Jakob Braunstein of Western seals spot in NCAA D2 champs with javelin PB...
Thanks in part to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's decision to conduct its championship meet early in the week, those athletes from Washington's Division II schools had extra days if needed to compete in a last chance meet before Sunday's deadline to post a qualifying mark for the NCAA Division II championships in Emporia, Kansas.
Of the four Washington GNAC schools, Western Washington had the largest group competing Saturday, with their throwers plus a few individuals in Burnaby, BC for the Emilie Mondor Invitational, hosted by Simon Fraser University, and a group of distance runners in Portland for the Portland Twilight meet at Lewis & Clark College.
In Burnaby, javelin thrower Jakob Braunstein (Nathan Herde/GNAC photo) ensured his place among the top 22 and a spot in the NCAA championships with a personal best, throwing 224-10 (68.54m) to win the event.
Teammate Andrew Nelson was second with a best of 214-4 (65.32m). As of Saturday night, Nelson is number 23 on the NCAA D2 descending order list, and would be the first one out, pending scratches when the accepted entries are announced on Tuesday.
The Vikings' Emmy Kroontje, who was 23rd in the women's 800 at 2:08.60 before Saturday, finished third in her race in 2:10.23. With six marks set Saturday better than her season best, she would have to hope that there are enough athletes scratching or deciding to compete in other events. Kroontje does have an outside chance of getting into the NCAA meet in the 1500, with her best of 4:26.27.
Ari Nguyen won the women's 400 hurdles in 60.49, but will have to wait to see if she gets to go to nationals. She ran 59.79 at the Bryan Clay Invitational last month, which currently is outside the top 22.
Freshman Jackson Moffitt won the men's 400 in 48.26, off his personal best of 46.74 set in the GNAC finals Tuesday. However, the Vikings' 4 x 400 relay team is safely one of the top 16 squads, and Moffitt will get to go to nationals.
At the Portland Twilight, Jared Alderfer, who is on the bubble in the steeplechase at number 24 on the descending order list at 9:00.54, won his event in 9:02.93.
Washington alum Eleanor Fulton won the women's 800 in 2:02.98.
Seattle Pacific's Hannah Chang, who needed to run close to her personal best of 13.76 from last year to have a realistic shot at qualifying for her second NCAA outdoor championships in the 100 hurdles, ran a season best 13.90 to finish second behind Allyson Hammond of Pacific, who ran 13.85.
Late Friday night in Azusa, California at the Franson Last Chance meet, hosted by Azusa Pacific University, Seattle University's Seku Sanders finished sixth in his heat of the men's 800, running 1:48.83.
Sanders, who has a personal best 1:48.75, is currently outside the top 48 needed to qualify for the NCAA Division I West Regionals in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Going into conference championship week, the number 48 time in the West region is 1:48.19. If Sanders can qualify, it would mark the first time since 2015 that an athlete from Seattle University has qualified for the regional meet, and the first time a running event athlete has qualified since they moved up to Division I in 2012.
Azalea Groleau was fifth in her debut over 10000 meters, running 35:51.77.
Washington's five Division I schools will have until May 17th to attain marks to qualify for the NCAA West Regional meet. Eastern Washington and the University of Washington will compete in their conference championship meets next weekend, while Gonzaga, Washington State and SeattleU have last chance meets on their schedule.
NOTE: The sports information office of Western Washington and the GNAC contributed to this report.
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