SAN DIEGO (Mar. 23) -- Seattle Pacific University's Rachel Ross raced to her third and fourth middle-distance wins of the young season and Nathanael Castle won the men's 1500 meters at the Aztec Invitational track & field meet Saturday.

The Falcons also got a couple more NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks, giving them seven in the first three weeks of the outdoor season.

Despite a gusting crosswind, Ross (Sr., Kennewick, Wa.) improved her qualifying time in the 800 meters to 2:12.63, edging Kelly Richards of Southern Utah, timed in 2:12.91. She has won her last four regular season 800s dating back to last season. Ross also took first in the 1500 in 4:41.29, holding off Genevieve Goff (4:41.60).

Castle (Sr., Gooding, Id.), with a 59-second final lap, out-kicked his nearest challengers to finish first in the 1500 in a season-best 3:58.24.

Joe Sans of Massachusetts-Lowell was runner-up in 4:00.77.

Taking their initial steps toward NCAA berths were Dionna Anderson (Sr., Lynnwood, Wa./Edmonds-Woodway) in the shot put and Jawea Harder (Sr., Port Townsend, Wa.) in the 400 hurdles, both with provisional marks. Anderson finished second with an outdoor personal-best of 44 feet, 4 inches. Harder was sixth in a fast heat in 1:02.70--her best time in two years. Tanisha Mills, semifinalist in the world championships last year, won in 58.01.

In the men's intermediate hurdles, Paul Mach (So., Seattle, Wa./King's) placed third in 54.85 second while Micah Kellcy (Jr., Lakewood, Wa./Clover Park) was sixth in a PR of 56.93.

Other top-five finishes included Sarah Kraybill (Jr., Seattle, Wa./Ballard) in the 800 (fifth/2:17.14) and Stephanie Huffman (Sr., Brush Prairie, Wa./Prairie), who took just one throw in the javelin (fifth/125-10) after competing in a heptathlon the previous two days. The women's 4 x 100 relay was also fifth, in 49.43.