Tuesday, April 12, 2016

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Bernari Sternen, Central Washington
Senior • Lynnwood, Wash.

Sternen rank the GNAC’s fastest times this season in both the 110-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles at the WAR 9 meet in Spokane, Wash. He won the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 14.34 seconds and finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 53.77 seconds.

Also Nominated: Jasper Heckman (Saint Martin’s), Roman Kirkov (Concordia), Isaac Mitchell (Northwest Nazarene), Landon Polkow (Montana State Billings), Cody Warner (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Payton Lewis, Northwest Nazarene
Sophomore • Nampa, Idaho

Lewis achieved a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA Championships at the WAR 9 meet in the pole vault, placing second with a clearance of 15 feet, 9 inches (No. 2 this season in GNAC), and also placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.11 seconds. It was Lewis’ first outdoor meet of the season.

Also Nominated: Alex Barry (Western Washington), Wesley Gray (Western Oregon), Josh Koch (Concordia), Brady Ostermiller (Montana State Billings), Mikel Smith (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Della Lyle, Montana State Billings
Senior • Buffalo, Wyo.

Lyle smashed the Montana State Billings’ record in the steeplechase by 47 seconds, winning the race at the Bauer Invitational in a time of 11:12.14 (converted to 11:03.90 for altitude), a provisional qualifier for the NCAA Championships. Lyle also won the 5,000 meters in a time of 19:07.46.

Also Nominated: Taylor Fettig (Central Washington), Megan Teigen (Saint Martin’s), Lexi Tubbs (Northwest Nazarene), Suzanne Van De Grift (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Christina MacDonald, Concordia
Sophomore • Myrtle Creek, Ore.

MacDonald won the hammer at the John Knight Twilight with a throw of 164 feet, the second best mark in the GNAC this season. She then went on to finish second in the javelin with a toss of 147 feet, 6 inches, which is fifth best in the GNAC this season.

Also Nominated: Deanna Avalos (Saint Martin’s), Emmi Collier (Western Oregon), Kate Cryderman (Northwest Nazarene), Shaniah Schwend (Montana State Billings).

AROUND THE GNAC
A STERN LOOK AT THE BARRIERS: After missing the 2015 season, Central Washington’s Bernari Sternen is making up for lost time.

The former GNAC record holder in the 110-meter hurdles has already surpassed his former record mark in 2016. At the War 9 Meet in Spokane on Saturday, Sternam clocked a time of 14.34 seconds to win the 110-meter hurdles. The mark is a NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and ranked 10th in Division II this season. Later in the meet, Sternen ran to a fourth place in the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 53.77 seconds. Both times are the best in the GNAC this season. The performances earned Sternen selection as the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.

Sternen’s time in the 110-meter hurdles ranks second on the GNAC all-time list to Western Washington’s Travis Milbrandt, who set the record of 14.21 seconds last year. The defending GNAC champion, Milbrandt is currently second in the GNAC and 16th in Division II with a best this season of 14.42 seconds.

RECORD RUNNING IN RAPID CITY: It was a record-setting day for a number of Montana State Billings athletes as they competed at the Bauer Inviational in South Dakota.

Senior distance runner Della Lyle topped the list as she shattered the Yellowjackets’ record in the steeplechase. Her winning time of 11:12.14 shattered the mark of 11:59.81 set by Melanie Bock last season. The converted mark of 11:03.90 (for altitude) is a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA Championships. Lyle also won the 5,000 meters in a time of 19:07.46. The two performances helped earn Lyle selection as the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week.

Freshman Josey Smiedala broke the Billings’ record in the 400 meters with her fourth place time of 59.29 seconds, lowering the mark of 59.52 set by Ericka Halle in 2010.

On the men’s side, sophomore Landon Polkow broke his brother Lewis’ record in the 400-meter hurdles with his time of 54.52 seconds. His winning time bettered Lewis’ time of 55.71 set in 2013.

Montana State Billings finished the Bauer Invitational with 16 top-three finishes. In addition to Lyle’s two wins and Polkow’s one, the Yellowjackets also received wins from Janessa Williams in the triple jump and Shaniah Schwend in the long jump along with a win for the men’s 4x100 relay team.

GIMME A “C”: It may be two years before Concordia is eligible to compete in the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships, but that has not prevented Cavaliers’ athletes from performing their best now.

As one might expect, the Cavaliers’ strength has been in the throws. Sophomore Josh Koch currently holds the GNAC’s best marks in both the shot put and the discus. In the shot, Koch has a best of 58 feet, 1.75 inches. That is not only the sixth best mark in Division II, but also the second best mark in GNAC history. He joins Western Washington’s Frank Catelli as the only athletes in GNAC history to heft the shot over 58 feet. In the discus, Koch leads the GNAC and is 19th with a mark of 163 feet.

Junior Tyler Lamott leads the GNAC in the hammer. He owns the ninth best mark in Division II and the third best mark in GNAC history with his mark of 200 feet, 1 inch.

In the women’s throws, freshman Katrina Linenko leads the GNAC and owns the eighth best mark in Division II in the shot put and the fifth best mark in GNAC history with a mark of 46 feet, 10 inches. Sophomore Christina MacDonald, meanwhile, is in the GNAC’s season top-five in both the hammer and the javelin. At Friday’s John Knight Twilight, MacDonald won the hammer with a throw of 164 feet and placed second in the javelin with a mark of 147 feet, 6 inches, to earn GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.

Other Concordia athletes on the GNAC lists include sophomore Carlos Ortiz, who is second in the GNAC in the men’s 100 meters (10.67) and 200 meters (21.68); senior Louis Faust, who is fourth in the men’s high jump (6-7.5); freshman Tori Johnson, who is third in the women’s high jump (5-5.75) and junior Emma Hill, who is third in the women’s triple jump (37-8.5)and sixth in the long jump (17-2).

One of Concordia’s top athletes, however, isn’t even out for the outdoor season. McKenzie Warren, who won the GNAC indoor shot put and weight throw titles, is redshirting the outdoor season. She is qualified to take part in the shot put at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, which take place July 1-10 in Eugene, Ore.

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’: Two weeks after most of the GNAC ran their laps in California’s Bay Area, the majority of the league’s teams will be competing in a varsity of meets in the Los Angeles area. With a variety to choose from, teams will send select athletes to as many as three meets in a day. Action begins Thursday with both the prestigious Mt. Sac Relays, which runs through Saturday in Walnut, and the Bryan Clay Invitational, hosted by Azusa Pacific in Azusa on Friday and Saturday. Two GNAC teams, Simon Fraser and Western Oregon, also have scheduled the Beach Invitational on Friday and Saturday, hosted by Long Beach State.

There will also be GNAC teams remaining to compete in the Northwest. Concordia, Saint Martin’s and Western Oregon will send athletes to the Oregon Relays, Friday and Saturday at Eugene’s Hayward Field. Montana State Billings will compete at the Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bears Invitational on Thursday in Laurel, Mont., and Northwest Nazarene will host their own NNU Invitational on Saturday.

ADD NATIONALS QUALIFIERS: Over the weekend, GNAC athletes added or improved six provisional qualifying marks for the NCAA Division II Track and Field Championships. Central Washington’s Bernari Sternen improved to 10th in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with his time of 14.34 seconds. Northwest Nazarene’s Payton Lewis, competing in his first outdoor meet of the season, posted a provisional mark in the men’s pole vault. His 15 feet, 9 inches ties him for 26th in Division II and earned him GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.Western Oregon’s Wesley Gray also put his name on the provisional list. His mark of 48 feet, 2.75 inches in the triple jump ranks 24th in Division II.

For the women, Montana State Billings’ Della Lyle is 19th in the steeplechase, emerging with her altitude converted mark of 11:03.90. Western Oregon’s Rachael Huffman emerged on the javelin provisional with a mark of 139 feet, 7 inches, that ranks 27th. Teammate Sheila Lima De La Cruz, meanwhile, improved to 34th with her mark of 137 feet, 7 inches at the John Knight Twilight.

IN THE NATIONAL POLLS: In the USTFCCCA Division II Team Computer Rankings, Alaska Anchorage continues to be the lone GNAC men’s representative. The Seawolves are ranked No. 8, dropping three spots after not competing last week. It is a different story in the women’s poll, with three GNAC squads ranked one right after the other. Alaska Anchorage is ranked No. 13, down three spots from last week. Western Washington stayed at No. 14 while Seattle Pacific dropped two spots to No. 15. Western Washington’s women are the only GNAC team this season to be ranked in all five weeks of the USATFCCCA’s outdoor rankings and have been as high as sixth.