SEATTLE – The Seattle Pacific Athletics Department congratulates track athletes Annika Esvelt and Brennan LeBlanc as this week's SPU Athletics Falcons of the Week.
 
 
ANNIKA ESVELT / WOMEN'S TRACK
WHAT SHE DID: Esvelt ran the season's third-fastest time in Division II in the 10,000 meters last Thursday at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, Calif., clocking 33 minutes, 41.59 seconds. That was a personal-best time by 10 second. It also was the second-fastest time in SPU history and the fourth-fastest in GNAC history. Esvelt also currently has D2's No. 11 time in the 5000 at 16:18.94.
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QUOTABLE: "Some of the workouts she has done, she has definitely shown she's capable of a time like that. But being capable of it and actually doing it on that day is easier said than done," assistant coach / distance coach Eric Hansen said. "She had good competition, had a good race, executed really well, and it worked out She stuck to the plan really well and was able to mix it up with some of the best 10K runners in the country.
 
 
BRENNAN LeBLANC / MEN'S TRACK
WHAT HE DID: LeBlanc, clocked a personal-best of 9 minutes, 38.30 seconds in the 3000-meter steeplechase on Friday morning at the Beach Invitational, His time for 7½ laps around Jack Rose Track was a 2½-second improvement from his previous best of 9:40.88 March 22 at the Mangrum Invitational in San Marcos.
 
QUOTABLE: "I'm really hoping to get as close to 9:20 as I can. That's 18 seconds, and it's going to be a lot," LeBlanc said. "But I think with the fitness that I have right now, if I can just get a little more efficient over the barriers and have a little more confidence, I think that goal will be achievable by conference."