Geoducks continue history-making season
Contact: Erik Snyder (360) 867-6537
snydere@evergreen.edu
Sports Information Director
The Evergreen State College
April 17, 2006
Ellensburg , Wash. Traditionally, the track season at Evergreen has been an extension of the cross country season. Geoduck distance runners entered the longer track events in the springtime in order to prepare for cross country races in the upcoming fall.
But head cross country and track coach Craig Dickson has assembled a group of athletes that is making track a season unto itself.
Geoducks have entered field events for the first time in two decades. Sprinters are flying down the track in Evergreen's green singlets. A 4x100 relay team has been assembled and is ready for competition.
At this weekend's Spike Arlt Invite hosted by Central Washington University, Evergreen's women's track team scored points in a meet for the first time since track was revived at Evergreen in 2003 finishing in 11 th place overall, four points ahead of NCAA Division II Seattle University.
The men's team scored points in the 1500 meters and finished 13th overall.
The scoring comes on the heels of a new school record set by Rachel Ross in the shot put and a 33:14 run by James Hudson in the 10,000 meters that ranks him second all-time at Evergreen in that event.
Ross recorded another strong performance in the shot this weekend despite cold and wet conditions. She advanced to the final round and went 36'05.75 on her second throw to finish sixth.
Standout performances for the Women's Team:
10,000 meters - The 10,000 meters saw three competitors go under the previous meet record of 42:00 despite the rain and cold. Evergreen freshman Cayenne MacKillop was just seven seconds off the old record to finish in fourth place. Cayenne clicked off 6:44 miles and stayed with the lead pack of four through the halfway mark. Her final time was 42:06.9, a personal best in the event.
3,000 meter steeplechase - One of the newest events in track and field for women, Kelsey Blair became the first Evergreen athlete to compete in this race. In her first attempt at the event she finished in fourth place overall with a time of 13:14.7 setting the standard for Geoducks in the future as the new record holder.
3,000 meters - Senior Rachel Williams set another personal best in the event despite getting boxed in during the first lap and losing contact with the lead group. She patiently moved up from twelfth place to finish third in 11:17.22
4 x 800 meter relay - In the last event of the day, Kelsey Blair, Liesl Plomski, Cayenne MacKillop and Rachel Williams combined to run an 11:08 in an uncontested race.
Standout performances for theMen's Team:
Javelin Throw - The first athlete to throw the javelin at Evergreen in years, Kyle Merslich placed twelfth overall. It was his first performance in the event in over five years. The admittedly rusty Merlisch was hesitant to throw all-out because of a recent groin strain. His longest mark came on his second throw with 145' 1".
1500 meters - Miguel Pineda finished in 8th place in a windy race clocking 4:11.8. Miguel came back in the 800 meters two hours later to set a personal best of 2:03.06. He finished second in his heat and fifteenth out of 37 competitors in the largest field of the meet.
Other Evergreen results:
Women's 100 meters -
18th Shaw, Zakiya14.00 -0.1 2 (Times not correct in results. 13.47 hand time by finish line official)
Women's 1500 meters
16th Plomski, Liesl 5:59.0
17th Kirklin, Amanda 6:14.6
18th Pecora, Haley 6:18.1
Women's Steeple-
7th Pecora, Haley 15:16.5
Men's 5000 meters-
13th Murphy, Patrick 18:17.69
Men's Shot Put-
15th Wenzel, Miles 8.92m 29'-03.25"