PORTLAND, Ore. – In her final career matches at the University of Alaska’s Patty Center last week, senior Rilee White made conference history to headline the latest Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week award winners.
 
The outside hitter from Goodyear, Ariz., broke the GNAC career record for aces with 217 and reached the 1,000-career kill mark with 1,003 total in her five seasons as a Nanook. White became the 26th player in GNAC history to accumulate 1,000-career kills and 1,000-career digs, and among that list of players she is the only one with more than 150-career service aces.
 

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VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Rilee White – University of Alaska Fairbanks
First-career player of the week.
 
Reaching a milestone in each match last week, White started out by breaking the GNAC aces record in Thursday’s win over Simon Fraser, finishing the match with four total. She became just the second player in GNAC history to reach 200 aces earlier this fall, and on Thursday passed Alaska Anchorage’s Ellen Floyd who had 213 aces in her career from 2018-22. White also had 14 kills to help spark her team to the win over the Red Leafs, moving them into a tie for second place in the GNAC standings. Entering the final match of the regular season needing four kills to reach the 1,000 plateau, White came through with seven kills against the Vikings to help lead the team to a sweep. She became the third GNAC player this season to reach 1,000 career kills, joining teammate Karli Nielson and Simon Fraser’s Brooke Dexter to rank third among the conference’s active players in that category. A rock in the Nanook lineup since beginning her career in 2020, White also ranks third in GNAC history with 480 career sets played.
 
UAF Head Coach Brian Scott: “Rilee is a fantastic all-around athlete, and she excels in every aspect of the game. We rely on her to handle the pressures of passing well to set up an offense, score points at the net and service line, and to make defensive plays. She does it all extremely well and is the humblest athlete in her accomplishments.”
 
Also Nominated: Tia Allen, Alaska Anchorage; Ellie Marble, Central Washington; Maren Machado, Northwest Nazarene; Kingsley Mason, Saint Martin’s; Brooke Dexter, Simon Fraser; Devyn Oestreich, Western Washington.
 
 

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VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kristina Head – University of Alaska Fairbanks
First-career player of the week.
 
Head led all GNAC players in the blocks department last week, helping the Nanooks close the regular season with a pair of big victories. The senior from Lyons, Kan., had 13 total blocks for an average of 1.86 blocks per set as Alaska beat Simon Fraser 3-1 and swept Western Washington 3-0. In the win over the Red Leafs, Head contributed five total blocks while adding five kills offensively. She followed with her second highest block total of the season against WWU, finishing with eight while adding four digs and four kills. On the season Head averaged 0.92 blocks per set.
 
UAF Head Coach Brian Scott: “Kris is such a great leader on this team and it shows whenever she steps on the court. She scores in so many different ways in her play. It can come from her attack or the service line, as well as with blocking and frequently saving points in her one rotation of defense. She always finds ways to contribute.”
 
Also Nominated: Bella Burney, Alaska Anchorage; Emma Daoud-Hebert, Central Washington; Kayci Spray, Northwest Nazarene; Macyn Unger, Simon Fraser.
 
 

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jada Travis – Saint Martin’s University
First-career player of the week.
 
Travis continued to impress in her debut collegiate season, reaching double figures in scoring in each of the Saints’ games last week. In the team’s 64-53 win over Cal State San Marcos, Travis put up 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals while playing 38 of 40 minutes. She followed that with a season-high 21 points against Point Loma, while adding five boards, three assists, two steals and a block. Travis averaged 18.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 steals in last week’s games, while making 16 of 17 free throws and playing all but four minutes.
 
SMU Head Coach Natalie Marlowe: “Jada is resilient. Her consistent contributions on both ends of the floor are a key component to our successful start. I’m so proud of how she competes and remains unfazed with whatever is thrown at her. She is a true competitor and will only continue to improve for us.”
 
Also Nominated: Kayla Johnson, Alaska Fairbanks; Kortney Nelson, Montana State Billings; Kendall Clark, Northwest Nazarene.
 
 

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MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Irish Coquia – Simon Fraser University
First-career player of the week.
 
Leading the Red Leafs to a pair of victories last week, Coquia’s career performance in a 99-94, double-overtime win over Westminster on Saturday was the highlight of the week. Playing 48 of 50 minutes Coquia posted a double-double with career highs of 34 points and 10 assists. He added five rebounds and three steals, while making 11 of 19 shots (57.9%) and 9 of 10 free throws. Delivering in multiple clutch moments, Coquia had the go-ahead layup with 12 seconds left in regulation, had the assist on Luke Howard’s buzzer-beating three to keep the team alive in the first overtime and delivered a final assist on Tate Christiansen’s game-sealing dunk with seven seconds left in double overtime. Coquia’s standout effort came after he had 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in SFU’s 83-58 triumph over Langara earlier in the week. Coquia averaged 24.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals overall in his two games last week.
 
Also Nominated: Sean Evans, Alaska Anchorage; Isaiah Saams-Hoy, Alaska Fairbanks; Garrett Anderson, Central Washington; Jalen Tot, Montana State Billings; Kye Dickson, Northwest Nazarene; Marcel Stevens, Saint Martin’s; Jason Gallant, Western Oregon; Grant Kepley, Western Washington.