Steen of Western & Eggleston of Central both earn All-America honors in steeple...
ALLENDALE, Michigan—Western Washington senior Katelyn Steen (above/photo by Kyle Terwilliger, USTFCCCA) finished second Friday in the women’s steeplechase finals at the NCAA Division II track & field championships on the campus of Grand Valley State University.
Steen was clocked in 10:13.93, less than a second off her school and Great Northwest Athletic Conference record time established five weeks ago.
Winning the race was Hillsdale's Emily Oren in 9:54.43. She led the entire way, extending her lead throughout. Oren's younger sister, Molly, was third in 10:16.93. Placing eighth in 10:28.79 was Central Washington's Dani Eggleston, who also earned All-America honors.
"She (Steen) went right out with the leader and ran pretty close to her personal best, so I was very pleased," said WWU head coach Pee Wee Halsell "She had a little trouble with the second barrier and that's where Oren gained two or three strides and began to gradually pull away."
Steen, who will run in the 5,000 final on Saturday at 2 p.m. PT, placed fourth at nationals in the steeplechase last year.
"It felt pretty good to become an all-American," Eggleston said. "I have been waiting a long time for this and now that it is her it is very surreal."
In other action Friday, WWU’s Ryan Macdonald was tenth in the men’s discus with a toss of 176-6 (53.81m), and Travis Millbrandt did not qualify for the finals in the 110 hurdles, finishing fifth in his heat in 14.36.
Seattle Pacific’s Lynelle Decker qualified for Saturday’s finals in the 800, finishing third in her heat in 2:09.36.
The NCAA Division II championships conclude Saturday,with all four Washington D2 schools having athletes competing.
At the NCAA Division III championships in Canton, New York, Whitworth’s Dakota Kliamovich finished fifth in the women’s hammer with a toss of 178-10 (54.50m).
Day 2 results from the Division III championships are available here. Like the Division II meet, it also concludes Saturday with numerous finals.
On the professional circuit, University Place resident Andrea Geubelle is expected to compete Saturday in the long jump at the Olympic Training Center Elite Meet in Chula Vista, California. Washington alum Brad Walker is also expected to compete in the pole vault.
Washington alum Jeremy Taiwo will compete in next weekend's Gotzis Combined Events competition in Gotzis, Austria, according to a post from meet organizers. Taiwo will be in a field that includes reigning world and Olympic champion Ashton Eaton. Taiwo, the reigning US indoor heptathlon champion, will compete in his first decathlon since the 2013 world championships in Moscow, where he failed to finish after aggravating an injury in the long jump.
The start list for the Gotzis Combined Events meet is available here.
NOTE: The NCAA, USTFCCCA, and the sports information offices at Western Washington, Seattle Pacific, Whitworth, and Central Washington contributed to this report.
On the professional circuit, University Place resident Andrea Geubelle is expected to compete Saturday in the long jump at the Olympic Training Center Elite Meet in Chula Vista, California. Washington alum Brad Walker is also expected to compete in the pole vault.
Washington alum Jeremy Taiwo will compete in next weekend's Gotzis Combined Events competition in Gotzis, Austria, according to a post from meet organizers. Taiwo will be in a field that includes reigning world and Olympic champion Ashton Eaton. Taiwo, the reigning US indoor heptathlon champion, will compete in his first decathlon since the 2013 world championships in Moscow, where he failed to finish after aggravating an injury in the long jump.
The start list for the Gotzis Combined Events meet is available here.
NOTE: The NCAA, USTFCCCA, and the sports information offices at Western Washington, Seattle Pacific, Whitworth, and Central Washington contributed to this report.
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