BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Highlighted by an All-America finish in the women's distance medley relay and a No. 1 standing for junior Cody Thomas in the heptathlon, the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves concluded Day 1 of the 2015 NCAA Div. II Indoor Track & Field Championships on Friday.
For the third straight year, the women's team picked up All-America honors in the distance medley. This season, the foursome of senior Haleigh Lloyd, juniors Beatrice Decker, Jessica Pahkala and Rosie Smith claimed the loot for the Seawolves with an eighth-place showing. UAA, which entered as the No. 9 seed, posted a time of 11:40.67.
Lloyd and Pahkala were each on the two previous DMRs that finished fourth in 2014 and fifth in 2013.
Earlier in the day, Thomas used three personal indoor bests – including two Seawolf school records – to lead the heptathlon standings after four events.
A local from Blenheim, New Zealand, Thomas is not only on pace for a new school record, but also for his first All-America honor in a heptathlon. Currently, the Kiwi holds first place with 3,183 points – 73 points over second place Dillon Schrodt from Nebraska-Kearney.
An All-American in the decathlon, Thomas posted a school-record jump of 6-10.25 in the high jump, after posting a UAA-best 6.91 in the 60 meters – both good for first place. Additionally, Thomas furnished a personal best of 41-1.5 in the shot put and a leap of 22-3.5 in the long jump.
Meanwhile, sophomore Jamie Ashcroft competed in the prelims of the 60 meters and 200 meters. From Shawnigan Lake, B.C., Ashcroft posted a time of 24.56 in the 200 meters, good for ninth but just missed qualifying for the finals. The Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion in both events, Ashcroft also posted a time of 7.67 in the 60 meters.
Switching to the West Coast, the Seawolves produced solid performances at the Occidental Distance Carnival in Eagle Rock, Calif., and at the Ben Brown Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.
Leading the Pack was freshman Nathan Kipchumba with a provisional NCAA qualifying (PNQ) time in the 800 meters. A local from Eldoret, Kenya, Kipchumba won the event with a time of 1:51.25.
Also setting PNQ times in the 5,000 meters were senior Amy Johnston (17:13.92) for the women and junior Dominik Notz (14:15.61) and freshman Henry Cheseto (14:18.61) for the men.
