• News
• |
• Schedule
• |
• Roster
• |
• Archives

May 6, 2011

EUGENE, Ore. - Western Washington University's Rachael Johnson (Sr., Yakima/West Valley) broke a school record she set two years ago and improved her NCAA Division II provisional national qualifying time in the women's 800 meters Friday at the University of Oregon Twilight meet at historic Hayward Field.

Johnson ran a 2:11.45 to place third in her section and 11th overall. That bettered her record time of 2:12.30 in 2009.

Four Vikings placed third in finals. They were Monika Gruszecki (Sr., Edmonds/Meadowdale) in the women's javelin with a mark of 145-11, Nick Abraham (Jr., Sammamish/Skyline) in the men's 1,500 with a personal-best 3:58.11 clocking, Phil Villanueva (Sr., Spanaway/Bethel) in the men's 400 hurdles with a season-best 55.12, and Dylan Hopper (Fr., Everett/Cascade) in the men's 800 (1:56.80).

Western's Michael Hoffman (Jr., Bellingham/Sehome) finished fifth in the men's hammer (193-4), Ben Elder (Sr., Lake Stevens) fifth in the men's discus (158-4) and sixth in the shot put (47-1), and Tanya Bjornsson (So., Ferndale) sixth in both the women's long jump (16-9 1/4) and 100-meter hurdles (15.00).

Alex Tilley (Jr., Edmonds/Kamiak) placed eighth in the men's 100 (10.95), Valle Ledtke (So., Skamokawa/Wahkiakum) fifth in her section and 12th overall in the women's 200 (26.12) and Toby David (Sr., Cathlamet/Wahkiakum) third in his heat and 10th overall in the men's 400 (50.98).

The balance of Western's squad competes in the University of Washington Shannon Invitational on Saturday (9 a.m.) at Husky Stadium. The Vikings' Bennett Grimes (Sr., Pocatello, ID/Century) also will run in the men's 5,000 at the Occidental College Invitational in Los Angeles, Calif. He already is a provisional qualifier in that event with a time of 14:17.12.