ALLENDALE, Mich. – A pair of Western Washington University super seniors closed out their collegiate careers earning First Team All-America honors at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships on the Grand Valley State University campus.
Calahan Warren (1500m) and
Amanda Short (Javelin) both placed 8th in their events on Saturday closing out competition at nationals by reaching the podium to earn First Team All-America honors. Both Warren and Short began their collegiate Track & Field careers in 2015, earning extra eligibility due to the pandemic as they complete their graduate degrees in kinesiology at WWU.
Making his fourth trip to nationals, including two with Embry-Riddle (FL), Warren repeated as an All-American after finishing 6th in the 1500m in 2021. He navigated a tough final lap that involved a few runners going down, to finish in 3:49.26. The Auburndale, Florida native ends his career with the No. 2 time in WWU history in the event (3:43.00 set earlier this season). Callum Elson of American International won the men's 1500m in 3:46.35.
Making her third trip to nationals, Short earned her highest finish placing 8th with a top throw of 45.42m/149-0. The Lebanon, Oregon native was a second-team All-American in 2019 and placed 19th with Western Oregon in 2015. Short obtained her All-America mark on her first throw of the competition, which held for a podium finish. Candesha Scott of Texas A&M-Commerce won the event with a mark of 54.82m/179-10.
WWU had five total competitors the national championships in Michigan. On Thursday,
Mac Franks (1500m) and
Ila Davis (Steeplechase) both placed 13th in their respective events to just miss a qualifying spot for the finals.
Drew Weber placed 16th in the men's 800m on Friday with a time of 1:50.76.
The 2022 WWU Outdoor Track & Field season concluded with the Vikings earning the GNAC men's team title for the third consecutive season and runner-up honors for the women in back-to-back years. The Vikings set five school records (three by
Franks) and made 35 entries in to the
WWU Track & Field Outdoor Record book (Men – 21, Women – 14). Additionally, eight men's marks and one women's performance cracked the GNAC all-time top 10 during the season.
WWU RESULTS AT NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Here is a look at WWU's final results from the 2022 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan:
JAVELIN U
The Vikings have had at least one entry in the javelin competition in each of the last 11 outdoor championships, which has included three national titles (Monica Gruszecki in 2011 & Bethany Drake in 2014/2017) and now 13 First Team All-America awards. Here is a look at WWU's women's javelin competitors at outdoor nationals dating back to 2003:
- 2003 - Stacey Hopkins, 7th
- 2004 - Stacey Hopkins, 12th
- 2005 - None
- 2006 - None
- 2007 - Monika Gruszecki, 1st
- 2008 - Monika Gruszecki, 2nd
- 2009 - None
- 2010 - None
- 2011 - Monika Gruszecki, 1st
- 2012 - Katie Reichert, 7th
- 2013 - Bethany Drake, 13th
- 2014 - Bethany Drake, 1st, Katie Reichert, 2nd
- 2015 - Katie Reichert, 5th
- 2016 - Bethany Drake, 2nd, Katie Reichert, 3rd; Anosi Laupola, 12th; Mariah Horton, 13th
- 2017 - Bethany Drake, 1st
- 2018 - Raquel Pellecer, 6th; Natalie Vetto, 16th
- 2019 - Amanda Short, 10th; Raquel Pellecer, 15th; Paige Shimkus, 16th
- 2020 - No Championships
- 2021 - Hannah Nienaber, 9th
- 2022 - Amanda Short, 8th
