Seattle Pacific's Trace Evans got the nod as GNAC preseason player of the year.
Seattle Pacific's Trace Evans got the nod as GNAC preseason player of the year.

Falcons’ Trace Evans named GNAC MBB preseason player of the year

10/23/2025 11:12:46 AM

By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. – After helping Seattle Pacific University claim its record fifth Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships tournament title last March, returning graduate student Trace Evans was voted by the league’s coaches as the 2025-26 GNAC Preseason Player of the Year announced on Thursday.
 
Evans, a 6-foot-9 forward from New South Wales, Australia, headlined the list of 15 names included on the 2025-26 GNAC preseason all-conference team.
 
GNAC Men’s Basketball 2025-26 Preseason All-Conference Team
Preseason Player of the Year: Trace Evans, Seattle Pacific
Name School Position Height Year Hometown (Previous School)
Bishop Tosi Alaska Anchorage F 6-6 SR Anchorage, AK (Bellevue Coll.)
Mike Miller Alaska G 6-4 JR San Bernardino, CA (San Bernardino Valley Coll.)
Jordan Clark Central Washington G 6-2 SO Renton, WA (Seattle Christian)
Bradley Swillie Central Washington G 6-5 SO Tacoma, WA (Bella Vista College Prep)
Mason Landdeck Montana State Billings G 6-3 SR Cashmere, WA (Seattle Pacific)
Jakob Milling Montana State Billings G/F 6-8 SR Hyeres, France (Sonoma State)
Briggs Ranstrom Northwest Nazarene F 6-6 JR Eagle, Idaho (Idaho State)
Diego Trejo-Delgado Saint Martin’s F 6-7 SO Camargo, Mexico (Balboa Prep)
Dae’Kwon Watson Saint Martin’s G 6-1 SR Seattle, WA (Auburn)
Trace Evans Seattle Pacific F 6-9 GR New South Wales, Australia (Missouri-Kansas City)
Zach Stone Simon Fraser F 7-0 SR Ottawa, Ont. (Louis Riel)
Jadin Penigar Western Oregon F/G 6-6 SR Logan, UT (Seattle Pacific/UT Tyler)
Garrett Levesque Western Washington G 6-6 SR Agoura Hills, CA (Texas El Paso)
Aidan Rice Western Washington G 6-3 SO Beaverton, OR (Beaverton)
Trevor White Western Washington F 6-7 SO Attleboro, MA (Tabor Academy)
 

9471Trace Evans – Seattle Pacific University
Forward – 6-9 – Graduate Student – New South Wales, Australia – Missouri – Kansas City
Previous Accolades: GNAC 2nd Team (2025)
 
One of the top returning big men in the league, Evans ranked second in the GNAC last year with a field-goal percentage of 61.1 while playing in all 29 games for the Falcons. Evans averaged 10.9 points, 2.0 assists and 4.9 rebounds during his junior campaign, helping lead SPU to the GNAC Championships tournament title and an NCAA regional berth. Set to kick off his fourth season in a Falcon uniform, Evans has career averages of 9.2 points and 5.0 rebounds and enters the season with 813 career points.
 
SPU Head Coach Keffrey Fazio: “I think Trace is primed to have a big season. Coming off a second-team all-GNAC season last year, we'll certainly rely on the impact he brings to the game. This will be his fourth season in the GNAC and that usually means good things to come. Trace is a model student-athlete and we couldn't be prouder to call him a Falcon.”
 
9472

9473Bishop Tosi – University of Alaska Anchorage
Forward – 6-6 – Senior – Anchorage, Alaska – Bellevue College
Previous Accolades: GNAC Honorable Mention (2025)
 
Tosi projects as the anchor in the Seawolves’ lineup, after scoring 12.0 points per game and adding 5.9 rebounds per game during a healthy 2024-25 campaign. That came after he was limited to just three games during the 2023-24 season, as UAA got the best from Tosi across 31 starts last year. Tosi had four double-doubles, and signature performances of 28 points on Feb. 6 against Central Washington and 26 points on Feb. 20 against Montana State Billings.
 
UAA Head Coach Rusty Osborne: “Bishop is very deserving of this honor. We are looking forward to him taking another step forward this season. Bish has worked hard this offseason individually, and he has been a tremendous leader for our team so far in the preseason. Now that he has a fully healthy offseason behind him, Bishop is poised for a special year.”
 
9474

9475Mike Miller – University of Alaska
Guard – 6-4 – Junior – San Bernardino, Calif. – San Bernardino Valley College
 
The Nanooks will be excited to see what Miller brings to the table this season, after he missed the 2024-25 campaign. He arrived on campus from San Bernardino Valley College, where he averaged 14.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game in 2023-24. Miller’s stellar junior college career included a 48-point outburst on Jan. 19, 2024 in which he made 10 of 14 threes and 18 of 23 shots overall. Look for Miller’s proven offensive abilities to immediately impact the Nanook lineup in 2025-26.
 
UAF Head Coach Frank Ostanik: “Mike is a talented young man who has a unique ability to play both sides of the ball. Mike worked very hard last year in the classroom, in the weight room and on the court to put himself in position to have a great season. His leadership will also be a factor for us as we try to take a step forward as a program. As a coach, I am very excited for Mike to be back on the court after redshirting.”
 
9476

9477Jordan Clark – Central Washington University
Guard – 6-2 – Sophomore – Renton, Wash. – Seattle Christian
Previous Accolades: GNAC Honorable Mention (2025)
 
A proven winner through the first half of his collegiate career, Clark helped deliver a GNAC tournament title in 2023-24 and the conference regular-season crown last winter while starting 55 of 62 games during that span. Clark landed on the all-conference honorable mention list as a sophomore, after scoring 11.7 points per game, averaging 2.9 assists per game and checking in seventh in the league with an assist-turnover ratio of 2.0. Clark reached the 20 point mark in a game five times last year, and reached his season high of eight assists in two different games. He shot 45.5% from the floor overall and he was second in the league in 3-point shooting at 44.9%. At the midway point of his collegiate career, Clark has scored 579 points for an average of 9.3 per game.
 
9478

9479Bradley Swillie – Central Washington University
Guard – 6-5 – Sophomore – Tacoma, Wash. – Bella Vista College Prep
 
Like his teammate, Swillie also had a hand in each of the Wildcats’ championships the last two seasons and has played in 52 games with 21 starts since his debut in the fall of 2023. Swillie was an efficient scorer last season, shooting 47.9% overall and 42.2% from 3-point range on his way to 9.1 points per game. Finishing the season on a tear, Swillie reached double digits in points in his final six contests of the year including a season-high 17 on two occasions during that span.
 
CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta: “Jordan and Bradley have played a big part in our program’s success over the last two years. We are excited to see their growth moving into their junior seasons. Their leadership is going to be a key ingredient for this year’s team.”
 
9480

9481Mason Landdeck – Montana State University Billings
Guard – 6-3 – Senior – Cashmere, Wash. – Seattle Pacific
Previous Accolades: GNAC Championships MVP (2025)
 
Landdeck came to life at the right time last March, propelling Seattle Pacific to the conference tournament title with an MVP-worthy performance. It started with a 19-point, 14-rebound double-double in the quarterfinals, before he poured in 24 points in the semifinals and finished with 14 points and six assists in the championship game. Those figures went into what was an overall successful season for the guard, as he averaged 12.1 points in 30.1 minutes per game. Landdeck will now go against his former team when the conference portion of the schedule begins, as he’ll don the colors of Montana State Billings for his senior campaign.
 
MSUB Head Coach Luke Fennelly: "Mason brings a wealth of experience to our roster that will help lead us through the season. He's a hard worker, and a big-time competitor which are traits you have to have at the point position. We look forward to the year ahead for Mason."
 
9482

9484Jakob Milling – Montana State University Billings
Guard/Forward – 6-8 – Senior – Hyeres, France – Sonoma State
 
Milling, also a transfer, is the Yellowjackets’ other top player heading into the season. After gaining Division II experience last year at Sonoma State, Milling will bring his talents to the GNAC as a senior. He averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last year, while starting 14 of 19 games and seeing 24.1 minutes per game. Milling finished the season strong, scoring 20 points in three of his final four games including a season-high 25 points to go along with 12 boards in the finale against Cal Poly Humboldt.
 
MSUB Head Coach Luke Fennelly: "Jakob will bring stability to the point forward position. His versatility and skill level fit perfectly in how we play on both sides of the ball. He's a coach’s kid so his IQ and feel for the game will allow for a smooth transition into our system, in addition to GNAC play. We are excited for Jakob and the season ahead."
 
9485

9486Briggs Ranstrom – Northwest Nazarene University
Forward – 6-6 – Junior – Eagle, Idaho – Idaho State
Previous Accolades: GNAC Honorable Mention (2025)
 
Ranstrom helped lead the Nighthawks to the No. 2 seed into last year’s conference tournament with a productive first season in Nampa. After transferring from Idaho State, Ranstrom turned in 9.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 50.3% overall from the floor. A reliable workhorse, Ranstrom started all 26 games that he played in and averaged 29.7 minutes per game. His season high of 25 points came on Feb. 13 against Seattle Pacific, and he reached his season best of 11 boards in two different games.
 
NNU Head Coach Jon Hawkins: “This early recognition of Briggs is a testament from the conference towards the impact he makes on every possession. His presence is always felt due to his competitive desire to win. He'll do whatever the team needs of him, and he'll always make sure it gets done.”
 
9487

9488Diego Trejo-Delgado – Saint Martin’s University
Forward – 6-7 – Sophomore – Camargo, Mexico – Balboa Prep
Previous Accolades: GNAC Honorable Mention (2025)
 
Trejo-Delgado’s debut collegiate season was a sound one, as he played in all 31 games for the Saints and averaged 23.6 minutes per game. He made the most of that time, delivering 12.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.9% overall from the field. Things started to click for the redshirt freshman as the season progressed, evidenced by his season-high 31 points on 11-for-18 shooting in the penultimate game of the year against Alaska on Feb. 27. His standout season also included three double-doubles with a season-best 14 rebounds on two occasions.
 
SMU Head Coach Aaron Landon: “We’re excited to see Diego grow from the foundation of a strong freshman year. Diego is a dynamic player that can impact the game in several ways, and this season consistency is the biggest target he’s focused on. He’s a wonderful person to be around each day, we’re excited for his sophomore season.”
 
9491


9489Dae’Kwon Watson – Saint Martin’s University
Guard – 6-1 – Senior – Seattle, Wash. - Auburn
 
Just as he built momentum last winter, Watson’s season was derailed by an injury just eight games in. He was stellar in a starting role during that brief period, averaging 14.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Watson’s brief statistical sample size was highlighted by a 30-point, 11-rebound, eight-steal effort against Evergreen State on Nov. 15, which turned out to be the second-to-last game he played. Now healthy ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, Watson projects as one of the top talents in the conference.
 
SMU Head Coach Aaron Landon: “Dae’Kwon had a great start last year before missing the majority of the season with an injury. He’s an old-fashioned competitor that only cares about winning, and if he’s healthy we think he can be one of the best guards in the GNAC. We’re hoping he continues to grow as a vocal leader, and our team needs to adopt his motor to win games in this league.”
 
9490

9492Zach Stone – Simon Fraser University
Forward – 7-0 – Senior – Ottawa, Ont. – Louis Riel
 
One of the most experienced players in the GNAC this season, Stone has 65 games including 30 starts under his belt in three years with the Red Leafs. Last winter he averaged a career-best 5.3 rebounds and 9.3 points per game, and showed proficiency from the arc at 48.6% in a limited 35 attempts. Stone’s junior season didn’t begin until January, as he missed just over the first half of the year. When he arrived in the lineup he delivered right away, and his season was highlighted by a 21-point effort against Western Oregon on Feb. 15.
 
SFU Head Coach Barnaby Craddock: “Zach is a senior leader for our program and is looking to build on his past on court success. His ability to score from the perimeter and around the rim makes him a tough matchup. We want to continue to see him play inside and out and are excited to see him take a step forward this season.”
 
9493


9494Jadin Penigar – Western Oregon University
Forward/Guard – 6-6 – Senior – Logan, Utah – Texas-Tyler
 
This won’t be Penigar’s first season in the GNAC – he played at Seattle Pacific in 2023-24 before spending last season at fellow NCAA Division II Texas Tyler. Penigar saw action in 27 games making eight starts for the Patriots, and he produced 5.9 points per game in 15.1 minutes per game. Making the most of his starting opportunities during Lone Star Conference play, Penigar had 21 points and 22 points in back-to-back games Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 to highlight his lone season in Tyler. Penigar figures to have an immediate impact within a Western Oregon lineup that will be hungry to climb in the GNAC standings this season.
 
WOU Head Coach Ryan Orton: “Jadin has the measurables and skillset that make him a very tough cover at this level. He has the ability to create his own shot as well as knock down the three at a high percentage. He is also a good rebounder at both ends of the floor – something we think he will continue to do this year. With his familiarity of the GNAC, having played in the conference a couple of years ago, this should bode well as he can share these experiences with others on our team.”
 
9495


9496Garrett Levesque – Western Washington University
Guard – 6-6 – Senior – Agoura Hills, Calif. – UTEP
 
Levesque was a steady presence in his first season in Bellingham, starting 18 games and playing in 29 to help lead the Vikings to a tie for third place in the GNAC standings. The UTEP transfer scored 7.1 points and added 6.4 rebounds per game while ranking fourth in the conference in shooting at 57.1% overall. Levesque earned his first start of the year on Dec. 20 and never looked back, starting every game the rest of the way. He reached double figures in rebounding five times including a pair of double-doubles, and one of his signature performances was a season-high 15 points on 7-for-7 shooting to go along with seven boards in an 84-70 win over MSU Billings on Jan. 11.
 
WWU Head Coach Tony Dominguez: “Garrett Levesque has been a tremendous addition to our team. His tireless work ethic and no-nonsense approach to the game have set a very tough and positive tone for our group. Garrett has many talents and is a versatile player both defensively and offensively. His intangibles are immeasurable but his presence creates a sense of calm for our young players. We are excited for his growth this season.”
 
9498


9499Aidan Rice – Western Washington University
Guard – 6-3 – Sophomore – Beaverton, Ore. - Beaverton
 
Rice’s collegiate career began in perhaps the most exciting way possible, as he hit a long-range buzzer beater for a 91-89 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills in his very first game on Nov. 8. He went on to play in 29 games and start 10 times as a true freshman, finishing with 6.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and a field-goal percentage of 42.9 last winter. Rice picked up the pace over the finishing stretch of the year, starting three of the final four games and capping his campaign with a season-high 22 points including five 3-pointers in the Vikings’ narrow loss to Montana State Billings in the GNAC Championships on March 6.
 
WWU Head Coach Tony Dominguez: “Aidan Rice is another young player that took a huge jump early in his career and was forced into a major playing role due to injuries on our squad which was very beneficial for our program. He is another player who has great grit and determination and it has shown to be a difference maker for him on the court. Aidan has a natural ability to score the ball and to be very intense on defense. We believe this will really help us and him with our journey to success.”
 
9500


9501Trevor White – Western Washington University
Forward – 6-7 – Sophomore – Attleboro, Mass. – Tabor Academy
 
Also contributing as a freshman last year, White started 13 of 29 games and earned 21.9 minutes per game in his collegiate debut at WWU. He chipped in 10.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game, while ranking ninth in the conference shooting 52.8% overall from the field. In the Vikings’ 90-73 win over champion Central Washington on Feb. 27, White made 11 of 16 shots on his way to a season-high 27 points in 25 minutes played. He also had a stretch of three consecutive games (Jan. 16-25) in which he reached his season high with four blocked shots, and he ranked third in the league with 1.1 blocks per game in 2024-25.
 
WWU Head Coach Tony Dominguez: “Trevor White was a great addition as a young player last season and as the year went along really blossomed as a player. His length, touch and skill on offense combined with a high IQ make him a very high quality functioning player that we are anticipating making a big difference for us. Trevor has a high ceiling and his will to be successful on and off the court makes him a strong leader for us and an impact player moving forward.”
 
9502