Ava Earl
A quartet of track and field athletes recently cemented their names into Alaska history.
Girdwood’s Ava Earl sped to a personal best in the 3,000-meter distance at the UW Invitational in Seattle, Washington. The Northwestern sophomore clocked a time of 9 minutes, 27.44 to lop nearly 11 seconds from her previous time set last season.
Not only did Earl place third in her heat, but the former South High star also moved up to No. 3 on the Alaska all-time list, behind the one-and-only Allie Ostrander and Maggie Callahan — a West Valley grad who competed for the University of Arizona.
Alaska Women’s All-Time 3,000m
1. Allie Ostrander, 8:48.94 (2/20)
2. Maggie Callahan, 9:20.09 (2/14)
3. Ava Earl, 9:27.44 (1/23)
4. Molly Callahan, 9:36.85 (2/15)
5. Kendall Kramer, 9:44.16 (5/19)
6. Morgan Ekemo, 9:47.94 (2/04)
7. Anna Dalton, 9:48.35 (2/22)
8. Ruby Lindquist, 9:52.12 (2/22)
9. Kristi Klinnert, 9:52.50 (1991)
10. Briahna Gerlach, 9:53.10 (1/20)
*Kramer’s time is converted from her 3200m best of 10:27.18
Earl owns the seventh-best times in the mile (4:58.42) and 5,000 (16:49.71), in addition to the 3,000. With the rest of the season ahead, the multi-talented athlete is bound for greatness.
Another star continued her winning ways on the 307-meter facility in Seattle.
Vanessa Aniteye
Eagle River’s Vanessa Aniteye zoomed to a personal best of 2:08.74 in the 800 to better her previous time by over two seconds, winning her heat and placing 11th behind club and Division I athletes.
Aniteye took the race from the gun, cruising through the first 400 meters in 61 seconds and maintaining her lead through the finish line.
“I’m very happy with the time,” Aniteye said in a press release. “I really wanted to break the 2:10 barrier, and for me, that could have looked like 2:09.99 and it would have been great.”
Her nearest competitor? Over three seconds behind.
Even so, Aniteye surprised herself a bit.
“Running a 2:08 today — I did not expect,” said Aniteye. “But I executed my coach’s race plan…they wanted to attack the race early on today, and I think we did that.”
With her shiny new time, Aniteye continues an impressive lead among the NCAA Division II rankings. So far, only two other athletes have run quicker than 2:10, both of which are converted times from high altitude.
Aniteye adds her name to the all-time list at No. 5, joining eight Alaskans who have run 2:10 or quicker, with only five who have gone sub-2:09. She also holds the second-quickest time for 400 meters (53.64).
Alaska Women’s All-Time 800m
1. Kaarin Knudson, 2:04.52 (6/97)
2. Danielle McCormick, 2:05.00 (4/19)
3. Tanner Ealum, 2:06.64 (2/20)
4. Caitlin Reese, 2:06.69 (3/04)
5. Vanessa Aniteye, 2:08.74 (1/23)
6. Ivy O’Guinn, 2:09.34 (5/13)
7. Morgan Dampier, 2:09.78 (2/13)
8. Cynthia Morman, 2:09.86 (5/98)
9. Ruth Cvancara, 2:10.27 (4/19)
10. Lierin Flanagan, 2:10.53 (5/13)
Tristian Merchant
Liberty’s Tristian Merchant made a splash at the Bob Pollock Invitational, held at Clemson University.
The sophomore clocked 8:04.97 in the 3,000 to slice more than 10 seconds from his previous best, set during his stint at NAU.
The former ACS superstar finished seventh overall, running to the fifth-fastest time in Flames history. With his time, Merchant moves up four spots to No. 5 in Alaska history, surpassing a handful of legends.
Alaska Men’s All-Time 3,000m
1. Trevor Dunbar, 7:43.33 (2/16)
2. Don Clary, 7:46.42 (6/82)
3. Isaac Updike, 7:47.93 (2/20)
4. David Morris, 8:03.69 (3/93)
5. Tristian Merchant, 8:04.97 (1/23)
6. Levi Thomet, 8:06.97 (2/17)
7. Marcus Dunbar, 8:09.64 (3/92)
8. Carl Blackhurst, 8:10.01 (1/03)
9. Laird Prosser, 8:14.7 (3/98)
10. Aaron Fletcher, 8:15.70 (1/16)
UAA’s Cole Nash made history at the UW Invitational, setting a school record in the 3,000.
The sophomore from Colorado ran a tactical and honest race, sitting behind the leaders of his heat for the first few laps before surging ahead, finishing in 8:03.41. His time currently ranks ninth among NCAA Division II athletes.
The mark betters the previous program record of 8:07.23, set by Germany’s Dominik Notz in 2017.
Two Seawolves made their collegiate debut in Seattle, setting sizable personal bests in the process.
Avery Williamson
Haines’ standout Avery Williamson stormed to a 14-second personal best in the 800. The freshman turned in a time of 2:24.34, executing the race like a veteran runner, to kick off her inaugural indoor season. West Valley grad Bailey Roe also competed in the 800, finishing in 2:20.70, which ranks tenth in program history.
Former Grace Christian star Ty Elliott made his collegiate debut, opting for the mile. He finished the day as a 4:16-miler, trimming nearly 20 seconds from his time a year ago.
“I was very impressed with how Ty Elliott and Avery Williamson competed in their college debuts,” assistant coach Chas Davis said in a press release. “Massive PR’s in the mile and 800 respectively from high school…they have big futures here.”
Sitka’s Joei Vidad led the Green and Gold in the 400, running to an indoor best of 59.78 seconds. The junior was joined by a personal-best performance from Dimond High standout Sophia Cvancara (1:00.64), Kaitlyn Backman (1:01.26), formerly of West High, and Sitka’s Haley Bartolaba (1:02.23).
In the jumps, Chugiak’s Morgan Grant soared to a distance of 20 feet, 0.50 inches, bettering his previous best by 2.5 inches, which ranks ninth in program history. Colony grad, Felix Robertson, joined his teammate in the long jump (19 feet, 0.5 inches), while also competing in the triple jump (41 feet, 7.75 inches).
Santa Clara’s Dominic Baciocco raced to a personal best in the 5,000. The sophomore, formerly of Sitka High, clocked a time of 14:36.37 — taking off 22 seconds for the distance.
Kaleb Korta
Galena’s Kaleb Korta sped to a lifetime best in the mile for the second time in two weeks. The Western Washington senior raced to a time of 4:19.21, finishing seventh in his heat.
Teammate Sophie Wright of Palmer also competed in the mile for the Vikings, stopping the clock at 5:04.66. She also ran the opening leg on the distance medley relay, helping her team to the second-best time in program history.
Two Rivers’ Riley Knott high jumped to a lifetime best at the New Mexico Team Open. The Lathrop High grad and current sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley, cleared a height of 6 feet, 9 inches — more than two inches higher than his previous best. Knott, who tied with his teammate for the top spot, collected his third collegiate win in the event.
Other indoor track and field performances from Alaskans:
- Chugiak’s Brooklyn Gould placed third in the pentathlon at the UND Open. The North Dakota sophomore tied her personal best in the 60 hurdles (9.31) while placing second in the long jump (18 feet, 2.5 inches), en route to a score of 3,425 points — 39 points outside her best.
- Anchorage’s Kaleb Beloy recorded a personal best at the New Mexico Team Open. The CSU-Pueblo sophomore, formerly of South High, competed in the mile (4:18.93), shaving off just over one second.
- Chugiak’s Emma Nelson competed at the Razorback Invitational. The Oregon State senior tied for eighth in the high jump (5 feet, 8 inches).
- Anchorage’s Lauren Parsons recorded a pair of personal bests for Minnesota-Morris at the CSB/SJU Alumni Meet. The freshman, formerly of South High, competed in the shot put (24 feet, 9.25 inches) and weight throw (30 feet, 9 inches) — the latter by more than three feet.
- Soldotna’s Cody Nye also competed at the meet for Minnesota-Morris, recording another pair of consistent throws. Nye, a senior, competed in the shot put (45 feet, 1.75 inches) and weight throw (44 feet, 1.25 inches).
- Kodiak’s Keith Osowski competed at the Mark Schuck Open. The Black Hills State senior competed in the mile (4:23.14).
- Claire Nelson, formerly of Chugiak High, made her 3,000-meter debut at the Texas Tech Open. The Nevada sophomore ran to a time of 10:38.98.
- Soldotna’s Galen Brantley III competed in three throwing events at the UND Open. Brantley, a junior for Dickinson State, competed in the shot put (52 feet, 5.25 inches), weight throw (44 feet, 11.75 inches), and discus (131 feet, 8 inches).
- Anchorage’s Sebastian Sweda Mittelstadt raced to an indoor best at the Stacy Dragila Open for Westminster (Utah). The Service High grad competed in the mile (4:36.42).
- Eagle River’s Kiki Sherman recorded a lifetime best at the Leonard Converse Invitational. The Ripon sophomore, competed in the 800 (2:33.31), improving upon her previous best from last season.