PORTLAND, Ore. – Among the latest Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week selections, announced on Monday, a handful of stellar performances by newcomers highlighted the list.
True freshmen
Jose Perez of Western Washington (men’s soccer) and
Hanna Ligons of Saint Martin’s (volleyball), and senior transfer
Ella Bines of Central Washington (volleyball) each earned their first-career conference weekly awards. Perez had three goals and an assist in a pair of wins for the Vikings last week, Ligons reached double figures in blocks for the second time this season and Bines put together a career-high 20 kills in a victory over Seattle Pacific.
MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jose Perez – Western Washington University
First-career player of the week.
Perez was the driving offensive force in the Vikings’ two victories last week, scoring a GNAC-leading three goals including each of his team’s game-winners. In an 82-minute effort against Saint Martin’s on Thursday, Perez got the scoring started just three minutes into the match, before doubling his tally in the 31st minute. WWU never looked back after that in the runaway 4-0 win, and Perez added an assist on his team’s third goal of the evening. In Saturday’s tight 2-1 win over reigning GNAC champion Western Oregon, Perez struck in the 33rd minute following his own shot that was blocked by punching the carom into the back of the net. That proved enough to propel WWU to a big win and improve to 2-0 in conference play. A true freshman from Tieton, Wash., Perez has come to life of late scoring all four of his goals on the season in the last four matches. Perez has started all 10 games and has chipped in a pair of assists to start his collegiate career.
WWU Head Coach Greg Brisbon: “It was a great week for Jose. He is getting more comfortable with college soccer and is really developing with off-the-ball movements in the offensive and defensive moments of the game. Jose has very good instincts in the final third and has the ability to score from many different situations.”
Also Nominated: Rafael Lucio, Seattle Pacific; Sabir Abud, Simon Fraser.
MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jordan Thorsen – Simon Fraser University
Third-career player of the week, first this season.
Thorsen manned the net for the full 180 minutes in Simon Fraser’s two wins last week, helping his side to a tie atop the early GNAC standings with six points. The junior opened up with a crucial performance in a 3-1 victory over reigning GNAC champion Western Oregon, making three important stops while facing 14 shots throughout the match. Thorsen then collected his second clean sheet of the 2025 season in SFU’s sound 2-0 blanking of Saint Martin’s on Saturday. In his second season as the starter for the Red Leafs, Thorsen has been central in his team allowing just three goals over its last four matches.
SFU Head Coach Clint Schneider: “Jordan is one of our two seniors this year and has worked really hard to get himself in a position to be the number one. Every game he grows and gets more experience, and he is a fantastic leader on and off the field.”
Also Nominated: Brian Lanier, Seattle Pacific; Charlie Dyer, Western Washington.
WOMEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Morgan Manalili – Western Washington University
Fourth-career player of the week, second this season.
Manalili continued her torrid offensive output last week, contributing on four of the seven goals that the Vikings scored in a pair of road wins. In Thursday’s 4-0 rout of Montana State Billings, Manalili picked up her first multi-assist game of the season with a pair of helpers in just 61 minutes played. She followed that with her third multi-goal performance of the fall, finding the net twice in the Vikings’ 3-0 blanking of No. 18 Seattle Pacific on Saturday. Tucking away one of her most impressive finishes of the season in the 17th minute, Manalili redirected a cross from Emily Holdridge with her right foot into the upper-left corner of the net for what proved to be the game-winner. In the 33rd minute, she stepped to the 12-yard mark and calmly converted her first penalty-kick finish of the season. The All-American leads the GNAC with eight goals this fall and ranks second in the league with five assists. It was her fourth-career multi-goal performance and her first multi-assist performance. Manalili is the GNAC’s active career leader in both goals (26) and assists (21), ranking in the top-30 in conference history in both categories.
WWU Head Coach Travis Connell: “Morgan has a knack for recognizing the big moments in the match and rising to the occasion in those moments. The quality and timing of her goals and assists last weekend were hugely impactful in the outcomes of our matches.”
Also Nominated: Kelsey Fulton, Central Washington; Liberty Palmer, Montana State Billings; Mackenzie Brown, Northwest Nazarene; Briana-Jean Tanaka, Saint Martin’s; Sofia Faremo, Simon Fraser; Ally Beavers, Western Oregon.
WOMEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sarah Loewen – Simon Fraser University
Third-career player of the week, second this season.
Loewen was instrumental in the Red Leafs earning four points on the road last week, picking up a pair of clean sheets. The senior was one off her season high with six saves in a 0-0 draw against No. 18 Seattle Pacific on Thursday. Loewen followed that with five saves in SFU’s 2-0 road win over Montana State Billings on Saturday, bringing her total on the week to 11 shots stopped among the 27 that she faced from the opposition. Loewen leads the GNAC with a goals-against average of .250 and with a save percentage of .949 this season, and her six shutouts in eight matches played are one behind the NCAA Division II national leader. Loewen upped her career total to 25 shutouts, moving her into a tie for sixth-most in GNAC history.
SFU Head Coach Carlo Basso: “I am really proud of how Sarah has continued to elevate her game throughout the year. She is playing at the highest level of her career and was once again tremendous for us this weekend.”
Also Nominated: Leighton Menge, Central Washington; Hailee Gertsch, Montana State Billings; Alex Barrass, Northwest Nazarene; Landry Schoennauer, Seattle Pacific; Jada Foster, Western Oregon; Emily Rice, Western Washington.
VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ella Bines – Central Washington University
First-career player of the week.
Bines propelled the Wildcats to a pair of road victories last week as CWU took down Montana State Billings 3-0 Thursday and Seattle Pacific 3-2 on Saturday to improve to 4-1 in conference play. Putting together a breakout performance in the five-set affair against the Falcons, Bines crushed a season-high 20 kills on a .452 attack percentage, finishing the match with 21 points. That came after an efficient nine-kill performance on .667 hitting against the Yellowjackets two nights prior. No GNAC player who played two matches had a higher attack percentage than Bines’s mark of .512, as she racked up 29 kills against just seven errors on her 43 attempts for an average of 3.62 kills per set on the week. Saturday also marked the first time crossing the 20-kill plateau for the senior transfer, who spent the 2024 season at North Florida and the 2022 and 2023 seasons at Alaska. It was the fifth 20-kill match by a GNAC player this season.
CWU Head Coach Mario Andaya: “Ella has been training hard and her performance last week is evidence of the work she has been putting in. It is not easy coming to a new program and learning different things, but Ella has bought in and is making a huge impact. Her energy is infectious and she is so fun to watch.”
Also Nominated: Emma Beck, Alaska Anchorage; Mikala Henderson, Alaska; Allie Dorman, Montana State Billings; Morgan Wilding, Northwest Nazarene; Sophie Fast, Saint Martin’s; Maiya Lester, Seattle Pacific; Davida Hill, Simon Fraser; Maela Honma, Western Oregon.
VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hanna Ligons – Saint Martin’s University
First-career player of the week.
Ligons played perhaps the most important part in a historic win for the Saints on Saturday, as SMU swept perennial GNAC power Western Washington for the first time in program history. The true freshman elevated for 10 total blocks, including a pair of solo stuffs in the standout defensive effort against the Vikings. It was the second time this season Ligons reached double digits in blocks in a match, and she moved to the top of the GNAC leaderboard with 1.76 blocks per set this season. Emerging as a mid-season GNAC Freshman of the Year candidate, Ligons was also helpful on the attack with nine kills against just one error on 17 attempts for an attack percentage of .471 in last week’s matches.
SMU Head Coach Haley Domeck: “Hanna was a force at the net for us this week. In our Saturday match, she made her presence known with smart blocking plays and really focused on the aspects of blocking we have been working on. Her hard work and grit in the middle were on full display against two very strong teams this week. The energy she brings to the court, especially after a block, makes a huge impact as well.”
Also Nominated: Madison Galloway, Alaska Anchorage; Cynphany Henderson, Alaska; Brooklyn Parker, Central Washington; Kenzie Allen, Montana State Billings; Hailey Cheney, Northwest Nazarene; Madelyn Benjamin, Seattle Pacific; Macyn Unger, Simon Fraser.
MEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Denby Carswell – Simon Fraser University
Fifth-career player of the week, first this season.
Carswell was outstanding at the Western Washington Invitational, tying for first place with a three-round score of 7-under-par 209 (71-72-66). Carswell’s 16 birdies at the event were second most among the field of 81 players, and he took advantage of the par-5 holes playing them at a combined 7-under-par. The highlight of Carswell’s tournament was a final-round 6-under-par 66, as he matched a collegiate career-best score that he first achieved as a freshman in March, 2023. Carswell opened the final round on the par-72, 6,561-yard Bellingham Golf & Country Club with a birdie on the par-5, 469-yard first hole and never looked back. He went out with a 4-under-par 33 on four birdies and came in with a 2-under-par 33 with two more birdies to rocket up the leaderboard into a tie for first. Hawaii Hilo’s Jacob Torres won a four-man playoff to claim medalist honors. Carswell, the 2023-24 GNAC Freshman of the Year and a two-time first-team all-GNAC selection, holds a scoring average of 71.7 strokes per round through his first two events of the year, ranking him sixth on the early conference leaderboard. His career scoring average of 72.17 strokes per round is third-best in GNAC history.
SFU Head Coach Krysta Schaus: “Denby’s performance at Western Washington was certainly impressive. With back-to-back events from Saint Martin’s to Western Washington with no rest in between, Denby showed great grit and determination to climb the leaderboard. His final round, bogey-free 66 was highlighted by hitting 94% of greens in regulation and a strong putting display with five one-putts. Denby is well positioned to finish the fall season strong at Monterey Bay next week.”
Also Nominated: Mark Mramounmat, Montana State Billings; Rasmus Tamker, Saint Martin’s; Rex Wilson, Western Washington.