Christie-Galloway books ticket for NCAA Championships

Wednesday, May 24

Sacramento, Calif.

Grand Canyon

NCAA West Regionals

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

5/27/2023 9:08:00 PM | Track and Field

College careers come to end for Lopes' seniors at regional meet

By: Nathan Peters

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The final day of the NCAA West First Round can be summed up for Grand Canyon track and field with one name — Keira Christie-Galloway.

Christie-Galloway has time and time again delivered beyond impressive performances. But when it came to Saturday night's first heat in the 100-meter hurdles at the NCAA regional meet, the Lopes senior ran 13.08 seconds to take second place in her heat. The top three spots received automatic qualifying bids to the NCAA Championships.

"Congratulations to Keira," GCU head coach Tom Flood said. "Her magical season continues."

Christie-Galloway, a Canadian from Ottawa, Ontario, is the first women's hurdler in Lopes history to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

The national meet will take place in Austin, Texas, on June 7-10.

GCU junior Jazmine Scott finished her season in the triple jump with a mark of 12.55 meters (41 feet, 2 1/4 inches). Scott broke the school record twice this season.

"As thrilled as I am for Kiwi (Christie-Galloway), it is a bittersweet day having to say goodbye to so many talented seniors," Flood said. "Thank you Kelly (Moodry), Kyle (De Moica), Adam (Knuff), Bryson (Benjamin), and Mariano (Hernandez) for all that you have done for our GCU track and field family."

This group of seniors had seasons filled with records and titles, and have continued to set the standard for future groups.

"While their amazing record-setting performances may someday be broken; their wonderful personalities will never be replaced," Flood said.

Some of these Lopes seniors started as walk-ons and worked their way to this moment. Others transferred into the program and also helped to build it to what it is now.

"I am thankful, feel completely honored and truly blessed to have been their coach," Flood said. "I have no doubt that they all will continue to find incredible success in the next chapter of their lives."

Live results can be found here from the entire NCAA West First Round.

Day 3

The Grand Canyon men's track and field season came to a close Friday at the NCAA West First Round.

GCU's Oscar Rodriguez began the day in the discus throw. The junior threw 54.71 meters (179 feet, 6 inches) on his third and final attempt. This season, Rodriguez threw a school record at the Texas Relays and won the event at the WAC Championships.

The 400-meter relay comprised of senior Adam Knuff, senior Mariano Hernandez, freshman Conner Kittleson and senior Kyle De Moica came into the competition ranked 15th based on their school record time at 39.32 seconds. The Lopes ran less then three-tenths of a second from that time at regionals, crossing the finish line at 39.60 seconds to miss the 12th-place qualifying mark of 39.39 seconds.

In the triple jump, junior transfer Derrick Nwagwu had a mark of 14.91 meters (48 feet, 11 inches) for 33rd place. Nwagwu, an Aurora, Colorado native, took third place at the WAC Championships in his first outdoor season as a Lope.

To close the evening, the 1,600-meter relay ran 3:09.59 with a team of freshman Ben Stratman, senior Bryson Benjamin, Hernandez and Kittleson.

Saturday's final day of action will include two Lopes from the women's team. Hurdler Keira Christie-Galloway will hope to build off of her eighth-place finish from Thursday to qualify for nationals in Austin. Meanwhile, GCU teammate Jazmine Scott will compete in the long jump for the right to participate at the NCAA Championships.

Live results can be found here. The ESPN+ broadcast can be seen here.

Day 2

The Lopes women had a day led by none other than Keira Christie-Galloway.

Thursday's NCAA West First Round competition began for GCU with junior Alyssa Walls. The native of Albany, Oregon, threw 56.78 meters (186 feet, 3 inches) for 34th place in the hammer. Walls was the second-highest finisher in the event from the WAC.

Coming into the competition, Christie-Galloway ranked ninth in the region and 20th nationally. The senior from Ottawa, Canada, ran a time of 13.08 seconds. That time marks the second best in school history and places Christie-Galloway into the quarterfinal on Saturday as the eighth fastest from the heats.

Lopes junior Brooke Weimer was in the second flight of the long jump, where her best mark came on her third attempt at 6.07 meters (19 feet, 11 inches) to take 19th in the West.

To close the evening for the Lopes, senior Kelly Moodry ran the 800 in 2 minutes, 7.21 seconds. The senior placed 27th, just three spots from qualifying for Saturday.

On Friday, the men will compete in the 400- and 1,600-meter relays. The 400 squad will be made up of senior Adam Knuff, junior Erin Brown, freshman Conner Kittleson and senior Kyle De Moica. The 1,600 team is compiled with freshman Ben Stratman, senior Mariano Hernandez, senior Bryson Benjamin and De Moica.

The 400 relay begins at 5 p.m. and the 1,600 relay will end the evening at 8:45 p.m.

Live results can be found here. The action can be broadcast on ESPN+ here.

Day 1

The Grand Canyon track and field men began the NCAA West First Round on Wednesday with five athletes in action.

The competition began with the Lopes' javelin duo of Walter Moffett and Marten Gasparini. Moffett, a freshman, threw just 0.5 meters off his season best with a mark of 66.28 meters (217 feet, 5 inches) to take third out of all freshman in the competition, and 16th overall. Gasparini, who has been struggling with an injury, threw 62.10 meters.

GCU's Erin Brown opened the track events for GCU by competing in the 400-meter event with a time of 46.84 seconds. The junior placed seventh in his heat.

Eric Cabais-Fernandez finished the pole vault competition with a mark of 5.05 meters (16 feet, 6 3/4 inches). The Lopes junior was one of only two WAC pole vaulters in the men's competition.

In the men's 200, GCU senior Kyle De Moica recorded a time of 21.32 seconds to finish seventh in his heat. Brown was not able to finish his second race of the night.

The Lopes' women will begin their time at the NCAA West First Round meet on Thursday with the hammer throw for Alyssa Walls, who will make her regionals debut in the first flight.

Thursday also will include GCU senior Keira Christie-Galloway in the 100 hurdles. Christie-Galloway is the WAC champion and comes in ranked as the ninth fastest in the region.

The Lopes' Brooke Weimer will take on the region's best long jumpers beginning at 6 p.m.

Senior Kelly Moodry will run the 800 to close the evening for GCU. The Wyoming native competes at about 7:50 p.m.

Live results can be found here.