – Dickinson State Univ.): Ackerman automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships with his winning throw at Thursday’s MSUB/Rocky Meet. Ackerman uncorked a throw of 232 feet, 11 inches, which ranks No. 3 in Division II this season and No. 16 across all college divisions. It also moves Ackerman into No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Ben Malquist (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Elena Cano (Alaska Anchorage, Sr., Alpine, Texas - Alpine): Cano won one event and took third in three others at the WWU Invitational. Cano won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:03.60, ranking No. 2 in the GNAC this season. She then took third place in the 100-meter hurdles (15.02), the high jump (4-11.5) and the long jump (17-6). Cano also ran the leadoff leg of the Seawolves’ winning 4x400-meter relay team, which ran 4:07.82. Also Nominated: Caitlin Heldt (Western Oregon), Sienna Taylor (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Karlie Hurley (Western Washington, Sr., North Bend, Wash. – Concordia Univ.): Hurley won both of the horizontal jumps at Saturday’s WWU Invitational. She won the triple jump with a mark of 39 feet, 6 inches. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark leads the GNAC, is 19th in Division II this season and is No. 3 on the WWU All-Time List. Hurley also won the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 6.5 inches, ranking No. 2 in the GNAC this season and No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List.

MEN’S GOLF
Aidan Thain (Western Washington, Jr., Bellevue, Wash. – Colorado Mesa Univ.): Thain won the honor for the third consecutive time after he led all GNAC golfers at the Seattle U Redhawk Invitational. Against a Division I laden field, Thain carded a 6-over-par 220 to finish tied for 36th place and lead the Vikings to a 14th-place team finish. Also Nominated: Tyler Fitchett (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S GOLF
Sarah Shea (Western Washington, So., Sequim, Wash. – Sequim): Shea was the leading GNAC finisher at the RJGA Palm Valley Classic, tying for 14th place with a two-round score of 4-over-par 148. She shot even-par 72 in the opening round as she led the Vikings to a tie for eighth place in the team standings. Also Nominated: Hoku Nagamine (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Sophia Chilczuk (Seattle Pacific, F, 5-11, Sr., Kent, Wash. - Kentridge): Chilczuk collected her second two-goal performance in as many matches en route to a 4-0 Seattle Pacific shutout of Saint Martin’s on Thursday. She netted the game-winning goal in the 24th minute and then added an insurance goal in the 60th minute. Also Nominated: Izzy Menning (Montana State Billings), McKenzie Buell (Northwest Nazarene), Elisabeth Cole (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Ally Veenhuizen (Seattle Pacific, D, 5-4, So., Seattle, Wash. – West Seattle): Veenhuizen anchored a Falcons’ defense that limited Saint Martin’s to two shots on goal as SPU collected its second shutout of the season, 4-0, on Thursday. She also earned an assist for her pass on Lauren Forster’s goal in the 52nd minute. Also Nominated: Claire Keenan (Montana State Billings), Makayla Roggow (Northwest Nazarene), Daeh Lindquist (Saint Martin’s), Darby Doyle (Western Washington).

VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE
Cate Whiting (Alaska, S, 5-10, Sr., Rapid City, S.D. – Stevens): Whiting finished with 75 assists, five kills, 23 digs, two aces and five blocks in the Nanooks’ split with Northwest Nazarene in Nampa. In Friday’s three-set loss, Whiting compiled totals of 25 assists, seven digs, one kill, an ace and two blocks. She posted a double-double of 50 assists and 16 digs to go with four kills, an ace and three blocks in Saturday’s five-set victory. Also Nominated: Analia Vasquez (Central Washington), Bayli Monck (Montana State Billings), Abbey Blum (Northwest Nazarene), Maddie Batiste (Seattle Pacific).

VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE
Tayler Markland (Northwest Nazarene, MB, 6-1, Jr., Cave Creek, Ariz. – Cactus Shadows): Markland finished with 26 blocks and had 21 kills in four matches as the Nighthawks went 3-1. She opened the week with 12 blocks and five kills in Tuesday’s five-set win over Colorado Christian and then added four blocks and six kills in Wednesday’s four-set win. Markland came up with four blocks, two kills, an assist and a dig in Friday’s three-set win over Alaska and closed with six blocks, eight kills and two digs in Saturday’s five-set loss. Also Nominated: Maddi Vigil (Montana State Billings), Hannah Hair (Seattle Pacific).