Tuesday, April 24, 2018

NEW ORLEANS – Thanks to their record-setting performances in meets down in Southern California last weekend, Western Oregon senior David Ribich and Alaska Anchorage senior Caroline Kurgat have been selected as Division II Athletes of the Week by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Both athletes added the national accolades to their selections for GNAC Athlete of the Week awards, which were announced on Monday.

Ribich shattered both the GNAC and NCAA Division II records in the 1,500 meters at the Bryan Clay Invitational to earn Men’s Track Athlete of the Week honors. He placed sixth in the elite section of the race with a time of 3:37.35, which eclipsed the previous Division II record of 3:38.91 set by Kip Cheruiyot of Mount St. Mary’s in 1987. The performance is also the 14th fastest time in the world this season.

To date, Ribich has automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 1,500 meters and the 800 meters. His time of 1:48.09 in the 800 meters is the No. 3 time in Division II this season.

Kurgat set her second GNAC record of the season and earned NCAA Championships automatic qualifying marks in the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters at the Bryan Clay to earn Women’s Track Athlete of the Week honors. Kurgat placed second in the first section of the 5,000 meters on Thursday with a time of 15:43.95, which bettered the previous GNAC record of 15:44.07 set by Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler in 2010. On Friday, Kurgat ran 4:21.18 in the 1,500 meters, moving into No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List.

To date, Kurgat has automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 1,500 meters, the 5,000 meters and the 10,000 meters. Kurgat leads Division II with her times in 5,000 and the 10,000 (32:33.24) and set the GNAC record in the 10,000 meters at the Stanford Invitational.