• Oregon Relays results

EUGENE, Ore. – Senior Chad Meis won his section of the men's steeplechase Friday with an NCAA provisional qualifying time while Kate Harline and Natty Plunkett improved their provisional marks on the first day of the Oregon Relays at historic Hayward Field.

Meis (Renton, Wash/Seattle Christian HS) completed the 3,000-meter steeple course in 9-minutes, 15.13-seconds to shave over five seconds off the personal-best time he established last season. Friday's mark is 11 seconds better than is previous season-best effort of 9:26.99 posted Mar. 26 at Stanford.

He handily won the first section race, crossing the finish line over four seconds ahead of runner-up Alex Brekke of Idaho, whose time was 9:19.37.

In only his second season of steeplechase competition, Meis has put himself in contention for a spot at the NCAA Division II Championships, scheduled for May 27-29 in Charlotte, N.C. His time ranks 18th among national qualifiers and No. 3 among Great Northwest Athletic Conference competitors.

Meis trails only the Alaska Anchorage duo of Micah Chelimo (8:49.31) and Alfred Kangogo (9:04.63) among conference runners. He made the NCAA provisional list last season, but did not receive a championships berth.

Plunkett, a sophomore from Newport High School in Bellevue (Wash.), raced to a third-place time of 17:24.43 in the women's 5,000 meters. That clipped nearly three seconds off her PR of 17:27.11 recorded at Stanford on March 26.

Kellie Houser of Portland won the 5,000 in 17:17.97 and Oregon State's Hannah Soza-Hodgkinson was second in 17:20.08. Plunkett handily beat fourth-place finisher Jennifer Macias of OSU (17:28.37).

Harline, a senior middle distance standout from Orem, Utah, finished fifth in the afternoon session of the women's 1,500 meters. She clocked a time of 4:35.47 to improve her provisional qualifier standing. Previously, Harline's best mark was 4:36.17.

The top-five runners all finished within one second of each other, led by the winning time of 4:34.74 set by Olivia Martinez of Wichita State.

Senior Jane Larson (Fall City, Wash./Cedar Park Christian HS) raced in the higher profile evening session of the women's 1,500, but barely edged Harline's time. Larson finished 11th among the elite field with a time of 4:35.75, that was way off her personal-best pace of 4:23.05 that ranks No. 2 among Division II runners. Teammate Jessica Pixler is the national leader at 4:11.06.

A pair of post-collegiate competitors finished one-two in the 1,500 with Jemma Simpson of OTC Elite winning the race in 4:12.72 followed at 4:13.02 by Sarah Bowman of New Balance. Oregon's Jordan Hasay was the top collegian, placing third in 4:17.37.

SPU freshman Nathan Seeley (Lynden, Wash./Lynden HS) was the top collegiate finisher, placing third overall in the men's 800 meters. His time of 1:53.48 did not improve the NCAA provisional mark of 1:52.90 that he already possessed.

Two unattached runners claimed the top 800-meter spots. Nick Smith had a winning time of 1:52.70 and Matt Smith finished in 1:53.25.

SPU women Pixler and Lisa Anderberg take part in the women's 800-meter race on Saturday during the final day of the Oregon Relays. They join teammate Melissa Peaslee, who is slated to compete in the pole vault.

The rest of the SPU track team is in Lacey, Wash. on Saturday to inaugurate a new track and field complex at the Saint Martin's Invitational.


NCAA Track & Field
Oregon Relays
Friday, April 30, 2010
Hayward Field/Eugene, Ore.
(No team scores)

Women's 5,000 meters – 1, Kellie Houser, Portland, 17:17.97. 2, Hannah Soza-Hodgkinson, Oregon State, 17:20.08. 3, Natty Plunkett, SPU, 17:24.43. 4, Jennifer Macias, Oregon State, 17:28.37.

Women's 1,500 meters (section B) – 1, Olivia Martinez, Wichita State, 4:34.74; 2, Maggie Miller, Coll. Of Idaho, 4:35.19; 3, Teegan Schoch, Idaho, 4:35.29; 4, Jordyn Smith, unattached, 4:35.32; 5, Kate Harline, SPU, 4:34.47; 6, Anna Kalbrener, Idaho, 4:37.93.

Women's 1,500 meters (section 1) – 1, Jemma Simpson, OTC Elite, 4:12.72; 2, Sarah Bowman, New Balance, 4:13.02; 3, Jordan Hasay, Oregon, 4:17.37. also -- 11, Jane Larson, SPU, 4:35.75.

Men's 3,000-meter Steeplechase (section I) – 1, Chad Meis, SPU, 9:15.13; 2, Alex Brekke, Idaho, 9:19.37; 3, Steve Potratz, Idaho, 9:19.89.

Men's 800 meters (section B) -- 1, Nick Smith, unattached, 1:52.70; 2, Matt Smith, unattached, 1:53.25; 3, Nathan Seeley, SPU, 1:53.48. 4, Martin Romero-Clark, Concordia 1:54.65.