Wednesday, April 18, 2018

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Vladislav Tsygankov, Simon Fraser
Senior • Moscow, Russia

Tsygankov improved his season-best in the 400-meter hurdles at the Triton Invitational. He won the non-Division I section of the race and had the second-fastest time of the day with a time of 52.15 seconds. The performance leads the GNAC and is now seventh in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Carlos Ortiz (Concordia), Sam Zook (Montana State Billings), Jackson Hand (Saint Martin’s).

MEN’S FIELD
John Van Beuren, Northwest Nazarene
Senior • Boise, Idaho

Van Beuren won three of the throw throwing events at the NNU Invitational. He won his first outdoor shot put of the season with a mark of 49 feet, 5 inches. Van Beuren won the hammer with a mark of 175 feet, 13 inches off of his school record and No. 4 in the GNAC this season. He capped the meet with his fourth victory of the season in the discus with a mark of 154 feet, 8 inches.

Also Nominated: Jakob Chamberlin (Concordia), Nels Flanagan (Montana State Billings), Kauanoe Vanderpoel (Saint Martin’s), Brandon Pless (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Danielle McCormick, Alaska Anchorage
Senior • Soldotna, Alaska

McCormick automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 800 meters at the Triton Invitational. She won the non-Division I flights of the event with a time of 2:06.17. She set an Alaska Anchorage record, moved to No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List and recorded the third-fastest time in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Bailey Fjelstul (Concordia), Michaela Johnson (Montana State Billings), Artresa Nickelson (Saint Martin’s), Julia Stepper (Seattle Pacific), Addy Townsend (Simon Fraser), Savannah Smith (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Melissa Ausman, Concordia
Senior • Nyssa, Ore.

Ausman was selected for the second consecutive week after she broke the GNAC record in the discus for the second time in as many meets. She placed fourth in the event at the Triton Invitational with a mark of 182 feet, 10 inches, which shattered her record-mark from last week by 12 feet. The NCAA Championships automatic qualifying mark is second in Division II this season. Ausman also hit an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier in the shot put with a mark of 48 feet, 2.5 inches, ranking her No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List and 13th in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Hannah Nessan (Montana State Billings), Liz Larson (Saint Martin’s), Chanelle Eddy (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Another school record and an NCAA Championships automatic qualifier for Danielle McCormick led Alaska Anchorage at the Triton Invitational.

• McCormick won the women’s 800 meters at the meet. Her time of 2:06.17 broke her own UAA record and moved her to No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List. The mark is also the third fastest in Division II this season.

• McCormick was one of three Seawolves’ women’s athletes to improve their NCAA qualifying marks in the 800 meters. Junior Yemi Knight placed third in a time of 2:08.38 to move to No. 6 in Division II this season while senior Tamara Perez placed fourth in 2:09.75 to move to No. 11 in Division II this season.

• Sophomore Vanessa Aniteye won the non-Division I sections of the women’s 400 meters in a time of 55.26 seconds. Aniteye owns the top time in the GNAC this season of 55.17 seconds, which is also No. 8 in Division II.

• Senior Liam Lindsay led the Alaska Anchorage men with his second-place finish in the 400 meters in a time of 48.61 seconds.The mark is No. 2 in the GNAC this season.

• The Alaska Anchorage women dropped one spot to No. 6 in the USTFCCCA Division II Outdoor Rankings. The Seawolves have been ranked in four of the five polls this spring.

• The Seawolves are back in Southern California this weekend to participate in the Mount SAC Relays, the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington picked up 10 event winners as the Wildcats participated in both the SMU Jay Hammer Meet and the Pelluer Invitational in Cheney, Wash.

• The Wildcats swept the top spots in the women’s hurdles at the Pelluer. Junior Mariyah Vongsaveng won the 100-meter hurdles in 14.87 seconds while junior Katie Collins won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:03.03.

• Junior Brooke Williams earned an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark as she won the women’s triple jump with a mark of 39 feet, 4 inch. The mark is No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List and No. 13 in Division II this season.

• Senior Ali Anderson was a winner in the women’s 400 meters at the Pelluer with a season-best time of 56.84 seconds. Senior Kodiak Landis, meanwhile, won the men’s 100 meters in 11.15 seconds.

• Sophomore Halle Irvine improved her NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the women’s pole vault in Cheney, finishing fourth with a mark of 12 feet, 2.75 inches. The clearance is tied for 16th in Division II this season.

• Sophomore Daniel Calderon led three CWU men’s event winners at the SMU Jay Hammer Meet, winning the 400 meters in 49.37 seconds. Sophomore Doc Porter captured the 800 meters in 1:57.25 while freshman Trevor Allen won the 3,000 meters in a time of 8:50.70.

• Sophomore Keeley Phommathirath won the women’s long jump at the Jay Hammer Meet with a season-best mark of 17 feet, 9 inches. Freshman Nicole Soleim won the women’s 3,000 meters in a time of 10:29.80.

• Central Washington will join the rest of the West in Southern California this weekend, taking part in the Mount SAC Relays, the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.

CONCORDIA
• A pair of GNAC records in the women’s throwers led Concordia’s performances at the Triton Invitational and the SMU Jay Hammer Meet.

• Both record efforts came at the Triton Invitational. Senior Melissa Ausman smashed the GNAC record she set in the women’s discus last week as she placed fourth with a mark of 182 feet, 10 inches. That not only was a 12-foot improvement, but automatically qualified Ausman for the NCAA Championships. It is No. 2 in Division II. In addition, Ausman provisionally qualified in the shot put with a mark of 48 feet, 2.5 inches, ranking 13th in Division II. Ausman was named the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week for the second straight week.

• Senior Christina MacDonald set the GNAC record in the women’s hammer as she won the event with a mark of 194 feet, 10 inches, surpassing the 194 feet, 8 inches set by Saint Martin’s Kirby Neale last year. The mark is No. 4 in Division II this season.

• Sophomore Tasha Willing and junior Katrina Linenko notched provisional qualifying marks in the women’s shot put at the Triton Invitational. Willing had a mark of 47 feet, 3 inches, tying her for 16th in Division II, while Linenko registered 43 feet, 3.5 inches, 21st in Division II.

• Sophomore Jakob Chamberlin won the men’s discus at the Triton and moved to No. 5 in Division II this season with his mark of 178 feet, 5 inches. Senior Josh Koch improved his provisional mark in the men’s shot put, placing second with a mark of 55 feet, 2 inches, that is 20th in Division II.

• Freshman Rachel Bring won two throwing events for the Cavaliers at the Jay Hammer Meet. Bring finished with a mark of 141 feet, 10 inches, in the discus and won the shot put with a mark of 41 feet, 1 inch. Senior Emma Hill added a victory in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 36 feet, 2.25 inches.

• Senior Carlos Ortiz won the men’s 100 meters at the Jay Hammer Meet with a time of 10.68 seconds. Freshman Seth Bridge won the men’s discus with a mark of 140 feet, 3 inches, and placed second in the shot put with a mark of 47 feet, 2.25 inches.

• Concordia’s women jumped two spots to No. 12 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Outdoor Team Rankings. The Cavaliers have been ranked in all five polls this outdoor season.

• Concordia will be in Southern California this weekend for the Mount SAC Relays and the Bryan Clay Invitational. Some Concordia athletes will stick close to home to compete in the Cougar Invitational in Oregon City.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings had eight men’s event winners to lead efforts at the Montana Open in Missoula.

• Senior Sam Zook won both men’s sprint events in season-best times. Zook won the 100 meters in a time of 10.73 seconds and the 200 meters in 21.75 seconds. He currently has the top time in the GNAC in the 200 meters and is third in the 200.

• The men’s 4x100-meter relay team set a school record as it won with a time of 41.37 seconds, which is also a GNAC season-best and is No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Senior Jorey Egeland won the men’s 5,000 meters for the second straight meet, clocking a season-best time of 14:48.78. Freshman Carson Jessup won the men’s steeplechase with a time of 10:11.36.

• In the men’s field events, senior Nels Flanagan won the hammer with a mark of 174 feet, 4 inches, and took third in the discus with a mark of 138 feet, 10 inches. Sophomore Marcus Lindquist won the triple jump at 41 feet, 7.75 inches, and sophomore Isaiah Girard won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 6 inches.

• Sophomore Michaela Johnson broke her own school record in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, placing second with a time of 14.61 seconds. The time is second in the GNAC this season.

• Montana State Billings will compete in its final meet prior to the GNAC Championships this weekend, taking part in the Blue Hawk Games in Dickinson, N.D., on Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• A trio of event wins for senior John Van Beuren led 11 total winners for Northwest Nazarene at their own NNU Invitational.

• Van Beuren was named the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week for the three wins. In his first outdoor shot put competition, Van Beuren was a winner in 49 feet, 5 inches. He also won the discus in 154 feet, 8 inches, and the hammer with a mark of 175 feet.

• Junior Ellie Logan earned an NCAA Championships provisional mark in the women’s javelin despite not being expected to compete this season due to a knee injury. Logan’s winning mark of 147 feet, 10 inches, is No. 9 in Division II this season.

• Freshman Elijah Castro broke his own school record in the men’s long jump with a mark of 23 feet, 5 inches. The mark is No. 2 in the GNAC this season and just short of the NCAA provisional qualifying mark of 23 feet, 9 inches.

• Junior Nice Loufoua led a three-place sweep for the Nighthawks in the women’s long jump with a mark of 17 feet, 6.75 inches. She also won the triple jump with a season-best mark of 37 feet, 7.75 inches. Junior Katie Conklin won the women’s high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 1.75 inches.

• In the men’s field events, senior Payton Lewis won the pole vault with a clearance of 15 feet, 9 inches while sophomore Phillip Gwin placed second at 15 feet, 3 inches. Junior Micah Tranch won the high jump with a mark of 6 feet, 6.25 inches.

• Junior Makenna Conley won the women’s 400 meters in a time of 1:01.32 while sophomore Ally Miran took the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 15.38 seconds. In the men’s sprints, senior Ebu Camara won the 100 meters in 10.87 seconds.

• Northwest Nazarene will head south as well this weekend, taking part in the Mount SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• There was no place like home for Saint Martin’s as the Saints finished with three individual winners and two relay winners at their own Jay Hammer Meet.

• Two of the three individual victories were in the men’s field events. Sophomore Josh Schulz led the way as he won the long jump with a mark of 21 feet, 10.25 inches.

• Senior Kauanoe Vanderpoel took home top honors in the men’s hammer with his mark of 180 feet, 2 inches, winning the event for the third straight meet.

• Junior Liz Larson won the women’s hammer as she finished with a mark of 172 feet. 4 inches. Her season-best of 182 feet, 8 inches, is No. 15 in Division II this season.

• The Saints also won both men’s relays. The 4x100-meter relay won with a time of 42.37 seconds while the 4x400-meter relay squad cruised home with the win in a time of 3:33.72.

• Freshman Cyrus Marshall added third in the men’s pole vault with a mark of 11, feet, 11.75 inches, while freshman Artresa Nickelson was third in the women’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:09.87. Senior Deanna Avalos placed second in the women’s javelin with a mark of 138 feet, 5 inches.

• Saint Martin’s joins the track and field party in Southern California this weekend, participating in both the Mount SAC Relays and the Bryan Clay Invitational.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• The Falcons posted seven event winners as Seattle Pacific took part in the SMU Jay Hammer Meet.

• The Seattle Pacific women had four individual winners in the sprints. Senior Becca Houk posted a season-best in the 100 meters with a time of 12.35 seconds that is fourth-best in the GNAC this season.

• Freshman Julia Stepper added a first-place finish in the 200 meters with her GNAC-leading time of 25.03 seconds. Sophomore Grace Bley won the 400 meters as she posted a season-best time of 58.27 seconds.

• Freshman Renick Meyer, meanwhile, posted a season-best in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.67 seconds. The mark is tied for third-best in the GNAC this season.

• The Falcons earned an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 4x100-meter relay. Their time of 46.83 seconds is No. 8 on the GNAC All-Time List and is No. 15 in Division II this season.

• Seattle Pacific also had a rare event winner in the men’s field events. Freshman Austin Matzelle won the pole vault with a mark of 12 feet, 11.5 inches.

• Freshman Shad Galloway was the Falcons’ top men’s running event finisher, placing third in the 3,000 meters in a time of 8:55.74.

• Seattle Pacific will be in Southern California this weekend, competing in the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.

SIMON FRASER
• An NCAA Championships automatic qualifying mark for junior Addy Townsend led Simon Fraser’s efforts at the Triton Invitational.

• Townsend placed second behind UAA’s Danielle McCormick in the women’s 800 meters. Her time of 2:06.82 is the fifth-best time in Division II this season. She was one of four GNAC athletes to add or improve nationals qualifying marks in the 800 at the meet.

• Senior Vladislav Tsygankov improved his NCAA provisional mark in the men’s 400-meter hurdles, winning the event with his GNAC-leading time of 52.15 seconds. For his effort, Tsygankov was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.

• The Clan women’s 4x400-meter relay notched an NCAA provisional qualifying mark. The first-place time of 3:47.82 is No. 15 in Division II this season.

• Senior Joel Webster was a winner in the men’s 400 meters as he ran a GNAC-leading time of 48.04 seconds. Senior Oliver Jorgensen added a fourth-place finish in the 1,500 meters in 3:52.42 while sophomore Nathan Mah was fourth in the men’s 200 meters in 21.98 seconds.

• Senior Dana Townsend added a victory in the women’s steeplechase with a time of 11:26.02, ranking her sixth in the GNAC this season. Freshman Renate Bluschke added a second-place finish in the women’s 400 meters in 56.63 seconds, ranking third in the GNAC.

• Simon Fraser will make the rounds in Southern California this weekend, participating in the Mount SAC Relays, the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon was the only GNAC team not to compete last week, taking the originally-scheduled trip to the L&C Invitational off the schedule. The Wolves will be in Southern California this weekend, competing at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

• The Wolves enter the week with eight athletes that have qualifying marks for the NCAA Championships. Senior David Ribich leads the way with his automatic qualifying mark in the 800 meters. He is ranked third nationally with a time of 1:48.09.

• Junior Dustin Nading has the fifth-best time in Division II this season in the men’s 1,500 meters with a time of 3:45.91. Senior Josh Dempsey is 17th in the event with his time of 3:48.93.

• Sophomore Alani Troutman is provisionally qualified in the men’s long jump and is tied for eighth in Division II with a mark of 24 feet, 3.5 inches.

• Western Oregon has three athletes provisionally qualified in the women’s 800 meters. Senior Suzie Van De Grift is eighth in Division II with a time of 2:08.89. Senior Megan Rose is ranked 10th with a time of 2:09.30 and junior Olivia Woods is 12th with her time of 2:09.78.

• Freshman Darian Wilson is one of 10 GNAC athletes provisionally qualified for nationals in the women’s javelin. Wilson is ranked 16th with her mark of 144 feet, 5 inches.

• The WOU men are ranked No. 23 in the USTFCCCA Division II Team Rankings for the second straight week. They are the only GNAC squad in the men’s top-25.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington finished with seven event winners as the Vikings competed in the SMU Jay Hammer Meet.

• Sophomore Cordell Cummings led four WWU men’s event winners as he cruised to victory in the men’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 55.94 seconds.

• Junior Kyler Sager led a one-two finish for the Vikings in the men’s 1,500 meters, clocking a time of 3:57.60. Freshman Ian Fay placed second in a time of 4:03.32.

• Freshman Bryce Bryant-Leat was a winner in the men’s shot put, posting a mark of 49 feet, 0.25 inches.

• Sophomore Jewels Oliquiano led a top-three sweep for the Vikings in the women’s pole vault, posting a winning clearance of 10 feet, 5.5 inches. Junior Rachael Roberts and freshman Hannah Dodson tied for second at 9 feet, 9.75 inches.

• Freshman Shawnee Konrad scored a first-place finish in the women’s 800 meters with a time of 2:21.48.

• In the women’s field events, junior Maddie Taylor won the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 3.25 inches. Taylor leads the GNAC with a season-best of 5 feet, 5.25 inches.

• Western Washington will also head south for the weekend, taking part in both the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.