Thursday, March 23, 2017

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Codi Blodgett, Western Oregon
Sophomore • Clatskanie, Ore.

Blodgett placed first in the 100 meters at the Lane Preview with a time of 11.13 seconds and followed up with a second place finish in the 200 meters, clocking 22.85 seconds.

Also Nominated: Latrelle Swayne (Saint Martin’s).

MEN’S FIELD
Travis Turner, Alaska Anchorage
Senior • Stockton, Calif.

Competing near his hometown, Turner won his first decathlon of the season with a NCAA Championships provisional qualifying score of 6,761 points at the Sacramento State Hornet Invitational. The total currently ranks fifth in Division II this season and is No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. Turner was the winner of four of the 10 individual events, including the 100 meters (11.21), the shot put (40-0), 400 meters (50.01) and the 110-meter hurdles (14.85).

Also Nominated: Jakob Chamberlin (Concordia), Kauanoe Vanderpoel (Saint Martin’s), Brandon Pless (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Mariyah Vongsaveng, Central Washington
Sophomore • Federal Way, Wash.

Vongsaveng opened her outdoor season by winning the 100-meter hurdles at the Buc Scoring Meet in a time of 14.26 seconds. She had over a second over the rest of the field as she hit a NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark as she is tied for the fifth best mark in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Brittany Grant (Western Washington), Alexi Whatley (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S FIELD
McKenzie Warren, Concordia
Senior • Sandy, Ore.

In her first outdoor track and field meet as a GNAC athlete, Warren set conference records in both the shot put and hammer at the L&C Spring Break Open. She won the shot put with a mark of 52 feet, 11 inches, breaking the GNAC record of 49-1 set by Central Washington’s Krissy Tandle in 2009. The marks leads Division II by over three feet. Warren won the hammer with a mark of 185 feet, 10 inches (second in Division II), breaking the GNAC record of 184 feet, 7 inches, set by Western Oregon’s Jennifer Dunkin in 2003. In addition, Warren placed second in the discus at 155 feet, 3 inches, placing her No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Also Nominated: Deanna Avalos (Saint Martin’s), Jasmine McMullin (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• One NCAA Championships automatic qualifier and four provisional qualifying marks highlighted Alaska Anchorage’s outdoor opener, the Hornet Invitational in Sacramento.

• Senior Karolin Anders opened her season by automatically qualifying in the women’s heptathlon. She won with a score of 5,180 points, which ranks fourth best in Division II this season. In the process, Anders provisionally qualified for nationals in the high jump. Her clearance of 5 feet, 6.5 inches, is seventh best in Division II.

• Senior Travis Turner and freshman David Sramek both earned NCAA Championships provisional marks as the duo went first and second in the men’s decathlon. Turner scored 6,761 points, fifth best in Division II this season and No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. The performance earned Turner selection as the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week. Sramek’s second place score of 6,381 points is sixth best in Division II.

• Senior Tevin Gladden picked up a NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the men’s high jump. His clearance of 6 feet, 8.75 inches was good enough for second place and ties him for third in Division II this season.

• The Seawolves will send a complete squad to Salem, Ore., this weekend to compete at the Willamette Invitational.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington competed as a split squad with some athletes traveling to the L&C Spring Break Open in Portland and the majority of the team competing at the Buc Scoring Meet in Spokane.

• Sophomore Mariyah Vongasveng was named GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she hit a NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 100-meter hurdles at the Buc Scoring Meet. Her winning time of 14.26 seconds ties her for fifth in Division II this season.

• Senior McKenna Emmert earned a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s pole vault, winning the event at the Buc Scoring Meet with a mark of 11 feet, 11.75 inches. That ties her for eighth in Division II this season.

• Senior Madison Garcia had a pair of top-two sprint finishes at the Buc Scoring Meet. She won the 200 meters in a time of 25.56 seconds and finished second in the 100 meters in 12.72 seconds. Freshman Emily Bland won the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 1:02.89.

• Senior Armando Tafoya had three top-three finishes in the throws at the Buc Scoring Meet. He won the men’s discus with a mark of 161 feet, 9 inches, was second in the hammer in 179 feet, 1 inch, and was third in the shot put with a mark of 51 feet, 4.25 inches. Tafoya is provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in the hammer, ranked 11th with a best of 180 feet, 8 inches.

• Sophomore Zach Whittaker won the triple jump with a mark of 47 feet, 1.75 inches, while junior Trevaughn Scott won the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 54.89 seconds.

• Central Washington will again compete in split squad fashion this weekend with athletes going to both the Doris Heritage Distance Carnival in Seattle and the Willamette Invitational in Salem, Ore.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia opened its outdoor schedule with competition at the L&C Spring Break Open in Portland.

• Senior McKenzie Warren set two GNAC records in her first outdoor competition as a GNAC athlete to earn Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. She won the women’s shot put with a mark of 52 feet, 11 inches, shattering the previous GNAC record of 49 feet, 1 inch, set by Central Washington’s Krissy Tandle in 2009. Warren also won the hammer with a mark of 185 feet, 10 inches, eclipsing the record of 184 feet, 7 inches, set by Western Oregon’s Jennifer Dunkin in 2003. In addition, Warren took second in the discus with a mark of 155 feet, 3 inches, that ranks No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Junior Christina MacDonald was just behind Warren in the throwing events. She placed second in the hammer at 181 feet, 5 inches, and placed third in the shot put at 45 feet, 10 inches.

• Freshman Andrey Gamza was the Cavaliers’ top men’s placer as he finished second in the 400-meter hurdles in 56.06 seconds. Freshman Jakob Chamberlin placed second in the discus with a mark of 165 feet, 11 inches. Freshman Caleb Bridge was third in the discus at 165 feet, 4 inches, and freshman Brett Elder was third in the javelin at 165 feet, 1 inches.

• For the first time as a Division II school, Concordia is nationally ranked. The Cavaliers’ women are ranked No. 8 in the first USTFCCCA Division II Computer Rankings of the season.

• Concordia competes this weekend at the Willamette Invitational in Salem, Ore., and will send its multi-event athletes to the Pacific Multis on Monday and Tuesday in Forest Grove, Ore.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings is in the midst of a long break between the indoor and outdoor seasons. The Yellowjackets will open their outdoor schedule when they compete at the Bobcat Invitational in Bozeman, Mont., on Saturday.

• Junior Sam Zook gave Montana State Billings its first GNAC indoor championship in a sprinting event, winning the 60 meters with a time of 6.90 seconds. Zook finished the indoor season with a best of 6.85 seconds, ranking him No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Freshman Michaela Johnson was the Yellowjackets’ top women’s placer at the GNAC Championships, placing third in the 60-meter hurdles in 8.96 seconds.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene will not open its outdoor season until Fri., Mar. 31, when they travel to the Bay Area for the San Francisco State Distance Carnival and the Stanford Invitational.

• The Crusaders returned home from the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships with one First Team All-American and one second team selection.

• Junior Payton Lewis was an All-American in the men’s pole vault for second consecutive season. He placed third for the second straight year as he cleared 16 feet, 10.75 inches. It is Lewis’ fourth All-American trophy overall.

• After being entered at the last minute due to a medical scratch, senior Cole Hoberg earned Second Team All-America distinction as he placed 10th in the men’s high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 9.5 inches.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s returned a number of top-three placers and one NCAA Championships provisional qualifier at the L&C Spring Break Open in Portland.

• Junior Kauanoe Vanderpoel earned the provisional qualifying mark in the men’s hammer, placing third at L&C with a mark of 186 feet, 9 inches. The mark is sixth best in Division II this season and is No. 10 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Sophomore Alexi Whatley notched a pair of top-three sprints finishes, placing second in the women’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:04.43 and was third in the open 400 meters in 59.48 seconds.

• Senior Latrelle Swayne had the SMU men’s other top-three finish, placing third in the 100 meters in a time of 11.09 seconds. He also ran a leg on the Saints’ 4x100-meter relay, which placed third in 42.59 seconds.

• The Saints earned a top-three sweep in the women’s javelin. Junior Deanna Avalos won with a mark of 133 feet, 7 inches. Senior Kathryn Walker was second with a mark of 130 feet, 4 inches and sophomore Jona Spiller was third in 128 feet, 8 inches.

• Saint Martin’s women are ranked No. 24 in the first USTFCCCA Division II Outdoor Computer Rankings of the season.

• Saint Martin’s has its multi-event athletes at the Mt. Hood Multis in Gresham, Ore.,  on Thursday and Friday. The rest of the squad will not compete again until the Shotwell Invitational on Sat., Apr. 1.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific also competed with a split squad. A handful of athletes competed at the Hornet Invitational in Sacramento with the remainder traveling to Portland for the L&C Spring Break Open.

• Freshman Scout Cai gave the Falcons their first NCAA Championships provisional qualifier of the outdoor season, placing fifth in the heptathlon at the Hornet Invitational. Her score of 4,781 points is seventh best in Division II this season.

• Senior Michaella Kahns and sophomore Emma Lambert were the top non-Division I placers in the women’s pole vault at the Hornet Invitational. Kahns cleared 11 feet, 3.75 inches and Lambert cleared 10 feet, 10 inches.

• The Falcons placed eighth in the women’s 4x100-merter relay at the Hornet Invitational in 47.64 seconds while the 4x400-meter relay placed fourth in 3:49.62, a time that is ninth fastest in GNAC history.

• Seattle Pacific will host its annual Doris Heritage Distance Carnival in Seattle on Saturday. The meet honors the former SPU athlete and head coach, who 50 years ago won the first the first international women’s cross country championship.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opens its outdoor season on Sar., Mar. 25, taking part in a dual meet against Canadian rival British Columbia on the track at Terry Fox Field.

• Five Simon Fraser athletes earned First Team All-American honors while two more earned second team honors at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships.

• Senior Vladislav Tsygankov was an individual All-American two times over, placing fourth in the men’s 400 meters in a time of 48.39 seconds and seventh in the long jump with a mark of 24 feet, 1.75 inches. I twas his second All-American award in the long jump.

• Sophomore Addy Townsend became a two-time All-American in the women’s 800 meters, placing fourth with a 2:08.38, sixth on the GNAC All-Time List.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon competed in split squad format last weekend, sending athletes to both the L&C Spring Break Open and the Lane Preview in Eugene.

• Sophomore Codi Blodgett was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he posted two top-two finishes at the Lane Preview. He won the 100 meters in 11.13 seconds and placed second in the 200 meters in 22.85 seconds.

• The Wolves had four men’s field event winners at Lane. Connor Reinke won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 4 inches. Sophomore Brandon Bowen won the shot put with a mark of 49 feet, 6.25 inches and the discus at 131 feet, 9 inches, while junior Kegan Allen won the hammer in 153 feet, 11 inches, to lead a top-three WOU sweep in the event.

• The WOU women also won six events in Eugene. Senior Laura Patrick won the 400 meters in a time of 1:01.52. Senior Nicole Maurmann took the 3,000 meters in 10:04.72 and junior Sara Madden won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:07.35. In the field events, senior Kathryn Pitts won the triple jump with a mark of 35 feet, 7.25 inches, and senior Rachael Huffman won both the shot put (42-0.5) and the discus (135-1).

• Western Oregon returns to action this weekend at the Willamette Invitational in Salem, Ore.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington picked up five NCAA Championships provisional qualifiers at the L&C Spring Break Open in Portland.

• Sophomore Anna Paradee picked up a provisional qualifier in the women’s pole vault, placing third with a clearance of 12 feet, 3.5 inches. The mark ties her for fourth in Division II this season and is sixth in the GNAC All-Time List.

• Senior Brittany Grant won the women’s steeplechase in a NCAA provisional qualifying time of 11:04.36. The time is eighth best in Division II this season.  

• Senior Jasmine McMullin earned a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s triple jump while placing in both horizontal jumps. She won the triple jump at 38 feet. 10.5 inches, which is ninth best in Division II this season. McMullin also placed third in the long jump with a mark of 17 feet, 6.75 inches.

• Senior Brandon Pless is a provisional qualifer in the men’s hammer. His mark of 180 feet, 4 inches ties him for 12th in Division II this season. Pless won the shot put at the L&C Spring Break Open with a mark of 52 feet, 1.75 inches.

• Sophomore Alex Barry earned a provisional qualifying mark in the men’s javelin, His throw of 192 feet, 5 inches, won the L&C Spring Break Open and is 11th in Division II this season.

• Other individual event winners for Western Washington included Adam Thomas in the men’s pole vault (15-1.5) and Kevin Yates in the men’s long jump (23-4). The WWU women also claimed top honors in the 4x100-meter relay (48.71).

• Western Washington will compete in Seattle this weekend at the Doris Heritage Distance Carnival.