Davida Hill (left) was named GNAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week after leading Simon Fraser to a pair of sweeps at the outset of conference play (Photo: Gordon Kalisch).
PORTLAND, Ore. – Key performances from the latest cast of Great Northwest Athletic Conference Players of the Week led to wins against top national competition, strong starts to conference play and a notable cross country race victory.
MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Michael Divano – Western Oregon University
First-career player of the week.
Propelling the Wolves to a 2-0-1 record last week, Divano scored the game-winner in each of his team’s victories. His second goal of the season came in the 15th minute against Hawaii Hilo last Monday, proving to be the decisive strike in WOU’s 2-0 clean sheet against a team that received votes in last week’s
United Soccer Coaches poll. Divano struck again in WOU’s 3-1 win over Newman – another team receiving national poll votes – on Sunday. The redshirt freshman put his team up early with a goal in the fifth minute, before finding his brace in the 16th minute. His third goal of the week stood as the winner as WOU improved its record to 4-1-1 on the season. The Bremerton, Wash., native leads the GNAC with four goals this season, three of which have been game-winning finishes.
Also Nominated: Bjarne Fedkenhauer, Montana State Billings; Jonathan Cardona, Northwest Nazarene; Raymundo Mendez, Seattle Pacific; Alexandre Marcoux, Simon Fraser.
MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Pierluca Carnovale – Seattle Pacific University
First-career player of the week.
Seattle Pacific had a dominant week with a pair of shutouts, thanks in large part to its last line of defense. Carnovale registered four saves while facing 10 shots in SPU’s narrow, 1-0 victory over Regis on Thursday. He followed that with five more saves while facing a dozen shots in the team’s 3-0 shutout at Westminster, which received votes in the most recent USC poll. The Falcon newcomer was the lone GNAC goalkeeper not to concede a goal last week, posting a perfect 1.000 save percentage. A Seattleite and transfer from Willamette University, Carnovale leads the GNAC with four shutouts thus far in 2024.
SPU Head Coach Kevin Sakuda: “He has been huge and has come up big with saves when we need them. He has also been a fantastic leader in terms of organizing in the back. The way he came into the team with his demeanor and his personality – right away he established himself as someone the guys can trust, support and fight for.”
Also Nominated: Arlo Follett, Montana State Billings; Andre Schlaefli, Western Oregon; Charlie Dyer, Western Washington.
SPU's Pierluca Carnovale leads the GNAC with four shutouts this season (Photo: Rio Giancarlo).
VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Davida Hill – Simon Fraser University
First-career player of the week.
Hill was nothing short of dominant on the opening weekend of conference play, propelling the Red Leafs to a pair of straight-set victories to start their GNAC slate. Hill led all GNAC players with 5.33 kills per set – a full kill per set higher than any player from the other nine GNAC teams. Hill committed just eight attack errors on her 58 swings, posting a hitting percentage of .414 in the two matches. Hill started her big week with 14 kills on 24 swings for a .458 attack percentage in SFU’s 3-0 sweep of Alaska Anchorage. She followed by providing 18 kills on .382 hitting in the Red Leafs’ sweep of Alaska Fairbanks, while adding seven digs and matching her season high with three total blocks. A native of Surrey, B.C., Hill ranks fifth in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.318) and fourth in kills per set (3.38).
SFU Head Coach Gina Schmidt: “Davida had a great weekend offensively. She has been very consistent all preseason with her decision making, both in system and out of system. She has a wide range of shots that she is capable of hitting, which makes it challenging for opponents to defend her.”
Also Nominated: Tia Allen, Alaska Anchorage; Rachel Pierce, Alaska Fairbanks; Marianna Payne, Central Washington; Julia Gordon, Montana State Billings; Maren Machado, Northwest Nazarene; Jennifer Soha, Saint Martin’s; Madison Hornback, Western Oregon; Devyn Oestreich, Western Washington.
Davida Hill led all GNAC players last week with 5.33 kills per set.
VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hannah Stires – Central Washington University
Fifth-career player of the week, first this season.
Stires helped the Wildcats get off to a 2-0 start in conference play, as CWU took down Western Oregon and Saint Martin’s in straight sets last week. The fifth-year libero led all GNAC players with 6.83 digs per set last week, consistently keeping her side in system and putting her team into threatening positions. Stires kicked off her week with a season-high 27 digs in CWU’s win over Western Oregon, before adding 14 more in the triumph over Saint Martin’s. Stires has reached the 20-dig mark in 4 of 5 matches this season, and leads the GNAC with 5.48 digs per set. Stires enters the week ranked No. 16 in GNAC history with 1,639 career digs, and No. 15 in GNAC history with 4.79 digs per set. She is now tied for 10th in GNAC history with her five-career Player of the Week awards.
CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya: “Hannah was exceptional last week in terms of stats, and the way she trains every day is always evident in matches. Her work ethic, energy and production are always at a high level in training and in matches. Hannah’s leadership was evident last weekend as well. With a lot of young players and some newcomers, it is important that leaders like Hannah mentor them on how to prepare and compete in the GNAC on the road.”
Also Nominated: Madison Galloway, Alaska Anchorage; Karli Nielson, Alaska Fairbanks; Christine Funk, Montana State Billings; Kayci Spray, Northwest Nazarene; Tiffany Lam, Saint Martin’s; Macyn Unger, Simon Fraser; Chloe Asciutto, Western Oregon; Finnley Claeys, Western Washington.
Hannah Stires averaged a GNAC-best 6.83 digs per set to help CWU win both its games last week (Photo: Clayton Jones).
WOMEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Dana Smith – Simon Fraser University
Second-career player of the week, first this season.
The reigning GNAC Championships medalist was exceptional in her 2024 season debut, placing second among a field of 67 golfers at the Saint Martin’s Grisham Memorial tournament last week. Smith carded a two-round score of 3-under-par 141 (71-70), carving up the par-72, 5,858-yard layout at The Home Course. Smith limited her mistakes at the event, posting just three bogeys across her 36 holes. She counteracted that with six birdies, and played the back-nine at 2-under-par 34 both times through the course. Smith finished just one stroke behind Julia Alexander Carew of UBC Okanagan, who won the tournament with a 4-under-par 140 (71-69). A native of Campbell River, B.C., Smith led the GNAC with a scoring average of 74.7 strokes per round as a true freshman in 2023-24.
SFU Head Coach Krysta Schaus: “Dana’s consistent play propelled her to a strong finish. Her first round was almost bogey free, which built her confidence going into the final round. Knowing she needed a birdie on the last hole to have a chance at the win, Dana’s competitive drive and focus kicked in which allowed her to sink a 12-foot birdie putt. Her positive energy is allowing her to emerge as a strong leader on our team.”
Also Nominated: Orraya Tipasathien, Montana State Billings; Brianna Shervik, Northwest Nazarene; Ashley Bruland, Saint Martin's; Lauren F. Lee, Western Washington.
Dana Smith finished second at the SMU Grisham Memorial shooting a 3-under-par 141 (71-70) last week.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Ramon Rodriguez – Central Washington University
First-career runner of the week.
Rodriguez collected his first victory in a Wildcat uniform, besting a field of 147 runners at the Pacific Lutheran Invitational. The Madrid, Spain native clocked an 8k time of 24:26.3, crossing the line one second ahead of teammate and 2023 NCAA All-American
Johan Correa. The duo pushed one another to hold off Yemane Mulugeta of Trinity Western (24:29.0) and Evan Markelz of Lewis & Clark (24:29.7), who were in close pursuit across the finish line. Rodriguez’s win comes after a 10th-place finish among 135 runners at the Green River Gator Invitational last week, when he ran a 6k time of 17:43.2.
CWU XC Coach Matt Layten: “This was an outstanding run by Ramon. He and Johan worked together well through the run, ending with a one-two finish. Ramon is an outstanding young man and is gritty when it comes to training and racing. He earned this honor with the run this past week, setting himself up for more as this season progresses. He and the rest of the team will continue working towards big things.”
Also Nominated: Lennon Davis, Montana State Billings.
Ramon Rodriguez (left) won Saturday's PLU Invitational crossing the finish line one second ahead of teammate Johan Correa (right) (Photo: Paul Merca).
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Payton Conover – Central Washington University
First-career runner of the week.
Competing in her first collegiate 6k on Saturday, Conover cruised to an eighth-place finish among a field of 106 competitors at the Pacific Lutheran Invitational. The freshman from Lynnwood, Wash., navigated the course with a time of 22:53.4 to lead the Wildcats and pick up her first collegiate top-10 finish. It was a big step up from her collegiate debut the previous week, when she placed 39th of 103 at the Green River Gator Invitational with a 4k time of 14:32.4.
CWU XC Coach Matt Layten: “This is a well-deserved honor after a great run by Payton this past weekend. A top-10 finish in your first collegiate 6k and second collegiate start is no small thing. She is an outstanding young lady and is always working to get better, which is inspiring our young group of Wildcats in the example she sets.”
CWU Head Coach Jonathan Hill: “I am really proud of this group and all the hard work they’ve put in to get this recognition. Coach Layten has brought in a special class of kids. He has really done a lot to flip the landscape of the endurance group in a short period of time.”
Also Nominated: Cecily Eagleton, Montana State Billings.