Thursday, March 28, 2019

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Nathan Mah, Simon Fraser
Junior • Burnaby, B.C.

Mah won both of his events at the Willamette Invitational in season-best times, taking the 100 meters in 10.97 seconds and the 200 meters in 21.98 seconds. He also ran the anchor leg on the Clan’s 4x100-meter relay team, which finished second in 42.71 seconds.

Also Nominated: Adam Brown (Concordia), Logan Blake (Northwest Nazarene), Justin Crosswhite (Western Oregon).

MEN’S FIELD
Jake Knight, Northwest Nazarene
Senior • Meridian, Idaho

Knight won both of his events with NCAA Championships provisional qualifying marks at the NNU Invitational. Knight won the discus with a mark of 177 feet, 10 inches, which ranks No. 3 in Division II this season. He went on to win the shot put with a mark of 57 feet, 10.5 inches, that ranks seventh in Division II this season. Both marks rank Knight at No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List in both disciplines.

Also Nominated: Sam Nichols (Concordia), Isaiah Girard (Montana State Billings), Timothy Hatton (Simon Fraser), Owen Collins (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Chelsea Ribeiro, Simon Fraser
Junior • Surrey, B.C.

Ribeiro was the winner of the steeplechase at the Willamette Invitational by 18 seconds. Her time of 10:38.40 is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and leads Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Danielle McCormick (Alaska Anchorage), Sidney Trinidad (Central Washington), Kaylin Cantu (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Chrisalyn Johnson, Alaska Anchorage
Senior • Anchorage, Alaska

Johnson won both the long jump and triple jump at the Willamette Invitational. Johnson set a UAA school record in the triple jump with a mark of 39 feet, 11.5 inches, provisionally qualifying her for the NCAA Championships. She ranks fifth in Division II and No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List. Johnson won the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 2.25 inches.

Scout Cai, Seattle Pacific
Junior • Colfax, Wash.

Cai opened her outdoor season by placing third in her section of the heptathlon at the Division I-heavy Aztec Invitational. Her score of 5,001 points ranks No. 3 in Division II this season. During the competition, Cai won the 800 meters, placed fourth in the high jump and shot put and fifth in the 200 meters and javelin.

Also Nominated: HarLee Ortega (Central Washington), Katrina Linenko (Concordia), Hannah Nessan (Montana State Billings), Ellie Logan (Northwest Nazarene), Darian Wilson (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Senior Chrisalyn Johnson’s record leap in the triple jump led Alaska Anchorage in the team’s first outdoor meet of the season, the Willamette Invitational on Saturday.

• Johnson set the UAA record in the event with a mark of 39 feet, 11.5 inches, bettering the 39 feet, 3.75 inches set by Kim Brady in 2018. The mark also ranks No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List and is No. 5 in Division II this season. Johnson also won the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 2.25 inches. The efforts earned Johnson selection as the GNAC Women’s Field Co-Athlete of the Week.

• Senior Danielle McCormick notched an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 1,500 meters. Her winning time of 4:32.17 ranks fifth in Division II this season.

• Junior Vanessa Aniteye won the women’s 400 meters with a GNAC-leading time of 56.17 seconds and finished third in the 200 meters in 25.61 seconds. Junior Elena Cano won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.04 seconds was second in the long jump with a mark of 17 feet.

• The Alaska Anchorage men were led by freshman Enrique Campbell, who placed second in the 200 meters with a time of 22.20 seconds and third in the 100 meters in 11.12 seconds. Junior Chris Brake placed third in the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 4 inches, and sophomore Felix Kemboi was third in the 1,500 meters in 3:53.37.

• Alaska Anchorage’s women enter the week at No. 21 in the USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Team Index.

• Alaska Anchorage heads to the Bay Area this weekend to compete in both the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and the Stanford Invitational.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington had solid performances from its multi-event performers at the Sam Adams Combined Event Invitational and overall solid squad performances at the Willamette Invitational.

• Senior HarLee Ortega won the women’s heptathlon at Sam Adams with a score of 4,913 points, an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying total that ranks fifth in Division II. She tied for first in the high jump (5-2.5). Sophomore Sidney Trinidad placed fourth with a score of 4,674 points, which ranks 10th in Division II. Trinidad posted wins in the 100-meter hurdles (14.78), the long jump (17-7) and the 800 meters (2:14.86).

• At Willamette, junior Erykah Weems led the way as she won the women’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:04.03. She went on to place second in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 15.12 seconds.

• Freshman Molly Mattson led the distance corps with a third-place finish in the women’s 5,000 meters with a time of 18:01.17. Junior Delaney Clem finished fifth in a time of 18:23.13. Senior Alexa Shindruk placed fifth in the women’s 1,500 meters in a time of 4:36.84.

• Sophomore Ethan Tonder led the Central Washington men, placing third in the shot put with a mark of 51 feet, 8.25 inches and fourth in the hammer with a mark of 156 feet, 9 inches. Sophomore Trevor Allen placed fourth in the men’s 5,000 meters in a time of 15:02.16.

• Central Washington will send athletes to three different meets. The Wildcats will compete in the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and the Stanford Invitational along with the Boxer Open in Forest Grove, Oregon.

CONCORDIA
• The Cavaliers’ throwers led the way at the Willamette Invitational on Saturday while the multi-eventers turned in great performances at the Boxer Combined-Event on Monday and Tuesday in Forest Grove, Oregon.

• At Willamette, senior Sam Nichols earned an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the men’s discus. His winning throw of 166 feet, 9 inches is No. 9 in Division II this season. Nichols also placed fifth in the shot put at 49 feet, 3.75 inches.

• Senior Josh Koch improved his provisional qualifying mark in the men’s shot put. His winning mark of 54 feet, 6.75 inches ranks 19th in Division II. Koch added a second-place finish in the men’s hammer with a mark of 162 feet, 2 inches. Junior Joe Denniston won the hammer with a mark of 177 feet.

• The women’s 4x100-meter relay team was a winner in a time of 48.02 seconds.  Freshman Macie Allen led the way individually as she took third in the women’s 100 meters in 12.33 seconds.

• At the Boxer Combined Event, senior Giovanni Brown finished second in the men’s decathlon with a score of 6,505 points. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark ranks 10th in Division II. In the process, Brown finished first in the shot put (40-7), 110-meter hurdles (15.37) and the 1,500 meters (4:23.82).

• Junior Chase Stephens finished fifth in the women’s heptathlon with a score of 4,212 points. Stephens’ competition included a victory in the 100-meter hurdles (14.90).

• Concordia will not compete this weekend. The Cavaliers return to action on Apr. 6 at the John Knight Twilight in Monmouth, Oregon.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
 • A record mark for junior Isaiah Girard in the men’s high jump and good season-opening marks for the sprints highlighted Montana State Billings’ outdoor opener at the Yellow Jacket Spring Open in Spearfish, S.D.

• Girard won with a mark of 6 feet, 9 inches, breaking his own record of 6 feet, 7.5 inches. That mark leads the GNAC and ties him for sixth in Division II this season. Girard also placed second in the long jump with a mark of 21 feet, 4.5 inches.

• Senior Kaelen Shay led the Yellowjackets’ sprinters with a second-place finish in the 100 meters with a time of 11.06 seconds. Junior Mason Schram was third in 11.11 seconds and Kyle Patelis was fourth in 11.25 seconds.

• Senior Brady Ostermiller won the men’s shot put with a mark of 48 feet, 2.75 inches. Sophomore Hannah Nessan placed second in the discus with a mark of 130 feet, 10 inches.

• Montana State Billings will co-host its only home meet on the season with Rocky Mountain, the Yellowjacket/Battlin’ Bears Invitational on Saturday in Laurel, Montana.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Senior Jake Knight reset his own school records for the second consecutive week as Northwest Nazarene hosted its own NNU Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

• Knight won the discus with a mark of 177 feet, 10 inches. That ranks third in Division II this season. Knight also was a winner in the shot put with a mark of 57 feet, 10.5 inches, ranking him seventh in Division II. The two record marks earned Knight selection as GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.

• Sophomore Dakota Tidwell won the men’s decathlon with a score of 6.708 points. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark ranks sixth in Division II this season. Tidwell won four of the event’s 10 disciplines: the 100 meters (11.42), the pole vault (14-9), the javelin (167-11) and the 1,500 meters (4:33.99).

• Junior Logan Blake was a winner in both the men’s 200 meters (22.13) and the 400 meters (48.69). Sophomore Elijah Castro just missed his own school record in men’s long jump with a leap of 23 feet, 4.75 inches.

• Senior Lexi Tubbs made her outdoor season debut, winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 14.60 seconds. She also placed third in the 100 meters in a time of 12.95 seconds.

• Senior Jackie Mahowald won the women’s triple jump with a personal best of 38 feet, 1 inch. Senior Ellie Logan was an easy winner in the women’s javelin as her mark of 152 feet, 9 inches moved her to No. 6 in Division II this season.

• Northwest Nazarene’s men dropped three spots to No. 24 in the latest USTFCCCA Division II Team Index.

• The Nighthawks will travel to Irvine, California this weekend to compete at the Team 4 Titus & Ely meet at Concordia-Irvine.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Junior Josh Schulz hit a personal best in the men’s decathlon to pace Saint Martin’s in the Boxer Combined Event in Forest Grove, Oregon on Monday and Tuesday.

• Schultz finished fifth in the 17-man field with a score of 5,969 points. He won the long jump on day one with a mark of 21 feet, 7.25 inches, placed second in the 100 meters (11.26) and third in the 400 meters (51.58).

• Junior Tiffany Pott finished 14th out of a large field of 26 athletes in the women’s heptathlon. Pott placed sixth in the high jump with a clearance of 4 feet, 10.75 inches.

• Saint Martin’s will not compete again until heading north to Bellingham, Washington, for the WWU Team Invitational on Sat., Apr. 5.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• A record performance in the women’s 4x100-meter relay and an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier for junior Scout Cai in the women’s heptathlon led the Falcons at the Aztec Invitational in San Diego.

• The relay squad of Peace Igbonagwam, Jenna Bouyer, Grace Bley and Julia Stepper beat Division I teams to win in a school record time of 46.23 seconds. The time ranks No. 2 in Division II this season and No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Cai became the first GNAC athlete to eclipse 5,000 points in the heptathlon this season, placing fourth in her group with a score of 5,001 points. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark ranks third in Division II this season. Along the way, Cai won the 800 meters (2:18.91) and was fourth in the high jump (5-4.5) and shot put (34-6.75). The effort earned Cai selection as the GNAC Women’s Field Co-Athlete of the Week.

• Sophomore Renick Meyer was fifth in the same section of the heptathlon as Cai with a total of 4,879 points. She placed third in the long jump (19-2) and 200 meters (25.49) and fourth in the 100-meter hurdles (14.63).

• Igbonagwam added a fifth-place finish in the open women’s long jump with a mark of 19 feet.

• The Falcons’ women jumped nine spots in the latest USTFCCCA Division II Team Index to No. 9.

• The Falcons will head to the Bay Area this weekend to take part in both the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and the Stanford Invitational.

SIMON FRASER
• Some solid performances in the sprints and the steeplechase, in particular by junior Nathan Mah, led Simon Fraser at the Willamette Invitational.

• Mah won both the men’s 100 meters and 200 meters in GNAC leading times, winning the 100 in 10.97 seconds and the 200 meters in 21.98 seconds. The pair of performances earned Mah selection as the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week.

• Senior Chelsea Ribeiro led a one-two finish in the women’s steeplechase, winning in a time of 10:38.40. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time leads Division II so far this season. The performance also earned Ribeiro selection as the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week. Sophomore Olivia Willett was second with a time of 10:56.88.

• Sophomore Aaron Ahl won the men’s steeplechase with a time of 9:31.08 while sophomore Chris Sobczak was second in 9:39.81.

• Freshman Nate St. Romain won the men’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 54.21 seconds. In the women’s 800 meters, sophomore Mairin Shields-Brown led a one through five sweep for the Clan with a time of 2:14.24.

• In the men’s javelin, freshman Timothy Hatton picked up the win with a mark of 189 feet, 3 inches.

• The Simon Fraser women leaped up into the top-25 of the USTFCCCA Division II Team Index this week, emerging at No. 16.

• Simon Fraser will divide up between three different meets this week. A select group heads to the Bay Area for the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and the Stanford Invitational while more will head across town on Saturday to the UBC Invitational in Vancouver, B.C.

WESTERN OREGON
• A sweep of the top three places in the men’s 800 meters led Western Oregon’s efforts at the Willamette Invitational.

• Sophomore Curt Knott led the way with a winning time of 1:53.60. Sophomore Neal Cranston was second in 1:53.83 while senior Parker Marson was third in 1:54.36. All three times lead the GNAC.

• Junior Justin Crosswhite added a victory in the men’s 1,500 meters with a career-best time of 3:51.45. Freshman Hunter Hutton finished second in 3:53.27. Freshman Gabe Arce-Torres collected the win in the men’s 400 meters in a time of 49.07 seconds.

• Senior Olivia Woods paced the WOU women with her second-place finish in the 400 meters in a time of 56.42 seconds.

• Sophomore Darian Wilson improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s javelin. Her mark of 139 feet, 7 inches, ranks 14th in Division II this season.

• Western Oregon will join the action in the Bay Area, competing in both the Mike Fanelli Track Classic and the Stanford Invitational.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington did not compete last weekend. The Vikings will split its athletes between two meets this weekend, sending a select group to the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in the Bay Area and others to the UBC Invitational in Vancouver, B.C.

• Senior Maddie Taylor set the WWU record in the women’s high jump at the Doris Heritage Track Classic on Mar. 16, winning the event with a clearance of 5 feet, 8.5 inches. That broke a 35-year-old record of 5-8.25 set by Kristy Dees in 1984. The NCAA provisional qualifying mark leads the GNAC, is tied for No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• The Vikings have continued their tradition of dominance in the women’s javelin. Junior Raquel Pellecer leads Division II with her mark of 155 feet, 2 inches, set at the Ed Boitano Invitational on Mar. 2. Freshman Paige Shimkus is third in Division II with her mark of 152 feet from the Mar. 9 PLU Open. Sophomore Hannah Nienaber is sixth in Division II with a mark of 137 feet, 4 inches.

• Sophomore Cooper McNatt owns an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the men’s javelin. He is tied for 12th in Division II with his mark of 195 feet, 10 inches at the Doris Heritage Track Classic.

• Western Washington’s women entered the week ranked No. 15 while the men were ranked 16th in the latest USTFCCCA Division II Team Index.