PORTLAND, Ore. – The top performers from the 2025 outdoor track and field season were recognized on Friday, as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced its special award winners.

A national runner-up finish in the men's javelin sealed the GNAC Field Athlete of the Year honor for Northwest Nazarene's Laurenz Waldbauer, who saved his best throw for last in the 2025 campaign.

Making his third-career appearance at the NCAA Championships, Waldbauer earned his first podium spot with a toss of 236-5 feet (72.06 meters) to take the silver medal (he placed 13th in both 2024 and 2022). He was also the GNAC silver medalist in the event, posting a throw of 229-6 feet (69.96 meters) at the conference championships. His throw at the NCAA meet was just off his personal best of 237-6 feet (72.38 meters), which he recorded in 2022 and which still stands as the third-farthest javelin throw in conference history.

Waldbauer also received the prestigious NCAA ELITE 90 award at the national championships, which is designated for the student-athlete at the championship event who holds the highest grade point average. Majoring in global business, Waldbauer has maintained a spotless 4.00 GPA throughout his collegiate career. He is the fourth man in NNU history to claim the league's top athlete honor, joining Steven Schmidt (2023), Jake Knight (2019) and Payton Lewis (2017).