Ayers-Stamper Leads GNAC Heptathlon After Four Events
April 24, 2003

MONMOUTH, Ore. (Apr. 24) -- Danielle Ayers-Stamper of Seattle Pacific University holds a commanding lead following the first day of the heptathlon at Great Northwest Athletic Conference Combined Events Championships at McArthur Field.

Ayers-Stamper (Fr., LaCrosse, Wa.), who owns the No. 4 qualifying mark in NCAA Division II, has a four-event total of 2,952. She posted the field's top marks in the 100-meter hurdles (a personal-best time of 14.69 seconds), high jump (5-foot 2 1/2) and shot put (a PR of 39-1 3/4), and was second in the 200 dash (27.28).

Linda Blake (Fr., Richland, Wa.) of SPU holds a slim five-point lead (2511-2506) over Western Oregon's Bridget Johnson for second place going into Friday's final three events. The Falcons' Laura Widman (Sr., Colfax, Wa.), nursing a leg injury, is in seventh place.

In the men's decathlon, Central Washington's Chris Peterson has a five-event total of 3,310. Seattle Pacific's Chris Randolph (3,056) is third. Randolph won the 400 (51.32) and threw the shot a PR of 33-1 3/4 but was well off his season-best marks in the high jump (5-10 1/2) and long jump (18-7 3/4). Jason Radel (Fr., Kalispell, Mt./Flathead) is seventh with 2,674.

Point totals from the final placing will be applied towards next Saturday's (May 3) team totals at the GNAC track and field championships in Ellensburg, Wash.

Day One Results, Men's Decathlon
1-Chris Peterson, CWU 3,310; 2-Brandon Conroy, WOU, 3,188; 3-Chris Randolph, SPU, 3,056; 4-Cresap Watson, CWU, 3,050; 5-Josh Fishburne, NNU, 2,992; 6-Justin Alverez, HSU, 2,719; 7-Jason Radel, SPU, 2,674; 8-Curt Moon, CWU, 1,743.

Day One Results, Women's Heptathlon
1-Danielle Ayers-Stamper, SPU, 2,952; 2-Linda Blake, SPU, 2,511; 3-Bridget Johnson, WOU, 2,506; 4-LeAnne Evans, WWU, 2,277; 5-Ashlyn Terry, WOU, 2,277; 6-Jackie McCall, WWU, 2,125; 7-Laura Widman, SPU, 2,087; 8-Amy Klein, NNU, 1,614; 9-Nena Dodge, WWU, 1,311; 10-Amy vonJentzen, CWU, 959.