Thursday, February 17, 2022

SPOKANE, Wash. – An 18-month long break from indoor track and field has done little to lessen the competitive nature in the GNAC.

After going without an indoor season in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference’s athletes came into 2022 prepared and stand to challenge for record performances as the GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships take place Monday and Tuesday at The Podium in Spokane.

A total of 33 athletes and four relay teams enter the meet having attained NCAA Championships provisional qualifying marks in 24 events. There have also been a total of 24 changes to the conference’s All-Time Top-10 list, including three records set on the men’s side.
While the competitive nature of the conference meet hasn’t changed, the location has. The GNAC entered into a multi-year agreement last spring to hold the meet at The Podium after years of conducting the meet in Nampa, Idaho.

WOMEN
After winning the cross country title in the fall, Simon Fraser looks poised to challenge for its first indoor title thanks to strength in the sprints and the distances.

Senior Alison Andrews-Paul ran the second-fastest time in conference history in the 800 meters at last week’s Whitworth Invitational in 2:05.75, which is also No. 2 in Division II this season. Junior Megan Roxby owns the conference’s top time in the mile in 4:57.67 while senior Olivia Willett ranks No. 2 in the 3,000 meters.

Freshman Marie-Éloïse Leclair owns the GNAC’s top time in both the 60 meters and the 200 meters, both in NCAA Championships provisional qualifying times. Leclair ran 7.60 seconds in the 60 meters at the Whitworth Invitational, leading a race in which four conference athletes registered top-10 all-time marks.

Simon Fraser also has the conference’s top times in the 4x400-meter relay (3:46.38) and the distance medley relay (11:36.75), both of which rank No. 5 in Division II this season.

Seattle Pacific will angle for its third team championship in the last four years. Senior Peace Igbonagwam is the only returning women’s champion from the 2020 meet. The GNAC record holder in the long jump has the conference’s best mark of 18 feet, 4.5 inches. She will also be a factor in the sprints, holding top-five times in the 60, 200 and 400 meters. Her best of 7.65 seconds in the 60 meters ranks No. 9 on the GNAC all-time list.

Adding to the Falcons’ depth in the sprints is junior Jenna Bouyer, who ran 7.66 seconds in the 60 meters in Spokane and is tied for No. 10 on the GNAC All-Time List. She enters the meet with the fourth-fastest time this season in the 200 meters and No. 5 in the 400 meters.
In the distances, sophomore Annika Esvelt will be a contender for the title in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters. The GNAC leader in both events, Esvelt’s time of 16:31.74 in the 5,000 is No. 6 in Division II this season while her 9:38.43 in the 3,000 is No. 9 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Central Washington brings a measure of experience to the women’s competition. Senior Meagan Smallbeck has an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the weight throw at 56 feet, 6.75 inches while junior Avery Fisk has the No. 3 mark in the conference in the shot put at 41 feet, 1.75 inches.

Junior McCall DeChenne will factor in both the pentathlon and the 60-meter hurdles, where her time of 8.97 seconds ranks second in the conference. DeChenne is also No. 3 in the GNAC in the 400 meters (58.63). Senior Makenna Hansen ran 7.66 seconds in the 60 meters last week at The Podium, tying for 10th on the GNAC All-Time List. Hansen also ranks second this season in the 200 meters (25.01).

Western Washington will be paced by junior Aliyah Dawkins. The 2021 outdoor champion in the high jump, Dawkins owns the top mark in the conference at 5 feet, 6 inches. She also ranks fifth in the GNAC in the 60-meter hurdles (9.12). Junior Brook Wedin ranks third in the 5,000 meters (18:03.99) and fourth in the 3,000 meters (10:17.84).

The Vikings are further complemented by freshman Mia Crocker, who ranks fifth in the 800 meters (2:18.89) and freshman Ila Davis, who is fifth in the mile (5:10.66). In the field events, sophomore Matty Lagerway ranks third in the long jump (18-1.5).

Sophomore Ana Popchock leads Western Oregon after she set the school record in the 60-meter hurdles earlier this season. Her time of 8.83 seconds leads the conference and is top-35 in Division II. Popchock will also be a factor in the triple jump with the second-best mark in the GNAC at 36 feet, 10.5 inches.

Sophomore Jenelle Hurley owns an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in the pentathlon with her score of 3,346 points and is second in the GNAC in the long jump at 18 feet, 3.25 inches. Junior Caitlin Heldt has top-three conference times in both the 3,000 and 5,000 meters while sophomore Maya Hopwood will vie for titles in both the 60 and 200 meters.

For Alaska Anchorage, senior Tylantiss Atlas has the second-best time in the 400 meters at 56.42 seconds as she looks to add to her 2021 outdoor title. Freshman Mette Van der Meer is tied for second in the pole vault entering the meet at 11 feet, 8.5 inches. Junior Bailey Roe is No. 4 in the mile while senior Nancy Jeptoo is No. 6 in the mile and No. 8 in the 800 meters.

Northwest Nazarene is led by freshman Abbey Wood, who ranks sixth in the GNAC in both the 60 meters (7.72) and 200 meters (25.66) and freshman Kinsey Langin, who leads the conference with a mark of 11 feet, 9.75 inches in the pole vault.

Montana State Billings freshman Kendall Lynn enters the championships ranked No. 5 in the triple jump (37-0.75) and sixth in the long jump (17-4.75). Saint Martin’s is paced by freshman Sara Sabra, who ranks fourth in the 5,000 meters (19:02.03).

MEN
Western Washington has won the last two men’s championships (2019 & 2020) and certainly has the talent to make it three in a row.

Senior Mac Franks has high-scoring potential in the middle and long distances. His GNAC season-best of 1:51.47 in the 800 meters is No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List while his time of 8:09.40 in the 3,000 meters is No. 4. Franks is provisionally qualified for nationals for both events as well as the mile with a time of 4:08.41.

Freshman Hunter Flick captured the GNAC record in the 60-meters with a time of 8.07 seconds at the Husky Classic, ranking him 15th in Division II. Junior Ethan Sterkel is one of two returning men’s champions. The 2020 long jump champ has the best mark in the GNAC at 23 feet 9.5 inches, which ranks No. 24 in Division II.

Sophomore Kevin McDermott owns NCAA provisional qualifying times in the mile (4:10.37), 3,000 meters (8:19.37) and 5,000 meters (14:26.09) and leads the conference in the 5,000. The Vikings are furthered bolstered by junior Cooper Cummings’ leading mark in the pole vault (14-9), senior Ben Malquist’s top mark in the shot put (52-2.5) and senior Beau Sheeran’s No. 2 mark in the high jump (6-7).

Simon Fraser will try to put an end to Western Washington’s title run with incredible strength in the sprints and distances. Senior Aaron Ahl set the GNAC record in the mile with a time of 3:57.95 that is the second-fastest in Division II history. He became just the second athlete in conference history to run a sub-four-minute mile. Ahl also owns the Division II best in the 3,000 meters, a 7:53.89 that is three seconds shy of the conference record.

Ahl was also part of a SFU distance medley relay team that set the GNAC record and ducked under the Division II record with a time of 9:38.04 at January’s John Thomas Terrier Classic.

Sophomore Callum Robinson set the GNAC record in the 200 meters at last week’s Whitworth Invitational with a time of 21.40 seconds that ranks 14th in Division II this season. The team is further helped by the defending mile champion in sophomore Charlie Dannatt (4:07.28), junior Paul Buckingham in the 800 meters (1:52.23) and freshman Scott Arndt in the 3,000 meters (8:12.90).

Alaska Anchorage sophomore Joshua Wagner will challenge WWU’s Flick for the 60-meter hurdles title. Wagner ran a UAA record of 8.09 seconds in the same race in which Flick set the conference record. Junior Enrique Campbell enters the meet with the top time in the 60 meters at 6.92 seconds while Wagner sits fourth in the 200 meters (22.46).

Freshman Coleman Nash will be key in the distances with the No. 2 time in the GNAC in the 5,000 meters (14:29.18) and the No. 4 time in the 3,000 meters (8:16.42). Freshman Collin Sample enters the meet with the second-best mark in the long jump at 22 feet, 11 inches.

Senior Austin Albertin, who has the No. 2 time in the GNAC in the 400 meters at 49.09 seconds, leads Central Washington. He also ranks No. 8 in the 200 meters (22.60). Senior Tysen Campbell is tied for second in the pole vault at 17 feet, 7.25 inches, while junior Zachary Davis sits third in the 60 meters (7.01).

Freshman Christopher Hines ranks third in the conference in the triple jump at 44 feet, 2 inches while freshman Omar Young is third in the weight throw at 53 feet, 1.75 inches.

Northwest Nazarene freshman Steven Schmidt owns the top mark in the high jump at 6 feet, 9 inches, and will be a contender in the heptathlon. Sophomore Turner Nye has the top score in the heptathlon this season, an NCAA provisional mark of 4,798 points, and is tied for second in the pole vault at 14 feet, 7.25 inches.

Junior Tyler Shea set the NNU record in the 3,000 meters earlier this season with a time of 8:31.60. Junior Colton Burr and sophomore Dylan Hendry are first and second in the weight throw at the 57 feet, 7 inches and 55 feet, 10.5 inches, respectively, while Hendry ranks second in the shot put.

Western Oregon sophomore Hunter Hutton is No. 2 in the mile with an NCAA provisional time of 4:04.47. Sophomore Marley Harrison is second in the conference in the triple jump at 44 feet, 3.5 inches. In the throws, senior Owen Collins enters at No. 3 in the shot put (47-4.5) and No. 5 in the weight throw (51-3) while senior Sam Cole is No. 4 in the weight throw (51-7.75) and No. 6 in the shot put (45-3).

Junior David Njeri is the favorite in the triple jump for Seattle Pacific with the conference’s best mark of 49 feet, 0.75 inches. Montana State Billings will be paced by junior Ase Ackerman in the distances and freshman Coen Guisti in the weight throw. Saint Martin’s will be led by sophomore Andrew Boyd in the 60-meter hurdles.

TICKET INFORMATION: Advanced purchase general admission tickets are $15 per day. Tickets for students, youth 12 and under, seniors, members of the military and first responders are available for $10 per day. A two-day ticket is available for $30 for general admission or $20 for students, youth 12 and under, seniors, members of the military and first responders. Tickets can be purchased at https://bit.ly/gnacindoortracktix2021.

Per county health regulations, a facemask worn over the nose and mouth will be required of all spectators. Per facility regulations, spectators are allowed one clear plastic vinyl bag no larger than 14 inches by 14 inches by six inches. Backpacks and purses larger than 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches are not permitted. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items or single compartment diaper bags. Outside food and drink are not permitted.

WEBCAST & LIVE RESULTS INFORMATION: As part of its partnership with Spokane Sports, RunnerSpace will provide a live webcast of all track events during the championships this coming Monday and Tuesday. Access to the webcast requires a RunnerSpace +PLUS subscription. A one-month subscription to the service costs $12.99 and can be purchased online at plus.runnerspace.com.

RunnerSpace has provided webcasts for almost all of the meets that have taken place at The Podium this season. They will also be providing the stream for the USATF Indoor Championships, which will be held at The Podium on Feb. 26 and 27, the Pac-12 Indoor Invitational, the USATF Youth Indoor Championships and the USATF Masters Indoor Championships.

Fans of the field events will have the opportunity to watch video of athletes in action through the live results provided by Athletic Timing at GNAC.live. Cameras will be positioned at each field event and video of each attempt in a field series will be embedded in the results to view. Video will be available in real time once each mark is recorded.

To view the field series videos, click on the results link for the appropriate event and then click on the camera icon next to an athlete’s name. A pop-up window will open, allowing viewers to see video of each attempt for an athlete.

All video on the live results will be available for viewing for free for up to 24 hours after the conclusion of the meet. After that, viewing will require a subscription to Athletic.net’s premium service, which runs $9.99 per month.

In addition to the live results, fans have the option to receive an email, text or tweet when results are available for a specific athlete or team. Alerts can be set up by visiting GNAC.live and clicking on the “Add Notifications” button on the left side of the page. Notifications can be added once the meet entry list has been finalized.