Wednesday, February 7, 2018

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Vladislav Tsygankov, Simon Fraser
Senior • Moscow, Russia

Tsygankov established NCAA Championships provisional qualifying marks in both the 400 meters and the long jump at the Hillsdale Wide Track Classic. He won the 400 meters by nearly a second with a time of 48.78 seconds. After conversion to 48.02 for track size, he ranks No. 14 in Division II this season. Tsygankov then placed second in the long jump, his first competition in the event this season, with a mark of 23 feet, 2.75 inches. The performance is 38th in Division II this season.

Also Nominated: Daniel Calderon (Central Washington), Sam Zook (Montana State Billings), Cordell Cummings (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
John Van Beuren, Northwest Nazarene
Senior • Boise, Idaho

Van Beuren hit school records in both the shot put and weight throw to lead the Nighthawks at the Jacksons Invitational. On Friday, Van Beuren won the weight throw with a record mark of 60 feet, 5.25 inches. The performance is also No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List and No. 22 in Division II this season. He added a second-place finish in the shot put. His school-record mark of 53 feet, 7 inches, is No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List. Both marks are NCAA Championships provisional qualifiers.

Also Nominated: Armando Tafoya (Central Washington), Nels Flanagan (Montana State Billings), Peter Behncke (Simon Fraser).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Alana Mussatto, Simon Fraser
Senior • North Vancouver, B.C.

Mussatto moved up to No. 5 on the Division II season-best list as she set a meet record in the women’s 800 meters at the Hillsdale Wide Track Classic. She won the race by over three seconds with a time of 2:11.18. After conversion for track size to 2:09.69 for track size, Mussatto is just short of the automatic qualifying mark for the NCAA Championships.

Also Nominated: Mariyah Vongsaveng (Central Washington), Michaela Johnson (Montana State Billings), Hannah Bradley (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
HarLee Ortega, Central Washington
Senior • Payette, Idaho

Ortega improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the pentathlon, placing second in the event at the Cougar Indoor. Her score of 3,630 points moves her up to No. 7 in Division II this season and No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. In the process, Ortega placed second in the long jump (18-3) and third in the shot put (34-0), 60-meter hurdles (8.57) and high jump (5-3).

Also Nominated: Hannah Nessan (Montana State Billings), Holly Taylor (Simon Fraser), Chantelle Eddy (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage took last weekend off and will return to Seattle this weekend to compete in the Husky Classic on Friday and Saturday and the UW Indoor Open on Sunday.

• The Seawolves have three individual provisional qualifiers for the NCAA Championships to date. Junior Danielle McCormick leads the list as she has the 11th best time in Division II in the women’s 800 meters at 2:11.17.

• Sophomore Chris Brake is qualified in the men’s high jump and is tied for 27th in Division II with a mark of 6 feet, 8.75 inches. Brake also leads the GNAC in the triple jump with a best of 45 feet, 5.25 inches. Sophomore David Sramek is tied for 41st in the men’s heptathlon with his score of 4,692 points.

• The women’s DMR team of Danielle McCormick, Vanessa Aniteye, Tamara Perez and Emmah Chelimo ran 11:54.45 at the UW Invitational and currently ranks eighth in Division II this season.

• The men’s 4x400-meter relay team of Nicholas Taylor, Darrion Gray, Daniel Remington and Liam Lindsay leads the GNAC with a time of 3:18.41 at the UW Invitational.

• Sophomore Marie Ries is tied for second in the GNAC in the 60 meters with a best of 7.94 seconds.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington put together a number of solid performances, including for event winners, at the Cougar Indoor.

• Sophomore HarLee Ortega was named the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she finished second in the pentathlon with a score of 3,630 points. The mark moved her to No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List and ranks No. 7 in Division II this season. In the process, Ortega placed in the top-three in four of the five events, led by a second-place finish in the long jump (18-3).

• Junior Mariyah Vongsaveng improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the 60-meter hurdles with a finals time of 8.68 seconds. The time leads the GNAC and is 14th in Division II this season.

• Sophomore Erykah Weems won the women’s 200 meters in a time of 26.00 seconds.

• Sophomore Daniel Calderon was a winner in the men’s 400 meters, clocking a time of 51.88 seconds. The men’s 4x400-meter relay picked up a two-second victory with a time of 3:27.66.

• Senior Ali Anderson improved her provisional qualifying mark in the 800 meters, running 2:14.35 during the pentathlon. Converted to 2:12.82 for track size, the mark ranks 21st in Division II this season. She placed third overall in the pentathlon with a score of 3,583 points that is No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Central Washington will compete in both the Husky Classic and UW Indoor Open this weekend in a final tune-up before the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships.

CONCORDIA
• Concordia did not compete last weekend. The Cavaliers will complete their run-up to the GNAC Indoor Championships this weekend at the Husky Classic and the UW Indoor Open.

• The Concordia women are ranked No. 24 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Computer Rankings. The Cavaliers have seven women provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in five events.

• The Cavaliers have four provisional qualifiers in the women’s shot put. Junior Melissa Ausman leads the list as she is fifth in Division II with a mark of 49 feet, 11 inches. Ausman is also qualified in the weight throw, ranking 19th with a mark of 58 feet, 4 inches.

• Senior Christina MacDonald has the GNAC record and the ninth-best mark in Division II this season in the women’s weight throw with a best of 61 feet, 8.25 inches. She also ranks 13th in the shot put with a mark of 47 feet, 11.75 inches.

• Junior Tori Johnson leads the GNAC and is tied for ninth in Division II in the women’s high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 7 inches. Senior Emma Hill is 20th in Division II with a mark of 38 feet, 7 inches, in the women’s triple jump.

• The Concordia men have seven athletes provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships in four events. Junior James Phillips leads the way as he is 19th in the heptathlon with a score of 4,968 points. Freshman Noah Wallace leads the GNAC and is 28th in Division II in the 800 meters with a time of 1:53.19.

• Sophomore Jakob Chamberlin is provisionally qualified in both the men’s shot put and weight throw. He leads the GNAC and is 21st in Division II in the weight throw with a mark of 60 feet, 6 inches. Junior Josh Koch leads the GNAC and is tied for 26th in Division II in the shot put at 55 feet, 3 inches.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings went split squad last week. sending select athletes to the Colorado Invitational in Boulder with the rest of the team competing at the Bobcat Invitational in Bozeman, Mont.

• Senior Sam Zook set the MSUB record in the men’s 200 meters in Boulder. His fourth-place time of 21.65 seconds is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and is No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List. Zook also took fifth in the 60 meters in 6.85 seconds.

• Freshman Lamont Frisby and sophomore Mason Schram finished 1-2 in the men’s 60 meters at the Bobcat Invitational. Frisby won with a time of 6.96 seconds while Schram was right behind in 7.01 seconds. The times rank third and fifth, respectively, in the GNAC this season.

• The MSUB women had two event winners in the field events at Bozeman. Sophomore Jamie Orme won the high jump with a mark of 4 feet, 10.25 inches. Sophomore Brenna Beckett took the triple jump with a mark of 33 feet, 8.75 inches.

• Senior Nels Flanagan continues to perform well in the throws. Competing at the Colorado Invitational, Flanagan placed third in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 58 feet, 7.75 inches.

• The Yellowjackets will be the one GNAC team taking this weekend off. Montana State Billings competes next at the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Feb. 16 & 17 in Nampa, Idaho.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Two school records in the men’s throws for senior John Van Beuren led Northwest Nazarene’s performances at the Jacksons Invitational.

• On Friday, Van Beuren broke the NNU record in the weight throw with a winning mark of 60 feet, 5.25 inches. The performance ranks No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. The next day, Van Beuren broke the school record in the shot put with a second-place mark of 53 feet, 7 inches, which also earned him No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List. The performances, both NCAA Championships provisional qualifiers, earned Van Beuren GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week honors.

• The Nighthawks also earned two provisional qualfiers in the men’s pole vault. Junior Jared Webster won the event with a clearance of 16 feet, 0.75 inches, which is second best in the GNAC and 19th in Division II this season. Sophomore Phillip Gwin placed fourth at 15 feet, 7 inches, which is the 34th best mark in the nation this season.

• Northwest Nazarene also had the top-two finishers in the women’s triple jump. Junior Nice Loufoua won with a leap of 37 feet, 5.75 inches, while sophomore Jackie Mahowald was second with 37 feet, 0.5 inches. The marks are the fifth and sixth best, respectively, in the GNAC this season.

• Senior Ebu Camara led the NNU sprinters, winning the men’s 400 meters in 48.96 seconds and taking second in the 200 meters in 22.09 seconds after running 21.97 in the prelims.

• Northwest Nazarene finishes its preparations for the GNAC Indoor Championships in Nampa on Saturday, competing in the Bronco Challenge.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s did not compete last weekend. The Saints will return to action on Sunday at the UW Indoor Open.

• Junior Jackson Hand enters the week with the fourth-best mark in the GNAC in the men’s 200 meters at 22.01 seconds.

• Sophomore Josh Schultz is just short of an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier in the men’s long jump with a best of 23 feet that ranks him third in the GNAC. Senior Matt DeHan has the fifth-best mark in the men’s pole vault, having cleared 15 feet, 1 inch, at December’s Jacksons Open.

• Sophomore Tiffany Pott and freshman Ashley Vest are looking to improve on season-bests of 5 feet, 1 inch, in the women’s high jump that are tied 10th best in the GNAC this season. Sophomore Ashleigh Fraser ranks 12th in the GNAC in the women’s long jump with her mark of 17 feet.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Seattle Pacific did not compete last weekend. The Falcons will complete their run-up to the GNAC Championships at the Husky Classic and the UW Indoor Open.

• Sophomore Scout Cai leads three SPU provisional qualifiers for the GNAC Championships. Her score of 3,709 points in the pentathlon is fourth in Division II this season and No. 4 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Sophomore Alyssa Foote finds herself ranked No. 13 in Division II in the women’s 5,000 meters with her season-best of 17:09.71 run at the UW Invitational. Freshman Renick Meyer is ranked No. 25 in Division II in the women’s 60-meter hurdles with her time of 8.76 seconds from the UW Invitational.

• Freshman Julia Steppner continues to lead the GNAC in the women’s 60 meters with her time of 7.80 seconds run at the UW Preview in January. Steppner is also fifth in the GNAC with a time of 25.99 seconds in the 200 meters and sophomore Kate Lilly is third in the mile with a time of 5:05.36.

• Junior Peyton Harris is looking to improve on his fifth-best time in the GNAC this season in the men’s 60-meter hurdles. He ran 8.58 seconds at the UW Preview in January.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser athletes took a pair of trips back east to the Hillsdale Wide Track Invitational in Michigan and the Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invite in Boston.

• Senior Vladislav Tsygankov was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week for a pair of top-two finishes at Hillsdale. He won the 400 meters in a time of 48.78 seconds, ranking him 14th in Division II this season. He also picked up a second-place finish in the long jump with a mark of 23 feet, 2.75 inches. That leap ties him for 38th in Division II this season.

• Senior Alana Mussatto earned GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she set the meet record in the 800 meters at Hillsdale. Her winning time of 2:11.18 is fifth in Division II this season after conversion to 2:09.69 for track size.

• Senior Oliver Jorgensen picked up an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier in the men’s mile in Boston. He placed sixth in a time of 4:06.82 that is 14th in Division II this season and No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List.

• Senior Mateo de Dalmases also notched a provisional qualifying mark in the men’s 3,000 meters in Boston, finishing second with a time of 8:16.16. The performance ranks 19th in Division II and No. 9 on the GNAC All-Time List. Junior Sean Miller finished third in the race in 8:27.20.

• Senior Reta Dobie added a provisional qualifier in the women’s 3,000 meters at Hillsdale in the women’s 3,000 meters. Placing fifth in a time of 9:41.58, she ranks sixth in Division II this season.

• The SFU women continue to rank in the top-10 of the USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Computer Rankings, slipping this week to No. 8

• The Clan returns west for its final tune-ups before the conference indoor meet, competing in both the Husky Classic and the UW Indoor Open.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon did not compete last week, but returns to competition this weekend at the Husky Classic and UW Indoor Open.

• The Wolves have two automatic qualifying marks for the NCAA Championships. Senior David Ribich leads Division II with his time of 3:58.88 in the men’s mile, making him the 501st athlete in U.S. history to run a sub-4 minute mile. Additionally, the Wolves’ men’s distance medley relay is automatically qualified with a time of 9:47.56 that ranks third in Division II.

• Junior Dustin Nading has NCAA Championships provisional qualifiers in two events. He has the ninth-best time in Division II in the men’s mile with a time of 4:04.50 and has the 15th best time in the 3,000 meters in a time of 8:11.67.

• Junior Olivia Woods enters the week with the eighth best time in Division II in the women’s 800 meters, having run 2:10.62 at the US Invitational. Senior Suzie Van De Grift is also provisionally qualified in the 800 with her time of 2:11.80 ranking 13th.

• Senior Kennedy Rufener has a provisional qualifying mark in the women’s 3,000 meters. Her time of 9:56.05 from the UW Invitational is 22nd in Division II.

• The Western Oregon men enter the week ranked No. 15 in the USTFCCCA Division II Men’s Computer Rankings.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington sent a limited roster of athletes to Pullman last weekend to compete in the WSU Cougar Indoor.

• Sophomore Cordell Cummings was the Vikings’ leading performer, placing third in the men’s 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.46 seconds. It is the best mark in the GNAC this season.

• Sophomore Hannah Bradley picked up a sixth-place finish in the women’s 60 meters with a time of 8.04 seconds. She ran 7.98 in the preliminary heats, a time that is fifth in the GNAC this season. Sophomore Kelsey McLean was seventh with a time of 8.05 seconds after running 8.02 seconds in the prelims.

• Sophomore Jewels Oliquiano placed ninth in the women’s pole vault. Her mark of 11 feet, 3.75 inches in No. 7 on the WWU All-Time List. Sophomore Chanelle Eddy’s mark of 35 feet. 10 inches in the women’s shot put is tied for sixth on the WWU All-Time List.

• The full Vikings’ roster will be in action this weekend at the Husky Classic and the UW Indoor Open.