Friday, May 16, 2014

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University javelin thrower Bethany Drake has been named United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association West Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year.

Honored as the USTFCCCA Division II Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year was the Vikings’ David Burnett.

Drake, a sophomore from Sandy, Ore., has been the national leader in the javelin for most of the season after unleashing a throw of 169-6 at the Puget Sound Shotwell Invitational on April 5. 

The throw, which set school and Great Northwest Athletic Conference records, ranks No.4 on the all-time NCAA Division II list and No.14 on the all-college list for 2014.

She'll compete for the NCAA Division II national title next Saturday (May 24) at Allendale, Mich.  The javelin is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Burnett’s athletes accounted for 61 points in sprints, hurdles, relays and middle distance events to help the Viking men win the team title at the GNAC Championships last week.

Burnett is completing his second year as the top track assistant at WWU. During his tenure, the Vikings have won four GNAC men’s championships, two each in indoor and outdoor.

Burnett was an assistant at NCAA I University of Texas at San Antonio from 2007 to 2011, earning Southland Conference Assistant Coach of the Year honors all five seasons and being a nominee for South Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year recognition in 2008 and 2010.

GNAC Athletes Earn 69 USTFCCCA All-Region Awards

Great Northwest Athletic Conference athletes have earned 69 USTFCCCA all-region awards. Alaska Anchorage accounted for 22 of the awards and Western Washington earned 16.

In the men's division, 26 GNAC athletes won a total of 34 all-region awards.  UAA's Micah Chelimo accounted for three of the awards.  Winning two each were UAA's Elliott Bauer,  Bobo Camara and Ethan Hewitt; Kevin Stanley of Central Washington and Frank Catelli and Logan Myers of Western Washington.

In the women's division, 25 athletes won 35 all-region awards.  McKayla Fricker of Seattle Pacific led the way with three.

Eight athletes - Karolin Anders, Jamie Ashcroft and Joyce Kipchumba, all of Alaska Anchorage; Becki Duhamel and Tayler Fettig of Central Washington; Jordan Rehfeld of Northwest Nazarene; Seattle Pacific's Kishia Mitchell, and Katelyn Steen of Western Washington - won two teach.

Athletes who post marks which rank in the Top 5 in the region or are a member of a Top 3 ranked relay team earn the award. 

GNAC honorees included:

MEN: Alaska Anchorage (14/9): Dylan Anthony (10,000), Elliott Bauer (400 Hurdles, 4x400 Relay), Franz Burghagen (Javelin), Bobo Camara (400 Hurdles, 4x400 Relay), Micah Chelimo (1500, 5000, 10,000), Adam Commandeur (4x400 Relay), Ethan Hewitt (400, 4x400 Relay), Isaac Kangogo (1500), Cody Thomas (Decathlon). Central Washington (5/4): Troy Martin (discus), Justin Peterson (high jump), Kevin Stanley (shot put, hammer), Bernari Sternen (110 hurdles). MSU Billings (1/1): Anthony Montanez (shot put). Northwest Nazarene (4/4): Rimar Christie (100), Cole Hoberg (high jump), Stephen Larlee (triple jump), Kevin Rima (discus). Simon Fraser (1/1): Oliver Jorgensen (steeplechase). Western Washington (9/7): Frank Catelli (shot put, discus), Alex Donigian (100), Jacob Gilbert (shot put), Slater Hirst (javelin), Ryan Macdonald (discus), Logan Myers (110 hurdles, high jump), Bret Watson (high jump).

WOMEN: Alaska Anchorage (8/5): Karolin Anders (high jump, heptathlon), Jamie Ashcroft (100, 200), Joyce Kipchumba (5000, 10,000), Ivy O'Guinn (1500), Rose Smith (100 hurdles). Central Washington (5/3): Becki Duhamel (shot put, hammer), Dani Eggleston (steeplechase), Tayler Fettig (high jump, heptathlon). MSU Billings (1/1): Corrie Holm (discus). Northwest Nazarene (4/3): Jordan Rehfeld (5000, 10,000), Alison Silva (Pole Vault), Vessie Umu (shot put). Seattle Pacific (9/6): Tasia Baldwin (4x400 Relay), Lynelle Decker (800), McKayla Fricker (400, 800,  4x400 Relay), Jasmine Johnson (4x400 Relay), Kishia Mitchell (200, 4x400 Relay), Anna Patti (10,000). Simon Fraser (1/1): Sarah Sawatzky (800). Western Washington (7/6): Tanya Bjornsson (100 Hurdles), Bethany Drake (javelin), Katie Reichert (javelin), Maggie Roe (discus), Katelyn Steen (steeplechase, 5000), Lindsay Wells (hammer).