April 4, 2008

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Two Western Washington University distance runners, Sarah Porter (Fr., Hockinson) and Jordan Welling (Fr., Burlington/Burlington-Edison), each had first-time NCAA Division II national provisional qualifying efforts at the 34th annual Stanford University Track and Field Invitational on Friday.

Welling placed sixth in his heat of the men's 5,000 meters with a time of 14:34.09, and Porter finished 13th in her heat of the women's 5,000 in 17:38.86. Welling's clocking was the third best in Great Northwest Athletic Conference history.

"Both ran solid races," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell. "This should be a good confidence booster for each of them."

Another Viking improved her provisional mark by over two feet as defending national champion Monika Gruszecki (So., Lynnwood/Meadowdale) (pronounced GREW-shet-ski) placed fifth in the women's javelin with a toss of 144-0 (43.89). Gruszecki has a personal best of 146-10.

Two Vikings will be running tonight at the Willamette University Invitational in Salem, Ore. They are Bennett Grimes (So., Pocatello, ID/Century) in the men's 5,000 and Keever Henry (Sr., Kelso) in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase.

The rest of the Western track and field squad takes part in the J.D. Shotwell Invitational on Saturday at Tacoma on the campus of host University of Puget Sound.

Western hosts the Spring Forward Multi-Events meet on Sunday (12 noon) and Monday (9 a.m.) at Bellingham's Civic Stadium.

Three Vikings are competing in the decathlon - Darren Edwards (So., Arlington), Alex Harrison (R-Fr., Edmonds/Edmonds-Woodway), and Kevin Iverson (Jr., Mill Creek/Jackson) - and Western's Clara Cook (Jr., Wenatchee) is participating in the heptathlon.