Tuesday, March 5, 2019

NEW ORLEANS – One of the top distances runners in the nation, two top-flight combined-event performers and a pair of GNAC coaches are among those recognized by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association with Division II Indoor Track and Field Regional Awards.

Alaska Anchorage senior distance runner Caroline Kurgat was named the organization’s West Region Track Female Athlete of the Year. Central Washington senior heptathlete Kodiak Landis was named the West Region Male Field Athlete of the Year while Seattle Pacific junior pentathlete Scout Cai was recognized as the West Region Female Field Athlete of the Year.

The GNAC swept the West Region Assistant Coach of the Year awards with Western Washington’s Ben Stensland earning the men’s award and Central Washington’s Brittany Aanstad the women’s award.

Kurgat is the favorite to win indoor national titles in two individual events and team to win a third in the distance medley relay. The GNAC champion in both the mile and 3,000 meters, winning her GNAC Championships Female Track Athlete of the Meet honors, Kurgat has run Division II all-time bests in both the 3,000 meters (9:07.05) and 5,000 meters (15:28.46). She is the defending outdoor champion at both distances. In addition, Kurgat anchored an Alaska Anchorage distance medley team that won the GNAC title in a time of 11:23.47, the sixth-fastest in Division II history.

Landis won his second GNAC heptathlon title in three years, winning with a score of 5,228 points that ties him for seventh-best in Division II this season. He also placed second in the long jump with a mark of 23 feet and took fifth in the pole vault with a clearance of 15 feet, 2.25 inches, to earn the conference’s Male Field Athlete of the Meet award.

Cai collected her third straight conference championship in the pentathlon. Her winning score of 3,815 points ranks third in Division II this season and is No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List. Cai also placed third in the GNAC Championships in the pole vault and fifth in the high jump. Her mark of 12 feet, 8.25 inches in the pole vault is tied for 11th in Division II this season as Cai will compete at nationals in both the vault and the pentathlon.

Stensland played in key role in the Vikings’ first GNAC men’s championship in five years. Working with the sprinters, hurdlers, jumpers and throwers, Stensland helped coach four WWU athletes to GNAC individual championships.

Aanstad is the primary coach behind Central Washington’s talented corps of women’s multi-eventers and hurdlers. Her athletes made up 79 of the team’s 150 women’s points at the GNAC Championship and three of her athletes will compete at the national championships.