PHX Reporter

Grand Canyon University's track and field team concluded their participation in the 65th Annual Mt. SAC Relays with notable achievements, including setting 10 performances within the top 10 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and one earning a spot in the NCAA Division I top 20.

The men's 4x400-meter relay team, composed of Daviciea McCartney, Cam Wilmington, Ben Stratman, and Joshua Gittens, achieved a time of 3 minutes, 4.38 seconds. This performance set a new GCU program record, attaining the number one position in the WAC, and ranking 20th nationally. This relay time broke the previous school record of 3:06.73, which was established a few weeks earlier at the Texas Relays by three of the same participants. Over the current season, GCU's record for this event has improved by 2.45 seconds.

Individually, Germain Lemaitre stood out with a time of 1:48.47 in the 800 meters, setting a new school record and recording the third-best time in the WAC. Lemaitre's performance improved nearly eight-tenths of a second from his previous school record of 1:49.26 established at the same event the previous season.

McCartney added to GCU's sprinting success by completing the 110-meter hurdles in 13.9 seconds, securing a third-place standing in the WAC.

In field events, Hannah Watson achieved fifth place in the pole vault with a clearance of 3.75 meters. McKenna Hayes recorded a hammer throw of 48.61 meters, ranking fifth among the conference's best this season. Harrison Cornell placed eighth in the WAC shot put rankings with a throw of 15.19 meters.

In distance running, Hana Hall clocked 36:56.70 in the 10,000 meters, placing fifth in the WAC. Freshman Taylor Hansen also marked a time of 37:52.49, earning eighth place. In the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, freshman Jack Sindt finished in 9:19.79, ranking sixth, while Greyson Akers and Selah Akers completed the race in eighth and ninth place respectively, with times of 9:31.33 and 11:30.06.

Additional performances included Jarron Stevens, who completed the 800 meters in 1:51.83, achieving the 10th-best mark in the conference.

After a week off from competition, GCU will participate in the Desert Heat Classic in Tucson on May 3, ahead of the WAC Outdoor Championships in Arlington, Texas, scheduled for May 15-17.