Boase, Lawrence, Roth, Anderson & Woods win NCAA regional titles in Eugene...

Mel Lawrence of Washington set a personal best of 9:52.77 to win the steeplechase at the NCAA West Regionals Saturday at Eugene's Hayward Field.

Lawrence once again controlled the women's steeplechase from start to finish, lowering her PR and school record once again in a time of 9:52.77.

Jordan Boase won the 400 meters, running 45.94, with teammate Jeff Gudaitis finishing fourth in 46.90.

An ecstatic Gudaitis said afterwards, “"In the 400, I was coming in sixth and I knew there were five guys that had run faster than me so I just had to go out hard," said Gudaitis. "It was nice having Jordan to my inside because he came out harder so I knew I had to push it too. That just made me run faster. From being an alternate last year at NCAA's to this year I'm in two events, it's really exciting."

Husky sophomore Scott Roth won the pole vault with a clearance of 17-11 (5.46m). Defending champion Jared O'Connor finished in a tie for fifth with a mark of 17-3 (5.26m), but won the jumpoff against UCLA’s Johnny Quinn by clearing 17-7 for the final automatic bid to the national championships.

Roth took three attempts at Brad Walker’s school record by attempting 18-8, but was unsuccessful.

Washington State’s Jeshua Anderson successfully defended his NCAA West regional title, winning the 400 intermediate hurdles in 50.31. Senior Barry Leavitt finished fourth to earn an automatic spot in the NCAA championships in two weeks in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Washington State's Justin Woods won the 200 meters, and led teammate Marlon Murray to a third place finish. Woods ran 20.90, while Murray ran 21.26.

Woods finished second in the 100, running 10.33, with Murray scoring a fifth place finish in 10.57.

Lisa Egami took third in the women’s 1500, running 4:23.84.

Sam Ahlbeck of Washington State squeezed out the fifth and final auto qualifier to Fayetteville in the 3000 steeplechase, running 8:58.92.

Cougar sophomore Marissa Tschida was fifth in the javelin, as she threw 159-5 (48.60m), nosing out Eastern Washington freshman Michelle Coombs, who threw 153-4 (46.73m).

WSU's Matt Lamb finished fifth in the men's discus with a toss of 190-11 (58.20m). Teammate Robert Williams earned a spot to the national championships in the 110 hurdles with a fourth place finish, running a wind-aided 13.71.

The Huskies' 4 x 100m relay team of Gudaitis, Kenjamine Jackson, Randy Bacon and Joe Turner finished third in 40.18, scoring an unexpected national championship berth.

Washington's Zack Midles was fourth in the hammer throw, with a toss of 210-9 (64.23m), after being in sixth until letting loose his best throw in the sixth and final round.

In the men's 1500, former Nathan Hale standout Abdi Hassan was fourth in 3:42.05, and former UW runner Jordan McNamara from Auburn, now competing for the University of Oregon finished fifth in 3:43.10. The Huskies' Austin Abbott was tenth in 3:51.59.

At-large selections will be announced this coming Tuesday, with the NCAA meet again set for June 10-13th.

Complete results from the NCAA West regionals can be accessed by clicking this link.

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