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WAC TRACK & FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
MEN
Grand Canyon's Aaron Thurber and Marcus Flannigan have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the week, respectively, for March 21-27.
Thurber, a senior from Phoenix, Ariz. (Willow Canyon) won the men's 100 meters with a time of 10.34, the No. 6 time in all of Division I. Thurber is the WAC's fastest runner this season in the 100 and 200. In addition to his win, Thurber also ran the second leg of the 4x100-meter relay, which placed second overall in the meet and has the WAC's fastest time.
Flannigan, a junior from Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler) finished third overall in the long jump with a jump of 7.28 meters, the best mark in the WAC this outdoor season to date. Flannigan also placed eighth overall in the 100 with a time of 10.67, running the third leg of the 4x100-meter relay which placed second and the anchor leg of the victorious 4x400-meter relay. Both relays are currently the fastest in the WAC and Flannigan's 100-meter time trails only Thurber in the conference ranks.
Other track nominees: UT Rio Grande Valley's Yariel Matute finished in third place in the 4000-meter dash at the Victor Lopez Classic after crossing the finish line with a time of 47.47 seconds. His time ranks third in program history and currently ranks first in the WAC this season. He then helped his 4x400-meter relay team finish in fifth place as they finished with a time of 3:14.33.
Other field nominees: Chicago State's Kory Jackson recorded a season-best jump of 23-05.25 (7.14 meters) at the UNF Spring Break Invitational to earn a fourth-place finish and also placed him second in the current WAC performance list. UT Rio Grande Valley's Javier Carretero posted a third place in the hammer throw at the Victor Lopez Classic after hitting a mark of 57.78 meters. He was just one of three throwers to surpass the 55-meter mark. His throw of 57.78 meters currently ranks first in the WAC by more than six meters.
WOMEN
NM State's Katara Nelson and Grand Canyon's Tarasue Barnett have been named Western Athletic Conference Track and Field Athletes of the Week, respectively, for March 21-27.
Nelson, a junior from Arlington, Texas (South Grand Prairie HS) ran the 100m with a time of 11.96 and the 200m with a time of 24.31 at the UTEP Springtime Invitational. She is currently ranked No. 1 in the WAC in both events.
Barnett, a junior from Kingston, Jamaica (Edwin Allen) broke the school record in the discus throw at the Aztec Invitational with a throw of 58.99m. Barnett's throw placed her second in the meet, but the mark currently ranks as the No. 3 throw in the entire country. She has the WAC lead in the event by 12.40 meters (46.68 ft). She also placed 11th in the shot put with a throw of 13.46m, the second-best mark in the WAC this season.
Other track nominees: Chicago State's Zhate' Jackson set a personal-best time of 24.62 to finish ninth in the 200-meter dash at the UNF Spring Break Invitational as she came close to breaking the school record in the event. She now ranks second on the WAC's performance list in the event. Grand Canyon's Briana Myers won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.64, which tied her collegiate best set last year. After conversion, Myers' time is No. 1 in the WAC for the 60m hurdles. In addition to the hurdles, Myers ran the 60 meters where she placed third with a time of 7.78, on hundredth of a second of her personal best from a year ago. Her time is the No. 8 mark in the WAC this season. NM State's Marissa Gonzales set a new school record in the Pole Vault with a mark of 3.75m. UT Rio Grande Valley's Geneva Anderson posted a sixth place finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the Victor Lopez Classic after crossing the finish line with a time of 1:02.78, which currently ranks first in the WAC. She then helped her 4x400-meter relay team to 10th place finish as they posted a time of 3:57.63.
Other field nominees: Chicago State's Arieta Vaimaona recorded a throw of 42-00 (12.89 meters) to set a personal-best mark and placed sixth at the UNF Spring Break Invitational. UT Rio Grande Valley's Leocajuan Williams posted a third place finish in the triple jump at the Victor Lopez Classic. She set a new career best after a jump of 12.39 meters, which currently ranks first in the WAC this season. Her jump also now ranks second in program history.
GRAND CANYON ON THE NATIONAL SCENE
Two athletes from Grand Canyon are currently ranked in the top 10 in NCAA D1. One week after shattering the GCU record in the discus with a throw of 56.92 meters at the Willie Williams Classic, Tarasue Barnett improved upon her impressive mark once again. The junior from Kingston, Jamaica placed second overall with a throw of 58.99m. Her throw currently is the best in the WAC and the No. 3 mark in the entire country. Aaron Thurber won the men's 100 meters with a time of 10.34, the No. 6 time in all of Division I. Thurber is the WAC's fastest runner this season in the 100 and 200.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 WAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships are hosted by Missouri-Kansas City and held in Kansas City, Mo. from May 11-14. Last year, the Utah Valley won and the Missouri-Kansas City women took home the championship.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2016 Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will take place in Eugene, Ore. from June 8-11.
June 8-11, 2016
Location: Eugene, Ore.
Facility: Hayward Field