Complete Results    Day One Recap

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (May 5) ­ Getting a combined five victories from its 1-2 punch of Jessica Pixler and NyEma Sims, Seattle Pacific University pulled away to win a second straight women's crown at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference track and field championships Saturday at Civic Stadium.

The Seattle Pacific women's track and field team claimed their second-straight outdoor crown Saturday in Bellingham. The Falcons athletic department is looking for additional space in the trophy case as the championship is the school's seventh GNAC title of the year in all sports. Photo by Dan Levine Click on photo for larger size

Pixler (Fr., Sammamish, Wa./Eastlake) won an unprecedented three middle-distance events­setting meet records in two­and Sims (Fr., Portland, Or./Jefferson) swept the short sprints, enabling the young Falcons to overcome a spate of injuries.

Seattle Pacific finished with 200 points to complete a second cycle of GNAC championships in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. Western Oregon was second with 142.5, followed by Central Washington (129.5) and Western Washington (119.5).

"It was an amazing thing to watch as a spectator, with our people competing hard in every event with no letdown," said coach Karl Lerum. "We had people doubling, tripling and quadrupling, so it caused me some anxiety at times. But they wanted to do it."

It was the Falcons' seventh GNAC championship of the year in all sports.

The SPU men were seventh (45) with Central Washington (238) repeating as winner.

Running her three races in span of less than 3 hours, Pixler coasted to easy victories in the 3000 meters (by 11 seconds) and 1500 (by 7) before finishing with a near-personal record of 2 minutes, 10.93 seconds in the 800, where she won by more than 3 seconds.

She is unbeaten against collegians outdoors and holder of the NCAA's top qualifying marks in both the 1500 and 3000.

"Jessica has an amazing ability to look so comfortable while running with such a fast pace," said Lerum. "We asked her to run more conservatively, and she wasn't really pressed in any race. Still, she was fired up and wanted to kick."

Going into a significant headwind, Sims outdueled Alaska Anchorage's Mary Pearce to claim both the 100 (12.46) and 200 (25.12). She also ran both relays and had long-jumped (fifth place) Friday.

Racing in her hometown, Karin Rohde (Jr., Bellingham, Wa./Mt. Baker) successfully defended her steeplechase title while improving her NCAA qualifying time in the process. She broke her own meet record in 11:01.6.

Teona Perkins (Sr., Kennewick, Wa.) was successful on her first three attempts and won the high jump at 5 feet, 8 inches. Altogether, the SPU women won nine events, including the 4x100 relay (48.17) and the pole vault, which was taken by Tracie Lundsten (Fr., Banks, Or.) Friday night.

Six of the eight individual wins and 97 of the Falcons' points were provided by freshmen. They took the lead for good by totaling 23 points on the opening event of the day, the 3000.

For the men, Eddie Strickler (Sr., Richland ,Wa.) was a winner in his third consecutive GNAC 800, including this winter's indoor. Strickler's time was 1:53.71.

Brian Cronrath (Jr., Battle Ground, Wa.) ran a PR (3:52.28) in the 1500 but it wasn't enough to overtake Western Washington's Anthony Tomsich (3:50.25). Both beat the old meet record. Cronrath joined Strickler and Justin Felt (Fr., Eugene, Or./Churchill) on the all-conference team by virtue of top-three placements.

For the women, Jane Larson (Fr., Fall City, Wa./Cedar Park Christian) was runner-up in the 3000 in a season-best 10:05.47 and Monica Anderson (Jr., Bremerton, Wa.) had been second in the pole vault.

Taking third was Jessica Hinton (Fr., Lake Stevens, Wa.) in both the 100 and 200; Jennifer Marsh (Sr., Kirkland, Wa./Juanita) in the 800; Larson in the 1500; Katie Hart (So., Pasadena, Ca.) in the 10k; and Molly Barnes (Sr., Burien, Wa./Highline in the javelin.

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

Men's Team Scores - Central Washington 238, Western Washington 148, Western Oregon 124, Alaska Anchorage 105, Northwest Nazarene 69, Seattle 54, Seattle Pacific 45, Saint Martin's 32.

Women's Team Scores - Seattle Pacific 200, Western Oregon 142 1/2, Central Washington 129 1/2, Western Washington 119 1/2, Northwest Nazarene 119, Alaska Anchorage 100 1/2, Saint Martin's 30, Seattle 14.

Multiple Winners: Jessica Pixler, SPU (800, 1500, 3000); NyEma Sims, SPU (100, 200); Jacque Postlewait, WOU (Heptathlon, 100 Hurdles); Michael Madrid, UAA (100, 200); Cameron Neel, CWU (Shot Put, Discus). Meet Records: Men's 1500 - Anthony Tomsich, WWU, 3:50.25. Men's 10,000 - John Riak, SMU, 31:11.98. Men's Long Jump - David Registe, UAA, 23-3 1/4. Men's Pole Vault - Tyler Thornbrue, WWU, 15-9 3/4. Women's 400 - Mary Pearce, UAA, 55.45. Women's 800 - Jessica Pixler, SPU, 2:10.93; Women's 3,000 - Jessica Pixler, SPU, 9:53.80. Women's Steeplechase - Karin Rohde, SPU, 11:01.6. Women's Shot Put - Krissy Tandle, CWU, 45-8. Repeat Champions: Men - Eddie Strickler, SPU (800, 2006-07); Cameron Neel, CWU (Shot Put, 2005-07; Discus, 2006-07); John Riak, SMU (10,000, 2006-07); Robert Edwards, CWU (2005-07); Greg Hamm, NNU (Triple Jump, 2006-07). Women - Mary Pearce, UAA (400, 2006-07); Karin Rohde, SPU (Steeplechase, 2006-07); Kim Bascom, WWU (Triple Jump, 2006-07).