Friday, March 14, 2014

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Six All-Americans and a few near misses.

That is how you might best describe what happened Friday for GNAC athletes in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships.

In UAA's Micah Chelimo's case, it was both.

Chelimo, who was the defending national champion in the 5K, finished second in a time of 14:06.27, just .03 seconds back of winner Kevin Batt of Adams State.

Chelimo was one of six Seawolves to earn All-American honors as Joyce Kipchumba made her national meet debut finishing sixth in the women's 5,000 in a time of 17:14.18 on the 200-meter flat track.

The UAA women's distance medley relay team of Susan Bick, Haleigh Lloyd, Jessica Pahkala and Ivy O'Guinn also earned All-American honors with a fourth-place finish.  They were clocked in a time of 11:47.97.

The UAA athletes were the only GNAC point scorers Friday.

Western Washington long jumper Tanya Bjornsson was close, finishing ninth with a leap of 18-7.  She was just one-quarter inch behind the eighth place finisher (and final point scorer).

In the pole vault, Alison Silva finished 11th but only three athletes cleared a higher height as nine all went out at 12-1 1/2.  Total misses left the Northwest Nazarene freshman in 11th.

Another near miss was by Sarah Sawatzky of Simon Fraser in the women's 800.  She was ninth in a time of 2:10.98, missing advancing to Saturday's finals by .05 seconds.

That left McKayla Fricker of Seattle Pacific as the only finalist in that event.  She had the second best time in the 800 prelims, covering the distance in a time of 2:10.00.

NCAA INDOORS (March 13-14 at Winston-Salem, NC).

WOMEN: Final Team Scores - 13. Alaska Anchorage 16, 26. Seattle Pacific 8, 46. Central Washington 3.  Friday: Long Jump – 9. Tanya Bjornsson, WWU, 5.66 – 18-7.  800 Prelim – 2. McKayla Fricker, SPU, 2:10.00; 9. Sarah Sawatzky, SFU, 2:10.98; 11. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:11.87; 17. Natalie Evans, NNU, 2:15.95. 5000 – 6.  Joyce Kipchumba, UAA, 17:14.18.   Pole Vault – 11. Alison Silva, NNU, 3.70 - 12-1 ½; 15. Cheyanna Pinley, WWU, 3.55 - 11-7 ¾.   Distance Medley Relay – 4. Alaska Anchorage (Susan Bick, Haleigh Lloyd, Jessica Pahkala, Ivy O’Guinn) 11:47.97. Saturday: 800 - 2. McKayla Fricker, SPU, 2:09.25. 3000 - 6.  Joyce Kipchumba, UAA, 9:48.80. High Jump - 6. Tayler Fettig, CWU, 1.73 - 5-8; 17. Karolin Anders, UAA, 1.60 - 5-3.   Pentathlon – 4. Karolin Anders, UAA, 3775 (60 Hurdles – 9.24; High Jump – 1.70 – 5-7; Shot Put – 11.93 – 39-1 ¾; Long Jump – 5.35 – 17-6 3/4; 800 – 2:25.76). 

MEN: Final Team Scores - 9. Alaska Anchorage 18.  Friday:  Mile - 13. Chip Jackson, WWU, 4:16.56. 60 – 14.  Alex Donigian, WWU, 6.86. 5000 – 2. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 14:06.27. Saturday: 3000 - 1. Micah Chelimo, UAA, 8:15.52.  Shot Put - 17. Frank Catelli, WWU, 15.96 - 52-4 1/2.