Willamette Claims Men's & Women's Team Titles
FOREST GROVE, Ore. - Willamette’s women collected their eighth straight team championship, while the Bearcats stormed back to surge past Whitworth and Linfield to take men’s team honors at the 2009 Northwest Conference Track & Field Championships, which concluded Saturday at Pacific University’s Lincoln Park Stadium.
Willamette collected eight individual titles, led by two wins each by Kimber Mattox, Maddie Coffman and Jennifer Luecht, to score 196.5 points and cruise to the title. Whitworth was second at 150, followed by George Fox (124), Pacific Lutheran (112), Linfield (104.5), Puget Sound (50), Lewis & Clark (50) and Pacific (31).
The Willamette men sat in third place after the first day, but stormed back thanks to double championships by both Leo Castillo and Drew Lackman to take the crown with 217 points. Whitworth was second at 198, followed by Linfield (178), George Fox (84), Pacific Lutheran (62), Puget Sound (43), Lewis & Clark (24) and Pacific (8).
Mattox earned Female Athlete of the Meet honors after winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase on Friday with a championships record of 10:38.05 and the 5,000 meters on Saturday in 17:48.32. Luecht collected victories in the 200 meters in 25.76 seconds and in the 400 meters in 57.23 seconds, while Coffman captured the 800 meters in 2:17.53 and the 1,500 meters in 4:34.24.
The Bearcats also received victories from Christina Edholm in the shot put (39-9.25) and the 1,600-meter relay team (4:00.95).
Castillo turned in a strong distance double to lead the Willamette men, capturing the 1,500 meters in 3:55.57 and the 5,000 meters in 15:16.01. Lackman was equally as impressive in the hurdles disciplines, winning 110-meter hurdles in 15.36 seconds and the 400-meter hurdles in 55.98 seconds.
Willamette’s effort was additionally bolstered by victories by Paul Winger in the 400 meters (49.35), Chris Platano in the steeplechase (9:32.33), Ray White in the triple jump (44-10.75), Jacob Monroe in the hammer (184-6) and Grant Piros in the javelin (203-0).
Linfield’s Josh Lovell was named the Male Athlete of the Meet. He was the winner in the decathlon last week and was also a winner in the long jump (22-5.25). Lovell also finished second in the high jump, third in the 100 meters and 110-meter hurdles and sixth in the pole vault and ran legs on both of Linfield’s winning relay teams.
Other women’s running event champions included Amy LeBrun of PLU in the 100 meters (12.59), Tamma Carleton of Lewis & Clark in the 10,000 meters (37:49.42), Irene Johnson of George Fox in the 100-meter hurdles (14.80) and Elizabeth Matilla in the 400-meter hurdles (1:02.78). Pacific Lutheran also won the 400-meter relay (48.50).
Women’s field event winners included Linfield’s Chelsea Machida in the high jump (5-3.25), Linfield’s Catherine Street in the pole vault (12-3.5), Pacific’s Angie Miller in the long jump (18-0.5), George Fox’s Emily Hodgin in the triple jump (36-5.75), Whitworth’s Kelly Bradley in the discus (114-6) and PLU’s Taylor Hacker in the hammer (162-6).
In the men’s running events, winners included George Fox’s Dakarai Kongela in the 100 meters (10.88), Linfield’s John Torsey in the 200 meters (22.72), Whitworth’s Dusty Caseria in the 800 meters (1:57.49) and Nicholas Gallagher in the 10,000 meters (30:45.93). Linfield also won the 400-meter relay (41.80) and the 1,600-meter relay (3:20.48).
Men’s field event winners included Cody Stelzer in the high jump (6-7), Linfield’s Gabe Haberly in the pole vault (14-6), Whitworth’s Jeff Kintner in the shot put (54-10) and Whitworth’s Ron Whitley in the discus (152-7).
Willamette head coach Matt McGuirk was named NWC Coach of the Year for both the men's and women's teams. The honor was his sixth straight on the women's side and his first for the men's team since 2006.