Tuesday, January 20, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. –  Nineteen GNAC athletes are ranked in the Top 10 in 23 events on the current NCAA Division II national performance list on TFRRS (Track and Field Results Reporting System).

Three GNAC athletes, including Lindsey Butterworth of Simon Fraser, have the best marks in Division II.

Butterworth claimed the early-season top spot in the women’s mile posting a time of 4:44.80 in placing sixth at the University of Washington Indoor Preview Saturday.

That performance earned her USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week honors.  Her mile time is also the second best in GNAC history trailing only Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler who ran a 4:32.88 in 2010.

Robert Peterson of Montana State Billings and Mikel Smith of Saint Martin’s also are national leaders.

Peterson ran a second-place time of 4:16.18 at last Friday’s Montana State Open.  That converts (for track size and altitude) to a national-leading 4:07.50 and is also the second best time in GNAC history in back of 4:07.46 by Anthony Tomsich of Western Washington in 2010.

Smith high jumped 7-0 ½ at UW, becoming the first athlete in GNAC history to clear seven feet either indoor or outdoor.  He broke the GNAC indoor record of 6-10 ¼ set last year by Brett Watson.

Peterson is one of four GNAC athletes with national Top 10 performances in two events.  His 3000 meter time of 8:28.68 (converted to 8:15.52) current ranks second on TFRRS.

Alex Donigian of Western Washington ranks second nationally in the 60 meters (6.72) and eighth in the 200 (21.67). 

Both of those times from Saturday’s meet at Seattle are GNAC records. He eclipsed his own previous record in the 60. 

In the 200, he broke the old record of 21.77 by Western Oregon’s Mike Hinshaw which had been the oldest surviving GNAC record.

Peyton Lewis of Northwest Nazarene ranks second nationally in the pole vault (16-9 ¼ Dec. 13 at Jacksons Open in Nampa) and sixth in the heptathlon (5075 last weekend in the Ed Jacoby Multi at Nampa).

Kristin Anders of Alaska Anchorage is the lone GNAC woman with two Top 10 national rankings.   She won the Ed Jacoby pentathlon with a score of 3,791.  That ranks  third.

In the process, she high jumped 5-7 3/4, which ranks seventh on TFRRS.  She also posted a national qualifying mark of 18-5 ¼ in the long jump.

In addition to Anders’ long jump and the marks that rank in the Top 10 on TFRRS, Travis Milbrandt of Western Washington in the 60 hurdles (GNAC-record 8.20) and McKenna Emmert (11-9 ¾ in pole vault) and Becki Duhamel of Central Washington (54-2 in the weight throw) also posted provisional national qualifying marks at UW.

NCAA National Top 10 Leaders

Men: 60 – 2. Alex Donigian, WWU, 6.72. 200 – 8. Alex Donigian, WWU, 21.67.  400 – 6. Joel Webster, SFU, 48.45. Mile – 1. Robert Peterson, MSUB, 4:07.50; 5. Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 4:10.25; 10. Travis Vugteveen, SFU, 4:12.17.  3000 – 2.  Robert Peterson, MSUB, 8:15.52; 4. Marc-Antoine Rouleau, SFU, 8:19.41; 5. Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 8:22.54. High Jump – 1. Mikel Smith, SMU, 7-0 ½. Pole Vault – 2. Payton Lewis, NNU, 5.11 – 16-9 ¼; 10. Matt DeHan, SMU, 4.80 – 15-9. Long Jump – 8. Brett Watson, WWU, 7.19 – 23-7 ¼.  Heptathlon – 6. Payton Lewis, 5075.

Women: 800 – 3.  Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:12.83; 5. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA,, 2:15.27; 8. Paige Nock, SFU, 2:15.42.     Mile – 1. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 4:44.80. 3000 – 4. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 9:36.18; 6. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 9:47.97; 9. Peggy Noel, SFU, 9:54.42. High Jump – 7. Karolin Anders, UAA, 1.72 – 5-7 ¾.  Pentathlon – 3. Karolin Anders, UAA, 3791.

27 Performances Make GNAC All-Time Top 10s

A total 27 performances from last weekend’s meets earned spots in the GNAC All-Time Top 10s.

Four of them were GNAC records -  WWU’s Alex Donigian’s performances in the 60 and 200, SMU’s Mikel Smith’s high jump and Travis Milbrandt of Western Washington in the 60 hurdles.

Following is a complete list of Top 10 performances:

Men: 60 – 1. Alex Donigian, WWU, 6.72; 7. Kent McKinney, CWU, 6.92; 8. Cody Warner, WOU, 6.96.  200 – 1. Alex Donigian, WWU, 21.67.  400 – 3. Joel Webster, SFU, 48.45. Mile – 2. *Robert Peterson, MSUB, 4:07.50; 7. Cameron Proceviat, SFU, 4:10.25.  3000 – 5. Marc-Antoine Rouleau, SFU, 8:19.41; 8. Oliver Jorgensen, SFU, 8:22.54; 10. Henry Cheseto, UAA, 8:29.33 (UAA’s Dylan Anthony ran at 8:27.47 but has a better career time). 60 Hurdles – 1. Travis Milbrandt, WWU, 8.20.  4x400 Relay – 7. Simon Fraser 3:19.54.  High Jump – 1. Mikel Smith, SMU, 7-0 ½. Pole Vault – 8. Matt DeHan, SMU, 4.80 – 15-9. Long Jump – 2. Brett Watson, WWU, 7.19 – 23-7 ¼; 10. Luke Plummer, CWU, 6.99 – 22-11 ¼.  Heptathlon – 2. +Payton Lewis, NNU, 5075. (All performances at UW except:  *at Bozeman.  +At Nampa).

Women: 60 – 5. Becca Houk, SPU, 7.76; 10. Tasia Baldwin, SPU, 7.87 (UAA’s Jamie Ashcroft ran a 7.87 but has a better career time).    Mile – 2. Lindsey Butterworth, SFU, 4:44.80. 3000 – 3. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 9:36.18; 6. Katelyn Steen, WWU, 9:47.97; 9. Peggy Noel, SFU, 9:54.42. 4x400 Relay – 9. Simon Fraser 3:54.62. High Jump – 6. +Karolin Anders, UAA, 1.72 – 5-7 ¾.  Long Jump – 5. +Karolin Anders, UAA, 5.62 – 18-5 ¼.   (All performances at UW except:  +At Nampa).

AROUND THE GNAC:   Western Oregon’s Stephanie Stuckey set a school record in the 1,000 meters at UW, finishing 16^th overall in a time of 3:02.96.  She was the fastest non-Division I collegiate finisher.  WOU’s Emmi Collier was also the highest non-Division I collegiate finisher in the shot put with a throw of 42-2 ¼,  Freshman Cody Warner’s 6.96 in the 60 ranks second on the Wolf Top 10 list …  Frank Krause of Saint Martin’s finished fifth in the men’s 800 (1:54.21) combined results in back of two runners from Bowerman TC and one each from USC and Stanford … Seattle Pacific freshman Mario Lopez broke a 10-year-old school record in the 400 meters at UW, winning his heat in 49.91. Another freshman Chris Moreton ran 49.94 as both broke the old school record of 49.99 by Chris Randolph.

LAST WEEK’S RESULTS

Ed Jacoby Invitational (Jan. 16-17 at Nampa):  Men (Top 6): 800 – 5. Nathan Kipchumba, UAA, 1:57.12; 6. Chase Cunningham, NNU, 1:57.83. 3000 – 6. Edwin Kangogo, UAA, 8:56.89.  60 Hurdles – 5. Kyle McLaughlin, NNU, 8.51. 4x400 – 4. Alaska Anchorage 3:23.05; 6. Northwest Nazarene 3:33.11.  Distance Medley Relay – 2. Alaska Anchorage 10:13.01; 6. Northwest Nazarene 10:30.2.  High Jump – 4. Cole Hoberg, NNU, 2.00 – 6-6 ¾ . Long Jump – 5. Tevin Gladden, UAA, 6.36 – 20-10 1/2; 6. Nathan Moore, NNU, 6.29 – 20-7 ¾ .    Shot Put – 5. Grant George, UAA, 14.80 – 48-6 ¾.  Weight Throw – 5. John VanBeuren, NNU, 14.95 – 49-0 ¾.  Heptathlon – 2. Payton Lewis, NNU, 5076; 3. Cody Thomas, NNU, 4615; 5. Andrew Galbraith, NNU, 4286. Women:  2000 – 6. Jamie Ashcroft, UAA, 25.35.  800 – 3. Haleigh Lloyd, UAA, 2:15.27.  3000 – 5. Susanna Fleming, NNU, 10:38.88.   60 Hurdles – 5. Chelsey Knott, NNU, 8.94. 4x400 – 5. Alaska Anchorage 4:01.17.  Pentathlon – 1. Karolin Anders, UAA, 3791; 6. Rosie Smith, UAA, 3213.

Montana State Open (Jan. 16 at Bozeman):  Men (Top 6): 800 – 4. Liam McKay, MSUB, 2:02.05.  Mile – 2. Robert Peterson, MSUB, 4:16.18.  3000 – 4. Robert Peterson, MSUB, 8:54.53.  60 Hurdles – 6. Preston Schubert, MSUB, 9.24. High Jump – 3. Dominique Holt, MSUB, 1.85 – 6-0 ¾.  Long Jump – 6. Dominique Holt, MSUB, 6.09 – 19-11 ¾.  Triple Jump – 3. Kail Pope, MSUB, 12.17 – 39-11 ¼. Women (Top 6): 3000 – 6. Rio Frame, MSUB, 11:20.16.  Pole Vault – 5. Amanda Nichols, MSUB, 3.35 – 10-11 3/4.

UW Indoor Preview (Jan. 17 at Seattle): Men (Top 8):  60 – 5. Alex Donigian, WWU, 6.72.  200 – 5. Alex Donigian, WWU, 21.67. 400 – 4. Joel Webster, SFU, 48.45.  800 – 5. Frank Krause, SMU, 1:54.21.  4x400 Relay – 4. Simon Fraser 3:19.54; 8. Seattle Pacific 3:23.96.  4x800 – 5. Western Oregon 7:54.22. High Jump – 3. Mikel Smith, SMU, 2.15 – 7-0 ½; 8. Brett Watson, WWU, 2.00 – 6-6 ¾.  Long Jump – 2. Brett Watson, WWU, 7.19 – 23-7 ¼; 4. Luke Plummer, CWU, 6.99 – 22-11 ¼. Triple Jump – 6. Luke Plummer, CWU, 14.01 – 45-11 ¾; 8. Mark Seely, WWU, 13.94 – 45-9. Weight Throw – 5. Armando Tafoya, CWU, 16.87 – 55-4 ¼; 6. Kevin Stanley, CWU, 16.69 – 54-9 1/4; 8. Vincent Fualefau, SMU, 14.76 – 48-5 ¼.   Women (Top 8): 800 – 5. Lynelle Decker, SPU, 2:12.83; 8. Paige Nock, SFU, 2:15.42.  Mile – 6. Lindsay  Butterworth, SFU, 4:44.80. 3000 – 5. Jennifer Johnson, SFU, 9:36.18. 4x400 Relay – 3. Simon Fraser 3:54.62; 5. Seattle Pacific 3:57.64; 7. Simon Fraser 4:02.49.  4x800 Relay – 5. Western Oregon 9:58.83. Pole Vault – 7. McKenna Emmert, CWU, 3.60 – 11-9 ¾.   Weight Throw – 6. Becki Duhamel, CWU, 16.51 – 54-2.

GNAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

MEN: Track – Alex Donigian, Western Washington (Jr., Mission Viejo, CA – Northern Colorado) and Robert Peterson, Montana State Billings (Jr., Billings, MT - Skyview) …. Donigian set GNAC records in both the 60 meters and 200 meters at the University of Washington Indoor Preview, qualifying automatically for the NCAA Division II national meet in the latter event with a time of 6.72.  That time ranks second nationally.  In the 200 he ran a time of 21.67 erasing the longest standing GNAC record of 21.77 by Mike Hinshaw of  Western Oregon in 2002.  Donigian’s time ranks eighth In NCAA Division II … Peterson grabbed the national lead in the mile at the Montana State Open qualifying provisionally for the NCAA national meet with a time of 4:07.50 (converted from 4:16.80 for track size and altitude).  His time ranks second in GNAC history.  He also currently ranks second in the NCAA rankings in the 3,000 meters with a time of 8:15.52.  Field – Mikel Smith, Saint Martin’s (Jr., Muskogee, OK) high jumped 7-0 ½ at UW becoming the first athlete in GNAC history to clear the seven-foot mark indoor or outdoor.  The previous GNAC indoor record was 6-10 ¼ by Brett Watson of Western Washington last year.

WOMEN:  Track – Lindsey Butterworth, Simon Fraser (Sr., North Vancouver, BC) took the early-season NCAA Division II national lead in the mile running a time of 4:44.80 at the University of Washington Indoor Preview.  Her time ranks second in GNAC history as only Seattle Pacific’s Jessica Pixler (4:32.88 in 2010) has run faster.  Butterworth shaved 13.29 seconds off her previous career best of 4:58.09 accomplished before redshirting in 2014.  Field – Karolin Anders, Alaska Anchorage (Jr., Berlin, Germany) had three national qualifying and two GNAC All-Time Top 10 performances at the Ed Jacoby Invitational at Nampa.  Anders had PNQs of 3,791 points in the pentathlon, 5-7 ¾ in the high jump and 18-5 ¼ in the long jump. Her pentathlon score currently ranks third in Division II and her high jump mark ranks seventh.  Both her high jump and long jump performances rank sixth on the GNAC All-Time Top 10.

GNAC Weekly (PDF version)