Tuesday, April 28, 2015

LACEY, Wash. - Defending champion Karolin Anders posted the best mark on the day in the long jump and also had solid efforts in the javelin and 800 meters Tuesday in cruising to a 573-point point victory over teammate Haleigh Lloyd to win the heptathlon at the GNAC Multi-Events Championships at Saint Martin's University.

Anders finished the seven-event competition with 5,162 points, automatically qualifying for next month's NCAA championships.  She bettered the national standard by two points.

Lloyd finished second with 4,589 points, while Maliea Luquin broke up UAA's domination finishing third with 4,584, 25 points ahead of the Seawolves' Rosie Smith.

Anders is the fourth athlete to win the heptathlon title with 5,000 or more points joining Seattle Pacific's Danielle Ayers-Stamper (5,024 in 2003), Western Oregon's Bridget Johnson (5,053 in 2006) and Seattle Pacific's Ali Worthen (5,199 in 2012 and 5,390 in 2013).

Anders soared 18-3 3/4 in the long jump winning her third event.  She also had the best marks Monday in the high jump (1.70 - 5-7) and shot put (11.77 - 38-7 1/2).

On Tuesday, she also had a second-place finish in  the javelin (34.85 - 114-4) and came in third in the 800 (2:21.81).   Seattle Pacific's Maddi Hommes, who finished sixth overall, won the javelin with a throw of 122-3 and Lloyd set a meet record in finishing first in the 800 (2:14.20).

The top six finishers bettered the NCAA provisional national qualifing standard of 4,377 points.

The multi-events were the first events of the GNAC Track and Field Championships.  The remainder of the meet will be contested May 8-9 at Western Oregon University.  

Alaska Anchorage is the one-event team leader with 23 points.  Seattle Pacific earned nine points in the heptathlon.

Heptathlon - Alaska Anchorage 23, Seattle Pacific 9, Western Washington 4, Central Washington 2, Western Oregon 1.  Individuals - 1. Karolin Anders, UAA, 5162; 2. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 4589; 3. Maliea Luquin, SPU, 4684; 4. Rosie Smith, UAA, 4559; 5. Kaylie Greninger, WWU, 4462; 6. Maddie Hommes, SPU, 4381; 7. Harlee Ortega, CWU, 4158; 8. Sam Moore, WOU, 4048.