Two meets, three days. Qualifying opportunities abound for the Seattle Pacific University track & field team this week, with the Falcons involved in two San Diego meets. Four women are entered in a heptathlon Thursday and Friday (Mar. 21-22) at Point Loma Nazarene while the balance of the select travel squad competes Saturday (Mar. 23) at the Aztec Invitational before returning home. Next week is the Spring Break Open in Edmonds.

Multiple personalities. A longtime strength of the SPU program has been the multiple events, specifically the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon. There have been 20 All-Americas and four national champions in the heptathlon since 1981 and Coach Jack Hoyt believes both totals could rise later this spring at the NCAA Division II Championships. The purpose of the Point Loma meet is to get there. Stephanie Huffman (Sr., Brush Prairie, Wa./Prairie), already a provisional qualifier in the javelin, is aiming for the automatic standard of 5250 points. Huffman was second nationally in 1999 and fourth last season. Joining her as entries are Laura Widman (Jr., Colfax, Wa./Colfax), the NCAA heptathlon runner-up in 2000; promising volleyball convert Leah Wiiest (Sr., Spokane, Wa./Deer Park-Cornell) and Jennifer Pyeatt (So., Graham, Wa./Bethel), an All-America hurdler returning from a back injury.

A day at the beach. With final exams out of the way, many of the Falcons eschewed the cold and snow of the Pacific Northwest for much milder conditions in Southern California last weekend. The results from the Long Beach Classic were impressive, particularly for so early in the season. Rachel Ross (Sr., Kennewick, Wa./Kennewick) ran to yet another victory, winning the 800 meters in a provisional qualifying time of 2 minutes, 13.02 seconds. It was her 25th career triumph in a middle-distance race and her second qualifying time in as many meets (she had done so in the 1500 a week earlier). The win, coupled with Ross's fourth-place effort in the 1500 (4:38.10)­which snapped her middle-distance regular season win streak at six, dating back to last season­made her the Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection for co-athlete of the week.

Best of the rest. In all, Seattle Pacific got eight top-five placements at Long Beach. Finishing second were Huffman in the javelin (135-11) and Ally Studer (So., Redmond, Wa./Redmond) in the pole vault (10-11 3/4). Taking fourth, along with Ross, was Jawea Harder (Sr., Port Townsend, Wa.) in the 400 hurdles (1:04.66) and the 4 x 400 relay of Lindsey Stewart (Jr. Shoreline, Wa./King's), Wiiest, Sarah Kraybill (Jr., Seattle, Wa./Ballard) and Ross in 3:57.62. Shot putter Dionna Anderson (Sr., Lynnwood, Wa./Edmonds-Woodway) threw 43 feet, 6 1/2 inches and Kraybill ran the 800 in 2:16.55, both placing fifth. Overall, SPU finished fourth of 12 teams with 126 points, behind Long Beach State (189), Cornell (187) and Kentucky (141).

The man show. Highlights for the SPU men included Paul Mach (So., Seattle, Wa./King's), whose time of 54.54 seconds in the 400 hurdles was both a PR and No. 3 all-time, and the 4 x 400 relay, which took seventh in 3:25.98. Mach was joined on the quartet by Neal Fryett (Sr., Pullman, Wa./Logos), Micah Kellcy (Fr., Lakewood, Wa./Clover Park) and Nathanael Castle (Sr., Gooding, Id.). Castle ran his first 1500 of the season in 3:58.86.

Notable entries. Widman is returning for her first heptathlon competition since June of 2000. A tight hamstring, which plagued her throughout the indoor season, has improved, however Hoyt may pull her before completing the seven events to avoid aggravating the injury. Pyeatt saw her first outdoor competition since 2000 at Long Beach. She hurdled, long-jumped and threw the shot. Huffman and Wiiest also competed in three events last week, with Wiiest running a 26.51 in the 200 dash.

Oval notes. Jamie Witt (So., Folsom, Ca./Folsom) will redshirt this season to rest a back injury which has plagued her for the past year...Castle doubled, earning a PR in his first 800 since the 2000 season in 1:56.12...Anderson's shot mark was an outdoor PR. She had thrown for 45-3 3/4 indoors and was coming off an eighth-place finish at the NCAA indoor championships...Hurdler Nick Berry (Fr., Kealakekua, Hi./Konawaena) has not competed yet due to a knee injury. Berry was the Hawaii state runner-up in the intermediates last spring...Harder's hurdle time was her best since her sophomore season and was just 0.94 off the NCAA provisional mark.