Complete Results

MONMOUTH, Ore. (May 6) ­ Dominating the middle-distance running events behind victories from Mary Moriarty and Karin Rhode, Seattle Pacific University claimed the Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's outdoor track and field championship Saturday at McArthur Field.

The Falcons picked up 79 of their 203 points in races covering between 800-10,000-meters and also swept the top three places in the pole vault to rest the title from three-time defending champion and host Western Oregon, which totaled 188.

SPU took seventh place in the men's standings, which were topped by Central Washington. Chris Randolph (Sr., Lone Tree, Co.) broke a longstanding school record for the second time in four weeks in the 400-meter dash.

"We got a lot of points in the 800 (20) and steeplechase (21) and obviously the pole vault was big for us," said first-year coach Karl Lerum, who was voted GNAC coach of the year by his peers. "But beyond that, it was a lot workmanlike efforts here and there, which helped make the difference."

Moriarty (Fr., Seattle, Wa./Ballard) coasted to a comfortable win in the 3000 in 10:22.8 and Rohde (So., Bellingham, Wa./Mount Baker) hung on to finish ahead of teammate Brandi McCoy (Sr., Richland, Wa.) in the steeple in a facility-record 11:09.21. Rohde was also fourth in the 5000 and Moriarty fifth in the 1500.

Amy Harris (Sr., Corvallis, Or.) successfully defending her conference pole vault title, with Monica Anderson (So., Bremerton, Wa.) and Allison Hedges (Sr., Richland, Wa.) matching her best clearance of 11 feet, 2¼ inches.

Also taking first for the second year in a row was javelin thrower Lauren VerMulm (So., Mount Vernon, Wa.) with a best heave of 144-7.

Linda Blake (Sr., Richland, Wa.), competing in five events, including last week's heptathlon, led SPU with 24 points and Kelsey Cooley (So., Missoula, Mt.) had 23. Blake and Cooley ran 2-3 in the 100 hurdles.

It was the sixth GNAC team championship for Seattle Pacific this season. The Falcons had earlier won women's titles in volleyball, cross country, soccer, indoor track and men's basketball. It was the fourth outdoor conference crown overall and first since 2002.

Mary Pearce of Alaska Anchorage was named the meet's outstanding female performer. Winning the 200 and 400 with meet-record times.

Randolph notched his first career GNAC outdoor championship in convincing fashion, circling the oval in 48.27 seconds­0.43 ahead of the runner-up. That time smashed the record of 48.5, set by John Glancy in 1968. Last month, Randolph had broken the 36-year-old decathlon mark.

Eddie Strickler (Jr., Richland, Wa.) was the Falcons' other male champion, churning out a personal-record and NCAA Division II provisional qualifying time of 1:52.52 in the 800. Moments earlier, his sister Suzie ran second in the women's 800.

Altogether, Randolph accumulated 27 points over four events and also ran a leg of the fifth place 1600 relay. He was second in the long jump (21-8) and third in the discus (150-11).

Central Washington's Cresap Watson was voted the top male after winning both the decathlon and 200, plus taking part in the Wildcats' wins in both relays.

Next Saturday SPU hosts the Ken Foreman Invitational, the final regular season meet, at West Seattle Stadium.

Women

• Team Scores (Final) - Seattle Pacific 203, Western Oregon 188, Central Washington 150, Northwest Nazarene 92, Western Washington 89, Alaska Anchorage 76, Saint Martin's 28, Humboldt State 21, Seattle 9.
• Outstanding Performer - Mary Pearce, Alaska Anchorage.
• Coach-of-the-Year - Karl Lerum, Seattle Pacific.

Men

• Team Scores (Final) - Central Washington 222, Western Washington 188, Western Oregon 107, Alaska Anchorage 68, Northwest Nazarene 60, Humboldt State 56, Seattle Pacific 51, Saint Martin's 41, Seattle 13.
• Outstanding Performer - Cresap Watson, Central Washington.
• Coach-of-the-Year - Kevin Adkisson, Central Washington.