April 26, 2003

Complete Results

EUGENE, Ore. - Ashlee Vincent (So., Bellingham/Squalicum) was a national provisional qualifier in her third event of the season, highlighting Western Washington University performances Saturday at the University of Oregon Invitational Track and Field meet Saturday at Hayward Field.

Vincent, one of 14 Vikings competing in the two-day meet, finished second in the women's 1,500 meters in a time of 4:36.94, bettering by just over four seconds the time needed to be a provisional qualifier for the NCAA Division II National Championships. Vincent has already qualified in the 3,000 and 5,000.

"Her race was phenomenal," said Western coach PeeWee Halsell. "She got boxed in during the first 800 and got jockeyed around, but she worked her way out of it. She is such a competitor. It was fun to watch."

Western's women had five other season-bests Saturday. Dani Reid (Fr., Spokan/North Central) was ninth in the 100 hurdles in 15.50, Melissa Behrens (So., Redmond/Eastlake) ran a 12.27 100 to place third, Tina Stimson (Jr., Renton/Liberty) was 24th in the 1,500 in a personal-best 4:51.48.

The other two women's bests were in relays. The 4x400 relay team of Dania Swosinski (Jr., Tacoma/Wilson), Reid, Jessica Opersteny (Jr., Seattle/Roosevelt) and Laura Burch (So., McMinnville, OR) was third in 4:00.3; and the 4x100 quartet of Reid, Swosinski, Burch and Behrens ran a 48.10.

Stacey Hopkins (Jr., Sammamish/Eastlake) placed fifth in the women's javelin with a mark of 142-8, and Opersteny was 13th in the women's 800 in 2:21.90.

For the men, pole vaulter Scott Romney (So., Gig Harbor) cleared a season-best 15-1. He finished in a six-way tie for second, as did teammate Hunter Verner (So., Nashville, TN/Montgomery Bell), but Adam Cleveland (Fr., Spokane/West Valley) no-heighted.

"It was a good day for us, especially considering the poor weather conditions," Halsell said. "I'm proud of this group. I hope they can take this competitive edge into the conference championships next week."

A larger portion of Western's team competed in the Western Oregon University Open on Saturday. Kirsten Holt (Fr., Lakewood) won the women's 100 hurdles (16.22) and placed second in the 100 (13.1) and sixth in the 200.

Also winning for the women were Jessica Telleria (Fr., Boise, ID/Capital), who had a season-best throw in the discus of 138-4, just under five feet short of the provisional qualifying standard; Amy Kruckeberg (Fr., Lake Stevens) in the high jump (5-1 1/4); and the 4x400 relay team (4:13.6).

The lone victory for the men at Western Oregon was in the 4x100 relay. The top Viking team was disqualified, but the B team of Dan Thompsen (Jr., Bellevue/Interlake), Mikel Lenox (Fr., Spokane/North Central), Peter Hays (So., Vancouver/Prairie) and Ed Kaeka (Fr., Spanaway/Spanaway Lake) won in 43.42.

On Friday at the Oregon Invitational, Western's Lisa Pearl (So., Kenmore/Inglemoor) placed fifth in her first women's 10,000, setting a school record with a national provisional qualifying time of 37:10.77.

The Vikings' Zach Boteilho (Sr., Camas), the defending meet champion in the men's 10,000 as an unattached runner, ran a personal best and bettered his national provisional qualifying time by over 30 seconds as he finished eighth in 30:33.23.

Western competes in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships next Saturday (10 a.m.) at Ellensburg.