Women’s Swimming

The Alaska Women’s Swim Team had four relays earn slots in the top 15 finishes over the two-day Husky Invitational Swim Meet in Washington on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.  Sophomore Margot Adams and junior Bente Heller contributed to Alaska’s record with two individual top ten finishes.  Adams earned fifth place in the 100 butterfly, touching the wall after 55.33 seconds.  In the 200 freestyle, Heller placed seventh with a time of 1:51.62.

Women’s Basketball

On Dec. 1, the Alaska Nanooks Women’s Basketball team lost to rivals Alaska Anchorage.  Alaska Fairbanks started strong with a lead of 11-4, but was overtaken by the Seawolves in the first half.  Junior April Fultz led the Nanooks with 18 points.  The final score was 86-58, in favor of Anchorage.

Andrew Kelly flies through the air to deposit the ball in the net in the game against Miami on Nov. 29. Lauren Fisher/Sun Star

Men’s Basketball

During Thursday, Nov. 9′s game against Seattle Pacific, the Alaska Men’s Basketball team lost 60-72.  The Nanooks played a close game, trailing Seattle by nine points at the buzzer of the first half.  Junior Pat Voeut scored 15 points to lead Alaska’s team, but lead scorer Patric Simon of SPU, who scored 30 points.   SPU’s higher shooting percentage earned them the victory. The Nanooks returned to the Patty Center on Dec. 1 to defeat Montana State Billings.  Alaska held the lead throughout the game.  Voeut beat his score from Thursday night’s game by one point, while senior Dominique Brinson earned 20 points for the Nanooks.  Alaska left the gym with a 80-73 win.

Men’s Hockey

The Alaska Nanooks Hockey Team suffered a sweep at the hands of the Miami Redhawks over the weekend, beginning with a 2-5 loss on Friday, Nov. 30.  The Hawks scored two points in each the first and second periods of the game before freshman Josh Atkinson got the puck to Senior Andy Taranto, who scored for Alaska.  Freshman Nolan Huysmans scored the Nanook’s final point just minutes later, but Miami nabbed one more point before the final buzzer, giving them a three point margin over Alaska. The following night, the Nanooks were unable to make it onto the scoreboard against Miami.  After the Hawks scored the first goal two minutes into the game, Alaska held them at bay until the third frame, in which they scored three more goals.  The final score was 4-0, in favor of the Red Hawks.

Few of the UAF Hockey team members stop for a water break during their first practice of the season at UAF. Sept. 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Lauren Fisher/Sun Star Reporter
September 25, 2012

Nanook volleyball comes up short against Central Washington

On Saturday, Sept. 15, the UAF Nanooks  Women’s volleyball team played against the Central Washington Wildcats in the Patty Center.  The Nanooks did not win.  Although they had the lead in the beginning of the first and third sets, they were not able to hold on to it.  Central Washington took all three of the sets played, winning 25-23, 25-19, and 25-23.

The Nanooks lost possession three times due to service errors, serves which did not land within bounds on the opponents side,  in the first set.  Second set, there were another three service errors.  In the third set, the Nanooks doubled their total service errors.

“We tried moving people to get a better rotation, but not enough,”  said Head Coach Phil Shoemaker.  “We’re growing up as a team, and we’re certainly anxious to grow up a little bit faster.”  He also said that this was the best job the ladies have done in blocking this season.

Sam Harthun, UAF’s second best scorer for the game, said that the Wildcats “were more consistent throughout all three games,” and that “we let things happen instead of going out and doing it.”

Keri Knight was the top scorer on the Alaska team, earning a total of 19 points.  “I was going to go out and be the aggressor” Knight said.  When asked to comment on her kills, Kerrie recognized the help her team gave her that allowed her to score.  Katlyn Mataya had a total of 35 assists throughout the three sets.

The Nanook’s women’s volleyball team is currently traveling.  They played Saint Martin’s in Lacey, Washington on Thursday, Sept. 20, and Western Oregon in Monmouth, Oregon on Sept. 22.

First Day of Hockey Practice

The University of Alaska’s Men’s Ice Hockey Team had their first practice on Monday, Sept. 17.  “Everyone’s really into it the first day,” said Andy Taranto, a senior on the team.  Several of the players stayed after practice to work for a little bit longer.

Garrick Perry, a sophomore, said “the first practice is always a tough one.”  His goal for the season is to focus on the simple things.

The players said that they have started with high intensity.  The first game they will be playing is a Blue vs. Gold scrimmage at the Patty Center on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m.

Nanooks gather at the end of practice to listen to the coach. Sept. 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Sam Harthurn reaches to save the ball. She is cheered on by her teammates Allison Oddy. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

UAF Men's Hockey team goes through some running drills during their first practice of the season on Monday. Sept. 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

UAF Men's Hockey Team practices during the first practice on Monday, September 17th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Allison Oddy dives to keep the ball in bounds in the Wildcats game at the Patty Center Gym at UAF. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Katlyn Mataya bumps the ball to keep it going over the line during the UAF Women's Volleyball Team vs. The Wildcats. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Spike! By Reilly Stevens during the September 15h, 2012 game at the Patty Center Gym on UAF. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Katlyn Mataya tips the ball over the net. Sept. 15th, 2012. Lauren Fisher/ Sun Star

Win or lose, teams have fun at Intramural Broomball

The Jolly Rogers kept the Last Picks winless on Thursday, April 21, beating them 3-1.  Although the Last Picks had some great defensive moments, The Jolly Rogers lit the lamp by sneaking the ball by past the Last Picks’ goalie, senior Eric Huston, as he tried to smother a rebound.  The Jolly Rogers’ goalie saw some action too, but stopped everything that came his way.  They doubled their score as they snuck the ball past Huston a second time.  After some strategic passing, the Jolly Rogers fired the ball at Huston, and it sailed into the net for their third and final goal of the night.  The Last Picks weren’t going to go quietly.  With seconds left on the clock, senior Zack Wieliczkiewiz smashed the ball past the Jolly Rogers’ goalie, notching the Last Picks their only tally.

The Last Picks don’t let their losing record get them down, claiming they are all just in it for the fun.  “We have to be here for fun – we don’t win enough,” Wieliczkiewiz said.

“Winning would be nice,” said Last Picks sophomore Chris Young.  “But I’m not going to lose any sleep over losing a game.”

Mamahoohoo picks up shutout in Intramural Soccer

It was a battle between Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Mamahoohoo on Thursday, April 21, but in the end, Mamahoohoo prevailed.  In the beginning, there were a lot of turnovers by both teams, so there weren’t many shots on goal.  Eventually, some fancy footwork and well-placed shots gave Mamahoohoo goals number one and two.  After halftime, Mamahoohoo picked up goals three and four, so ATP changed their faculty-member goalie.  “CP’s still the man,” said ATP’s captain, freshman Quinn Verfaillie. “Look how old he is!”  Regardless, Mamahoohoo was able to rack up one more goal before the end of the game and kept ATP scoreless with a final score of 5-0.  “We were playing pretty well, but we were too clustered,” Verfaillie said.  “They were passing all around us.”

Bump, set, smash! Intramural volleyball

Team Smash Bang Fusion played like a well-oiled, three-piece machine when they bumped, set, and spiked their way to victory against Team Warriors on Thursday, April 14.  They dominated their opponents 25-16 for the first game of the best-of-three match.  Their superior spikes, well-placed sets, and unreturned serves gave them the edge, even though they only had three teammates to the Warriors’ five, and the Warriors could substitute their players.  Game two saw great volleys and impressive serves from both sides, but the Warriors fell just short of victory.  Smash Bang Fusion took the game 25-22, winning the three-game match in two.

Balls in action: Intramural dodgeball

Team King of Battle was hoping for a war against Team Bloodbath & Beyond on Thursday, April 14, but the Bloodbath was MIA, giving the Kings an automatic win.  However, they didn’t let their lack of opponents keep them from getting their game on.  The ROTC-comprised team grabbed a few random bystanders, including the referee, and threw and dodged with all of the intensity of a real game. Colored balls flew everywhere, and players hit the floor as they kept from being hit. King of Battle fully utilized their practice opportunity, but they didn’t take each other too seriously, as there were continuous smiles and joke trash talking.

Sweeping the ice: Intramural broomball

Slipping and sliding all over the ice, Team Mickey’s was able to edge out Team OG’s 1-0 on Thursday, April 14.  Through a series of spectacular passes, the Mickey’s were able to score the lone goal of the game.  The OG’s nearly came back with a goal of their own, but the Mickey’s goalie got control of the ball just before it passed through his legs.  The Mickey’s dominated the game and kept the ball in the OG’s zone, keeping the OG’s goalie on his knees. The OG’s made a good effort trying to get a goal, even when facing the difficulty of back-to-back penalties late in the game.

Strikes, spares, and sexual innuendoes: Intramural bowling

Foster Kids were set to take on Dragonslayers Who Dream Big, Thursday, April 7, but most of the Dragonslayers weren’t there. This gave the Foster Kids an automatic win. Tony Foster, an avid bowler, gave his teammates pointers between games. “Bowling at Wood Center is challenging because the lanes are really dry and short,” Foster said, referring to the oil pattern on the lanes. “Dry and short” means that the oil only goes about halfway down the lane, whereas other lanes’ oil stretches the whole length of the lane. After throwing a gutter ball, Foster apologized. “He [captain Justin Renner] made a sexual joke,” Foster said. “It threw me off. You know, you’d think we’d bowl better because we all work here, but we kinda suck.”

Getting’ down on the linoleum gridiron: Intramural flag football

Essayons tried to battle against Hippopananomous Thursday, April 7, but they were missing two players, giving Hippopananomous a seven-on-five man advantage. Right off the bat, Hippopananomous scored a touchdown. With nearly every possession, Essayons was blocked or intercepted by their opponents. At the end of the half, Hippopananomous led 30-6. Essayons started the second half with the ball, but Hippopananomous easily grabbed another interception, converting their possession into a touchdown. Only once in the half did Essayons break through Hippopananomous’ defenses, bringing the final score to 54-12. “Having two extra players overwhelmed their defense, offense, special teams,” said captain Gavin Bleggert. “It wasn’t fair at all.”

Goalies can’t be solved: Intramural soccer

It was a battle between goalies Casey Peterson of Team Rocket and Gary Olsen-Saville of Getting Headers on Thursday, April 7. For 40 minutes, both teams played strong and had many scoring opportunities, but Peterson and Olsen-Saville were unrelenting. Both made diving saves throughout the night, stopping everything coming at them. The score ended in a tie. Olsen-Saville was disappointed that his team wasn’t able to come out on top. “Ties suck,” he said.

West named D-II men’s basketball player of the year

Senior Parrish West was recently named the Ron Lenz National Player of the Year.  He led the NCAA Division II with 27.2 points per game this season.  West also earned a first-team spot on the Daktronics All-American team.  He is the second player in Alaska history to earn both of these honors.  West traveled to Springfield, Mass. For the 2011 Reese’s Division II College All-Star Game March 25.  “I’m proud of Parrish and his accomplishments,” said UAF head coach Clemon Johnson.  “Now we can tell recruits, ‘Not only do we play [basketball in Alaska], but we had the best player in the nation.’”

Alaskananooks.com

Nanook hockey player goes pro

It was recently announced that defenseman and junior Joe Sova signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.  He will start out by playing for the Albany Devils, New Jersey’s farm team.  He’ll have a couple of years to prove that he’s ready to play at that level.  “I’m excited for him,” said UAF head coach Dallas Ferguson.  “He’s a good example of a guy who put the work in to accomplish his goals.”  Sova was the Nanooks’ top offensive defenseman this season, after tallying four goals and 20 assists.

Alaskananooks.com

CCHA hockey format changing for 2013-14 season

Despite the name, the Big Ten only has five schools with hockey programs, preventing them from forming their own hockey conference, as the NCAA requires at least six teams per conference.  However, Big Ten announced March 21 that Penn State is adding hockey programs, giving the Big Ten its sixth needed team for the 2013-14 season.  Their conference will take Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State from the CCHA, leaving Alaska only seven other opponents.  The Big Ten will also take two teams from the WCHA.  This affects UAF because the Big Ten teams create a lot of revenue; most of the remaining CCHA teams are smaller schools.  “We’re headed into uncharted waters,” said UAF head coach Dallas Ferguson.  “No one knows what the outcome will be, but it’s good to see another program added because it creates about 50 new hockey opportunities.”

Collegehockeynews.com

Hockey season over after second round of playoffs

After defeating Michigan State in the first round of the CCHA playoffs, the Nanooks headed to Oxford, Ohio to face Miami for round two, March 11 and 12.  Two nights in a row, Alaska took the first goal of the game, but was shut down by the Red Hawks 4-1.  In Friday’s game, senior Bryant Molle tallied the only goal for the Nanooks.  In Saturday’s game, that honor went to sophomore Chad Gehon.  Both nights, Miami doubled Alaska’s shots on goal: they outshot the Nanooks 36-18 on Friday, and 36-15 on Saturday.  The season may be over for Alaska, but the Nanooks still picked up conference awards.  Senior Kevin Petovello received the Terry Flanagan Memorial Award at the CCHA Awards banquet March 17 in recognition of his perseverance, dedication and courage while overcoming severe adversity.  He sustained a knee injury, but only missed three games as a result.  He finished his career with 20 goals and 30 assists in 127 career games.  Junior Scott Greenham earned a spot on the CCHA All-Conference second team.  He played 1699:24 minutes this season, more than any other goaltender in the CCHA, and has the second highest amount of saves with 898.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Rifle team takes sixth place at nationals

Six Nanook shooters voyaged to Columbus, Ga. March 11 and 12 for the NCAA Rifle Championships.  Senior Cody Rutter, sophomores Aaron Holsopple and Cole Bures, and freshmen Michael Liuzza and Anna Hjelmevoll made up the five-member Alaska team. Senior Ida Peterson represented Alaska as an individual for the smallbore competition.  Rutter led the Nanooks on the first day of competition with his 580 score in smallbore.  On day two, Hjelmevoll’s 592 in air rifle made her the only Nanook to make it to a 10-shot final.  She shot 102.2 in the final and placed fourth of the eight shooters.  Alaska finished fifth in smallbore and sixth in air rifle, giving them an overall sixth-place finish.  Rutter had the second highest average in the nation this past month, so he earned a spot on the US National Team.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Pavlovskaya swims solo at nationals

Senior Mariya Pavlovskaya took the trip to San Antonio, Texas by herself March 9-12 for the NCAA Division II Championships, as she was the lone Nanook to qualify.  She competed in the 200 Yard IM on day one, but didn’t qualify for either a final or consolation final.  She swam much faster in the 400 Yard IM on day two, qualifying for a consolation final and a 13th place finish.  On the last day of competition, she swam in the 100 Yard Breaststroke and the 200 Breaststroke.  With the 200 Breaststroke, she qualified for the final and swam the fastest of her career and just shy of her lifetime best, earning a 12th place finish.  She earned All-American certificates in the 200 Breaststroke and 400 Yard IM, giving her eight over the course of her career.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Weather makes nationals tough for skiers

Stowe, Vt. hosted five Alaska skiers for the 2011 NCAA Championships March 9-12.  Junior Lex Treinen, sophomore Tyler Kornfield, and freshman David Norris represented the Nanooks on the men’s side, and junior Theresia Schnurr and sophomore Rachaela Sieber represented for the women.  Norris led the Nanooks on the first day with a team-high 12th place finish.  Day two was tough because of challenging weather conditions.  It was warm and wet, so a lot of skiers had troubles getting the wax just right on their skis, including Treinen, Schnurr and Sieber.  “It’s frustrating; it’s not a good feeling as a coach to know that you didn’t get the wax right,” said head coach Scott Jerome.  “But that happens in ski racing.”  Overall, the Nanooks finished 13th as a team.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Athletes honored for academic achievements

As sports seasons come to a close, conferences are acknowledging hard work in the classroom.  All-Academic athletes include: Nicole Bozek – with a 3.79 GPA, this is the second nod of her career – and Britney Anderson of women’s basketball; Kinsey Laine and Courtney Nichols of swimming; and Alex Morris, David Norris, John Parry, Ray Sabo, Erik Soderstrom, Lex Treinen, Heather Edic, Rebecca Konieczny, Marit Rjabov, Theresia Schnurr – who holds the top GPA of the skiers, and Raphaela Sieber of skiing.  To earn All-Academic honors, athletes must have at least a 3.5 GPA (3.2 for basketball) and have clocked a certain amount of playing time.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Pavlovskaya swims to nationals

Senior Mariya Pavlovskaya will represent the Nanooks at the NCAA Division II Championships March 9-12 in Palo Alto, Texas.  She finished the season with six “B” cut times, which are times that held the possibility of acceptance at nationals, provided a strong performance at the conference championships.  She will compete in the 200 Breaststroke and 400 yard IM and can choose two more events to compete in.  Her options are: the 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 200 IM, and 1650 Freestyle.  This is Pavlovskaya’s third trip to nationals, and she is a six-time All-American.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Vermont to welcome Nanook skiers

Five Nanook skiers will represent Alaska at the NCAA Skiing Championships March 9-12 in Stowe, Vt.  Freshman David Norris, junior Lex Treinen, and sophomore Tyler Kornfield will represent the men, and sophomore Raphaela Sieber and junior Theresia Schnurr will represent the women.  Sieber was the top point getter in the CCSA.  “Raphaela has had a very good season,” said head coach Scott Jerome.  “Watching her train last year, we knew she was the real deal.  She’s been very consistent for s this season.”  After coaching the Nanooks for seven seasons, Jerome was named the CCSA’s Men’s Coach of the Year.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

National rifle team chosen

To determine the final member of the five-member rifle team for Nationals, coach Dan Jordan held a match on Feb. 19. The match was essentially between Scott Franz and Aaron Holsopple, but other team members also shot for the fun of it. At the end of the day, Holsopple out shot Franz 576-574 in air rifle and 582-573 in smallbore. He will join teammates Cody Rutter, Cole Bures, Anna Hjelmevoll and Mike Liuzza in Georgia, March 11 and 12. Ida Peterson used the match as her key to qualifying as an individual All-American in the smallbore competition. Before this match, she had been one meet shy of qualifying. Being an All-American means that she is one of the top four shooters in the nation for smallbore.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Women’s basketball ends with loss to rivals

The Nanooks women’s basketball season is officially over, ending with a 70-40 loss to the UAA Seawolves on Feb. 24. Alaska kept the game close throughout the first half by playing extraordinary defense. They held the lead until 7:12 in the half, but lost momentum after that. What kept the Nanooks down was their shooting. As a team, they shot 20.4 percent for the game. Senior Nicole Bozek led the team with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Alaska ended the season with just one win: a 76-71 victory over Central Washington on Jan. 6.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Men’s basketball gives seniors a sad farewell

The Nanooks men’s basketball team lost to the UAA Seawolves in the rivalry games Feb. 22 and 23. Feb. 22 was Senior Night for the Nanooks. Alaska kept the game even with the Seawolves throughout the first half, but UAA was able to take over the second half and win the game 74-65. The following night, the Seawolves, fueled by the energy of their 721-member crowd and home-court advantage, dominated the perimeter and took a 118-82 win against the Nanooks. This loss knocked the Nanooks out of playoff contention, so their season is now over.

Source: Alaskananooks.com

Women skiers take first

In Houghton, Mich., Alaska’s women’s ski team claimed the CCSA regional title against Northern Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 19. Junior Theresia Schnurr and sophomore Raphaela Sieber, whose consistent performances kept Alaska on top, led the Nanooks. The men came in second, and the Nanooks placed second overall. “It was a solid team effort today,” said head coach Scott Jerome. “It was really exciting to see some different people step up and have some good races.” Alaska now gets to play the waiting game, as they will find out who qualifies for next month’s NCAA Championships sometime this week.

Swimmers splash to fourth place

In Long Beach, Calif., Alaska’s swim team took fourth place at the Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Championships on Saturday, Feb. 19. The championships began Feb. 16, and with each passing day, the Nanooks swam stronger. On day one, Alaska earned a second-place finish in the 200 Medley Relay, the best in school history. On day two, the Nanooks swam their way to seventh place overall. On day three, Alaska moved up to sixth place, led by senior Mariya Pavlovskaya with a second-place finish in the 400 Yard IM. The Nanooks swam their best on day four to place fourth overall.

Women’s basketball loses chance at playoffs

After a 43-55 loss to Simon Fraser on Feb. 17, women’s basketball is officially out playoff hopes.  Freshman Ciara Patton led the team with 11 points, but it wasn’t enough to get the Nanooks a win.  The Alaska women attempted to give Western Washington their first loss of the season on Feb. 19, but they were shot down in a 44-68 loss.  Senior Nicole Bozek led in scoring with 11 points, but only shot 3-for-13.  The Nanooks will take on Alaska Anchorage on the road on Feb. 24 for their last game of the season

In the farthest east game played since 1993, the no. 4 regional-seeded Nanooks took on the no. 1-seeded Boston College for their NCAA championships’ semi-final debut. On Friday, the Nooks lost the historic game in Worcester, Massachusetts, 3-1, but most were more proud to have made it there than anything. This was the UAF Nanooks’ first appearance at an NCAA Division I tournament.

During a power play in the second period, the Nanooks made their only goal in the tournament. Freshman Andy Taranto, who didn’t make it to the CCHA playoffs, scored the goal, tying the score at one.

Early in the third period, Boston put another puck into the Nanooks’ net. The Nooks responded with a gut-wrenching crossbar clank that never made it in the goal. With 12 seconds remaining in the game, the Boston Eagles were awarded their third goal of the night.

Goalie Scott Greenham made 29 saves throughout the night. Senior Dion Knelsen was the player who assisted rookie Taranto’s goal. Dustin Sather had the unlucky crossbar shot in the third period.

The Nooks were out of the running, but the trip across the country for the Division I tournament will not soon be forgotten. Fans crowded the Patty Center this weekend to watch a big screen-televised game, and some even followed the team to Massachusetts.

“I was real proud of the way our team competed for our first time being in the tournament, how they handled themselves in this environment,” Coach Dallas Ferguson said in a Nanook press release.

Rifle: Don’t mess with Texas

A shot at the Alaska Rifle Team’s 11th NCAA Championship title was lost on the last day after an air rifle competition. Just the day before when the Nanooks won the Team Smallbore Competition, it looked like they’d be taking home another title. But on Saturday, the championship hosts, the all-female Texas Christian University Horned Frogs, surprised every one, especially the West Virginia Mountaineers, when they showed all the boys how to shoot, and took the championship.

On Friday, the smallbore team including Patrik Sartz, Billy Galligan, Jace Bures and Cody Rutter, led the field with a 2,320, six points above their nearest competitors – the Horned Frogs. Patrik Sartz was the only Nanook to make the top eight of the individual Smallbore Championship, coming in second.

The smallbore champions could not keep their groove the next day at the Team Air Rifle Competition. The Nanook team, consisting of Bures, Sartz, Rutter and Dustin Chesebro took sixth place with a score of 2,333 – 28 points behind the lead Horned Frogs. Also with 2,333 points in fifth place were the number-one ranked Mountaineers, who took third place overall.

Hockey: Out in second round

The Alaska Hockey Team headed to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs in Marquette, Michigan this past week, and soon found themselves out of the running.

Against the fourth-seeded Northern Michigan Wildcats on both Friday and Saturday, the number five Nanooks fell twice, despite outshooting their opponents both games.

On Friday the Alaska team could not get past the Wildcats goalie until the second half of the game, when they were already four goals behind. Of the three goals the Nooks made in the last half, two were during power plays, scored by Dustin Sather and Bryant Molle. Nik Yaremchuk made his goal in between theirs, during an evenly matched ice field. The game ended 4-3, Wildcats.

Saturday’s game got off to an even slower beginning, with Northern Michigan’s first goal in the beginning of the second period. Alaska did not come up with a response until the early third period – their only goal of the night, and lost the game 5-1. Aaron Gens put it in with assistance from Joe Sova and Dion Knelsen.

Dion Knelsen has had a big week in the CCHA, with a nomination as Alaska’s CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and getting an honorable mention to the conference’s All-Tourney team along with rookie teammate Andy Taranto.

Swimming: Pavlovskiya gets honors

Mariya Pavlovskiya and Felina Rosadiuk were the two lone UAF swimmers to make it to the NCAA Swimming Division II Championships in Ohio last week. Pavlovskiya earned wide recognition for her medley skills, while Rosadiuk’s freestyle outdid many nationally ranked swimmers.

Pavlovskiya earned three All-American Honorable Mentions after finishing 11th in the 200-yard Individual Medley, ninth in the 400-yard IM and 14th in the 200-yard backstroke. The spots brought her career All-American honors to a total of six.

In Rosadiuk’s first championships, she finished just two seconds short of the finals cut in her 200-yard freestyle event, and ranked about halfway down the list in her other preliminary freestyle events. The team finished 28th out of 40.

Skiing: Strong start, turns downhill

In early March, four Nanooks were chosen to compete at the NCAA Championships in Colorado. The four were senior Aurelia Korthauer, junior John Parry, sophomore Theresia Schnurr and freshman Tyler Kornfield.

On the first day of competition, Korthauer outranked her teammates, coming in 11th in the Women’s 5K classic race. Schnurr followed about 12 seconds behind her for a 15th place finish on Thursday.

In the Men’s 10K classic race, Parry took the top Alaska place, arriving at the finish line with a 22nd place finish. Kornfield came in slightly behind by not quite eight seconds, and in 25th.

Saturday wasn’t Alaska’s day in Colorado, however. The high altitude probably contributed to the lower placings in both the Women’s 15K and the Men’s 20K Freestyle races. Korthauer made it in at 26th, and Schnurr at 37th out of 38. Kornfield took 31st, while Parry followed in at 35th.

While the season is done, Coach Scott Jerome plans on taking some of his team to the Canadian Nationals coming up in Whitehorse.

Men’s Basketball

The men’s team went up hard against their Anchorage rivals on Wednesday night. In a game where the Nanooks and Seawolves traded baskets and runs all night long, the Seawolves came out on top, 81-78, after a missed three-pointer from senior Emmanuel Jenkins in the final seconds.

Juniors Joe Powell and Kyle Smith were two of the top scorers for the Nooks on Wednesday, a change of pace for the 2-12 in-conference record team. Facing UAA’s 7-7 record, Powell put up 19 points, while Smith contributed 11. Jenkins added 18 points for his team, really coming alive in the second half.

The Nooks and Seawolves tied up 10 times and changed leads seven times throughout the game due to diligent defenses on both sides. Powell and junior Nash Maynard each contributed eight rebounds to the Nanooks’ total of 34, one more than Anchorage’s total.

The final two games for the men will be at home against Seattle Pacific on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

Anchorage’s nationally recognized team once again shut down the Fairbanks women. In the first five minutes of the game, the lady Nanooks got a taste of what was on the menu for the rest of the night. scoring only two of the 17 points on the scoreboard. Despite Lakeshia Levi’s 17 points and seven rebounds, Anchorage won 98-46.

The UAF women proved their versatility when their two shortest players, freshman Adrienne Beans and sophomore Denise Benavides, pulled down five rebounds each. With Fairbanks’ seven players against UAA’s 14, the adaptable team didn’t have much of a chance.

This week, the women face Seattle Pacific on Thursday at 5:15 p.m., and Northwest Nazarene on Saturday at 5:15 p.m at the Patty Center for their final games.

Men’s Basketball

The Nanook men’s second in-conference win this season saved a road trip after an earlier loss. At St. Martin’s University on Thursday, the Nanooks failed to stay afloat as they battled the Saints for a lead. With six lead changes in the first 10 minutes of the second half, the Washington team finally took charge with 10:43 left on the clock. Taking the Nooks on a 28-11 run for the rest of the game, the Saints came out on top, 95-71.

Thursday’s bummer called for some kind of response from the Alaskan team so on Saturday afternoon against the Western Oregon Wolves, they came up with one. Up against the one-rank-higher Wolves, the Nanooks bounced out of a hole they had been stuck in for awhile. Senior Jon Moe’s rollercoaster-like season hit a peak when he scored a career-high 37 points for his team.

A tumultuous first half with runs on both sides of the court left the Nanooks behind 49-41. In the second half, the fired up Nooks took off like rockets and didn’t look back after 15:55. Great contributions from Moe, senior Emmanuel Jenkins with 25 points, junior Nash Maynard with 11 points and 14 rebounds, and junior Joe Powell with 11 points and 10 rebounds helped win the game, 95-83.

Women’s Basketball

Two losses were added to the Nanook women’s slump last weekend. Thursday night started as a tight race to the basket between the sixth-ranked St. Martin’s and ninth-ranked Alaska. 11 lead changes in the first half kept the ladies on their toes, and sent them to the locker room at the half up by one, 37-36. In the second half, the Saints pushed ahead and left the Nooks behind for a while. The Nanooks managed to work up enough fury to put them ahead two points, but lost it again at the end, when the Saints took them on an 8-0 run. Although freshman Adrienne Beans stepped up her game, contributing six three-pointers, the Nooks lost 80-74.

The Nooks followed their Thursday loss up with another against Western Oregon on Saturday. The Wolves outran the Nooks from the very beginning. By the half, the Oregon team was up 21 points. Senior Lakeshia Levi’s game-high eight rebounds didn’t pull enough weight. The fifth-ranked Oregon team easily took the game, 102-61.

Skiing

Five Alaska skiers were named to the Central Collegiate Ski Association All-Conference Teams this past week. Four women, including undefeated senior Aurelia Korthauer (the only Nanook to make it to the first team), seniors Anna Coulter and Julia Pierson and sophomore Theresia Schnurr made the honors, while junior John Parry made it to the men’s second team.

On Saturday, freshman Tyler Kornfield qualified for the 2010 NCAA Skiing Championships after earning fourth place at Michigan Tech University’s 10-kilometer classic race. Aurelia Korthauer’s record became tarnished as she took a tumble down a hill, but she still managed to finish for fifth place.

Men’s Basketball

Although things were looking up last week as the Nanooks took their first GNAC win at home against the Saints, the Alaska men could not keep their head up on the road. In Idaho, up against the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders, an early run in the first half left the Nanooks choking on dust.

The half started well, and the Nooks were up by one with 8:42 left on the clock. Apparently, the Crusaders were offended by the lead, and galloped ahead, making a scoring run of 22-9 in the final minutes of the first half. The score was 46-33 at the half, but the Alaska team led by 2 in rebounds. In the second half, the Nanooks caught up within nine points, and then watched the Crusader’s lead get carried away to 21 points.

The Nooks racked up their fifth in-conference game loss 86-70. Seniors Emmanuel Jenkins and Jon Moe and junior Nashorn Maynard all contributed double digits to the team’s score with 17,15 and 15 respectively.

In Seattle the next night, the Nooks faced off with the Seattle Pacific Falcons and about 1,500 fans. The Nanooks seemed shut out early in the game, 19 points behind at one point, but pulled it together enough to go into the half trailing by 10. In the second half, the Alaska men pulled up short, eight points behind at the closest score. The Falcons flew off with the lead, winning 88-68. Maynard led the Nooks’ scoreboard with 19 points, and Jenkins followed with 16.

Wednesday they take on the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets for the second time this season.

Ice Hockey

The Nanooks took their sticks to Michigan this past week, looking for a Wildcat beating. What they found was less than their hopes. On Friday, the team tied Northern Michigan for the third time this season, but the Wildcats pulled out of the rut on Saturday with a win.

Friday night, the Wildcats made their two points early on in the first and second periods. Junior Dustin Sather answered shortly afterward with assistance from Carlo Finucci and Bryant Molle. In the third period, sophomore Aaron Gens put it in to tie the score, 2-2. The overtime offered no points to either side, and was followed by a 2-0 Wildcat win in the shootout.

On Saturday, Northern Michigan made three quick points in the first period, with no answer from the Nooks. It wasn’t until the second period that sophomore Ron Meyers’ goal gave the Nanooks the slight lift they wanted. With only seconds left in the game, senior Dion Knelsen made his 100th point to up the score to 3-2, where it ended.

The Nanooks will be back home Feb. 5 and 6 to face the Michigan State Spartans at 7:05 p.m. Friday and 6:05 Saturday.

Women’s Basketball

Senior Ronisha Edwards’ career-high 29 points was not enough for the Nanook women to pull out of their slump Thursday night. Up against the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders, the Nooks were taken on a ride as the Crusaders scored 37 points to Alaska’s two in the first half. In the second half, the Crusaders pulled farther ahead on a 20-6 run. The game ended 91-56, the 16th loss of the season for the Nooks.

Saturday in Seattle against the Falcons, the Nanooks had an extreme shooting drought. Behind 14-37 at halftime, the Nooks finished up losing 44-86. Again, Edwards led the Nooks’ scoreboard with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Jessica Harrison was the second contributor with eight points.

The Nanooks return to Fairbanks to host rivals Alaska Anchorage on Feb. 3 at 7 p.m.