PORTLAND, Ore. – A historic landmark of longevity was reached by Western Washington senior captain
Asia Hardin last week, as she headlined the latest group of Great Northwest Athletic Conference Players of the Week announced on Monday.
The center back broke the Western Washington women’s soccer program record for minutes played in a career, upping her count to 7,081 since her debut in 2022.
WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Asia Hardin – Western Washington University
Second-career player of the week, first this season.
Hardin’s record-breaking moment came in the Vikings’ 3-1 win over Saint Martin’s on Saturday afternoon, as she completed her 11th 90-minute effort this season. That win came after Hardin and the WWU back line shut out No. 12 Western Oregon in a 3-0 triumph on Thursday, helping the Vikings remain tied atop the GNAC standings with 16 points in league play. In addition to her defensive efforts, Hardin directly impacted WWU’s third goal to seal its win on Thursday. Taking possession in the defensive third, Hardin quickly beat a WOU attacker in a one-v-one situation before slotting a pass to
Morgan Manalili in the midfield. Two touches later the ball was on the foot of forward
Audrey Holdridge, who curled a strike into the back of the net. Hardin’s incredible run on the back line started with playing every single minute of the Vikings’ 2022 national championship season as a true freshman. Among the 79 matches she has started in her career, she has only left the field on two occasions for a combined 29 minutes.
WWU Head Coach Travis Connell: “Asia is an important player on our team. She consistently performs at a high level and helps organize the players around her.”
Also Nominated: Danika Galbraith, Central Washington; Abby Thompson, Montana State Billings; Alex Barrass, Northwest Nazarene; Mercedes Cullen, Seattle Pacific; Abbey Simpson, Simon Fraser.
WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OFF THE WEEK
Alexis Cromwell – Northwest Nazarene University
First-career player of the week.
Cromwell helped the Nighthawks pick up four points last week and remain in the playoff mix among the GNAC standings. The third-year NNU forward picked up a brace in her team’s 3-1 win over Montana State Billings, converting on each of her shots on target in the match. With her team trailing 1-0 at halftime, Cromwell equalized the score just three minutes after the break with her first finish. She followed by doubling her tally in the 58th minute, sealing the come-from-behind home victory. Cromwell doubled her career goal tally, having scored the first two of her collegiate tenure as a freshman in 2023.
NNU Head Coach Jenny Jaggard: “Lexi was really dynamic in our front line last week. She is working really hard to make runs in dangerous spaces and to be scrappy in the box. She put away two goals against MSUB by being in the right places and having composure to finish.”
Also Nominated: Emma Barrett, Central Washington; Liberty Palmer, Montana State Billings; Keilee Silva, Saint Martin’s; Kayla Wallace, Seattle Pacific; Sarah Caravatta, Simon Fraser.
MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Derek Johnson – Northwest Nazarene University
First-career player of the week.
Johnson was impactful in each of the Nighthawks’ results last week, helping his team collect four points with a win and a draw. In a 2-2 affair against Western Washington, Johnson scored both of his team’s goals as he found the net on each of his strikes on target. He followed up with an assist on NNU’s opening goal in an eventual 2-1 triumph over Simon Fraser on Saturday. Johnson’s five points on the week were the most of any GNAC player. On the season he has scored four goals and added a team-high four assists for 12 total points.
NNU Head Coach James Williamson: “Derek was great all weekend for us. He showed his quality and also demonstrated maturity in his decision making. He continues to get better each week and I am excited to see how he continues to grow and develop.”
Also Nominated: Rafael Lucio, Seattle Pacific; Kundalini Dominique, Simon Fraser; Abesolom Zemenfes, Western Oregon; Albin Jonsson, Western Washington.
MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Charlie Dyer – Western Washington University
First-career player of the week.
Dyer came through in a big way in the Vikings’ 1-0 triumph over No. 12 Seattle Pacific on Saturday, collecting his third clean sheet of the season. The junior made a season-high six saves in a match that had no margin for error, as he faced a season-high 17 shots from the Falcons. Dyer lowered his goals-against average on the season to 1.18, and he has started 11 of 12 matches this fall.
WWU Head Coach Greg Brisbon: “Charlie has had a very good season and he has been instrumental in the success we are having as of late. His shot-stopping ability and leadership has kept us in games so we can get results that we need to be where we are at this point in the season.”
Also Nominated: Jorge Gonzalez, Northwest Nazarene; Eli White, Western Oregon.
VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hailey Cheney – Northwest Nazarene University
First-career player of the week.
Cheney led all GNAC players last week with an attack percentage of .519, helping the Nighthawks pick up a pair of victories. The junior middle blocker averaged 3.88 kills per set, leading her team to a five-set win over Saint Martin’s on Thursday and a sweep of Western Oregon on Saturday. In the triumph over the Saints, Cheney had a career-high 21 kills on a .563 attack percentage, as she dominated offensively at the net. She followed that with 10 kills on a .450 attack percentage in the more comfortable win over the Wolves. In addition to her offensive efforts Cheney led her team with 1.12 blocks per set across the two matches as well.
NNU Head Coach Doug English: “Hailey has been working so hard at practice to have the weekend she had last weekend. It has been steady growth all season for her to get where she is. She took so many big swings against Saint Martin’s to help us win in five and then continued her steady play on Saturday against Western Oregon. I am proud of her performance and her leadership, and I am excited to watch her keep growing the rest of the season.”
Also Nominated: Lee Ivakina, Alaska Anchorage; Mikala Henderson, Alaska; Ellie Marble, Central Washington; Jordin Taulua, Montana State Billings; Emily Garten, Saint Martin’s; Audra Rose, Seattle Pacific; Megan Hawkins, Simon Fraser; Devyn Oestreich, Western Washington.
VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Madison Galloway – University of Alaska Anchorage
Second-career player of the week, second this season.
Galloway led the Seawolves to a five-set upset of No. 7 Simon Fraser on Saturday, turning in 27 digs which was the highest single-match total by any GNAC player in 2025. Galloway also had five assists in the win, while committing zero reception errors and going a perfect 45-for-45 in serve-receive. Overall in UAA’s two matches last week she averaged 4.78 digs per set, had zero service errors and posted a .970 (63-for-65) in serve-receive. Galloway upped her career total to 1,213 digs, moving to No. 7 on the UAA all-time list.
UAA Head Coach Stacie Meisner: “Maddy remains the backbone of our serve-receive and defense, not only taking up a lot of space on the court but directing traffic and communicating to help the team as a whole. She is a true competitor and leader on the court, and she made some clutch plays against great attackers from both Western and Simon.”
Also Nominated: Elena Guc, Alaska; Kailey Willsey, Central Washington; Addison Holcomb, Montana State Billings; Kayci Spray, Northwest Nazarene; Mia Arambula, Saint Martin’s; Christina Lopez, Seattle Pacific; Eva Person, Simon Fraser; Finnley Claeys, Western Washington.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Grady Mylander – Northwest Nazarene University
First-career runner of the week.
Mylander was the GNAC’s top finisher at the Lewis Crossover on Saturday morning in Illinois, placing seventh among a field of 385 competitors. The Nighthawk senior clocked a time of 24:11.6 minutes on the 8k course, helping lead his team to an eighth-place finish among a field of 36 competing at the largest meet of the fall thus far. Last year’s silver medalist at the GNAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the 5,000 meters, Mylander has been a force in the Nighthawks’ cross country lineup this fall. He finished second or third in each of NNU’s other three meets this season, and made it 4-for-4 in top-10 finishes as he appears in top shape heading into the conference championships on Oct. 25.
NNU Head Coach Greg Mitchell: “Grady's had a consistently strong season and his performance at the Lewis Crossover was just another example of that. He believes he can run with anyone, so he's always going to put himself in the mix at the front of every race and see what shakes out. It's awesome to see him have this kind of success. He's hungry and has done the work, so I see even bigger things ahead.”
Also Nominated: John Peckham, Alaska Anchorage; Dexter Delaney, Alaska; Luke Hurd, Central Washington; Will Hyatt, Montana State Billings; Silas Demmert, Seattle Pacific; Ben Schoening, Simon Fraser; Matthew Resnik, Western Oregon; Sten Brakstad, Western Washington.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE WEEK
Maya Ewing – Seattle Pacific University
First-career runner of the week.
Ewing took home her first-ever GNAC weekly award by virtue of winning the final regular-season meet of her SPU career. The Falcon senior topped a field of 56 runners at the Emerald City Open on Saturday, clocking a 6k time of 22:31.49 minutes. That was good enough for a for a margin of more than 33 seconds ahead of runner up and teammate Anna Prussian. As Ewing prepares to compete in her fourth and final GNAC Cross Country Championships on Oct. 25, she will have her sights set on matching or bettering last year’s fourth-place finish as she earned all-conference accolades.
SPU Coach Eric Hansen: “It was nice to see Maya get her second win this season. We wanted to use this meet to practice some different race tactics and she executed perfectly. It should have her feeling confident and ready for anything as we head into championship season.”
Also Nominated: Alexandra Otto, Alaska Anchorage; Lucca Duke, Alaska; Camryn Holterhoff, Central Washington; Micah Strong, Montana State Billings; Hazel Kunkel, Northwest Nazarene; Raiya Matonovich, Simon Fraser; Kyla Potratz, Western Oregon; Sabrina Colbert, Western Washington.
WOMEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Lauren J. Lee – Seattle Pacific University
First-career player of the week.
Lee’s week was highlighted by a victory at the SPU/SMU Challenge on Saturday in Kent, Washington. The sophomore carded an even-par 72, offsetting a pair of bogeys with a pair of birdies at the single-round event. It was a career-best single-round score for Lee, who also tied for fifth at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational earlier in the week with a two-round total of 155 (77-78). Lee’s efforts last week lowered her season scoring average to 76.2 strokes per round, tying her for 10th in the conference so far this fall.
SPU Head Coach Tyler Copp: “Lauren has had a very strong start to our fall season. She found something in her swing setup at practice earlier in the week and felt well-prepared heading into our dual match. Lauren’s round was very clean, including a bogey-free 1-under-par 35 on the back nine. She played aggressive to her spots which allowed her to hit greens in regulation and get up and down from good spots. It was a joy to see her own the moment and put together a complete round. Her skillset was on full display and really helped our team shoot a low score.”
Also Nominated: Orraya Tipasathien, Montana State Billings; Kelsie Inouye, Saint Martin’s.