NCAA announces field for Division II championships in Michigan next week, plus USATF HP meet field...
INDIANAPOLIS--The NCAA announced the field Tuesday for next weekend's (May 22-24) Division II national championships in Allendale, Michigan, hosted by Grand Valley State University.
Reigning GNAC men's champions Western Washington will have four athletes in the field: 100 meter sprinter Alex Donigian; Frank Catelli in both the shot put and discus; and John Haskin and Slater Hirst in the javelin.
Catelli (above/photo courtesy Western Washington University) is ranked fifth in the shot after breaking his own GNAC record with a put of 59-7 (18.16m) last weekend in the GNAC Championships at Monmouth.
Hirst is seeded seventh in the javelin on the current national list with a best of 214-8 (65.44m) set at last week's conference championship meet.
On the women's side, the Vikings' Bethany Drake, who missed last week's GNAC championship meet, is the #1 seed in the javelin with her 169-6 (51.66m). She will be joined in that event by Katie Reichert.
Western, currently ranked #18 in the latest USTFCCCA Division II computer rankings, will also send steeplechaser Katelyn Steen, and hammer thrower Lindsay Wells to Michigan to compete in the national championship.
Seattle Pacific qualified 800 meter runners McKayla Fricker and Lynelle Decker, along with its 4 x 400 meter relay team comprising of Tasia Baldwin, Jasmine Johnson, Kishia Mitchell and Fricker.
The Wildcats of Central Washington will have three athletes in the national championship meet--steeplechaser Dani Eggleston, 1500 meter runner Connie Morgan, and high jumper Tayler Fettig.
Saint Martin's Kalli Walker, who is the school's fourth woman to ever qualify for the national championships, will contest the javelin.
A number of athletes with Washington ties will run in Thursday night's USATF High Performance Distance Classic at Jack Kemp Stadium on the campus of Occidental College in Los Angeles.
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| Brie Felnagle and Katie Mackey (Paul Merca photo) |
The Brooks Beasts will have a large presence, led by Washington alum Katie Mackey, fresh off a big personal best in the 5000 at the Payton Jordan meet at Stanford on May 4th. Mackey is entered in the 1500, along with her training partner and Tacoma resident Brie Felnagle.
Also entered in the women's 1500 are Angela Bizzarri and Jessica Tebo of the Beasts, Bellingham native Becca Friday, and Seattle resident Laura Carlyle.
Phoebe Wright and Erica Moore of the Beasts are entered in the 800.
In the men's 1500, Garrett Heath and Riley Masters of the Beasts are entered, as is Auburn/Riverside alum Jordan McNamara. Former Bellingham resident and 2012 US Olympian Donn Cabral is entered in the steeplechase.
The USATF High Performance Distance Classic will be webcast on usatf.tv Thursday beginning at 6:15pm, pacific.
NOTE: The NCAA, USA Track & Field, Occidental College, and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference contributed to this report.
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