Wednesday, April 12, 2023

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Isaiah Archer, Seattle Pacific
Sophomore • Silverdale, Wash.

Archer broke Seattle Pacific’s 17-year-old record in the 400 meters at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Saturday, winning in a time of 48.24 seconds. That surpassed the previous record of 48.27 seconds set by Chris Randolph in 2006. Archer’s time ranks third in the GNAC this season.  

Also Nominated: Johan Correa (Central Washington), Ben Ralston (Montana State Billings), Bryaden Durfee (Northwest Nazarene), Jesaiah Penson-Mccoy (Simon Fraser), Emmett Klus (Western Oregon), Jaden Edwards (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
David Njeri, Seattle Pacific
Senior • Tacoma, Wash.

For the second meet in a row, Njeri won both the long jump and the triple jump, this time at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational. He leaped to a season-best of 49 feet, 7.25 inches in the triple, an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark that ranks eighth in Division II this season. Njeri went on to win the long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 6 inches.

Also Nominated: Chris Hines (Central Washington), Isaac Perkins (Montana State Billings), Bryan Cortes (Simon Fraser), Miller Campbell (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Ashley Reeck, Western Washington
Freshman • Lake Stevens, Wash.

Reeck won the steeplechase at the Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday in a time of 11:05.35 that ranks second in the GNAC just missed the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 11:01.26.  

Also Nominated: Juliette Williams (Central Washington), Kailee Stoppel (Montana State Billings), Abbey Wood (Northwest Nazarene), Megan Roxby (Simon Fraser), Caitlin Heldt (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Mara Parks, Western Washington
Freshman • Missoula, Mont.

Parks won the shot put at the Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday. Her mark of 41 feet, 7.25 inches was a season best and ranks third in the GNAC this season.

Also Nominated: Tehya Moore (Central Washington), Grace Jones (Montana State Billings), Maddy Prugh (Simon Fraser).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage did not compete last week. The Seaowlves will send athletes this week to both the Mt. SAC Relays and the Bryan Clay Invitational.

• Two wins for senior Collin Sample in the horizontal jumps led Alaska Anchorage as it competed in the Mike Fanelli Track Classic, Mar. 30-Apr. 1.

• Sample captured the men’s long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 8.5 inches, which ranks third in the GNAC this season. He also won the triple jump with a mark of 44 feet, 2 inches.

• Junior Maximilian Kresmer won the men’s 400 meters in a time of 47.87 seconds, a time that ranks No. 4 on the UAA all-time list and just missed the NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time of 47.83 seconds.

• The Seawolves won both 4x400-meter relays. The men’s team of Kevin Angarita, Joshua Wagner, Tim Hunter and Kresmer won in a time of 3:17.12, ranking No. 10 on the UAA all-time list. The women’s team of Blanca De Arvizu Sarrias, Sophia Cvancara, Joei Vidad and Olivia Manley won in a time of 3:54.66.

• Manley also delivered a solid time in the women’s 100 meters, placing third in a time of 12.21 seconds that ranks No. 5 on the UAA all-time list.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Junior Juliette Williams’ victory in the women’s 200 meters led Central Washington’s efforts at the Whitworth Peace Meet on Friday in Spokane, Washington.

• Williams won the event with a time of 25.05 seconds that ranks No. 3 in the GNAC this season. She also placed second in the 100 meters in a time of 12.20 seconds that ranks fifth in the GNAC.

• The men’s 4x400-meter relay team of Austin Albertin, Johan Correa, Cameron Ramsey and Cantrell Thomas was also victorious, winning in a time of 3:18.83.

• Freshman Isaiah Webster placed second in the triple jump with a mark of 46 feet, 3.25 inches which ranks second in the GNAC this season. Senior Christopher Hines placed third with a mark of 43 feet, 1.75 inches.

• Freshman Tehya Moore added a third-place finish in the women’s triple jump. Her mark of 35 feet, 10.5 inches ranks fifth in the GNAC this season.

• In the men’s pole vault, senior Braydon Maier placed second with a mark of 15 feet, 4.5 inches which was just short of his season-best of 15 feet, 5.5 inches.

• Central Washington will send athletes to Southern California to compete in the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational. The Wildcats will also compete on Thursday at the Whitworth Twilight in Spokane.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Montana State Billings picked up five victories as it closed its home schedule with the Yellowjacket Open on Friday in Billings.

• Freshman Bella Klein won the women’s 400 meters in a time of 1:01.67 and went on to place second in the 200 meters in 27.75 seconds. Both were personal-best times.

• Senior Kailee Stoppel was the winner in the women’s 5,000 meters in a personal-best time of 18:28.44.

• Freshman Kevin Graves was the winner of the men’s 800 meters, clocking a time of 2:05.97. Sophomore Ben Ralston added a pair of second-place finishes in the 100 meters (11.11) and 200 meters (22.24).

• In the field events, freshman Isaac Perkins was the winner of the men’s hammer with a mark of 159 feet, 1 inch. Junior Jordan Cookman won the women’s javelin with a throw of 114 feet, 9 inches.

• Montana State Billings will send a select number of athletes to the Bryan Clay Invitational. The rest of the squad will compete on Sunday at the Blue Hawk Games in Dickinson, North Dakota.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Victories by senior Abbey Wood and the men’s 4x100-meter relay led Northwest Nazarene’s performances at the Whitworth Peace Meet on Friday.

• Wood won the women’s 100 meters in a time of 12.19 seconds, which ranks No. 4 in the GNAC this season. She went on to place third in the 200 meters in a time of 25.21 seconds.

• The men’s 4x100-meter relay team of Dallin Garner, Hunter Braseth, Brayden Durfee and Sylvanus Hunt was a winner in a time of 42.03 seconds, the second-fastest time in the conference this season.

• Sophomore Kinsey Yenor notched an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s pole vault. Her second-place clearance of 12 feet, 4 inches ties her for 29th in Division II this season and leads the GNAC.

• Freshman Brody Kemble finished second in the men’s 5,000 meters in a time of 14:50.96. Third-place finishes on the track for the men included Braseth in the 200 meters (22.20), sophomore Steven Schmidt in the 110-meter hurdles (15.09) and freshman Anderson Kron in the 400-meter hurdles (56.77).

• Senior Dylan Hendry had a personal-best performance in the men’s discus, placing third with a mark of 146 feet, 6 inches.

• Northwest Nazarene will compete at home this week, hosting the Northwest Nazarene Invitational on Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Distance runners led a select number of Saint Martin’s athletes that competed in the John Knight Twilight on Friday in Monmouth, Oregon.

• Freshman Alauna Carstens led the way, winning the women’s 1,500 meters in a time of 4:46.74. Junior Naomi Hartley was fifth in a time of 5:00.93.

• Sophomore Sara Sabra placed second in the women’s 5,000 meters with a time of 17:43.67 that ranks third in the GNAC this season. Sophomore Kya Ramirez was fourth in a time of 18:54.22.

• In the men’s 1,500 meters, sophomore Isaac Cortes placed second in a time of 3:56.98 with sophomore Kainalu Pagente placing fifth in a time of 3:59.93.

• Freshman Elijah Dale added a second-place finish in the men’s 5,000 meters in a time of 15:49.96. Junior Jaskaran Dhatt placed fifth in 16:26.98.

• Saint Martin’s will send athletes this week to the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate on Thursday and the Bryan Clay Invitational Thursday through Saturday.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Two event wins for senior David Njeri and a school record for sophomore Isaiah Archer led Seattle Pacific’s performances at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational on Saturday in Claremont, California.

• Njeri was named the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won the triple jump with an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark of 49 feet, 7.25 inches. The mark ranks eighth in Division II this season. Njeri also won the long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 6.25 inches.

• Archer was named the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after he won the 400 meters in a school-record time of 48.24 seconds. The performance eclipsed the previous SPU record of 48.27 seconds set by Chris Randolph in 2006. The time ranks No. 3 in the GNAC this season.

• Junior Emily Thomason led the SPU women, placing second in the women’s pole vault with a clearance of 11 feet, 10.75 inches. Freshman Hannah Chang placed second in the women’s 200 meters in a time of 26.68 seconds.

• The SPU men added a second-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay with the team of Njeri, Jeff Gordon, Julius Shepherd and Archer running a time of 42.25 seconds.

• Seattle Pacific also sent athletes to the Emilie Mondor Invitational in Burnaby, B.C., on Saturday. The Falcon men were led by sophomore Brennan LeBlanc, who placed third in the steeplechase in a time of 10:12.88. The women were led by freshman Maya Ewing, who placed fourth in the steeplechase in 11:37.77.

• Seattle Pacific will compete this week at the Bryan Clay Invitational.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser persevered through blustery weather conditions to win five events at its own Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday at Terry Fox Field.

• Sophomore Jorrin Lenton won the men’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 55.27 seconds. Junior Bryan Cortes was the other SFU individual event winner, taking the men’s javelin with a mark of 176 feet, 3 inches.

• The Red Leafs’ other victories came in the relays. The women’s 4x100-meter relay team won in a time of 48.06. The men swept both relays with the 4x100-meter relay winning in 42.44 seconds and the 4x400-meter relay in 3:26.44.

• Sophomore Jesaiah Penson-Mccoy placed second in both men’s short sprints. He ran 10.75 seconds in the 100 meters, which tied his season-best time that leads the GNAC, and finished the 200 meters in 21.78 seconds.

• Junior Megan Roxby just missed her season-best in the women’s 800 meters, placing second in a time of 2:10.94. Sophomore Claire Bosma was second in the 400 meters in a time of 58.04 seconds.

• In the women’s field events, freshman Olivia Windbiel placed second in the high jump at 4 feet, 9 inches and sophomore Maddy Paugh was second in the javelin with a mark of 116 feet, 6 inches.

• In the men’s field events, sophomore Blake Furtado was second in the long jump with a mark of 20 feet, 11.75 inches while freshman Caysen McDiarmid was second in the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 5 inches.

• Simon Fraser will make the Southern California tour this week, sending athletes to the Cal State LA Twilight Open, the Pacific Coast Intercollegiate, Bryan Clay Invitational and the Mt. SAC Relays.

WESTERN OREGON
• Western Oregon made the most of the home-field advantage, picking up six event victories at its own John Knight Twilight on Friday.

• Senior Caitlin Heldt led the way for the women, winning the 5,000 meters in a time of 17:41.69 which was just two seconds off of her season best.

• Sophomore Amari Hendrix paced three men’s event winners on the track, winning the 200 meters in a season-best time of 22.50 seconds.

• In the men’s 400 meters, sophomore Joel Yasin was the winner in a time of 50.92 seconds. Sophomore Emmett Klus earned the victory in men’s 800 meters in a time of 1:52.19 that ranks fourth in the GNAC this season.

• Senior Dayne Gordien produced another victory in the men’s discus with a mark of 160 feet, 11 inches. He also placed second in the shot put with a mark of 50 feet, 10.75 inches.

• Western Oregon’s women’s 4x100-meter relay team of Josie Lavato, Ujunwa Nwokoma, Maya Hopwood and Maliyah Thompson was a winner in a time of 48.23 seconds.

• The Wolves placed second in both long jump events. Nwokoma was second in the women’s long jump with her mark of 18 feet, 0.25 inches while sophomore Tyler White was second in the men’s long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 5 inches.

• Sophomore Mark Warren added a second-place finish in the men’s hammer with a personal-best mark of 175 feet, 3 inches.

• Western Oregon will spread its squad across Southern California this week, competing at the Mt. SAC Relays, Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Western Washington battled through the elements to pick up 13 event victories at the Emilie Mondor Invitational on Saturday in Burnaby, B.C.

• Freshman Ashley Reeck was selected as the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after she won the steeplechase in a time of 11:05.35. The time ranks No. 2 in the GNAC this season.

• Freshman Mara Parks was selected as the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the shot put with a mark of 41 feet, 7.25 inches. The mark was a season-best and ranks third in the GNAC this season.

• The WWU women swept both hurdles events with freshman Isabella Porter winning the 100-meter hurdles in 15.41 seconds and freshman Brooke Mansfield winning the 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:06.82.

• The men picked up victories in both horizontal jumps with sophomore Kacey Provo winning the pole vault with a mark of 13 feet, 1.5 inches and freshman Austin Seals winning the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 8.75 inches.

• In the men’s throws, sophomore Miller Campbell won the hammer with a mark of 176 feet, 10 inches while freshman Nathan Simicich took the discus with a throw of 116 feet, 4 inches.

• The men also received victories on the track from freshman Eric Anthony Souza-Ponce in the 5,000 meters (14:58.78), sophomore Jaden Edwards in the 110-meter hurdles (15.64) and freshman Matthew Salazar in the steeplechase (9:51.51).

• In the women’s throws, sophomore Katie Potts was the winner in the discus with a mark of 141 feet.

• Western Washington will be in SoCal this week to compete at the Cal State LA Twilight Open, Pacific Coast Intercollegiate, Bryan Clay Invitational and Beach Invitational.