Wednesday, May 27, 2020

NEW ORLEANS – The NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships were unable to go on as scheduled due to the COVID-19 outbreak but 29 GNAC athletes are being recognized for their efforts with selection as All-Americans by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

A total of 14 individual athletes from the GNAC, along with members of five distance medley relay teams, were selected to receive All-American awards from the coaches organization.

Normally awarded based on performance at the NCAA Championships, the USTFCCCA this year awarded All-American status to all individual student-athletes listed on the start lists of events at the championships. All-American status also went to the four student-athletes on each anticipated relay team who produced the performance that was declared and accepted into the meet.

Three GNAC female athletes were awarded two All-American awards for their respective individual entries. Concordia junior Paige Johnson was named an All-American in both the 60 meters and 60-meter hurdles. Saint Martin’s sophomore Keshara Romain was named an All-American in both the long jump and triple jump. Seattle Pacific junior Dania Holmberg was tabbed as an All-American in the 3,000 meters and 5,000 meters.

Six GNAC athletes earned an individual-event All-American award in addition to a relay All-American award. Three of those were from Alaska Anchorage in senior Emmah Chelimo (3,000 meters), junior Ruth Cvancara (800 meters) and sophomore Nancy Jeptoo (mile), all of whom were part of the Seawolves’ distance medley relay team.

The list also includes Simon Fraser junior Mairin Shields-Brown and senior Addy Townsend, double selections in both the 800 meters and DMR, and Western Oregon junior Derek Holdsworth (800 meters & DMR).

The GNAC stood a chance at a number of national champions at the indoor meet, which was scheduled to take place on March 13 and 14 in Birmingham, Alabama. Holdsworth was the favorite in the men’s 800 meters with a season-best of 1:47.74 that was not only the best in Division II in over a second but also was the fifth-fastest this season at all collegiate levels.

Townsend entered the championships with the No. 2 fastest Division II time in the women’s 800 meters with her time of 2:07.74. Saint Martin’s sophomore Tyler Cronk owned the No. 3 mark in the men’s high jump with his clearance of 7 feet, 1 inch. His Saints teammate, Romain, entered the No. 3 mark nationally in the triple jump at 41 feet, 8 inches.

Alaska Anchorage and Simon Fraser each had eight athletes named as All-Americans combined from individual and relay events.