SPOKANE (Feb. 8) -- Central Washington University freshmen
Anthony Wright (Lakewood/Lakes HS) and
Katharine Lotze (Benton City/Kiona-Benton HS) have both been recognized by the Great Northwest Athletic Conference as the Male and Female Athlete of the Week for track and field, the conference office announced on Monday.
Wright starred in the 60-meter dash at this past weekend's two meets at the University of Idaho, setting a season's best in the preliminary round of the Vandal Indoor on Friday with a time of 6.90 seconds -- the second-fastest indoor time in the event in the history of the GNAC. He finished second in Friday's finals with a time of 6.95 seconds before winning Saturday's Runner's Soul Open event title with a time of 6.96 seconds. His Saturday time was the only time among 56 competitors in the event to clocked under seven seconds in the event.
Lotze posted the sixth-best mark in GNAC history -- and a provisional NCAA Division II national qualifying mark -- in the women's triple jump at the Vandal Indoor with a mark of 37 feet, 4 1/2 inches. That mark was third-best overall in the meet. Lotze was named the co-Female Athlete of the Week, sharing the honor with Terra Schumacher of Seattle Pacific.
This week marks the second consecutive week that at least one CWU student-athlete has earned top honors from the GNAC in track and field. Senior thrower
Tyler Fischer (Cashmere) was the GNAC Male Athlete of the Week for the week of Jan. 25-31 for his efforts at the UW Invitational.
Central Washington will head west to Seattle for the third time this season, taking part in both of the University of Washington's indoor meets this weekend. The Wildcats will then head to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships in Nampa, Idaho on Feb. 20.