Thursday, February 6, 2020

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Derek Holdsworth, Western Oregon
Junior • Williamsburg, Va.

Holdsworth set the GNAC record in the 800 meters, beating a Division I laden field at the UW Invitational. Holdsworth’s winning time of 1:47.74 blew past the GNAC record set by the Wolves’ Badane Sultessa in 2016 and automatically qualifies Holdsworth for the NCAA Championships. The performance is the top mark in Division II this season, No. 3 in all college divisions and is among the top-10 times run in the world in the event this indoor season.

Also Nominated: Bobby Widmar (Central Washington), Colby Otero (Seattle Pacific), Jeremiah Lauzon (Simon Fraser), Ryan Greenwalt (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Aidan Cain, Central Washington
Senior • Monroe, Wash.

Cain set the GNAC record in the weight throw while taking second in the event at the UW Invitational. His mark of 61 feet, 10.25 inches eclipsed the former record of 61 feet, 9 inches set by Western Oregon’s Anthony Marin in 2007, which was the oldest remaining record on the GNAC men’s indoor list. An NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark, it is also No. 17 on the Division II season-best list. Cain also placed 12th in the shot put with a mark of 48 feet, 8.25 inches.

Also Nominated: Chris Brake (Alaska Anchorage), Seth Bridge (Concordia), Seren Dances (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Addy Townsend, Simon Fraser
Senior • Coquitlam, B.C.

Townsend had another personal best in the 800 meters and hit an NCAA Championships automatic qualifying mark at the UW Invitational to win her third straight award. The top non-Division I or professional finisher, Townsend placed ninth in a time of 2:07.74. That leads Division II and moves Townsend into No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List. The time is also 21st this season across all college divisions.

Also Nominated: Emmah Chelimo (Alaska Anchorage), Erykah Weems (Central Washington), Grace Knapp (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Aliyah Dawkins, Western Washington
Sophomore • North Mankato, Minn.

Dawkins provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships and set the WWU record in the pentathlon at the UW Invitational. Dawkins finished fifth with a score of 3,310 points that ranks her 25th in Division II this season. During the five-event discipline, Dawkins won the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 7.75 inches that moves her to No. 9 on the GNAC All-Time List.

Also Nominated: Samantha La Rue (Central Washington), Sasha Korolenko (Concordia), Moana Gianotti (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Led by the distance medley relay teams, Alaska Anchorage posted several NCAA Championships provisional qualifying marks at the UW Invitational.

• The men's DMR squad of Felix Kemboi, Joshua Wagner, Eduardo Orozco and Wesley Kirui placed third in a time of 9:59.65. The second-fastest time in the GNAC this season, the mark ranks 10th in Division II.

• The women’s DMR of Nancy Jeptoo, Tylantiss Atlas, Ruth Cvancara and Emmah Chelimo also posted a provisional qualifying mark, placing fifth in 11:51.24. That is also second-fastest in the GNAC and fourth in Division II this season.

• Chelimo added an NCAA provisional qualifying time in the women’s 3,000 meters. She placed 37th out of 66 competitors in a time of 9:41.98, ranking her ninth in Division II. Jeptoo also provisionally qualified in the mile as her 38th-place time of 4:58.98 ranks 21st in Division II.

• The Seawolves finished the meet with three other top-10 finishes. Senior Chris Brake placed eighth in the men’s high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 5 inches. Senior Elena Cano was ninth in the women’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.96 seconds and the women’s 4x400-meter relay team placed 10th in a time of 3:56.98.

• Alaska Anchorage is  No. 6 in the USTFCCCA Women’s West Region Team Index. The men are ranked No. 8. Both are unchanged since last week.

• The Seawolves will not compete again until Feb. 14 and 15, heading east for the GVSU Big Meet in Allendale, Michigan.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Senior Aidan Cain’s GNAC record in the men’s weight throw headlined Central Washington’s performances at the UW Invitational.

• Cain placed second out of 21 competitors with a mark of 61 feet, 10.25 inches. That replaced one of the oldest records in the GNAC record book of 61 feet, 9 inches, set by Western Oregon’s Anthony Marin in 2007. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark ranks 17th in Division II and earned Cain selection as the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week.

• The women’s 4x400-meter relay team of Noelia Juarez, Erykah Weems, McCall DeChenne and Sidney Trinidad set a school record with its fourth-place finish in a time of 3:50.17. That bettered the previous record of 3:50.28 set in 2017. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time is 10th in Division II this season.

• Weems also had another strong performance in the sprints. She placed seventh in the 200 meters in a time of 25.16 seconds and was eighth in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.01 seconds after running 8.87 seconds in the prelims. She was the only Division II athlete to make the final.

• Junior Ethan Tonder notched a seventh-place finish in the men’s shot put with a mark of 52 feet, 4.5 inches.

• Central Washington slipped to third in this week’s USTFCCCA Women’s West Region Team Index. The Wildcats’ men held steady at No. 6.

• Central Washington will travel to the Jackson’s Indoor Center in Nampa, Idaho this weekend for the Nike Indoor Invite on Friday and Saturday.

CONCORDIA
• A solid day for the throwers led Concordia’s performances at the UW Invitational.

• Junior Jakob Chamberlin led the way with a sixth-place finish in the men’s shot put with a mark of 55 feet, 3 inches. He also placed 11th in the weight throw with a mark of 55 feet, 5 inches.

• Senior Caleb Bridge was not far behind Chamberlin with an eighth-place finish in the men’s shot put with a mark of 52 feet, 3.75 inches. Senior Brett Elder was 11th in the shot with a mark of 50 feet.

• Senior Kori Sprague led the CU women’s throwers with her 10th place finish in the weight throw, finishing with a mark of 55 feet, 10 inches. Sophomore Sasha Korolenko threw for a lifetime best of 54 feet, 4 inches in the event and placed 15th.

• Senior Katrina Linenko was the only Concordia competitor in the women’s shot put, placing 11th with her mark of 44 feet, 8 inches.

• Senior Karlie Hurley led a limited number of Cavaliers’ athletes to compete in the track events, placing 20th in the women’s 400 meters in 58.29 seconds.

• Concordia slipped to No. 3 in this week’s USTFCCCA Men’s West Region Team Index while the Cavaliers’ women moved up one spot to No. 2.

• Concordia will compete this weekend in the Portland Indoor #2 meet. Saturday’s events will be held at George Fox University’s Austin Sports Center in Newberg, Oregon. Sunday’s events will be at the University of Portland’s Chiles Center.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• A slew of second-place finishes and a win for senior Mason Schram in the men’s 60 meters led Montana State Billings in its return to Spearfish, S.D., on Saturday for the Myrle Hanson Open.

• Schram took the close win with a time of 7.12 seconds, just edging out second-place Donte Wilson of Dickinson State with his time of 7.14.

• Senior Brenna Beckett had two of those runner-up efforts. She took second in one of her specialties, the women’s long jump, with a mark of 17 feet, 2.25 inches. She also took second in the 200 meters with a time of 27.34 seconds.

• Senior Nikki Aiken had the other top-two finish for the women, placing second in the 5,000 meters with a time of 11:08.12.

• Senior Isaiah Girard notched a second-place finish in the men’s high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 4 inches. Senior Forrest Cross added a runner-up finish in the men’s shot put with a mark of 46 feet, 11 inches.

• Junior Rahkei Eyer added a second-place finish in the men’s 200 meters with a time of 23.10 seconds. The effort ties him for seventh in the GNAC this season. Sophomore Ase Ackerman was third in the 3,000 meters with a time of 9:10.38.

• The MSUB men cracked the USTFCCCA West Region Team Index for the first time this season, entering at No. 9.

• The Yellowjackets will compete this weekend in their final meet before the GNAC Indoor Championships, taking part in the Nike Indoor Invite in Nampa on Friday and Saturday.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene was one of two GNAC squads to not compete last weekend. The Nighthawks return to the Jackson’s Indoor Center on Friday and Saturday for the Nike Indoor Invite.

• Senior Logan Blake’s win in the men’s 400 meters led Northwest Nazarene at the Ed Jacoby Invitational & Multis in Nampa on Jan. 24 and 25. Blake bettered a largely Division I field with a GNAC-leading time of 49.31 seconds.  He went on to finish fourth in the 200 meters in 22.22 seconds.

• Sophomore Aaron Borger also notched a top-10 finish in the men’s 600 meters, clocking 1:26.78 in the three-lap non-championship distance.

• Sophomore Madi VonBrethorst led the NNU women’s performances, placing fourth in the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 5.25 inches. The mark ranks as third best in NNU history.

• Junior Heidi Nisly led the NNU women’s efforts on the track, placing eighth in the women’s 800 meters, finishing in a time of 2:24.66. Nisly also ran on the Nighthawks’ distance medley relay team that placed seventh in a time of 12:45.60.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Saint Martin’s was the other GNAC squad not to compete last weekend. The Saints head south to Oregon this weekend to take part in the Portland Indoor #2 meet. It is the program’s last scheduled meet prior to the GNAC Championships.

• A series of second-place finishes across the board led Saint Martin’s performances in the Portland Indoor No. 1 meet on Jan. 25 and 26.

• Sophomore Tyler Cronk was the runner-up in the long jump with a mark of 22 feet, 7.75 inches, which leads the GNAC. He also took second in the high jump with a clearance of 6 feet, 7 inches.

• Sophomore Michael Russell took second in the men’s 200 meters with a time of 23.15 seconds while sophomore Barrington Walker was third in 23.19 seconds.  The Saints’ 4x400-meter relay of Nick Georgia, Walker, Russell and Zachary Walker also finished second in a time of 3:25.57.

• The Saint Martin’s women picked up a pair of second-place finishes in the field events. Junior Ashley Vest took second in the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 3 inches. Junior Alyssa Smith was third in the pole vault with a mark of 10 feet, 11.75 inches. Freshman Margaret Zilla took fourth in the women’s long jump with her mark of 16 feet, 6 inches.

• The Saint Martin’s men remain at No. 10 in this week’s USTFCCCA West Region Team Index.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• A school-record run for sophomore Colby Otero in the men’s 5,000 meters topped the performances for Seattle Pacific at the UW Invitational.

• Running his first-ever indoor 5,000, Otero clocked a time of 14:35.10 to erase the SPU indoor record of 14:56.77 run by Turner Wiley in 2016 and the overall record of 14:39.6 run outdoors by Walt Notter in 1969. Otero placed 17th out of 45 finishers and was the top Division II athlete in the field. An NCAA Championships provisional qualifier, Otero is 31st in Division II this season.

• In the women’s 5,000 meters, junior Dania Holmberg and senior Kate Lilly each earned NCAA Championships provisional qualifying marks. Holmberg placed 17th in a time of 16:49.07, a time that ranks seventh in Division II this season. Lilly was 37th of 52 finishers in 17:23.92, which ranks 21st in Division II.

• Sophomore Peace Igbonagwam was the Falcons’ lone top-three finisher, taking third in the women’s long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 5.75 inches. The mark is second in the GNAC this season.

• Competing in her first pentathlon of the season, junior Renick Meyer placed seventh with a score of 3,187 points. She finished fifth in the 60-meter hurdles (8.99), the long jump (17-1.5) and the 800 meters (2:33.94).

• The Falcons’ women moved up three spots to No. 5 in this week’s USTFCCCA West Region Team Index.

• Seattle Pacific heads east this weekend to take part in the Nike Indoor Invite in Nampa, Idaho on Friday and Saturday.

SIMON FRASER
• Senior Addy Townsend’s automatic qualifying time in the women’s 800 meters led Simon Fraser’s efforts at the UW Invitational.

• Townsend punched her ticket to the national meet with a ninth-place time of 2:07.74. The performance is the leading time in Division II, ranks 21st across all college divisions and moves her to No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List in the event. The performance gave Townsend her third consecutive selection as the GNAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week.

• Sophomore Mairin Shields-Brown earned an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time in the women’s 800 meters. She placed 37th of 53 finishers with a time of 2:13.17 that ranks 10th in Division II this season.

• Freshman Jeremiah Lauzon performed well against Division I competition in the men’s 200 meters, placing fifth in a time of 21.97 seconds. It is his third finish under 22 seconds this season. Lauzon teamed with Kaito Suzuki, Joshua Adehmar and Callum Robinson to place fifth in the 4x400-meter relay in a time of 3:20.93.

• The Clan also set a small number of athletes to the Harry Jerome Indoor Games in Richmond, B.C., on Saturday. Freshman Grace Chalk led SFU with a second-place finish in the women’s 1,500 meters in a time of 4:57.35. Sophomore Adrianna Klassen added a second-place finish in the 600 meters in 1:43.28.

• The Clan women moved up one spot to No. 11 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II National Team Rankings. Both the SFU men’s and women’s teams are No. 7 in this week’s West Region Team Indexes.

• Simon Fraser will send a small contingent of athletes to Oregon this weekend to participate in the Portland Indoor #2 on Saturday and Sunday.

WESTERN OREGON
• A record performance for junior Derek Holdsworth headlined Western Oregon’s performances at the UW Invitational.

• Holdsworth won the men’s 800 meters in a time of 1:47.74, smashing the GNAC record of 1:49.68 set in 2016  by the Wolves’ Badane Sultessa. The NCAA Championships automatic qualifying mark not only leads Division II, but also ranks No. 3 across all college divisions and is No. 9 in the world in all conditions. Holdsworth earned selection as both the GNAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week and the USTFCCCA Division II Men’s Athlete of the Week.

• Senior Justin Crosswhite improved his NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the men’s mile, turning in a time of 4:07.30. Placing 25th of 53 finishers, Crosswhite moved to No. 6 on the GNAC All-Time List and now ranks eighth in Division II this season.

• Crosswhite and Holdsworth teamed with Gabe Arce-Torres and Max Carmona to win the distance medley relay in a time of 9:52.02. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time ranks third in Division II this season.

• Junior Moana Gianotti led the WOU women, placing 10th in the shot put with a mark of 44 feet, 9 inches. The mark ranks No. 4 on the WOU All-Time List.

• The Western Oregon men are ranked No. 16 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Team Index. The Wolves are also ranked No. 5 in the West Region Team Index.

• Western Oregon will travel the short distance to Newberg and Portland this weekend for Portland Indoor No. 2.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• A pair of big combined event performances for sophomores Aliyah Dawkins and Seren Dances led Western Washington’s efforts at the UW Invitational.

• Dawkins was named the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she placed fifth in the pentathlon with a WWU record score of 3,310 points. As part of the event, Dawkins won the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 7.75 inches that ties her for ninth on the GNAC All-Time List.  Earning NCAA Championships provisional marks in both events, the score in the pentathlon ranks 25th in Division II and the mark in the high jump ties her for 10th.

• Dances also set a Western Washington record in the heptathlon, finishing fifth with a score of 5,069 points. The point total is an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier, ranks 12th in Division II this season and is No. 7 on the GNAC All-Time List. Dances recorded lifetime bests in five of the seven disciplines.

• Junior Ben Malquist recorded a 10th-place finish in the men’s shot put with a mark of 50 feet, 2 inches. He tied his lifetime best in the event.

• Junior Bryant Welch placed seventh in the men’s 400 meters, clocking 49.04 seconds. Junior Myles Smith was not far behind, placing 14th in 49.66 seconds.

• The Western Washington men moved up to the top spot in this week’s USTFCCCA West Region Team Index. The Vikings moved onto the women’s list this week at No. 10.

• Western Washington will travel to Oregon this weekend to take part in Portland Indoor No. 2.