Beavers head to Husky Classic

Corvallis, Ore. – The Oregon State track & Field team intends to continue its strong indoor season this weekend at the Husky Invitational at the University of Washington.

The meet runs Friday and Saturday at the Dempsey Indoor Center. It's OSU's penultimate competition of the indoor season, which concludes Feb. 26-27 with the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships, also at the Dempsey Center.

The Beavers have already established school records in the pole vault (Helen Ann Haun, 12-1.50), weight throw (Melissa Ausman, 53-11.25) and long jump (Jasmin McKenzie, 18-9.50), and have posted 17 all-time top-10 performances, in their first three indoor meets.

And coach Kelly Sullivan is ready for more.

“Continued improvement,” he said, when asked for this weekend's objective. “We are coming off pretty good performances last week, and it looks as if everyone is rounding into competitive shape.

“We are trying to get people sharper, and then come back, train and get ready for the MPSF meet. There is no reason not to believe we're going to have a good weekend, and then an even better one” at the conference championships.

Sullivan has a full coaching staff for the first time since the program's 2005 re-instatement with the addition of assistant Eric Schueffner, who coaches the sprinters, jumpers and hurdler. He joined holdovers Tamara Burns (shot put, discus, hammer, weight throw) and Collin Cram (pole vault, heptathlon, javelin) just over a month ago.

OSU has set four top-10 marks in the long jump and triple jump this winter and several competitors have already improved their PRs by a foot or more.

“Eric's only had five weeks with them and we can see them jelling every day. That's extremely positive,” Sullivan said. “Our jumpers are doing well across the board, with what Collin is doing with the pole vaulters.

“Tamara is doing a great job with our two women in the weights,” as Ausman and Rachel Picknell also significantly improved their PRs in the weight throw by posting the top two marks in school history at the Washington Invitational on Jan. 29.

Sullivan mentors the runners from the 800 on up. That group has posted four top-10 marks in the 800 and another in the mile, without tapering, while competing with several women who will play big roles in the spring season withheld from winter competition.

This weekend's meet will be an audition of sorts for the MPSF championships, which have a more restricted field because of tougher qualifying standards.

“We'll narrow it down after [Saturday] and figure out who we'll take to the conference meet,” Sullivan said. “Our expectations are to do better than we did last year,” when OSU scored five points in its first championships appearance.

“It's been fun. The staff is having fun and it's been nice for us to finally be a full staff and I am really pleased with how the team has been responding.”

For more information on the Oregon State track and field program, follow the Beavers on Facebook at Facebook.com/OSUTrackCrossCountry, or on Twitter at twitter.com/@beavers_track.

OSU's projected entries:

Friday

200 METERS: Kara Hallock.

POLE VAULT: Helen Ann Haun, Annie Sidor, Gillette Field.

Saturday

60 METERS: Kerissa D'Arpino; Venessa D'Arpino.

400 METERS: Kerissa D'Arpino; Venessa D'Arpino; Ahsha Mootz.

800 METERS: Kelsi Schaer; Gwyneth McMorris; Maureen Tremblay.

MILE: Morgan Anderson; Holly Cavalluzzo; Kira Kelly; Juliana Mount; Emily Weber.

1600 RELAY: Kerissa D'Arpino; Venessa D'Arpino; Ahsha Mootz, Devin Collins.

60 HURDLES: Devin Collins, Kara Hallock .

WEIGHT THROW: Melissa Ausman, Rachel Picknell.