Tuesday, May 12, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. - Six GNAC athletes are seeded among the top three in their events in next week's NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championships at Allendale, Mich.  Grand Valley State University is the host.  The three-day meet begins Thursday (May 21).

The six are among 38 - 21 women and 17 men - that will represent the GNAC in the national championships.

Lindsey Butterworth of Simon Fraser is the No. 1 seed in the 800 meters.  Her seed time of 2:04.11, is 2.74 seconds better than the No. 2 best time of 2:06.85.  She'll being going for a sweep of the 800 titles after winning the indoor in a time of 2:08.44 in February.

Three athletes come in ranked No. 2 in their specialties - Western Washington steeplechaser Katelyn Steen, Alaska Anchorage javelin thrower  Franz Burghagen and Seawolf distance runner Dominik Notz.  Ranked No. 3 are WWU's Katie Reichert in the javelin and Viking speedster Alex Donigian in the men's 100 meters.

Steen and Notz are among five who will pull double-duty.  Steen will run the 5,000 meters in addition to the steeple; Notz will race in both the 5K and 10K.

While Notz will run 15,000 meters in his double, UAA's Jamie Ashcroft will take a shorter path to her two finish lines, running in the 100 and 200 meters.  Also doubling up are Shannon Porter of Saint Martin's and Amy Johnston of Alaska Anchorage in the women's 5 and 10K.

Alaska Anchorage qualifed a GNAC-best 11 athletes for the national meet, including seven women.  Western Washington will send eight (5 men, 3 women) to Allendale, while five Simon Fraser athletes (3 men, 2 women) will compete.

Central Washington (1 man, 3 women) and Saint Martin's (2 men, 2 women) are headed to Michigan with four each.  Representing Western Oregon will be three (one man 2 women).  Seattle Pacific has two women and Northwest Nazarene has one man scheduled to compete.

NCAA DIVISION II NATIONALS (May 21-23 at Allendale, Mich.)

QUALIFIERS AND SEEDINGS:

Women: 100 – 13. Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 11.73.  200 – 16. Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 24.08. 800 – 1. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 2:04.11; 7. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:08.13; 21. Jessica Pakhala, UAA, 2:10.59. 1500 – 11. Haley O’Connor, WWU, 4:29.71; 14. Beatrice Decker, UAA, 4:30.91. 5000 – 4. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 16:26.59; 8. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 16:35.53; 9. Shannon Porter, SMU, 16:37.99; 11. Anna Patti, SPU, 16:41.56; 17. Amy Johnston, UAA, 16:52.50. 10,000 – 5. Amy Johnston, UAA, 35:01.46; 8. Shannon Porter, SMU, 35:05.97; 15. Caroline Kurgat, UAA, 36:28.00. 400 Hurdles – 4. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 59.20.  Steeplechase – 2. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 10:13.01; 12. Dani Eggleston, CWU, 10:31.65; 20. Erin Chinchar, CWU, 10:42. 69.  Pole Vault – 12. McKenna Emmert, CWU, 3.83. Javelin – 3. Katie Reichert, WWU, 50.48; 7. Kalli Walker, SMU, 47.36; 14. Amanda Short, WOU, 44.12; 15. Sheila Limas De La Cruz, WOU, 44.04. Heptathlon – 8. Karolin Anders, UAA, 5162.

Men: 100 – 3. Alex Donigian, WWU, 10.27.  800 – 7. Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 1:49.64.  1500 – 10. Travis Vugteveen, SFU, 3:47.63; 16. Marc-Antoine Rouleau, SFU, 3:48.55.  5000 -5. Dominik Notz, UAA, 14:07.05; 9. Henry Cheseto, UAA, 14:08.86. 10,000 – 2. Dominik Notz, UAA, 29:26.29.  110 Hurdles – 14. Travis Milbrandt, WWU, 14.21.  High Jump – 17. Mikel Smith, SMU, 2.10.  Pole Vault – 7. Payton Lewis, NNU, 5.15. Discus – 6. Ryan Macdonald, WWU, 54.07. Javelin – 2. Franz Burghagen, UAA, 68.52; 8. Cody Parker, UAA, 65.91; 10. Brian Chalkley, SMU, 65.19; 13. John Haskin, WWU, 64.70; 14. Slater Hirst, WWU, 64.32; 18. Justin Larson, WOU, 63.12.  Hammer – 17. Kevin Stanley, CWU, 59.17.

68 Earn All-Region Honors

A total of 68 GNAC track and field athletes have received USTFCCCA All-Region honors.  The all-region award is given to athletes in individual events who rank in the Top 5 in their event or in the Top 3 in a relay.

The 68 received the award in 88 different events. Three athletes - Seattle Pacific's Jahzelle Ambus (200, 400, 4x100 Relay) and Becca Houk (100, 200, 4x100 relay) and Cameron Proceviat of Simon Fraser (800, 1500, 4x400 Relay) - each earned three all-region awards.

Alaska Anchorage led the way with 16 athletes earning 23 all-region awards   Twelve Simon Fraser athletes earned a total of 17 all-region awards and 10 Western Washington athletes earned 12 all-region awards.

Following is a complete list of the GNAC honorees:

Alaska Anchorage: Men (10/14) - Elliott Bauer (400 Hurdles, 4x400 Relay); Franz Burghagen (Javelin); Henry Cheseto (5000, 10,000), Adam Commandeur  (400, 4x400 Relay); Darrion Gray (4x400 Relay);  Nathan Kipchumba (800); Liam Lindsay (4x400 Relay); Dominik Notz (5,000, 10,000), Cody Parker (Javelin), Victor Samoei (10,000). Women (6/9) – Karolin Anders (High Jump, Heptathlon), Jamie Ashcroft (100, 200); Amy Johnston (10,000); Caroline Kurgat (10,000); Haleigh Lloyd (100 Hurdles, 400 Hurdles); Rosie Smith (100 Hurdles).

Central Washington: Men (4/5) - Justin Peterson (High Jump); Luke Plummer (Triple Jump); Kevin Stanley (Shot Put, Hammer); Armando Tafoya (Shot). Women (2/2) – Dani Eggleston (Steeplechase); McKenna Emmert (Pole Vault).

Montana State Billings: Women (1/1) – Corrie Holm.

Northwest Nazarene: Men (2/2) - Cole Hoberg (High Jump); Payton Lewis (Pole Vault). Women (3/3) – Chelsey Knott (100 Hurdles); Lexi Tubbs (100 Hurdles); Taylor VanValey (Shot).

Saint Martin’s: Men (2/2) – Brian Chalkley (Javelin); Mikel Smith (High Jump). Women (4/5) – Kirby Neale (Shot Put); Kahili Novikoff (Shot Put); Shannon Porter (5,000, 10,000); Kalli Walker (Javelin).

Seattle Pacific: Women (6/10) – Jahzelle Ambus (200, 400, 4x100 Relay); Tasia Baldwin  (4x100 Relay); Kyra Brannan (4x100 Relay); Lynelle Decker (800); Becca Houk (100, 200, 4x100 Relay); Anna Patti (5000).

Simon Fraser: Men (7/10) – Stuart Ellenwood (4x400 Relay); Daniel Kelloway (400, 4x400 Relay); Vladislav Moldavanov (Triple Jump); Cameron Proceviat (800, 1500, 4x400 Relay); Vladislav Tsygankov (Long Jump); Travis Vugteveen (1500); Joel Webster (4x400 Relay). Women (5/7) – Ella Brown (Triple Jump); Lindsey Butterworth (800, 1500); Chantel Desch (400); Jennifer Johnson (1500, 5000); Monique Lisek (400 Hurdles).

Western Oregon: Men (2/2) – Kaleb Dobson (400 Hurdles); Badane Sultessa (800 Hurdles). Women (4/4) – Emmi Collier (Shot Put), Rebecca Laible (Triple Jump); Sheila Limas De La Cruz (Javelin); Amanda Short (Javelin).

Western Washington: Men (6/7) – Alex Donigian (100); John Haskin (Javelin); Ryan Macdonald (Discus); Travis Milbrandt (110 Hurdles); Logan Myers (110 Hurdles); Brett Watson (High Jump, Long Jump). Women (4/5) – Megan Mortensen (Discus), Haley O’Connor (Steeplechase); Katie Reichert (Javelin); Katelyn Steen (Steeplechase, 5000).