WEEKEND RECAP: Elise Hopper of CWU runs national D2 top-3 early season marks in Corvallis...
With only Washington and Washington State sitting out after the NCAA indoor championships, the other seven Division I and II teams were in action over the weekend at various venues in Washington and Oregon.
PNW INVITATIONAL RECAP
At the PNW Invitational on Friday and Saturday (3/20 & 21) at the Whyte Track & Field Complex in Corvallis, hosted by Oregon State University, Central Washington, Seattle Pacific, Saint Martin's, Western Washington, and Seattle University had athletes competing.
The Wildcats were the big winners in Corvallis, picking up three wins each on both the men's and women's side, while Seattle Pacific earned a men's and two women's wins.
Elise Hopper (Loren Orr/GNAC photo) won two individual events, and had a hand in winning the 4 x 400 relay.
She clocked a time of 54.29 in the 400-meters, which checks in at No. 6 in GNAC outdoor history. It was the fastest time among the field of 23 competitors at the meet. Hopper also won the 400-meter hurdles in 59.90 which was fourth-fastest in GNAC history. Both marks are currently the number 3 time in Division II so far this season.
For good measure, she finished second in the 100 in a personal best 12.05 (12.048) behind teammate Ashlyn Nielsen, who was also credited at 12.05 (12.044) in a photo finish.
Hopper teamed with Nielsen, Julie Castillejo, and Ellie DeGroot to win the 4 x 400 relay in a D2 leading time of 3:44.00.
According to Central head coach Jonathan Hill, “Elise was on a different level this week. She got a taste of nationals and ran absolutely inspired. Her 400 hurdles was a pleasant surprise. She executed a brilliant plan and now we have a blueprint to run really fast. Her 100, 400 and 4x400 were all lifetime bests – 12.05, 54.29 and 52.84 splits is a legit day.”
NCAA indoor hurdles qualifier Hannah Chang of Seattle Pacific won the 100 hurdles in 14.55, while Maya Ewing took the 3000 steeplechase in 10:56.95 for SPU's two women's wins.
Central got their three men's wins from David Brown in the 110 hurdles (14.63), Josh Boast in the 400 hurdles (53.01) and Matthew Bender in the high jump at 6-4.75/1.95m.
Seattle Pacific's Justin Brooks won the men's 400 in 48.90.
SAM ADAMS INVITATIONAL RECAP...
In Spokane on Friday (3/20), Eastern Washington and Gonzaga scooped up most of the wins at the Sam Adams Classic, hosted by Whitworth University at the Pine Bowl.
Eastern recorded 19 wins (11 men, 8 women), while Gonzaga got seven wins (4 women, 3 men) on the day.
Top marks by the Eagles came from Alex Blecha, who won the pole vault at 16-6.75 (5.05m), and the men's 4 x 100 relay that won in 40.90.
Gonzaga's best marks came in the women's 800, won by Claire Manley in 2:12.52, and in the 3000, won by Anna Grabowski in 9:24.06. Logan Schultz won the men's 3000 in 8:09.29, while Logan Law won the infrequently contested 2000 steeplechase in 5:52.58.
BRAD MOORE INVITATIONAL RECAP...
In Tacoma on Saturday (3/21), Western Washington recorded 16 wins on the day at the Brad Moore Invitational, hosted by Pacific Lutheran University.
Maurice Woodring opened his outdoor campaign as the two-time defending GNAC 400 hurdles champ won in a time of 52.09, currently the fifth fastest time in Division II so far this season.
Woodring, along with Lucas Brenek, Jackson Moffitt, and Evin Ford ran 3:12.41, currently the third fastest time in D2 this season. It's also the second fastest time in school history and the fourth fastest in GNAC history.
Kathryn Chapin took the shot, throwing 46-6 (14.17m), currently eighth on the national descending order list, while Jessica Polkinghorn threw 141-5 (43.10m) to win the javelin, the number 17 mark in the country so far.
NOTE: The Great Northwest Athletic Conference, and the sports information offices of Western Washington, Central Washington, Eastern Washington, and Gonzaga contributed to this report.
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