Division Ii

For the first time in two decades, the University of Alaska Anchorage has made consecutive NCAA volleyball tournaments -- but the Seawolves’ ambition for greater glory this year came to an end Thursday at the hands of tough Division II competition. UAA suffered a loss in four games against GNAC co-champion Western Washington University. The Seawolves finish 18 and 9 in coach Chris Green's third season. UAA dropped a heartbreaker in Game 1, which WWU took 26-24. McKenzie Moss was sidelined by a shoulder injury, and her teammates couldn't overcome the Vikings.

Next week, the 13th-ranked University of Alaska Anchorage women's basketball team will be looking to win its fifth consecutive Great Alaska Shootout title -- but the Seawolves first took care of a little business at their home opener Friday. West Region games are actually more significant in determining whether the Seawolves advance to the NCAA Division II tournament, and UAA took a step in the right direction Friday by dominating New Mexico Highlands, 73-39. Hannah Johansson led the Seawolves with 13 points, while Nikki Aden and Tijera Matthews each added 10. UAA also made its usual suffocating impact on defense, forcing 31 Cowgirl turnovers.

The UAA Volleyball team knew it would have to make a statement on Thursday night to boost its chances of making a third straight NCAA Division II tournament.  Consider it done. The Seawolves crushed visiting Northwest Nazarene, 25-9, 25-17, 25-11 to reach 12-3 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  UAA entered the night ranked ninth in the all important west region rankings, compared to the Crusaders, who were seventh.  Eight teams advance to the postseason and the Seawolves may just improve their status with only three regular season matches to go. Robyn Burton led all Seawolves with 14 kills and an attack percentage of .619.  Jackie Matthisen chipped in 12 kills and Ariel Austin added 11 for UAA, which hit at an incredible .419 average for the match.

The UAA volleyball team moved one victory away from securing a second conference title in three years by sweeping St. Martin's, 25-22, 26-24, 25-7 on Thursday night.  The win gives the Seawolves a 14-3 mark in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. UAA is now tied for first place with Seattle Pacific with one match to play, but the Seawolves own the tiebreaker edge against the Falcons.  If the Seawolves claim the GNAC title, they win also earn the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Division II tournament.  Against St. Martin's, Jackie Matthisen led the UAA offense with 13 kills while Robyn Burton had seven blocks.  Setter Kimya Jafroudi contributed 38 assists as the Seawolves pulled ahead in the third after an evenly played first two games.

Alysa Horn and Hanna Johansson combined for 30 points as the #9 UAA women's basketball team took down Montana State-Billings on Thursday, 59-50.  The Seawolves, accustomed to blowing out Division II competition, have now won their last two games by single digits to reach 4 and 0 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and 13 and 2 overall. Horn scored a game-high 19 points, Johansson led UAA with 10 rebounds, while Kaylie Robison scored 10 points with nine boards.  Their contributions were key on a night in which UAA's three starting guards shot a combined 2 for 18.  UAA hosts long-time GNAC rival Seattle Pacific on Saturday.

When UAA and Seattle Pacific faced off in Seattle a month ago, the Falcons delivered the Seawolves their most decisive Division II loss under Rusty Osborne, an 85-51 pounding.  On Thursday, the Seawolves earned a measure of revenge, with a well-balanced effort in the 78-69 win.  UAA remains second place in the GNAC at 10-2 in conference, while the Falcons drop to 8-4 in league play. Travis Thompson led UAA's three double figure point scorers with 16 points.  Steve White enjoyed a strong game with 15 points and 5 assists, and Taylor Rohde chipped in 13 points.  The Seawolves opened the game with an 18-6 run and the two teams basically played evenly the rest of the way.    

Eight-time Mount Marathon champion Bill Spencer and famed mountaineer Vern Tejas were the two individuals elected to the 2012 Alaska Sports Hall of Fame on Monday.  Spencer was also an Olympic nordic skier, while Tejas became the first person to make a solo ascent of Mt. McKinley and climbed the peak over 50 times. The 2012 sporting event inductee is the Gold Medal Basketball Tournament, held annually in Juneau for more than 60 years.  The event is huge for Southeast Alaska and rural Alaska communities.

Haley Holmstead scored 19 points and earned tournament MVP honors as the 8th-ranked UAA women's basketball team claimed their second straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference title on Saturday, beating Western Washington, 67-52. Tijera Mathews poured in 12 points and pulled down 8 rebounds for UAA, which improves to 27-4 overall.  The Seawolves, currently ranked 2nd in the Division II west region, will learn their playoff destination on Sunday. The UAA men, also #2 in the west region entering the week, suffered an upset loss to Montana State-Billings in the GNAC championship game, 74-70.  Steve White scored 16 points, while Taylor Rohde and Travis Thompson each added 15, but UAA squandered a 14 point lead in the loss.  The Seawolves drop to 22-6 overall and will also learn their postseason destination on Sunday.

It can be literally hard to follow the University of Alaska Anchorage’s cross-country program -- especially Marko Cheseto, the only man ever to win back-to-back individual Great Northwest Athletic Conference titles, who added a third title Saturday. Cheseto set a course record in 2008 with a time of 24 minutes and 30 seconds, but managed to shave 35 seconds off that with his time of 23:55. He was also named GNAC’s male cross-country Athlete of the Year Saturday. UAA’s men and women both swept the GNAC competition, positioning both teams for the Division II West Regional, where the Seawolves will be looking to make a push to the national meet.

The top hitting team in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference came up big in a critical league match on Thursday.  UAA downed Montana State-Billings in a three-game sweep, 25-19, 25-23, 25-20 to move into a tie with Seattle Pacific for the conference lead.  Both schools are 11-2 in conference play and square off on Saturday. Jackie Matthisen led the Seawolves with 15 kills, while Ariel Austin floored 9 kills on 20 attempts.  UAA, which leads the GNAC in hitting percentage with a season average of .232, hit for a .257 attack rate against the Yellowjackets.