Thursday, April 21, 2016

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Alex Donigian, Western Washington
Senior • Mission Viejo, Calif.

Donigian set the GNAC record in the 200 meters, recording a time of 20.93 seconds at the Bryan Clay Invitational. That shattered the previous record of 21.11 seconds set by Western Oregon’s Mike Hinshaw in 2002. Earlier in the day, Donigian finished third in the 100 meters in 10.37 seconds and beat reigning decathlon world record holder Ashton Eaton by one-hundredth of a second.

Also Nominated: Jasper Heckman (Saint Martin’s), Isaac Mitchell (Northwest Nazarene), Carlos Ortiz (Concordia), David Ribich (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Josh Koch, Concordia
Sophomore • Dayton, Nev.

Koch produced a lifetime best in the shot put at the Oregon Relays, placing second with a mark of 58 feet, 4 inches. The performance improved his No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list by three-and-a-half inches.

Also Nominated: J.T. Conrad (Western Washington), Austin Lindquist (Montana State Billings), Nathan Moore (Northwest Nazarene), Mikel Smith (Saint Martin’s).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Joyce Chelimo, Alaska Anchorage
Senior • Kapsowar, Kenya

Chelimo ran the fastest time so far this season in Division II in the 5,000 meters, automatically qualifying for the NCAA Championships with her time of 15:59.55 in the elite section of the Mt. SAC Relays. The performance places Chelimo third on the GNAC all-time list in the event. She finished 14th in the elite section.

Also Nominated: Taylor Deskins (Northwest Nazarene), Brittany Grant (Western Washington), Della Lyle (Montana State Billings), Nicole Pederson (Concordia), Shannon Porter (Saint Martin’s), Jalen Tims (Seattle Pacific), Suzanne Van De Grift (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Tayler Fettig, Central Washington
Senior • Olympia, Wash.

Fettig took third in the second flight of the high jump at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Her mark of 5 feet, 7.25 inches ties her for first in the GNAC and ties for her seventh among Division II athletes this season.

Also Nominated: Rachael Huffman (Western Oregon), Jessica Johns (Northwest Nazarene).

AROUND THE GNAC
MAKING IT AUTOMATIC: In just his sophomore season, Western Oregon’s David Ribich is making sure his is guaranteed a trip to the NCAA Division II Championships.

Ribich ran an outstanding race to win the third section of of the 1,500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational. His time of 3:43.61 set the GNAC record, bettering the previous record of 3:44.67 set by Alfred Kangogo of Alaska Anchorage in 2011. In the process, Ribich hit the automatic qualifying mark for May’s NCAA Championships and ran the second fastest time this season in Division II. He is bettered only by Chico State’s Kyle Medina, who ran 3:41.80 in the second section of the 1,500.

In his section, Ribich bettered 12 Division I athletes to win. He had the six fastest time out of all 208 athletes in the 13 sections of the race. The 1,500-meter is the second conference mark Ribich has set this season. He set the GNAC’s indoor mile record with a time of 4:05.21.

AUTOMATIC AGAIN: As if one wasn’t enough, Alaska Anchorage’s Joyce Chelimo added a second automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA Championships with an impressive performance in the 5,000 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays.

Selected to compete in the meet’s elite 5,000-eter race, Chelimo placed 14th with the best time in Division II this season at 15:59.55. She was one of just three Division II athletes to make the elite field and had fifth fastest time by a collegian in the race. The performance also ranks as the third fastest in GNAC history.

In addition, Chelimo added a provisional qualifying mark in the 1,500 meters with her time of 4:32.78 at the Beach Invitational on Saturday. That qualifies the senior for nationals in all three distance events. At the Stanford Invitational, Chelimo automatically qualified in the 10,000 meters with a GNAC record time of 33:14.41, a mark that still leads Division II.

WHAT A DAY FOR DONIGIAN: When Western Washington’s Alex Donigian looks back on his collegiate track and field career, chances are that Fri., Apr. 15 may be the best day ever.

Competing at the Bryan Clay Invitational, Donigian succeeded in breaking the oldest record on the GNAC record book. He won the fourth sections of the 200 meters with a time of 20.93 seconds. That easily bettered the previous record of 21.11 seconds set by Western Oregon’s Mike Hinshaw in 2002. The mark is a provisional qualifier for the NCAA Championships and is fifth best in Division II this season.

And while that accomplishment is impressive, it is what Donigian did in the 100 meters earlier in the day that will be the lasting memory. Racing in the fast first heat, Donigian placed third with a time of 10.37 seconds. In the process, he beat reigning world decathlon champion and world record holder Ashton Eaton by one-hundredth of a second (10.38). FloTrack later captured Donigian coming off the track to shake Eaton’s hand following the race.

WESTERN WASHINGTON IS GNAC TEAM OF THE WEEK: The efforts of Donigian along with solid all-around performances by the whiole team earned Western Washington the the GNAC Red Lion Team of the Week award. Western Washington dominated the women’s javelin, with four top-10 placers at the Bryan Clay Invitational, led by Bethany Drake’s second place finish with a long throw of 156 feet, 7 inches. Katie Reichert took third place at 155 feet, 4 inches, followed by Mariah Horton (146-7) in fifth and Anosi Laupola (141-1) for eighth.

The Vikings had a number of strong finishes at the Beach Invitational in Long Beach, Calif. Senior hurdler Travis Milbrant recorded his best time of the season of 14.41 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles taking ninth place. Sophomore J.T. Konrad cleared 15 feet, 6.25 inches in the men’s pole vault, reaching the eighth best mark in school history. Sophomore Deja Svastisalee ran the ninth fastest time in the 400 meter hurdles for the Vikings, finishing in 1 minute, 3.44 seconds.

Up north in Eugene, Ore., at the Oregon Relays, Shawna Troupe and Kali Klotz-Brooks hit the sixth and seventh best times in Western Washington history in the women’s 1,500 meters. Troupe took 20th in the event at 4:35.86, followed closely by Klotz-Brooks at 4:35.90 for 21st place.

ADD RECORDS: Alaska Anchorage’s men succeeded in re-setting their own GNAC record in the 4x400 relay. The team of Liam Lindsay, Nicholas Taylor, Adam Commandeur and Cody Thomas finished third in the firset section of the event at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Their time of 3:10.60 not only surpassed the meet record, but bettered the GNAC record of 3:12.22 set by the Seawolves in 2012. The team was bettered only by teams from Oklahoma Baptist and Arizona State. The time also currently ranks eighth in Division II.

NO BARRIERS FOR STEEPLECHASERS: The GNAC’s top-four steeplechasers ran solid races over the weekend, making their chances of qualifying for nationals that much better.

Western Washington’s Matthew Lutz placed fourth in the third section of the collegiate steeplechase at the Mt. SAC Relays, ducking under nine minutes for the first time. His time of 8:59.97 puts him at No. 4 on the GNAC all-time list and is fifth best in Division II. Lutz’s teammate, Andrew Wise, placed sixth in the second flight with a time of 9:11.08, moving him to 17th on the Division II list.

On the womens side, Central Washington’s Dani Eggletson finished third in the first section of the collegiate steeplechase at Mt. SAC. Her time of 10:27.63 is sixth best in Division II this season and puts her at No. 3 on the GNAC all-time list. Western Washington’s Brittany Grant finished eighth in the steeplechase at the Oregon Relays. Her time of 10:52.48 moves her to 18th on the Division II list.

QUALIFIERS UPDATE: It was a big week for GNAC teams as athletes set or improved a total of 51 qualifying marks for the NCAA Division II Championships. To date, GNAC athletes have set 109 qualifying marks (45 men, 64 women), including 28 top-10 marks.

Included in those established top-10 marks on the men’s side over the last week are Western Oregon’s David Ribich in the 1,500 meters (3:43.41, 2nd), Western Washington’s Alex Donigian in the 200 meters (20.93, 5th) and Simon Fraser’s Cameron Proceviat in the 1,500 meters (3:46.47).

Women posting top-10 marks over the last week include Alaska Anchorage’s Joyce Chelimo in the 5,000 meters (15:59.55, 1st), the Seawolves Jamie Ashcroft in the 100 meters (11.70, 7th), Seattle Pacific’s Lynelle Decker in the 1,500 meters (4:27.16, 4th), Alaska Anchorage’s Caroline Kurgat in the 5,000 meters (16:30.85, 7th), Central Washington’s Dani Eggleston in the steeplechase (10:27.63, 6th) and the Wildcats’ Tayler Fettig in the high jump (5-7.25, tie 7th).

IN THE NATIONAL POLLS: The GNAC women continue to hold strong in the USTFCCCA Division II National Computer Rankings. Alaska Anchorage improved three spots to No. 10 in the national rankings, which were released on Tuesday. Seattle Pacific dropped two spots to No. 17 and Western Washington dropped four spots to No. 18. In the men’s rankings, Alaso Anchorage slid seven spots to No. 15 while Western Washington improved nine spot to re-emerge in the top-25 at No. 21.