PORTLAND, Ore. – Leading the Northwest Nazarene women’s basketball team to a clinch of a Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships berth last week,
Trinidie Nichols headlined the latest list of GNAC Players of the Week with a triple-double performance on Saturday.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Trinidie Nichols – Northwest Nazarene University
First-career player of the week.
It took Nichols just 26 minutes to complete the conference’s second triple-double of the season and just the ninth overall since the league was formed in 2001-02. Nichols scored 15 points, added 10 rebounds and finished one off the GNAC single-game record with 10 steals in the Nighthawks’ 71-44 triumph over Montana State Billings on Saturday. It was just the second triple-double recorded by a Nighthawk since the GNAC was formed, with the other being Alysson Kollmann on Feb. 22, 2002. The performance came after she also helped NNU beat Seattle Pacific 93-57 on Thursday night, posting nine points, seven rebounds and four assists in 24 minutes. Nichols leads the GNAC with 2.9 steals per game this season, while adding 12.7 points per game and 2.6 assists per game.
NNU Head Coach Steve Steele: “Trin is just tough. I haven’t coached many players who want to win as badly as she does. If we need her to score she can, if we need her to get 10 assists she can and if we need her to get 10 rebounds or steals she can do that as well. Nobody was surprised to see her stat line, but I was really happy to see her have such a great senior night.”
Also Nominated: Taylor Searcey, Alaska Anchorage; Tamai Mancuso, Alaska; Capri Sims, Central Washington; Cassie Chesnut, Montana State Billings; Avery Oaster, Saint Martin’s; Grace Leasure, Seattle Pacific; Haley de Walle, Simon Fraser; Olivia Hodges, Western Washington.
MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Braydon Olson – Western Oregon University
First-career player of the week.
Olson broke the Western Oregon school record with 10 made 3-pointers on Thursday, helping lead the Wolves to a 74-62 triumph over Western Washington. Olson shot 10-for-16 from the arc on his way to 32 points, while adding five rebounds, a steal and an assist in the historic performance. He became the seventh player in league history to reach double digits in made threes in a game, and he finished two off the conference record jointly held by Alaska Anchorage’s Kyle Fossman (Feb. 22, 2014) and Montana State Billings’ Tyler Green (Jan. 26, 2020). Olson went on to make five more threes and scored 22 points in Saturday’s game against Simon Fraser, narrowly missing a double-double with a season-high nine rebounds. Overall on the week Olson led all GNAC players with 15 made 3-pointers, shooting 51.7% (15-for-29) from long range and averaging 27.0 points per game. Olson raised his season average to 11.9 points per game, and his 2.5 made threes per game are tied for fifth-most in the GNAC.
WOU Head Coach Ryan Orton: “Braydon’s performance this past weekend is really a byproduct of the work he has done to reinvent himself as the type of player this team needs him to be. He has been intentional with his process since October. You partner that with the confidence he plays with and a school record of 10 made threes is a great accomplishment seen by many. However, it is not a surprise to his teammates and coaches who see him, day-in and day-out, work diligently to continue improving.”
Also Nominated: Sylas Williams, Alaska Anchorage; Tariq Weiser, Alaska; Jordan Clark, Central Washington; Mason Landdeck, Montana State Billings; Easton Reagan, Northwest Nazarene; Kaden Hansen, Saint Martin’s; Trace Evans, Seattle Pacific; Zach Stone, Simon Fraser; Garrett Levesque, Western Washington.
BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
River Smith – Montana State University Billings
First-career player of the week.
Smith helped the Yellowjackets take 3 of 4 games from Regis over the weekend, consistently delivering at the plate. His signature performance was a 4-for-4 line with four RBIs, two doubles and three runs scored in the third game of the series. Overall he hit .750 (9-for-12) with seven RBIs, seven runs scored and five doubles. He also drew three walks, posting an on-base percentage of .800 in the series. Through the first 11 games of the 2026 season, Smith is hitting a team-leading .410 while reaching base at .531 and slugging .564.
MSUB Head Coach Derek Waddoups: “It seemed like River stepped up every time we needed a clutch hit and performed. He had a good weekend taking quality at-bats. It was great to see him drive the ball consistently throughout the weekend.”
Also Nominated: Conrad Henkel, Central Washington; Caleb Boswell, Northwest Nazarene; Bransyn Hong, Saint Martin’s; Zane Garvey, Western Oregon.
BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Brennen Chappell – Montana State University Billings
Second-career pitcher of the week, first this season.
Chappell was lights out in his third start of the season, authoring eight stellar innings to help the Yellowjackets defeat Regis on Friday. The right-hander struck out 11 batters – the most of any GNAC pitcher thus far in 2026. He limited his opponent to just one run on three hits with three walks, allowing six total baserunners in the second-longest outing of his tenure with the Yellowjackets.
MSUB Head Coach Derek Waddoups: “Chappell really had it going on this weekend. He created a lot of swing and miss, and consistently pitched ahead in counts. His command of the fastball to both sides of the plate kept hitters guessing throughout the game.
Also Nominated: Braden Zadow, Central Washington; Dillon Eden, Northwest Nazarene; Luke Fulkerson, Saint Martin’s; Wyatt Rosales, Western Oregon.
SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Haley Agena – Saint Martin’s University
First-career player of the week.
Agena was the Saints’ top offensive performer on their trip to California last weekend, setting the table at the top of the lineup. Agena hit .533 (8-for-15) and reached base at a clip of .667 across the team’s five games played. Agena reached base multiple times in every game she played, totaling seven runs scored, a pair of doubles, six walks drawn and a stolen base. In addition to her offensive excellence, Agena played error-free defense in seven chances in center field. Agena is hitting .500 (17-for-34) through her first 10 games of the 2026 season.
SMU Head Coach Jim Peterson: “Haley did a great job at the top of the lineup getting on base for us last weekend. She led our team in hits and walks and gives us speed on the basepaths. She is off to an excellent start to her senior season both offensively and defensively. Haley is a joy to coach and is a spark of dynamite for the team when she is playing well.”
Also Nominated: McKayla Cable, Central Washington.
SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Bridget Johnson – Saint Martin’s University
First-career pitcher of the week.
Johnson contributed in each of the Saints’ wins last week, tossing 10 1/3 total innings and surrendering just two earned runs. The junior right-hander started off her week with six shutout frames against Menlo, striking out three, walking none and allowing just four hits on the way to her second win of the year. She then struck out four hitters across four innings in a repeat effort against Menlo the following day, earning another victory. Overall on the season Johnson is 3-0 with a 3.34 ERA across 14 2/3 innings pitched in five appearances.
SMU Head Coach Jim Peterson: “Bridget picked up two wins for us on the weekend and kept hitters off balance in both games. This was the best Bridget has pitched this season, and she had really good command of her pitches last weekend. It is challenging to be a top nursing student and a softball player, but to her credit Bridget is balancing both and is still finding a way to be successful in the classroom and on the softball field.”
Also Nominated: Brooke Baker, Central Washington.
WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Hannah Chang – Seattle Pacific University
First-career track athlete of the week.
Chang ran the best 60-meter hurdles time of the indoor season thus far and tied for the second-best mark in conference history. Competing at the UW Husky Classic on Friday, Chang cruised across the finish line in 8.53 seconds, topping her previous collegiate best of 8.55 seconds. That matched former Falcon Mailea Luquin (2016) for the second-best time in GNAC history. It was just 0.02 seconds off the GNAC indoor record of 8.51 seconds, set by Central Washington’s Mariyah Vongsaveng in 2017. It also moved Chang’s name up to No. 15 on the NCAA Division II national performance list.
SPU Head Coach Karl Lerum: “We are excited for Hannah to get that result last Friday and get herself on the national list. With so few chances to race indoor, every race is obviously a big opportunity. I know she is excited to get a couple more chances to compete in the next two days.”
Also Nominated: Rachael Watkins, Simon Fraser; Emmy Kroontje, Western Washington.
MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Calvin Gutierrez – Western Washington University
Second-career field athlete of the week, second this season.
Gutierrez hit a massive PR in the weight throw last weekend, clearing 63-6.75 feet (19.37 meters) at the UW Husky Classic. That made him the second man in GNAC history to clear 19 meters in the event, as he moved within two inches of Mark Warren’s conference record of 63-8.75 feet (19.42 meters) set last year in his final season competing at Western Oregon. Gutierrez is the clear favorite for the gold medal at this week’s GNAC Championships, and moved his name up to No. 26 on the Division II national performance list with his latest effort.
WWU Head Coach Ben Stensland: “Cal has been making some big improvements in training and really showing some progress in competition. He is getting closer to putting all three turns together and we are excited to see him back in action for Day 1 of our GNAC Championships.”
Also Nominated: None.
MEN’S GOLF PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Denby Carswell – Simon Fraser University
Sixth-career player of the week, second this season.
Carswell was the GNAC’s top performer at the Cal State San Marcos Fujikura Invitational last week, tying for second place among a field of 75 competitors. The Red Leaf junior carded a three-round total of 3-under-par 213 at the event, overcoming a 78 in the opening round with scores of 3-under-par 69 and 6-under-par 66 to finish off. Carswell’s final round of 66 featured nine birdies and was the lowest single round by any player in the tournament. Overall at the event Carswell had 15 birdies across 54 holes. He lowered his season scoring average to 72.5 strokes per round, moving himself up to No. 8 in the conference in stroke average in 2025-26. Carswell’s sixth-career GNAC Player of the Week award tied him for fifth-most weekly honors in league history.
SFU Head Coach Krysta Schaus: “Denby entered the week with his game in a great place. Throughout qualifying his ball striking was exceptional and his short game continued to be a consistent strength. It’s no surprise that he had a great showing at Shadowridge. He recognized that adapting to California conditions takes time. Staying below the hole on fast greens led to 15 birdies – 14 of those coming in the final two rounds.”
Also Nominated: Henry Kippenhan, Western Washington.