ALLENDALE, Mich. – Competing in their 14th straight NCAA Div. II Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Alaska Anchorage received an All-American finish in junior Dominik Notz, while two Seawolves qualified for Saturday's finals Thursday on the campus of Grand Valley State University.
Making his NCAA edbut was Notz, who picked up his first collegiate All-America honor in track & field, while UAA qualified two individuals to the finals on Saturday in sophomore Jamie Ashcroft and senior Haleigh Lloyd. Meanwhile, junior All-American Karolin Anders sits 11th in the heptathlon after Day 1.
Finishing fourth in the 10,000 meters was Notz, from Dettingen, Germany. Notz completed the race in a time of 30 minutes, 1.43 seconds, good for five points. Winning the race was Tyler Pence of Southern Indiana at 29:42.85.
Competing in the women's 10,000-meter finals were senior Amy Johnston and freshman Caroline Kurgat. A Seawolf newcomer from Salinas, Cailf., Johnston finished 11th with a time of 35:12.41, while Kurgat (Eldoret, Kenya) made her NCAA debut in 13th at 35:42.53.
Becoming the first UAA athlete – male or female – to qualifying for either the 100 meters or 200 meters finals was Ashcroft. A local from Shawnigan Lake, B.C., Ashcroft broke her own Great Northwest Athletic Conference 100-meter record with a new time of 11.64 to qualify for Saturday's finals with the sixth-fastest time. Ashcroft, whose previous record of 11.69 was set last season at the national meet, will also compete Friday in the 200-meter prelims.
Qualifying for the 400-meter hurdle finals for the second time in her career was Lloyd. An All-American in 2012 when she finished 7th, Lloyd posted a time of 1:00.29, finishing second in her heat and fourth overall. The Ladysmith, B.C., native will compete in the finals Saturday at 12:10 p.m. ADT.
After four events, Anders sits 11th in the heptathlon with 3,062 points. Last year's runner-up, Anders best performance of the day came in the high jump where she finished third with a leap of 5-5.75. A local of Berlin, Germany, Anders used a season-best time of 25.77 to finished 13th in the 200 meters, while finishing seventh in the shot put (38-0.25) and 17th in the 100-meter hurdles (15.37).
Leading the heptathlon is Salcia Slack of New Mexico Highlands with 3,368 points. Slack won the event last year with 5,714 points.
In her NCAA outdoor debut, junior Beatrice Decker finished seventh in her 1500-meter prelim with a time of 4:35.07, missing the finals by two positions.
The Seawolves return to action tomorrow with the second day of heptathlon competition at 6:30 a.m., followed by the prelims of the 200 meters (1:30 p.m.) and 800 meters (2 p.m.). All times Alaskan.
