2022 GVSU Snowdown Showdown Results
ALLENDALE, Mich. – Thriving in its first meet of the month, Academy of Art track & field posted several NCAA Division II Indoor Nationals provisional qualifications, improving marks and adding new names to the national conversation at the Snowdown Showdown hosted by Grand Valley State inside the Kelly Family Sports Center on Friday.
"Today was a chance to get out and work on some things in everyone's main events or events they have a shot at competing in at Nationals," said Director of Track & Field/Cross Country
Kevin LaSure. "We were able to work on some things we have been doing in practice across all event groups and saw what adjustments need to be made going into the the championship portion of our indoor season."
A huge effort came from
Marie-Jeanne Ourega in the long jump as she soared to a new personal record and the second-farthest distance among NCAA DII jumpers this season at 20-5.75 (6.24m). In addition to improving upon her previous Indoor Nationals provisional qualifier, Ourega continued to close the gap on program record holder Vashti Thomas in the event. Ourega added a first-place result in the triple jump on Friday as well, going 39-5.25 (12.02m).
Selena Arjona-Alcazar and
Ombretta Picciolie Minkue Meye also broke out in multiple sprint events with the former elevating herself to 13th in the country in with a 24.69 in the 200m while the latter went 56.44 in the 400m to rise to 12th in NCAA DII. Arjona-Alcazar added first-place finishes in the 60m prelims and final, going 7.61 before dropping to 7.59 to sweep the day.
Highlighting the men's 60m,
Duncan Agyemang opened with a 6.93 to take first out of 27 in the prelims then took over the fourth position in ART U history with a 6.86 good for runner-up and a provisional qualification as top 40 in the nation.
In her first mile of the season,
Natalia Novak came through with a time of 4:55.60 good for first of 33 in the event and among the top 27 in NCAA DII.
An impressive performance was offered by
Abdelouakil Mustapha in the 800m where he posted a 1:52.75 mark. The Indoor Nationals provisional qualifier put him fourth-fastest in Academy of Art history.
"Selena, Marie-Jeanne, Natalia, Ombretta, Duncan, and Abdelouakil were all able to improve upon or hit NCAA D2 provisional marks in their respective events so that's always a positive sign," LaSure said.
The men's jumping tandem of
Yacouba Gnacko and
Mathieu Tshani once again led as the top two finishers in both the long jump and triple jump events. Though their marks did not better their season-bests, Gnacko still bested the long jump competition by nearly a foot at 22-7.25 (6.89m) while Tshani came through at 21-11.5 (6.69m). In the triple jump, Gnacko (49-5.75, 15.08m) and Tshani (48-7.25, 14.81m) were both more than a full three feet in front of the next competitor.
Continuing to run well since their Pacific West Conference Championship in cross country,
Audrey Rosencrans and
Delanie Dykes both ended in the top two in their respective events on Friday. Rosencrans delivered a 10:20.12 in the 3000m to move herself into fifth in program history while crossing as the runner-up in a field of 22 while Dykes debuted in the 800m at 2:18.12 for second of 19.
Agyemang and
Ajani Ince both finished inside the top seven with their fastest times as Urban Knights thus far in the 200m. Agyeman went 22.02 for fifth and Ince followed at 22.34 for seventh out of 43 sprinters.
In his first time competing in the 400m with Academy of Art,
Shareez Hamm turned in a 49.10 mark that had him fourth of 25 on the day.
The first mile for
Saba Khvichava this season had him second of 16 runners with a time of 4:22.50.
Next up for ART U is a split weekend where part of the team will be in Arkansas for the Tyson Invitational while others will return to Pitt State for the Indoor Gorilla Classic on Feb. 11.
