WALNUT/AZUSA, Calif. – Junior Rosie Smith paced the Alaska Anchorage men's and women's multis at the California Invitational Combined Events Thursday, where she qualified provisionally for the NCAA Championships in the heptathlon, while five Seawolves qualified for the NCAAs in the 10,000 meters at the Mt. SAC Relays.
Smith, an Anchorage local, finished 23rd overall in the heptathlon with a career-high 4,613 points, qualifying herself provisionally for the NCAA Championships in May. Smith, a Bartlett graduate that bypassed her previous best of 4,344 points, furnished outdoor career bests in the long jump (17-1.5) and javelin (97-2) on Day 2 of the meet, while going 2:30.21 in the 800 meters.
In the decathlon, junior Travis Turner made his collegiate debut with 5,978 points, taking 12th overall. A local from Stockton, Calif., Turner used a season-best time of 15.27 in the 100-meter hurdles to finish fourth in the race. Additionally, Turner produced marks of 97-11 in the discus, 11-1.75 in the pole vault, 120-6 in the javelin and 4:50.34 in the 1500 meters on Day 2.
At the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays, five Seawolves posted provisional NCAA qualifying times in the 10,000 meters. In the women's heats, UAA was led by senior Amy Johnston with a personal best of 35:01.46, good for eighth in her heat, while freshman Caroline Kurgat also posted a career best of 35:28.00.
Meanwhile in the men's races, junior Dominik Notz posted a time of 29:26.29, while freshman Henry Cheseto went 29:49.06 and junior Victor Samoei went 30:11.79.
The Seawolves will regroup Friday for the Bryan Clay Invitational and Saturday for the Beach Invitational.