Colignon Earns Provisional Qualifying Score, Mattox Sets Track Record, at Charles Bowles Spring Break Classic

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University athlete Evin Colignon (Jr., Poulsbo, WA/Charles Wright Academy) earned an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying score in the decathlon and WU runner Kimber Mattox (So., Bend, OR/Bend HS/Cornell University) set a track record and lowered her provisional qualifying time in the steeplechase, during action at the Charles Bowles Spring Break Classic on Friday, March 19.

Colignon won the decathlon with a score of 6,276 as he surpassed the NCAA provisional standard of 6,050. James Ratliff from Clackamas Community College took second place with 5,511 points.

Mattox claimed first place in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 10:48.71. She broke the Charles Bowles Track record of 10:49.67, which she set on March 15, 2009 in a dual meet against Western Oregon University.

Mattox also lowered her NCAA provisional qualifying time for this season from 11:04.42, which she recorded while winning the event at the Willamette Opener on March 6.

Colignon took first place in the shot put and the discus throw during the decathlon. He also placed second or tied for second in four events. He placed third or higher in all 10 events. Unattached athlete Dominick Walker, who led the decathlon after the first day, did not compete in the final five events.

Also earning an NCAA provisional qualifying mark for the Bearcats was Brandt Nevin (Jr., Eagle Point, OR/Eagle Point HS) in the decathlon javelin. Nevin's top throw went 194'4" and ranked first among decathletes at the meet. It was the best throw so far this season in NCAA Division III. It also was a personal best for Nevin and will move him into sixth on WU's all-time list.

Several Willamette runners provided the Bearcats with outstanding results in the sprints. Kaitlin St. John (Sr., Bend, OR/Mountain View HS) won the women's 100-meter dash in 12.45 seconds. St. John also took second place in the 200-meter dash at 25.66 seconds.

Jennifer Luecht (Sr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) of WU took first place in the women's 200 in 25.43 seconds. She also won the 400-meter dash in 58.72 seconds.

In the men's 100-yard dash, Willamette's Neal Howard (So., Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) took first place, as he crossed the finish line in 10.96 seconds to edge out I.V. Reeves, III of Pacific Lutheran University. Reeves was timed at 10.99 seconds. Nate Dick (Sr., Stanfield, OR/Stanfield HS/Southern Oregon University) of WU placed fourth in 11.30 seconds.

Reeves finished first in the 200-meter dash with a narrow victory over Howard. Reeves clocked in at 22.38 seconds, while Howard earned a time of 22.48 seconds. Tristan Bodding-Long (Sr., Woodinville, WA/Woodinville HS) was third at 22.85 and Dick placed fourth at 22.92. Bodding-Long took second in the 400-meter dash in 51.30 seconds.

Brandi Miller (So., Grants Pass, OR/North Valley HS) provided Willamette with a first place finish in the heptathlon. She scored 3,817 points to win by 16 points over Jennifer Roberts of Clackamas CC in second. Miller won the 800-meter dash and the 100-meter hurdles, and was second in the 200-meter dash, during the heptathlon.

Willamette's Christina Edholm (Sr., Pleasanton, CA/Foothill HS) won two field events and placed third in another. She prevailed in the shot put with a throw of 39'8" and placed first in the discus with a toss of 109'11". She was third in the hammer throw at 134'3".

Katie Peterson (So., Independence OR/Central HS) won the women's javelin as she recorded a toss of 128'8". Her throw was one foot over the NCAA provisional qualifying standard, but did not pass her earlier qualifying throw from the Willamette Opener.

Other event winners for the Willamette women's team were Cathy Monahan (So., La Grande, OR/La Grande HS) in the 10,000-meter run, Elizabeth Andrews (Sr., Bellevue, WA/Bellevue HS) in the pole vault, Rachel Siebuhr (Fr., Centralia, WA/Centralia HS) in the women's triple jump.

WU also won the women's 4 x 100-meter relay with a time of 49.25 seconds. The Bearcats finished 0.52 in front of Pacific Lutheran, which took second at 49.77 seconds.

For the Willamette men's team, Kevin Aubol (Fr., Ellensburg, WA/Ellensburg HS) earned a Northwest Conference qualifying time with his first-place finish in the 10,000-meter run. His time was 34:21.65. Nicholas Rebol (Fr., Cottonwood, CA/Red Bluff Union HS) placed first in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 9:31.53.

Josh Clothier (Jr., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla HS) won the shot put with a distance of 50'0". He placed second in the discus at 144'8" and was third in the hammer at 160'3". Trevor Bassett-Smith (Sr., Keizer, OR/McNary HS/Western Oregon Univ.) was second in the hammer with a throw of 165'9".

Willamette rallied to win the men's 4 x 400-meter relay. The Bearcats clocked in at 3:27.20 to edge Corban College, which finished in 3:27.54. WU ran unopposed in the 4 x 100-meter relay.

Other winners for the Bearcat men were Devin Leonardi (Fr., Hamilton, MT/Hamilton HS) in the long jump and Wyatt Briggs (Fr., Scio, OR/Scio HS) in the javelin throw. Leonardi earned an NWC qualifying distance with a second place finish in the triple jump behind Reeves of PLU.

A group of Willamette track and field athletes will compete at the Oregon Preview on Saturday, March 20 in Eugene, Ore. Meet time at Hayward Field is set for 12 p.m. (PDT). The Bearcats will host the Willamette Invitational on April 2-3 at the Charles Bowles Track.