Wednesday, March 22, 2023

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
George Karamitsos, Western Washington
Sophomore • Arlington, Wash.

Karamitsos moved into No. 6 on the GNAC all-time list with his sixth-place finish in the 10,000 meters at the Oregon Preview on Friday. His time of 29:40.69 is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time and ranks No. 3 in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Austin Albertin (Central Washington), Bryant Edgerton (Montana State Billings), Jesaiah Penson-Mccoy (Simon Fraser).

MEN’S FIELD
Dayne Gordien, Western Oregon
Senior • Sandy, Utah

Gordien was the winner in the shot put on Saturday at the Oregon Preview with a mark of 54 feet, 9.5 inches. The mark ranks Gordien No. 9 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 4 on the WOU all-time list. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark is tied for sixth in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Isaiah Webster (Central Washington), Isaac Perkins (Montana State Billings), Mitchell Gibbs (Simon Fraser), Ryan Greenwalt (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
E’lexis Hollis, Central Washington
Junior • Ellensburg, Wash.

Hollis won the 100 meters at the Doris Heritage Track Festival with a time of 11.95 seconds. The time is the best in the GNAC this season and is tied for No. 8 in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Marissa Crane (Seattle Pacific), Emma Cannan (Simon Fraser), Marian Ledesma (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Kaylee Wright, Western Oregon
Senior • John Day, Ore.

Wright took fourth in the javelin at the Oregon Preview on Saturday. The top non-Division I finisher in the event, Wright hit an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark with her throw of 146 feet, 1 inch which ranks No. 3 in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Erica Cabanos (Central Washington), Ryann Moline (Montana State Billings), Lizzy Daugherty (Seattle Pacific), Zuzanna Liniewski (Simon Fraser), Raine Westfall (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage opens its outdoor season this weekend, traveling south to compete at the Aztec Invitational in San Diego and the Mangrum Invitational in San Marcos, California.

• Sophomore Coleman Nash competed at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships in the men’s 5,000 meters, placing 12th in a time of 14:19.39. He was also entered in the 3,000 meters but did not compete.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington picked up 15 event victories to lead all teams at the Doris Heritage Track Festival on Saturday in Renton, Washington.

• The outstanding performances by the Wildcats were rewarded with selection as the GNAC Team of the Week.

• Junior E’lexis Hollis was named the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week for her victory in the 100 meters. Her time of 11.95 seconds was one-tenth of a second off her CWU record. Hollis also ran anchor for the women’s 4x100-meter relay team, which won in a time of 48.09 seconds.

• The Wildcats swept the high hurdles races with senior Lauryn Chandler winning the women’s 100-meter hurdles in 14.44 seconds and sophomore Aiden Wise winning the men’s 110-meter hurdles in 14.77 seconds. Both performances lead the GNAC this season.

• Other men’s running-event winners included senior Austin Albertin in 400 meters (50.17), freshman Jack Pratapas in 800 meters (1:57.45) and junior Johan Correa in the mile (4:21.33). The Wildcats also won the men’s 4x100-meter relay (43.03) and 4x400-meter relay (3:21.01).

• Other women’s running-event winners included junior Juliette Williams in the 200 meters (25.07) and the women’s 4x400-meter relay (4:02.57).

• Men’s field-event winners included senior Braydon Maier in the pole vault (15-5.5), freshman Isaiah Webster in the long jump (22-5) and junior Branden Wise in the javelin (180-5).

• Senior Erica Cabanos was the lone women’s field-event winner, taking the long jump with a mark of 16 feet, 10.75 inches.

• Central Washington is back in action on Saturday, competing at the Peyton/Shotwell Invitational in Tacoma.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Junior Kendall Lynn and sophomore Ryann Moline set school records as Montana State Billings opened the outdoor season co-hosting the Yellowjackets/Battlin’ Bears Icebreaker Open on Sunday.

• Lynn improved her school record in the women’s long jump, winning with a leap of 17 feet, 9 inches. Her previous record  was 17 feet, 8.25 inches. Lynn also won the triple jump with a mark of 36 feet, 11 inches.

• Moline set the MSUB record in the women’s javelin with her throw of 136 feet, 6 inches. That surpassed the previous record of 129 feet, 2 inches set by Jordan Cookman in 2021. Moline also won the discus with a mark of 117 feet, 5 inches.

• In all, MSUB won 18 individual events in its season-opening dual meet against Rocky Mountain. Joining Lynn and Moline on the women’s side as a two-event winner was sophomore Madeline Severson in the 400 meters (1:03.58) and the high jump (5-0.25).

• Other women’s individual winners included senior Kailee Stoppel in the 5,000 meters (19:11.01), freshman Jaida Green in the shot put (38-2.75) and junior Grace Jones in the hammer (152-9).

• Senior Forrest Cross was the only multi-event winner for the men, placing first in the shot put (48-4.75) and the discus (149-8).

• Men’s individual event winners included sophomore Ben Ralston in the 200 meters (22.46), junior Bryant Edgerton in the 5,000 meters (16:09.32), sophomore Bradley Graves in the 400-meter hurdles (59.59), freshman Isaac Perkins in the hammer (158-10) and sophomore Brandon Geck in the javelin (148-11).

• Montana State Billings will be in Pueblo, Colorado on Friday and Saturday, competing in the Spank Blasing Invitational.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene returns to competition on Saturday at the Willamette Invitational in Salem, Oregon.

• Northwest Nazarene opened the outdoor season by sending a limited number of distance runners to the Erik Anderson Memorial Icebreaker in McMinnville, Oregon, on Mar. 3.

• Freshman Morgan Erler opened her collegiate outdoor career as a winner, taking the women’s 10,000 meters with a time of 38:25.07.

• Freshman Brody Kemble placed seventh in the men’s 10,000 meters with a time of 31:27.97 while freshman Aaron Heberlein crossed in a time of 34:02.81.

• Junior Steven Schmidt earned All-American honors in the heptathlon at the Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. His school record score of 5,523 points ranks No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list. In the heptathlon high jump, Schmidt won with a mark of 7 feet, 0.25 inches that tied his lifetime best in the event set at the GNAC Indoor Championships. Schmidt was also third in the pole vault with a mark of 15 feet, 7 inches. Earlier this week, Schmidt was named the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Men’s Athlete of the Year.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• A victory for junior Gabriela Cintron in the women’s 100-meter hurdles led Saint Martin’s as it competed in both the Lewis & Clark Spring Break Open and the Doris Heritage Track Festival.

• Cintron won the event at the L&C Open by almost a half-second, crossing the line in 15.15 seconds.

• The SMU women had a pair of second-place finishes in the distances in Portland. Sophomore Cassidy Walchak-Sloan was second in the 1,500 meters with a season-best time of 4:36.03. Freshman Alauna Carstens was second in the 5,000 meters in a time of 17:50.13, a time that leads the GNAC this season.

• Sophomore Isaac Cortes was the top men’s placer at the L&C Open, taking third in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15:23.52. Sophomore Kainalu Pagente was fourth in a time of 15:28.76. Senior Jack Farrell was fourth in the men’s 800 meters in 1:55.67, ranking him No. 8 on the SMU all-time list.

• At the Doris Heritage Track Festival, sophomore Sara Sabra took third in the women’s 5,000 meters to lead all SMU competitors in a time of 18:15.30 that ranks third in the GNAC this season.

• The Saints will compete on Saturday at the Peyton/Shotwell Invitational in Tacoma.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Freshman Marissa Crane, senior Libby Michael and junior Lizzy Daugherty earned victories to lead Seattle Pacific at its own Doris Heritage Track Festival in Renton, Washington.

• Crane collected her first collegiate victory in the women’s 400 meters, crossing the line in a GNAC-leading time of 58.57 seconds. Michael was the winner in the women’s mile, finishing in a time of 5:08.73.

• Daugherty was the winner in the women’s pole vault, moving into the GNAC lead with a clearance of 12 feet, 0.75 inches.

• Junior Aniya Green earned a pair of second-place finishes. She was runner-up in the women’s 100 meters in 12.61 seconds and in the 200 meters with a time of 25.36 seconds. Freshman Hannah Chang placed second in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.80 seconds.

• Senior David Njeri led the SPU men in the sprints with his second-place finish in the 100 meters in a time of 11.13 seconds. Junior Jon Owen finished second in the men’s 800 meters in a time of 2:00.18.

• In the men’s field events, junior Brad Bowman placed third in the pole vault with his clearance of 13 feet, 11.75 inches.

• Senior Vanessa Aniteye added two more awards to her indoor resume, earning selection this week as the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Women’s Athlete of the Year and the USTFCCCA West Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year. Aniteye won the 800 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships.

• Seattle Pacific heads for the sun of Southern California this week, sending competitors to the Mangrum Invitational on Friday in San Marcos and the Point Loma Collegiate Invitational on Saturday in San Diego.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser opened the outdoor season by hosting a number of Canadian teams at its own High Performance Meet on Saturday at Terry Fox Field.

• The Red Leafs ended the meet with 13 individual event victories. Freshman Emma Cannan led the women with two victories, winning the 100 meters in 12.17 seconds and the 200 meters in 25.31 seconds. She ranks second in the GNAC this season in the 100 and third in the 200.

• Sophomore Jesaiah Penson-Mccoy added a sweep in the men’s short sprints, winning the 100 meters in 10.75 seconds and the 200 meters in 21.78 seconds. He leads the GNAC this season in both events.

• Other women’s running-event winners included sophomore Veronica Robertson in the 400 meters (1:02.09), freshman Selin Tasdemir in the 1,500 meters (4:44.53) and senior Olivia Willett in the 3,000 meters (10:33.59).

• Women’s field-event winners included junior Sydney Kania in the long jump (16-8.5), sophomore Zuzanna Liniewski in the hammer (157-1) and sophomore Maddy Prugh in the javelin (115-8).

• Other men’s individual event winners included sophomore Jorrin Lenton in the 400 meters (51.13), sophomore Andrew Thomson in the 1,500 meters (3:53.00) and sophomore Mitchell Gibbs in the long jump (20-4.5).

• Simon Fraser will stay close to home this week, competing on Saturday at the UBC Open in Vancouver, B.C.

WESTERN OREGON
• Outstanding field-event performances by seniors Dayne Gordien and Kaylee Wright led Western Oregon’s performances at the Oregon Preview in Eugene.

• Gordien was named the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after his victory in the shot put with a mark of 54 feet, 9.5 inches. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark ranks No. 9 on the GNAC all-time list, No. 4 on the WOU all-time list and is tied for sixth in Division II this season.

• Wright was selected as the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week as she took fourth in the javelin with a mark of 146 feet, 1 inch. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark ranks third in Division II this season.

• Senior Jenelle Hurley opened her outdoor season with a third-place finish in the women’s long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 11.75 inches. She also took fifth in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 15.06 seconds.

• Senior Maya Hopwood placed fifth in the women’s 100 meters. She was the second non-Division I finisher with a time of 12.51 seconds. Freshman Holly Hutton won her heat of the women’s 800 meters and placed sixth overall in a time of 2:18.68.

• Sophomore Emmett Klus finished fourth in the men’s 800 meters in a time of 1:53.37.

• Western Oregon will split its squad this week, ending athletes to the Mangrum Invitational on Friday in San Marcos, California and the Aztec Invitational in San Diego. Other athletes will compete in the Willamette Invitational on Saturday in Salem, Oregon.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• A blistering performance by runners in the men’s 10,000 meters at Hayward Field led Western Washington’s efforts at the Oregon Preview and the Doris Heritage Track Festival in Renton, Washington.

• Sophomore George Karamitsos led four WWU runners to run under 30 minutes in the men’s 10,000 at the Oregon Preview. He was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he placed sixth in a school-record time of 29:40.69 that ranks No. 6 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 3 in Division II this season.

• Sophomore Andrew Oslin placed seventh in 29:45.88, sophomore Kevin McDermott was eighth in 29:48.23 and sophomore Jeret Gillingham was ninth in 29:54.66. All four rank in the top five on WWU’s all-time list. Oslin is No. 4 in Division II with a season-best of 29:41.91 earlier in March while McDermott and Gillingham rank No. 5 and No. 7, respectively.

• Sophomore Jonah Bloom won the men’s 800 meters at the Oregon Preview with a time of 1:52.59 which is the top time in the GNAC this season.

• Junior Marian Ledesma led a 2-3-4 finish in the women’s 800 meters in Eugene, placing second in a time of 2:12.76 that ranks No. 2 on the WWU all-time list.

• At the Doris Heritage Track Festival, freshman Emmy Kroontje won the women’s 800 meters in a time of 2:18.76. Freshman Jaden Johnson won the men’s 200 meters in 22.46 seconds.

• Western Washington will compete close to home this weekend, traveling north for the UBC Open on Saturday and Sunday in Vancouver, B.C.