Top performances by the Seattle University relay teams and the participants in the 5000 meter runs highlighted the team’s participation at the Western Washington University Ralph Vernacchia Team Meet Friday evening at Civic Field.
Seattle University posted a victory in the men’s 4x100 meter relay, as the quartet of Christopher Fussell (Las Vegas, Nev.), Daniel Sullivan (Tukwila, Wash.), Zach Stanfield (Adna, Wash.), and Jim Mezzera (San Francisco, Calif.) finished first with a time of 42.03 seconds. Later, Stanfield, Mezzera, and Sullivan were joined by Tom Mezzera (San Francisco, Calif.) for a second-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay in 3:21.94.
The team’s other event victory came in the men’s 5000 meter run, as Adam Kollgaard (Kent, Wash.) won the race in 15:28.17. Hans Heitzinger (Scottsdale, Ariz.) finished third with a time of 15:31.37, just ahead of teammate Matthew McClement (Bellingham, Wash.), who finished fourth in 15:33.34.
In the women’s 5000 meter run, junior Rachel Yorkston (Bellingham, Wash.) finished second with a time of 18:26.22 in her hometown. Natalie Martinez (San Francisco, Calif.) finished fourth in 19:13.12, and Jennifer Innes (San Bruno, Calif.) earned a sixth-place finish with a time of 19:53.69.
Becca Urbany (Damascus, Ore.) had a solid meet, finishing seventh in the triple jump with a top leap of 10.50 meters (34' 5.5") and fifth in the 100 meter hurdles in 17.83 seconds. Rachel Purcell (Mission Viejo, Calif.) was the other female individual to score points during the meet, finishing third in the 400 meter dash in 59.81 seconds.
The women’s 4x100 meter relay team of Alyssa Lout (Tempe, Ariz.), Elizabeth Wolf (Albuquerque, N.M.), Clare Obradovich (Tigard, Ore.), and Purcell posted a third-place finish in 49.79 seconds. In the 4x400 meter relay, the quartet of Wolf, Purcell, Rachel Vranizan (Portland, Ore.), and Obradovich finished fourth in 4:06.98.
Sullivan also finished second in the 400 meter hurdles in 54.06 seconds, while Stanfield ended up in a tie for fifth place in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.19 seconds. Michael Van Nuland (Newcastle, Wash.) earned a fifth-place finish in the 3000 meter steeplechase with a time of 10:01.25, while Erik Barkhaus (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) finished seventh in the 1500 meter run in 4:05.55.
In the men’s field events, Ty Jaros (Eugene, Ore.) finished fourth in the high jump after clearing a height of 1.85 meters (6' 0.75") and sixth in the triple jump with a top effort of 12.67 meters (41' 7"). Udoka Odoemene (Des Moines, Wash.) placed sixth in the long jump with a top leap of 6.23 meters (20' 5.25") and seventh in the triple jump after a top effort of 12.48 meters (40' 11.5"). Devlin Sweeney (Olympia, Wash.) finished fifth in the high jump after clearing a height of 1.80 meters (5' 10.75").
For the women, Sara DeMartini (San Francisco, Calif.) finished ninth in the shot put with a top toss of 9.90 meters (32' 5.75"), while Lindsay Currier (Beaverton, Ore.) finished seventh in the discus throw after a top effort of 37.04 meters (121' 6"). Wolf won her heat of the 200 meter dash, finishing seventh overall with a time of 26.85 seconds.
Seattle University is next scheduled to compete at the Oregon Relays on Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.