Wednesday, February 3, 2016

THIS WEEK'S GNAC TRACK ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Badane Sultessa, Western Oregon
Senior • Portland, Ore.

Sultessa broke his own GNAC record in the 800 meters at Saturday’s UW Invitational, placing fifth in a time of 1:50.23. The performance bettered the record by a half-second (1;50.73, set in 2015), is a NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and is second best in Division II this season. Sultessa also ran the third (800-meter) leg of WOU’s distance medley relay team as the Wolves ran a school record time of 9:53.08 and a NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark.

Also Nominated: Isaac Derline (Western Washington), Carlos Ortiz (Concordia), Latrelle Swayne (Saint Martin’s), Turner Wiley (Seattle Pacific), Distance Medley Relay team (Simon Fraser).

MEN’S FIELD
Vladislav Tsygankov, Simon Fraser
Senior • Moscow, Russia

Tsygankov broke the GNAC indoor record in the long jump, placing third at the UW Invitational with a mark of 23 feet, 10.75 inches. The surpassed the old GNAC record of 28 feet, 8 inches, set by Western Oregon’s Matson Hardie in 2010. A provisional qualifier for the NCAA Championships, the performance leads the GNAC and is tied for 11th in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Louis Faust (Concordia), Brandon Pless (Western Washington), Mikel Smith (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Lynelle Decker, Seattle Pacific
Senior • Vancouver, Wash.

Decker secured her fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, hitting the automatic qualifying mark with 10th place finish at the UW Invitational (top Division II finisher). Her time of 2:09.38 is seventh fastest in GNAC history and is second best in Division II this season. Decker also ran on the Falcons’ 4x400 relay team that also hit a provisional qualifying mark and placed seventh in 3:51.85.

Also Nominated: Dani Eggleston (Central Washington), Sara Fristoe (Concordia), Valda Kabia (Simon Fraser), Nicole Maurmann (Western Oregon), Shannon Porter (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Karolin Anders, Alaska Anchorage
Senior • Berlin, Germany

Anders was top small college finisher in the pentathlon at the UW Invitational, placing seventh with a score of 3,741 points. In the process, Anders took the GNAC lead and improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifier in the high jump. Her mark of 5 feet, 8 inches moves her into a tie for fifth on the GNAC all-time list and ties her for third in the Division II seasonal list.

Also Nominated: Tori Johnson (Concordia), Megan Mortensen (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage athletes set four school records and established or bettered nine NCAA Championships qualifying marks at the UW Invitational in Seattle.

• Joyce Chelimo led the list, setting a school record in the 5,000 meters and hitting an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championships with her 11th place time of 16:22.93. The performance moves Chelimo to No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list and is No. 2 in Division II this season.

• Karolin Anders broke the UAA record in the women’s high jump during the pentathlon. Her mark of 5-8 moves her into a tie for fifth on the GNAC all-time list and is tied for third best in Division II this season. Anders placed seventh in the pentathlon with 3,741 points, earning GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors. Her mark of 3,813, set at the Ed Jacoby Invitational, is third best in Division II.

• Rosie Smith broke the UAA record in the 60-meter hurdles two weeks after she broke the Seawolves’ record in the open 60 meters. Smith placed 10th in the preliminaries with a time of 8.66 seconds, which is No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list and tied for 12th in Division II this season.

• Cody Thomas broke the UAA record in the men’s 200 meters, placing eighth in a time of 22.48 seconds. The time currently leads the GNAC. Thomas also placed seventh in the 60 meters in 7.04 seconds.

• Dominik Notz won the men’s 5,000 meters in a time of 14:25.26. The time moves Notz into No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list and is seventh best in Division II this season. Henry Cheseto was third in the race with a time of 14:26.83, No. 4 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 8 in Division II. Both are provisional qualifiers for the NCAA Championships. Edwin Kangogo also earned a provisional qualifier in the 3,000 meters with his time of 8:25.52, No. 9 on the GNAC all-time list.

• Nathan Kipchumba improved his NCAA provisional qualifying time in the men’s 800 meters, placing eighth in 1:52.25. He enters the week with the 13th best time in Division II.

• The women’s distance medley relay of Jessica Pahkala, Mary Kathleen Cross, Tamara Perez and Caroline Kurgat were the top non-Division I team, placing fourth in 11:54.89. The performance is a NCAA provisional qualifier and is currently fourth best in Division II.

• Alaska Anchorage will not compete this weekend. They return to Seattle for their final tune-up before the GNAC Championships, the Husky Classic, on Feb. 12 and 13.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Two Central Washington athletes took GNAC leads in their events while a third broke a school record to lead the Wildcats at the UW Invitational.

• Dani Eggleston broke the Central Washington school record in the women’s 3,000 meters, placing 29th in the Division I-laden field in a time of 9:49.85. The performance ranks Eggleston No. 8 on the GNAC all-time list and is 14th in Division II this season. Eggleston is one of five GNAC athletes to have hit NCAA provisional qualifying marks in the event.

• Luke Plummer improved his GNAC best in the men’s triple jump with his third place leap of 48-6. The GNAC record holder in the event improved to 14th on the Division II best list.

• Kent McKinney improved his GNAC best in the men’s 60 meters, running 6.95 seconds in the preliminaries before placing sixth in the finals with a time of 7.01 seconds. He was one of three Division II athletes to make the final.

• Armando Tafoya was the Wildcats’ other top finisher, placing eighth in the men’s weight throw with a toss of 54-10. His mark of 56-1.25, set at the Jan. 16 Vandal Indoor, is second best in the GNAC this season.

• Central Washington will make the return to Pullman this weekend, competing in the WSU Cougar Indoor.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia split their squad last weekend, sending their top athletes to the UW Invitational while others competed at the TrackTown USA High Performance Meet #3 at Nike’s House of Track in Portland.

• Sophomore McKenzie Warren broke her own GNAC record in the women’s shot put for the third consecutive week, winning the event with a mark of 55 feet, 3.5 inches. The performance is the best in Division II this season and is ninth best among college competitors in all divisions. In addition, Warren’s mark surpasses the qualifying mark for the USATF Indoor Track Championships, Mar. 11-12 in Portland. She currently has the 15th best mark in the nation according to Track & Field News’ indoor top marks list. Warren also placed 11th in the weight throw with a mark of 52-3.25.

• Josh Koch placed sixth in the men’s shot put, hitting a mark of 53-9.75. Koch currently owns the best mark in the GNAC and the 12th best mark in Division II with 55-7.5, set on Jan. 16 at the UW Preview.

• Tyler Lamott notched a seventh place finish in the men’s weight throw with his mark of 56-4. He was the top non-Division I athlete in the event. His season best of 58-9.5 at the UW Preview is best in the GNAC and 16th in Division II.

• Concordia had seven top-four placers at the TrackTown USA High Performance Meet. The Cavaliers’ men were led by their distance medley relay team, which won in a time of 10:17.69.

• Tori Johnson was Concordia’s top women’s placer in Portland, winning the high jump with a leap of 5-4.25. Taylor Darden placed second in the weight throw with a mark of 41-1.75. Megan Fristoe took second in the B section of the women’s mile with a time of 5:11.03 while Sara Fristoe was fourth in 5:12.23.

• Concordia is back at the House of Track on Thursday as one of three GNAC teams competing in the Portland Indoor Invitational.

• Concordia is in the second year of a three-year transition process to NCAA Division II membership. This is their first year competing in full Division II and GNAC schedules. While the Cavaliers are eligible to compete in the GNAC championship, they are not eligible to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings did not compete last weekend. They will return to action on Friday and Saturday, competing in the Mountain State Games in Pocatello, Idaho.

• Robert Peterson enters the week ranked in the GNAC top-five in both the men’s mile and the 5,000 meters. Peterson ran 4:21.20 in the mile at the Dave Little Alumni Mile on Jan. 23. When converted to 4:14.42 for track size and altitude, he ranks second in the GNAC this season. Peterson opened the season by running 15:18.80 in the 5,000 meters at the Montana State Open on Jan. 15. When converted to 14:45.27 for track size and altitude, Peterson ranks fifth in the GNAC.

• Della Lyle is currently sixth in the GNAC in the women’s 5,000 meters. She ran 18:35.39 at the Montana State Open that converts to 17:57.94.

• Amanda Nichols enters the week fourth in the GNAC in the women’s pole vault, having cleared her season best 10-6 at the Montana State Open.

• Janessa Williams is ranked seventh in the GNAC in the triple jump with her season best leap of 35-5.25 at the Dave Little Alumni Mile. She is also 12th in the long jump with a best mark of 15-11.5.

• Nels Flanagan is currently ranked seventh in the GNAC in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 52-2.75 at the Montana State Open.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene did not compete last weekend. The Crusaders return to competition on Friday and Saturday with the Jacksons/New Balance Invitational at the Jacksons Indoor Center.

• Payton Lewis enters the week with NCAA provosional qualifiers in two events. He currently is ranked seventh in Division II in the men’s pole vault and leads Division II with his mark of 16-2.75 at the Jan. 23 Bronco Invitational. Lewis is also 13th in the heptathlon with his score of 4,963 points at the Bronco Invite.

• Cole Hoberg enters the week tied for 19th in Division II in the high jump with his mark of 6-8.75 at the Jan. 23 Bronco Invitational. The performace moved Hoberg into a tie for seventh on the GNAC all-time list.

• Taylor Van Valey is NNU’s lone women’s NCAA provisional qualifier. She hit a season best mark of 53-7.5 in the weight throw at the Jacksons Open on Dec. 12, which is tied for 41st in Division II. She is third in the GNAC this season in the event while she and Jessica Johns are tied for fifth in the GNAC in the shot put at 42-6.75.

• Taylor Deskins enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in the women’s 60 meters with her mark of 7.87 from the December Jacksons Open.

• Kyle McLaughlin enters the week ranked fourth on the GNAC in the men’s 60-meter hurdles with his time of 8.39 seconds at the Ed Jacoby Invitational on Jan. 16. Lexi Tubbs is ranked third in the women’s 60-meter hurdles as she ran 8.97 seconds at the Jacoby Invite.

• Zach McClanahan is second in the GNAC behind Lewis in the men’s pole vault. McClanahan vaulted his season best of 15-1 at the December Jacksons Open.

• John VanBeuren enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 54-6.75, set at the Jacksons Open.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s joined seven other GNAC teams up the road in Seattle at the UW Invitational.

• Shannon Porter bettered her own school record in the women’s 5,000 meters for the second straight meet, finishing 18th with a time of 16:57.09. The performance was a personal best by another 12 seconds and moved her to No. 9 on the GNAC all-time list. Porter also hit a NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark and ranks her seventh in Division II.

• Mikel Smith continued to perform strong in the men’s high jump, placing fourth with a clearance of 6-8.75. Smith is currently tied for eighth in Division II with his best of 6-10.75, which he had at the Jan. 22 SWU Indoor Open.

• Latrelle Swayne enters the week ranked third in the GNAC in the men’s 60 meters with his time of 6.97 seconds at December’s Jacksons Open. Fellow sprinter Jackson Hand is ninth in the 200 meters with his time of 23.29 seconds (converted to 22.88 for track size) at the WSU Indoor Open.

• Lisa Petersen enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC in the women’s 60-meter hurdles with her time of 9.08 seconds from the Jacksons Open.

• Kirby Neale is ranked fourth in the GNAC in the women’s weight throw with a mark of 42-10.75. Mitch Wilkens is currently fifth in the GNAC in the men’s weight throw with his matk of 53-4.5. Both marks were set at December’s Jacksons Open.

• Saint Martin’s will make one more trip to the House of Track this week, competing on Friday in the TrackTown USA High Performance Meet #4.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific added one automatic qualifier for the NCAA Championships and a pair of provisional qualifiers to their list at the UW Invitational.

• Senior Lynelle Decker earned an automatic quailifier in the women’s 800 meters. She placed 10th in the Division I-heavy race in a time of 2:09.38, which checks in as the second best time in Division II. The performance moves Decker into No. 7 on the GNAC all-time list. With the automatic qualifier, Decker will compete in her four Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships and her 10th overall NCAA Championship event.

• Anna Patti established a NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 5,000 meters with her time of 17:04.71. The performance is third best in the GNAC this season and 10th in Division II. Patti is also one of five GNAC athletes with provisional qualifying marks in the women’s 3,000 meters.

• Mailea Luquin put herself on the NCAA provisional qualifying list in the women’s pentathlon with her score of 3,389 points. The performance is second best in the GNAC this season and 17th in Division II.

• Turner Wiley became the first SPU men’s athlete to break the 15-minute barrier in the 5,000 meters with his time of 14:56.77 at the UW Invitational. The performance was not only a school record, but bettered his outdoor personal best by two seconds. Wiley has the seventh best time in the GNAC this season.

• Michaella Johns bettered her GNAC leading mark in the women’s pole vault, placing 17th at the UW Invitational with a mark of 11-6.5.

• Seattle Pacific will travel south on Friday to compete in the TrackTown USA High Performance Meet #4.

SIMON FRASER
• Four NCAA provisional qualifying marks and a pair of GNAC records highlighted Simon Fraser’s performances at the UW Invitational.

• Vladislav Tsygankov smashed the GNAC record in the men’s long jump. His third place mark of 23-10.75 was over two inches better than the previous record of 23-8 set by Western Oregon’s Matson Hardie in 2010. The performance is tied for 11th best in Division II this season and earned Tsygankov selection as the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.

• The Clan’s men’s distance medley relay team of Cameron Proceviat, Joel Webster, Carlos Vargas and Marc-Antoine Rouleau finished second to host Washington with a time of 9:52.97. The performance better Simon Fraser’s previous GNAC record of 9:54.66, set last year, and ranks second best in Division II this season.

• Addy Townsend and Alana Mussatto both notched provisional qualifying marks in the women’s 800 meters. Townsend clocked 2:14.48 at the UW Invitational, second best in the GNAC and 17th best in Division II. Mussatto ran 2:14.77, third best in the GNAC and 19th in Division II.

• In the sprints, Valda Kabia hit a provisional qualifier in the women’s 200 meters. Her time of 25.05 seconds is second in the GNAC and 26th in Division II. In addition to his work in the DMR, Webster ran 49.10 seconds in the men’s 400 meters, which leads the GNAC.

• Rouleau continues to rank fourth in Division II in the men’s 3,000 meters with his time of 8:11.17, ran at the Jan. 16 UW Preview. Rebecca Bassett ranks fifth in Division II in the women’s 3,000 meters with her time of 9:40.31 at the UW Preview.

• Simon Fraser will compete in two meets this week. The Clan will travel to the Portland Indoor Invitational on Thursday before returning home for the Jerome Indoor Games in Richmond, B.C., on Saturday.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon athletes set a GNAC record and notched two more NCAA provisional qualifying marks at the UW Invitational.

• Senior Badane Sultessa broke his own record in the men’s 800 meters with his fifth place time of 1:50.23. The performance surpassed his previous mark of 1:50.73, set last year. In the process, Sultessa improved to No. 2 on the Division II best list.

• In the same race, Josh Hanna notched a NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 1:52.84, placing 11th in the race. Hanna’s performance is currently third in the GNAC and 18th in Division II.

• Western Oregon’s men’s distance medley relay team of Sam Naffziger, Aaron Whitaker, Sultessa and David Ribich ran to a school record, placing third to Washington and Simon Fraser with a time of 9:53.08. The mark is No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list (to the SFU team in the same race) and is third best in Division II this season.

• Stephanie Stuckey had the best performance for the WOU women, running a time of 5:00.98 in the mile, which is the top time in the GNAC.

• Kaleb Dobson enters the week with the second best time in the GNAC in the men’s 60-meter hurdles with his time of 8.37 seconds at the TrackTown USA High Performance #2 meet.

• Western Oregon will compete on Thursday at the Portland Indoor Invitational at Nike’s House of Track in Portland.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington added four NCAA Championships provisional qualifiers and broke one school record with their performances at the UW Invitational.

• Jasmine McMullin earned a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s triple jump, placing ninth with a mark of 38-8.75. The performance leads the GNAC and is tied for 11th best in Division II.

• Brandon Pless finished ninth in the men’s shot put with his mark of 52-10. That is a provisional qualifier for the NCAA Championships, second in the GNAC and 23rd in Division II.

• Isaac Derline notched the GNAC’s fourth provisional qualifier of the season in the men’s 5,000 meters with his time of 14:39.22. The performance is third in the GNAC and 14th in Division II.

• Miranda Osadchey earned a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s high jump with her clearance of 5-5. The performance currently sits in a tie for 33rd in Division II.

• Megan Mortensen broke Western Washington’s 10-year-old record in the women’s shot put at the UW Inviational with her mark of 41-7.75.

• Anna Paradee moved into a tie for first in the GNAC in the women’s pole vault with her clearance of 11-6.75.

• Travis Milbrandt is tied for 16th in Division II this week in the men’s 60-meter hurdles with his time of 8.17 seconds at the Jan. 16 UW Preview. Milbrandt finished third at the UW Invitational with a time of 8.18 seconds.

• Western Washington will make their only trip to the House of Track this season on Friday, competing in the TrackTown USA High Performance Meet #4.