Tuesday, February 21, 2023

SPOKANE, Wash. – Simon Fraser sophomore Marie-Éloïse Leclair made history again on Tuesday while Western Oregon made some history as a team at the GNAC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships at The Podium.

Leclair proceeded to break both the conference and meet records she set the day before in the 60 meters and 200 meters, earning the Female Track Athlete of the Meet award in the process. Leclair won the 60 meters in a time of 7.33 seconds, eclipsing the meet and conference record of 7.38 seconds she set in Monday’s preliminaries. The effort also earned Leclair selection for the Female Performance of the Meet.

Later in the meet, Leclair won the 200 meters in 23.63 to not only break the meet record she set the day before, but also her own conference record of 23.80 seconds set two weeks ago. Both the 60 and 200-meter time rank in the top four in Division II this season.

Western Oregon, meanwhile, won its first GNAC women’s indoor track and field title in program history with a score of 122 points, finishing five points ahead of second-place Western Washington. Simon Fraser finished third with a score of 110 points.

The Wolves rode on the shoulders of senior Jenelle Hurley, who was named the Female Field Athlete of the Meet. After winning the pentathlon and placing second in the long jump on Monday, Hurley won the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 5.25 inches and placed seventh in the triple jump with a mark of 36 feet, 10.25 inches.

Western Oregon also received a dramatic victory from senior Ana Popchock, who repeated as champion in the triple jump. Having entered the meet with a best of 36 feet, 8.5 inches, Popchock popped off a nearly 18-inch season best in her final attempt of the day to win with a mark of 38 feet, 2.75 inches.

Including Leclair’s performances, Simon Fraser took home five gold medals on Tuesday. Sophomore Claire Bosma won the 400 meters in a time of 57.90 seconds while junior Megan Roxby repeated as champion in the mile in a time of 5:05.63. The Red Leafs also repeated as champion in the 4x400-meter relay with the team of Erica Binder, Bosma, Emma Cannan and Leclair winning in a time of 3:48.10.

Central Washington senior Lauryn Chandler won a close 60-meter hurdles final. Her winning time of 8.57 seconds ranks No. 4 on the GNAC all-time list and ties her for 10th in Division II this season.

The Division II leader in the 800 meters, Seattle Pacific senior Vanessa Aniteye won her GNAC indoor title in the 800 meters in a time of 2:08.71. Western Washington sophomore Ila Davis captured the title in the 3,000 meters in a time of 10:14.61.

Northwest Nazarene junior Destany Herbert won the championship in the shot put, winning with a mark of 44 feet, 7 inches.