Swosinski, Vincent place first to highlight six top three performances by Western women at UW Invitational

March 22, 2003

SEATTLE, Wash. - Dania Swosinski (Jr., Tacoma/Wilson) highlighted a fine overall performance by winning the 200 meters and Ashlee Vincent (So., Bellingham/Squalicum) took first in the 1,500 as Western Washington University had six top three performances in the women's competition at the University of Washington Ken Shannon Invitational Track and Field meet Saturday at Husky Stadium.

Swosinski won the 200 in 27.0. She also anchored the Vikings' 4x400 relay which placed third in 4:08.38, finished fourth in the 400 (59.96) and seventh in the 100 (13.22).

Vincent, who had won the 5,000 in a provisional national qualifying time of 17:42.85 at last week's Pacific Lutheran Invitational, was victorious in the 1,500 by over two seconds at 4:47.25.

Jessica Telleria (Fr., Boise, ID/Capital) placed second for Western in the discus (130-11), and finishing third were Stacey Hopkins (Jr., Sammamish/Eastlake) in the javelin (133-4) and Amy Kruckeberg (Fr., Lake Stevens) in the high jump (5-1 3/4).

"It was a bigger meet than last week and we competed well," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell. "It was really wet early on and windy all day and our performances reflected that."

The Vikings' only top three efforts in the men's division were a first by Paul Danforth (Fr., Kent/Kennedy) in the long jump (20-8) and a third in the 4x100 relay (44.08) anchored by Chris McClung (Jr., Vancouver/Skyline).

Western's Dani Reid (Fr., Spokane/North Central) placed fifth in the women's 400 hurdles (1:10.60) and sixth in the 100 hurdles (17.22), besides running a leg on the third-place 4x400 relay. Another member of that quartet was Jessica Opersteny (Jr., Seattle/Roosevelt), who finished sixth in the 800 (2:23.91).

Jeff Luckstead (Fr., Walla Walla) and Dustin Wilson (Fr., Silverdale/Central Kitsap) were fifth (16.12) and sixth (16.17), respectively, for the Viking men in the 110 hurdles. Zack Koehnke (Fr., Gig Harbor) was fifth in the pole vault (13-5 1/4), and Julius Defour (Fr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) and Zak Ernst (Fr., Bellingham/Squalicum) were sixth in the high jump (6-1 1/2) and long jump (19-11), respectively.

Western also was sixth in the men's 4x400 relay (3:35.06) anchored by Ryan Los (Jr., Gig Harbor/Peninsula).

The Vikings are sending a small contingent to the Stanford Invitational next Saturday (1 p.m.), with other team members competing in the Club Northwest Spring Break meet at Edmonds.