Oppat Wins Shot Put at Oregon Preview

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

EUGENE, ORE. -- Willamette University thrower David Oppat (Sr., Beaverton, OR/Southridge HS) won the men's shot put at the Oregon Relays on Saturday, March 19 at Hayward Field. Oppat took first place with an NCAA provisional qualifying distance of 51'5.50" against 13 other competitors.

It was a personal record throw for Oppat and moved him into fifth place on WU's all-time top 10 list. His previous best at Willamette was 50'6.75" at the Pacific Twilight in 2010.

Katie Mariman (Fr., Sherwood, OR/Sherwood HS) of Willamette tied for sixth in the women's pole vault. Mariman's top effort cleared 11'1.75" to place her second on the Bearcats' all-time top 10 list.

Also for the WU women's team, Kimber Mattox (Jr., Bend, OR/Bend HS/Cornell Univ.) earned a second place finish in the 2,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 6:46.95.

In the men's 2,000-meter steeplechase, Nicholas Rebol (Sr., Cottonwood, CA/Red Bluff Union HS) of WU took fourth place in 5:59.16. Ben Donovan (Jr, Minneapolis, MN/South HS), also from Willamette, finished sixth with a time of 6:05.64.

Manta Dircks (Fr., Hilo, HI/Kamehameha HS) competed in two events for the Bearcats. His top result was third place in the triple jump at 45'7.00".

Leo Castillo (Jr., Parkdale, OR/Hood River Valley HS) achieved a career-best time in the men's 1,500-meter run at 3:54.05. He finished sixth in Section. 2. Castillo's previous top time for Willamette was 3:55.57.

Also for Willamette at the Oregon Preview:

Women
Erynn Rebol (So., Cottonwood, CA/Red Bluff Union HS) - Women's 800-meter run - 9th overall and 3rd in Section 2, 2:20.16.

Theresa Edwards (So., Lake Tapps, WA/Bonney Lake HS) - Women's 1,500-meter run - 17th overall and 8th in Section 2, 4:49.94.

Taylor Ottomano (Fr., Poulsbo, WA/North Kitsap HS) - Women's Triple Jump - 7th (tie) overall, 33'9.50".

Men
Stefan Redfield (Sr., Sisters, OR/Sisters HS) - Men's 1,500-meter run - 16th overall and 10th in Section 1, 3:54.68.

Trevor May (Sr., Florence, OR/Siuslaw HS) - Men's 110-meter hurdles - 11th overall and 6th in Section 2, 16.08 seconds.

Manta Dircks (Fr., Hilo, HI/Kamehameha HS) - Men's Long Jump - 12th overall, 19'2.00".

Josh Clothier (Sr., Walla Wall, WA/Walla Walla HS) - Men's Shot Put - 9th overall, 47'1.75".

Willamette men's 4 x 100-meter relay - Tom Fiechtner (Fr., Poway, CA/Cathedral HS), Paul Winger (Jr., Bonney Lake, WA/Bonney Lake HS), Abe Moland (Sr., Spokane, WA/St. George's School) and Neal Howard (Jr., Seattle, WA/Ballard HS) - 5th overall, 43.70 seconds.

Several members of the Willamette track and field teams will compete at the Linfield Multi-Events on Monday, March 21 and Tuesday, March 22. Action is set to begin at 9 a.m. each day.