SEATTLE (May 22) -- It's been eight years since a Seattle Pacific University track & field athlete stepped to the top of an NCAA Championships podium, and while the Falcons don't necessarily feature an individual favorite this time around, their coach cautions not to count them out.

Seattle Pacific is sending six women to the national meet, which begins Thursday in Edwardsville, Ill. Jack Hoyt, the SPU head coach, informed NCAA meet officials late Monday that freshman distance runner Jamie Witt (Folsom, Ca.) was advised by physicians not to run the 3000 due to back pain.

However, the Falcons picked up another entry when late scratches enabled sophomore Sarah Kraybill (Seattle, Wa./Ballard) to join the field for the 800.

Hoyt considers both Rachel Ross (Jr., Kennewick, Wa.) and Stephanie Huffman (Jr., Brush Prairie, Wa./Prairie) to be title contenders in two events when the Division II meet convenes in Edwardsville, Ill., Thursday.

Ross is entered in the 800 and 1500-meter runs while Huffman is competing in the heptathlon and javelin.

"I'm hoping that Rachel and Stephanie can finish among the top five in each of their two events," said Hoyt, "but I think each of them has a chance to go much higher in one of their competitions."

Ross, undefeated versus collegians in middle-distance races this spring, is seeded No. 4 in both events and will also run a leg of the Falcons' 4 x 400 relay. She was sixth in the 800 as a freshman in 1999 and ninth last year.

"Rachel will be busy, but we think she can handle this situation," he said. "She's in great shape and we felt this was the year to try it."

Huffman is actually competing in the equivalent of eight events since the two-day heptathlon is comprised of the 100 hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 dash, long jump, javelin and 800 run.

"I won't be surprised if Stephanie scores in the range of 5200-5300 points. Normally, it takes 5400 to win it," said Hoyt. "She's become very consistent in the javelin and unless someone uncorks a big throw, I think she'll be right in there."

Huffman was runner-up in the heptathlon as a sophomore in 1999 and was a redshirt last season. She is the No. 6 seed in that event and No. 3 in the javelin.

Also qualified for the NCAA meet from SPU is pole vaulter Ally Studer (Fr., Redmond, Wa./Redmond), intermediate hurdler Karen Summers (Sr., Bremerton, Wa./Seattle Christian), sprinter Cyrena Bell (Sr., Kent, Wa./Christian Faith) in the 400 dash, and the relay of Ross, Bell, Summers and Kraybill.

Updates direct from the NCAA Track & Field