FAIRBANKS – The Alaska cross country and skiing programs celebrated the 2013-14 athletic seasons by handing out its end-of-year individual awards on Sunday evening.
The Nanooks' coaching staffs presented their Teammate of the Year award, which is voted on by the student-athletes and Most Improved award, which is determined by the coaches.
Junior
Kenneth Brewer (Chugiak, Alaska/Biological Sciences) led the way by taking home three laurels, as he was named Most Improved for both men's cross country and men's skiing, while landing Teammate of the Year for men's skiing.
For the second straight year, junior
Ross MacDougall (Astoria, Ore./Foreign Language) was named Teammate of the Year for men's cross country in a vote by his teammates. On the women's cross country side, freshman
Dorothy O'Donnell (Fairbanks, Alaska/Biological Sciences) garnered Teammate of the Year while fellow rookie
Sarah Lilly (Fairbanks, Alaska/Biological Sciences) earned the Most Improved award.
In addition to Brewer's award for men's skiing, women's skiing announced sophomore
Kryston McPhetres (Chugiak, Alaska/Emergency Management) as the Teammate of the Year and freshman
Hannah Stevens (Eagle River, Alaska/Civil Engineering) was tabbed Most Improved.
The Nanooks' running and skiing programs will announce their Most Valuable Players and Scholar-Athletes next Friday, May 2 at the Alaska Nanooks All-Sports Awards Banquet.
In addition to team awards, both the men's and women's cross country teams were recently recognized by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
Both squads were named to the 2013 USTFCCCA Division II Cross Country All-Academic Teams for garnering better than a 3.0 combined grade-point average.
The women's squad compiled a 3.64 GPA, which was tied for the highest GPA in both the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and NCAA West Region with Seattle Pacific. Their GPA also ranked tied for eighth among all Division II institutions.
For the men, they put together a 3.45 GPA, which was highest men's average in the conference and region. Their GPA also ranked ninth in the entire country for men's cross country.
Men's Cross CountryTeammate of the Year:
Ross MacDougallMost Improved:
Kenneth Brewer Women's Cross CountryTeammate of the Year:
Dorothy O'DonnellMost Improved:
Sarah Lilly Men's SkiingTeammate of the Year:
Kenneth BrewerMost Improved:
Kenneth Brewer Women's SkiingTeammate of the Year:
Kryston McPhetresMost Improved:
Hannah Stevens
