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WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
With 22 event titles to be won, not to mention team championships and individual awards, the final day of the 2016 WAC Indoor Track and Field Championships was energetic from the very beginning.
Grand Canyon entered the day as the leader in the men's team standings and never wavered. GCU used a win in the men's pole vault by Scott Marshall, clearing 4.85m (15-11.00), to begin to pull away and Pierre-Louis Ricou also earned big points for the ‘Lopes winning the 60m hurdles in a time of 8.19.
Missouri-Kansas City and Utah Valley put up some numbers, as UMKC's Blake Hocking won the shot put with a throw of 16.78m and Dinsdale Morgan won the men's triple jump with a jump of 14.78m. Utah Valley's Trac Norris dominated on the track, taking home titles in the mile, the 800-meters and the 3,000-meter run.
From there, GCU cruised to the team title victory, topping second-place UVU by 49 points. Grand Canyon's Tom Flood was named Men's Coach of the Year and Ricou was both the High Point winner and Outstanding Field Performer for the men. UVU's Norris was named Outstanding Track Performer and Missouri-Kansas City's Densdale Morgan was named Freshman of the Year.
On the women's side, Grand Canyon was the leader at the start of the day and kept it that way, bringing home titles in the triple jump, shot put, 60-meter hurdles, 60-meter dash, 800-meter dash and the 4x400 relay. GCU topped the next closest team, UMKC, by 134 points.
Flood was also named women's Coach of the Year. GCU's Sarah Root was named Freshman of the year while teammate Kevina Godfrey earned the High Point Award. Missouri-Kansas City's Kelsey Benoit was named Outstanding Field Performer and Utah Valley's Savannah Berry was named Outstanding Track Performer.
Men's Team Finishes
Pl. School Total
1. Grand Canyon 232
2. Utah Valley 183
3. Missouri-Kansas City 108.50
4. UT Rio Grande Valley 64.50
5. Seattle U 57
Men's Individual Titles
Name, School Event
Pierre-Louis Ricou, GCU Heptathlon
Shaddye Melu, SU High Jump
McKay Burnett, UVU Weight Throw
Marcus Flannigan, GVU Long Jump
Jason Lynch, UVU 5,000 m
Blake Hocking, UMKC Shot Put
Dinsdale Morgan, UMKC Triple Jump
Scott Marshall, GCU Pole Vault
Trac Norris, UVU Mile
Pierre-Louis Ricou, GCU 60m Hurdles
Aaron Thurber, GCU 60m
Shaddye Melu, SU 400m
Trac Norris, UVU 800m
Nicholas Taylor, UVU 200m
Trac Norris, UVU 3,000m
Women's Team Finishes
Pl. School Total
1. Grand Canyon 253
2. Missouri-Kansas City 119
3. NM State 86
4. Utah Valley 80
5. Seattle U 64
6. UT Rio Grande Valley 46
7. CSU Bakersfield 6
Women's Individual Titles
Name, School Event
Mandie Maddux, SU Pentathlon
Kevina Godfrey, GCU Long Jump
Jennifer Rolph, GCU Pole Vault
Kelsey Benoit, UMKC Weight Throw
Savannah Berry, UVU 5,000 m
Andrea Olstead, GCU Triple Jump
Kayli Farmer, NMSU High Jump
Tarasue Barnett, GCU Shot Put
Lila Rice, SU Mile
Briana Myers, GCU 60m Hurdles
Tope Williams, GCU 60m
Chantel Bethune, UMKC 400m
Bailie Jones, GCU 800m
Katara Nelson, NMSU 200m
Savannah Berry, UVU 3,000m 3,000m
PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP COACHES POLL ANNOUNCED
The Western Athletic Conference announced its men's and women's indoor track and field pre-championship coaches polls, as voted on by the eight head coaches in the league. Grand Canyon was selected as the favorite to win both the men's and women's championship.
On the men's side, Grand Canyon was picked as the favorite with five first place votes and 25 points overall. Utah Valley captured second place with 21 points and one first place vote. Right behind the Wolverines is Missouri-Kansas City with 16 points. Seattle U with 12 points and UT Rio Grande Valley with 11 points grab the fourth and fifth spots and Chicago State rounds out the men's poll with five points.
For the women, Grand Canyon was also picked as the favorite to win the conference championship with four first place votes and 46 total points. Missouri-Kansas City and Utah Valley were close behind, earning 40 points each. The Wolverines picked up three first place votes and the ‘Roos picked up one first place vote. NM State grabs the fourth spot with 28 points. Seattle U with 24 points, UT Rio Grande Valley with 21 points, and Chicago State with 12 points are fifth, sixth, and seventh. CSU Bakersfield rounds out the women's poll at eighth place with eight points.
The 2016 Western Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field championships will take place at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa, Idaho this Thursday-Saturday, February 25-27.
2016 Pre-Championship Men's Indoor Track & Field Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st - Place Votes) Points
1 Grand Canyon (5) 25
2 Utah Valley (1) 21
3 Missouri-Kansas City 16
4 Seattle U 12
5 UT Rio Grande Valley 11
6 Chicago State 5
2016 Pre-Championship Women's Indoor Track & Field Coaches Poll
Rank Team (1st - Place Votes Points
1 Grand Canyon (4) 46
2 Utah Valley (3) 40
2 Missouri-Kansas City (1) 40
4 NM State 38
5 Seattle U 24
6 UT Rio Grande Valley 21
7 Chicago State 12
8 CSU Bakersfield 8
REGIONAL RANKINGS
The USTFCAA regional rankings have been posted and two WAC teams rank in the top 15. The Utah Valley men are 11th in the Mountain Region and the Grand Canyon men are 11th in the West Region.
GRAND CANYON INDIVIDUALS RANKED NATIONALLY
Three of the GCU men are getting national attention. Marcus Flannigan is currently ranked 17th in the country in the Long Jump. Aaron Thurber is 41st in the 60m dash and Pierre-Louis Ricou is 42nd in the heptathlon.
UTAH VALLEY'S NICK TAYLOR MAKING STRIDES
The senior set a new school record in the 200m dash with a time of 21.14 seconds as the Utah Valley University track and field team competed in the Bronco Invitational in the Ford Idaho Center on Saturday. Taylor surpassed the four-year standing record of 21.18 seconds, earning a victory in the 200m. Earlier in the day, Taylor also snagged the first-place victory in the 60m dash with a time of 6.78 seconds to pace the Wolverines. Taylor is tied for 23rd in the nation in the 200m, according to tfrrs.org.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 WAC Indoor Track and Field Championships are held in Nampa, Idaho from Feb. 25-27. Grand Canyon swept the team titles, placing first in women's with a score of 253 points and the men with a score of 232 points.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 Indoor Track and Field National Championships will be hosted by Samford and take place in Birmingham, Ala. from March 11-12.
March 11-12, 2016
Host: Samford
Location: Birmingham, Ala.
Facility: Birmingham Crossplex