Walker repeats GNAC Sportsmanship honor
SPOKANE, Wash. – Alaska Anchorage men’s basketball standout Brandon Walker and Montana State Billings women’s soccer player Samantha Boehm have been selected the winners of the eighth annual Great Northwest Athletic Conference NCAA Sportsmanship awards.
Walker and Boehm are now finalists for the 2011 NCAA Division II National Sportsmanship award, which honors one male and one female athlete (or team) from each of the three NCAA divisions who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Those awards will be announced later this summer.
A senior from Hayward, Calif., Walker was a three-year starter for UAA, earning First Team All-GNAC in 2009-10 and second-team honors in 2010-11. Last season he averaged 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists as the Seawolves went 24-10 and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. For his career he finished No. 8 on UAA’s all-time scoring list with 1,242 points.
Walker becomes the first two-time recipient of the GNAC Sportsmanship Award.
“Throughout his three seasons, Brandon was the consummate team player and represented UAA with the utmost class,” Seawolf coach Rusty Osborne said. “He never committed a technical foul and I cannot remember a single time he evened complained to an official. His mature attitude was a major reason we were able to win 24 games and advance to the NCAA second round this past season.”
Walker also received the Bob Zundel Memorial Trophy – which goes annually to the UAA men’s basketball player who displays the best sportsmanship and integrity – each of the past two seasons.
Walker’s honor makes it four of the past six years that a Seawolf has won the GNAC’s male sportsmanship honor, joining fellow basketball players Eric Draper (2006-07) and Adam Fitt-Chappell (2005-06). Former Seawolves Rebecca Kielpinski (2006-07), Mindy Lindquist (2004-05) and Kamie Jo Massey (2003-04) are former honorees on the women’s side.
Boehm, who never received a yellow or red card in her career, played in 68 games, starting 64 as a defender. She led the Yellowjackets to three NSCAA Team Ethics awards, including two silver awards (2008 and 2010) and one bronze (2009).
GNAC Sportsmanship Award Winners
Men
2003-04 Robert Day, Western Oregon
2004-05 Nathan Carlson, Saint Martin’s
2005-06 Adam Fitt-Chappell, Alaska Anchorage
2006-07 Eric Draper, Alaska Anchorage
2007-08 *Einar Often, Alaska Fairbanks
2008-09 Travis Bunker, Montana State Billings
2009-10 Brandon Walker, Alaska Anchorage
2010-11 Brandon Walker, Alaska Anchorage
Women
2003-04 Kamie Jo Massey, Alaska Anchorage
2004-05 Mindy Lindquist, Alaska Anchorage
2005-06 Meghan Salveson, Seattle
2006-07 Rebecca Kielpinski, Alaska Anchorage
2007-08 *Mallory Holtman, Central Washington
2008-09 Alaska Fairbanks Basketball Team
2009-10 Rachel Hansen, MSU Billings
2010-11 Samantha Boehm, MSU Billings
*National winners
--GoSeawolves.com--
Nate Sagan
Sports Information Director
University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr. / Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / Fax: (907) 563-4565
GoSeawolves.com
