Thursday, May 29, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore.  –  Cody Thomas, who placed seventh in the decathlon at the NCAA Division II Track & Field Championship meet at Allendale, Mich. last weekend, been selected the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Male Athlete of the Year.

The University of Alaska Anchorage junior tallied 7,189 points becoming just the second athlete in GNAC history to score 7,000 or more points in the multi-events.

Among his marks was a 48.21 time in the 400 meters, which set a GNAC record for a multi-event and was the eighth best time for any 400 meter race in GNAC history.

Prior to the national meet, Thomas (Jr., Blenheim, New Zealand) earned Outstanding Performer honors in the GNAC Championship meet.  Thomas won the decathlon with a point total of 6,617 and also finished fifth in the high jump (6-2 ¼) and long jump (21-10 ¼) and sixth in the 100 meters (11.00).  He also ran on UAA’s 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams that finished fifth (42.05) and second (3:15.51), respectively.

Also winning special awards were Western Oregon sprinter Tyrell Williams, Simon Fraser distance runner Oliver Jorgensen and Western Washington head coach Kelven “Pee Wee”  Halsell.

Williams (Jr., Salem, OR), who had played three years of football but competed in track and field for the first time at WOU this spring, was selected the GNAC Newcomer of the Year. 

In the GNAC conference meet, he won the 200 meters in a meet record-tying time of 21.32 and also finished third in the 100 meters (10.74). He finished 13th in the national meet in the 200 in a time of 21.31.

Jorgensen (Abbotsford, BC) was voted the GNAC Freshman of the Year after winning the conference title in the steeplechase (9:17.20) and placing third in the 5,000 (9:17.20).  Jorgensen, who qualified  for the national meet in the steeplechase, had a season-best time of 9:09.38, which ranks ninth in GNAC history.

Halsell led the Vikings to their fifth GNAC Men’s Outdoor team title, matching Western Oregon’s record for most championships, and to a 15th place finish in the national meet.

Halsell has now won 10 GNAC Track & Field Coach of the Year awards – five in men’s outdoor (2005, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), one in women’s outdoor (2009) and four in men’s indoor (2005, 2006, 2013, 2014).