Alaska Nanooks weekly: Feb 28

February 28, 2019

MEN’S BASKETBALL | 5-20, 2-16 GNAC
LAST WEEK: 0-2 | THIS WEEK: at Alaska Anchorage (Feb. 26), vs. Montana State Billings (Mar. 2)
The Alaska Nanooks men’s basketball team dropped both Great Northwest Athletic Conference contests at home last week, falling 71-66 to Simon Fraser on Thursday before dropping Saturday’s game against Western Washington 85-75 on Saturday. The Nooks will play one game on the road and one game at home in their final week of play for the 2018-2019 season. Alaska will take on in-state rival Alaska Anchorage at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m. before returning to Fairbanks for their final home game of the season on Saturday, March 2, taking on the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets at 3:15 p.m. Saturday’s game at the Alaska Airlines Court will also be Senior Day, honoring #21 Alex Baham, #31 Isaiah Easaw, #11 Tre Eisenhut, #35 Joe Lendway, #34 Daulton Lootens and #45 Derritt Scarver.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL | 4-16, 1-17 GNAC
LAST WEEK: 0-2 | THIS WEEK: vs. Central Washington (Feb. 28), vs. Northwest Nazarene (Mar. 2)
After falling to Saint Martin’s 66-56 on Thursday in Lacey, Alaska fell to Seattle Pacific on Saturday, 67-60. The Nanooks will host their final two games of the season at home this week, taking on the Central Washington Wildcats on Thursday, Feb. 28, before facing the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks on Saturday, March 2. Both games will take place at the Alaska Airlines Court with tip-off on Thursday set for 7 p.m., while Saturday is slated for 1 p.m.. Saturday’s game vs. NNU will also be Senior Day, with the Nanooks honoring #11 Ashlie Blackburn, #22 Emily Evans, #12 Angela Murnion and #44 Marian Wamsley.

HOCKEY | 10-19-3, 10-14-2-2 WCHA
LAST WEEK: 1-1 | THIS WEEK: at Alaska Anchorage (March 1-2)
The Alaska Nanooks hockey team split in their final home games of the season, taking a 6-1 loss on Friday before knocking off No. 4 Minnesota State in a 1-0 upset on Saturday at the Carlson Center. The Nanooks will travel to Anchorage for their final Western Collegiate Hockey Association series of the 2018-2019 regular season, taking on in-state rival UAA this Friday, March 1, and Saturday, March 2. This weekend’s series will also determine the 2019 Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup Champion, with both teams sitting in a tie with three points each. Both games will take place at the Sullivan Arena with puck-drop set for 7:07 p.m.

Michael Kluting named GNAC men’s basketball player of the week
On Monday, the GNAC named Alaska Nanooks men’s basketball junior forward Michael Kluting the men’s basketball player of the week for his performances on the court last week. Despite dropping conference games against Simon Fraser and Western Washington last week, Kluting was the shining star who registered back-to-back double-doubles at the Alaska Airlines Court. Kluting ended week 26 with a combined 45 points and 33 rebounds, shooting 54.5 percent from the floor (18-for-33), while also collecting three assists, two steals and one block. Read more here: http://bit.ly/2Ss0o9I

Cate Whiting Named Joseph Thompson Student of the Month
Last week, Alexander Hirsch, director of the Honors Program, named Alaska Nanooks volleyball’s sophomore setter Cate Whiting the Joseph Thompson student of the month within the UAF Honors Program. The monthly award recognizes Honors Program students for their distinct accomplishments and contributions to UAF, both in and out of the classroom. Whiting, a civil engineering student, was an all-GNAC first team and GNAC volleyball all-academic team selection, was named to the Chancellor’s List for fall 2017 and spring 2018, and was named to the Dean’s List for fall 2018. Most recently, Whiting was a student speaker at the Feb. 16 Gold and Blue Celebration.

Nanooks rifle headed to 2019 NCAA National Championships
Last week, the Alaska Nanooks coed rifle team punched their ticket to the 2019 NCAA Rifle National Championships, being one of the eight teams to qualify for the event. The national championships will be hosted by the West Virginia University Mountaineers and are set to take place on Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia. Alaska will compete in the smallbore discipline on Friday before participating in the air rifle event on Saturday. The squad will feature sophomore Haley Castillo, junior Liam Eberhart, freshman Kellan McAferty, redshirt-senior Robert Scott and senior JT Schnering. Read more.

Four from cross-country skiing qualify for 2019 NCAA National Championships
On Tuesday, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Skiing Committee announced that four Alaska Nanooks have qualified to compete in the Nordic discipline in the 2019 NCAA Skiing National Championships March 6 and 8 at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. Sophomore Anja Maijala and senior Kati Roivas will be representing the Alaska women’s Nordic ski teams, while senior Max Donaldson and redshirt-senior Seiji Takagi will be competing on behalf of the Nanook men’s Nordic ski team. The Nooks will be racing in the 10/5km individual-start, freestyle race on Wednesday, March 6, beginning at 6 a.m. Alaska time before competing in the 20/15km mass-start, classic race on Saturday, March 8 at 6 a.m. Alaska time. Read more.

2019 Nanook Student-Athlete Achievement Awards set for March 22

For the first time, the Alaska Nanooks’ Student-Athlete Achievement Awards will be open to the public. The all-sports banquet will be held at the Westmark Gold Room in Fairbanks on Friday, March 22, with check-in set for 6:30 p.m. and the program set to begin at 7 p.m.. Tickets are $40 per person and will include dinner; dress is semiformal. You can purchase tickets here.

Lion’s Club donates $5,000 to Alaska Nanooks
At Saturday’s hockey game against Minnesota State, the Fairbanks Lion’s Club presented a $5,000 check to the Athletic Department to be donated to scholarships. The Alaska Nanooks thanks the Fairbanks Lion’s Club for their continued support for each of the 10 varsity programs throughout the year.

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Alaska Nanooks: @alaskananooks (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks (Facebook) | alaskananooks (Instagram)
MXC/WXC & MSKI/WKI: @AlaskaNanooksXC (Twitter) |Alaska Nanooks XC (FB)
HOCKEY: @NanooksHockey (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Hockey (FB)
MBB: @NanooksMBB (Twitter)
RIFLE: Alaska Nanooks Rifle (FB)
SWIM: @NanooksSwim (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Swimming (FB)
VB: @NanooksVB (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Volleyball (FB)
WBB: @NanooksWBB (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Women's Basketball (FB)