Monday, February 20, 2023

SPOKANE, Wash. – Simon Fraser’s Marie-Éloise Leclair continued her rewrite of the conference record books while Western Oregon’s Jenelle Hurley repeated as pentathlon champion to lead day one of the 2023 GNAC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championships at The Podium.

Leclair proceeded to break two meet records and one conference record in the preliminary heats of the sprint events. In the 60 meters, Leclair eclipsed her own conference record with a time of 7.38 seconds, which also eclipsed the meet record of 7.52 seconds set by Concordia’s Paige Johnson in 2020.

Later in the 200 meters, the sophomore again was the top qualifier in a time of 24.02 seconds that broke the previous record of 24.09 seconds set by Alaska Anchorage’s Jamie Ashcroft in 2017.

Hurley, meanwhile, succeeded in defending her championship in the pentathlon with a score of 3,585 points that moves her to No. 8 on the GNAC all-time list and No. 17 in Division II this season. The senior won three of the five disciplines, the 60-meter hurdles in 7.14 seconds, the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 4.5 inches and the long jump with a mark of 18 feet, 5.25 inches.

Junior Ujunwa Nwakoma joined Hurley on the podium for the Wolves, winning the long jump title with a mark of 19 feet that ranks her in a tie for No. 8 on the GNAC all-time list. Hurley finished second with a mark of 17 feet, 11.75 inches.

Western Washington picked up three titles to take the first-day lead in the team competition with 66 points. Junior Raine Westfall won the weight throw with a mark of 54 feet, 6.5 inches. After finishing third in 2022, Westfall led a 21-point performance in the event for the Vikings.

Freshman Meara Shannon took top honors in the 5,000 meters, pulling ahead over the final kilometer in a time of 17:55.64 as WWU scored 18 points in the race. The distance medley relay team of sophomore Sophie Wright, junior Marian Ledesma, sophomore Mia Crocker and sophomore Ila Davis won in a time of 11:59.03.

Western Oregon sits in second place after the first six events with a score of 52 points while Seattle Pacific is third with 22 points.

Northwest Nazarene sophomore Kinsey Yenor picked up the title in the pole vault after finishing second in 2022, winning with a clearance of 12 feet, 2.75 inches.

Central Washington senior Lauryn Chandler was the top qualifier in the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.65 seconds, which ranks her No. 7 on the GNAC all-time list. Wildcats’ freshman Donna Marie Harris was the top qualifier in the 400 meters in 58.01 seconds. Simon Fraser junior Megan Roxby is the top qualifier in the 800 meters in a time of 2:16.06.

The GNAC Indoor Track and Field Championships conclude on Tuesday. Women’s field events begin at 9:30 a.m. with the high jump. Running events begin at 11:15 a.m. with the mile.