SPU alum McKayla Fricker sets big PR in 800 at Mt. SAC...

WALNUT, California—First year professional McKayla Fricker (left/photo by Paul Merca) scored a significant personal best in the 800 meters Saturday on the final day of the Mt. SAC Relays at Hilmer Lodge Stadium on the Mount San Antonio College campus.

Fricker, who won the NCAA Division II 800 title last year for Seattle Pacific University, and trains with Alexa Efrraimson under coach Mike Hickey, ran 2:03.21 to finish sixth in the invitational 800 meters, which was won by 2013 world championships bronze medalist Brenda Martinez of New Balance, who ran 2:00.83.

Fricker's 2:03.21 is a nearly three second drop from her previous personal best of 2:06.18, set in winning the NCAA Division II title.

Fricker’s time is just off the qualifying standard of 2:03.00 to get into June’s USA outdoor championships in Eugene.

In other action at Mt SAC:

Reigning Pac-12 Conference 400m hurdles champion, CJ Allen of Washington State ran a lifetime-best time of 50.83 seconds to win the second heat of the men’s Invitational section and finished fourth among the 16 racers and third among collegiate runners. The top three runners were in the first heat; 

—In the women’s pole vault, Washington’s Diamara Planell Cruz finished in a tie for fourth at 14-1.25 (4.30m), while teammate Kristina Owsinski was sixth at 13-9.25 (4.20m).  Stanford alum Katerina Stefanidi of Greece won with a best of 14-9 (4.50m);

—In the men’s pole vault, Jax Thoirs of the Huskies was fifth at 17-6.5 (5.35m). Hiroki Ogita of Japan won at 18-2.5 (5.55m).


At the Beach Invitational, hosted by Long Beach State at Cerritos College, Western Washington’s Katie Reichert moved into second on the NCAA Division II list in the javelin, winning the event with a personal best of 165-7 (50.48m).

Eastern Washington’s Jeremy VanAssche had a solid sprint double, running 10.43 (+3.6), and 21.44 (+2.1) to finish second overall in the 100 and third in the 200.  The Eagles’ 4 x 100 relay won the overall title, as the team of Paige Hammock, Erika Lombardo, Brooke Monson and Rebecca Tarbert ran 46.91 to defeat conference rival Montana State (46.95).

One day after setting a school record in the high jump and clearing seven feet for the first time, winning with a best of 7-0.25 (2.14m) at the Bryan Clay Invitational, SeattleU’s Shaddye Melu ran 47.65 in the 400 to finish fifth overall.

Washington’s Kennadi Bouyer was second overall in the women’s 100 (11.70, +2.1), while Husky teammate Haley Jacobson was fifth (11.75, +0.8).

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