Championship weekend is under way!
At the WAC Championships, hosted by Utah Valley University, Seattle University freshman Nicole Whittern (left/photo courtesy Seattle University) threw 136-3 (41.53m) to get the Redhawks’ first podium finish of the meet in the women’s javelin.
Whittern, who attended Nooksack Valley HS who was in fourth entering the final round, came through with the toss to move up to third, and in the process, scored a personal best.
In other events Thursday, Kyle Kennedy earned a seventh place finish in the men’s 10000, running 32:47.59.
The meet resumes Friday and goes through Saturday.
The link to live results is available here.
In Missoula, Montana, senior Dominique Butler finished eighth in the heptathlon at the BIG SKY CONFERENCE championship meet hosted by the University of Montana, with a final two-day score of 4675 points
Butler's best performance was in the 200-meter dash, earning 12th with a new personal best time of 25.97 and 800 points. She also took fifth in the long jump with a personal best jump of 18-0 1/2 (5.50m) for 700 points.
Her best placing was in the shot put, where she finished second with a toss of 37-10.5 (11.54m).
In the decathlon, Quintin Porterfield was seventh overall with a score of 5,703. His best performances over the two days was in the 100 meters with personal best time of 11.06 and 847 points. He also placed third in the 400 meters with a time of 50.62 for 786 points.
The meet resumes Friday and goes through Saturday.
The link to live results is available here.
GNAC CHAMPIONSHIPS START FRIDAY...
On Friday, Seattle Pacific, Western Washington, Central Washington and Saint Martin’s all head to Monmouth, Oregon for the GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE championship meet hosted by Western Oregon.
On the women’s side, it is projected to be a battle between the Falcons and the Wildcats, with the Wildcats getting a jump start with HarLee Ortega’s win in the heptathlon last week.
Central Washington enters the meet with 15 points in hand thanks to the heptathlon and a victory by senior HarLee Ortega. The senior is also the defending champion in the triple jump, entering the meet ranked fourth in the GNAC. Junior Erykah Weems is the returning champ in the 400-meter hurdles and is joined by sophomore Sidney Trinidad, who set the GNAC record in the event three weeks ago at 59.11 seconds. Senior Mariyah Vongsaveng will aim for her third straight title in the 100-meter hurdles. She leads the GNAC at 14.02 seconds.
Junior Halle Irvine is looking for her second straight pole vault title and enters the meet with the No. 14 mark in Division II at 12 feet, 9.5 inches. Senior Alexa Shindruk, meanwhile, has the No. 3 time in Division II in the 10,000 meters (34:25.41).
Seattle Pacific’s depth is what gives the team its best chance at a title. Junior Kate Lilly is among the conference leaders in both the 1,500 meters (4:28.99) and the 5,000 meters (16:51.60) while freshman Kaylee Mitchell set the SPU record in the steeplechase earlier in the season (10:37.53). Junior Scout Cai, who placed third in last week’s heptathlon, is among the contenders in the pole vault. Adding to the depth in the sprints and jumps is sophomore Julia Stepper, freshman Peace Igbonagwam (2019 indoor long jump champion) and freshman Jenna Bouyer.
Junior Grace Bley won the 200 meters a year ago and comes in with the No. 2 time in the GNAC at 24.48 seconds. Sophomore Renick Meyer is the defending champion in both the 100 meters and long jump and enters the No. 3 mark in the conference in both events.
Western Washington has GNAC top-three performers in Savannah Smith in the 200 meters, Sophia Galvez in the 10,000 meters, Maddie Taylor and Heather Faretta in the high jump, Lexi Perry in the pole vault and Chanelle Eddy in the discus.
On the men’s side, Western Washington has shown little signs of losing momentum. The Vikings are led by returning 110-meter hurdles champion Cordell Cummings. Not only does he lead the GNAC in the event (14.52), but his time of 51.95 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles ranks sixth in Division II.
Karlington Anunagba has impressed as a freshman. He enters the championship with the top mark in the 100 meters at 10.33 seconds, ranking him eighth in Division II, and is third in the 200 meters at 21.68 seconds. Senior Kyler Sager is second in the GNAC in the 800 meters (1:52.46) while freshman Koby Okezie is second behind Cummings in the 110-meter hurdles (15.02). In the field events, Senior JT Konrad has the GNAC’s top mark in the pole vault (15-9/4.80m) while Cooper McNatt is third in the conference in the javelin (195-10/59.70m).
Central Washington hopes to contend with a pair of returning champions. Senior Zach Whittaker won the triple jump in 2018 and also won the title indoors in February. Sophomore Braydon Maier won the pole vault as a freshman and is tied for second in the conference this season.
Saint Martin’s freshman Tyler Cronk is the one to watch in the men’s high jump. Cronk is automatically qualified for nationals with a mark of 7 feet, 0.5 (2.15m), just a half-inch short of the GNAC record.
The GNAC’s Championship Central is available here.
paulmerca.blogspot.com will have a preview of Saturday and Sunday’s PAC-12 CONFERENCE championship meet posted on Friday. We will be on site in Tucson, Arizona for the Pac-12s.
NOTE: The sports information offices of Seattle University, Eastern Washington, and the Great Northwest Athletic Conference contributed to this report.
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