Monday, May 10, 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. – On the last week of the track and field regular season, Alaska Anchorage’s Lawson Sims not only took over the conference lead in the men’s steeplechase but likely secured a spot at the NCAA Championships.

The senior was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after doing just that at Friday’s Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field. The only non-Division I athlete in the field, Sims ran 8:55.38 to finish sixth. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time ranks ninth in Division II this season and No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Central Washington senior Braydon Maier was named the Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won the pole vault at Friday’s Ken Shannon Invitational in Seattle. Three days after winning the GNAC Combined Events Championships, Maier won the event with a mark of 14 feet, 5.25 inches.

Seattle Pacific freshman Ellie Rising earned Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she won the 800 meters at the Ken Shannon Invitational with a time of 2:11.91. The performance is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and ranks 24th in Division II this season.

Western Washington junior Natalie Vetto earned the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors after she placed third behind two Division I competitors at the Ken Shannon Invitational. Her mark of 143 feet, 7 inches, improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark to No. 23 in Division II.

Western Oregon swept the weekly baseball awards. Senior Connor McCord was named the Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .562 in the Wolves’ four-game series sweep at Saint Martin’s. His week was capped by a 4 for 4 performance in Friday’s series finale, which included three doubles and a pair of two-RBI doubles.

Sophomore Matthew Dunaway earned Baseball Pitcher of the Week honors for his win in Thursday’s second game with the Saints. In six innings, he allowed four hits and two walks while striking out seven in the 12-1 seven-inning victory. He improved to 3-1 on the season.

Western Washington swept both the men’s and women’s soccer awards. Senior Alex Whiting was named Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after he scored the game-winning goal in Saturday’s 2-1 win at Seattle Pacific. Sophomore Brandon Locke earned the defensive award after he made two saves and did not allow a goal in 65 minutes.

Junior Dayana Diaz was named the Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week after she scored the only goal in the Vikings’ 1-0 victory at Central Washington on Saturday. Sophomore Makenzie Burks was named the Defensive Player of the Week after anchoring a defense that allowed the Wildcats just two shots.

Seattle Pacific completed a sweep of the volleyball honors. Junior Erin Gould was named the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week after she averaged 3.80 kills per set in a pair of three-set sweeps of Western Oregon on Saturday. She had eight kills and an .800 hitting percentage in the opening match and 11 kills in the night. Freshman Hannah Hair earned the defensive award after finishing with five kills in both matches.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 18
BASEBALL PLAYER
Connor McCord (Western Oregon, P/IF, 5-9, Sr., Gilbert, Ariz. – Corona Del Sol): McCord batted .562 for Western Oregon in its four-game sweep of Saint Martin’s, going 9 for 16 with four runs, 11 RBI, three doubles and two home runs. McCord went 1 for 4 with an RBI single in Thursday’s opener and went 2 for 4 with a solo homer and an RBI single in the nightcap. McCord opened Friday by going 2 for 4 with a two-run homer. He closed the series by going 4 for 4 in the nightcap with three doubles, including a pair of two-run doubles. Also Nominated: Michael Copeland (Central Washington), Shawn Grandmont (Northwest Nazarene).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Matthew Dunaway (Western Oregon, P, 6-0, So., Mililani, Hawaii – Skagit Valley CC): Dunaway improved to 3-1 on the season with his win in Thursday’s second game with Saint Martin’s. In six innings of work, Dunaway allowed four hits and two walks while striking out seven batters in the 12-1 victory. Also Nominated: Reid Rasmussen (Central Washington), Shane Martin (Northwest Nazarene).

MEN’S TRACK
Lawson Sims (Alaska Anchorage, Sr., Casper, Wyo. – Notre Dame de Namur Univ.): Sims ran the first sub-nine-minute time in the steeplechase in the GNAC this season, running 8:55.38 to place sixth at the Oregon Twilight. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time is currently No. 9 in Division II this season and No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. Also Nominated: Hunter Hutton (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Braydon Maier (Central Washington, Sr., Selah, Wash. – Selah): After winning the decathlon at the GNAC Combined Events Championships earlier in the week, Maier came back to win the pole vault at the Ken Shannon Invitational on Friday with a clearance of 14 feet, 5.25 inches. Also Nominated: Sam Cole (Western Oregon), Ben Malquist (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Ellie Rising (Seattle Pacific, Fr., Goldendale, Wash. – Goldendale): Rising won the 800 meters at the Ken Shannon Invitational, clocking an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 2:11.91. The time leads the GNAC and is No. 24 in Division II this season. Also Nominated: McCall DeChenne (Central Washington), Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Maya Hopwood (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Natalie Vetto (Western Washington, Jr., Kirkland, Wash. – Lake Washington): Vetto improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the javelin, placing third at the Ken Shannon Invitational. Finishing behind two Division I competitors, Vetto threw a season-best 143 feet, 7 inches, to rank 23rd in Division II this season. Also Nominated: Meagan Smallbeck (Central Washington), Kendall Lynn (Montana State Billings).

MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Alex Whiting (Western Washington, F, 6-0, Sr., University Place, Wash. – Tacoma CC): Whiting scored the game-winning goal off of Johan Espinoza’s assist in the 44th minute of the Vikings’ 2-1 win over Seattle Pacific on Saturday. Whiting played 74 minutes in the match, finishing with two shots.

MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Brandon Locke (Western Washington, GK, 6-3, So., Federal Way, Wash. – Todd Beamer): Locke earned the win with 65 minutes in goal in Western Washington’s 2-1 win over Seattle Pacific on Saturday. He made three saves in the match as the WWU defense limited the Falcons to seven shots in the match.

WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE
Dayana Diaz (Western Washington, F, 5-7, Jr., Granite Falls, Wash. – Granite Falls): Diaz scored the only goal of the match in the 30th minute off of an assist by Payton Neal for a 1-0 Western Washington win at Central Washington on Saturday. Diaz played 76 minutes and had three shots, two of which were on goal.

WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE
Makenzie Burks (Western Washington, D, 5-6, So., Tacoma, Wash. – Stadium): Burks anchored a Western Washington backline that allowed Central Washington just two shots in a 1-0 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday. She also had two shots on goal in 64 minutes. Also Nominated: Megan Fox (Central Washington).

VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE
Erin Gould (Seattle Pacific, OH, 5-10, Jr., Kent, Wash. – Kentwood): Gould averaged 3.80 kills and 1.20 digs per set in the Falcons’ two three-set sweeps of Western Oregon on Saturday. In the opening match, Gould finished with eight kills and a stellar .800 hitting percentage. Gould finished with 11 kills in the second match to go with an assist, two aces, five digs and a block. Also Nominated: Aubrey Stanton (Western Oregon).

VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE
Hannah Hair (Seattle Pacific, MB, 6-1, Fr., Walla Walla, Wash. – Walla Walla): Hair finished with five blocks in each of the Falcons’ three-set sweeps of Western Oregon on Saturday. She added six kills and two digs in the opening match and also had nine kills and a .667 hitting percentage in the second match. Also Nominated: Allie Spear (Western Oregon).