Women's Track End-of-Season Notes
LOOKING BACK - In only the second year of the reinstated program, the Oregon State women’s track team took even more positive strides. The team boasted several first place event finishes at different meets, remarkably 13 runners moved onto the all-time top 10 lists and more post-season action.
NCAA WEST REGIONAL - After not qualifying any runners last season in year one to the NCAA West Regional in Eugene, Ore., junior became the program’s first runner in just two short seasons to represent Oregon State in Provo, Utah. Younce finished ninth, just four places away from qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Track Championships, after being seeded No. 15 out of 17 competitors in the 5,000 meters.
PAC-10 CHAMPIONSHIPS - The team was successful at the Pac-10 Championships in Eugene, Ore., this season as Oregon State scored its first points. The number of qualifying runners and qualifying marks doubled in the program’s second season sending 10 runners with 16 qualifying times.
Junior finished fifth, four places better than last season, in the 10,000 meters to both score four points for the team and set the school record in the event. Her time was nearly two minutes faster than last season finishing in 35:31.81.
Also improving from last season in the 10,000 meters was sophomore . Crawford was No. 10 on the all-time list, but at Pac-10s, moved up to fourth with a time of 37:09.08, over two minutes faster than last season.
Junior made the list at the Pac-10 Championships as well, moving into the No. 5 spot with a time of 37:10.50.
Sophomore improved on her 3,000 meter steeplechase time, which is currently No. 1 in school history, with a time of 11:08.67, despite being tripped up with just over two laps left.
Six of the ten runners who competed set new personal bests.
ACADEMICS - The Oregon State women’s track team boasted nine runners on Pac-10 All-Academic teams. Five Beavers were named to the first team including seniors and , junior and sophomores and .
Second team honors went to junior .
Honorable mention honors went to sophomores and and redshirt freshman .
SAYING GOODBYE - The team will be losing two seniors, and , as well as junior to graduation. Younce may be back in the spring for the outdoor track season after she studies abroad in the fall in Austria.
ALL-TIME TOP TEN - Six Oregon State athletes have made their marks on school history in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. Before the 2005 season, no woman had competed in the event before for the Beavers.
Sophomore holds the top spot in the record books with a time of 11:08.67 set this season. Sophomore is right behind her in second (11:15.41).
Eleven current runners hold 18 spots in the all-time top ten with Younce holding the top spot in the 10,000 meters. Sophomore holds the No. 3 spot on the same list, and junior is right behind her in fourth place.
Sophomore is in the No. 7 spot on the 800 meters list.
On the 1,500 meters list, Poggi is No. 5, sophomore is No. 8, freshmen and are No. 9 and 10.
Younce is No. 2 on the 5,000 meters list with Poggi right behind her, and Crawford holding the No. 10 spot.
Runners also moved into the all-time top 10 on the indoor list as well when the team competed at the Washington Indoor Preview in February.
Eleven ladies moved onto the lists, with seniors and moving onto the 800 meters list, sophomores Denfeld, Harer and Peterson and freshman making the mile list and senior , Younce and sophomores Crawford, and Poggi making the 3,000 meters list.
HEAD COACH KELLY SULLIVAN - In his second year at Oregon State, head coach came to Oregon State to restart the school’s program after being head cross country and track and field coach at Willamette University, a Division III school in Salem, Ore., since 1997. Sullivan was also an assistant coach at Auburn from 1984-96, and head coach at Clackamas Community College (Ore.) from 1980-84.
Sullivan, 48, guided Willamette’s teams to three top-10 national finishes in cross country and track and coached 23 All-Americans, including five individuals who won national championships. At Auburn, he coached 36 All-Americans and at Clackamas, he coached 24 NCAA All-Americans.
Sullivan was an All-American in the steeplechase and cross country at Willamette before graduating in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in History and Education. A native of Nehalem, Ore., he graduate from Neah-Kah-Nie High School.
THE NUMBERS - The team returns 15 runners from last season, while adding 12 freshmen and four transfers.
