Tuesday, March 7, 2023

PORTLAND, Ore. – Forty-seven GNAC athletes have been recognized as among the best of the West with selection as 2023 Division II Indoor All-West Region performers by the U.S. Track and Field & Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA).

A total of 29 men and 18 women along with four relay teams, representing seven of the conference’s nine programs, received the honors, which are accorded to performers with the top-five marks in each Division II region and to the top three relay teams.

Western Washington leads all GNAC programs with 10 individuals and both men’s and women’s distance medley relay teams selected as All-West Region. Simon Fraser finished with nine selections along with both distance medley relay teams while Western Oregon, the GNAC men’s and women’s team champions, finished with eight honorees plus the Wolves’ men’s DMR.

The GNAC list includes six athletes that lead the West Region in nine different events plus both of the region’s top distance medley relay teams.

On the men’s side, Alaska Anchorage’s Coleman Nash leads the region in the 3,000 and the 5,000 meters. Northwest Nazarene’s Steven Schmidt leads the region in the high jump and heptathlon while teammate Dylan Hendry leads the way in the weight throw. Simon Fraser’s Charlie Dannatt is the region’s top performer in the mile and 3,000 meters and is part of the Red Leafs’ top-ranked men’s distance medley relay team with teammates Aiden Good, Jordan Schmidt and Felix Allen.

For the women, Seattle Pacific’s Vanessa Aniteye leads both the region and Division II in the 800 meters. Simon Fraser’s Marie-Éloïse Leclair leads the region in the 60 meters and 400 meters. Western Washington has the West’s top women’s DMR team, comprised of Sophie Wright, Anna Miller, Mia Crocker and Ila Davis.

USTFCCCA DIVISION II INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD ALL-WEST REGION
GNAC Performers
MEN
Alaska Anchorage: Drew Johnson (Mile), Maximillian Kresmer (400 Meters), Coleman Nash (3,000 Meters, 5,000 Meters*), Joshua Wagner (60m Hurdles)
Central Washington: Angus Beaton (Weight Throw), Johan Correa (800 Meters), Drew Klein (Pole Vault), Braydon Maier (Pole Vault, Heptathlon)
Northwest Nazarene: Dylan Hendry (Shot Put, Weight Throw*), Turner Nye (Pole Vault), Steven Schmidt (High Jump*, Pole Vault. Heptathlon*)
Seattle Pacific: David Njeri (Triple Jump)
Simon Fraser: Distance Medley Relay* (Aiden Good, Jordan Schmidt, Felix Allen, Charlie Dannatt), Scott Arndt (3,000 Meters), Sebastian Brinkman (3,000 Meters, 5,000 Meters), Tomas Chapman (800 Meters), Charlie Dannatt (Mile*, 3,000 Meters*), Jesiaah Penson-Mccoy (200 Meters), Jordan Schmidt (800 Meters)
Western Oregon: Distance Medley Relay (Keeton Sanchez, Gabe Arce-Torres, Emmett Klus, Hunter Hutton), Dayne Gordien (Shot Put), Hunter Hutton (Mile, 3,000 Meters), Dominique Loggins (60 Meters), Mark Warren (Shot Put, Weight Throw)
Western Washington: Distance Medley Relay (Will Henry, Brian Le, Jonah Bloom, Drew Weber), Miller Campbell (Weight Throw), Ryan Clough (5,000 Meters), Will Henry (800 Meters), George Karamitsos (5,000 Meters), Gabe Menicke (Triple Jump), Nolan Mickenham (200 Meters), Andrew Oslin (5,000 Meters), Angelo Ramos (Weight Throw), Drew Weber (800 Meters, Mile)

WOMEN
Central Washington: Lauryn Chandler (60m Hurdles), Ellie DeGroot (Pentathlon), E’lexis Hollis (60 Meters)
Northwest Nazarene: Destany Herbert (Shot Put), Kensey Yenor (Pole Vault*)
Seattle Pacific: Vanessa Aniteye (800 Meters*), Lizzy Daugherty (Pole Vault), Kayla Tassara (Pole Vault)
Simon Fraser: Distance Medley Relay (Kate Cameron, Marie-Éloïse Leclair, Elizabeth Vanderput, Megan Roxby), Marie-Éloïse Leclair (60 Meters*, 200 Meters, 400 Meters*), Kennedy Primrose (Triple Jump), Megan Roxby (800 Meters, Mile*)
Western Oregon: Caitlin Heldt (5,000 Meters), Jenelle Hurley (Pentathlon), Ana Popchock (Triple Jump), Maliyah Thompson (60m Hurdles)
Western Washington: Distance Medley Relay* (Sophie Wright, Anna Miller, Mia Crocker, Ila Davis), Ila Davis (Mile), Katie Potts (Shot Put, Weight Throw), Raine Westfall (Weight Throw)