Rasubala and Beltz Named Track /Field Athletes of the Year
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Northwest Christian University's Anika Rasubala and Southern Oregon's Zach Beltz have been named the 2019 Cascade Collegiate Conference Track/Field Athletes of the Year, the league office announced.
The annual award is voted on by the conference coaches.
Rasubala, a junior from Salem, Oregon won the NAIA National Championship in the 3000m Steeplechase last week in Gulf Shores, Alabama earning All-American honors. Her time of 10.44:89 outpaced the rest of the field and is a new NCU all-time record in the event.
At the CCC Championships in early May, Rasubala defeated a field that included six of the top seven runners in the NAIA to win the steeplechase as well. Earlier in the season she was the top Non-NCAA D I finisher at the Oregon State High Performance meet where she ran 11:01.50. Her time launched her to the top ranking in the NAIA for the event. Rasubala was one of only two NAIA athletes to break the eleven-minute mark in the steeplechase during 2019, a feat she accomplished twice.
Anika took time out in the middle of the season to take part in the NCU mission trip to Puerto Rico, helping build and restore houses destroyed by Hurricane Maria. Rasubala also earned CCC and NAIA Scholar-Athlete accolades.
Beltz, a senior from Elmira, Oregon capped an impressive final season as a Raider in dramatic fashion. Down to his final attempt in the long-jump at the NAIA Championships, Beltz unleashed a mark of 7.81 (25- 7 ½) to win the title by a centimeter and garner All-American honors. The win in Gulf Shores was his eighth on the season winning each time he entered the long-jump during 2019.
At the CCC championships in early May, Beltz became the first four-time champion in the long-jump with his mark of 25-10 setting a new meet record. He was also tops in the triple-jump for the third time winning with a meet record mark of 50-7 ¼.
Beltz became the only CCC athlete ever to have won both jumps (long and triple) three straight years and was named the NAIA West Region Field Athlete of the Year by the US Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association.