PORTLAND --- Western Oregon freshman Isaiah Rodriguez was named the GNAC Track Athlete of the Week after a top-10 all-time conference time in the 800.

The Knappa, Oregon, native in the pouring rain ran a 1:49.66 Friday at the Oregon Twilight at Hayward Field in Eugene. The time ranks third on the WOU all-time top-10 list, eighth on the GNAC all-time list and is 10th in NCAA Division II this season - putting him currently in position to make the NCAA Championships. He's also only one of two freshmen in the top 20 in the event.

The only two WOU athletes he's behind are Badane Sultessa who ran a 1:47.59 at the Portland Twilight May 17, 2015, and two-time individual and DMR national champion David Ribich who ran a 1:48.09 at the Stanford Invitational on March 31, 2018.

Rodriguez's time comes 344 days after he won the Class 2A 800 state title for Knappa at the same venue - Hayward Field - in 2:00.24 - nearly an 11-second difference from Friday's time. His 800 PR in high school was 1:57.70, meaning he's knocked 8.06 seconds off his 800 time since arriving at WOU.

Prior to his 800 time on Friday, Rodriguez had already qualified for the USA Track & Field Under-20 Championships at Hayward Field June 12-13.

Rodriguez and the rest of the WOU track and field team compete at the GNAC Championships starting Friday in Ellensburg, Washington, at the campus of Central Washington University.