SPU Has Eight Top Seeds in Inaugural GNAC Indoor Track Meet
February 18, 2004

SEATTLE (Feb. 18) ­ Seattle Pacific University is aiming to claim plenty of prizes at the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships to be held Saturday in Nampa, Id.

The Falcons feature the top seeds in eight events--five women's and three men's­and the women's squad figures to contend for the overall team title as well. Western Oregon, the reigning men's and women's GNAC outdoor champion, has a total of 12 top seeds.

The meet, which will feature 13 individual events and two relays for both genders, will begin at 10 a.m. MST at the Jackson Indoor Track & Field Facility. Team awards will be presented at 4 p.m. MST.

Seattle Pacific is sending 22 women (for 37 total entries) and 14 men (21 entries) to the meet, which is also the last best chance to qualify individuals for the NCAA Division II Championships Mar. 12-13 in Boston.

Western Oregon has six No. 1-ranked athletes in the women's division. Seattle Pacific has five, including Kinyatta Leonhardt (Fr., Petaluma, Ca./St. Vincent), who set a new SPU record in the 60-meter dash (7.97). Others with top qualifying marks are Jennifer Marsh (Fr., Kirkland, Wa./Juanita) in the 800 (2:13.55), Karen Dickson (Fr., El Dorado Hills, Ca./Oak ridge), in the 5000 (10:38.28), Dianna Grossglass (So., LaConner, Wa.) in the high jump (5-5), and Ally Studer (Sr., Redmond, Wa./Redmond) in the pole vault (11-9). The 1600 relay (4:02.20) is also No. 1.

SPU is deepest in the sprints and jumps while WOU is particularly loaded in the throws.

Seattle Pacific has three top marks in the men's field, including Chris Randolph (So., Lone Tree, Co./Denver Christian) in both the high jump (6-6 3/4) and long jump (school record 22-5). Paul Mach (Sr., Seattle, Wa./King's), a three-time 400 hurdles outdoor champion, is the favorite in the 800, having run a school record 1:52.40. Western Oregon has a total of six No. 1 seeds in the men's individual events.

SPU won three consecutive outdoor women's conference titles from 2000-02 and won its seventh women's cross country crown last fall.

Men's Division Conference Leaders

• 60 - Kurt Weber, CWU, 7.11.
• 200 - Isaac Frederick, WOU, 22.09.
• 400 - Isaac Frederick, WOU, 48.59.
• 800 - Paul Mach, SPU, 1:52.40.
• Mile - Nathan Carlson, SMC, 4:10.95.
• 5000 - Steve DeKoker, WWU, 15:05.63.
• 60 Hurdles - Sam Hobbs, WOU, 8.45.
• 4x400 Relay - Western Oregon 3:24.01.
• Distance Medley - Saint Martin's 11:04.17.
• Triple Jump - Justin Lawrence, CWU, 14.52 - 47-7 1/2.
• Long Jump - Chris Randolph, SPU, 6.83 - 22-5.
• High Jump - Chris Randolph, SPU, 2.00 - 6-6 3/4.
• Pole Vault - Josh Cummings, WOU, 4.76 - 15-7 1/4.
• 35-lb. Weight - Josh Holloway, WOU, 47-5 3/4.
• Shot Put - Kevin Johnson, WOU, 14.61 - 47-11 1/4.

Women's Division Conference Leaders

• 60 - Kinyatta Leonhardt, SPU, 7.97.
• 200 - Terran Legard, CWU, 25.98.
• 400 - Terran Legard, CWU, 57.11.
• 800 - Jennifer Marsh, SPU, 2:13.55.
• Mile - Kari Konrad, WOU, 5:10.44.
• 5,000 - Karen Dickson, SPU, 10:38.28 (qualifying time in 3,000).
• 60 Hurdles - Ashley Rountree, CWU, 9.25.
• 4x400 Relay - Seattle Pacific 4:02.20.
• Distance Medley - Seattle 13:31.33.
• Long Jump - Katy Kociemba, WOU, 5.24 - 17-2 1/4.
• Triple Jump - Nini Callan, WOU, 10.88 - 35-8 1/2.
• High Jump - Monica Smith, WOU, and Dianna Grossglass, SPU, 1.65 - 5-5.
• Pole Vault - Danielle Juarez, WWU, and Ally Studer, SPU, 3.60 - 11-9 3/4.
• 20-lb. Weight - Kristin Hepler, WOU, 16.89 - 55-4 3/4.
• Shot Put - Chevonna Lynch, WOU, 12.02 - 39-5.