Anttila Sets Record in WAC Indoor Finale

Friday, February 24

Spokane, Wash.

All Day

Abilene Christian

WAC Indoor Championships

Photo by: Steve Harrell

2/25/2023 10:17:00 PM | Track & Field

By: Ray Fink

SPOKANE – Abilene Christian finished the WAC Indoor Track Championships with a pair of sixth-place team finishes and a possible national qualifier.

Ella Anttila broke the ACU school record in winning the triple jump, clearing 43 feet, seven inches. That mark is 11th in the NCAA and could land Anttila in next month's NCAA Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque.

ACU was sixth in the men's team scoring with 68 points while the women were also sixth with 59.

"Overall, I'm really proud of this team," said ACU Head Coach Jerrod Cook. "People who weren't supposed to be in the top eight stepped up and those that were moved up. That's just exciting to see. Of course, we're super proud of Ella in the triple jump. She had an athlete pass her in the finals and I think that just pumped her up. That's the first time she cleared 13 meters twice in the same meet. There are a few conferences left to compete, so we'll keep our fingers crossed that she gets into the national meet."

The Cats had top 10 finishes to celebrate as well. Addison Franklin had the school's No. 9 time in the 200 meters at 21.50, where he finished fifth. Jack Marshall ran a 20.97, seven 100ths off his school record, to take second. The Cats got 12 points out of the event.

Athan Huelskamp had a weight throw of 62-1.75 for the sixth-best toss in school history. He placed second in the event and Tyler Richardson was fourth at 61-5.5. That duo matched their 13 points from Friday's shot put event. The pair finished tied for third in field event scoring in the championships with 13 points each.

"Athan stepped up big today and had another personal best," said Cook. "And then Tyler with that last throw moved up two places. The throwers, across the board, did great."

Ja'Dasia Sims had the No. 8 time in school history in the 400 meters and placed second at 55.02.

Irene Rono, who set the school record in the 5000 meters on Friday, finished second in the 3000 on Saturday at 9:25.77.

D'anna Smith scored with a seventh-place finish in the 60 meters at 7.62 and freshman Riley Pyeatt added a point in the 800 meters at 2:17.13.

ACU's 1600 relay team of Savannah Walker, Ja'Kaylon Sabbath, Courtney Latham and Sims scored four points with a sixth-place finish.

"Dasia had a huge personal best in the 400 and it is great to see Irene running so well in her last indoor season," said Cook. "D'anna was great and Riley really was consistent all meet and we needed that."

Ethan Christian gave the men's team early points with a seventh-place finish in the heptathlon with 4940 points.

Jamal January picked up a second-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles with Marshall adding points with a seventh place in the 60 meters.

The men's 1600 relay team of Franklin, Marshall, January and Matthew Mills placed eighth at 3:19.03.

"Jack was really solid in the 200 and the 60 and Addison was big with a personal best in the 200 as well," Cook said. "Jamal's a rock star and did great again in the hurdles and the long jump."

Saturday Finals
Women
Team Score: 6. ACU, 59

Women's High Jump Final
11. Ja'Dasia Sims, 5-4.75

Women's Triple Jump Final
1. Ella Anttila, 43-7 (School record)
14. Luize Velmere, 36-11

Women's Weight Throw
13. Zoe Burleson, 54-7.5
16. Kailey Roskop, 52-8.25

Women's 60M FINAL
7. D'anna Smith, 7.62

Women's 400M FINAL
2. Ja'Dasia Sims, 55.02

Women's 800 FINAL
8. Riley Pyeatt, 2:17.13

Women's 3000M FINAL
2. Irene Rono, 9:25.77
15. Grace White, 10:19.17
19. Bella Evans, 10:24.97
22. Tessa Holderman, 10:26.62
24. Prudence Kiyeng, 10:29.00

Women's 1600M Relay FINAL
6. Savannah Walker, Ja'Kaylon Sabbath, Courtney Latham, Ja'Dasia Sims, 3:48.63

Men
Team score: 6. ACU, 68

Men's Heptathlon Final
7. Ethan Christian, 4940
Men's Hep 60M Hurdles
5. Ethan Christian, 8.53 (853 points)
Men's Hep Pole Vault
10. Ethan Christian, 13-1.25 (617 points)
Men's Hep 1000M
6. Ethan Christian, 2:55.49
Final MH Score: 7. Christian, 4940

Men's Triple Jump Final
9. William Harris, 47-4.25
11. Donovan Ramirez, 45-7.25

Men's Weight Throw Final
2. Athan Huelskamp, 62-1.75
4. Tyler Richardson, 61-5.5

Men's 60M Hurdles FINAL
2. Jamal January, 7.96

Men's 60M FINAL
7. Jack Marshall, 6.79

Men's 200M FINAL
2. Jack Marshall, 20.97
5. Addison Franklin, 21.50

Men's 3000M FINAL
29. Kevin Castruita, 8:47.34
37. Neal Helgerson, 8:57.53
38. Gabe Embree, 9:00.23

Men's 1600M Relay FINAL
8. Addison Franklin, Jack Marshall, Jamal January, Matthew Mills, 3:19.03

Friday's Finals
Women
Women's Pentathlon FINAL
13, Jessica Campbell, 3209
16. Natalie Poe, 3022
17. Skylar Harris, 2910

Women's Pen 60M Hurdles
17. Natalie Poe, 9.59 (791 points)
19. Jessica Campbell, 9.64 (781 points)
21. Skylar Harris, 10.51 (620 points)

Women's Pen High Jump
13. Natalie Poe, 5-0 (655 points)
13. Jessica Campbell, 5-0 (655 points)
17. Skylar Harris, 4-9.75 (588 points)

Women's Pen Shot Put
3. Jessica Campbell, 37-1 (615 points)
6. Skylar Harris, 35-3 (578)
19. Natalie Poe, 29-1.75 (456)

Women's Pen Long Jump
18. Natalie Poe, 15-9 (506 points)
19. Skylar Harris, 15-6 (485 points)
20. Jessica Campbell, 15-3.5 (469 points)

Women's Pen 800M
8. Jessica Campbell, 2:30.29 (689 points)
11. Skylar Harris, 2:34.34 (639)
13. Natalie Poe, 2:36.46 (614)

Women's Pole Vault FINAL
4. Payton Kirk, 12-7.5
12. Mackenzie Blain, 10-8

Women's Shot Put FINAL
2. Zoe Burleson, 49-8.25

Women's Long Jump FINAL
3. Payton Kirk, 19-2
17. Ja'Dasia Sims, 17-11.5

Women's Mile FINAL
19. Bella Evans, 5:18.96

Women's 5000M FINAL
3. Irene Rono, 16.10.22 (school record)
12. Prudence Kiyeng, 18:12.16

Women's DMR FINAL
8. Bella Evans, Hannah Foster, Courtney Latham, Grace White, 12:13.97

Men
Men's Pole Vault FINAL
6. Jacob Thomas, 15-7.25

Men's Mile FINAL
13. Neal Helgerson, 4:13.68
19. Maxwel Kiplagat, 4:21.22

Men's Shot Put FINAL
2. Tyler Richardson, 58-5.25
4. Athan Huelskamp, 55-6.5
9. Colt Cooper, 49-9

Men's Long Jump FINAL
2. William Harris, 24-6.25
4. Jamal January, 23-8.75
12. Donovan Ramirez, 22.0.25

Men's 5000M FINAL
13. Kevin Castruita, 15:13.31

Men's DMR FINAL
8. Maxwel Kiplagat, Keaton Raney, Cooper Goggans, Neal Helgerson, 10:10.32

Men's Hep 60M
3. Ethan Christian, 7.02 (875 points)

Men's Hep Long Jump
4. Ethan Christian, 21-10.74 (6.67M, 736 points)

Men's Hep Shot Put
10. Ethan Christian, 36-2.25 (548 points)

Men's Hep High Jump
7. Ethan Christian, 5-9.75, 602 points