Caleb Shatters School Records at University of Alaska Anchorage: A Remarkable Achievement

Joshua Caleb from the University of Alaska Anchorage had an impressive start to his outdoor season at the Pacific Open last Saturday. He sprinted a remarkable 20.87 seconds in the 200-meter dash, breaking both the school record and the facility record. This time also matches the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) record and places him fifth among Division II competitors this season.

In addition, Caleb teamed up with Marc Mercier, Raday Jana, and Peyton George to set a school record in the 4×100 relay, finishing in 41.30 seconds. This time marks them as the seventh-fastest in GNAC history, showing the team’s strong sprinting prowess.

The Seawolves’ performance included seven other top-10 results. Liv Heite stood out by winning the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:02.30, which ranks as the fifth-fastest in the school’s history and the 15th-fastest in Division II for the season. She also triumphed in the 100 hurdles, clocking in at 14.42.

Riday Jana contributed significantly, securing fourth in the 200 meters with a time of 22.09, tying for the 10th-best mark at UAA, and finishing second in the 100 meters with a time of 10.88.

In the heptathlon, Vivien Liessfeld secured third place with 4,303 points. Her events in the javelin throw and shot put also shone, ranking fifth and sixth all-time at UAA with throws of 35.73 meters and 11.04 meters, respectively.

Tobin Schmidtke made a notable debut, finishing fifth in the decathlon with 5,917 points, which is the fifth-best in school history. His javelin and pole vault performances also marked him in the school’s records, ranking fifth and sixth respectively in those events.

Mya Campbell had an outstanding day as well, winning the long jump with a distance of 5.36 meters, while also achieving second place in the high jump and fourth in the 200 meters.

Marc Mercier excelled in the men’s long jump, winning with a leap of 6.97 meters and adding a sixth-place finish in the 200 meters.

Other strong finishes included Lucia Garcia, who came in second in the 800 meters, and Lacie Simmons, who finished third in the 100 hurdles.

In the men’s 400 meters, Ethan Stiller placed fourth, and AJ Szewczyk finished fourth in the 400 hurdles. The men’s 4×400 relay team—comprising Szewczyk, Stiller, George, and Morgan Grant—took second place with a time of 3:27.00.

In team standings, the men’s team finished fourth while the women placed fifth. The Seawolves are gearing up for their next competition at the Mike Fanelli Track Classic in San Francisco from April 3-5.

This strong performance highlights a promising season for the Seawolves, reflecting a trend of increasing competitiveness in college athletics. According to a recent NCAA report, track and field participation has been on the rise, with more athletes than ever competing in Division II events. This indicates a growing interest in the sport, fostering future talent and exciting competitions ahead.

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