This week...
Sat., May 5, 10 a.m. -- TRACK & FIELD at PACIFIC WEST CHAMPIONSHIPS, McArthur Field, Monmouth, Or.

Complete Women's Track Schedule

Complete Men's Track Schedule

Defending the crown...
Individually and collectively, the Seattle Pacific University women's track & field team will defend Pacific West Conference crowns while the men's team hopes to send its first athlete to the victory podium Saturday (May 5). Thirty-four Falcons--24 women and 10 men--made the PacWest field, which is comprised of the top 16 people in each event. The final opportunity to post NCAA qualifying marks will be the Ken Foreman Invitational May 12.

The gang's all there...
This is the second year of the PacWest Championships, with all six participating teams moving to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in 2001-02. Western Oregon, the host of this year's meet, is the defending men's team champion. SPU finished 90 points in front of the runner-up Wolves in last year's women's standings. Rounding out the field are Central Washington, Humboldt State, Saint Martin's and Western Washington.

Falcons favored...
Based both on its number of entries and the fact that they have the top marks in 10 events, the Falcons are heavily favored to retain their women's title. The men, meanwhile, will be hard-pressed to move above their 2000 finish of fifth place. Individually, SPU has five defending women's champions, plus both relays.

Ross should be ready...
Rachel Ross (Jr., Kennewick, Wa.) was the PacWest winner of both the 800 and 1500-meter runs last season, and ranks No. 3 nationally (2:08.05/4:30.71) in each event this spring. Ross, bothered by a sore back and hamstring, was held out of competition last week but should be given the green light to race this weekend. She was the conference cross country champion in 1998 and 2000 and has not lost to a collegian yet this year.

Huffman could score lots...
For the second year in a row, the Falcons feature a one-woman wrecking crew. All-America heptathlete Stephanie Huffman (Jr., Brush Prairie, Wa./Prairie) is likely to be entered in five events and is the favorite in the javelin while a top contender in the high jump, long jump and 100 hurdles. A year ago, another SPU heptathlete, Laura Widman (Jr., Colfax, Wa.) won three events and scored 44 points in the PacWest meet. Widman is a redshirt this time around. Huffman, who also got last week off, ranks No. 5 among NCAA Division II heptathlon qualifiers with a score of 4935 points. Coach Jack Hoyt (2nd year) chose not to enter her in last week's conference heptathlon in which the winning score was 4134.

Bell brings best news...
Sprinter Cyrena Bell (Sr., Kent, Wa./Christian Faith) comes into the conference meet in fine form and as the PacWest co-athlete of the week. Bell bolted to a personal-best and provisional qualifying time of 56.38 seconds in the 400 meters at the Cougar Invitational last week. That is also the top mark in the conference this season. She anchored the 4 x 100 relay to another provisional qualifying time of 47.92 seconds‹also the best in the PacWest. Bell was the runner-up in both the conference 200 and 400 last season.

Cream of the crop...
Besides Bell, Huffman, Ross and the relays, Seattle Pacific also boasts the top performance marks in four other events. Huffman and Abby Harris (Auburn, Wa./Auburn) are tied atop the high jump (5-5 3/4) list. Karen Summers (Sr., Bremerton, Wa./Seattle Christian) is No. 1 in the 400 hurdles (1:01.1) and sixth nationally. Morgan Ranta (Jr., Kent, Wa./Kentridge) is just ahead of Huffman in the long jump (18-3) and Natalie Dorow (Sr., Billings, Mt./West) is both defending champ and leader in the triple jump (37-7 3/4). On the men's side, Paul Mach (Fr., Seattle, Wa./King's) holds the top time in the 400 hurdles (55.47). Ally Studer (Fr., Redmond, Wa./Redmond) and Dionna Anderson (Jr., Lynnwood, Wa./Edmonds-Woodway) are No. 2 in the pole vault (11-11 3/4) and shot put (43-2 1/2), respectively. The men's 4 x 400 (3:23.19) relay is also second.

National picture...
So far, Seattle Pacific has 12 provisional qualifying marks for the NCAA Championships. Of those, only seven seem reasonably assured of making the trip to Edwardsville, Ill., May 24-26. Ross could double in the 800 and 1500, Huffman is high on the javelin and heptathlon lists. Summers, Studer and the 4 x 400 relay also rate among the top 10. Those on the bubble currently are distance runner Jamie Witt (Fr., Folsom, Ca.) in the 3000 and 5000, Bell in the 400 and both Harris and Huffman in the high jump. The sprint relay is currently 27th and would need to run around 47.0 to make the cut.

The week that was...
Bell was not the only bright spot in Pullman. Anderson added over a foot to her PR in the shot put while Lindsey Stewart (So., Shoreline, Wa./King's) darted to season-best times in the 100 and 200. Stewart won the PacWest 100 as a freshman. Mach lowered his PR fractionally in the intermediate hurdles. The highest placement was second by Kelsey Backen (Jr., Yakima, Wa./East Valley) in the 1500. At the Northwest Twilight meet, Amy Cowden (Sr., Seattle, Wa./Seattle Christian) won the high jump at 5-1, Amber Farthing (Sr., LaConner, Wa.) took the 800 in 2:22.04 and Ruth Hawkinson (So., Roy, Wa./Yelm) coasted to a win and PR in the 5000 (18:28.68).

Academic awards...
SPU topped all PacWest schools with 14 women selected to the academic all-conference team last week. Dorow, Summers, Ranta, Harris and distance runner Rachae Probst (Jr., Spokane, Wa./Mead) were the five repeat selections for the SPU women. Also included were Dana Cantrell (Jr., Bellingham, Wa./Sehome), Schaylee Baumgartner (So., Quincy, Wa.), Huffman, Christie Goering (Sr., Boulder, Co./Fairview), Kraybill, Sarah Lyne (So., Kelseyville, Ca.), Annie McCabe (So., Spokane, Wa./Mead), Nicole Seana (So., Carnation, Wa./Kamiakin), and Stewart. The Falcon men had three representatives, including repeat selections Backen and Nathanael Castle (Jr., Gooding, Id.), and thrower Andrew Steiner (So., Edmonds, Wa./Snohomish County Christian). To be eligible for the academic team, student-athletes must have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 and be in their second year of competition at their university.

Fractions...
Hoyt signed two high school seniors to national letters of intent last week. Bremerton's Josie Lavin was third in the state 4A 800 as a junior and Shelton's Amanda McClary, a multi-event prospect, is among the 4A leaders in the 400 this year. Battle Ground's Tim LeCount, fifth in state 4A cross country and sixth in the 3200, has also committed...Bell's toughest competition in the 400 could come from teammate Sarah Kraybill (So., Seattle, Wa./Ballard), the defending champ and No. 2 contender...Trevor Sharp (Sr., Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Delaware Christian) was the highest-placing male in last year's conference meet, taking second in the 400 hurdles...Athletes finishing in the top three at their event earn all-conference distinction...Huffman's younger sister Chelsea competed for Idaho at the Cougar Invitational.

SPU women's track rosters & season best marks...
Women Yr Hometown (High School) Event/Best '01 Marks
Dionna Anderson Jr Lynnwood, Wa. (Edmonds-W'way) Sp/43-2 1/2 Dt/97-9
Hailey Armstrong Fr Pocatello, Id. (Pocatello) 5000/19:45.47 10,000/40:53.86
Schaylee Baumgartner Jr Quincy, Wa. (Quincy) 1500/5:17.6 3000/12:02.86
Cyrena Bell Sr Kent, Wa. (Christian Faith) 100/12.6 200/25.95 400/56.38
Kirsten Bjork Fr Olympia, Wa. (Black Hills) 3000/11:05.14 5000/19:03.5 10,000/40:12.68
Dana Cantrell Jr Bellingham, Wa. (Sehome) 1500/4:58.41 3000/11:04.4
Amy Cowden Sr Seattle, Wa. (Seattle Christian) Hj/5-1 3/4 Lj/17-4 1/2
Natalie Dorow Sr Billings, Mt. (Billings West) Tj/36/4 3/4 Lj/17-1
Amber Farthing Sr LaConner, Wa. (LaConner) 800/2:20.00
Christie Goering Sr Boulder, Co. (Fairview) 1500/4:50.14 3000/
Jawea Harder Jr Port Townsend, Wa. (Pt. Townsend) 200/26.81 100H/15.43 400H/1:04.5
Abby Harris Sr Auburn, Wa. (Auburn) Hj/5-5 3/4
Ruth Hawkinson So Roy, Wa. (Yelm) 3000/11:06.97 5000/18:28.68 10k/
Stephanie Huffman Jr Brush Prairie, Wa. (Prairie) 200/26.82 800/2:33.33 100H/15.34 Hj/5-1 3/4 Lj/17-11 1/4 Sp/32-3 1/2 Jt/149-6 Hep/4935
Lauren Kooy Fr George, Wa. (Quincy) Dt/127-2 Jt/109-0
Sarah Kraybill So Seattle, Wa. (Ballard) 400/59.19 800/2:15.81
Sarah Lyne So Kelseyville, Ca. (Kelseyville) Pv/8-0
Annie McCabe So Spokane, Wa. (Mead) 1500/4:58.43 3000/11:06.09
Lindsey Northwall Fr Omaha, Ne. (Ralston) 3000/ 5000/20:00.89
Candy Owens Fr Ridgefield, Ct. (Ridgefield) 1500/5:04.35 3000/
Erica Owens So Normandy Park, Wa. (Mt. Rainier) 800/2:28.93 1500/5:08.56
Rachae Probst Jr Spokane, Wa. (Mead) 3000/ 5000/ 10k/
Morgan Ranta Jr Kent, Wa. (Kentridge) Lj/18-3 Tj/35-8
Mackensie Rogers Fr Otis Orchards, Wa. (East Valley) Pv/8-6 1/4
Amber Rose Fr Olympia, Wa. (Capital) Lj/16-3 3/4 Tj/35-7 3/4
Rachel Ross Jr Kennewick, Wa. (Kennewick) 400/ 800/2:08.05 1500/4:30.71
Nicole Seana So Carnation, Wa. (Kamiakin) 3000/11:02.71 5000/19:50.81 10k/
Lindsey Stewart So Shoreline, Wa. (King's) 100/12.61 200/26.25
Ally Studer Fr Redmond, Wa. (Redmond) Pv/11-11 3/4
Karen Summers Sr Bremerton, Wa. (Seattle Christian) 200/26.72 100H/15.11 400H/61.1
Jamie Witt Fr Folsom, Ca. (Folsom) 3000/10:06.21 5000/17:29.62

SPU men's track rosters & season best marks...
Yr Hometown (High School)
Kelsey Backen Jr Yakima, Wa. (East Valley) 800/ 1500/3:58.3 5000/
Nathanael Castle Jr Gooding, Id. (Gooding) 800/ 1500/3:58.4 5000/15:20.69
Travis Danner Fr Eugene, Or. (Elmira) Pv/11-0
David Denniston So Laguna Hills, Ca. (Laguna Hills) 400/55.12
Neal Fryett Jr Pullman, Wa. (Logos) 400/52.4 800/1:55.09 1500/4:11.07
Brandon Littlefield Fr Selah, Wa. (Eisenhower) Pv/13-5 3/4
Paul Mach Fr Seattle, Wa. (King's) 400/ 100H/ 400H/55.47
Tim Marston Fr Pullman, Wa. (Logos) 1500/ 5000/
Ryan Nash Jr Spokane, Wa. (Mead) 1500/4:05.5 5000/16:02.22
Matt Peterson So Lynnwood, Wa. (Sno. Cty. Chrstn) Lj/21-6 3/4
Trevor Sharp Sr Bala-Cynwyd, Pa. (Delaware Chrstn) 400H/56.5
Zeph Shepard Fr North Easton, Ma. (Oliver Ames) 200/ Lj/21-5 1/4
Andrew Steiner So Edmonds, Wa. (Sno. Cty. Chrstn) Shot/34-6 1/4 Disc/126-1
Zach Starr Fr Bend, Or. (Bend) 5000/15:51.26
Scott Van Hess So Salem, Or. (McKay) 800/2:02.29
Blake Witman Fr Lynden, Wa. (Lynden) 100/11.86 400/51.47