Tuesday, April 28, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – Guests for episode 62 of GNAC Insider included Western Oregon softball coach Lonny Sargent and Western Washington pitcher Makinlee Sellevold.

Sargent is in his third year heading the WOU softball program. The 2014 GNAC Coach of the Year has led his team to another berth in the GNAC Championships April 30 – May 2 at the Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima, Wash. The Wolves, who are the defending conference champions, earned a four-seed in the tournament after completing the GNAC regular-season with a 13-9 record. WOU will face the top-seeded SMU Saints in the first round Thursday. Sargent also had a few athletes named to the GNAC all-conference team Monday including first-team honorees in infielders Kelsie Gardner and Destiny Kuehl and three-time first-team honoree Amanda Evola. Sargent discussed the honored players and how the GNAC compares to the West Region and Division II competition nationally.

Sellevold is a freshman pitcher on Western Washington’s softball team. Sellevold finished the regular-season 23-7, winning more games than any other pitcher in the conference. Her ERA of 2.32 ranked second in the GNAC only behind the conference co-Player of the Year Sam Munger. Because of her accomplishments, Sellevold was awarded GNAC Freshman of the Year honors. Sellevold and the WWU softball team also reached the postseason, facing Montana State Billings as the No. 2 seed in the GNAC Softball Championships. Sellevold talked about her first-ever GNAC postseason experience and about her Freshman of the Year honor.

GNAC Insider airs live at 7 p.m. Pacific time every Tuesday and is produced by the conference office. All episodes become available as free podcasts via iTunes, and for archived listening via GNAC.TV.