UO Track
UO release – EUGENE, Ore. – On the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary, the No. 3 Women of Oregon collected nine additional qualifiers to add to their total heading to Austin for the NCAA Championships. Coupled with Taylor Chocek in the heptathlon and the team’s efforts Thursday, the UO women are sending 14 entries to the national meet. Up next: The top 12 in each event from the two regional sites will gather for the NCAA Championships (June 7-10) in Austin, Texas. The NCAA East Preliminary were held concurrently this past week, hosted by the University of North Florida in Sacramento, Calif. On the men’s side, the Ducks advanced five to the national meet.
OSU wtr
OSU release – SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Oregon State’s women went three-for-three on Saturday with Jade Whitfield, Kaylee Mitchell and Grace Fetherstonhaugh qualifying for the NCAA National Championships. Three qualifiers for the national championships is the most since the rebirth of the track and field program in September of 2004. “Today was a great day,” Oregon State head coach Louie Quintana said. “All three athletes were so methodical in their approach and competed with such poise and confidence. Jade started us off with a great first throw that sealed her spot to her first NCAA final. That set the tone and both Grace and Kaylee looked dominant in their wins. It’s great to have three on to Austin and every athlete here had a tremendous meet.” Whitfield sealed her spot in Austin on her first throw of the day. The redshirt sophomore launched a 56.92m/186-9 toss to move into second place, virtually guaranteeing her entrance to the national championships. Whitfield finished third in the west region. Mitchell was the next Beav to qualify, pulling away from her heat over the final 1,200 meters to earn a big Q. She finished in 9:40.41, around six seconds away from her school record. Mitchell earned herself plenty of breathing room with eight seconds between her and the fourth-place finisher in the heat. Fetherstonhaugh solidified a perfect day for the Beavs with a 9:38.93 for the win in the day’s second heat. Just over a second off her PR – the second best time in school history – the redshirt senior cruised to a near seven-second victory in the heat. Like Mitchell, Fetherstonhaugh pulled away over the second half of the race with the fastest lap from laps 4-7. UP NEXT: Fetherstonhaugh, Mitchell and Whitfield head to Austin for the NCAA Championships from June 7-10.