Grace’s Aalbue Named NCCAA Player Of The YearWINONA LAKE - In just one year, Grace College women’s soccer freshman JJ Aalbue has grabbed the attention of the national soccer community.
Aalbue was honored as the NCCAA National Player of the Year after a record-setting season for the Lady Lancers. The freshman scored 17 goals with 18 assists in 23 games
Aalbue’s 18 assists led all players in the Crossroads League and ranked No. 7 in the NAIA. Additionally, that mark set the program record for most assists in a single season. After just one season, Aalbue already ranks in Grace’s top 10 for career assists.
Aalbue was one of four Lady Lancers to be named NCCAA/USC All-Americans. Hannah Tkacz and Cassidy Wasson were also First Team All-American honorees, and Sacia Hanson was a NCCAA Second Team All-American.
Tkacz and Aalbue were also honorable mention for NAIA All-American. Tkacz was a mainstay for Grace’s defense, helping the Lady Lancers post 10 shutouts for the season. Tkacz, who had a goal and an assist, was one of six players to start all 23 matches.
Wasson and Hanson also started all 23 matches in Grace’s midfield. Wasson had seven goals and five assists while playing in central midfield, and Hanson had two goals and seven assists while playing out wide.
In the classroom, Grace had seven players recognized as NCCAA Scholar-Athletes. Tkacz and Wasson joined Liz Aalbue, Taylor Binkerd, McKenna Cruz, Riley Koch and Liz Van Wormer as Scholar-Athlete recipients.
Aalbue is the second Lady Lancer to be named NCCAA Player of the Year, following Mallory Rondeau’s honor in 2014.
Hill ends career as an All-American
WINONA LAKE – Alexa Hill wrapped up her sterling career with Grace’s volleyball team with a few more national awards.
Hill was named NCCAA Third Team All-American after her four-year career as a setter for the Lady Lancers. She also earned a spot on the AVCA/NAIA All-Region Team.
Additionally, she was honored to the prestigious CoSIDA Academic All-America Team. CoSIDA recognizes student-athletes for both athletic and academic achievements. Hill was a 3.99 GPA major in elementary education. She was the only Crossroads League representative on the seven-member First Team.
Hill recently became the first two-time recipient of the NCCAA Susan R. Hellings Award. She wrapped up her career with 4,537 career assists, ranking second in Grace history. The three-time First Team All-Crossroads League honoree also added 1,361 career digs.
She joined four other Lady Lancers to be named NCCAA Scholar-Athletes, including Makayla Bell, Gabbey Harrington, Caroline Mayer and Deborah Michalski.
Drake picks up third Player of Week honor
WINONA LAKE – For the third time this week, Vironnica Drake has earned a Player of the Week honor for Grace’s women’s basketball team.
Drake earned the weekly honor from the Crossroads League on Monday. She scored the game-winning basket with 4.9 seconds remaining to upset No. 20 Olivet Nazarene on the road. Drake had a double-double of 21 points and 10 boards in the victory.
Grace has now upset two straight Top-25 teams and is off to its best start (10-2) in program history. Drake is a big reason for that success, producing a career-best 19.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.7 steals per game.
Grace beats Westcliff in California
FULLERTON, Calif. - Grace’s men’s basketball team extended its winning streak to five with a 78-68 victory at Westcliff on Monday.
The Lancers (9-3) were led by Matt Jennings, who scored 23 points with five assists and four rebounds.
The first half was evenly played. The Warriors (1-15) were ahead 17-16 midway through the half before Jennings hit back-to-back 3-pointers.
Grace held a small lead for much of the half after Jennings’s triples. The Lancers led by as many as six after Myles Johnson scored in the paint with 1:54 remaining.
Westcliff scored six points over the final 90 seconds to trim the deficit to 38-36 by halftime.
Jennings enjoyed 14 points in the opening half. Grace committed only four turnovers in the first 20 minutes, helping offset a 20-13 disadvantage in rebounds.
Grace’s defense turned in a strong performance in the second half; the Warriors were held to just 32 points on 27-percent shooting.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Grace erupted with 10 straight points. Jaret Sons put the exclamation mark on the run with 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, putting the Lancers on top 54-42.
The Warriors trailed by double figures for the rest of the contest. Grace led by as many as 18 before coasting to the final 10-point margin of victory.
Sons scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, hitting three triples to go along with five boards.
Haden Deaton finished with 11 points and four rebounds, Charlie Warner had 10 points, and Johnson added seven points and four boards.
Grace was efficient shooting the ball, making 49 percent from the floor, 42 percent on 3-pointers and 83 percent from the free throw line.
The Lancers end their California trip on Tuesday with a game against San Diego Christian. Tipoff is scheduled for 10 p.m. (EST).
The Lady Lancers, who are receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, are at home Friday against Concordia at 7 p.m.
