Tuesday, May 21, 2013

PUEBLO, Colo. -  Simon Fraser University track and field runner Helen Crofts (West Vancouver, BC) has been named the NCAA Division II Female West Region Track Athlete of the Year by the USTFCCCA.

Crofts is the Division II leader in the 800 meters heading into the Division II Outdoor Championships which begin Thursday at Colorado State - Pueblo.

Her time of 2:04.53 is the sixth ranked time in the event in Division II history.  Crofts, who is one of eight GNAC athletes entered in the event, will compete Friday in the prelims of the 800 meters.  

Crofts will also compete Friday in the prelims of the 4x400 relay.  The foursome of Chantel Desch, Sarah Sawatzky, Michaela Kane and Crofts are seeded fifth with a season-best time of 3:42.53.

Though she won't be competing in the events in the national meet, Crofts also has the seventh best time this spring among Division II athletes in the 1500 (4:26.85) and 10th best time in the 400 (54.46).

She won both of those events earlier this month in the GNAC Track and Field chamnpionships at Monmouth.

Crofts is one of  33 GNAC track and field athletes will be competing in the three-day event which begins Thursday.

Among the athletes competing Thursday are Cody Thomas of Alaska Anchorage in the decathlon and Ali Worthen and Katy Gross of Seattle Pacific and Karolin Anders  in the heptathlon.  Worthen is the No. 1 seed in the heptathlon.

Other events on Thursday's schedule in which GNAC athletes are scheduled to compete include the finals of the men's and women's 10,000  and prelims of the men's 100 and 1500 and women's 1500, steeplechase and 400 hurdles.

Following is the complete schedule for GNAC athletes:

MEN

Thursday:  10:30 a.m. – Decathlon (9. Cody Thomas, UAA, 6781).  5:25 p.m.  - 1500 Prelims (17. Seth Pierson, SPU, 3:50.40; 18. Isaac Kangogo, UAA, 3:50.59).  6:25 p.m. - 100  Prelims (11. Rimar Christie, NNU, 10.38).  8:50 p.m. - 10,000 (16. Dylan Anthony, UAA, 29:53.28).

Friday: 10 a.m. - Decathlon (9. Cody Thomas, UAA, 6781).  5:45 p.m. - 200 Prelims (22.  Rimar Christie, NNU, 21.17).

Saturday: 12:15 p.m. - Javelin  (1. Cody Parker, UAA, 71.43 – 234-4; 2. Franz Burghagen, UAA, 70.29 – 230-7; 4. Braden Keller, CWU, 67.79 – 222-5; 11. Shane Brooks, WOU, 63.35 207-10; 26. Justin Larson, WOU, 61.65 – 202-3).  5:15 p.m. - Triple Jump  (17. Bryan Mack, CWU, 15.06 – 49-5).  5:45 p.m. – 1500 Finals.  6:45 p.m. – 100 Finals.  7:55 p.m. – 200 Finals.

WOMEN

Thursday:  11 a.m. – Heptathlon (1. Ali Worthen, SPU, 5492; 5. Karolin Anders, UAA, 5034; 6. Katy Gross, SPU, 4992). 5:10 p.m. – 1500 Prelims  (6. Ivy O’Guinn, UAA, 4:26.64; 13. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 4:29.74.).  6:40 p.m. - Steeplechase Prelims  (2. Susan Tanui, UAA, 10:13.40). 7:40 p.m. - 400 Hurdles Prelims (11. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 1:00.54).  8:10 p.m. - 10,000  (20. Ruth Keino, UAA, 36:02.00).

Friday:  11 a.m. – Heptathlon (1. Ali Worthen, SPU, 5492; 5. Karolin Anders, UAA, 5034; 6. Katy Gross, SPU, 4992). 5 p.m. - Discus  (9. Jade Richardson, SFU, 48.68 – 159-8).  6 p.m. - 800 Prelims (1. Helen Crofts, SFU, 2:04.53; 3. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 2:08.07; 5. Sarah Sawatzky, SFU, 2:09.13; 7. Ivy O’Guinn, UAA, 2:09.34; 8. McKayla Fricker, SPU, 2:09.42; 11. Michaela Kane, SFU, 2:10.45; 14. Susan Bick, UAA, 2:11.02; 19. Emily Quatier, SPU, 2:11.71).  7:15 p.m.  – Steeplechase Finals.  7:50  p.m. – 4x400 Prelims  (5. Simon Fraser (Chantel Desch, Sarah Sawatzky, Michaela Kane, Helen Crofts) 3:42.53; 7. Seattle Pacific (Kishia Mitchell, Emily Quatier, Jasmine Johnson, McKayla Fricker) 3:43.44.

Saturday: 2:50 p.m. - Javelin (2. Bethany Drake, WWU, 47.96 157-4; 3. Amanda Schumaker, WOU, 47.16 – 154-9; 6. Seabre Church, WOU, 46.15 – 151-5; 22. Katy Gross, SPU, 42.53 – 139-6). 5:30 p.m. – High Jump (High Jump – 6. Tayler Fettig, CWU, 1.75 – 5-8 ¾). 5:35 p.m. – 1500 Finals. 6:55 p.m. – 800 Finals.  7:20 p.m. – 400 Hurdles.  8:05 p.m. - 5000  (1. Ruth Keino, UAA, 16:20.87; 6. Susan Tanui, UAA, 16:41.55).  8:55 p.m. – 4x400 Finals.