Monday, June 12, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – The NCAA Division II outdoor national champion in the 1,500 meters is just getting faster.

The Western Oregon senior-to-be won David Ribich section two of the men’s 1,500 meter high performance races at Sunday’s Portland Track Festival, which was held at Lewis & Clark College’s Eldon Fix Track. The only Division II athlete in his section and one of three to race in the five sections of the race, Ribich placed 10th overall with a time of 3:39.56.

The performance was two seconds faster than Ribich’s GNAC record time of 3:41.45, which he ran on Apr. 28 at the Oregon State High Performance Meet in Corvallis, Ore. The mark will not count as a GNAC record as the race took place outside of the collegiate session. The time also ranks as the eighth fastest ever by a Division II athlete (sixth among times run outside of the collegiate season).

The time ranks as the fourth fastest this season among all college divisions and is the 24th fastest time run by a U.S. athlete this season according to lists maintained by USA Track & Field.

Western Oregon junior-to-be Dustin Nading also ran in the race, winning the fourth section in a time of 3:46.97.

Ribich was named the GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Co-Male Athlete of the Year after he claimed the NCAA Division II national title over Memorial Day Weekend, winning a tight final in a time of 3:49.64. He won both the 800 meters and 1,500 meters at May’s GNAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships.