Recaps »» Day One  Day Two

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (May 26) ­ Fourteen years after a Seattle Pacific University woman last won a national outdoor track & field championship, Jessica Pixler and Teona Perkins claimed a pair of crowns within 60 minutes Saturday night.

Pixler (Fr., Sammamish, Wa./Eastlake) fought off a late challenge to take first in the 1500 meters, and Perkins (Sr., Kennewick, Wa.) followed shortly thereafter with a dramatic victory in the high jump at the NCAA Division II Championships.

Only the third Falcon freshman to win an outdoor national title, Pixler just missed achieving a double. She was runner-up in the 800, which was completed just seconds after Perkins prevailed in her event.

With the rest of the competitors eliminated, Perkins was the last to attempt a jump at 5 feet, 10 inches (1.78 meters), and she cleared the bar cleanly.

"I'd never cleared 5-10 before, even in training," said Perkins. "I knew if I missed it was fifth place, so I got some adrenalin going and went for it."

"When I cleared, it was like a dream," she added. "I'd hoped for this but never really imagined it would happen."

Pixler went to the front of the 1500 on the second lap, extended the lead and then withstood a kick from Adams State's Tanya Gaurmer in the final 200. Pixler was timed in 4 minutes, 22.23 seconds and Gaurmer in 4:24.10.

An hour later, Pixler began her bid to become only the second freshman in meet history to double in the 800 and 1500.

She trailed a fast-starting field after the first time around, then began picking her way through the pack. Last year's runner-up, Venessa Lee of Pittsburg State, shook loose and was not seriously threatened. Lee won in 2:07.08. Pixler came across in 2:07.90.

"My thinking going into the day had been to get the job done in the 1500, and whatever happened in the 800 would be icing on the cake," said Pixler. "I'm happy because I tried hard and I'll learn from this."

It ended Pixler's 12-race unbeaten streak against collegians in races of 800 or 1500 this spring. She had won each of her qualifying heats. Pixler had won the NCAA mile indoors and finished 10th in cross country.

With 32 points, Seattle Pacific finished seventh -­ its best standing since 1993. Coincidentally, it was the same year that Karin Grelsson won the last SPU outdoor title, in the heptathlon.

The Falcons' first points of the meet came from Brittany Bekins (Jr., Everett, Wa./Cascade), who bounced back from a disappointing heptathlon to take fifth in the javelin. Plagued by pain in her back and ribs, she bypassed practice throws and then took the early lead by sending the spear 138-1.

Bekins got two more marks in excess of 130 feet, but was in obvious discomfort, said SPU coach Karl Lerum. She has been carrying the injury since mid-April. Molly Barnes (Sr., Burien, Wa./Highline) did not make finals and finished 17th (121-6).

Western Washington freshman Monica Gruszecki was the javelin champion, unleashing a best throw of 145-8.

Perkins leapfrogged four competitors when she cleared 5-10. She also broke the Great Northwest Athletic Conference high jump record and tied for No. 4 all-time at SPU.

"Karl had told me to be aggressive and trust myself," Perkins said. "It was amazing because my day hadn't started well. I was off in warm-ups, I needed three tries at 5-7 and I barely made 5-9 on my second. It's really unbelievable, like a dream."

Only Grelsson has won two NCAA outdoor titles in the same year, taking the heptathlon and triple jump in 1992.

Pixler's 18 points was the most since Grelsson's 23 at the '93 national meet.

"I was surprised how quickly I recovered after the 1500," Pixler said. "If I double in these two next year, this experience will give me more confidence."