Western Washington University senior distance runner Sarah Porter has been named NCAA Division II West Region female Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
The Hockinson High School gradaute, two-time Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion in the indoor 5,000, ranks second in Division II in the event with a time of 16 minutes, 11.98 seconds.
Porter and Mountain View High School gradaute Lauren Breihof were named to the USTFCCCA’s West Region Indoor Track and Field team, composed of the top five in the region in each individual event and the top three relays.
In addition to the 5,000 meters, Porter was named to the West Region team in the distance medley relay. She joined Rachael Johnson, Eleanor Siler and Megan O’Connell to place second at the GNAC championships and a national provisional qualifying time of 11:53.23.
Porter is a two-time USTFCCCA All-American in the indoor 5,000.
Breihof, also a WWU senior, was named to the West Region team in the mile and 5,000 meters.
Porter, who placed sixth in the indoor 5,000 in 2009 and fourth last year, and Breihof will be competing at the NCAA Division II National Indoor Track and Field Championships meet on Friday and Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico.
Porter, who holds the WWU record in the 5,000, is ranked nationally behind only Shippensburg’s Neely Spence (16:01.09). Porter finished second to Spence last fall at the NCAA-II National Cross Country Championships.
The distance medley relay team of Breihof, Johnson, O’Connell and Siler did not have an automatic qualifying time, but was selected to compete based on a high national ranking.
Dixson garners NAIA All-America honors
Concordia University sophomore Gabi Dixson placed sixth in the weight throw at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Indoor Track and Field Championships held Thursday through Saturday at the GaREAT Sports Complex in Geneva, Ohio.
Dixson, a homeschool graduate who competed for Battle Ground High School, garnered All-America status with her mark of 55 feet, 1 inch, and scored a team point for the Cavaliers.
Dixson entered the meet ranked fourth in the NAIA with a season-best 57-9¾ — a mark which would have placed third at nationals. Oklahoma Christian’s Denise Matton took first in the event with a 61-8¼ effort.
Dixson also placed 21st in the shot put with a mark of 41-6. Her Concordia teammate Kayla Xavier won the event at 49-0¾, while the sixth and final scoring mark was 45-2½.
Sami Andrews, a Camas High School senior who is running track after completing a stellar soccer career at Concordia, placed 11th in the 5,000 meters on Saturday with a time of 18:02.70. She ran 17:46.45 in preliminaries to claim the final spot in the 12-runner field.
Simmers, Everett First Team All-Stars
Deborah Simmers of Clark College and Eva Everett of Lower Columbia College were named to the Western Region First Team of the 2010-11 Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges Women’s Basketball All-Stars.
Simmers, a sophomore point guard from Anchorage, Alaska, was Clark’s leading scorer during the regular season at 13.8 points a game and was second on the team in assists and rebounds.
Everett, a sophomore guard and graduate of Mountain View High School, averaged 10.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals a game for the Lady Devils. Lower Columbia was unbeaten in Western Division play to claim the regular season crown.
Clark players named to the Second Team were Lacey Kruse for women and Austin Bragg for men.
Washington sets Concordia record
Concordia University freshman Andre Washington established a new school record in the 600-meter dash during the University of Washington indoor meet Feb. 13 in Seattle.
In his first time competing in the event, the Hudson’s Bay High School gradaute was clocked in 1 minutes, 23.99 seconds. Washington’s time knocked more than three full seconds off the former standard of 1:26.84 set last year by Tim Dressler.
Nelson All-WAC in weight throw
Boise State junior thrower Alex Nelson placed second in the weight throw event at the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, helping the Broncos tie Utah State for the WAC title.
Nelson, an Evergreen High School graduate, garnered All-WAC honors with his mark of 59 feet, 11¼ inches.
Staples shuts down No. 8 Horned Frogs
Dallas Baptist University junior Jordan Staples was the winning pitcher in the Patriots’ 4-3 win at Texas Christian on March 1. The Skyview High School graduate allowed no runs on one hit in two innings of relief against the Horned Frogs, who were ranked No. 8. Staples — who was converted to a pitcher during his two seasons at Tacoma Community College — is 2-0 in four appearances with an ERA of 4.15.
Dallas Baptist is an independent member of NCAA Division I in baseball.
Women’s basketball
• Brigham Young senior point guard Jazmine Foreman and the Cougars are regular-season champions of the Mountain West Conference. The Hudson’s Bay High School graduate averages 6.4 points, 4,0 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals a game. The Cougars (23-7, 15-1 MWC) play next in the conference tournament semifinals in Las Vegas on Friday.
• George Fox University and junior guard Keisha Gordon advanced to the NCAA Division III “Sweet 16” and will play Friday at Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The winner will play Illinois Wesleyan or Coe College on Saturday for a place in the Final Four. The Bruins (24-5) defeated Occidental and Louisiana College last weekend at Orange, Calif., to begin nationals. Gordon, a Heritage High School graduate, averages 15.4 points and 7.4 rebounds a game.
• Western Washington and senior center Lauren Hefflin garnered an at-large berth to the NCAA Division II national tournament. The Vikings (26-3) will play Alaska Anchorage Saturday in a West Regional opener Friday in Pomona, Calif. One of the eight teams in the regional will advance to the NCAA-II “Elite Eight.” Hefflin, a Ridgefield High graduate, averages 12.3 points and 7.1 rebounds a game.
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