Saturday, February 17, 2018

NAMPA, Idaho – Thanks to an impressive victory in the final event, the 4x400-meter relay, Central Washington and Seattle Pacific both claimed a share of the team title at the GNAC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships, which concluded Saturday at the Jacksons Track.

The Wildcats overtook Alaska Anchorage midway through the relay and held off a surge in the final 200 meters by Simon Fraser to win the event and pull into the tie with the Falcons. The team of Sydney Trinidad, Katie Collins, Erykah Weems and Ali Anderson won in a time of 3:50.24, just ahead of Simon Fraser’s 3:50.68.

With both scoring 136 points, Seattle Pacific claimed its 12th women’s indoor title Central Washington became the first team other than SPU and Alaska Anchorage to win a GNAC women’s indoor track team title.

Anderson was selected by coaches the Women’s Track Athlete of the Meet for her victories in the 200 meters and 400 meters as well as her efforts in the 4x400-meter relay. Anderson won the 200 in a time of 25.00 seconds, charging ahead of Seattle Pacific’s Grace Bley (25.08) over the final 50 meters. Anderson claimed the 400-meter title with a time of 55.68 seconds.

Western Washington’s Jasmine McMullin was named the Women’s Field Athlete of the Meet after she claimed the title in both the long jump and triple jump. After winning the long jump on Friday, McMullin set both the GNAC and meet record to win her third championship in the triple jump with a mark of 41 feet, 7.25 inches. The performance was recognized by coaches as the Women’s Performance of the Meet.

Seattle Pacific’s Scout Cai scored 28 points for the Falcons on Friday with her second consecutive championship in the pentathlon (3,610 points), her first title in the pole vault (12-4.75) while also finishing second in the high jump (5-5). In addition to Cai’s two victories, freshman Renick Meyer won the 60 meters with a time of 7.71 seconds.

For Central Washington, Anderson was joined on the victory stand by Mariyah Vongsaveng, who became a two-time champion in the 60-meter hurdles with a season-best time of 8.58 seconds.

Concordia finished third in the team competition with 93 points. The Cavaliers received a meet-record victory on Friday from Christina MacDonald in the weight throw (60-0.25) while Melissa Ausman won the Cavaliers’ third straight title in the shot put (50-1.75). The Cavs also received a title on Friday from Tori Johnson in the high jump (5-7.25).

Alaska Anchorage finished fourth with 83 points. The Seawolves received a championship in the 800 meters from Danielle McCormick, who posted a nearly two-second victory with her time on 2:09.19. Tamara Perez gave UAA its third consecutive champion in the mile as she won in a time of 5:00.52.

Western Washington was fifth with 78 points, followed by Simon Fraser (67 points), Western Oregon (43 points), Saint Martin’s (11 points), Northwest Nazarene (10 points) and Montana State Billings (5 points).

Simon Fraser claimed two titles in the meet. The distance medley relay won on Friday night in a time of 11:37.88 and Julia Howley won the 3,000 meters in a time of 9:47.83. Western Oregon’s Kennedy Rufener won the title in the 5,000 meters in a time of 17:81.64.