Wednesday, March 14, 2018

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Bryant Welch, Western Washington
Freshman • Burien, Wash.

Competing in his first collegiate meet, Welch placed second in the 200 meters at the PLU Open with a GNAC-best time of 22.12 seconds. He also placed third in the 100 meters in 11.28 seconds and ran the anchor leg on the Vikings’ winning 4x400-meter relay team (42.97 seconds).

MEN’S FIELD
Alex Barry, Western Washington
Junior • Sequim, Wash.

Barry won the javelin at the PLU Open with a mark of 197 feet, defeating a field of 13 competitors. The mark currently ranks third in the GNAC and No. 5 in Division II this season. The mark is also an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and helped WWU win the men’s team competition.

WOMEN’S TRACK
Alexa Shindruk, Central Washington
Junior • Bellingham, Wash.

Shindruk won the 10,000 meters at the PLU Open by three minutes, crossing the line in 36:46.70. She currently leads the GNAC and Division II and is just 11 seconds off of the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time.

Also Nominated: Sophia Galvez (W. Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Raquel Pellecer, Western Washington
Sophomore • Sandy, Ore.

Pellecer earned her second-straight Athlete of the Week selection after she won the javelin at the PLU Open. Her mark of 147 feet, 8 inches, was a five-foot improvement on the season and is the leading mark in Division II this year. Pellecer helped lead WWU to a first-place finish in the team competition.

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Danielle McCormick’s national title in the women’s 800 meters led Alaska Anchorage’s performances at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• McCormick edged out Rachael Walters of Grand Valley State by a little under a second for the win, crossing the line in a time of 2:07.79. She is the first woman in program history to win an indoor national title and the second overall.

• The women’s distance medley relay team placed ninth on Friday with a fourth-place finish. The team of McCormick, Vanessa Aniteye, Akeilia Knight and Tamara Perez ran a time of 11:58.67.

• Alaska Anchorage had four athletes in the women’s 800 meters. Perez finished 14th in 2:1190, Knight was 16th in 2:13.15 and Ruth Cvancara was 19th in 2:13.76.

• The Seawolves also had a team in the men’s 4x400-meter relay, but did not finish Saturday’s final.

• With McCormick’s win, the UAA women tied for 17th place in the team competition with 10 points.

• Alaska Anchorage will jump right into outdoor competition, taking part in the Hornet Invitational on Friday and Saturday in Sacramento, Calif.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• A third-place finish in the men’s heptathlon for senior Kodiak Landis led Central Washington at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• Landis earned All-American honors with a score of 5,508 points, tying him for No. 2 on the GNAC All-Time List. He was second in the 60 meters (6.99) and the pole vault (15-9) and fourth in the long jump (23-10.5), shot put (41-7) and 1,000 meters (2:43.08). The CWU tied for 29th place with six points.

• Senior HarLee Ortega earned a trophy with an eighth-place finish in the women’s pentathlon. Her score of 3,702 points is No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List. her top finish was fifth place in the long jump (18-7.25).

• Senior Ali Anderson earned All-American honors with an eighth-place finish in the women’s 400 meters. She ran 54.98 in the prelims, the second-fastest time in GNAC history, and ran 56.02 seconds in the finals. Anderson also placed 11th in the pentathlon with 3,610 points.

• Sophomore Halle Irvine earned All-American honors in the pole vault as she placed sixth with a mark of 12 feet, 6.25 inches. The mark moves Irvine up to No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List. The CWU women tied for 36th with five points.

• Junior Mariyah Vongsaveng placed 15th in the preliminaries of the women’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.66 seconds.

• Those CWU athletes not competing at the indoor nationals took part outdoors at the PLU Open. Junior Alexa Shindruk was named the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she won the 10,000 meters in a Division II-nest time of 36:46.70.

• Junior Brooke Williams won both of the women’s horizontal jumps, capturing the long jump in 17-6.25 and the triple jump in 36-5. Sophomore Erykah Weems won the women’s 400 meters in 58.22 and freshman Nicole Soleim won the steeplechase in 11:21.29.

• Sophomore Daniel Calderon won the men’s 400 meters in 49.43 seconds. Freshman Ethan Tonder led a top-three sweep for the Wildcats in the men’s shot put with a mark of 48 feet, 7.25 inches.

• Central Washington will not compete again until Sat., Mar 24, when the team goes to both the Doris Heritage Distance Carnival and the Peyton Scoring Meet.

CONCORDIA
• Senior Christina MacDonald earned All-American honors in two events to lead Concordia at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• MacDonald finished fourth in the women’s weight throw with a mark of 63 feet, 2.75 inches, and added a seventh-place finish in the shot put at 49 feet, 10 inches. The finishes allowed the Cavaliers’ women to tie for 29th place with 7 points.

• Senior Melissa Ausman placed 18th in the women’s shot put with her mark of 45 feet, 10.75 inches, while junior Katrina Linenko was 20th with a mark of 42 feet, 9 inches.

• Senior Josh Koch earned Second Team All-American honors with his 11th place finish in the shot put with a mark of 57 feet, 2 inches.

• Senior Emma Hill wrapped her indoor career with a 13th place finish in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 39 feet, 5.75 inches.

• Two members of Concordia’s coaching staff earned regional awards from the USTFCCCA. Head coach Jarret Mantalas was named the West Region Men’s Coach of the Year after he led the Cavaliers to the GNAC indoor track and field championship. Associate head coach Jarred Rome was named the Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year for his work with the Cavaliers’ throwers.

• Concordia will transition right away to outdoor competition, competing at the L&C Spring Break Open on Saturday.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings did not have any competitors at the Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. The Yellowjackets are in the midst of a long five-week break. They do not open the outdoor season until Mar. 30 when they host the MSUB Invitational in Billings.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• It was not the finish that senior Payton Lewis wanted for his indoor career as he failed to clear a height in the men’s pole vault at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• Lewis missed on three attempts at 15 feet, 9 inches. The senior had placed second in the event at the GNAC Championships.

• Prior to the indoor nationals, NNU assistant coach Nick Collins was named the USTFCCCA Division II West Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year. He was singled out for his work with the Nighthawks’ vaulters.

• The Nighthawks will open their outdoor season this weekend at the Hornet Invitational in Sacramento, Calif.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s took part in its second weekend of outdoor competition, sending a limited roster at the PLU Open in Tacoma.

• Junior Liz Larson was the top placer for the Saints as she won the women’s hammer with a mark of 167 feet, 6 inches. She won by 11 feet over second-place Madisen Doepker of Eastern Washington. The mark is currently No. 2 in Division II this season and is just short of the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark.

• Senior Kauanoe Vanderpoel placed second in the men’s hammer throw with a mark of 173 feet, 3 inches. The mark is currently the fourth best in Division II this season.

• Senior Brian Chalkley continues to own the top Division II mark in the men’s javelin with a throw of 213 feet, 11 inches at the Ed Boitano Invitational. Senior Deanna Avalos and junior Jona Spiller are tied for fourth in Division II in the women’s javelin, both with marks of 140 feet, 7 inches.

• Saint Martin’s will be in action this action at the L&C Spring Break Invitational in Portland.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Fifth place finishes for sophomore Scout Cai in the women’s pentathlon and for the women’s distance medley relay led Seattle Pacific at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• Cai finished fifth in the pentathlon, earning All-American honors with a score of 3,790 points that ranks her No. 3 on the GNAC All-Time List. Her top individual finish was in the shot put where Cai was fourth at 35-3.75. In addition to the pentathlon, Cai placed 16th in the pole vault with a mark of 11 feet, 8.5 inches. Prior to the NCAA meet, Cai was named as the USTFCCCA West Region Women’s Field Athlete of the Year.

• The women’s distance medley relay of Kate Lilly, Lani Taylor, Chynna Phan and Mary Charleson placed fifth in a time of 11:31.69, a time that ranks No. 5 on the GNAC All-Time List and is the second-fastest time by a GNAC team this season. The SPU women finished tied for 24th in the team race with eight points.

• Those SPU athletes not competing at nationals continued the outdoor season at the PLU Open in Tacoma, Wash.

• Sophomore Grace Bley led the Falcons’ performances with her win in the women’s 200 meters, clocking in at 25.28 seconds. Freshman Dania Holmberg collected the win in the women’s 1,500 meters in a time of 4:49.38. Sophomore Katherine Walter was third in 4:53.88.

• Freshman Elius Graff was SPU’s top finisher on the men’s side at the PLU Open, placing third in the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:03.74.

• Seattle Pacific continues the outdoor season this weekend, taking part in the Hornet Invitational in Sacramento, Calif.

SIMON FRASER
• The third-place finish for the women’s distance medley relay led Simon Fraser’s performances at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• The team of Miryam Bassett, Renate Bluschke, Alana Mussatto and Julia Howley clocked a time of 11:30.49, the third fastest women’s DMR time in GNAC history. The Clan was just edged out by Walsh (11:30.22) for second place).

• Mussatto just missed qualifying for the finals in the women’s 800 meters. She earned Second Team All-America honors with a ninth-place finish of 2:10.82.

• Seniors Reta Dobie and Howley earned Second Team All-America honors in the women’s 3,000 meters. Dobie placed 10th in a time of 9:41.24 while Howley was 12th in 9:42.12. In the women’s mile, Bassett placed 14th in 4:58.80 while junior Paige Nock was 20th in 5:13.81. The SFU women tied for 32nd place with six points.

• Simon Fraser’s lone men’s competitor at nationals, senior Oliver Jorgensen, placed 13th in the men’s mile with a time of 4:12.93.

• Simon Fraser will open its outdoor season on Mar. 30 and 31, heading to the Bay Area to compete at the Stanford Invitational and the SF State Distance Carnival.

WESTERN OREGON
• National titles for the men’s distance medley team and junior Dustin Nading in the men’s mile led the Wolves’ performances at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• The relay squad of Nading, Aaron Whitaker, AJ Holmberg and David Ribich won by almost a half-second in a facility-record time of 9:41.40. Ribich ran 3:54 over the final 1,600-meter leg to secure the repeat win.

• Nading, meanwhile, captured the men’s mile as he surged over the final two laps to take the win in a time of 4:13.30. He edged out Brett Meyer of Fort Hays State (4:13.66) and George Kelly of Adams State (4:13.71) for the win. Nading took the title after advancing as the second of three time qualifiers in the preliminaries in 4:07.20.

• Ribich, meanwhile, made a push over the final lap to place third in the men’s 3,000 meters in a time of 8:01.55. After letting others lead most of the way, Ribich was edged at the finish by champion Sydney Gadabuday of Adams State (8:01.26) and Nehemia Too of Harding (8:01.34). The three finishes allowed the Wolves’ men to tie for sixth place in the team race with Grand Valley State at 26 points. Prior to the meet, Ribich was named the USTFCCCA West Region Men’s Track Athlete of the Year.

• Senior Olivia Woods earned All-American honors with her sixth-place finish in the women’s 800 meters with her time of 2:11.24.

• Senior Suzie Van De Grift earned All-American honors in the women’s mile, leading all GNAC competitors in the event with her time of 4:50.75.

• Senior Kennedy Rufener earned an All-American trophy in the women’s 5,000 meters, placing eighth in 16:49.68. That time is No. 10 on the GNAC All-Time List. Rufener received Second Team All-America honors with an 11th place finish in the 3,000 meters at 9:41.54. The WOU tied for 32nd in the team race with six points.

• Western Oregon returns to outdoor competition this weekend, competing in the L&C Spring Break Open in Portland.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Senior Jasmine McMullin’s fourth-place finish in the women’s triple jump provided for Western Washington’s points at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

• McMullin earned her All-American trophy with a mark of 41 feet, 1.5 inches. She was one of four athletes in the field to finish with marks of over 41 feet. The performance allowed the Vikings to tie for 36th place with five points.

• On the outdoor oval, the Vikings landed three GNAC Athletes of the Week thanks to performances at the PLU Open in Tacoma, Wash.

• Sophomore Raquel Pellecer was named the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week for the second straight week as she improved her NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the javelin. She won with a mark of 147 feet, 8 inches, which leads Division II.

• Junior Alex Barry was named the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won the men’s javelin with a mark of 197 feet. The performance is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier and ranks fifth in Division II this season.

• Freshman Bryant Welch was selected as the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week for a trio of top-three finishes. He won the 200 meters in a time of 22.12 seconds, placed third in the 100 meters in 11.28 seconds and ran on the Vikings’ winning 4x100-meter relay team (42.97).

• The Vikings had a total of seven individual event winners in the women’s meet. Sophomore Sophia Galvez led track winners as she took the 5,000 meters in a time of 17:45.53. Senior Anna Paradee paced other field-event winners with her mark of 11 feet, 11.25 inches in the pole vault.

• Western Washington also had 10 men’s individual event winners, including two athletes winning two events each. Sophomore Cordell Cummings won both hurdles events, taking the 110-meter hurdles in 15.80 seconds and the 400-meter hurdles in 56.42 seconds. Senior Somit Chhim won the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 10 inches, and the triple jump in 44 feet, 10.25 inches.

• Western Washington is off this weekend and will return to competition on Sat., Mar. 24, at the Doris Heritage Distance Carnival.