Wednesday, April 4, 2018

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
David Ribich, Western Oregon
Senior • Enterprise, Ore.

Ribich automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships as he placed second in the 800 meters at the Stanford Invitational. His time of 1:48.09 is also the second-fastest time in GNAC and Western Oregon history.

Also Nominated: Liam Lindsay (Alaska Anchorage), Lamont Frisby (Montana State Billings), Guillaume Tabary (Saint Martin’s), Isaac Derline (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Alani Troutman, Western Oregon
Sophomore • Redmond, Ore.

Troutman finished second in the long jump at the Stanford Invitational. His mark of 24 feet, 3.5 inches leads the GNAC and is No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. The performance is also an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and is current seventh-best in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Brandon Nicholson (Alaska Anchorage), Giovanni Brown (Concordia), Beau Ackerman (Montana State Billings), Josh Schulz (Saint Martin’s), Alex Barry (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Caroline Kurgat, Alaska Anchorage
Senior • Eldoret, Kenya

Kurgat shattered the GNAC and Alaska Anchorage records in the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational. Kurgat placed seventh in the meet’s invitational race with a time of 32:33.64. The NCAA Championships automatic qualifying time is the second-fastest in Division II history, trailing only the 32:28.57 run by Sylvia Mosqueda of Cal State LA in 1988. The time shattered the GNAC record of 33:14.41 set by UAA’s Joyce Chelimo in 2016.

Also Nominated: Michaela Johnson (Montana State Billings), Yadira Lopez (Saint Martin’s), Suzie Van De Grift (Western Oregon), Savannah Smith (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Raquel Pellecer, Western Washington
Sophomore • Sandy, Ore.

Pellecer improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the javelin at the Stanford Invitational, placing second in the women’s collegiate section with a mark of 157 feet, 2 inches. The performance moves Pellecer to No. 4 in Division II this season and she becomes the first GNAC athlete to throw over 150 feet this season.

Also Nominated: Yvonne Jeschke (Alaska Anchorage), Chelsea Bone (Concordia), Hannah Nessan (Montana State Billings), Ashleigh Fraser (Saint Martin’s), Darian Wilson (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage posted or improved seven NCAA Championships qualifying marks at both the Stanford Invitational and the San Francisco State Distance Carnival.

• Senior Caroline Kurgat automatically qualified for nationals after finishing seventh in the invitational section of the 10,000 meters at Stanford. She ran a UAA and GNAC record time of 32:33.64, which is also the second-fastest time in Division II history. The performance earned Kurgat selection as the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week.

• Sophomore Vanessa Aniteye added a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 400 meters at SF State, winning in a time of 55.17 seconds. She leads the GNAC and is ranked No. 3 in Division II.

• Seniors Danielle McCormick and Tamara Perez added provisional marks in the 800 meters at Stanford. McCormick was 16th in 2:08.82, which is No. 6 in Division II, while Perez finished with a time of 2:11.31 that is 20th in Division II. Sophomore Yemi Knight ran 2:10.47 at SF State, placing third and ranking her 13th in Division II.

• Senior Mariah Burroughs was one of two provisional qualifiers in the women’s steeplechase. She placed 16th in the event at SF State with a time of 10:51.76, which is No. 10 in Division II. Sophomore Emmah Chelimo finished with a time of 11:00.19, ranking her No. 16 in Division II.

• The women’s 4x400-meter relay team also hit an NCAA provisional qualifying mark at SF State. Their time is 3:43.01 is No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List and No. 4 in Division II this season.

• Four other UAA athletes finished with GNAC-best marks. Junior Jorge Sanchez ran the GNAC’s top time in the men’s 10,000 meters in 31:20.37. Senior Liam Lindsay won the men’s 400 meters at SF State in 48.75 seconds. Freshman Brandon Nicholson placed third at SF State in the men’s triple jump at 47-5.25 while junior Yvonne Jeschke took the GNAC lead in the women’s jump, winning at SF State with a mark of 5 feet, 4.25 inches.

• The Alaska Anchorage women leaped to No. 5 in the USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Outdoor Team Rankings after being ranked 19th last week.

• The Seawolves are not scheduled to compete again until the weekend of Apr. 19, traveling to southern California to compete in the Mount SAC Relays, the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington finished with 12 event winners as the Wildcats competed at the Shotwell Invitational in Tacoma, Wash. The Wildcats won the meet with scores of 175 points for the women and 155.5 points for the men.

• The Wildcats had a pair of two-event winners in the sprints. Junior Aujanique Doss won the women’s 100 meters in 12.69 seconds and the 200 meters in 25.67 seconds. Freshman Bobby Widmar won the men’s 100 meters in 11.15 seconds and the 200 meters in 22.85 seconds.

• Central also had both champions in the 400 meters. Freshman Jasmyne Neria won the women’s 400 in 59.63 seconds while junior Julia Inderbitzin was second in 1:00.69. Sophomore Daniel Calderon captured the men’s 400 in a time of 49.19 seconds that is third best in the GNAC this season.

• In the 1,500 meters, junior Alexa Shindruk was the winner of the women’s race in a time of 4:39.46 while junior Corbin Carlton won the men’s race in a time of 4:01.36. Carlton was also third in the 400-meter hurdles in 59.69 seconds.

• The CWU women had three event winners in the field events. Sophomore Halle Irvine won the pole vault with a mark of 11 feet, 2.25 inches, and also placed second in the long jump at 16-11.25. Junior Brooke Williams won the triple jump with her mark of 37 feet, 2.25 inches. Sophomore Samantha La Rue won the shot put with a mark of 40 feet, 7.75 inches and was third in the discus at 119-10.

• Sophomore Alberto Tafoya won the men’s shot put with a mark of 49 feet, 9.75 inches.

• The Wildcats also won the women’s 4x100-meter relay team with a time of 49.07 seconds while the men’s 4x400-meter relay was a winner in a time of 3:23.88.

• Central Washington is back to competition this weekend in Spokane, taking part in the War IX Meet on Friday and Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia did not compete last weekend, except for a select group of athletes that took part in the Boxer Combined Event. The Cavaliers return to competition this Friday at Western Oregon’s John Knight Twilight.

• Junior Chelsea Bone won the women’s heptathlon and earned an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier with a score of 4,736 points, eighth best in Division II. She won the shot put with a mark 33 feet, 11.25 inches, and the javelin with a mark of137 feet, 5 inches, that is also an NCAA provisional qualifier.

• Junior Giovanni Brown finished third in the men’s decathlon and earned an NCAA provisional qualifier with a score of 6,376 points. The performance is 15th in Division II this season. Brown won the 1,500 meters in 4:21.76 and the 110-meter hurdles (15.34).

• The Concordia women dropped five spots in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Team Rankings to No. 15.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings had nine event winners as it opened the outdoor season at its own Battlin Bears’/Yellowjacket Invitational.

• Junior Beau Ackerman led the way with his win in the men’s javelin. He became the third GNAC athlete to break 200 feet this season with a mark of 209 feet, 7 inches. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifier is eighth in Division II.

• Senior Jorey Egeland won the men’s 5,000 meters in 16:22.78 to complete an impressive triple. Egeland was also second in the 1,500 meters in 4:00.08 and was third in the 800 meters in 1:59.69.

• Senior Sam Zook led a top-three sweep for MSUB in the men’s 100 meters with a time of 11.05 seconds. Freshman Lamont Frisby took second in 11.19 seconds and won the 200 meters in 22.40 seconds. Sophomore Rahkei Eyer won the men’s 400 meters in 49.77 seconds.

• In the men’s field events, sophomore Isaiah Girard won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 4.75 inches while senior Nels Flanagan took the men’s hammer with a mark of 156 feet, 5 inches.

• The MSUB women had two event winners. Sophomore Michaela Johnson won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.07 seconds while freshman Hannah Nessan won the discus with a throw of 129 feet, 1 inch.

• The men’s 4x100-meter relay was a winner with a time of 41.62 seconds. With conversion to 41.74 seconds for altitude, the mark is best in the GNAC this season.

• The Yellowjackets are back in action this weekend at the War IX Meet in Spokane, Wash.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene did not compete last weekend. The Nighthawks will be one of three GNAC teams competing in the War IX Meet on Friday and Saturday in Spokane, Wash.

• The Nighthawks enter the meet with two NCAA Championships provisional qualifiers. Senior Payton Lewis has the 13th best mark in the men’s pole vault at 16 feet, 2.75 inches. Junior Nicole Nobbs is one of nine GNAC athletes to be provisionally qualified in the women’s javelin. Her mark of 140 feet, 2 inches, is 15th in Division II.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• A solid showing in the women’s field events led Saint Martin’s performances at the Shotwell Invitational.

• Senior Deanna Avalos bettered her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s javelin, winning at the Shotwell with a mark of 144 feet, 2 inches. She is now No. 3 in the GNAC and No. 10 in Division II.

• Sophomore Ashleigh Fraser won the women’s long jump for the second straight week at Baker Stadium with a mark of 17 feet, 2.25 inches. She was also third in the triple jump with her leap of 33 feet, 2.5 inches.

• Junior Megan Vernoy was the winner of the women’s discus with her throw of 131 feet, 2 inches.

• Sophomore Josh Schulz finished second in the men’s long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 0.75 inches, while freshman Guillaume Tabary was third with a leap of 21 feet, 4.25 inches.

• Senior Yadira Lopez led the SMU women’s runner with a third-place finish in the 1,500 meters in 4:49.48 and also finished fourth in the 800 meters in 2:25.43 Freshman Artresa Nickelsen was fifth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:10.19. Senior Jasper Heckman was the lone top-three finisher for SMU’s men’s runners, taking second in the steeplechase in 9:43.58.

• Saint Martin’s heads north on Friday to take part in the WWU Quad Meet in Bellingham, Wash.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific’s women’s sprinters led the way as the Falcons sent athletes to both the UBC Invitational in Vancouver, B.C., and the San Francisco State Distance Carnival.

• Freshman Julia Stepper won the women’s 100 meters at the UBC Invitational with her GNAC-leading time of 12.21 seconds, She then finished second in the 200 meters in 25.83 seconds.

• Freshman Renick Meyer placed second in the women’s 100 meters with a time of 12.31 seconds that is third best in the GNAC. Sophomore Lani Taylor placed second in the 200 meters with a time of 25.78 seconds.

• Senior Becca Houk led a top-four sweep in the women’s 400 meters at the UBC Invitational. Houk won in a time of 58.33 seconds while sophomore Scout Cai was second in 58.43 seconds. Sophomore Katherine Walter finished second in the women’s 1,500 meters at UBC with her time of 4:52.33.

• In the men’s sprints, junior Jesse Phan led the way with a fifth-place finish in the 400 meters in 52.07 seconds.

• Freshman Kellie May had top-three finishes in both women’s horizontal jumps. She was second in the triple jump with a mark of 37 feet, 1.25 inches, and placed third in the long jump at 17 feet, 5.5 inches. Freshman Davis Flintoff was the only top-three men’s field-event placer, taking second in the pole vault at 12 feet, 9 inches.

• The Falcons also won both 4x100-meter relays. The women’s relay posted a time of 47.41 seconds, which ranks as the top time in the GNAC this season. The men picked up the victory with a time of 44.99 seconds.

• Seattle Pacific will be one of three GNAC teams competing on Friday at the WWU Quad Meet in Bellingham, Wash.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser notched five more NCAA Championships provisional qualifiers as the Clan competed at the Stanford Invitational, the San Francisco State Distance Carnival and the UBC Invitational.

• Senior Oliver Jorgensen and freshman Aaron Ahl both earned provisional qualifying marks in the men’s steeplechase at San Francisco State. Jorgensen placed fifth with a time of 8:58,72, which is No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List and sixth in Division II this season. Ahl ran 9:15.28, a time that is 14th in Division II.

• Junior Addy Townsend added a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 1,500 meters at Stanford. She was fourth in the sixth section of the race with a time of 4:26.94. That is second-best in the GNAC and No. 6 in Division II.

• Senior Reta Dobie is a provisional qualifier with her seventh-place time of 10:40.12 in the women’s steeplechase at San Francisco State. That leads the GNAC and is seventh in Division II this season.

• Senior Ally Ginther notched a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 5,000 meters at San Francisco State with a time of 17:10.90 that leads the GNAC and is 10th in Division II. Ginther also placed third in the mile with a time of 4:57.37.

• In the men’s sprints at Stanford, senior Vladislav Tsygankov finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 52.30 seconds while senior Joel Webster was 10th in the 400 meters with a time of 48.82 seconds that ranks second in the GNAC.

• Junior Mackenzie Stewart placed second in the women’s high jump at San Francisco State. Her mark of 5 feet, 4.25 inches, is No. 2 in the GNAC this season.

• At the UBC Invitational, freshman Holly Taylor led the way with a second-place finish in the women’s discus at 125 feet, 10 inches, and the hammer with a mark of 159 feet, 9 inches.

• The Simon Fraser women are ranked nationally for the first time in the outdoor season, emerging at No. 25 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Team Rankings.

• The Clan will be home this weekend, hosting the Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday at Terry Fox Field.

WESTERN OREGON
• David Ribich’s automatic qualifying mark in the men’s 800 meters at the Stanford Invitational led Western Oregon as the Wolves raced at Stanford, the San Francisco Distance Carnival and the Pacific Open in Forest Grove, Ore.

• Ribich placed second in the event with a time of 1:48.09. The performance is No. 2 on both the GNAC and WOU all-time lists and is the second-fastest time in Division II this season. For his effort, Ribich was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.

• Sophomore Alani Troutman was selected as the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he placed second in the long jump at Stanford. His mark of 24 feet, 3.5 inches is No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List, leads the GNAC and is No. 7 in Division II this season.

• The Wolves had a pair of NCAA provisional qualifying times in the men’s 1,500 meters at Stanford. Junior Dustin Nading was second in the second section of the race. His time of 3:45.91 is No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List and ninth in Division II. Senior Josh Dempsey’s time of 3:48.83 in the fourth section is No. 9 on the GNAC All-Time List and No. 9 in Division II.

• Senior Suzie Van De Grift notched an NCAA provisional qualifier in the women’s 800 meters at Stanford. Her time of 2:08.89, good for 17th place, is No. 3 in the GNAC and No. 7 in Division II this season. Also earning provisional qualifying marks in the race were senior Megan Rose (2:09.30, No. 9 in Division II) and junior Olivia Woods (2:09.78, No. 10 in Division II).

• At the San Francisco State Distance Carnival, freshman Darian Wilson won the women’s long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 3 inches. She was second in the javelin with a mark of 137 feet. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark is seventh in the GNAC and No. 20 in Division II.

• At the Pacific Open, junior Hailey Sears won the women’s 100 meters in 13.16 seconds and was second in the 200 meters in 26.63 seconds.

• The WOU men are in the USTFCCCA Division II Team Rankings for the first time in the outdoor season, emerging this week at No. 19.

• Western Oregon hosts its lone regular-season home meet of the season on Friday with the John Knight Twilight. Athletes will also travel to McMinnville, Ore., on Saturday for the Linfield Jenn Boyman Invitational.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Wherever there was a meet, Western Washington was there. The Vikings sent athletes to the Bay Area for the Stanford Invitational and San Francisco State Distance Carnival as well closer to home at the Shotwell Invitational and the UBC Invitational.

• The Vikings’ top performances came at Stanford. Sophomore Raquel Pellecer led the way as she placed second in the women’s collegiate javelin with a mark of 157 feet, 2 inches. That allowed Pellecer to remain at No. 4 in Division II and earned her GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.

• Senior Alex Barry also improved his season-best and NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the men’s javelin, placing eighth in the invitational section with a mark of 203 feet, 1 inch. That allowed Barry to remain at No. 15 on the Division II seasonal best list.

• Senior Anna Paradee improved her provisional qualifying mark in the women’s pole vault at Stanford with her mark of 12 feet, 11.5 inches. She is now No. 2 in Division II this season.

• At the San Francisco State Distance Carnival, junior Isaac Derline ran the fastest time in the GNAC this season in the men’s 5,000 meters with his time of 14:47.99.

• Senior Brandon Pless took second in a pair of throwing events. He was runner-up in the shot put with a mark of 47 feet, 10 inches, and was second in the hammer with a throw of 165 feet, 8 inches.

• The Vikings had four event winners at the UBC Invitational. Junior Rudy Mataya led a top-three sweep in the men’s decathlon with his score of 5,570 points. Sophomore Nick Makrakis was second with 5,544 points and senior Somit Chhim was third with 5,535 points.

• Freshman Ben Jacot won the men’s 10,000 meters at the UBC Invitational in a time of 33:38.50. Sophomore Jewels Oliquiano won the women’s pole vault with her mark of 11 feet, 1.75 inches.

• Freshman Myles Smith was the Vikings’ lone event winner at the Shotwell Invitational, taking the men’s 800 meters in 1:59.24.

• Western Washington will host one of its two home meets of the season, the WWU Quad Meet on Friday.