The 2008-09 season was a banner year for the Golden State Athletic Conference, as evidenced in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings, which recognizes the best overall athletic programs in the NCAA and NAIA based on showings in national tournaments and meets. Azusa Pacific received the top award for the NAIA for a record-tying fifth time and was joined by Concordia, Fresno Pacific, and California Baptist in the Top 5. The GSAC had 5 teams in the top 7 and a total of 9 conference teams made the rankings. The GSAC won a conference-record 5 NAIA Championships in 2008-09, bringing the total to 33 national titles since the conference began in 1986. NAIA Champions of Character Team Awards were given to Westmont for women’s basketball (division I) and to Point Loma Nazarene for baseball. In addition, National Coach of the Year honors were given to 5 GSAC coaches and NAIA Player of the Year awards were given to 5 GSAC athletes. To see complete award lists for each sport, use the sports links on the left, and then click on Awards.

NAIA LEARFIELD DIRECTORS’ CUP STANDINGS
(complete standings)

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Filed under: Baseball, GSAC Sports, Men's Basketball, Men's Cross Country, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Men's Track and Field, Softball, Volleyball, Women's Basketball, Women's Cross Country, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field by spine
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Major League Baseball conducted its 2009 draft, and 7 GSAC players were drafted, which are listed below. To see a complete list of drafted NAIA players, go to www.naia.org and for the complete draft, go to www.mlb.com.

No. 403 (13th round) by Chicago White Sox – Cameron Bayne, Concordia (Jr. RHP)
No. 419 (14th round) by Cincinnati Reds – Timothy Crabbe, Westmont (Jr. RHP)
No. 577 (19th round) by Los Angeles Dodgers – Nicholas Akins, Vanguard (Jr. LF)
No. 824 (27th round) by New York Mets – Kurt Steinhauer, Point Loma Nazarene (Sr. OF)
No. 967 (32nd round) by Los Angeles Dodgers – Paul Miller, The Master’s (Sr. LHP)
No. 983 (33rd round) by Seattle Mariners – Hawkins Gebbers, Biola (Sr. 2B)
No. 1497 (50th round) by San Francisco Giants – Kaohi Downing, Point Loma Nazarene (Sr. RHP)

Filed under: Baseball, GSAC Sports by spine
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Out of a possible 6 spring sports, GSAC teams won 3 NAIA championships and finished second in 2 others. The 2009 NAIA champions are Fresno Pacific in men’s tennis, California Baptist in softball, and Azusa Pacific in men’s outdoor track & field and the runners-up are Fresno Pacific in women’s tennis and Point Loma Nazarene in baseball. Many GSAC athletes were honored at the national level on NAIA All-Tournament Teams and as NAIA All-Americans and Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Individual honors were given to California Baptist’sTory Ferreira for NAIA Softball Pitcher of the Year and Ashley Boyd as NAIA Softball Tournament MVP, Natasha Miller of Biola as the Most Valuable Meet Performer for women’s track & field, and Kurt Steinhauer of Point Loma Nazarene was given the NAIA Baseball World Series Charlie Hustle Award. NAIA Coach of the Year honors were awarded to Coach Neil Castro of Fresno Pacific for men’s tennis, Coach Kevin Reid of Azusa Pacific for men’s outdoor track and field, and Coach Mike Smith of California Baptist for softball. The Point Loma Nazarene baseball team received the Buffalo Funds-NAIA 5-Star Champions of Character Team Award

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Filed under: Baseball, GSAC Sports, Men's Tennis, Men's Track and Field, Softball, Women's Tennis, Women's Track and Field by spine
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Point Loma Nazarene finished the 2009 Avista-NAIA World Series as the runner-up, the best finish ever by a GSAC team. The Sea Lions received the Buffalo Funds-NAIA 5-Star Champions of Character Award, which recognizes the team that has best exhibited the five core character values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Servant Leadership and Sportsmanship. A total of 5 Point Loma Nazarene players were selected to the NAIA Baseball All-Tournament Team, and Kurt Steinhauer received the Charlie Hustle Award. To read more, go to www.naia.org.

Avista-NAIA World Series All-Tournament Team

Andrew Bovich, P
Brandon Dixon, P
Wes Kartch, 3B
Kurt Steinhauer, OF – Charlie Hustle Award
Tim Winslow, C

Filed under: Baseball, GSAC Sports by spine
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