Wednesday, March 18, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – Led by Alaska Anchorage and Western Washington, seven GNAC teams are in the Top 25 in the first USTFCCCA Outdoor Track and Field national rankings.

The computer rankings put UAA’s men fourth right in back of three CCAA teams – Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona and UC San Diego.

Puerto Rico Rio Piedras is fifth, while Western Washington is sixth.  Also in the Top 25 is Western Oregon at No. 18.

At No. 12, Western Washington is the top-ranked GNAC women’s team.     

The top seven ranked women’s teams are all from either California or Puerto Rico.  GNAC teams Alaska Anchorage, Western Oregon and Central Washington are 17^th, 19^th and 20^th, respectively.

GNAC athletes produced eight new national qualifying marks in Weekend #2, four of them by Alaska Anchorage at the Occidental Distance Carnival last Friday in Los Angeles.

UAA qualifiers at the Carnival included Nathan Kipchumba in the men’s 800 (1:51.25), Dominik Notz (14:15.61) and Henry Cheseto (14:18.61) in the 5,000 meters and Amy Johnston in the women’s 5,000 (17:13.92).

Kipchumba’s time ranks seventh in GNAC history, while Notz and Cheseto’s times rank fourth and seventh on the GNAC Top 10 list. 

UAA’s 4x400 relay team also had a GNAC Top 10 time recording the fifth-fastest mark in GNAC history (3:14.84).  Their time was .77 seconds off the NCAA standards.

Four other PNQs were established at the Pacific Lutheran Invitational, three by Saint Martin’s athletes.

SMU’s Shannon Porter ran a 35:39.79 in the women’s 10,000.  That’s the eighth quickest 10K in GNAAC history.

Dani Eggleston of Central Washington had a PNQ of 17:11.79 in the 5,000.  SMU’s Brian Chalkey had a 205-4 PNQ in the men’s javelin and the Saints’ Kali Walker had a 141-11 PNQ in the women’s javelin.

Chalkey is the 18^th javelin thrower in GNAC history to pass the 200-foot barrier.  His distance ranks 12^th.

Four GNAC athletes currently have the No. 1 performance nationally in Division II – Notz in the men’s 5K and Porter in the women’s 10K and Katie Reichert of Western Washington in the javelin (159-2 on March 7 at the UPS Five-Way) and Franz Burghagen of Alaska Anchorage in the men’s javelin (224-10 on March 7 at Las Vegas).

Early season action continues this weekend as Saint Martin’s competes Friday in the Lewis & Clark Invitational;  Seattle Pacific, Western Oregon and Western Washington visit Portland Saturday to compete in the Rose City Premier and Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene head to Hermiston for the Eastern Oregon Team Challenge.

Computer Nails Simon Fraser National Finish

Simon Fraser was ranked seventh in the final USTFCCCA computer rankings taken prior to the NCAA Division II national meet and that is exactly where the Clan finished at last week’s meet at Birmingham, Ala.

SFU scored 24 points in the meet in earning its highest finish ever in the NCAA Indoor.

The Clan earned seven All-American awards in the meet.  Overall, GNAC athletes claimed 18.

Lindsey Butterworth who won the women’s 800 national title in a time of 2:08.44 was a two-event All-American as she and her teammates Rebecca Bassett, Monique Lisek and Paige Nock also finished second in the distance medley relay in a GNAC-record time of 11:28.28.

SFU’s final two All-American came from Jennifer Johnson, who finished third in the 3,000 meters, eclipsing a 30-year old meet record with a time of 9:26.82, and from Travis Vugteveen, who was sixth in the men’s mile in a time of 4:12.49.

Alaska Anchorage had six All-Americans – four from its eighth-place DMR team of Jessica Pahkala, Rosie Smith, Haleigh Lloyd and Beatrice Decker – and two from multi-event  athletes Karolin Anders who placed seventh in the women’s pentathlon and Codie Thomas, who was second in the men’s heptathlon.

Completing the list of GNAC All-Americans were Western Washington’s Katelyn Steen, who finished fourth in the women’s 5,000; the Vikings’ Alex Donigian, who placed second in the 60 in a five-way photo finish; Badane Sultessa of Western Oregon who finished fourth in the 800 after setting a GNAC record of 1:50.73 in the prelims; Mikel Smith of Saint Martin’s, who tied for fifth in the  men’s high jump, and Luke Plummer of Central Washington, who was eighth in the triple jump.

LAST WEEK’S INDOOR AND OUTDOOR RESULTS

NCAA Division II Indoor (March 13-14 at Birmingham)

Men: Team Scores - 28. Alaska Anchorage and Western Washington 8; 35. Western Oregon 5; 41. Simon Fraser 3; 43. Saint Martin’s 2; 47. Central Washington 1.   Friday: High Jump – 5. Mikel Smith, SMU, 2.07 – 6-9 ½.   5000 – 12. Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 14:42.95.  Prelims: 60 -  5. Alex Donigian, WWU, 6.76 (advances). Mile – 5. Travis Vugteveen, SFU, 4:09.79 (advances), 7. Robert Peterson, MSUB, 4:11.29; 12. Brady Beagley, WOU, 4:14.84.  800   – 1. Badane Sultessa, WOU, 1:50.73 (advances).   Saturday: 60 – 2. Alex Donigian, WWU, 6.72.  800 – 4. Badane Sultessa, WOU, 1:51.36.    Mile – 6. Travis Vugteveen, SFU, 4:12.49. Triple Jump – 8. Luke Plummer, CWU, 14.89 – 48-10 ¼.  Pole Vault – 9. Payton Lewis, NNU, 4.95 – 16-2 ¾.  Heptathlon – 2.  Cody Thomas, UAA, 5488 Friday: 60 – 6.97.  Long Jump – 6.79 – 22-3 ½.  Shot Put – 12.53 – 41-1 1/2; High Jump – 2.09 – 6-10 ¼. Saturday: 60 Hurdles – 8.46.  Pole Vault – 4.10 – 13-4 ¼.  1000 – 2:47.54. 

Women: Team Scores -  7. Simon Fraser 24; 36. Western Washington 5; 40. Alaska Anchorage 3.  Friday: 5000 – 4.  Katelyn Steen, WWU, 16:54.31.  Distance Medley Relay - 2. Simon Fraser (Rebecca Bassett, Monique Lisek, Paige Nock, Lindsey Butterworth) 11:28.28; 8. Alaska Anchorage (Jessica Pahkala, Rosie Smith. Haleigh Lloyd, Beatrice Decker) 11:40.67; 9. Seattle Pacific (Jessica Rawlins, Becca Houk, Lynelle Decker, Anna Patti) 11:40.68. Prelims:  60 – 17.  Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 7.67.  Mile – 9. Stephanie Stuckey, WOU, 4:54.79 (advances); 13. Rebecca Bassett, SFU 4:56.86. 800 – 2. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 2:07.76 (advances); 11. Paige Nock, SFU, 2:12.11.  14.  Lynelle Decker, SPU 2:13.68.  200 – 9.  Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 24.56.   Saturday: 800 – 1. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 2:08.44.  Mile –9.  Stephanie Stuckey, WOU, 5:00.85.  3000 – 3. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 9:26.82; 9. Rebecca Bassett, SFU, 9:41.68; 10. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 9:42.68.  Pentathlon – 7. Karolin Anders, UAA, 3822 (60 Hurdles – 9.23.  High jump – 1.69 – 5-6 1/2.  Shot Put – 11.52 – 37-9 1/2.  Long Jump – 5.44 – 17-10 ¼.  800 – 2:21.30). High Jump – Tayler Fettig 1.68 – 5-6.

Occidental Distance Carnival (March 13 at Los Angeles): Men (Top 3): 800 – 1. Nathan Kipchumba, UAA, 1:51.25. 5000 – 2. Dominik Notz, UAA, 14:15.61. 110 Hurdles – 3. Travis Turner, UAA, 15.51.   4x400 – 1. Alaska Anchorage 3:14.84. Triple Jump – 3. Tevin Gladden, UAA, 13.16 – 43-2 1/4. Shot Put – 2. Grant George, UAA, 13.43 – 44-0 ¾; 3. Tim Dommek, UAA, 13.40 – 43-11 ¾.  Women:  100 Hurdles – 2. Alexandra Scott, UAA, 15.39.  Steeplechase – 2. Bryn Haebe, UAA, 11:30.64. Long Jump – 3. Alexia Blalock, UAA, 5.03 – 16-6.  Triple Jump – 2. Alexia Blalock, UAA, 11.21 – 36-9 ½.

CSU Fullerton (March 13-14 at Fullerton): Men (Top 3): 800 – 2. Nathan Kipchumba, UAA, 1:52.58; 3. Jesse Miller, UAA, 1:53.36.  Discus (Flight B) – 1. Grant George, UAA, 42.01 – 137-10. Javelin – 2. Franz Burghagen, UAA, 6566 – 215-5.  Women (Top 3):  1500 (Flight B) – 3. Mariah Burroughs, UAA, 4:47.67.  Discus (Flight B) – 1. Dakayla Walters, UAA, 34.27 – 112-5.

Pacific Lutheran Invitational (March 14 at Tacoma): Men – 1. Central Washington 144, Puget Sound 111 ½, Pacific Lutheran 97, Saint Martin’s 86 ½, Trinity Lutheran 66 ½. Individual (GNAC Winners): 200 – Jordan Todd, CWU, 22.08. 400 – Darren Arndt, CWU, 50.89. 1500 – John Wojtech, CWU, 4:03.94.    10,000 – Rudy Spencer, CWU, 32:44.04.  4x100 Relay – Central Washington 42.57. 4x400 Relay – Central Washington 3:27.74. Pole Vault – Andrew Andrada, SMU, and Zane Irvine, CWU, 4.22 – 13-10. Hammer – Mitch Wilkens, SMU, 48.50 – 159-1. Javelin – Brian Chalkey, SMU, 62.59 – 205-4.  Women – Central Washington 219 ½, Pacific Lutheran 159, Saint Martin’s 98, Olympic 63, Puget Sound 61 (13. Western Washington 3).   Individuals (GNAC Winners):  400 – Jayna Inderbitzin, CWU, 58.39.  Steeplechase – Erin Chinchar, CWU, 11:23.04.  5,000 – Dani Eggleston, CWU, 17:11.79.  10,000 –  Shannon Porter, SMU, 35:39.79. 4x100 Relay – Central Washington 4:02.77.  Hammer – Angel Rodgers, SMU, 45.87 – 150-6. High Jump – Moriah Bentley, CWU, 1.48 – 4-10 ¼.  Javelin – Kali Walker, SMU, 43.25 – 141-11.  Shot Put – Quiana Lawrence, SMU, 11.63 – 38-2. Triple Jump – Kelly Cronic, CWU, 11.15 – 36-7. 

Mt. Hood Saints Open (March 14 at Gresham): Men (Top 3): 800 – 1. Josh Hanna, WOU, 1:54.14. Steeplechase – 1. Zach Holloway, WOU, 9:32.71.   Women (Top 3): High Jump – 3. Sam Moore, WOU, 1.52 – 4-11 ¾.  Shot Put – 1. Emmi Collier, WOU, 13.10 – 42-11 ¾; 3. Kaitlyn Kaonis, WOU, 12.21 – 40-0 ¾. Hammer – 2, Emmi Collier, WOU, 42.88 – 140-8. Javelin – 3. Amanda Short, WOU, 38.55 – 126-6.

MEN'S TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Track – Dominik Notz, Alaska Anchorage (Jr., Dettingen, Germany) finished second in the 5,000 meters in a provisional national qualifying time of 14:15.61 at the Occidental Distance Carnival Spring Classic at Los Angeles.  His time, which was the best by collegian in the meet, is the fourth fastest in GNAC history. Field – Brian Chalkey, Saint Martin’s (So., Eugene, OR) won the javelin at the Pacific Lutheran Invitational in a PNQ of 205-4.  He is the 17^th athletic in GNAC history to throw the javelin 200 feet.  His mark ranks 11^th on the GNAC all-time list.

WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK:  Track – Shannon Porter, Saint Martin’s (Jr., Vancouver, WA - Hockinson), left the field in her dust winning the 10,000 meters at the PLU Invitational by 1 minute, 24 seconds.  Her time eclipsed the provisional national qualifying standard by 1 minute, 16 seconds and was the eighth fastest in conference history.  Field – Kali Walker, Saint Martin’s (So., Lacey, WA – Northwest Christian) won the javelin at PLU with a provisional national qualifying performance of 141 feet, 11 inches.

GNAC Weekly (PDF version)