By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Senior
Bec Bennett and sophomore
Kathryn Chapin of the Western Washington University Track & Field program earned GNAC weekly awards for their standout performances over spring break.
Bennett earned the GNAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week award and Chapin was selected as the GNAC Women's Field Athlete of the Week.
Chapin (Longview, WA) won the hammer throw and shot put competition at the UBC Open, extending her winning streak during the outdoor season to five consecutive events. The sophomore recorded a PR throw of 14.24m/46-8.75 in the shot put to rank No. 3 in program history, obtaining an NCAA II provisional qualifying mark to rank No. 15 in the nation. She also won the hammer throw with a mark of 52.84m/173-4.
"Kathryn is off to a great start this outdoor season," said WWU head coach
Ben Stensland. "She has been working hard, and things have been coming together for her in training. We are all looking forward to her continuing to improve this spring."
This is Chapin's second GNAC Athlete of the Week award this season and career.
Bennett (Mosman, Australia) made her 400m outdoor debut at the Raleigh Relays, placing 6th out of 126 competitors with a time of 53.78. Only two runners from Duke and three from South Carolina finished ahead of Bennett. The early-season time is the fastest in NCAA Division II and well below the NCAA II provisional qualifying standard of 55.49. Bennett is coming off an All-America 8th-place finish in the 400m at the NCAA II Indoor Championships and was a Second Team Outdoor All-American in the event last season. She owns the GNAC and WWU outdoor 400m record running 53.11 at the GNAC Championships last spring.
"It was great to see Bec take advantage of an excellent competition opportunity at the Raleigh Relays," said Stensland "She posted a great opening time and I think she's ready to build on it in her next race."
This marked Bennett's fifth GNAC Athlete of the Week award over two seasons, tied for 5th-most in WWU program history.
The Vikings return to action this weekend with the distance crew traveling to the Bay Area for the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in San Francisco and the sprints, throws and jumps set to compete at the UCSD Triton Invite in San Diego.
