April 7, 2008

Lutes Set to Host the Pacific Lutheran Invitational

THIS WEEK: The Pacific Lutheran track and field team will host the PLU Invitational on Saturday. The first race is set for 9 p.m. Today and tomorrow, George Fox hosts the NWC Multi-Event Championships in Newberg, Ore. Lakia Arceneaux, Nolan Adams and Jeff Rockenbrant will represent PLU at the meet.

JD SHOTWELL INVITE: Taylor Hacker won the women's hammer throw and Pacific Lutheran placed fifth in both the men’s and women’s divisions at the JD Shotwell Invitational track & field meet held last Saturday at the University of Puget Sound’s Baker Stadium. Western Washington crushed the opposition in both divisions, scoring 200.5 points to 119 for runner-up Puget Sound, while PLU had 56 points in the men’s division. In the women’s standings, WWU had 170.5 points to 115 for Central Washington, while PLU had 67 points. On the men’s side, Isaac Moog had another strong individual performance for the Lutes, placing second in the 400 (50.21), fourth in the long jump (21-0 ½) and third in the triple jump (43-3 ¾). Hacker was the only PLU woman to win an event, throwing a meet record 158-5 to win the hammer, which was held at the PLU hammer ring. She also placed third in the shot put with a 37-3 ¼ effort. Faven Araya placed second in the 400 hurdles in a time of 1:05.49, while the PLU 400-meter relay team finished second to Western in a time of 50.53. Lakia Arceneaux notched a third-place effort in the long jump, going 15-11 ½.

PROVISIONAL MARKS: This season, juniors Faven Araya and Taylor Hacker have both hit the NCAA Division III national provisional qualifying mark in their respective events. Araya is currently ranked sixth in the 400-meter hurdles, with three of the five athletes ahead of her hailing from the Northwest Conference. Hacker is currently ranked second in the hammer throw. Both Araya and Hacker qualified and competed in the national meet last spring, both coming up short of advancing to the finals in their events.

RECORDS BOOK: Most track and field all-time lists go 10 deep, but here at PLU the lists dive a little deeper, 25 deep to be exact. Because of the high level of talent PLU was producing year in and year out under Moore, making the top 10 list in certain events proved to be a very difficult task. By expanding the lists to 25 from 10 spots, Moore hoped to give the athletes something to shoot for. A handful of athletes have produced marks that made the top 25 list this season.

- Faven Araya: #13 in the 400-meter dash, #14 in the 100-meter hurdles
- Jillian Bartling: #24 in the 10,000-meter run
- Taylor Hacker: #3 in the Hammer
- Lexie Miller: #4 in the 3000-meter steeplechase
- Lauren McDonald: #23 in the 10,000-meter run
- Isaac Moog: #20 in the 400-meter dash, #21 in the Triple Jump

CONFERENCE QUALIFIERS: The following athletes have posted qualifying marks for the Northwest Conference Championships meet. George Fox hosts the two-day meet which takes place on April 18 and 19.

Men
- Isaac Moog: 400 (50.20), Long Jump (21-09), Triple Jump (43-03 ¾)
- Jeff Nielsen: Hammer (130-6), Shot Put (42-6 ¼)
- Colton Oliphant : Hammer (138-1)
- Luke Weinbrecht: 100 (11.37), 400 Hurdles (58.20)

Women
- Faven Araya: 200 (26.89), 400 (58.88), 100 Hurdles (15.48), 400 Hurdles (63.63)*
- Lakia Arceneaux: 100 (12.85), 200 (26.50), High Jump (4-07 ½), Long Jump (15-11 ½)
- Candace Attwood: 10,000 (42:20.28)
- Jillian Bartling: 5,000 (19:01.75), 10,000 (39:55.16)
- Lacey Cone: Javelin (108-08)
- Callie Gunderson: 400 (63.24)
- Taylor Hacker: Hammer (167-10)*, Shot Put (37-11 ½), Discus (107-02)
- Karin Hatch: Javelin (126-0)
- Amy LeBrun: 100 (12.77), 200 (26.25)
- Lauren McDonald: 5,000 (19:03.13), 10000 (39:53.00)
- Lexie Miller: 3,000 Step. (12:05.58), 5,000 (18:40.23)
- Lynette Millard: 100 (13.53)

* - NCAA Provisional Marks

- PLU -