SEATTLE -- Jessica Pixler certainly hasn't slowed down since the cross country season.
In her first indoor try at the 5,000 meters, the Seattle Pacific junior (Sammamish, Wash./Eastlake HS) shattered the Great Northwest Athletic Conference record in the 5,000 meters and easily secured a spot in the NCAA Division II indoor track and field championships.
Pixler ran to a second-place finish on Friday in the UW Invitational at Dempsey Indoor on the University of Washington campus. She went the distance in 16 minutes, 12.65 seconds, breaking the old GNAC and Seattle Pacific record of 16:34.72 set in 2005 by Karen Dickson.
Pixler's time also was beat the NCAA automatic qualifying time by nearly a full minute. The standard for a guaranteed trip to nationals, which are set for March 13-14 in Houston, is 17:05.50.
The only person to beat Pixler to the finish line was Lindsey Scherf of Oregon, who won in 15:55.67.
Falcon teammate Jane Larson (Fall City, Wash./Cedar Park Christian HS) also beat the automatic national qualifying mark, placing ninth in 16:55.02. For Larson, it was her second automatic qual time. In the UW Indoor Preview on Jan. 17 at Dempsey, she earned a spot in the mile with a 4:51.46.
Freshman Ali Worthen (Coos Bay, Ore.) is on her way to nationals, as well. Worthen took ninth in the pentathlon with 3,447 points. Her best showing was in the high jump, as she cleared 5 feet, 6 inches (1.69 meters), good for 842 points.
In the other four events, Worthen was eighth in the long jump at 17-5 (645 points), 10th in the shot put at 31-3 (499), 12th in the 800 meters in 2:34.02 (643) and 12th in the 60-meter hurdles in 9.45 seconds (818).
The meet concludes Saturday, with field events starting at 8:30 a.m. and track events at 9 a.m., with top running events beginning at approximately 1 p.m.
NCAA Indoor Track
UW Invitational
Friday, January 30, 2009
Dempsey Indoor, Seattle, Wash.
WOMEN'S RESULTS
5,000 meters -- 1, Lindsey Scherf (Oregon) 15:55.67. SPU placers -- 2, Jessic Pixler 16:12.65; 9, Jane Larson 16:55.02; 11, Janae Larson 17:16.56.
Distance medley -- 1, Washington 11:05.80. SPU no entry.
Penthatlon 800 meters -- 1, Sharon Day (Asics) 2:19.92 (825 points). SPU placer -- 12, Ali Worthen 2:34.02 (643).
Pentathlon 60-meter hurdles -- 1, Brianne Theisen (Oregon) 8.65 (984 points). SPU placer -- 12, Worthen 9.45 (818).
Pentathlon high jump -- 1, Sharon Day (Asics) 1.87 meters (6 feet, 1 inch), 1,067 points. SPU placer -- 5, Worthen 1.69 meters (5-6), 842.
Pentathlon long jump -- 1, Theisen (Oregon) 5.82 meters (19 feet, 1 inch), 795 points. SPU placer -- 8, Worthen 5.31 meters (17-5), 645.
Pentathlon shot put -- 1, Annett Wichman (Hawaii) 14.20 meters (46 feet, 7 inches), 807 points. SPU placer -- 10, Worthen 9.53 meters (31-3), 499.
Pentathlon total points -- 1, Sharon Day (Asics) 4,276. SPU placer -- 9, Worthen 3,447.
No SPU men are competing this weekend.