RESULTS
HERMISTON, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University track & field steamrolled in its first meet of the outdoor season at the EOU Team Challenge, posting 37 automatic qualifiers for the Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Championships and three qualifiers for the NAIA Outdoor Championships.
As a team, EOU captured first place with 523 points, edging Northwest Nazarene (519.50) and toppling College of Idaho (453).
NAIA AUTOS & PROVISIONAL MARKS
Junior indoor All-American Eric England carried the momentum from the previous two months into EOU’s season opener, as he recorded the top triple jump in the NAIA with a school-record mark of 15.59m (51-1.75).
In the men’s javelin throw, Pancho Saldana captured first place with a launch of 57.58m (188-11.00).
On the women’s side, sophomore Liz Ayers qualified for nationals after hoisting 40.18m (131-10.00) in the javelin to take second overall, while junior Rachel Roelle notched first-place in the steeplechase with a provisional time of 11:26.34.
WOMEN’S RESULTS
Including Roelle’s effort in the steeplechase, the women’s squad saw first-place finishes in five events on Saturday afternoon.
In the 400m dash, senior Megan Sullivan finished first with a time of 57.64. Meanwhile, the foursome of Sullivan, junior Kendall Current, and freshmen Amie Zitterkob and Andrea Lemus carded a time of 48.44 to capture the 4x100m crown.
While Ayers took second in the javelin, both junior Marta Stangel and freshman Morgan Reddington snatched first place in their respective field events. Stangel tossed 46.05m (151-1.00) in the hammer throw, and Reddington leaped 5.21m (17-1.25) in the long jump to card first-place finishes for the Mountaineers.
MEN’S RESULTS
England’s long- and triple-jump antics accounted for two of the six first-place marks for the men’s team.
While England swept the triple and long jump events, the same type of dominance translated on the track for freshman Jebari Cumberbatch. A native of Christ Church, Barbados, Cumberbatch mustered first-place finishes in both the 100m (10.75) and 200m dash (22.08).
Senior Ryan Rosenau edged Kyle McLaughlin of Northwest Nazarene in the 400m hurdles with a time of 54.15, and he later helped the 4x100m relay team (Rosenau, Cumberbatch, freshman Codi Blodgett, freshman Devin Lewis-Allen) earn third place with a mark of 42.49.
Saldana made the most of his return to the Mountaineers with a first-place finish in the javelin throw thanks to an effort of 57.58m (188-11.00).
NOTABLES - EOU RECORD BOOK
England: No. 1 in triple jump (6.92m), No. 6 in long jump (6.92m)
Cumberbatch: No. 3 in 100m dash (10.75), No. 5 in 200m dash (22.08)
Blodgett: Tied at No. 10 in 100m dash (11.06)
Kaden Walker: No. 9 in pole vault (4.40m)
Blodgett, Lewis-Allen, Rosenau, Cumberbatch: No. 2 in 4x100m relay (42.49)
Katie Emerson: No. 7 in 400m hurdles (1:05.02)
Roelle: No. 3 in steeplechase (11:26.34)
Zitterkob, Sullivan, Lemus, Current: No. 2 in 4x100m relay (48.73)
Reddington: No. 7 in long jump (5.21m)
Stangel: No. 7 in hammer throw (46.05m)
Ayers: No. 9 in javelin (40.18m)
CCC AUTO QUALIFIERS
Cumberbatch (100m dash, 200m dash)
Blodgett (100m dash, 200m dash)
Current (100m dash, 200m dash)
Zitterkob (100m dash)
Sullivan (200m dash, 400m dash)
Lewis-Allen (400m)
Emerson (100m hurdles, 400m hurdles)
Emma Kost (100m hurdles, 400m hurdles)
Rosenau (110m hurdles, 400m hurdles)
Andrew Duffy (steeplechase)
Evan Rummerfield (steeplechase)
Roelle (steeplechase)
Stormy Bullard (steeplechase)
MeeMee Crossler-Laird (steeplechase)
Kailey Wilson (steeplechase)
Laura Dauz (high jump)
Paige Dodd (high jump, discus, javelin)
Walker (pole vault)
England (long jump, triple jump)
Reddington (long jump)
Hannah Nelson (long jump)
Jennifer Peters (long jump)
Amanda Fowler (long jump)
Hakeem Belle (triple jump)
Jason Hendricks (shot put, hammer)
Jeremiah Woods (shot put, discus, hammer, javelin)
Tanner Yarbrough (shot put, discus)
Stangel (shot put, hammer)
Max Fahlgren (hammer)
Peter Cain (hammer)
Elizabeth McCarty, (hammer, javelin)
Ayers (hammer, javelin)
Lauren Winans, hammer
Saldana (javelin)
Kotlon Cobb (javelin)
Austin Kilcup (javelin)
Katherine Zollman (javelin)
NEXT MEET
EOU heads to McMinnville, Ore., on April 2 for the Jenn Boyman Memorial Invitational. The start time is set for 10 a.m.