Time to take a shot
Top five, you stay alive.
That’s the motto for 47 Inland Northwest athletes accepted into the NCAA West Region Track and Field Championships today and Saturday in Provo, Utah – one of four regionals that feed qualifiers into the national championships two weeks hence in Sacramento, Calif.
Like a lot of things these days, it comes with an asterisk – because cracking the top five (or three for relay teams) – isn’t the only way to advance. It’s just the sure thing.
The remaining four or five spots per event open at nationals will be filled by athletes who finish in the top 12 at regionals, in descending order of their best marks this season. Either way, Washington State coach Rick Sloan said he’s “optimistic that this could be the year where we put more people in nationals.”
That would be a nice rebound from a disappointing performance at the Pacific-10 Conference meet.
The Cougars have already rebounded in one respect – sprinter James McSwain, who missed the conference meet with a sprained ankle, has been cleared to compete in Provo. He’ll run the 100 meters – one of only eight runners who qualified – and the 4x100 relay, in which WSU brings the region’s fastest time.
But the Cougars, who are taking 20 athletes to Provo, are leaving four home. Heptathletes Diana and Julie Pickler, who had qualified in individual events, are training through for Sacramento (multievent and 10,000-meter athletes qualify for nationals based on season-long performance lists). Pole vaulter Tiffany Maskulinski (mono) and steeplechaser Meghan Leonard (knee) have had their seasons cut short.
Idaho is taking a 14-athlete contingent to Provo, led by thrower Russ Winger, fourth nationally in the shot put last year, and Bevin Kennelly, the top qualifier in the women’s steeplechase. Javelin throwers Stephanie Ulmer and Jordan Baughan head up Eastern Washington’s 13-member group.
Two Spokane athletes attending Oregon top the qualifying lists in their specialties – Rebekah Noble of Rogers in the 800 and Britney Henry of Lewis and Clark in the women’s hammer. Two from host Brigham Young – high jumper David Pendergrass (Central Valley) and Chelsea McKell (Mt. Spokane) in the 5,000 – are also contenders.
Spokane athletes competing at other regionals are Alabama discus thrower Jason Dixon (LC), Kansas 1,500 runner Cameron Schwehr (Mt. Spokane) and Montana javelin thrower Alicia Mills (CV).
•Whitworth’s Kristi Dickey finished seventh in the women’s 10,000 at the NCAA Division III championships in Lisle, Ill., to earn All-American honors.
Dickey, a senior from Kennewick, was timed in 36 minutes, 26.94 seconds in the event won by Williams’ Caroline Cretti.
Teammate Sarah Marken stands 10th after the first day of the heptathlon with 2,654 points – just five out of eighth place. Marken’s best showing was in the 100 hurdles, which she ran in 15.24.
•Mead graduate Amanda Merrell, competing for Northwest Nazarene, is 10th after the first day of the heptathlon at the NCAA Division II championships in Emporia, Kan.