×îÐÂÂ鶹ÊÓƵ

A national title in the javelin capped the most successful spring athletics season since the university’s move to the Division III level in 1998. With his school-record-breaking throw of 227 feet, 1 inch at the NCAA Division III National Track and Field Championships in May, junior Seth Nonnenmacher (pictured below) became the third national men’s javelin champion in George Fox history and its second individual champion this season following Rachel Kraske’s 60-meter hurdles title at indoor nationals in February.

Nonnenmacher’s performance highlighted a memorable national meet for the Bruins, as sophomore Annie Wright placed second in the heptathlon (4,779 points), sophomore Jacoby Wolfe took second in the high jump (6 feet, 11 3/4 inches), sophomore Caleb Dalzell claimed fourth in the discus (161-5), and senior Asia Greene placed fourth in the long jump (19-0). All earned All-American honors for their efforts, and the men’s team finished in a tie for seventh place overall – their best showing since joining the NCAA.

It was the school’s second strong national showing in May. Previously, the women’s golf team finished a program-best second at the NCAA Division III Women’s Golf Championships in Houston. That performance came after the Bruins dominated the conference tournament – winning by 33 strokes – to claim their eighth straight Northwest Conference title.

Collectively, four spring programs – women’s golf, men’s track and field, women’s track and field, and women’s lacrosse – won NWC titles this spring, the most conference championships for George Fox in a single season.

The men’s NWC track crown was the program’s first, as junior Alex Canchola earned the league’s Men’s Field Athlete of the Year honor for a second straight season after winning the decathlon, triple jump and long jump at the conference championships. On the women’s side, Greene won the 100 and 200 meters, breaking two school records in the process, and also won the long jump to lead the Bruins to their fifth conference crown in seven years. As a bonus, head coach John Smith was named the men’s and women’s NWC Coach of the Year – his first such honor on the men’s side and fifth on the women’s.

In lacrosse, George Fox defeated Puget Sound 18-6 in their final game of the spring, capping the program’s first undefeated NWC season (8-0) and a stellar 12-2 overall campaign, as seven George Fox athletes were selected to the All-NWC team.