Townsend Takes 10th Place in Women's Javelin at NCAA Championships

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

DELAWARE, OHIO -- Meka Townsend (So., Okanogan, WA/Okanogan HS) earned 10th place in the women's javelin throw to lead four Willamette University athletes in action on Saturday, May 24 during the the last day of the 2014 NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships. The NCAA meet was held at Selby Stadium on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University.

Townsend, competing for the first time at the NCAA Championships, produced a top toss of 138' 3" on her third attempt. She was close to her personal record of 138' 8", which she set while taking second place at the 2014 Northwest Conference championships on April 26.

The NCAA women's javelin championship was achieved by Alexis Appezzato from Ramapo College (N.J.), who registered a throw of 157' 4". Allie Hadley from California Lutheran University was second at 152' 6" and Kayla Zoschg from Dickinson College (Pa.) was third at 148' 0". NWC champion Kerry Wright from Whitworth University placed fourth at 146' 2".

Taylor Ostrander (So., Soldotna, AK/Kenai Central HS) finished in 11th place for the Bearcats during the finals of the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase. She completed the race in 10:59.08.

Lucy Cheadle from Washington University (Mo.) won the women's steeplechase in a Selby Stadium record time of 10:20.06. Sophie Goobic from Heidelberg University (Pa.) took second place in 10:27.36, while Amy Cymerman from St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) was third in 10:29.93.

Ostrander was competing at the NCAA Championships for the second year in a row. She placed 22nd in the steeplechase as a freshman last season.

Jordan Loos (Jr., Springfield, OR/Thurston HS) of WU took 11th place in the men's javelin throw. His top distance during the event was 193' 10". He missed finals by just two inches. It was the first time that Loos has competed at the NCAA Championships.

First place in the men's javelin was won by Mitchell Obenrader from Penn State-Behrend with a top throw of 219' 10". Chase Wright from Whitworth placed second at 216' 4". Travon Godette was third with a toss of 213' 1".

Bekah Daniel (Sr., Jr. elig., Silverdale, WA/Central Kitsap HS) of Willamette placed 21st in the women's triple jump. She attained a distance of 36' 5" on her second attempt. It was Daniel's first trip to the NCAA Championships.

Divya Biswal from St. Lawrence University (N.Y.) won the NCAA title in the women's triple jump at 40' 11". Bria Halama from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse was second at 40' 2.75", whule Hilary Thompson of Concordia University-Moorhead (Minn.) was third at 40' 0.75".

Willamette was represented by six athletes at the NCAA Championships. In addition to the four athletes in action on Saturday, Kit Kingstad (Sr., Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS) competed in the prelims of the men's 1,500-meter run on Thursday, and Michaela Freeby (Jr., Milwaukie, OR/Rex Putnam HS) ran in the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase prelims, also on Thursday.

Kingstad placed 14th overall with a time of 3:54.63. Freeby, who was recovering from a leg injury, was unable to finish at full speed and placed 17th in 11:09.96