Alaska Nanooks weekly: Aug. 28

August 28, 2018

University Relations

VOLLEYBALL | 2-1 Overall, 0-0 GNAC
LAST WEEK: 2-1 at UAA Invite | THIS WEEK: at D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase (Aug. 31-Sept. 1)
The Alaska Nanooks volleyball team opened the 2018 season in Anchorage last weekend by competing in the University of Alaska Anchorage Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Nooks fell in a five-set battle against Michigan Tech on Friday before earning their first two victories of the season against Western New Mexico (3-1) and Barton (3-0) on Saturday.

Alaska continues nonconference play this weekend by traveling to San Rafael, California to take part in the D2 West Region Showcase, hosted by Dominican University. On Friday, Aug. 31, the Nanooks will take on Cal State Monterey Bay (noon AKT) and Dominican (6:45 p.m. AKT) before facing Point Loma (9:45 a.m. AKT) and Cal State LA (2:15 p.m. AKT) on Saturday, Sept. 1.

Sterling Steward named Alaska Nanooks athletic director
On Monday, UAF named Sterling Steward the Alaska Nanooks director of athletics. Steward replaces Gary Gray, who resigned from the university in December. Steward comes to the Nanooks after serving as the AD for Savannah State University in Savannah, Georgia, an NCAA Division I program. Steward’s first official day with the Nanooks will be Oct. 8. Read more at http://bit.ly/2odAZ79.

UAA invite all-tournament team
On Saturday, redshirt-sophomore outside hitter Tatum Upchurch and sophomore setter Cate Whiting were named to the UAA Invite All-Tournament Team after helping the Nanooks go 2-1 over the weekend. Upchurch registered a team-best 42 kills over the weekend, while also chipping in 31 digs, four assists, four blocks and three aces. Whiting boasted a team-high 108 assists, while also producing 24 digs, 10 kills, a team-best seven aces and seven blocks.

@AlaskaNanooksXC picked eighth and 10th in GNAC preseason poll
Last Thursday, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced that the Alaska Nanooks women’s cross country running team would finis h the 2018 season ranking eighth in the preseason coaches poll, while the men’s team was voted to finish 10th. The poll is voted on by all 11 head coaches from within the conference, with the poll being based on an 11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 scale. The Alaska women move up one spot from last year’s preseason poll and move down one position from where the team concluded the 2017 season, while the men drop two spots lower than last season’s poll.  Read more at http://bit.ly/2P226gQ.

@AlaskaNanooks preseason blog
Each Friday, the Alaska Nanooks will be publishing blog posts from one or more newcomers from each of Alaska’s 10 varsity sports teams throughout their preseason. More sports will join the blog once their first official day of practice begins. Check out the blog posts below:

Follow the Nanooks
Keep up with your favorite Alaska Nanooks teams and players in their weekly practices, community service projects and in-game updates through social media.

Alaska Nanooks: @alaskananooks (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks (Facebook) | alaskananooks  (Instagram)
MXC/WXC & MSKI/WKI: @AlaskaNanooksXC (Twitter) |Alaska Nanooks XC (FB)
HOCKEY: @NanooksHockey (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Hockey (FB)
MBB: @NanooksMBB (Twitter)
RIFLE: Alaska Nanooks Rifle (FB)
SWIM: @NanooksSwim (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Swimming (FB)
VB: @NanooksVB (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Volleyball (FB)
WBB: @NanooksWBB (Twitter) | Alaska Nanooks Women's Basketball (FB)
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks, follow @AlaskaNanooks on Twitter or like the Alaska Nanooks page on Facebook.