Western sending eight athletes to NCAA II National Indoor Championships

Largest track contingent in school history since joining NCAA 10 years ago

Porter

Western Washington University is sending eight athletes to the NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championships on March 13-14 at Houston, Texas.

It is the largest contingent the Vikings have ever sent to a national meet, either indoor or outdoor, since joining the NCAA 10 years ago.

"It's an exciting day to have this many qualify," said Western coach Pee Wee Halsell (22nd year). "Our chance to score and become a presence at nationals has gone up quite a bit and it's a wonderful opportunity for our athletes to do well at the national level."

Two of the eight were automatic qualifiers - Sarah Porter (So., Hockinson) in the women's 5,000 meters (16:56.07) and Ryan Brown (So., Bellingham/Squalicum) in the men's pole vault (16-6).

Porter also was an automatic qualifier in the mile (4:56.37), but chose to declare only in the 5,000. It is her second trip to the indoor nationals, placing 15th in the 5,000 (18:26.77) last year, and fifth trip to nationals overall. She placed ninth in the 10,000 at the outdoor track nationals last spring, and has gone twice in cross country, receiving All-America honors last fall by placing 13th.

Porter has set school records in three indoor events this season, including the mile (4:56.37), 3,000 (9:47.86) and 5,000 (16:56.07).

Brown placed first at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships with a school, meet and conference record of 16-6. He also holds the outdoor pole vault school standard of 16-0.

The rest of Western's traveling party includes Rachel Johnson (So., Yakima/West Valley) in the women's 800, Christy Miller (Sr., Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly) in the women's pole vault, Courtney Olsen (Jr., Bellingham/Squalicum) in the women's distance medley relay, Ellie Siler (Fr., Spokane/Lewis & Clark) in the women's 400, Emily Warman (Fr., Sedro-Woolley) in the women's triple jump and Jordan Welling (So., Burlington/Burlington-Edison) in the men's 5,000.

Joining Olsen in the distance medley relay, which set a school record of 11:57.17, are Johnson, Siler and Porter.

Miller, who ranks eighth nationally, placed 12th (11-7 3/4) at indoor nationals last year and did not attain a height at outdoor nationals last spring. She holds school pole vault records in both indoor (12-5 1/2) and outdoor (12-3 1/2) competition.

Siler has set school records this winter in the 200 (25.55), 400 (56.23), distance medley relay (11:57.17) and 4x400 relay (3:54.16). Her 400 time ranks sixth nationally.

Warman has established school standards in both the triple jump (38-4) and long jump (18-10).

Welling set school marks in the 3,000 (8:19.80) and 5,000 (14:21.30) and helped the distance medley relay to victory at the GNAC Championships.

Last fall, Welling earned All-America honors in cross country as he placed 29th, and he is the defending league champion in the outdoor 5,000.

Johnson's best time in the 800 is a school-record 2:13.13.