Back in a big way. No sooner do they return from spring break and the Seattle Pacific University track and field athletes are on the move again. After a relative lull in the schedule, the Falcons will be competing in three meets between the Bay Area and Bellingham this week, beginning with the California Multi-Event Wednesday and Thursday (Mar. 29-30) in Berkeley. Eleven athletes will go to the Stanford Invitational Friday and Saturday (Mar. 31-Apr. 1), and the balance of the squads will head north to the Vernacchia Team Classic Saturday (Apr. 1) at Western Washington. Next week the team closes ranks for the Shotwell Invitational.

Entries of interest. Before the weekend, Seattle Pacific’s list of provisional qualifiers could grow. Kelsey Cooley (So., Missoula, Mt./Hellgate) and Linda Blake (Sr., Richland, Wa.) will see action in the heptathlon at Cal. Cooley was an All-American last season, finishing eighth in the NCAA Division II championships with a score of 4926 points. Blake just missed the cut for qualifying, with a career-best count of 4680. At Stanford, Teona Perkins (Jr., Kennewick, Wa.) will high-jump outdoors for the first time. Perkins was sixth in the NCAA indoor meet earlier this month. All five provisional qualifiers will see action, including javelin thrower Lauren Ver Mulm (So., Mount Vernon, Wa.), pole-vaulter Amy Harris (Sr., Corvallis, Or./Crescent Valley) and steeplechasers Karin Rohde (So., Bellingham, Wa./Mt. Baker), Brandi McCoy (Sr., Richland, Wa.) and Doug Gibson (Jr., Yakima, Wa./Riverside Christian).

Accolades roll in. Perkins was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference indoor athlete of the year by virtue of both her national finish and her win in the conference meet. She also finished second in the 400 meters and as a member of the medley relay. Perkins posted the GNAC’s best time in the 800 and qualified for the NCAA meet but was eliminated in the preliminary heat. A diabetic, she will be featured in a CBS Sports recap of the winter championships Apr. 22. She was also voted GNAC newcomer of the year.

Making the grade. Although Coach Karl Lerum gave everyone some time off over the break, SPU still managed to pick up two more qualifiers. At the Husky Preview, Gibson and Harris made the grade. Harris took second place, clearing 11 feet, 9 3/4 inches and Gibson ran third in a personal record of 9:24.85. In the women’s steeplechase, McCoy improved her qualifying time to 11:16.05. Last week, Rohde ran and won the 5000 for the first time and shattered her PR by 20 seconds, to 18:10.05, to earn GNAC athlete of the week.

On the lookout. The first decathlon for Chris Randolph (Sr., Lone Tree, Co./Denver Christian) is still another couple weeks away, but all indications point to a big score. Randolph won five events in the two meets and established four new PRs. He finished first in the 400 (48.72), 110 hurdles (15.06) and discus (155-1) at the UW Preview, then was second in the javelin with a career-best flail of 180-7 last week at the Spring Break Open. He also won the hurdles and discus. His 400 time ranks No. 2 all-time and just .08 off the record and hurdle and discus marks are both No. 4. Randolph was named the GNAC athlete of the week Mar. 19. He was the NCAA champion in the decathlon last season and was fifth in the USA indoor heptathlon this winter. His first decathlon will be Apr. 12 at the Mount SAC Relays.

SPU Coaches. In October, Karl Lerum became just the fifth person to take the helm of the Seattle Pacific program’s 56-year existence. A former assistant coach and past All-American in the decathlon, Lerum succeeds Jack Hoyt, who resigned after six seasons. This is the first head coaching position for Lerum after four seasons as an assistant, including two at Trinity College, and serving under Hoyt at SPU during 2000 and again in 2003. Lerum was a four-time All-American from 1995-98 at Pacific Lutheran. He finished second in the NAIA decathlon in 1997 and ’98 and third in ’96... Doris Heritage, the coach of cross country and track runners from 800 meters up, is a member of eight halls of fame for both athletes and coaches. The other assistants are Duncan Atwood, Aaron Bass, Cyrena Bell and Howie Kellogg.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Website.