McKenzie, D'Arpino shine

Seattle, Wash. – Sophomores Jasmin McKenzie (pictured) and Venessa D'Arpino set school records on Friday to lead the Oregon State track & field team on the opening day of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships at the University of Washington.

McKenzie established a new long jump standard and placed sixth with a leap of 19-3.25. She held the school record of 18-9.50 entering the meet; that mark was broken by Kara Hallock during the pentathlon but McKenzie took it back several hours later by improving her PR by nearly six inches.

D'Arpino ran 24.70 in the 200 meters and easily broke her year-old school record of 24.96. She placed 16^th overall.

OSU scored nine points and was in 12^th place after the opening day of the championships, which conclude today. They nearly doubled last year's two-day total of five points.

Hallock placed fifth in the pentathlon with 3,796 points, the No. 2 career score. She improved her former No. 2 score by 105 points.

Her long jump of 18-11.75 temporarily broke McKenzie's record, set earlier this season. Hallock also ran 8.63 in the pentathlon's 60 hurdles, the fourth-fastest time in school history.

The Beavers posted six other all-time top-10 times or marks in their final meet of the indoor season, held at the Dempsey Center, for a total of eight overall.

Others improving all-time bests were:

· Junior Devin Collins, whose 8.60 clocking in the 60 hurdles was No. 3 all-time. She missed advancing to the finals by .01 seconds, and placed ninth.

· Senior Rachel Picknell, who took 21^st in the weight throw at 51.5.75, a PR by nearly four feet and the No. 2 all-time mark.

· Junior Annie Sidor and freshman Gillette Field, who cleared 11-8 in the pole vault. They are now tied for the No. 2 all-time mark.

· The distance medley relay foursome of freshman Juliana Mount (1200), Collins (400), senior Kelsi Schaer (800) and junior Morgan Anderson (1600), which placed seventh in 11:36.94, the second-fastest time ever.

· Sophomore Saskia McNairy, who took 17^th in the pentathlon with 3,118 points, the No. 3 all-time score and a PR by 164 points.

After Saturday, the Beavers are idle until they open the outdoor season on March 19 at the Lewis & Clark Spring Invitational in Portland.

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.

Friday's results

60 METERS: 24. Kerissa D'Arpino, 7.72.

200 METERS: 16. Venessa D'Arpino, 24.70. 40. Ahsha Mootz, 26.94.

60 HURDLES: 9. Devin Collins, 8.60.

DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY: 7. Oregon State (Juliana Mount 1200; Devin Collins 400; Kelsi Schaer 800; Morgan Anderson 1600), 11:36.94.

PENTATHLON: 5. Kara Hallock, 3,796 points (60 hurdles, 8.63, 989 points; high jump, 5-3, 736; shot put, 32-8.50, 527; long jump 18-11.75, 783; 800 meters 2:24.69, 761). 17. Saskia McNairy, 3,118 points (60 hurdles, 10.16, 682; high jump 4-11.50, 632; shot put, 31-4.75, 501; long jump 17-8.25, 668; 800 meters 2:34.75, 635).

LONG JUMP: 6. Jasmin McKenzie, 19-3.25. 12. Lucinda Howard, 17-4.75.

WEIGHT THROW: 21. Rachel Picknell, 51-5.75. 22. Melissa Ausman, 51-00.25.

POLE VAULT: 24. Helen Ann Haun, 11-8. 24. Gillette Field 11-8. 26. Annie Sidor 11-8.

Saturday's entries

400 METERS: Venessa D'Arpino (56.47), Kerissa D'Arpino (56.81).

MILE: Morgan Anderson (4:52.74), Juliana Mount (4:54.24), Gwyneth McMorris (5:06.09), Emily Weber (NT).

3000 METERS: Holly Cavalluzzo (NT); Kira Kelly (NT).

1600 RELAY: Kerissa D'Arpino; Venessa D'Arpino; Ahsha Mootz, Devin Collins (Kara Hallock, Juliana Mount, Kelsi Schaer, alternates).

HIGH JUMP: Sara Almen (5-8.75), Allison Jackson (5-3.75), Amy Hilger (5-3).

TRIPLE JUMP: Michele Turney (38-2.25), Bethany Imperial (37-6), Lucinda Howard (37-4).

NOTE: Season-best time or mark in parenthesis.