Wednesday, May 1, 2019

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Josh Adehmar, Simon Fraser
Senior • Abbotsford, B.C.

Adehmar won the 400-meter hurdles at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational. His time of 54.75 seconds is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and ranks second in the GNAC this season.

Also Nominated: Rajesh Gill (Central Washington), Andrey Gamza (Concordia), Sam Zook (Montana State Billings), Andrew Oslin (Saint Martin’s), Codi Blodgett (Western Oregon), Karlington Anunagba (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Jake Knight, Northwest Nazarene
Senior • Meridian, Idaho

Knight moved up the record board once again, setting the GNAC record in the discus at the Idaho/Utah Border Clash. His winning mark of 183 feet surpassed the previous GNAC record of 182 feet, 8 inches, set by Caleb Bridge of Concordia in 2017. The mark ranks Knight sixth in Division II and is just short of the NCAA Championships automatic qualifying mark of 184 feet, 1 inch.

Also Nominated: Aidan Cain (Central Washington), Caleb Bridge (Concordia), Brady Ostermiller (Montana State Billings), Craig Boyle (Saint Martin’s), Zackary Kuzyk (Simon Fraser), Sam Cole (Western Oregon), Mason Salley (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Macie Allen, Concordia
Sophomore • Gresham, Ore.

Allen won the 100 meters at the OSU High Performance Meet, bettering a group of primarily Division I competitors. Her time of 11.78 seconds is No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List, leads the GNAC this season and is tied for 21st in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Alexa Shindruk (Central Washington), Anne Lory Chevalier (Montana State Billings), Artresa Nickelson (Saint Martin’s), Renate Bluschke (Saint Martin’s), Grace Knapp (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Halle Irvine, Central Washington
Junior • Yakima, Wash.

Irvine won the pole vault at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational with a personal best mark of 12 feet, 9.5 inches. The performance moves Irvine up to No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List and improves her to a tie for 14th in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Elizabeth Stottlemyre (Concordia), Janessa Williams (Montana State Billings), Ellie Logan (Northwest Nazarene), Liz Larson (Saint Martin’s), Moana Gianotti (Western Oregon), Amanda Short (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage’s full squad last competed at the SoCal trio of the Bryan Clay Invitational Mt. SAC Relays and Beach Invitational. The Seawolves will be in action on Saturday at the Linfield Open in McMinnville, Oregon.

• Seawolves’ athletes broke five records in the SoCal meets. Senior Caroline Kurgat lowered her own GNAC record in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:40.45 at the Bryan Clay. The time currently leads Division II. Kurgat also broke the UAA record in the 1,500 meters in 4:19.48. The NCAA Championships automatic qualifier is No. 2 in Division II and No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Senior Danielle McCormick broke her own UAA record in the women’s 800 meters at the Bryan Clay. Her time of 2:05.00 is third in Division II and No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Senior Chrisalyn Johnson broke her own school record in the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 5.25 inches. The mark ranks Johnson in a tie for 15th in Division II this season and No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Sophomore David Sramek set the UAA record in the men’s pole vault with a clearance of 15 feet, 1 inch in the decathlon at the Bryan Clay. He equaled that clearance at the GNAC Combined Event Championships. His fifth-place score of 6,504 points is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and ranks 26th in Division II.

• Junior Elena Cano placed sixth in the heptathlon at the GNAC Combined Event Championships. Her score of 4,593 points ranks 33rd in Division II this season.

• Alaska Anchorage’s women enter the week ranked No. 9 in the USTFCCCA Division II Team Index.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington notches strong showings at both the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational and the GNAC Combined Event Championships.

• Junior Halle Irvine was named the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the pole vault with a mark of 12 feet. 9.5 inches. That moves Irvine to No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time and ties her for 14th in Division II this season.

• Senior Mariyah Vongsaveng claimed first place in the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 14.06 seconds while junior Erykah Weems was second in 14.44 seconds. Weems went on to win the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:05.52.

• In the distances, senior Alexa Shindruk was an easy winner in the women’s 10,000 meters in a time of 37:19.03. Sophomore Rajesh Gill won the men’s open 5,000 meters in a time of 15:53.76 while sophomore Donovan Barnhart was second in 15:58.89,

• Junior Samantha La Rue added a victory in the women’s shot put with a mark of 41 feet, 8.5 inches.

• In the GNAC Combined Event Championships, senior HarLee Ortega won the title in the heptathlon with a score of 5,212 points that automatically qualifies her for the NCAA Championships. She also moves up to No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. In the process, Ortega won the high jump (5-6.5) and the shot put (37-2.25). Sophomore Sidney Trinidad placed fourth with 4,783 points and won the 100-meter hurdles (14.50), 200 meters (25.56) and the 800 meters (2:14.39).

•  Sophomore Braydon Maier finished second in the decathlon with a score of 6,811 points while senior Michael Forster finished third with a score of 6,548 points.

• Central Washington will compete at the Ken Shannon Invitational on Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Sophomore Macie Allen’s improvement in the women’s 100 meters led Concordia’s performances at the OSU High Performance Meet in Corvallis, Oregon.

• Allen was named the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after winning the 100 meters in 11.78 seconds. The time is the second-fastest in GNAC history and ties her for 21st in Division II this season.

• Sophomore Elizabeth Stottlemyre improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s javelin. She placed eighth with a throw of 142 feet, 8 inches, which ranks her fifth in the GNAC and 21st in Division II.

• Junior Caleb Bridge placed second in the men’s shot put with a mark of 54 feet, 2 inches. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark ranks 42nd in Division II this season.

• At the GNAC Combined Event Championships, senior Giovanni Brown came home with the title in the men’s decathlon with a score of 7,007 points. The total ranks No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List and is ninth in Division II this season. Brown earned individual victories in the shot put (46-0.75), the 110-meter hurdles (15.08), the discus (148-4) and the 1,500 meters (4:19.02).

• Senior Chelsea Bone placed third in the women’s heptathlon with a score of 4,982 points. Bone was the individual winner in the javelin, throwing an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark of 139 feet, 5 inches.

• Concordia will split between three meets this weekend, competing at the Portland Twilight on Friday and at both the Ken Shannon Invitational in Seattle and the Linfield Open in McMinnville, Oregon on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Junior Nikki Aiken’s win in the women’s steeplechase and senior Sam Zook’s efforts in the men’s sprints led Montana State Billings at the Jack Christensen Invitational in Fort Collins, Colorado.

• Aiken notched the Yellowjackets’ only win of the meet, taking the steeplechase in a time of 11:43.94. That knocked three seconds off of her season best in the event.

• Zook, meanwhile, placed second in the men’s 200 meters in 21.14 seconds and was fourth in the 100 meters in a time of 10.69 seconds Both times were just short of season bests attained at the Montana State Open the previous weekend.

• Senior Brady Ostermiller was MSUB’s other top-three finisher in the meet, placing second in the men’s shot put with a mark of 49 feet, 3.5 inches. Ostermiller is tied for 52nd in Division II in the event with his season best of 53 feet, 1.75 inches.

• Montana State Billings will split its squad for the final weekend before the GNAC Championships. Some of the squad will travel to the University of Providence Open in Great Falls, Montana on Thursday and the rest will travel to the Dickinson State Last Chance Invitational in North Dakota on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Senior Jake Knight’s GNAC record in the discus and senior Ellie Logan’s school-record toss in the women’s javelin led Northwest Nazarene’s performances at the Idaho/Utah Border Clash in Boise, Idaho.

• Knight was named the GNAC Field Athlete of the Week for the third consective week after he broke the conference record in the discus with a throw of 183 feet. That bettered the previous record of 182 feet, 8 inches set by Concordia’s Caleb Bridge in 2017. Knight is now sixth in Division II this season.

• Logan won with her mark of 165 feet, 6 inches, beating her own previous record by over three feet. The mark automatically qualifies Logan for the NCAA Championships, ranks third in Division II this season and is No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List. Senior Nicole Nobbs was second with a mark of 125 feet, 9 inches.

• The Nighthawks also received women’s victories from senior Katie Conklin in the high jump (5-3.75) and senior Sierra Manzer in the steeplechase (11:48.68).

• Junior Logan Blake led the NNU men with a win in the 400 meters with a lifetime best time of 48.27 seconds. He also placed second in the 200 meters in 21.98 seconds.

• The NNU men also received victories from senior Micah Tranch in the high jump (6-3.25), sophomore Elijah Castro in the long jump (22-7), senior Jake Knight in the shot put (58-1.25) and senior Nick Hamilton in the steeplechase (9:58.97).

• At the GNAC Combined Event Championships, sophomore Dakota Tidwell finished fourth in the men’s decathlon with a score of 6,531 points.

• The Border Clash and the Combined Event Championships were the last meets for Northwest Nazarene prior to next week’s GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Two victories on the women’s side led Saint Martin’s as they concluded the regular season at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham, Washington.

• Senior Liz Larson picked up yet another victory in the women’s hammer, winning with a mark of 183 feet, 5 inches. Larson’s season best of 188 feet, 3 inches, ranks seventh in Division II this season.

• Freshman Keshara Romain was the winner of the women’s triple jump, hitting a mark of 37 feet, 5.75 inches. She finished a foot ahead of second-place Rose Walts of Central Washington.

• Senior Jona Spiller improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifier in the women’s javelin, placing third with a mark of 142 feet, 5 inches. The performance ranks 23rd in Division II this season.

• Senior Craig Boyle led the Saint Martin’s men, placing second in the pole vault with a clearance of 14 feet, 3.25 inches. Freshman Andrew Oslin placed third in the 5,000 meters, clocking a time of 15:59.13.

• Junior Josh Schulz placed seventh in the men’s decathlon at the GNAC Combined Event Championships, scoring a personal-best 5,974 points. Schulz won the first event of the competition, the 100 meters, in a time of 11.17 seconds.

• Saint Martin’s will compete next at the GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 10 and 11 in Monmouth, Oregon.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Junior Grace Bley’s two event victories along with a victory by the 4x400-meter relay team led Seattle Pacific at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational.

• Bley led a top-three sweep for the Falcons in the women’s 200 meters, cruising with a time of 24.70 seconds. Earlier in the day, Bley took the 100 meters in a time of 12.30 seconds. Bley then combined with Peace Igbonagwam, Jenna Bouyer and Rebecca Troescher to win the 4x400-meter relay by seven seconds in a time of 3:54.56.

• Igbownagwam also earned her first collegiate individual victory outdoors, taking the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 1 inch.

• On the men’s side, freshman Colby Otero turned in a second-place finish in the steeplechase with a time of 9:38.29. Fellow freshman Jared Putney was third in a time of 9:55.79.

• At the GNAC Combined Event Championships, junior Scout Cai placed a solid second in the heptathlon with her score of 5,034 points. The mark improves Cai’s NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark to seventh. Sophomore Renick Meyer, last year’s champion, was fifth with a score of 4,764 points. Meyer won the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 3.25 inches.

• The Falcons will compete on Saturday at the Ken Shannon Invitational in Seattle before setting sights on the GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

SIMON FRASER
• Four event wins and an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time for senior Josh Adehmar led Simon Fraser at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational.

• Adehmar was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he won the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 53.42 seconds. The mark ranks second in the GNAC and 38th in Division II this season.

• Freshman Nick Bauernschmitt won the men’s 800 meters in a time of 1:53.60 while sophomore Zackary Kuzyk won the men’s long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 9.75 inches.

• Sophomore Renate Bluschke won the women’s 400 meters in a time of 57.06 seconds. Her best of 55.41 seconds, run at the Bryan Clay Invitational, ranks 28th in Division II this season.

• Freshman Timothy Hatton led the Simon Fraser throwers, placing second in the men’s javelin with a mark of 184 feet, 7 inches. Freshman Holly Taylor placed third in the women’s shot put at 38 feet, 8.75 inches and third in the hammer at 157 feet, 10 inches.

• The Simon Fraser’s women are ranked No. 11 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Team Index.

• Simon Fraser will split its squad in the final weekend before the GNAC Championships, traveling to the Dylan Armstrong Classic in Kelowna, B.C., and the Portland Twilight.

WESTERN OREGON
• Senior Grace Knapp’s performance in the women’s 5,000 meters led Western Oregon as it competed at the OSU High Performance Meet in Corvallis, Oregon.

• Knapp ran the fifth-fastest time in WOU history, placing 12th in a time of 17:33.58. The time ranks eighth in the GNAC this season.

• Senior Olivia Woods, meanwhile, clocked a second place finish in the women’s 800 meters with a time of 2:09.74. The performance moves her up to No. 12 in Division II this season. Woods also played a role in WOU’s 4x400-meter relay team which placed third in a time of 3:58.93.

• Junior Hunter Mosman led the Wolves’ men with his sixth-place finish in the steeplechase, turning in a time of 9:28.61. Junior Justin Crosswhite placed seventh in the invitational section of the men’s 1,500 meters with a time of 3:51.80.

• At the GNAC Combined Event Championships, sophomore Mitch Kruse placed eighth in the men’s decathlon with a lifetime-best score of 5,937 points. Kruse’s competition was topped by his victory in the javelin with a mark of 174 feet. He was also second in the discus with a mark of 119 feet. 1 inch.

• Western Oregon will be in action on Friday at the Portland Twilight before closing the regular season on Saturday at the Linfield Open.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington posted 10 event victories and an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark for junior Amanda Short at their own Ralph Vernacchia Invitational.

• Short placed third in the women’s javelin with her mark of 156 feet, 3 inches. The mark moves Short to No. 13 on the GNAC All-Time List and is seventh in Division II this season.

• Junior Maddie Taylor led WWU’s women’s victories, taking the high jump with her leap of 5 feet, 7.25 inches. Freshman Rebecca Lehman was the winner of the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:38.93.

• Sophomore Jon Oglesby led a top-three sweep for the Vikings in the men’s 400 meters with a time of 50.32 seconds. Freshman Alec Ritter took the 10,000 meters in a time of 33:49.39 while senior Tupre Wickliff won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 4.75 inches.

• Freshman Karlington Anunagba placed second in his first collegiate men’s 200 meters, running a time of 21.68 seconds that is third-fastest in WWU history.

• At the GNAC Combined Event Championships, sophomore Seren Dances took sixth place in the men’s decathlon with a score of 6,452 points. Dances held the first day lead thanks to individual victories in the long jump (22-3.5) and the high jump (6-4.25). Freshman Cooper Cummings was ninth with 5,758 points. Freshman Aliyah Dawkins was ninth in the women’s heptathlon with a score of 2,574 points.

• The Vikings will conclude the regular season on Saturday at the Ken Shannon Invitational in Seattle.