MEET NOTES

PORTLAND, Ore. — With the Big Sky Championships around the corner, the Portland State track and field teams will compete in their final pre-conference tune-up Friday, May 9, at the Oregon Twilight meet at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
 
The Vikings will send only 12 athletes to the meet, as they hope to set or improve Big Sky qualifying marks in select areas.
 
The Pac-12 Networks will broadcast the meet from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. A live web stream of the events prior to 7:30 will also be available.
 
MEET SPECIFICS:
May 9 – Oregon Twilight – Eugene, Ore. – Hayward Field
 
OREGON TWILIGHT SCHEDULE (PSU accepted entries):
Friday, May 9
Field Events
Start (PT)                  Event (PSU accepted entries)
4:30 p.m.                    Women's Discus (Johnson)
5:56 p.m.                    Women's Long Jump (Simms)
6:58 p.m.                    Men's High Jump (Tufty)
 
Running Events
Start (PT)                  Event (PSU accepted entries)
5:34 p.m.                    Women's 200 Meters 'B' Section (Diggs, Settle, Woods – Section TBD)
5:51 p.m.                    Women's 1,500 Meters 'B' Section (Dean – Section TBD)
6:18 p.m.                    Men's 400 Meters (Prince)
6:23 p.m.                    Women's 400 Meters (Diggs)
7:36 p.m.                    Men's 800 Meters (Fleck: ALT)
8:09 p.m.                    Men's 110-Meter Hurdles (Robinson)
8:17 p.m.                    Women's 100-Meter Hurdles (Jackson, Ratcliff)
8:42 p.m.                    Women's 100 Meters (Ratcliff, Settle, Woods)
8:55 p.m.                    Women's 200 Meters (Diggs, Settle, Woods – Section TBD)
9:12 p.m.                    Women's 1,500 Meters 'A' Section (Dean – Section TBD)
 
LIVE RESULTS:
Live results from the Oregon Twilight meet will be available here, and on the men's and women's track and field schedule pages on GoViks.com.
 
TELEVISION/LIVE VIDEO:
The Pac-12 Networks will broadcast the final two hours of the meet starting at 7:30 p.m. A live web stream of the events before 7:30 p.m. will be available here, and on the men's and women's track and field schedule pages on GoViks.com.
 
COMING UP:
The Portland State track and field teams compete at the Big Sky Championships in Flagstaff, Ariz., from Wednesday to Saturday, May 14-17.
 
NATIONAL RANKINGS:
The Vikings have three athletes ranked in the top 100 nationally this season. Senior Nevin Lewis ranks the highest of the three, as he ranks 20th in the nation in the decathlon with his score of 7,268 points at the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge. Lewis' national rank in the decathlon will come into play at the end of the season, as the top 24 athletes in the decathlon will make the national meet. If Lewis makes the national meet, he will become the Vikings' third athlete to qualify for nationals in the combined events in the past five seasons.
 
Vikings in National Rankings
Women:
10,000m
31. Sarah Dean – 34:00.32 – Payton Jordan Invitational (5/4/14)
 
100m Hurdles
72. Jazmin Ratcliff – 13.63 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Men:
Decathlon
20. Nevin Lewis – 7,268 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
DIVISION I WEST RANKINGS:
With a week left before the Big Sky Championships, the Vikings have 21 marks ranked in the top 100 of their respective events in the NCAA Division I West Region. Those rankings will come into play at the end of the season, as qualification for the NCAA West Preliminary will be based on the descending-order lists in each event. The top 48 declared student-athletes in each individual event (except the combined events) and top 24 relays will qualify for the regional meet. Currently, two Vikings are in position to qualify for the West Preliminary between Sarah Dean in the women's 10,000 meters (17th), and Jazmin Ratcliff in the 100-meter hurdles (31st). Ratcliff qualified for the same event last season.
 
Vikings in West Rankings
Women:
100m
58. Genna Settle – 11.75 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
69. Jasmine Woods – 11.80 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
400m
52. Whitney Diggs – 54.65 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
 
800m
86. Sarah Dean – 2:10.61 – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
 
5,000m
90. Sarah Dean – 16:43.80 – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
 
10,000m
17. Sarah Dean – 34:00.32 – Payton Jordan Invitational (5/4/14)
 
100m Hurdles
31. Jazmin Ratcliff – 13.63 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
55. CeCelia Jackson – 13.86 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/10/14)
 
400m Hurdles
87. CeCelia Jackson – 1:01.71 – Oregon Relays (4/18/14)
 
4x100m Relay
72. Portland State 'B' (Woods, Settle, Simms, Ratcliff) – 45.85 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
85. Portland State 'A' (Ratcliff, Settle, Simms, White) – 46.07 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
 
Long Jump
54. Baileh Simms – 19-04.25 (5.90m) – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
 
Triple Jump
89. Montaisha Moore – 38-09.00 (11.81m) – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Discus
77. Sydney Johnson – 155-11 (47.53m) – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
 
Javelin
62. Allison Burkett – 142-04 (43.38m) – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Heptathlon
60. CeCelia Jackson – 4,722 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
Men
400m
75. Sheldon Prince – 47.59 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
3,000m Steeplechase
87. T-Roy Brown – 9:16.04 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
High Jump
84. Rockwell Tufty – 6-08 (2.03m) – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
 
Decathlon
12. Nevin Lewis – 7,268 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
91. Kevin Robinson – 5,644 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
BIG SKY QUALIFIERS:
The Portland State Vikings have qualified for the Big Sky Championships in 31 events so far this season (24 by women, seven by men). Qualifying marks assure the athlete of competing at the Big Sky Outdoor Championships on May 14-17 in Flagstaff, Ariz. Beyond the Big Sky auto qualifiers, the rest of the field for the conference meet will be based on the descending-order lists in each event within the conference.
 
PSU Big Sky Auto Qualifiers (through May 4)
Women:
Allison Burkett – Javelin – 142-94 (43.38m) – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Shae Carson – Discus – 141-05 (43.11m) – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Maggie Coleman – 10,000m – 37:34.62 – SF State Distance Carnival (4/4/14)
Maggie Coleman – 3,000m Steeplechase – 11:20.15 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Sarah Dean – 800m – 2:10.61 – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
Sarah Dean – 1,500m – 4:28.50 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
Sarah Dean – 5,000m – 16:43.80 – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
Sarah Dean – 10,000m – 34:00.32 – Payton Jordan Invitational (5/4/14)
Whitney Diggs – 200m – 24.60 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
Whitney Diggs – 400m – 54.65 – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
CeCelia Jackson – 100m Hurdles – 13.86 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/10/14)
CeCelia Jackson – 400m Hurdles – 1:01.71 – Oregon Relays (4/18/14)
CeCelia Jackson – Heptathlon – 4,722 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
Sydney Johnson – Discus – 155-11 (47.53m) – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
Montaisha Moore – Triple Jump – 38-09.00 (11.81m) – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 100m – 11.93 – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 200m – 24.56 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 100m Hurdles – 13.63 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Genna Settle – 100m – 11.75 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Genna Settle – 200m – 24.35 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Baileh Simms – 100m – 11.99 – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
Baileh Simms– Long Jump – 19-04.25 (5.90m) – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
Jasmine Woods – 100m – 11.80 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Jasmine Woods – 200m – 24.52 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Men:
T-Roy Brown – 3,000m Steeplechase – 9:16.04 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
Nathan Fleck – 800m – 1:52.85 – Stanford Invitational (4/5/14)
Michael Kubisiak – 100m – 10.72 – Oregon Preview (3/22/14)
Nevin Lewis – Decathlon – 7,268 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
Sheldon Prince – 200m – 21.50 – Oregon Relays (4/18/14)
Sheldon Prince – 400m – 47.59 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
Rockwell Tufty – High Jump – 6-07.75 (2.03m) – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
 
VIKINGS IN BIG SKY TOP 20:
Women:
100m
2. Genna Settle – 11.75* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
4. Jasmine Woods – 11.80* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
T-6. Jazmin Ratcliff – 11.93* – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
11. Baileh Simms – 11.99* – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
16. Adia White – 12.18 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
200m
6. Genna Settle – 24.35* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
T-8. Jasmine Woods – 24.52* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
10. Jazmin Ratcliff – 24.56* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
T-11. Whitney Diggs – 24.60* – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
T-15. Dejuanae Toliver – 24.97 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
400m
2. Whitney Diggs – 54.65* – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
18. Dejuanae Toliver – 56.87 – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
 
800m
2. Sarah Dean – 2:10.61* – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
 
1,500m
4. Sarah Dean – 4:28.50* – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
5,000m
4. Sarah Dean – 16:43.80* – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
 
10,000m
1. Sarah Dean – 34:00.32* – Payton Jordan Invitational (5/4/14)
8. Maggie Coleman – 37:34.62* – SF State Distance Carnival (4/4/14)
 
100m Hurdles
2. Jazmin Ratcliff – 13.63* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
5. CeCelia Jackson – 13.86* – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/10/14)
 
400m Hurdles
8. CeCelia Jackson – 1:01.71* – Oregon Relays (4/18/14)
20. Roazena Miller – 1:05.34 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
3,000m Steeplechase
14. Maggie Coleman – 11:20.15* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
16. Keikoanne Hollins – 11:44.17 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
4x100m Relay
3. Portland State – 45.85 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
4x400m Relay
9. Portland State – 3:57.66 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
Long Jump
4. Baileh Simms – 19-04.25 (5.90m)* – Victor Lopez Classic (3/29/14)
T-16. CeCelia Jackson – 17-11.00 (5.46m) – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
Triple Jump
4. Montaisha Moore – 38-09.00 (11.81m)* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Discus
7. Sydney Johnson – 155-11 (47.53m)* – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
17. Shae Carson – 141-05 (43.11m)* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Javelin
10. Allison Burkett – 142-04 (43.38m)* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Heptathlon
6. CeCelia Jackson – 4,722 points* – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
Men:
100m
8. Michael Kubisiak – 10.72* – Oregon Preview (3/22/14)
 
200m
8. Sheldon Prince – 21.50* – Oregon Relays (4/18/14)
 
400m
3. Sheldon Prince – 47.59* – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
T-20. Nevin Lewis – 49.12 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
800m
10. Nathan Fleck – 1:52.85* – Stanford Invitational (4/5/14)
 
1,500m
18. T-Roy Brown – 3:54.66 – SF State Distance Carnival (4/4/14)
 
10,000m
11. Jake Schwartz – 32:38.28 – Oregon Relays (4/18/14)
12. Jonathan Talik – 32:56.80 – Oregon Relays (4/18/14)
 
110m Hurdles
13. Kevin Robinson – 15.18 – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
3,000m Steeplechase
4. T-Roy Brown – 9:16.04* – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
4x400m Relay
9. Portland State – 3:23.32 – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
High Jump
T-7. Rockwell Tufty – 6-08.00 (2.03m)* – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
11. Nevin Lewis – 6-06.00 (1.98m) – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/10/14)
T-16. Kevin Robinson – 6-04.00 (1.93m) – Willamette Invitational (3/29/14)
T-16. Tyson Stipic – 6-04.00 (1.93m) – OSU High Performance (5/2/14)
 
Long Jump
18. Nevin Lewis – 21-08.25 (6.61m) – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/10/14)
 
Triple Jump
11. Gifton Okoronkwo – 44-05.25 (13.54m) – Oregon Relays (4/19/14)
14. Tyson Stipic – 44-02.00 (13.46m) – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/12/14)
 
Javelin
17. Nevin Lewis – 171-03 (52.21m) – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
Decathlon
1. Nevin Lewis – 7,268 points* – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
13. Kevin Robinson – 5,644 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
18. Mitchell Gable – 4,843 points – Mondo Mid-Major Challenge (4/11/14)
 
* - Mark automatically qualifies athlete for Big Sky Outdoor Championships
 
PAYTON JORDAN INVITATIONAL RECAP:
Senior Sarah Dean set a near-50-second personal best in the 10,000 meters Sunday, May 4, while competing among an elite field at the Payton Jordan Invitational at the Cobb Track & Angell Field in Stanford, Calif. Dean's time vaults her into the Big Sky lead in the women's 10,000 meters this season, and ranks her 16th in the NCAA West Region. Dean's rank in the west region essentially assures her of finishing in the top 48 of the region, which would qualify her for the NCAA West Preliminary meet in Fayetteville, Ark., at the end of May. Additionally, Dean's time moves her within nine seconds of Debbie Myra's 27-year-old school record of 33:51.40 in the women's 10,000 meters, and ranks her 10th all-time in the event within the Big Sky Conference.
 
DEAN NAMED BIG SKY WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:
Senior Sarah Dean's performance in the 10,000 meters at the Payton Jordan Invitational earned her Big Sky Women's Track Outdoor Athlete of the Week honors Tuesday, May 6. Dean's athlete of the week honor marks the first time a PSU women's distance runner has been so honored since Staci Bielenberg earned the award in 2005. The honor also continues a standout 2013-14 school year for Dean, as she became the first Viking runner to earn All-Big Sky honors in cross country since Melissa Tellford in 1999 in the fall, then broke the school record in the indoor mile during the indoor season. Dean has also qualified for the Big Sky meet in the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meters during the outdoor season, and has moved into the top five all-time at Portland State in six different events (second in indoor 3,000, fifth in outdoor 800, fourth in outdoor 1,500, third in outdoor 3,000, third in outdoor 5,000 and second in outdoor 10,000).
 
OSU HIGH PERFORMANCE RECAP:
The Vikings set or improved 11 Big Sky qualifying marks at the OSU High Performance meet Friday, May 2, at Whyte Track & Field Center in Corvallis, Ore. Freshman Genna Settle and junior Jasmine Woods accounted for four of the new or improved qualifying marks between them, as they finished 1-2, respectively, in both the 100 and 200 meters. Settle won the women's 100 in 11.75 seconds, .18 seconds better than her previous personal best, which she set at the Oregon Relays two weeks prior. Settle then ran 24.35 seconds in the 200 meters an hour later, setting another personal best by .18 seconds. Settle moved into fifth place all-time in the both the 100 and 200 meters with those performances. Woods, meanwhile, placed second behind Settle in both the 100 and 200 in personal-best times of 11.80 and 24.52 seconds, respectively. Woods' time in the 200 meters set a new personal best by .42 seconds, and moves her up to eighth all-time in the event at PSU. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff also improved her Big Sky qualifying marks in the 100-meter hurdles and 200 meters with personal bests in each event. Ratcliff ran the 100-meter hurdles in 13.63 seconds, .08 seconds better than her previous personal best, which she ran at the NCAA West Regional last season. Ratcliff's time moves her within just .04 seconds of Joenisha Vinson's school record of 13.59 seconds. Outside of the sprints, freshman Maggie Coleman and sophomore T-Roy Brown qualified for the women's and men's 3,000-meter steeplechase, respectively. Junior Montaisha Moore and senior throwers Allison Burkett and Shae Carson also improved or set new Big Sky qualifying marks in the women's triple jump, women's javelin and women's discus, respectively.
 
OREGON RELAYS RECAP:
The Portland State Vikings set 25 seasonal bests at the Oregon Relays Friday and Saturday, April 18-19 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Five athletes set seasonal bests in the women's 100 meters Saturday, led by Jasmine Woods, who set a huge personal best of 11.89 seconds. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff also qualified for the Big Sky meet in the 100 meters with her time of 11.93 seconds, a day after she qualified in the 200 meters with a personal-best time of 24.66 seconds. Senior Sarah Dean, meanwhile, placed fourth in the top section of the 5,000 meters in a personal-best time of 16:43.80. Dean's time qualifies her for the Big Sky meet in the 5,000 meters, giving her qualifying times in the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Dean also moved up to third all-time in the 5,000 meters at Portland State with her time at the meet, giving her top-five marks in the 800 (fifth), 1,500 (fourth), 3,000 (third), 5,000 (third) and 10,000 (second). Junior Jake Schwartz and sophomore Jonathan Talik set big personal bests in the men's 10,000 meters, too, as they both nearly set two-minute personal bests with their times of 32:38.28 and 32:56.80, respectively. Sophomore Sydney Johnson and senior Allison Burkett also improved their Big Sky qualifying marks in the discus and javelin, respectively, as Johnson threw a seasonal-best 155-11 (47.53m) in the discus, while Burkett threw a seasonal-best 138-10 (42.32m) in the javelin. Additionally, sophomore sprinter Sheldon Prince set personal bests in the 100 and 200 meters at the meet, running 10.95 in the 100 and 21.50 in the 200 meters.
 
MONDO MID-MAJOR CHALLENGE RECAP:
Senior Nevin Lewis won the decathlon, and the Vikings set or bettered 10 Big Sky qualifying marks at the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge Thursday to Saturday, April 10-12, at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, Calif. Lewis won the decathlon with 7,268 points, moving him to second all-time at Portland State after his debut in the event. Besides Lewis, freshman CeCelia Jackson qualified for the Big Sky with a third-place finish in the heptathlon with 4,722 points. Jackson also lowered her Big Sky qualifying time in the 100-meter hurdles to 13.86 seconds during the heptathlon competition, while five of the remaining seven new or bettered Big Sky qualifying marks came from the Vikings' sprinters. Of those, junior Jazmin Ratcliff lowered her time in the 100-meter hurdles to 13.94 seconds, while freshman Baileh Simms qualified in the 100 meters with her time of 12.06 seconds, and freshman Genna Settle lowered her times in the 100 and 200 meters. Settle ran the 100 in 11.96 seconds at the meet, and ran the 200 in 24.56 seconds. Sophomore Sheldon Prince also lowered his Big Sky qualifying time in the men's 400 while blowing past the rest of the 400-meter field in 47.59 seconds. Prince finished .95 seconds faster than the No. 2 runner in the 400 field, Kianti Gix of the Auc Elite professional club, and now stands just .21 second behind Anthony Robinson's school record of 47.38 seconds. Outside of the Vikings' sprinters, senior Sarah Dean also lowered her Big Sky qualifying time in the women's 1,500 meters while setting a new personal best of 4:28.50 in the event, while sophomore Sydney Johnson threw a seasonal-best 147-07 (44.99m) in the women's discus.
 
LEWIS NAMED BIG SKY MEN'S CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:
Senior Nevin Lewis was named the Big Sky Men's Co-Field Athlete of the Week after winning the decathlon Friday, April 11, at the Mondo Mid-Major Challenge. Lewis scored 7,268 points in his debut in the event, a total that ranks him second all-time at Portland State, behind only NCAA All-American Nick Trubachik. Additionally, Lewis' score of 7,268 points leads the Big Sky by 600 points in the decathlon, and ranks him 15th in the nation. At 15th in the NCAA, Lewis has the potential to be the Vikings' third athlete to qualify for nationals in the combined events in the past five seasons.
 
STANFORD INVITATIONAL RECAP:
Senior Sarah Dean and freshman Nathan Fleck qualified for the Big Sky Championships in the women's 10,000 and men's 800 meters Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, at the Stanford Invitational at Cobb Track and Angell Field in Stanford, Calif. Dean set her qualifying mark in the 10,000 meters Friday, as she finished 21st in the second section of the event in 34:49.18. Dean's time ranks her second in the Big Sky this season, and moves her up to second all-time in the 10,000 meters at Portland State. Dean's time also cross-qualifies her for the 5,000 meters in the Big Sky, since she beat the cross-qualifying standard of 37:00.00. Dean has now qualified in the 800, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meters after just three outdoor meets this season. Fleck, meanwhile, hit the Big Sky qualifying mark in the 800 meters while finishing 39th in the event in 1:52.85. Fleck's time ranks him third in the Big Sky this season, and moves him up to ninth all-time in the event at Portland State. Fleck's fellow freshman Ben Richardson also set a new personal best in the 800 meters at the Stanford Invite, as he finished 80th overall in 2:00.14, edging his old PR of 2:00.55, which he set at the Willamette Invitational the week before.
 
SF STATE DISTANCE CARNIVAL RECAP:
The Viking distance crew set eight personal bests across six events at the SF State Distance Carnival Friday, April 4, at Cox Stadium in San Francisco, Calif. Freshman Maggie Coleman headlined the day for the Vikings, as she qualified for the Big Sky meet in the 10,000 meters with her time of 37:34.62. Coleman's time moved her to sixth in the Big Sky this season, and ninth all-time in the event at Portland State. Besides Coleman, junior Jake Schwartz and sophomore Jonathan Talik crushed their old personal best in the 5,000 meters, finishing in times of 15:23.76 and 15:23.86, respectively, 27 seconds better than each of their old records. Junior Erica Contos and sophomore T-Roy Brown each set records in the women's and men's 800 and 1,500 meters, as Contos finished the women's 800 in 2:17.43 and the women's 1,500 in 4:41.97, while Brown finished the men's 800 in 1:57.09 and the men's 1,500 in 3:54.66. Additionally, Junior Keikoanne Hollins and sophomore Neil Seibert set personal best in the 1,500 meters, as Hollins ran the women's 1,500 in 4:46.22, while Seibert ran the men's 1,500 in 3:59.38.
 
VICTOR LOPEZ CLASSIC RECAP:
The Portland State Vikings won five events at the Victor Lopez Classic Saturday, March 29, at the Rice University Track Stadium in Houston, Texas. Sophomore Sheldon Prince and freshman Whitney Diggs swept the men's and women's 400 meters for the Vikings, while Prince also won the men's 100 meters. Prince lowered his Big Sky-leading 400 time to 47.65 seconds in winning the men's 400, putting him just .27 seconds behind Anthony Robinson's 11-year-old school record of 47.38 seconds. Diggs, meanwhile, won the women's 400 meters in 54.65 seconds, a time that leads the Big Sky by more than a second. Outside of Prince and Diggs, freshman Baileh Simms won the women's long jump by four and a half inches, as she jumped a Big Sky-leading 19-04.25 (5.90m) at the meet. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff and freshman CeCelia Jackson also went 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles, a week after the duo went 1-2 in the same event at the Oregon Preview. Jackson also qualified for the Big Sky meet in the 400-meter hurdles, as she finished fourth in the event in 1:02.48. Additionally, Ratcliff, freshman Genna Settle, Simms and sophomore Adia White finished second in the 4x100-meter relay in a Big Sky-leading 46.07 seconds.
 
WILLAMETTE INVITATONAL RECAP:
The Vikings set or bettered six Big Sky qualifying marks Saturday, March 29, at the Willamette Invitational at the Charles Bowles Track in Salem, Ore. Senior Sarah Dean led the Vikings' group of Big Sky qualifiers, as she won the women's 800 meters by over two and a half seconds. Dean finished in 2:10.61 at the meet, a time that leads the Big Sky by over two full seconds. Dean qualified in the 1,500 meters as well, as she placed third in the event in 4:32.87. Besides Dean, senior Allison Burkett qualified for the Big Sky meet while winning the javelin with a throw of 135-06.25 (41.30m). Sophomore thrower Sydney Johnson also won the discus at the meet Saturday while improving her Big Sky qualifying mark in the event with a throw of 142-07.25 (43.46m). Junior Jasmine Woods, meanwhile, qualified for the Big Sky in the 100 meters, placing second in 12.06 seconds. Additionally, sophomore Rockwell Tufty improved his Big Sky qualifying mark in the high jump while placing second in the event with a jump of 6-07.75 (2.03m). Freshman Roazena Miller won the women's 400 meters for the Vikings as well, finishing in 1:00.47.
 
OREGON PREVIEW RECAP:
The Vikings opened their 2014 outdoor schedule with nine Big Sky qualifying marks at the Oregon Preview Saturday, March 22, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Freshman Genna Settle and sophomore Michael Kubisiak gave the Vikings two Big Sky qualifiers while winning their respective sides of the women's and men's 100 meters. Settle won the women's 100 in 12.00 seconds, while Kubisiak won the men's 100 in a Big Sky-leading time of 10.72 seconds. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff and freshman CeCelia Jackson, meanwhile, went 1-2 in the 100-meter hurdles in Big Sky-qualifying times of 14.14 and 14.32 seconds, respectively. Sophomore Sheldon Prince also qualified in the 200 and 400 meters at the Oregon Preview, as he placed second in both in 21.81 and 47.88 seconds, respectively. Prince's time of 47.88 seconds in the 400 moved him up to No. 2 all-time in the event at Portland State, and ranked him atop the Big Sky in the 400 after week one. Besides Prince, sophomore Sydney Johnson, freshman Baileh Simms and sophomore Rockwell Tufty hit Big Sky qualifying marks in the women's discus, women's long jump and men's high jump, respectively. Johnson qualified in the discus with a throw of 141-08 (43.17m), while Simms qualified in the long jump with a jump of 18-07.25 (5.67m), and Tufty qualified in the high jump with a jump of 6-07.50 (2.02m). Additionally, seniors Sarah Dean and Nevin Lewis moved up the PSU career lists in the women's 3,000 meters and men's pole vault, respectively. Dean moved up to No. 3 all-time in the 3,000 with her time of 9:45.97 in the event, while Lewis moved up to fourth all-time in the pole vault with his mark of 14-07.25 (4.45m).
 
2014 INDOOR SEASON RECAP:
The Portland State Vikings won two Big Sky individual championships, set six school records and earned seven All-Big Sky performances during the 2014 indoor season. Freshman Gifton Okoronkwo and sophomore Sheldon Prince won the Vikings' two Big Sky titles, as they won the men's triple jump and 400 meters, respectively. Prince won his title in the 400 meters in a school-record time of 47.86 seconds. Prince lowered his own record with his time in the 400-meter final, and now leads the No. 2 time – Mitch Whalen and J.J. Rosenberg at 48.78 – by nearly a full second. Besides Prince, five other school records fell during the indoor season, including two others at the Big Sky Championships. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff crushed Joenisha Vinson's old record in the 60-meter hurdles, as she crossed the line in 8.35 seconds in the prelims of the event at the Big Sky meet. Freshman Whitney Diggs, meanwhile, broke the record in the 400 meters in the prelims, then lowered her time in the finals to 54.89 seconds, becoming the first PSU runner to crack 55 seconds in the women's 400. Diggs placed third in the finals of the 400 meters to earn All-Big Sky honors in the event, while sophomore Michael Kubisiak (3rd in 60m), Okoronkwo (1st in triple jump), Prince (1st in 400m), Ratcliff (2nd in 60m Hurdles; 3rd in 60m) and freshman Baileh Simms (2nd in long jump) all earned All-Big Sky honors as well. The Viking distance crew, meanwhile, set the other three school records earlier in the season, as T-Roy Brown, Sarah Dean and Camelia Mayfield set records in the men's 3,000 meters, women's mile and women's 5,000 meters, respectively. Brown set the record in the men's 3,000 meters at 8:21.04 at the season-opening UW Indoor Preview on Jan. 18. Dean and Mayfield, meanwhile, set their records two weeks later at the UW Invitational (Jan. 31-Feb. 1), with Dean setting the new women's mile mark at 4:51.32, and Mayfield breaking her own record in the women's 5,000 meters by over 40 seconds with a time of 17:02.49.
 
Big Sky Champions:
Men:
Gifton Okoronkwo – Triple Jump – 48-05.25 (14.76m)
Sheldon Prince – 400m – 47.86
 
All-Big Sky Performers:
Men:
Gifton Okoronkwo – 1st – Triple Jump – 48-05.25 (14.76m)
Sheldon Prince – 1st – 400m – 47.86
Michael Kubisiak – 3rd – 60m – 6.88
Women:
Baileh Simms – 2nd – Long Jump – 19-05.50 (5.93m)
Jazmin Ratcliff – 2nd – 60m Hurdles – 8.44
Whitney Diggs – 3rd – 400m – 54.89
Jazmin Ratcliff – 3rd – 60m – 7.50
 
PSU School Records Broken:
Men:
T-Roy Brown – 8:21.04 – 3,000m
Sheldon Prince – 47.86 – 400m
Women:
Sarah Dean – 4:51.32 – Mile
Whitney Diggs – 54.89 – 400m
Camelia Mayfield – 17:02.49 – 5,000m
Jazmin Ratcliff – 8.35 – 60m Hurdles
 
RESURGENT MEN:
The Portland State men's track and field team had its best showing at the Big Sky Indoor Championships since 2005 this season, scoring 39 points at the meet to place eighth overall. The 39 points the Viking men scored at the Big Sky Indoor meet represent the second-best total in program history, behind only the 54 the team scored in 2005. Additionally, 30.5 of the team's 39 points came from freshmen or sophomores, while both Big Sky champions and all three All-Big Sky performers are underclassmen as well.
 
YOUTH UPRISING:
Youth has not been wasted on the young for the Vikings, as five of PSU's seven All-Big Sky performances at the Big Sky Indoor Championships (Feb. 27-March 1) came from underclassmen. Freshmen Gifton Okoronkwo (1st in men's triple jump), Whitney Diggs (3rd in women's 400m) and Baileh Simms (2nd in women's long jump), and sophomores Sheldon Prince (1st in men's 400m) and Michael Kubisiak (3rd in men's 60m) earned the All-Big Sky honors for the Vikings' youth, capping a strong indoor season for the team's underclassmen. Leading into the conference meet, 14 of the team's 22 automatic Big Sky qualifiers for the indoor meet were underclassmen, and 30.5 of the men's 39 points and at least part of 28 of the women's 57 points at the Big Sky meet came from underclassmen as well. The Vikings youth have started the outdoor season strongly, too, as 17 of the Vikings' 31 Big Sky qualifying marks have come from underclassmen. The Vikings will need more strong showings from their youth during the outdoor season, as the men's roster features 18 underclassmen among its 22 athletes (seven freshmen, 11 sophomores), while the women's roster features 18 underclassmen among its 29 athletes (10 freshmen, eight sophomores).
 
BIG SKY PRESEASON POLL:
The Portland State women's and men's track and field teams were picked fifth and ninth, respectively, in the Big Sky's preseason coaches' poll. Northern Arizona was picked to sweep the titles, and was a unanimous selection on the men's side. Northern Arizona earned 121 points and all 11 first-place votes in the men's poll, well ahead of second-place Sacramento State (104 points) and third-place Montana (88 points). The Northern Arizona women, meanwhile, topped their side of the poll with 116 points and seven first-place votes. Sacramento State followed the NAU women with 104 points and four first-place votes, while Montana and Weber State tied for third with 94 points. The Viking women finished with 76 points on their side of the poll, while the Viking men finished with 37.
 
VIKINGS UNDER COACH HARRISON:
Six-year head coach Ronnye Harrison has led the Portland State men's and women's track and field teams to several records in his tenure at the school. Harrison has coached 29 Big Sky individual champions in his tenure, including 20 in the sprints. Additionally, four athletes have been named Big Sky Athletes of the Meet, while athletes have won 43 athletes Big Sky silver and bronze medals (23 silver, 20 bronze) and earned 72 All-Big Sky honors. The Vikings have also won six straight Big Sky titles in the outdoor 100 meters under Harrison, and set five Big Sky Conference records (women's indoor 55, indoor 60, indoor 200, outdoor 100 and outdoor 200).