Thursday, January 15, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – While four Great Northwest Athletic Conference teams have already seen action this winter, the real start to the 2015 Indoor Track and Field season is this weekend.

All nine GNAC track-and-field teams will compete in meets at Seattle, Nampa and Bozeman, Mont.

Making their season debuts, all at the Dempsey Indoor on the campus of the University of Washington, are Alaska Anchorage, Seattle Pacific, Simon Fraser, Western Oregon and Western Washington.

Joining that fivesome are Central Washington and Saint Martin’s which made their season debuts Dec. 13 at Nampa.

Northwest Nazarene will remain in Nampa for Boise State’s Ed Jacoby Invitational, while Montana State Billings will travel to Bozeman for the Montana State Open. 

It’s the third meet of the young season for the Yellowjackets, who completed at Spearfish, S.D., Dec. 5-6 and Jan. 10.

In prior meets, GNAC athletes posted six marks that rank on the GNAC All-Time Top 10 list including two No. 2s.

MSUB’s Robert Peterson ran the 3,000-meters in a school-record time of 8:28.68 last Saturday at Spearfish, finishing second. 

Converting for altitude and track size, his time equates to 8:15.52.  Only 2014 NCAA national champion Micah Chelimo of Alaska Anchorage has run quicker (8:09.83).

Payton Lewis of Northwest Nazarene also had a No. 2 GNAC all-time Top 10 mark, pole vaulting 16-9 ¼ at Jacksons Open Dec. 13 at Nampa.

Lewis’ mark automatically qualifies him for the NCAA national meet in March, while Peterson’s time is a PNQ for the national championships March 13-14 at Birmingham, Ala.

In all GNAC athletes have secured five qualifying marks (4 provisional, 1 automatic) so far this season.

Following is a complete list of GNAC Top 10 and national qualifying marks so far this season:

GNAC All-Time Top 10 2014-15 Performances

Men:  3000 – 2. *Robert Peterson, MSUB, 8:15.2 (Jan. 10).  60 Hurdles – 10. David Durden, SMU, 8.35 (Dec. 13).  High Jump – 3. *Mikel Smith, SMU, 2.06 – 6-9 (Dec. 13). Pole Vault – 2. **Payton Lewis, NNU, 5.11 – 16-9 1/4 (Dec. 13).  Triple Jump – 7. *Luke Plummer, CWU, 14.41 – 47-3 ½.  *NCAA PNQ **NCAA Automatic Qualifier

Women: 60 Hurdles – 9. Chelsey Knott, NNU, 8.93 (Dec. 13).  Note: Becki Duhamel of Central Washington had a PNQ Dec. 13 at Nampa in the women’s weight throw with a mark of 53-7 ½.  Her career best is 54-2 ½ in 2013.

Vikings, Seawolves Defending GNAC Champions

Western Washington and Alaska Anchorage will be seeking their third consecutive GNAC Indoor men’s and women’s team titles this February when the conference championship meet returns to Nampa for the 12th year in a row Feb. 20-21 at the Ford Idaho Center.

The Vikings outpointed the UAA men 157-134 last year to earn their fourth team title in the 11-year history of the meet (2005-06, 2013-14).

Three defending champions return this winter for WWU including Outstanding Performer Award winner Alex Donigian who swept the 60 (GNAC-record 6.75) and 200 (meet record 21.79).

Also back for the Vikings are Brett Watson and Kevin Yates, who won the high jump (6-8 ¾) and long jump (22-10 ½), respectively.

Central Washington, which finished fourth, returns two defending champions -  triple jumper Luke Plummer (46-3 ¼) and weight thrower Kevin Stanley (58-1 ¼).

Also back to defend their 2014 titles are Josh Hanna of Western Oregon in the 800 (1:54.14), Robert Peterson of MSU Billings in the mile (meet-record 4:11.05), and UAA’s Cody Thomas in the heptathlon (meet-record 4094).

Donigian (60, 200), Yates (long jump) and Thomas (heptathlon) are all two-time champions.

Alaska Anchorage outpointed Seattle Pacific 154-125 to win its second straight women’s team title a year ago.

Outstanding Performer Karolin Anders and sprinter Jamie Ashcroft each won two events and return to defend.

Anders swept the pentathlon (meet-record 3,640 points) and triple jump (36-10 ½), while Ashcroft won both the 60 (7.69) and 200 (GNAC-record 24.89).

Also back to defend  are Northwest Nazarene’s Alison Silva in the pole vault (GNAC-record 12-10), Caitlin Curtis in the weight throw (50-10) and Vessie Umu in the shot (43-10 ¾) and Central Washington’s Tayler Fettig (GNAC-record tying 5-9 ¾).

2014-15 SEASON SUMMARIES

Black Hill State Winter Classic (Dec. 5-6 at Spearfish, SD): Men (Top 3): 60 – 3. Cameron Stanek, MSUB, 7.19. 200 – 2. Cameron Stanek, MSUB, 23.17; 3. Sam Zook, MSUB, 23.23. Mile – 3. Jorey Egeland, MSUB, 4:40.01.  Pole Vault – 3. Preston Schubert, MSUB, 4.05 – 13-3 ½. Women (Top 3): 60 – 2. Brianna Gray, MSUB, 8.03.   Mile – 2. Brielle Davis, MSUB, 5:41.86.  4x400 – 2. MSU Billings (Gray, Davis, Kaitlin Halle, Ashlynn VanVoast) 4:29.05.

Jacksons Open (Dec. 13 Nampa): Men (Top 3): Mile – 1. Frank Krause, SMU, 4:27.00; 2. Mitchell Hughey, SMU, 4:39.51.  60 Hurdles – 3. David Durden, SMU, 8.35. 4x400 Relay – 3. Saint Martin’s 3:26.53. High Jump – 3. Mikel Smith, SMU, 2.06 – 6-9.  Pole Vault – 1. Payton Lewis, NNU, 5.11 – 16-9 ¼; 3. Matt DeHan, SMU, 4.45 – 14-7 ¼.  Long Jump – 1. Jaysen Yoro, SMU, 6.81 – 22-4 ¼; 2. Luke Plummer, CWU, 6.77 – 22-2 ½; 3. Mikel Smith, SMU, 6.76 – 22-2 ¼.  Triple Jump – 1. Luke Plummer, CWU, 14.41 – 47-3 ½.   Shot Put – 1. Kevin Stanley, CWU, 14.71 – 48-3 ¼.   Weight Throw – 3. Kevin Stanley, CWU, 15.93 – 52-3 ¼.   Women (Top 3): Mile – Hailey Gordon, NNU, 5:35.54; 2. Megan Teigen, SMU, 5:40.68. 60 Hurdles – 2. Chelsey Knott, NNU, 8.93. 4x400 Relay – 2. Northwest Nazarene 4:08.93.  High Jump – 2. Courtney Brewer, NNU, 1.57 – 5-1 ¾.

Black Hills State Yellowjacket Indoor (Jan. 10 at Spearfish, SD): Men (Top 3): 60 - 2. Sam Zook, MSUB, 7.25.  200 - 1. Sam Zook, MSUB, 22.66. 800 - 3. Liam McKay, MSUB, 2:02.92.  3000 - 2. Robert Peterson, MSUB, 8:28.68; 3. Garrett Love, MSUB, 9:21.28.  60 Hurdles - 3. Austin Lindquist, MSUB, 8.97.  4x400 Relay - 2. MSU Billings (Jorey Egeland, Liam McKay, Mark Hovland, Peterson) 3:44.13.  High Jump - 2. Donald Hamm, MSUB, 1.82 - 5-11 1/2.  Long Jump - 2. Donald Hamm, MSUB, 6.02 - 19-9; 3. Austin Lindquist, MSUB,  5.90 - 19-4 1/4. Women (Top 3): Mile - 3. Brielle Davis, MSUB, 5:36.34. 3000 - 1. Nocona Frame, MSUB, 10:52.45.  4x400 - 1. MSU Billings (Nocona Frame, Rio Frame, Taylor Condon, Davis) 4:28.12.

GNAC WEEKLY (PDF version)