March 18, 2012
Complete Results
EUGENE, Ore. - EUGENE, Ore. --- Emily Warman (Sr., Sedro-Woolley) won triple jump and reached an NCAA Division II provisional national qualifying standard, highlighting Western Washington University performances at the University of Oregon Preview Track and Field meet Sunday at historic Hayward Field on the UO campus.
Warman, who won the triple jump in the NCAA II Indoor Championships as a freshman, won Sunday's meet with a mark of 38-5 to achieve provisional national qualifying status. She was also second in the long jump at 18-3, with teammate Emily Walters (So., Olympia) finishing fourth (17-3 1/4).
"I think we did really well, especially considering the conditions," said WWU assistant coach Brandi Petz. "It was four-and-a-half hours of the most schitzophrenic weather I've ever seen. We had snow, hail, huge winds, lots of rain, and then at the end, calm and sun."
Warman was the only victorious Viking on Sunday, but WWU did have a number of top three finishes.
Michelle Howe (Sr., Lakewood) was second in the women's 400-meter hurdles in 1:05.14 and third in the 100 hurdles in 14.71; and the men's 4x400 relay of Alex Tilley (Sr., Edmonds/Kamiak), Nathan Schmidt (Fr., Lynnwood), Jason Nokes (Jr., Spokane/Mount Spokane) and Jon Poolman (R-Fr., Langley/South Whidbey) was second in 3:20.07.
Tilley and Poolman also ran the final two legs of the 4x100, and joined with Mark Pangilinan (So., Marysville/Marysville-Pilchuck) and Shane Gruger (Sr., Shoreline/Shorewood) to finish third in 41.99. Also placing third for the WWU men was Brett Watson (Fr., Ferndale), who cleared 6-5 1/2.
For the women, Eleanor Siler (Sr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) was third in the 400 in 56.91, and Katie Reichert (Fr., Kelso) was third in the javelin with a throw of 135-4, improving her provisional national mark by a foot.
Sunday marked the first time a WWU athlete had competed in the men's 2,000 steeplechase, with Eric Brill (Sr., Kent/Kentwood) establishing a school record by finishing eighth in 6:11.01.
Hayward Field will be the site of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials as well as the inaugural Pac-12 Championships.
WWU's next action is Saturday, March 31, when it hosts the WWU Ralph Vernacchia Invitational at Civic Stadium in Bellingham.
