April 11, 2008

Complete Results

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Heidi Dimmitt (Jr., Wenatchee) reached the NCAA Division II national provisional qualifying standard in winning the women's 400-meter hurdles, and the Viking men claimed their 11th consecutive team championship, highlighting Western Washington University performances at the 27th annual Ralph Vernacchia Invitational Track and Field Team Meet on Friday at Civic Stadium.

The men won for the third time in three team-scored meets this season, more than tripling the score of their nearest competition with 203 points. Puget Sound was second with 62 points, followed by British Columbia with 61.

Western's women won the team title for the third straight year with 134 points. Seattle Pacific edged Simon Fraser for second place, 95-1/2 to 94-1/2.

Dimmitt's time of 1:02.78 is the best in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference this season. She also ran a leg of the 4x100 relay, which finished second behind Simon Fraser in a season-best time of 48.72.

Dimmit was one of two Western athletes to reach a provisional national standard as Christy Miller (Jr., Boise/Bishop Kelly) cleared 11-9 3/4 while finishing second in the women's pole vault.

Dimmitt and Miller bring Western's total of provisional qualifiers to six.

Erica Rance (Sr., Seattle/Renton) was the lone Western athlete to win two events, claiming the women's discus (126-10) and hammer throw (128-7). Sarah Porter (Fr., Hockinson) was the only other victorious woman for the Vikings, winning the 1500 meters in 4:51.49.

For the Western men, Matt O'Connell (So., Sammamish/Skyline) won the 400 meters in a season-best 50.06 and also ran a leg of the victorious 4x100 relay, which also posted a season-best time (43.46). Two other members of that relay also won individual events with season-best marks. Kevin Myhre (Sr., Edmonds/Meadowdale), won the 400 hurdles in 55.55, and Shane Gruger (Fr., Shoreline/Shorewood) claimed the long jump with a mark of 21-6 1/4.

The Vikings had a 1-2-3 sweep in the pole vault. Josh Winters (So., Bothell) won the event on fewer misses ahead of Bryan Lucke (Sr., Snohomish/Monroe) as each cleared 14-3 1/4.

Other winners for the Viking men were Keith Lemay (Sr., Lynden/Lynden Christian) in the 800 (1:53.3), Ben Wargo (So., Pullman) in the 110 hurdles (16.19), Keefe Brockman (Fr., Richland/Hanford) in the high jump (6-4 3/4), Tim Satterwhite (So., Federal Way/Jefferson) in the triple jump (44-7 1/2) and Ben Dekock (Fr., Seabeck/Klahowya) in the javelin (186-5).

Western's Monika Gruszecki (So., Lynnwood/Meadowdale) improved her provisional qualifying mark in the javelin with a throw of 144-9 despite finishing fourth. Seattle Pacific swept the top three spots, with Jeeni Schantin winning (150-5).

Two meet records were set, both in women's events. Melissa Peaslee of Seattle Pacific won the pole vault with a mark of 12-3 1/2, and Suzie Strickler, also of Seattle Pacific, claimed the 3000 steeplechase in 10:50.24.

Simon Fraser's Ruky Abdulai won the women's high jump for the third time in the last four years, clearing 5-8 3/4, and also ran anchor legs in victorious 4x100 (47.57) and 4x400 (3.:51.97) relays.