Monday, January 24, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – Consistency was the order of the week for Simon Fraser senior forward Julian Roche and Western Washington senior guard Emma Duff, earning the pair selection as the GNAC Basketball Players of the Week.

Roche was named the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he registered two double-doubles in a pair of wins for SFU in just its second and third games since December. Roche finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds with four assists and five blocks in Tuesday’s 79-76 win over Alaska. He then shared top scoring honors in Saturday’s 75-72 win over Seattle Pacific, finishing with 24 points, 11 rebounds and two assists. Roche finished the week averaging 18 points, 10.5 rebounds and three assists per game.

Duff earned Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for her part in leading the Vikings to a road sweep of the Alaska schools. Duff led all scorers with 21 points and added seven rebounds and three blocks in Thursday’s 53-45 win at Alaska Anchorage. In Saturday’s 79-67 win at Alaska, Duff once again led the scoring with 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. For the week, Duff averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, three blocks and 2.5 assists per game.

Central Washington swept the women’s track and field awards with a pair of solid efforts at the Lauren McCluskey Memorial Open on Saturday in Moscow, Idaho. Sophomore Erica Cabanos was named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the triple jump with a mark of 36 feet, 7 inches. The mark ranks No. 2 in the GNAC this season.

Sophomore Juliette Williams earned the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week award after she tied the school record in the 60 meters, placing third in a time of 7.78 seconds. She was the top non-Division I finisher in the race and shares the record with teammate Makenna Hansen.

Montana State Billings junior Ase Ackerman was selected as the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he won the 5,000 meters at the Dave Little Alumni Mile on Saturday in Spearfish, South Dakota. Ackerman won in a time of 15:20.69. After conversion for altitude and track size to 14:56.58, Ackerman holds the top time in the event in the GNAC this season.

Western Oregon senior Owen Collins earned Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors for his wins in the throwing events at the Portland Indoor No. 2 meet on Saturday. Collings won the shot put with a mark of 45 feet, 3 inches, and the weight throw with a mark of 51 feet, 3 inches. Collins won both events by two feet.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 22
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Julian Roche (Simon Fraser, F, 7-0, Sr., Saint John’s, N.B. – Santa Clara Univ.): Roche averaged 18 points, 10.5 rebounds and three assists per game to help lead Simon Fraser to a pair of close wins. Roche notched a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds with four assists and five blocks in Tuesday’s 79-76 win over Alaska. On Saturday, Roche shared top game scoring honors with 24 points to go with 11 rebounds and two assists in a 75-72 victory over Seattle Pacific. He made 9 of 12 from the field and went 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. For the week, Roche shot 57.7 percent from the field and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line. Also Nominated: Marqus Gilson (Central Washington), James Nelson (Northwest Nazarene), Brett Reed (Saint Martin’s), Cameron Cranston (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Emma Duff (Western Washington, G, 6-0, Sr., Tumwater, Wash. – Black Hills): Duff averaged 20 points, 7.5 rebounds, three blocks and 2.5 assists per game as the Vikings swept the Alaska road trip. Duff led all scorers with 21 points with seven rebounds, three blocks, an assist and a steal in Thursday’s 53-45 win at Alaska Anchorage. She also led all scorers with 19 points in Saturday’s 79-67 win at Alaska to go with eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. She made 5 of 11 from the field, 4 of 7 from three-point range and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. For the week, Duff shot 52.4 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from three-point range and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line. Also Nominated: Tennae Voliva (Alaska Anchorage), Kassidy Malcolm (Central Washington), Cariann Kunkel (Montana State Billings), Erin Jenkins (Northwest Nazarene), Claire Dingus (Saint Martin’s), Tresai McCarver (Western Oregon).

MEN’S TRACK
Ase Ackerman (Montana State Billings, Jr., Glendive, Mont. – Dawson County): Ackerman was the Yellowjackets’ lone individual event winner at the Dave Little Alumni Mile meet, winning the 5,000 meters in a time of 15:20.69. After conversion for track size and altitude to 14:56.58, Ackerman holds the top time in the event in the GNAC this season. Also Nominated: Trevor Allen (Central Washington), Kainalu Pagente (Saint Martin’s), Brennen Sorah (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Owen Collins (Western Oregon, Sr., Portland, Ore. - Sunset): Collins won both throwing events at the Portland Indoor #2 meet. He won the shot put by over two feet with a mark of 45 feet, 3 inches, ranking second in the GNAC this season. Collins also had a two-foot margin of victory in the weight throw with a mark of 51 feet, 3 inches that is No. 3 in the GNAC this season. Also Nominated: Favor Okere (Montana State Billings), Micah Au-Haupu (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Juliette Williams (Central Washington, So., Arlington, Wash. – Arlington): Williams tied the school record in the 60 meters at the Lauren McCluskey Memorial Open. The top non-Division I finisher in the race, Williams took third in a time of 7.78 seconds to tie the mark set by teammate Makenna Hansen last week. The duo is tied for third in the GNAC this season. Also Nominated: Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Sara Sabra (Saint Martin’s), Maliyah Thompson (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Erica Cabanos (Central Washington, So., Puyallup, Wash. – Rogers): Cabanos won the triple jump at Saturday’s Lauren McCluskey Memorial Open with a mark of 36 feet, 7 inches. The mark ranks No. 2 in the GNAC this season. Also Nominated: Aubrie Chapman (Montana State Billings), Brianna Cabrera (Saint Martin’s), Ana Popchock (Western Oregon).