The Northern Light

Issue date: 6/24/08 Section: Sports Briefs

Wunderle earns Academic All-America honors

UAA junior Nordic skier Raphael Wunderle was among 15 honorees named June 13 to the 2007-08 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Men's At-Large Team.

The team, voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America, recognizes the top male student-athletes in terms of both academic and athletic accomplishment from among NCAA Division II and III and NAIA schools.

Wunderle, an engineering major with a 4.0 GPA, was named the 2008 Rocky Mountain Intercollegiate Ski Association Most Valuable Men's Nordic Skier, while earning first team all-conference accolades after recording seven top-5 efforts during the season.  Wunderle also skated to a runner-up result in the men's 10k freestyle at the NCAA West Regional this past season.

Seawolves add trio of talented runners

Michael Friess, head coach of UAA cross country and track and field, announced June 17 the signing of two of the state's top prep runners and the addition of a standout transfer to compete for the Seawolves in 2008-09.

Signing National Letters of Intent are Anchorage's Jaime Bronga and Will Estes, while James Pettigrew has signed a scholarship agreement to transfer to UAA. The three newcomers will compete in both cross country and track and field for the Seawolves.

Bronga produced a pair of top-10 results at the recent 2008 Alaska high school track and field state championships, placing fifth in the 3,200 meters and seventh in the 1,600 meters. The 2008 Cook Inlet Conference runner-up in the 3,200 behind future UAA teammate Shoshana Keegan. Bronga ran to a seventh-place result at the 2007 state cross country championships. A three-time all-state selection in Nordic skiing, Bronga will also compete on the Seawolves' ski team next season.

Estes, who attended West Anchorage High School, captured the 2008 Cook Inlet Conference title in the 3,200 by running to a winning time of 10:02.39. Third in the 1,600 at this past season's regional track meet, Estes went on to place ninth in the 1,600 at the state championships. On the cross country trails last fall, he finished seventh at the state championship meet.

Pettigrew comes to UAA after a stint at RMIT University in Melbourne, where he just completed his Bachelor's of Science degree in construction management. An accomplished runner in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters, his personal-best time of 1:50.38 in the 800 would have won the GNAC title last season and placed him fifth at NCAAs. In 2007 he placed fourth in the 800 at the Zatopek Classic, Australia's premier distance event. Pettigrew, who'll be pursuing his master's degree at UAA, has one year of eligibility with the Seawolves.

Nilsson signs pro contract in Spain

Former UAA basketball standout Maria Nilsson has recently signed a contract to play professionally in Europe, joining the EFMO team in Spain's second division.

Nilsson was a second-team All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference honoree last season as she helped UAA to a 30-5 record and a berth in the NCAA Division II semifinals. The Seawolves' third-leading scorer (9.6 points per game), she shot 38.6 percent from three-point range while sinking a school record of 83 three-pointers.

In her two seasons at UAA, Nilsson was a regular starter for the Seawolves as they posted an overall 53-11 mark, including a pair of Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout titles.

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