NAMPA, ID – The GNAC Track & Field championships began today with the multi-event championships at Northwest Nazarene. It is the largest GNAC Multi-event championships to date with a field of 16 men and 15 women competing. NNU has qualified 4 women; Beth McClam, (Sr. Fairfield Id) Laura VonArx (Jr. Hermiston, Or) Jill Bennett (So, Grants Pass, Or) and Lindsay Brady (Sr. Boise, Id) and 3 men; Stuart Montgomery (Jr. Marysville, Wa), Ben Heidegger (So. Medford, Or.) and Eric Zwiefelhofer (Sr. Hermiston, Or) .

At the end of day 1, NNU's Eric Zwiefelhofer is in second place behind Western Oregon's Andy Loscutoff by only 24 points, and is heading into day 2 where the men will compete in the 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m. Zwiefelhofer looks to score well in the pole vault and javelin and is positioned well for a run at an all-conference (top 3) finish. Day 1 highlights for the crusader men saw Zwiefelhofer place 1st in the 100m (11.48), 2nd in the long jump, 6.40m (21'-0”) and 2nd in the high jump 1.82m (5'-11.5”). Teammate Ben Heidegger 8th place took 2nd in a windy 400m (53.23) and is still in position to score team points, and Stuart Montgomery is in 15th place with a solid day 1 performance.

On the Women's side Jill Bennett is in 5th place, and Laura VonArx is in 6th just 22 points behind Bennett. Both Bennett and VonArx are within 150 points of all-conference places going into day 2. Teammate Lindsay Brady is in 11th place and Beth McClam is in 13th. Day 1 finished with places 2 through 8 separated by few enough points that day 2 should see close margins and small performance differences decide who will finish on top, and how the points for the top 8 will be distributed.

Day 2 begins tomorrow at 9:30 with the men's 110m hurdles and the women beginning at 10:15 with the long jump.