Friday, May 23, 2014

ALLENDALE, Mich. - Alaska Anchorage sophomore Karolin Anders finished second in the heptathlon and UAA junior Cody Thomas placed seventh in the decathlon to both earn All-American honors at the NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championship meet Friday at Grand Valley State Stadium.

Joining the two Seawolf athletes as All-Americans was Katelyn Steen of Western Washington, who finished fourth in the women's steeplechase in a time of 10:20.66, shaving 13.74 seconds off her previous best.  Her time was also the second fastest in GNAC history.

Alicia Nelson of Adams State won that event in a remarkable time of 9:54.02, smashing the old meet record of 10:11.48.

Anders had a point total of 5,375 in earning eight team points for the Seawolves in the heptathlon.  Salcia Slack of New Mexico Highlands won the competition with 5,714 points.

Anders had the third best mark in the long jump (18-4 1/4) and the second best performance in the javelin (123-4) before completing Friday's competition by running a 2:22.37 time in the 800 meters.

Her point total moved her into fourth place on the GNAC all-time  performance list.

She is the second athlete in GNAC history to finish second in the heptathlon at the national meet.  Danielle Ayers-Stamper of Seattle Pacific accomplished that feat twice, first in 2003 and again in 2005.  SPU's Ali Worthen won the national title last year with 5,340 points.

Thomas scored 7,189 points to join Chris Randolph of Seattle Pacific as the only athletes in GNAC history to score 7,000 or more points in the multi-events.  Randolph set the GNAC record with 7.872 points in 2006. 

Randolph did lose one of his decathlon GNAC event records Thursday when Thomas won the 400 in a time of 48.21, eclipsing Randolph's record of 48.95.

Thomas' best finish Friday was seventh in the javelin with a throw of 161-7.  He finished eighth in the 1500 (4:44.57), ninth in the 110 hurdles (15.23), 10th in the discus (123-7) and 14th in the pole vault (12-9 1/2) in earning two team points for the Seawolves.

In prelims Friday, McKayla Fricker of Seattle Pacific was the GNAC's only qualifier winning her heat and having  the best time overall (2:07.72) in the women's 800. 

WOMEN: Team Scores (8 of 21 Events) - 1. Grand Valley State 34, 2. New Mexico Highlands 31, 3. Pittsburg State and Central Missouri 21, 5. Adams State 20, 9. Alaska Anchorage 10, 18. Western Washington 5.

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE: 2 p.m. - Javelin  (1. Bethany Drake, WWU, 51.66 – 169-6; 3. Katie Reichert, WWU, 49.59 – 162-8; 8. Seabre Church, WOU, 47.48 – 155-9; 11. Kathryn Walker, SMU, 45.84 – 150-5). 5:30 p.m. - High Jump  (5. Tayler Fettig, CWU, 1.75 – 5-8 ¾).  5:45 p.m. – 1500 (O’Guinn). 7:05 p.m. – 800 (Fricker). 8:30 p.m. - 5000 (10. Joyce Kipchumba, UAA, 16:44.97; 22. Jordan Rehfeld, NNU, 16:57.15).

FRIDAY'S RESULTS: Heptathlon  - 2. Karolin Anders, UAA, 5375 (Day 2: Long Jump - 3rd, 5.59 - 18-4 1/4; Javelin - 2nd, 37.60 - 123-4; 800 - 8th, 2:22.37). 200 Prelims -  22. Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 24.74. 800 Prelims - 1. McKayla Fricker, SPU, 2:07.52 (advances); 13. Sarah Sawatzky, SFU, 2:10.55; 14. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:10.82; 17. Natalie Evans, NNU, 2:11.23. Steeplechase - 4. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:22.66.  4x400 Relay Prelims - 12. Seattle Pacific (Kishia Mitchell, Tasia Baldwin, Jasmine Johnson, McKayla Fricker) 3:46.30. 

THURSDAY'S RESULTS:  Heptathlon -  3. Karolin Anders, UAA, 3,236 (Day 1: 100 Hurdles - 13th, 14.89; High Jump - 2nd, 1.73 - 5-8; Shot Put - 3rd, 11.99  39-4; 200 - 9th, 25.64).  Hammer  - 12. Lindsay Wells, WWU, 51.64 - 169-5.  4x100 Relay Prelims - 12. Alaska Anchorage (Makenzie Harsch, Rosie Smith, Sasha Halfyard, Jamie Ashcroft) 47.46 (did not advance).   1500 Prelims - 9.  Ivy O’Guinn, UAA, 4:29.66 (advances); 20.  Connie Morgan, CWU, 4:43.72.  100 Prelims - 11. Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 11.69.   Steeplechase Prelims  - 1. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:39.10 (advances);  18. Dani Eggleston, CWU, 11:11.88.  10,000 - 7. Joyce Kipchumba, UAA, 35:35.61.

MEN: Team Scores (7 of 21 Events) - 1. Chico State 31, 2. Adams State 25, 3. Ashland 22, 4. Findlay 18, 5. Colorado Mines 13, 28. Alaska Anchorage 2.

SATURDAY'S SCHEDULE: 11 a.m. – Javelin (2. Franz Burghagen, UAA, 69.87 – 229-3; 6. Slater Hirst, WWU, 65.44 – 214-8; 12. Shane Brooks, WOU, 64.49 – 211-7; 16. Justin Larson, WOU, 63.04 – 206-10; 17. John Haskin, WWU, 62.53 – 205-2.).  2:15 p.m. - Shot Put  (5. Frank Catelli, WWU, 18.16 – 59-7).  6:35 p.m. – 100 (Donigian). 

FRIDAY'S RESULTS: Decathlon  - 7. Cody Thomas, UAA, 7189 (Day 2: 110 Hurdles - 9th, 15.23; Discus - 10th, 37.68 - 123-7; Pole Vault - 14th, 3.90 - 12-9 1/2; Javelin - 7th, 49.25 - 161-7; 1500 - 8th, 4:44.57). Discus - 13. Frank Catelli, WWU, 51.29 - 168-3. 200 Prelims - 13. Tyrell Williams, WOU,  21.31.  800 Prelims - 18. Josh Hanna, WOU, 1:54.62.

THURSDAY'S RESULTS: Decathlon  3 - Cody Thomas, UAA, 3929 (Day 1: 100 - 4th, 11.02; Long Jump - 6th, 6.88 - 22-7; Shot Put - 10th, 11.96 - 39-3; High Jump - 3rd, 1.98 - 6-6; 400 - 1st. 48.21.   1500 Prelims - 16. Isaac Kangogo, UAA, 3:58.62. 100 Prelims - 10. Alex Donigian, WWU, 10.46 (advances); 11. Rimar Christie, NNU, 10.46. Steeplechase Prelims - 19.  Brady Beagley, WOU. 9:55.64; 20. Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 10:01.16.