Tuesday, May 17, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – A total of 22 athletes and two relay teams from the GNAC have earned invitations to the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which take place May 26-28 at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.

Simon Fraser leads six conference institutions invited to the meet with eight individual entries and the SFU 4x400-meter relay. Topping the list is junior Alison Andrews-Paul, who set the Division II record in the women’s 800 meters in April with a time of 2:01.43 that ranks 25th in the world this season (as of May 17). The indoor champion at the distance in March, Andrews-Paul has the top time in the field by over four seconds.

Freshman Marie-Éloïse Leclair made the field in both the women’s 100 and 200 meters. Leclair set meet records in both events at last weekend’s GNAC Championships and set the conference record in the 100 meters with a time of 11.66 seconds. Leclair and Andrews-Paul are also part of Simon Fraser’s 4x400-meter entry.

Leclair is among six GNAC athletes to earn selection to the meet in two individual events. Simon Fraser junior Aaron Ahl and freshman Charlie Dannatt entries into both the men’s 800 meters and 1,500 meters. Ahl has the top time in the field in the 1,500 meters at 3:39.97. Dannatt is fifth in the event at 3:42.01 while Western Washington junior Mac Franks is sixth at 3:42.22.

Two of the dual-event entries come from Alaska Anchorage. Freshman Coleman Nash will compete in the men’s 5,000 and 10,000 meters while senior Elena Cano will compete in the women’s 400-meter hurdles and the heptathlon. Seattle Pacific sophomore Annika Esvelt rounds out the dual entries with invitations in the women's 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

Northwest Nazarene freshman Laurenz Waldbauer enters the Division II Championships with the top mark in the nation in the men’s javelin at 237 feet, 5 inches. The conference also has a pair of top-five entries in the women’s javelin in Western Oregon freshman Kaylee Wright (fourth, 158-8) and Western Washington senior Amanda Short (fifth, 155-9).

A full meet schedule and entry lists can be found at https://results.leonetiming.com/?mid=4919.

2022 NCAA DIVISION II OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
GNAC Entries

MEN
Alaska Anchorage: Coleman Nash (5,000 Meters, 10,000 Meters), Joshua Wagner (110-Meter Hurdles).
Northwest Nazarene: Laurenz Waldbauer (Javelin).
Seattle Pacific: David Njeri (Triple Jump).
Simon Fraser: Aaron Ahl (800 Meters, 1,500 Meters), Jarrett Chong (Javelin), Charlie Dannatt (800 Meters, 1,500 Meters).
Western Washington: Mac Franks (1,500 Meters), Calahan Warren (1,500 Meters), Drew Weber (800 Meters).

WOMEN
Alaska Anchorage: Elena Cano (400-Meter Hurdles, Heptathlon).
Seattle Pacific: Vanessa Aniteye (400 Meters, 4x100 Relay), Jenna Bouyer (4x100 Relay), Annika Esvelt (5,000 Meters, 10,000 Meters), Aniya Green (4x100 Relay), Peace Igbonagwam (Long Jump, 4x100 Relay).
Simon Fraser: Alison Andrews-Paul (800 Meters, 4x400 Relay), Erika Binder (4x400 Relay), Marie-Éloïse Leclair (100 Meters, 200 Meters, 4x400 Relay), Emily Lindsay (400 Meters, 4x400 Relay), Megan Roxby (1,500 Meters), Olivia Willett (Steeplechase).
Western Oregon: Kaylee Wright (Javelin).
Western Washington: Ila Davis (Steeplechase), Amanda Short (Javelin).