MONMOUTH, Ore.—Once again making waves in the middle distance races, the Western Oregon track & field teams qualified eight individuals to finals on the first day of action at the GNAC Championships on Friday.

Running out of three separate sections on their home track, four Wolves advanced to Saturday's finals in the men's 800-meter run. 
 
Curt Knott, the pre-meet favorite in the event, eased across the line with a 1:53.99 in the opening heat. With two automatic spots to finals in each race, Knott crossed just off the shoulder of heat-winner Felix Kemboi (1:53.92) of Alaska Anchorage, but well ahead of third-place finisher, and WOU teammate, Trey Reed. 

Pulled to a career-best time of 1:54.87, Reed ended up nabbing the ninth and final qualifier to finals.

Racing in the next two sections, Max Carmona and Adam Alnazer both placed second overall to join Knott and Reed in Saturday's title race. Carmona crossed with a 1:54.09 while Alnazer finished in 1:54.70.

Reaching the GNAC finals in the 800 for the third straight year, Olivia Woods easily won the second section of the women's competition with a 2:10.49. Woods' time was the third fastest on the day as Alaska Anchorage's Danielle McCormick (2:09.09) and Simon Fraser's Paige Nock (2:20.34) edged the time while running out of the third heat.
 
With limited finals in action on the opening day, Moana Gianotti claimed the team's lone All-GNAC accolade with a 3rd-place finish in the women's discus. Gianotti tossed a series' best 136-1 (41.48m) on her second attempt to reach the podium. 
 
Later in the day Gianotti added a 4th-place result in the shot put with a distance of 41-4 1/2 (12.61m). The combination of results by Gianotti provided 11 total points in the standings for the women's team.
 
Karsten Collins added a point to the men's team tally with an 8th-place finish in the discus. Adding almost three feet to his lifetime best, Collins uncorked a throw of 148-4 (45.21m) to edge teammate Chris Steffey (146-7) for the final point position. Sam Cole led the men's throwers in the shot put with a mark of 48-6 3/4 (14.80m) for 10th place. 
 
A pair of men's sprinters advanced to Saturday's finals with Codi Blodgett posting another career best in the 100 and Gabe Arce-Torres setting a season best in the 400.
 
Blodgett popped a 10.87 in the 100 to set a career best and registered the fourth fastest time out of the preliminary field. Blodgett's time nearly matched his all-conditions best of 10.81 set two weeks ago in a wind-aided effort at Oregon State. 
 
Arce-Torres provided WOU's first advancer to Saturday's finals with a career-best race in the men's 400. Arce-Torres topped the field in the second section of the one-lapper to earn the automatic qualifier. Arce-Torres' time of 48.93 shaved .14 off his previous best this season and stands as the No. 4 time of the day. 

In the women's 400, Bethanie Altamirano set an outdoor personal record with a time of 58.94 to place 11th overall.

Ana Popchock snared WOU's final qualifier by the slimmest of margins over teammate Grayson Burke. Competing in the second of three sections, Popchock leaned at the line for a 1:04.90 while Burke duplicated the effort in the third race. Needing to go to review to break the tie, Popchock was credited with an extended time of 1:04.892 to Burke's 1:04.893. 

Earlier in the day, Popchock led a WOU trio in the 100-meter hurdles with a 15.44. Missing out on advancing to finals by two positions, Popchock placed 10th overall. Teammate Natalie Legras placed 12th with a career-best 15.59 while Michela Yonkman wound up 15th in a 16.07.
 
In the opening race of the afternoon, Hunter Mosman placed one spot from adding to WOU's team score with a 9th-place finish in the steeplechase. Crossing shy of his career best in the event, Mosman toured the track in 9:43.41 to finish five seconds shy of the eighth spot. 
 
GNAC Championships
Western Oregon University
McArthur Field
Monmouth, Ore.
May 10, 2019

ALL-GNAC
3rd – Women's Discus - Moana Gianotti

ADVANCING TO FINALS
100 (M): Codi Blodgett
400 (M): Gabe Arce-Torres
800 (M): Curt Knott
800 (M): Max Carmona
800 (M): Adam Alnazer
800 (W): Olivia Woods
400 Hurdles (W): Ana Popchock
 
WOU MEN'S RESULTS
100: 4. Codi Blodgett, 10.87. 200: 17.Codi Blodgett, 22.92. 400: 4.Gabe Arce-Torres, 48.93. 800: 4. Curt Knott, 1:53.99; 5. Max Carmona, 1:54.09; 8. Adam Alnazer, 1:54.70; 9. Trey Reed, 1:54.87; 10. Justin Crosswhite, 1:55.06; 12. Neal Cranston, 1:55.50; 17. Zach Kanelis, 2:00.61. 10,000: 16. Sawyer Heckard, 34:11.04. Steeple: 9. Hunter Mosman, 9:43.41; 18. Simon Walsh, 10:22.37. Shot: 10. Sam Cole, 48-6 3/4 (14.80m); 11. Chris Steffey, 47-5 (14.45m); 12. Owen Collins, 47-0 1/4 (14.33m); 14. Karsten Collins, 46-2 1/2 (14.08m).Discus:8. Karsten Collins, 148-4 (45.21m); 9. Chris Steffey, 146-7 (44.68m); 12. Owen Collins, 138-3 (42.13m).

WOU WOMEN'S RESULTS
100: 17. Logan Jackson, 12.78; 19. Hailey Sears, 12.85. 200: 16. Hailey Sears, 26.13; 18. Taryn Wilson, 26.22; 20. Logan Jackson, 26.37. 400: 11. Bethanie Altamirano, 58.94. 800: 2. Olivia Woods, 2:10.49; 16. Shayla Soloman, 2:24.31. 10,000: 9. Cassie McKinnie, 41:27.30. 100 Hurdles: 10. Ana Popchock, 15.44; 12. Natalie Legras, 15.59; 15. Michaela Yonkman, 16.07. 400 Hurdles: 8. Ana Popchock, 1:04.90; 9. Grayson Burke, 1:04.90; 11. Michaela Yonkman, 1:06.78; 11. Michaela Yonkman, 1:06.78; 12. Nicole Niskanen, 1:05.83; 14. Sarra Soladey, 1:07.90. Long Jump: 18. Lauren Berry, 16-2 1/4 (4.93m). Shot: 4. Moana Gianotti, 41-4 1/2 (12.61m). Discus: 3. Moana Gianotti, 136-1 (41.48m).