WWU's Brown, Porter Sweep 2011-11 GNAC Athlete-of-the-Year Awards

Brown	Porter

Western Washington distance runner Sarah Porter and Viking pole vaulter Ryan Brown have been selected the 2010-11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Female and Male Athletes of the Year, respectively .

The awards are voted upon by the athletic directors at the GNAC's institutions.

Porter, a graduate of Hockinson High School, was a four-time All-America during the 2010-11 school year, bringing her career total to a school-record 12.

She earned All-America honors in three sports for the third straight year. Porter also earned USTFCCCA West Region Female Athlete of the Year honors in cross country and indoor and outdoor track.

She swept the GNAC Athlete of the Year award in all three sports, winning it outright in cross country and sharing it with Helen Croft of Simon Fraser in both indoor and outdoor track and field.

At last month's NCAA Division II National Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet, Porter won the 10,000 meters in a meet record time of 33:17.39, the fourth fastest in NCAA II history, and placed second in the 5,000 in a time of 16:23.08.

Her national 10,000 time was both a school and conference record and automatically qualified her for another trip to USA Championships in late June. Last year, she became the school's first athlete to compete in that meet.

Earlier this spring, Porter was the GNAC 10,000 meter champion for the second time after winning the 5,000 at the conference indoor meet. She went on to place third in the 5,000 at the indoor nationals in March with a time of 16:44.04.

Last fall, she was runner-up at the NCAA II cross country championships for the second straight year after earning regional all-star honors for the fourth time by winning both the GNAC and regional individual titles.

Porter broke four school outdoor records this past spring, setting marks in the 1,500, 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000. She also finished with school indoor records in the mile, 3,000 and 5,000.

Brown, a graduate of Bellingham's Squalicum High graduate, successfully defended his men's pole vault titles at both the NCAA Division II national indoor and outdoor championships. Prior to this year, no Viking athlete had ever won back-to-back national titles.

In indoor, he was selected the USTFCCCA NCAA II Male Field Athlete of the Year and was named the West Region Indoor Male Field Athlete of the Year for the third straight year and the GNAC Indoor Male Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season. He also was selected the GNAC Outdoor Male Athlete of the Year for the second time.

Brown broke his own school and conference indoor pole vault records for the fourth consecutive season with a season-best of 17-5 becoming first GNAC athlete to reach 17 feet in both indoor and outdoor competition.

Brown posted his outdoor best of 17-8 ½ last year. This spring he had a season national leading vault of 17-2 ¾. (Previous Winners)