CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND (pt.2): SPU's Annika Esvelt to double in 5000 & 3000 at NCAA D2 champs...
After a season that started two weeks removed from the end of the cross country season in Boston at the hyper-fast Boston University Track & Tennis Center, went through The Podium in Spokane, and got into full gear in January at Washington's Dempsey Indoor, the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, the Albuquerque Convention Center, and other noted indoor track & field facilities around the country, the 2024-25 collegiate season comes to an end for Washington's Division I and II schools this weekend.
The road for the NCAA Division II schools ends in Indianapolis for their championship meet at the Fall Creek Pavilion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.
One minor change in the traditional two day format of the indoor championships for this year is that it's spread out over three days. The indoor track and field championships are part of the NCAA's Winter Festival, as Indianapolis is also hosting the Division II swimming and diving championships, as well as the wrestling championship.
The winter sports festival is very similar to the fall sports festival that the Seattle area hosted in 2022, which included cross country, soccer, field hockey and volleyball.
Of the three Washington schools sending athletes to Indianapolis: Western Washington, Central Washington, and Seattle Pacific, only the Central Washington women's team at number 15 is ranked in the final USTFCCCA Division II indoor track & field rating index.
In the case of Seattle Pacific's Annika Esvelt (photo courtesy Great Northwest Athletic Conference), who is entered in the two longest races of the championships, she gets an extra day to rest. The 5000 on Thursday goes at 6:15 local time (3:15 pm Pacific), where she's seeded fourth, and the 3000 on Saturday at 4:40 pm local time (1:40 pm Pacific), where she's the number nine seed.
Central Washington's E'lexis Hollis, who finished fourth in the 60 last year, is seeded third in the 60, and number 13 in the 200. She gets a slight break, as the 60 semis are on Thursday at 4:15 local time (1:15 pm Pacific), with the finals on Saturday at 2:45 pm local time (11:45 am Pacific).
However, it's offset by the fact that the 200 semis are on Friday, and should she make the finals in both races, Hollis will race twice on Saturday. Fortunately, the 60 is before the 200 on Saturday.
Western Washington's Bec Bennett, who is seeded 16th in the 400, races in her semi Thursday at 5:35 pm local time (2:35 pm Pacific).
Besides Esvelt, the only Washington athlete competing in a final on Thursday is pole vaulter Lauryn McGough, who goes at 3 pm (noon Pacific time). She'll be in a field that includes former Husky Sarah Ferguson, who now competes for Roberts Wesleyan.
On Friday, both of Central Washington's men's entries, 800 meter runner Johan Correa, and 200 meter runner Bautista Diamante, race in their semifinals.
Correa, who is already an All-American in both cross country and outdoor track, is competing in his first NCAA indoor championship meet, where he's seeded seventh.
Diamante heads into the D2 championship meet seeded 14th in his event.
Ending the meet Friday at 5:40 pm local time is Western's distance medley relay team of Bec Bennett, Ila Davis, Emmy Kroontje, and Sophie Wright, who are seeded seventh. Mia Crocker is the reserve.
In addition to the athletes competing in semis on Thursday and Friday for a chance at the finals on Saturday, Central Washington's Isaiah Webster (triple jump, 8th), Emy Ntekpere (high jump, 14th/triple jump, 2nd), Western Washington's Kora Cook (high jump, 7th) and Kevin McDermott (3000 meters, 16th) will see action.
The meet will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
The NCAA Division II indoor championship meet microsite, which includes the start lists and time schedule is available here, while the fan site is available here.
NOTE: The USTFCCCA, Great Northwest Athletic Conference, along with the sports information offices of Western Washington, Seattle Pacific, and Central Washington University contributed to this report.
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