PORTLAND, Ore. – A pair of heroic performances by Montana State University Billings softball players in must-win games headlined the latest list of Great Northwest Athletic Conference Players of the Week announced on Monday.
 
SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jazlyn Kalehuawehe – Montana State Billings
First-career player of the week.
 
A season can never be reduced to a single swing of the bat, but it was a two-run home run off the bat of the Yellowjacket senior on Saturday that proved to be the difference in the team’s 2-0 win over Northwest Nazarene. The Yellowjackets had to win that game – along with two others in the final series of the regular season – in order to claim their first GNAC Championships berth since the 2015 campaign. Kalehuawehe, a fourth-year senior cleared the fence in center field in the top of the fourth inning for the only runs of the game in the series finale. It capped a weekend in which all three of her hits were home runs, as she delivered a two-homer, five-RBI game in the series opener. Kalehuawehe upped her career total to 27 home runs, and earned her first-career GNAC Player of the Week honor on the final weekend of her collegiate regular season.
 
MSUB Head Coach Joe Yegge: “What a week for Jazzy to have. With this being possibly the last weekend she would ever play, she put the team on her shoulders and lifted us with some big-time moments at the plate. She came up huge for us against a very good pitcher, and her dedication, efforts and playing through some injuries paid off for her. I couldn’t be happier for her and it is just awesome to see her have the weekend she had for us.”
 
Also Nominated: Shelby Lawson, Saint Martin’s; Janique Balcaen, Simon Fraser; Kanilehua Pitoy, Western Washington.
 

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SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Emily Watters – Montana State Billings
First-career pitcher of the week.
 
While Kalehuawehe supplied the pop, Watters had an immeasurable impact in the circle as she contributed in all three of MSUB’s victories. After the ‘Jackets dropped the series opener to the Nighthawks, their only path to the playoffs was to sweep the next three contests. Watters delivered a stellar complete game to salvage a day-one split, allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts in seven innings of work. The next day, she twirled an eight-inning shutout, striking out three and scattering six hits to give her team time to plate three runs in the eighth and win 3-0. In the series finale, to clinch the playoff spot, Watters faced runners on second and third with only one out and her team clinging to a 2-0 lead. She induced a groundout back to the circle before striking out the final batter to end the game and strand the tying run in scoring position. It was Watters’ first save of the season, capping off a week in which she posted a 0.45 ERA across a GNAC-leading 15 2/3 innings while striking out nine.
 
MSUB Head Coach Joe Yegge: “Emily has been a tremendous addition to our team this year, and she has helped change the mentality here. Her last few weeks she has thrown great games and she just has great drive and stubbornness to be very effective in the circle. She and Kaylin (Galvin) work very well together and Kaylin has been calling great games for her to help us get to this point. Emily has made some great adjustments and is pitching her best when it matters the most.”
 
Also Nominated: Chloe Leverington, Saint Martin’s; Kaiana Kong, Western Washington.
 

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WOMEN’S CREW OF THE WEEK
Western Washington Varsity 8+
Bow – Mia Marie Knipe, 2 – Jenna Buckholt, 3 – Paige Donner, 4 – Sarah Plemons, 5 – Maddie Kidd, 6, Sonja Gebhardt, 7 – Taylor Wall, Stroke – Emma Clark, Cox – Janisa Cook.
 
The Vikings’ varsity 8+ headlined the show at the WIRA Championships, topping a field that contained 13 total boats across a pair of heats. The Vikings clocked a time of 6:46.701 minutes, winning their heat by more than five seconds over second-place Cal Poly Humboldt in the grand final. Overall it was the fastest time in the event by 5.865 seconds, as the reigning national champions put their dominance on display.
 
Also Nominated: Cal Poly Humboldt Varsity 4+; Seattle Pacific Varsity 4+; Central Oklahoma Varsity 4+.
 

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BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nin Burns II – Northwest Nazarene
First-career player of the week.
 
In a 5-0 week against Saint Martin's, Nin was a terror at the plate as he hit .611 with a .708 OBP and 1.667 slugging. The outfielder had 11 hits in 18 at-bats, including three doubles, two triples, and four home runs as nine of the 11 were for extra bases. He scored 13 runs, drove in 10, walked five times and had two stolen bases. He homered in four of the five games, and in the only game without a homer he was 3-for-4 with two doubles and a triple. He scored three times each in four of the five games and drove in multiple runs in 3 of 5.
 
NNU Head Coach Joe Schaefer: “Nin was on fire last weekend. He had one of the better offensive weekends any of our offensive players have had all season. He did a phenomenal job getting on base as our leadoff guy, but also drove in a bunch of runs in big moments.”
 
Also Nominated: Marcus Manzardo, Central Washington; Zack Blaszak, Montana State Billings; Collin Irwin, Western Oregon.
 

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BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Sam Coxen – Montana State Billings
First-career pitcher of the week.
 
Coxen delivered the top individual pitching performance last week, striking out eight across seven innings in the Yellowjackets’ win over Western Oregon. The right-hander allowed just four baserunners for a WHIP of 0.54, including three hits and one walk. The Wolves managed just one run amid the dominant, 95-pitch performance, as Coxen grabbed his seventh win of the season and lowered his ERA to 3.81.
 
MSUB Head Coach Derek Waddoups: “Sam has continued to improve each outing this season. He had command of three pitches and did an outstanding job of attacking the strike zone this past weekend. He loves to compete and has been a core rotation arm for us all season. He continues to set the standard.”
 
Also Nominated: Drake Anderson, Central Washington; Landen Parker, Northwest Nazarene; Devin Bell, Western Oregon.
 

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WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Emma Cannan – Simon Fraser
Second-career track athlete of the week, second this season.
 
Cannan ran the second-fastest 200 meters time in GNAC outdoor history, clocking in at 23.38 seconds at the Pee Wee Halsell Invitational. That time was good enough to top a stacked field of GNAC competition, as Cannan moved her name to the top of the GNAC outdoor performance list. Cannan also ran a PR time of 11.61 seconds in the 100 meters, which stands as the third-fastest time in GNAC outdoor history.
 
SFU Head Coach Brit Townsend: “Emma continues to impress and inspire all those around her. She is a quiet leader with a great work ethic and we could all see this coming. The progress that she has made this year has been incredible and I can’t wait to see what happens next. We are waiting to hear if she gets selection to the Pan Am U23 team, which would be a major milestone for her. She is one of the very best we have had.”
 
Also Nominated: E’lexis Hollis, Central Washington; Bella Klein, Montana State Billings; Alejandra Gomez, Northwest Nazarene; Hannah Chang, Seattle Pacific; Mia Crocker, Western Washington.
 

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WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Katie Potts – Western Washington
Ninth-career field-athlete of the week, second this season.
 
Potts won the discus at the Pee Wee Halsell Invitational, unleashing a personal-best throw of 158-0 feet (48.15 meters). That moved her name up to No. 5 on the GNAC all-time outdoor performance list, put her at the top of the GNAC performance list and moved her into a tie for 17th nationally in the event.
 
Also Nominated: Mya Campbell, Alaska Anchorage; Payton Elenbaas, Central Washington; Hannah Cooper, Montana State Billings; Destany Herbert, Northwest Nazarene; Zuzanna Liniewski, Simon Fraser.
 

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MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Kevin McDermott – Western Washington
Fourth-career track athlete of the week, first this season.
 
McDermott recorded the sixth-fastest 1,500 meters time in GNAC outdoor history, with a mark of 3:44.37 minutes on his home track. The time was converted from a mile run of 4:02.32 minutes, as he topped a field of 17 competitors at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational. The standout performance lifted McDermott to No. 15 on the NCAA Division II national performance list in the 1,500 meters.
 
Also Nominated: David Brown, Central Washington; JayCee Herbert, Montana State Billings; Anderson Kron, Northwest Nazarene; Simon Fraser Men’s 4x100M relay.
 

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MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mark Warren – Western Oregon
Sixth-career field athlete of the week, third this season.
 
Warren was at his best at the Pee Wee Halsell Invitational, notching a career-best hammer throw of 202-3 feet (61.64 meters) to win the event among a field of 16 competitors. He became the fifth man in GNAC history to clear 200 feet, moving his name up to No. 3 on the conference’s all-time performance list. Warren now also sits at No. 10 on the Division II national performance list.
 
Also Nominated: Cal’von Baker, Central Washington; Isaac Perkins, Montana State Billings; Carter Alberts, Northwest Nazarene; Jarrett Chong, Simon Fraser; Liam Wall, Western Washington.