Complete GNAC release

SEATTLE – Jessica Pixler and Crystal Sims, who combined for nearly 25 percent of Seattle Pacific's points to help the Falcons win the conference team championship last month, have been the named the Women's Athlete of the Year and Women's Newcomer of the Year for outdoor track by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

Falcons coach Karl Lerum was honored with the Women's Coach of the Year award.

For SPU senior Pixler (Sammamish, Wash/Eastlake HS), it was her 10th GNAC Athlete of the Year award. She won four straight for cross county (2006-09) and indoor track (2007-10), and now has her second for outdoor track. Her previous one for outdoors came after her 2007 freshman year.

In the GNAC meet on May 14-15 at Western Oregon University, Pixler set meet-record times in winning the 800 meters (2:06.38) and 1,500 meters (4:24.01). During the regular season, she set conference marks in those two events (2:04.89 for the 800; 4:11.06 for the 1,500), as well as for the 5,000 (15:44.07). At GNACs, she also anchored Seattle Pacific's victorious 4x400 relay team.

Falcons junior Sims (Portland, Ore.) won the GNAC heptathlon title on May 5 at Central Washington University with 4,769 points, and took four of the seven individual events: the 100 hurdles, 200 meters, shot put and long jump. Then in the conference meet proper, she took second in both the 200 and in the 100 hurdles, was third in the 100 meters, and ran on the winning 4x400 relay.

Altogether, Sims scored 35 individual points – the ninth-highest total in conference history -- and was named Athlete of the Meet at GNACs. Pixler chipped in 20 points as SPU won the title with 224.

Lerum directed the Falcon women to their first conference outdoor championship since 2007. Seattle Pacific won nine of the 21 events, and beat runner-up Western Washington by 34 points for the team title.


GNAC OUTDOOR TRACK AWARDS
Female Athlete of the Year: Jessica Pixler, Seattle Pacific
Female Newcomer of the Year: Crystal Sims, Seattle Pacific
Female Freshman of the Year: Carolanne Powers, Western Oregon
Women's Coach of the Year: Karl Lerum, Seattle Pacific

Male Athlete of the Year: Ryan Brown, Western Washington
Male Newcomer of the Year: Anthony Zackery, Western Washington
Male Co-Freshman of the Year: Anthony Wright, Central Washington and Micah Chelimo, Alaska Anchorage
Men's Coach of the Year: Kelven 'Pee Wee' Halsell, Western Washington