Saturday, May 24, 2014

ALLENDALE, Mich. -  By the thinnest of margins, Western Washington's Bethany Drake edged teammate Katie Reichert for the women's javelin title in the NCAA Division II Track and Field National Championships at Grand Valley Stadium Saturday.

Drake's title was the first of two for GNAC athletes Saturday as McKayla Fricker later won the women's 800 meters in a career-best time of 2:06.18.

Drake, who came into the meet as the national javelin leader with a GNAC-record throw of 169-6, was in second place behind Mary Riley of Central Missouri after her three preliminary throws, but then uncorked a throw of 165-3 on the first of her three attempts in the finals.

As it turned out, she needed every inch as Reichert had a career-best of 165-2 on her final attempt, moving from ninth place all the way to second.  Reichert's throw was the third longest in GNAC history.

Drake and Reichert's 1-2 finish earned Western Washington 18 points.  Along with the five points Katelyn Steen received Friday for finishing fourth in the steeplechase, the Vikings ended up 11th with 23 points.

“I came into this meet just trying to stay relaxed,” said Drake. “I couldn’t imagine having anyone better beside me (Reichert) and we stayed right there with each other. It was exciting.”

GNAC athletes grabbed three of the top five slots as Seabre Church of Western Oregon finished fifth with a career-best throw of 156-3.  That was a six-inch improvement for Church, who ranks eighth on the GNAC All-Time Performance list.  She came into the meet seeded eighth.

Church finished behind Riley, who had a best of 163-0 to place third and Samantha Taylor of Slippery Rock who placed fourth with a throw of 160-8.

Freshman Kali Walker of Saint Martin's finished 14th with a mark of 136-2.

Drake, Reichert and Church's All-American finishes were the 30th, 31st and 32nd in the women's javelin in GNAC history including four first-place finishes, six seconds, five thirds, four fourths, five fifths, five sixths, one seventh (Reichert in 2012 with a throw of 152-2) and two eighths. 

It's been by far-and-away the conference's most successful event in the national meet in the GNAC's 13-year history.

Also earning All-America honors in a field event was Central Washington high jumper Tayler Fettig who placed sixth with a best of 5-7.

In running events, Fricker and  Ivy O'Guinn of Alaska Anchorage joined the All-American parade.

Fricker bettered her previous career-best by .67 seconds in winning the 800 in the fifth-best time in GNAC history. It was also the fastest time ever by a GNAC woman in the national meet.

She is the third GNAC athlete, including the last two, to win the event.  Ashley Puga of Northwest Nazarene finished first in 2009 and Helen Crofts of Simon Fraser won it last year.

O'Guinn earned six team points for the Seawolves by finishing third in the 1500 meters in a time of 4:26.80.

Only Jessica Pixler of Seattle Pacific, a three-time champion (2007, 09-10), has ever had a better national finish in GNAC history in the 1500.   Puga also had a third place finish in 2008.

NCAA Division II Women's Track & Field (May 22-24 at Allendale, Mich.)

Team Scores - 1. Lincoln, Mo., 64, 2. Johnson C. Smith 59,3. Grand Valley State 53, 4. Adams State 39, 5. Ashland 38,  11. Western Washington 23, 16. Alaska Anchorage 16, 23. Seattle Pacific 10, 48. Western Oregon 4, 53. Central Washington 3.

SATURDAY: Javelin - 1. Bethany Drake, WWU, 50.36 - 165-3; 2. Katie Reichert, WWU, 50.35 - 165-2; 5. Seabre Church, WOU, 47.63 – 156-3; 14. Kali Walker, SMU, 41.51 - 123-11. 1500 - 3. Ivy O'Guinn, UAA, 4:26.70. 800 - 1. McKayla Fricker, SPU, 2:06.18.  High Jump - 5. Tayler Fettig, CWU, 1.70 - 5-7.  5000   11. Joyce Kipchumba, UAA, 16:50.38; 21. Jordan Rehfeld, NNU, 17:27.87.

FRIDAY: Heptathlon  - 2. Karolin Anders, UAA, 5375 (Day 2: Long Jump - 3rd, 5.59 - 18-4 1/4; Javelin - 2nd, 37.60 - 123-4; 800 - 8th, 2:22.37). 200 Prelims -  22. Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 24.74. 800 Prelims - 1. McKayla Fricker, SPU, 2:07.52 (advances); 13. Sarah Sawatzky, SFU, 2:10.55; 14. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:10.82; 17. Natalie Evans, NNU, 2:11.23. Steeplechase - 4. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:22.66.  4x400 Relay Prelims - 12. Seattle Pacific (Kishia Mitchell, Tasia Baldwin, Jasmine Johnson, McKayla Fricker) 3:46.30. 

THURSDAY:  Heptathlon -  3. Karolin Anders, UAA, 3,236 (Day 1: 100 Hurdles - 13th, 14.89; High Jump - 2nd, 1.73 - 5-8; Shot Put - 3rd, 11.99  39-4; 200 - 9th, 25.64).  Hammer  - 12. Lindsay Wells, WWU, 51.64 - 169-5.  4x100 Relay Prelims - 12. Alaska Anchorage (Makenzie Harsch, Rosie Smith, Sasha Halfyard, Jamie Ashcroft) 47.46 (did not advance).   1500 Prelims - 9.  Ivy O’Guinn, UAA, 4:29.66 (advances); 20.  Connie Morgan, CWU, 4:43.72.  100 Prelims - 11. Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 11.69.   Steeplechase Prelims  - 1. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:39.10 (advances);  18. Dani Eggleston, CWU, 11:11.88.  10,000 - 7. Joyce Kipchumba, UAA, 35:35.61.