Sunday, May 27, 2012

PUEBLO, Colo. -- Two Great Northwest Athletic Conference athletes won national championships Saturday in the NCAA Division II National track and field meet.

Overall, it was quite a day for GNAC athletes who also produced two conference records and won a total of seven All-American awards with Top Eight finishes.

Brittany Aanstad of Seattle Pacific and Micah Chelimo of Alaska Anchorage won national titles in the women's javelin and men's 5,000 meters, respectively.

Aanstad flungthe javelin a school and GNAC record distance of 168-1. She broke the conference record of 163-6 set last season by Western's Washington's Monika Gruszecki in a national championship winning performance.

She also eclipsed the 25-year-old SPU school record of 167-2 by Anita Sartin in 1987. Her mark also bettered the "B" standard for next month's U.S. Olympic Trials.

Aanstad was one of three GNAC athletes with All-American performances in the women's javelin as Amanda Schumaker of Western Oregon finished third with a throw of 158-5 and Katie Reichert of Western Washington was seventh with a toss of 152-5.

Schumaker's third place finish was her third consecutive All-American performance in the javelin. She finished sixth as a freshman two years ago and eighth last season to cap off her sophomore season.

Chelimo won the 5,000 meters in a time of 15:15.85. On Friday he finished second in the steeplechase in a time of 9:02.75, accounting for 18 of Alaska Anchorage's 28 points, which earned it a ninth place team finish in the men's division.

Cody Parker earned six of those points with a third-place performance in the javelin, hurling the spear 232 feet, five inches.

Parker broke the old GNAC record of 223-2 set by Josh Heidegger of Northwest Nazarene in 2009. The freshman's toss also ranks 12th all-time in NCAA Division II history.

Alaska Anchorage also got All-American performances Saturday from Alfred Kangogo in the men's 1500, Ivy O'Guinn in the women's 1,500, Ruth Keino and Susan Tanui in the women's 5,000 and Haleigh Lloyd in the women's 400 hurdles.

Kangogo finished fifth in his event in a time of 4:15.18, while O'Guinn was timed in 4:41.98. Keino and Tanui, who placed second in Friday's steeplechase, recorded times of 17:57.33 and 18:00.06 in placing seventh and eighth in the 5,000. Lloyd finished seventh in the 400 hurdles in a time of 59.91.

In all, UAA athletes earned 10 All-American awards in the meet - six by the women and four by the men - in recording their best ever team finishes.

UAA's ninth place team finish in the men's division bettered its 14th place finishes in 2009 and 2010. The Seawolf women placed 11th with 17 points. Its previous best was 33rd in 2006 when it scored six points.

Seattle Pacific also had a Top 20 finish ending up 13th in the women's division with 16 points. Western Oregon and Western Washington were 33rd and 39th, respectively, with 6 and 5 1/2 points.

In addition to UAA, Western Washington was the only other GNAC men's team to score points, ending up 48th with the two points Alex Harrison earned Thursday and Friday by placing seventh in the decathlon.

NCAA Division II National Track and Field Meet (May 24-26 at Pueblo, Colo.)

Men- 1. Adams State 77, 2. Lincoln (Mo.) 73, 3. Saint Augustine's and Western State 54, 5. Abilene Christian 50, 9. Alaska Anchorage 28, 48. Western Washington 2. Saturday: 1500 - 5. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 4:15.18. 5000 – 1. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 15:15.85. Javelin– 3. Cody Parker, UAA, 70.85 - 232-5; 15. Alex Harrison, WWU, 58.79 -192-10. Women - 1. Grand Valley State 90, 2. Lincoln (Mo.) 79, 3. Adams State 59, 4. Central Missouri 56 1/2, 5. Grand Canyon 41, 11. Alaska Anchorage 17, 13. Seattle Pacific 16, 33. Western Oregon 6, 39. Western Washington 5 1/2. 1500 - 7. Ivy O'Guinn, UAA, 4:41.98. 5000 - 7. Ruth Keino, UAA, 17:57.33; 8. Susan Tanui, UAA, 18:00.06. 400 Hurdles - 7. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 59.91. High Jump – 20. Ali Worthen, SPU, 1.65 - 5-5. Shot Put – 17. Leeza Henry, MSUB, 13.48 -44-2 3/4. Javelin – 1. Brittany Aanstad, SPU, 51.24 - 168-1; 3. Amanda Schumaker, WOU, 48.28 - 158-5; 7. Katie Reichert, WWU, 46.47 - 152-5; 12. Seabre Church, WOU, 41.48 - 136-1.

Friday's Results: Men, Decathlon– 7. Alex Harrison, WWU, 6,677. 800 – 14. Nathan Seely, SPU, 1:56.99 (did not advance). Steeplechase - 2. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 9:02.75; 11. Dan Sprinkle, WOU, 9:41.35. Women: Heptathlon – 3. Ali Worthen, SPU, 5297; 7. Kelsea Johnson, UAA, 4927. Pole Vault – 8. Karis Anderson, WWU, 3.75 - 12-3 1/2 (Kati Davis, CWU, no height). Triple Jump – 6. Emily Warman, WWU, 12.37 - 40-7; 10. Ashley Potter, WOU, 12.14 - 39-10. Steeplechase – 2. Susan Tanui, UAA, 10:28.26.

Thursday's Results: Men, Decathlon (Day 1) – 11. Alex Harrison, WWU, 3329. Hammer – 15. Michael Hoffman, WWU, 58.67 - 192-6. 1500 Prelims – 8. Alfred Kangogo, UAA, 4:04.84. Steeplechase Prelims – 2. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 9:32.16; 6. Dan Sprinkle, WOU, 9:36.86. 400 Hurdles Prelims – 15. Shaun Ward, UAA, 55.25. Women, Heptathlon (Day 1) – 5. Ali Worthen, SPU, 3177; 14. Kelsea Johnson, UAA, 2858. 1500 Prelims – 11. Ivy O'Guinn, UAA, 4:43.71. Steeplechase Prelims – 1. Susan Tanui, UAA, 10:44.67; 14. Hallidie Wilt, UAA, 11:28.58. 400 Hurdles Prelims – 7. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 1:00.24.