Thursday, April 23, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. - Twenty-two athletes – 11 men and 11 women – will compete in the GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Multi-Event Championships beginning Monday at Saint Martin’s University.

The multis are the first event of the 2015 GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.  The remainder of the meet will be held May 8-9 at Western Oregon University in Monmouth.

The multis get underway Monday with the first decathlon event at 10 a.m.  The heptathlon starts 30 minutes later.

Among the athletes competing will be heptathlon defending champion Karolin Anders of Alaska Anchorage.  The top seed is UAA’s Rosie Smith who posted a provisional national qualifying score of 4,613 points last week at Azusa, Calif.

Justin Peterson of Central Washington is the top seed in the decathlon with a score of 6,401.  That, however, is just one point better than Northwest Nazarene freshmen Payton Lewis.

The multis conclude Tuesday beginning at 9 a.m. with the sixth event of the decathlon.  Tuesday’s heptathlon events start at 10 a.m.

WWU Hosts 34th Ralph Vernacchi Invitational

The 34th Western Washington University Ralph Vernacchia Invitational highlights this week’s track-and-field schedule in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

The meet gets underway Saturday at Civic Stadium in Bellingham at 9 a.m.

Among the teams joining the Vikings in the meet from the GNAC are Central Washington, Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific.

Also on the schedule are meets in San Diego, Helena, Eugene, Pullman and Vancouver, B.C.

Seattle Pacific will send athletes to San Diego to compete at the UC San Diego Triton Invitational.  Montana State Billings will compete in the Carroll College Invitational and Northwest Nazarene will be in Pullman for the Washington State Cougar Invitational.

The long weekend begins Thursday with Western Oregon competing at the Lane College Titan Twilight in Eugene and concludes with the Achilles Cup (SFU vs. UBC dual) Monday in Vancouver, B.C.

37 Qualifying Marks, 4 Records

GNAC athletes had 37 national qualifying performances including three automatic marks in meets around the West last week. Four of the performances set conference records.

Western Washington’s Alex Donigian broke his own record in the men’s 100 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays with a time of 10.22.  He set the old record of 10.27 earlier this month in the Texas Relays.

Viking hurdler Travis Milbrandt also broke his own record of 14.71 in the 110 hurdles – twice.  After running a 14.33 at Mt. SAC, he ran a 14.30 Saturday at Long Beach State.

WWU, which was selected as the GNAC Team of the Week, also got a conference record from Katelyn Steen in the steeplechase.  She ran a  10:13.01, despite falling down with 3 ½ laps to go.

Donigian and Steen’s marks and a career-best throw of 165-7 by WWU’s Katie Reichert in the javelin were all automatic marks.

Seven different GNAC schools posted qualifying marks led by Alaska Anchorage with 14 (4 men, 10 women).  Western Washington had 10 (6 men, 4 women) and Simon Fraser had five (3 men, 2 women),

Seattle Pacific had 3 (3 women), Western Oregon (2 men) and Central Washington (1 man, 1 woman) had two each and Saint Martin’s had 1 (1 woman).

Following is a list of the qualifiers and where their performances rank on the GNAC’s All-Time Top 10 lists.

NATIONAL QUALIFYING MARKS: Men:  100 – 1. Alex Donigian, WWU, 10.22.  800 – 2. +Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 1:49.64; 4. *Nathan Kipchumba, UAA, 1:50.56; Josh Hanna, WOU, 1:51.62. 1500 – 3. Travis Vugteveen, SFU, 3:47.63; Sam Naffziger, WOU, 3:51.76. 10,000 – 3. Dominik Notz, UAA, 29:26.29; 6. Henry Cheseto, UAA, 29:49.06; 9. Victor Samoei, UAA, 30:11.79. 110 Hurdles – 1. +Travis Milbrandt, WWU, 14.30; 4. +Logan Myers, WWU, 14.56. Steeplechase – Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 9:11.54; +Matt Lutz, WWU, 9:12.41. High Jump - *Brett Watson, WWU, 2.04 – 6-8 ¼.  Long Jump – 8. *Brett Watson, WWU, 7.25 – 23-9 ½. Triple Jump – 5. **Luke Plummer, CWU, 14.85 – 48-8 ¾.  Women:  100 – *Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 11.73.  200 – 2. *Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 24.08. 800 – 8. *Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:08.13. 1500 –  8. +Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 4:27.77; *Lynelle Decker, SPU, 4:30.08; *Jessica Pahkala, UAA, 4:30.19; *Beatrice Decker, UAA, 4:30.91.  5000 – 4. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 16:26.59; 9. +Katelyn Steen, WWU, 16:44.97; *Sarah Macdonald, SPU, 17:17.68. 10,000 – 6. Amy Johnston, UAA, 35:01.46; 7. Shannon Porter, SMU, 35:05.97; 10. Caroline Kurgat, UAA, 35:28.00; Anna Patti, SPU, 35:46.51.  100 Hurdles – 6. +Rosie Smith, UAA, 14.24.  400 Hurdles – 1. *Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 59.20. Steeplechase – 1. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:13.01.  High Jump – ++Karolin Anders, UAA, 1.68 – 5-6. Pole Vault – **McKenna Emmert, CWU, 3.65 – 111-11 ¾. Discus – 4. +Megan Mortensen, WWU, 47.09 – 154-6. Javelin – 3. +Katie Reichert, WWU, 50.48 – 165-7. Heptathlon – ++Rosie Smith, UAA, 4613.  Note: All marks at Mt. SAC except:  *APU Clay +Long Beach **CWU. ++Cal Invitational Multis.  Number before name indicates All-time GNAC Top 10 rank.

Non-National Qualifying GNAC Top 10s: Women: 100 - 8. *Becca Houk, SPU, 12.14. 200 – 7. +Jahzelle Ambus, SPU, 24.90; 10. *Becca Houk, SPU, 24.99. 4x100 Relay – 4. +Seattle Pacific 46.99.      *At APU Clay +At Long Beach      

Butterworth Stays On Top in 800, 1500

Lindsey Butterworth of Simon Fraser held onto the national lead in the women’s 800 and 1500 meters last week. Her times of 2:05.86 and 4:18.34 still rank No. 1 on TFRRS. 

GNAC athletes currently have 27 performances that rank in the Top 10 on TFRRS including two each by Butterworth, SFU’s Cameron Proceviat (800, 1500) and UAA’s Dominik Notz (5K, 10K) and Henry Cheseto (5K, 10K).

Other athletes with two Top 10 marks include Shannon Porter of Saint Martin’s (5K, 10K), SFU’s Jennifer Johnson (1500, 5000) and UAA’s Amy Johnston (5K, 10K).

In this week’s USTFCCCA Computer team rankings, four GNAC teams are ranked. 

UAA’s men are ranked 15^th and its women are ranked 21^st.  Simon Fraser’s women are ranked 14^th and Western Washington’s women are ranked 23^rd.

Following is a list of GNAC athletes in this week’s TFRRS Top 10:

Men: 100 – 2. Alex Donigian, WWU, 10.27.  800 – 4. Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 1:49.64.  1500 – 9. Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 3:47.09.  5000 – 5. Dominik Notz, UAA, 14:07.05; 9. Henry Cheseto, UAA, 14:08.86. 10,000 – 2. Dominik Notz, UAA, 29:26.29; 8. Henry Cheseto, UAA, 29:49.06.  Pole Vault – 3. Payton Lewis, NNU, 5.15 – 16-10 ¾.  Discus – 4. Ryan Macdonald, WWU, 54.07 – 177-5.   Javelin – 2. Franz Burghagen, UAA, 68.52 – 224-10; 8. Cody Parker, UAA, 64.63 – 212-0; 9. Slater Hirst, WWU, 64.09 – 210-3. 

Women: 800 – 1. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 2:05.86; 3. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:08.13.  1500 – 1. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 4:18.34; 8. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 4:27.77.  5000 – 4. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 16:26.59; 8. Shannon Porter, SMU, 16:37.99; 10. Anna Patti, SPU, 16:41.56; 5. Amy Johnston, UAA, 16:52.50; 10. Dani Eggleston, CWU, 17:11.79.  10,000 – 6. Amy Johnston, UAA, 35:01.46; 8. Shannon Porter, SMU, 35:05.97.  400 Hurdles – 4. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 59.20.  Steeplechase – 2. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:13.01.  Javelin – 3. Katie Reichert, WWU, 50.48 – 165-7; 7. Kalli Walker, SMU, 47.36 – 155-4.

GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Men's Track -  Dominik Notz, Alaska Anchorage (Jr., Dettingen, Germany) ran the second fastest 10,000 meter time in NCAA Division II this spring and the third fastest in GNAC history at the Mt. SAC Relays Thursday.  His time of 29:26.29 bettered the provisional national standard by 1 minute, 23 seconds and was just 11 seconds shy of the automatic standard. 

Men's Field – Brett Watson Western Washington (Sr., Ferndale, WA), and Luke Plummer, Central Washington (Jr., Vaughn, WA – Peninsula) … Watson had provisional national qualifying marks in both the high jump (6-8 ¼) and long jump (23-9 ½) at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa, Calif.  His long jump mark ranks eighth in GNAC history.  Plummer triple jumped a provisional national qualifying 48-8 ¾ at the CWU Spike Arlt Invitational, establishing the fifth best mark in GNAC history. 

Women's Track - Haleigh Lloyd, Alaska Anchorage (Sr., Ladysmith, BC)  and Katelyn Steen, Western Washington (Sr., Sammamish, WA – Eastlake) … Lloyd and Steen set  GNAC records in the 400 hurdles and steeplechase, respectively.  Lloyd broke her own record she set in 2012 clocking 59.20 at the Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational.  Steen, despite falling down at one point in the race, ran a time of 10:13.01 in the steeple at the Mt. SAC Relays, eclipsing the old mark of 10:13.33 by Susan Tanui of Alaska Anchorage in 2012.  Steen also earned a PNQ in the 5,000 meters at the Beach Invitational at Long Beach, Calif., running the ninth fastest time in GNAC history (16:44.97). 

Women's Field – Katie Reichert, Western Washington (Jr., Longview, WA - Kelso), had a career-best throw of 165-7 in the Beach Invitational javelin, adding five inches to her previous career best.  Her throw ranks third in both GNAC history and this year’s NCAA Division II national rankings. 

LAST WEEK’S GNAC OUTDOOR T&F RESULTS

Spokane Multis (April 14-15 at Spokane):  Decathlon – 2. Dominique Holt, MSUB, 5773; 3. Preston Schubert, MSUB, 4845.

California Multis (April 15-16 at Azusa): Decathlon (Section B) – 12. Travis Turner, UAA, 5978. Heptathlon – 23. Rosie Smith, UAA, 4613; 35. Karolin Anders, UAA, 4085.

Mt. Sac Relays (April 16-17 at Walnut Creek): Men (Top 10): 100 – 3. Alex Donigian, WWU, 10.22.  1500 – 6. Travis Vugteveen, SFU, 3:47.63. 10,000 Open – 7. Victor Samoei, UAA, 30:11.79.  10,000 Invitational – 10. Dominik Notz, UAA, 29:26.29. Steeplechase – 9. Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 9:11.54.   Women (Top 10):  10,000 Open – 5. Caroline Kurgat, UAA, 35:28.09.  10,000 B – 8. Amy Johnston, UAA, 35:01.46.  Steeplechase – 3. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:13.01.  Javelin – 7. Katie Reichert, WWU, 47.72 – 156-7.

MSUB/Rocky Mountain Open at Laurel (April 17 at Laurel): Men (MSUB winners): 200 – Cameron Stanek 22.80.  400 – Nathan Vanderby 49.69. 4x100 – MSU Billings 42.85.  4x400 Relay – MSU Billings 3:24.08.   Women (MSUB Winners): 100 – Brianna Gray  12.51.  200 – Brianna Gray 25.80.  800 – Brielle Davis 2:26.66. 1500 – Nocona Frame 4:50.77. 100 Hurdles – Hope Reid 15.18. 4x400 Relay – MSU Billings 4:09.15.   Pole Vault – Amanda Nichols 3.25.

APU Bryan Clay Invitational (April 17 at Azusa): Men (Top 3): 400 – 3. Joel Webster, SFU, 47.99.  High Jump – 1. Brett Watson, WWU, 2.04 – 6-8 ¼.  Javelin – 3. Franz Burghagen, UAA, 64.04 – 210-1.  Women (Top 3): 800 – 1. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:08.13.  400 Hurdles – 3. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 59.20.  4x100 – 2. Seattle Pacific 47.16.

Oregon Relays (April 16-18 at Eugene):  Men (Top 6): 5000 (B) – 4. Isaac Griffith, WWU, 14:55.48, Steeplechase – 6. Andrew Wise, WWU, 9:41.42. 1500 (B) – 3. Haley O’Connor, WWU, 4:34.63.

Lewis & Clark Open (April 18 at Portland): Men – Spokane CC 146, Linfield 119, George Fox 100, Corban 94, Pacific 54 (7. Western Oregon 36).  Individual (Top 3): 110 Hurdles – 2. Dustin Camarillo, WOU, 15.81; 3. Rihei Grothmann, WOU, 16.17. Women – Linfield 114, Spokane CC 105 ½, Lewis & Clark 89, George Fox 81, Corban 77 (7. Western Oregon 58).  Individual (Top 3): 5,000 – 2. Debora DeLeon, WOU, 20:12.86. Long Jump – 2. Lauren Hiland, WOU, 5.10 – 16-8 ¾. Shot Put – 3. Leah Nicklason, WOU, 11.53 – 37-10. Hammer – 3. Emily Wetherell, WOU, 45.10 – 147-11.

Long Beach State Invitational (April 18 at Long Beach): Men (Top 8):  100 – 5. Alex Donigian, WWU, 10.52. 800 – 6. Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 1:49.64.   110 Hurdles – 6. Travis Milbrandt, WWU, 14.30. Steeplechase – 5. Matt Lutz, WWU, 9:12.41.  4x100 Relay – 5. Alaska Anchorage 42.77; 6. Seattle Pacific 43.05.  Javelin – 1. Slater Hirst, WWU, 63.19 – 207-4; 2. Justin Larson, WOU, 62.48 – 205-0; 4. Brian Chalkey, SMU, 60.03 – 196-11. Women (Top 8):  5000 – 5. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 16:44.97. 4x100 Relay – 3. Seattle Pacific 46.99; 7. Alaska Anchorage 47.83. Javelin – 1. Katie Reichert, WWU, 50.48 – 165-7; 7. Kalli Walker, SMU, 42.70 – 140-1.

CWU Spike Arlt Invitational (April 18 at Ellensburg):   Men – Central Washington 256, Eastern Oregon 98, Western Washington 81, Pacific Lutheran 79 ½, Everett CC 64 ½, Green River 47, Olympic CC 37 ½, Northwest 36, Puget Sound 25, Trinity Lutheran 6. GNAC Winners: 100 – Kent McKinney, CWU, 10.76.  200 – Jordan Todd, CWU, 22.01.  400 – Ryan McArthur, WWU, 49.25. 1500 – John Wojtech, CWU, 3:58.05.  10,000 – Harry Engel, CWU, 35:18.03. 400 Hurdles – Trevaughn Scott, CWU, 56.29. 4x100 Relay – Central Washington (Steuk, Todd, Kelly, McKinney) 41.88.  4x800 Relay – Central Washington 11:18.4.  Pole Vault – Zane Irvine, CWU, 4.50 – 14-9.  Long Jump – Luke Plummer, CWU, 6.93 – 22-9.  Triple Jump – Luke Plummer, CWU, 14.85 – 48-8 ¾.   Women – Central Washington 284, Eastern Oregon 103, Western Washington 67 ½, Pacific Lutheran 62, Northwest 57, Puget Sound 52 ½, Everett CC 40, Olympic 37, Trinity Lutheran 15, Club Northwest 10, Green River CC 10. GNAC Winners:  800 – Mikhaila Thornton, WWU, 2:20.76.   5000 – Dani Eggleston, CWU, 17:47.45.   Steeplechase – Brenna Eldredge, CWU, 11:55.49.  4x100 – Central Washington (Garcia, Banfro, Kamm, Leaptrot-Atkins) 48.42.  4x400 Relay – Central Washington (Harmon, Ryker, Anderson, Inderbitzin) 3:56.77.  4x800 Relay – Central Washington (Bergstrom, Chinchar, Dowdell, Inderbitzin) 12:59.8. Shot Put – Amanda Youngers, CWU, 13.08 – 42-11.   Hammer – Sam Lester, CWU, 47.15 – 154-8.  Javelin – Angelique Whistocken, CWU, 39.88 – 130-10.

Utah State Mark Faldmo (April 17-18 at Logan, UT): Men (Top 3): 110 Hurdles – 3. Payton Lewis, NNU, 15.06.  Steeplechase – 3. Brandon Schafer, NNU, 10:56.52.  4x100 Relay – 3. Northwest Nazarene 42.33.  High Jump – 2. Cole Hoberg, NNU, 2.05 – 6-8 ¾.  Women (Top 3): 100 – 2. Taylor Deskins, NNU, 12.08. 3000 – 1. Anysja Manzer, NNU, 11:10.31.  100 Hurdles – 2. Chelsey Knott, NNU, 14.56. 4x100 Relay – 1. Northwest Nazarene 48.30. High Jump – 2. Rachel Miller, NNU, 1.60 – 5-3.  Shot Put – 3. Taylor VanValey, NNU, 12.85 – 42-2.