Wednesday, April 27, 2022

THIS WEEK'S GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
MEN’S TRACK
Aiden Wise, Central Washington
Freshman • Ridgefield, Wash.

Wise won the 110-meter hurdles at the CWU Wildcat Invitational with a time of 14.82 seconds. The mark ranks No. 4 in the GNAC this season.

Also Nominated: Favor Okere (Montana State Billings), Tyler Shea (Northwest Nazarene), Andrew Boys (Saint Martin’s), Justin Crosswhite (Western Oregon), Ryan Greenwalt (Western Washington).

MEN’S FIELD
Laurenz Waldbauer, Northwest Nazarene
Freshman • Vilabiburg, Germany

Waldbauer became the fourth GNAC athlete this season to provisionally qualify for the NCAA Championships in the javelin, winning the event at the Eastern Oregon Open on Friday. His mark of 191 feet, 8 inches ranks 33rd in Division II and fourth in the GNAC this season and is No. 7 on the NNU all-time list.

Also Nominated: Chris Hines (Central Washington), Coen Guisti (Montana State Billings), Josh Schulz (Saint Martin’s), Samuel Cole (Western Oregon), Ethan Sterkel (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S TRACK
Lauryn Chandler, Central Washington
Junior • Bremerton, Wash.

Chandler assured the Wildcats a sweep of the high hurdles races at the CWU Wildcat Invitational on Saturday, winning in a time of 14.51 seconds. She beat a field of 15 competitors.

Also Nominated: Madeline Severson (Montana State Billings), Abbey Wood (Northwest Nazarene), Cree Bell (Northwest Nazarene), Jenelle Hurley (Western Oregon), Brittany Aquino (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S FIELD
Peace Igbonagwam, Seattle Pacific
Senior • Fairview, Ore.

Igbonagwam won the long jump at Saturday’s CWU Wildcat Invitational with a mark of 19 feet, 8.25 inches. The performance ranks No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list, No. 4 on the SPU all-time list and is tied for 10th in Division II this season. The jump marked the second time in her career that Igbonagwam has surpassed 19 feet outdoors.

Also Nominated: Kylie Griffin (Central Washington), Madeline Severson (Montana State Billings), Julie Cheney (Northwest Nazarene), Jocelyn Saribay (Saint Martin’s), Ana Popchock (Western Oregon), Raine Westfall (Western Washington).

AROUND THE GNAC
ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Alaska Anchorage did not compete last week. The Seawolves return to action on Saturday at the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham, Wash.

• A trio of GNAC top-10 performances for sophomores Joshua Wagner and Coleman Nash and junior Enrique Campbell led Alaska Anchorage at the Bryan Clay Invitational and the Beach Invitational.

• Wagner reset his own UAA record in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, clocking 14.22 seconds at Bryan Clay. The time is No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list behind the record of 14.19 set by Western Washington’s Travis Milrbandt in 2016 and is tied for 17th in Division II this season.

• Campbell broke the UAA record in the men’s 100 meters, running 10.59 seconds at Bryan Clay to eclipse the previous record of 10.65 by Oshane Hylton in 2018. The time also ranks No. 10 on the GNAC all-time list, the first change to the list since 2019.

• Nash notched an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying time in the men’s 10,000 meters at Bryan Clay. His time of 29:24.40 is 18th in Division II this season and No. 4 on the GNAC all-time list.

• Junior Jacob Moos had the lone top-three performance for the Seawolves in either meet, placing third in the second section of the 5,000 meters in a personal best time of 14:28.59.

• Senior Tylantiss Atlas was the top UAA women’s performer. She turned in a time of 55.33 seconds in the 400 meters at the Bryan Clay, a time that is No. 242 in Division II this season and an NCAA Championships provisional qualifier.

CENTRAL WASHINGTON
• Central Washington posted seven individual event victories, including a sweep of all four hurdles events, as it hosted the CWU Wildcat Invitational at the CWU Sport Recreation Complex.

• Victories in the high hurdles earned two GNAC Athlete of the Week awards. Freshman Aiden Wise was named the Men’s Track Athlete of the Week after winning the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 14.82 seconds. Junior Lauryn Chandler was named the Women’s Track Athlete of the Week after taking the 100-meter hurdles in 14.51 seconds.

• In the 400-meter hurdles, senior Austin Albertin won the men’s race with a time of 54.62 seconds. Junior McCall DeChenne was the winner in the women’s race in a time of 1:03.20.

• In the field events, junior Kylie Griffin tied for first in the women’s high jump with Western Washington’s Aliyah Dawkins, clearing 5 feet, 2 inches.

• The Wildcats were winners in both 4x100-meter relay races. The women won with a time of 47.75 seconds while the men took their race in a time of 41.87 seconds.

• Sophomore E’lexis Hollis added a second-place finish in the women’s 100 meters in a time of 12.10 seconds. Senior Molly Mattson was second in the women’s 5,000 meters in a time of 19:33.61.

• Sophomore Erica Cabanos added a second-place finish in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 37 feet, 1.75 inches. Junior Chris Hines placed second in the men’s triple jump with his mark of 44 feet, 4 inches.

• Central Washington will split its squad this week with athletes at the Oregon State High Performance Meet in Corvallis and the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
• Freshman Madeline Severson’s victory in the women’s long jump and two second-place finishes led Montana State Billings at the Trudnowski Open on Thursday and Friday in Helena, Montana.

• Severson claimed the long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 0.75 inches, winning the event by five inches. Severson went on to finish second in the 400 meters in 1:01.55 and in the high jump with a clearance of 4 feet, 9 inches.

• Junior Sierra Durbin added a second-place finish in the women’s 400-meter hurdles in a time of 1:10.25. In the field events, freshman Dakota Lobmeyer placed second in the women’s shot put with her effort of 39 feet, 8.75 inches.

• Four of the Yellowjackets’ second-place men’s finishes came in the field events. Freshman Garrett McMillen was second in the triple jump with a mark of 42 feet, 10.25 inches.

• In the throws, sophomore Braden Anderson was second in the men’s shot put with a mark of 46 feet, 5.5 inches. Sophomore Coen Giusti was second in the hammer with a throw of 156 feet, 8 inches while freshman Ryder Klein was runner-up in the javelin at 153 feet, 10 inches.

• The Yellowjackets also took second in both 4x100-meter races with the women finishing in 56.32 seconds and the men finishing in 43.66 seconds.

• Montana State Billings heads to Pocatello, Idaho this weekend to take part in the Bengal Invite.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
• Northwest Nazarene tallied nine first-place finishes, topped by freshman Laurenz Waldbauer’s impressive debut, at the Eastern Oregon Open on Friday in La Grande.

• Waldbauer was named the GNAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week after he won the javelin in his first collegiate meet with a mark of 191 feet, 8 inches. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark is No. 7 on the NNU all-time list and is 33rd in Division II this season.

• Freshman Nizhoni Buckway made it a sweep in the javelin as six of the NNU wins came in the field events. Buckway won the women’s javelin with a mark of 126 feet, 3 inches.

• The Nighthawks also swept top honors in the high jump. Freshman Miya Koch was the winner in the women’s high jump with a clearance of 5 feet, 3.75 inches while freshman Gerohm Rihari won the men’s with a best of 6 feet, 5.5 inches.

• Freshman Julie Cheney earned an NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark in the women’s pole vault. Her winning clearance of 12 feet, 3.5 inches ranks No. 2 on the NNU all-time list and is tied for 41st in Division II this season.

• Sophomore Emma Clark completed a sweep of the women’s horizontal jumps, winning the long jump with a mark of 18 feet and the triple jump with a mark of 36 feet, 9 inches.

• On the track, freshman Laine DeJong won the women’s 400 meters in a time of 59.92 seconds while junior Tyler Shea won the men’s 1,500 in a time of 3:56.90.

• Northwest Nazarene will conclude the regular season at the Bengal Invite on Friday and Saturday in Pocatello, Idaho.

SAINT MARTIN’S
• Sophomore Andrew Boyd’s school record in the men’s 110-meter hurdles led Saint Martin’s performances at Saturday’s CWU Wildcat Invitational in Ellensburg, Washington.

• Boyd took second in the race with a time of 14.87 seconds, breaking the previous SMU record of 14.95 seconds set by David Durden in 2014.

• Saint Martin’s had a total of four event winners on the day, two of which came in the men’s field events. Senior Josh Schulz set a personal best in the men’s long jump with a winning mark of 23 feet, 6.75 inches that leads the GNAC this season. Schulz also won the triple jump with a mark of 45 feet, 11.75 inches.

• The Saints also earned both victories in the 3,000 meters. Freshman Cassidy Walchak-Sloan was the winner in the women’s race in a time of 10:28.60. Junior Lance Slichko won the men’s event in a time of 8:45.83.

• The women’s 4x100-meter relay also snared a second-place finish, clocking a time of 49.54 seconds.

• Saint Martin’s will conclude its regular season on Saturday, competing in the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
• Senior Peace Igbonagwam’s big victory in the women’s long jump paced Seattle Pacific’s performances at the CWU Wildcat Invitational.

• Igbonagwam was named the GNAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week after she won the long jump with a mark of 19 feet, 8.25 inches that ranks No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list. The NCAA Championships provisional qualifying mark is tied for 10th in Division II this season. It is the fifth time in her career she has surpassed 19 feet, but only the second time outdoors.

• Sophomore Ellie Rising was the Falcons’ other event winner on the day, taking the women’s 1,500 meters in a time of 4:44.99. She was a half-second ahead of Eastern Washington’s Lily Fetzer.

• Sophomore Jon Owen added a second-place finish in the men’s 1,500 meters, turning in a time of 4:01.36. Drew Thompson placed fourth in a time of 4:04.69.

• The Falcons received a trio of second-place women’s finishes on the track. Sophomore Aniya Green placed second in the 200 meters in 25.86 seconds. Junior Libby Michael was second in the 800 meters in 2:19.69 and freshman Nicki Yorges was second in the 3,000 meters in 10:38.21.

• For the men, senior Colin Boutin placed fifth in the 3,000 meters in a time of 8:58.18. Sophomore Kainoa Lee led the way in the field events, placing seventh in the pole vault with a mark of 14 feet, 4 inches.

• Most of the SPU squad will be in Bellingham on Saturday for the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational. A select group of athletes will travel to Clovis, California to take part in the Fresno State Invitational.

SIMON FRASER
• Simon Fraser did not compete last week. The team will have athletes at both the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham and at its own SFU High Performance No. 2 meet in Burnaby, both on Saturday.

• Junior Alison Andrews-Paul’s Division II record performance in the women’s 800 meters led Simon Fraser as it competed in the Bryan Clay Invitational, the Mount SAC Relays and the Beach Invitational.

• Running at the Bryan Clay, Andrews-Paul placed fourth in the top section of the 800 in a Division II record time of 2:01.43. That eclipsed the previous Division II record of 2:02.39 set by Carsyn Koch-Johnson of Cedarville in 2016. The performance leads Division II, ranks fourth across all college divisions and was No. 11 in the world as of April 27. Later in the weekend, Andrews-Paul clocked a time of 54.07 seconds in the 400 meters that ranks No. 2 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 4 in Division II this season.

• Junior Aaron Ahl ran the fourth-fastest 1,500 meters in Division II at the Bryan Clay. His time of 3:39.42 was a four-second personal best, is No. 4 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 2 in Division II this season.

• Freshman Jarrett Chong took second in the javelin at the Bryan Clay. His mark of 217 feet, 7 inches moves him up to No. 3 in Division II this season and No. 11 on the GNAC all-time list.

• The SFU women remained at No. 12 in this week’s USTFCCCA Division II Women’s Outdoor Team Index. The SFU men climbed two spots to No. 22.

WESTERN OREGON
• A quartet of third-place finishes led Western Oregon at the Oregon Relays on Friday and Saturday at Hayward Field.

• Senior Justin Crosswhite was the Wolves’ lone top-three finisher on the track, placing third in the men’s 800 meters in a time of 1:52.09. The time is a season-best and is seventh in the GNAC this season. Crosswhite also placed sixth in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:52.50.

• Junior Marlon Harrison was one of two third-place finishers for WOU in the triple jump, placing third in the men’s competition with a mark of 45 feet, 1.75 inches.

• Senior Ana Popchock had a personal best in the women’s triple jump, placing third with a mark of 37 feet, 9.25 inches that leads the GNAC this season.

• Junior Jenelle Hurley placed third in the women’s long jump with a mark of 19 feet, moving her to No. 4 on the WOU all-time list. She went on to place sixth in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 14.55 seconds.

• Junior Kaylee Wright placed fifth in the women’s javelin with her throw of 146 feet, 6 inches.

• Western Oregon will make the short trip to Corvallis this weekend, participating in the Oregon State High Performance Meet on Friday and Saturday.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
• Solid performances in the throws led Western Washington’s efforts at the CWU Wildcat Invitational on Saturday.

• Freshman Raine Westfall was one of four WWU individual event winners, taking the women’s hammer with a mark of 163 feet, 7 inches that is No. 2 on the WWU all-time list. The mark is the best in the GNAC this season.

• Sophomore Jaydon Tryon added a victory in the men’s javelin with a mark of 184 feet, 5 inches.

• Freshman Katie Potts placed second in the women’s shot put with a mark of 44 feet, 2 inches that ranks No. 2 on the WWU all-time list. Junior Ben Malquist was also second in the men’s shot put with a season-best mark of 51 feet, 8.5 inches that leads the GNAC.

• Freshman Will Henry led a top-three sweep for the Vikings in men’s 800 meters with a time of 1:53.87. Freshman Jonah Bloom was second in 1:54.85 and freshman Brock Knowles was third in 1:55.56.

• Sophomore Aliyah Dawkins tied for first in the women’s high jump with Central Washington’s Kylie Griffin, with both clearing 5 feet, 2 inches. Dawkins added a second-place finish in the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 4.5 inches.

• Junior Brittany Aquino added a victory in the women’s 5,000 meters with a time of 19:19.41.

• Western Washington concludes its regular season on Saturday as it hosts the Ralph Vernacchia Invitational in Bellingham’s Civic Stadium.