Boyes, Potter Claim No. 2 Spots In GNAC All-Time Rankings

Potter added 2 1/2 inches to her No. 2 mark

Brennan Boyes of Central Washington and Ashley Potter of Western Oregon posted the No. 2 marks in GNAC history in their respective events Saturday at the University of Washington Invitational.

Boyes finished fifth in the men's high jump equaling the No. 2 GNAC all-time mark with a provisional national qualifying leap of 6-8 3/4. That was just one inch off the GNAC indoor record set by CWU's Cresap Watson in 2006.

Potter earned a PNQ in the women's triple jump with a leap of 39-1 adding 2 1/2 inches to her previous career best which already had ranked second in GNAC history. The record is 39-11 1/2 by Emily Warman of Western Washington in 2010.

Eight other GNAC athletes and two relay teams also posted all-time Top 10 performances Saturday in Day 2 of the meet at the Dempsey Indoor facility.

In the men's 800, Ryan Hansen of Western Oregon and Nathan Seely of Seattle Pacific posted the fifth (1:52.22) and sixth fastest times (1:52.26) in GNAC history earning PNQs in the process. Ryan Brockerville of Simon Fraser claimed the No. 10 GNAC all-time mark in the mile with a time of 4:12.60.

In the men's high jump, Logan Myers and Karsten Schick, both of Western Washington, moved into seventh place with leaps of 6-6 3/4, while Kati Davis of Central Washington matched the No. 5 mark in the women's pole vault with a PNQ leap of 12-0 1/2.

One of the athletes Davis matched was WWU's Karis Anderson who cleared that height on Friday in an earlier flight of the event.

Alisha Klippenstein of Simon Fraser joined Potter in the Top 10 in the women's triple jump with the third best all-time performance of 39-0 1/2.

Meanwhile, Nate Johnson of Seattle Pacific moved into third in the heptathlon with a provisional national qualifying score of 4,679. Johnson added 103 points to his previous career best, which had ranked third.

Western Washington's 4x400 relay teams both claimed the No. 8 all-time GNAC times. The men ran a school-record time of 3:21.51, while the Viking women ran a time of 3:57.50.

In addition to Boyes, Potter, Hansen, Seely, Davis and Johnson, Saturday's national qualifiers included WWU's Eleanor Siler in the women's 400 in a time of 57.30, Warman in the long jump (18-5 3/4) and Central Washington's Katharine Lotze in the women's triple jump (38-2).

Three Simon Fraser athletes also had performances better than the NCAA PNQ though they aren't eligible to compete in the national meet - Lindsey Butterworth and Michaela Kane in the women's 800 (2:12.80 & 2:13.97) and Brockerville in the mile.

UW Invitational (Jan. 27-28 at Seattle): Women (Top 8): 400 - 5. Eleanor Siler, WWU, 57.30. 4x400 Relay - 8. Western Washington 3:57.50. *Distance Medley Relay - 6. Simon Fraser 12:08.31. High Jump - 7. Brittany Grandy, WWU, 1.66 - 5-5 1/4. Long Jump - 6. Emily Warmen, WWU, 18-5 3/4. Triple Jump - 6. Ashley Potter, WOU, 39-1; 7. Aisha Klippenstein, SFU, 39-0 1/2. *Pentathlon - 4. Ali Worthen, SPU, 3729. Men (Top 8): 60 - 6. Bryan Mack, CWU, 6.99; 8. Mark Pangilinan, WWU, 7.05. *200 - 7. Kendale Hamlett, WOU, 22.57. 60 Hurdles - 4. Brett Campbell, WOU, 8.61; 6. Kody Rhodes, WOU, 8.68. 4x400 Relay - 3. Western Washington 3:21.51. *Distance Medley - 2. Simon Fraser 10:08.82; 3. Western Oregon 10:09.89. High Jump - 5. Brennan Boyes, CWU, 6-8 3/4. Pole Vault - 7. Cal Rosenberg, WWU, and Ray Zoellick, SPU, 14-5 1/2. Long Jump - 6. Jake Hyde, WOU, 22-1; 7. Kyle Lane, WOU, 21-10 3.4. Triple Jump - 7. Matson Hardie, WOU, 45-5 1.4. Heptathlon - 7. Nate Johnson, SPU, 4679. (*Indicates Friday events. All others on Saturday.)

Crusaders Earn Two Fourths in Jackson's Invitational

A pair of fourths by Barak Watson in the mile and Stephen Larlee in the triple jump were Northwest Nazarene's best finishes Saturday in the Jackson's Invitational at Nampa.

Watson ran a time of 4:21.76, while Larlee triple jumped 44-0 1/2. Joy Warrington finished fifth for the Crusader women in the shot put with a mark of 44-9 3/4.

On Friday, NNU won the men's distance medley relay (10:20.90) and Jesse Baggenstos, finished second in the men's 5,000 meters (15:29.23).

BSU Jackson's Invitational (Jan. 27 at Nampa): Women (Top 6): *Long Jump - 5. Molly Reid, NNU, 17-3 1/4. Shot Put - 5. Joy Warrington, NNU, 44-9 3/4. *Pentathlon - 5. Jill Bennett, NNU, 3115. Men (Top 6): Mile - 4. Barak Watson, NNU, 4:21.76. *5000 - 2. Jesse Baggenstos, NNU, 15:29.23; 5. Kaleb Fleenor, NNU, 16:13.29. *Distance Medley - 1. Northwest Nazarene 10:20.90. High Jump - 7. Andrew Galbraith, NNU, 6-2 1/4. *Long Jump - 5. Maurus Hope, NNU, 21-8 3/4. Triple Jump - 4. Stephen Larlee, NNU, 44-0 1/2. Heptathlon - 5. Greyson Kilgore, NNU, 3821; 6. Tim Greene, NNU, 359. (*Indicates Friday events. All others on Saturday.)

Seattle Pacific Multi-Eventer Worthen Qualifies In Pentathlon at UW Open

Ali Worthen

Ali Worthen of Seattle Pacific racked up a career-best 3,729 points to take fourth place in the pentathlon Friday on the first day of the UW Invitational Indoor track and field meet.

Worthen's score is the third-highest in all of Division II so far this season (pending results elsewhere Friday). The only better totals are 3,885 and 3,852.

It also was well beyond the provisional national standard of 3,300 points, and obliterated Worthen's previous best of 3,447 set during her freshman year in 2009. Her total also ranks second in GNAC history. Her previous score had been the No. 2 mark.

Along the way to Friday's pentathlon total, Worthen shattered her PRs in two of the five individual events. She threw 35 feet, 1 ¼ inches in shot put, well beyond her previous indoor best of 31-3, and also beat her outdoor best of 33-3¾. She finished the 800 meters in 2:24.41. That also was better than any previous time indoors (2:28.02) or outdoors (2:24.52).

Worthen's best individual placing of the day was fifth in the high jump (5-5 ¼) and a tie for fifth in the long jump (17-10¾).

Kyle Van Santen of Saint Martin's also had a PNQ Friday, in the men's 5,000, finishing 10th in a time of 14:35.55. He bettered the standard by about 8 1/2 seconds in running the fourth fastest time in GNAC history.

Tanner Boyd of Western Washington ran the ninth fastest time in GNAC history finishing 15th in 14:52.70.

Western Washington pole vaulter Karis Anderson added 4 1/2 inches to her previous PNQ clearing 12-0 1/2 to finish fourth. That ranks fifth in GNAC history.

Simon Fraser's women's distance medley relay team also posted a time better than the NCAA standard finishing sixth in 12:08.31. The Clan, however, is ineligible to compete at nationals.

In addition to Worthen, Van Santen, Boyd and Anderson, GNAC athletes posted four other marks that rank in the Top 10 on the GNAC all-time charts.

Heidi Laabs-Johnson and Natty Plunkett ran the eighth and ninth fastest women's 5,000 meter times, while Simon Fraser and Western Oregon's men posted the sixth and seventh quickest distance medley marks.

Laabs-Johnson placed 15th in a time of 17:33.14 and Plunkett placed 17th in 17:33.14. Simon Fraser finished second in the men's relay in a time of 10:08.82, while Western Oregon finished third in 10:09.89.

UW Invitational (Jan. 27 at Seattle): Women (Top 10): Distance Medley Relay - 6. Simon Fraser 12:08.31. Pole Vault - 4. Karis Anderson, WWU, 12-0 1/2; 6. Terra Schumacher, SPU, 11-0 3/4. Pentathlon - 4. Ali Worthen, SPU, 3729. Men (Top 10): 200 - 7. Kendale Hamlett, WOU, 22.57. 5000 - 10. Kyle Van Santen, SMU, 14:35.55. Distance Medley - 2. Simon Fraser 10:08.82; 3. Western Oregon 10:09.89.

Pitt, Knispel, Firestone Second at Montana State

Stacey Pitt

Stacey Pitt, Anica Knispel and Taylor Firestone all finished second Friday for Montana State Billings in the Montana State Open at Bozeman.

Pitt placed second in the women's high jump with a leap of 5-3 3/4, while Knispel earned a second in the shot with a put of 43-5 3/4. Firestone placed second in the men's triple jump with a jump of 42-11 3/4.

Knispel's mark moved her from ninth to eighth on the GNAC all-time chart. Her previous best had been 42-3 1/2.

MSUB broke three school records in the meet led by its men's 4x400 relay team of Drew Galahan, Reiley Winebrenner, Lewis Polkow and Rory Bauer which finished fourth in a GNAC season-best time of 3:26.46.

Pitt broke two school records as she placed fourth in the pole vault (10-11 3/4) before breaking the high jump mark.

Meanwhile at Nampa in the opening day of the Jackson's Open, Northwest Nazarene won the men's distance medley in a time of 10:20.90. The Crusaders also got a second place finish from Jesse Baggenstos in the men's 5,000 (15:29.23).

Montana State Open (Jan. 27 at Bozeman): Women (Top 3): 3000 - 3. Whitney Mickelsen, MSUB, 10:58.86. High Jump - 2. Stacey Pitt, MSUB, 5-3 3/4. Shot Put - 2. Anica Knispel, MSUB, 43-5 3/4; 3. Leeza Henry, MSUB, MSUB, 43-1 1/2. Men (Top 3): Shot Put - 3. Tanner Rottrup, MSUB, 49-5 1/2. Triple Jump - 2. Taylor Firestone, MSUB, 42-11 3/4.

BSU Jackson's Invitational (Jan. 27 at Nampa): Women (Top 6): Long Jump - 5. Molly Reid, NNU, 17-3 1/4. Pentathlon - 5. Jill Bennett, NNU, 3115. Men (Top 6): 5000 - 2. Jesse Baggenstos, NNU, 15:29.23; 5. Kaleb Fleenor, NNU, 16:13.29. Distance Medley - 1. Northwest Nazarene 10:20.90. Long Jump - 5. Maurus Hope, NNU, 21-8 3/4.

Porter Finishes 22nd In NY Marathon

Sarah Porter

Former Western Washington runner Sarah Porter placed 22nd in the women's division of the New York City Marathon last fall..

The 22-year-old Porter completed the 26-mile, 385-yard course through the city's five boroughs in 2:44.25. In all, more than 47,000 runners competed in all divisions of the marathon.

Firehiwot Dado was the first to cross the finish line in the women's race with a time of 2:23.15. The 27-year-old Ethiopian went past favorite Mary Keitany in the last two miles of the race. Keitany held a two-and-a-half minute lead at the halfway mark.

Porter was a 12-time All-American at Western, being the NCAA Division II national champion in the 10,000 meters last spring, posting the fastest time of any NCAA division in 2011. She also was a two-time national runner-up in cross country. 

The 5-foot-3 Porter is now training in Bowling Rock, North Carolina. Porter's goal is to qualify for the U.S. Olympic track and field trials next year in the 10,000.